Check it out Philadelphia area soccer fans the expansion Philadelphia Union won their first ever match in MLS in their first home game 3-2 over DC United. Sebastian Le Toux notched a hat-trick scoring with his head early on, then slotting home on a beautiful counter and pass from Alejandro Moreno, then on a free kick for the match winner after United rebounded to knot the score at 2 in the second half. Le Toux, a standout for years in the USL at Montreal Impact spent last year with Seattle in their first season in MLS had a memorable game for the Union with over 34,000 fans, including the Vice President, on hand to cheer him on.
 

Reading hosted Coventry City on Monday and ran out to three first half goals (Rasiak, Church (pen) and Kebe) for the 3-0 win putting their late season rise back on track. Reading’s Sigurdsson was named player of the month for March; a well deserved recognition for the young man that has done so much to fuel the revival. Then, Reading traveled to 4th place Cardiff City on Saturday and played them to a scoreless draw for another positive result.

In more news from the Coca Cola Championship Newcastle assured their promotion back to the EPL with a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United. The Toon hold top spot with a game in hand and six point lead over West Brom who hold the second automatic promotion spot also assured their promotion back to the EPL with a win over Doncaster. The teams currently in the tussle for the playoff to determine the 3rd promoted side are Nottingham Forest, Cardiff, Swansea and Leicester with Blackpool only two points away from joining that fight.

Would Arsenal, missing so many key players be able to mount a challenge in their Champions League quarterfinal 2nd leg battle at Barca? Is it possible it could match the compelling struggle at the Emirates of just a week ago? Not likely. Now missing Arshavin, Gallas, Song and Fabregas the mission may truly be an impossible one.

So you’d think, but this Arsenal club has another twist in their tail and Walcott combines with Bendtner on a break and the big Dutchman converts despite the poor feed from Theo and a good save, then stabs in the rebound for the lead at the Nou Camp (18). Then it was time for some Messi magic. His run breaks down and Silvestre knocks the attempted thru ball away and wouldn’t you know it goes right back to Messi still on his run and he launches a left-footed laser into the top of the net from the edge of the area to level (21). A stunning and truly marvelous goal that you would only see from a select few and this guy is on top of that very short list. In the 37th its Messi again but he’s not done yet: just 4 minutes later he finds the net again with a deft chip over Alumnia for his natural hat-trick getting on the end of Abidal’s knockdown. An amazing display by a truly wonderful offensive player. It seems as if Arsenal’s goal simply lit the fuse on Messi’s engine and he would actually add a 4th in the dying moments (88). Credit to the Gunners they created a few opportunities to get back in it but a Bendtner header came back off the post. On another Bendtner roamed free without a Barca defender in the same time zone and Clichy went for goal instead of putting him in on goal (his shot wound up in row Z). Barca moves on to face Inter in one semifinal.

Inter was in Moscow for the 2nd leg face off against a CSKA side needing to recover from the 1st leg loss in Italy. It must be said that in the first leg CSKA looked to be a team that didn’t belong at this level and will have to raise their game several notches to actually challenge. What also makes this tie clearly second best from a fan perspective is Inter’s propensity to play down to their opposition which they did in the first leg managing only a single goal. Holding the slim lead going in would Inter approach this one playing for a scoreless draw or would they actually decide to raise their game and produce a watchable display? What this match needed to make it interesting was an early goal from CSKA while at the same time an Inter away goal would settle the issue making the opening stages of this match as important as it gets for both sides. So what happened?

Inter got that early goal from a Wesley Sneider free kick (6) and that was that. Well, not quite, but there wasn’t much in it from that point. A few chances for each side but most of them didn’t even get on frame. So Inter goes to a semi against Barca and they’ll actually have to wake up before the opening kick.

French champs Bordeaux hosted Lyon needing to also overturn a deficit after the 3-1 first leg loss. They managed one, but the young Lyon keeper, Lloris, was the hero of the day as they lose 1-0 but reach the semi’s on the 3-2 aggregate scoreline.

Wayne Rooney was said to be set for a “shock” recovery and be available for United’s 2nd leg with Bayern Munich. Frankly, you have to wonder if it is real or is it the biggest of gambles? Or better yet, is it SAF using Rooney’s situation as a psycho weapon to upset Bayern’s preparation ahead of the Wednesday meeting at Old Trafford?

Despite SAF saying he had “no chance” of being in the starting lineup, there he was and he did well in taking part in the United run to a 3-0 lead. Gibson hit the first (3) off a feed from Rooney and Nani scored a wonderful goal deflecting the cross from Valencia off his heel to the back post (7) and United now held the lead on aggregate 3-2. The start they would have dreamed of to be sure and they’d add another from another Valencia cross (he was spectacular on the wing) that Nani slammed in for a 3-0 lead on the night (4-2 agg). Rio was then caught well up the pitch leaving Carrick to deal with Olic and he didn’t as he pulled one back for Bayern just ahead of the break (43). Then the key of the match came in the 50th when Insua was sent off for his second yellow as the ref responded to a committee meeting of Bayern players. That forced SAF to make some changes bringing Rooney off to adjust his side for a finish with only ten men. United went into a bunker at that stage surrendering space and hunkering down to protect their lead and that didn’t work. United’s only real chance of the final 20 minutes fell to Nani on the hat-trick but his high hard shot was batted away with a terrific reflex save by Butt. At that moment no one really knew how significant that save would be. Minutes later a Ribery corner was brilliantly taken out of the air by Robben (74) for the 3-2 final score sending Bayern to the semis on the away goals rule after the 4-4 aggregate.

This is deja vue in case you’re thinking you heard this story before, you did. It was Robben who scored that wonder goal taking Fiorentina out in the very same set of circumstances too: Bayern lost on the night there as well, by the very same 3-2 score, but Robben’s stunning goal took them through on away goals there too. Oh, both the goals that won the two ties came from his left foot as well but this one, taking the corner out of the air was even better.

This is the first time since 2003 that there are no teams from the EPL in the final four of the Champions League. John Terry goes on the record saying that he thinks it’s a good thing for England if you can imagine that. More than just a little imaginary reasoning there but somehow Terry thinks it’s a positive for England’s preparation for the World Cup.

In Europa League Fulham traveled to Wolfsburg with the advantage but looking to ensure the German side wasn’t able to make their late away goal count in the outcome of the tie. They did just that cancelling out the Germans away goal in the opening minute. A Gera pass put Zamora in on goal who made no mistake with his shot (1). Here’s one you don’t see very often: Konchesky gets a yellow card for time wasting while attempting a throw-in (63). Zamora’s goal in the opening minute holds up and Fulham advances with the 0-1 victory (1-3 agg). The wonderful season for the West London club goes on.

At Anfield Liverpool needed to produce a quality display after being blitzed by Benfica despite their early away goal. Two Cardozo penalities won the day in the first leg and now it is Liverpool that needs to make sure their away goal matters in the outcome.

Ahead of the match Torres statements in the press and Rafa backing him were just factually wrong. Rafa has been saying all along that he didn’t have the support (money) to buy players needed to improve his side. That is simply not true as Liverpool has spent more over the past three seasons than United, Chelsea or Arsenal. The facts are that the only clubs in all of Europe that spent more than Liverpool are Man City and Real Madrid. Rafa seems to believe that the only path to success is to spend money by the boatload. Now he’s campaigning in the press for another $75 million or so. The guy is nuts.
Apparently he hasn’t noticed that none of those big spending sides remain in the Champions League either.

Rafa’s real problem is he has not gotten good value for the money spent on players like Dossena, Riera, Baros, Voronin, Keane, Crouch, Aguilani and Babel too. The real truth is Rafa has squandered most of the money he has had available and yet he continually says he hasn’t had enough. Rafa, the real reason that Liverpool Football Club haven’t gotten the best value for that money spent is you. As the manager it is your job to get the best out of the players you do have and mold them into a team. You simply haven’t done that.

That said, in the event a Gerrard cross found Kuyt in close who got on the end of it and banged in the first (28). Six minutes later a delightful ball from Gerrard put Lucas in alone (34) and Liverpool took the lead 2-0 (3-2 agg) ahead of the break. Kuyt found Torres in the middle and the Spaniard banged in another for Liverpool (59) for the 3-0 lead (4-2 agg). At this point you have to wonder where were the Benfica central defenders? All three goals came from the center of the area right in front of goal with slack marking each time.

Cardozo got Benfica back in it from just outside the area with a strong left-footed shot (70) that canceled Liverpool’s away goal. Remember what happened yesterday at Old Trafford? The Reds made sure that wouldn’t happen here as Mascherano finds Torres on the counter and Torres finds the net again for a 4-1 Liverpool lead (5-3 agg) to close the book.

The weekend featured the FA Cup semifinals at Wembley (Aston Villa v Chelsea and Spurs v Portsmouth). Villa looked to regain some pride after suffering a devastating 7-1 defeat by the Blues and with that in mind they were the better side in a less than stellar opening half. The slick pitch was the biggest challenge to both sides in the early going once a penalty shout for Mikel’s takedown of Agbonlahor was rejected. That would change in the 67th when Drogba redirected a mis-hit shot from Terry into the bottom corner for Chelsea’s first. Late goals from Malouda (89) and Lampard in stoppage time filled in the scoresheet for the 3-0 win.

Pompey faced Spurs and the man many fans on the south coast believe started their slide to oblivion, their former manager Harry Redknapp, who also “abandoned” them twice in the space of two years before settling at White Hart Lane taking several key players with him. Wouldn’t it be juicy to see Portsmouth, after their disastrous season and financial implosion get to the FA Cup final by defeating Spurs? And they did just that with a 100% effort and some good fortune too when a Spurs goal was denied for a foul on James, which never happened.

Tottenham fell to Portsmouth 2-0 with both goals being scored in extra time. Piquionne hit his 11th of the season (99) and Boateng added the second from the spot (117) to set up the final match with Chelsea.

With Chelsea in the FA Cup action United looked to regain top spot in the EPL table on their visit to Blackburn. Nothing would repair the damage to their confidence with their getting bounced out of the Champions League by Bayern and loss to Chelsea over the past week as much as a resounding victory at Ewood Park. Actually circumstances demanded it. Blackburn stymied them all over the pitch when they did manage to create anything at all and United dropped two massive points failing to regain the top spot in the league table in a scoreless draw.

The relegation dogfight with multi-million dollar consequences seemed to favor the Tigers especially given Burnley’s poor recent form and season record of total frustration on the road. So you’d think but that isn’t what happened on the pitch as Burnley blitzed Hull in a 1-4 win, their first of the season on the road to keep their slim hopes of survival alive and heap the pressure on Hull’s Ian Dowie.

West Ham labored against Sunderland but came away 1-0 winners on an Ilan strike earning them just what they needed to keep themselves above the zone.

Wolves and Stoke played to a lackluster scoreless deadlock. Wolves lack of scoring punch is a mystery for a team that scored 80 goals last season in the Championship they have managed only 28 this season and only 10 goals on their home ground in 17 games.

In that battle for the final Champions League spot currently held by Man City many say that the most recent stumble by Liverpool has them out of the fight. It might be too soon to count them out. Here’s why: yes, the Reds have one less game to play, but on the run to the tape that could actually be an advantage and they also have the far “easier” schedule as well. In the league the Reds are at home against Fulham then West Ham, then they visit Burnley, return home for Chelsea and finish the season at Hull. Three of their remaining five games are against the weaker teams in the league. A much less challenging close to the season than their opponents. The real difference for the Reds is that they’ll have to run the table to actually get there and hope that City and Spurs do not. It really is a case of he who blinks first loses and the task at hand is a far easier one for the Reds.

Meanwhile Spurs have a much bigger hill to climb making the loss at Sunderland a much bigger deal than most fans think. Spurs start the run-in facing the big North London Derby with Arsenal visiting White Hart Lane followed by Chelsea. They then visit Old Trafford, back home versus Bolton, then a visit to Eastlands and finish the season at Turf Moor. Besides that difficult track they also have the FA Cup semi’s and possible final as well. A much more difficult challenge for Spurs and most would say the most challenging close to the season of the lot. Probably is, but City’s isn’t a cake walk either.

Man City finds a big challenge facing them too that starts at home to Birmingham, then the big Manchester Derby and away to the Gunners follows. Then two of their rivals come to Eastlands with the visit of Aston Villa followed by Spurs, then they finish the season at West Ham. Mancini must be pleased that City’s revival of form seems right on time. He’ll need that as the season draws to a close in a hurry.

Aston Villa, counted out by many at this stage could rise to get back in it too. First of course they have the FA Cup semi challenge with Chelsea then back to the league at home versus Everton, then they visit Pompey, then Hull before returning home against Birmingham. Villa then visits Man City and finishes the season at home against Blackburn Rovers. Not as challenging a run-in as City or Spurs but also not as “easy” as that facing Liverpool either.

Whichever side ends up holding 4th will have to earn it over the final weeks of the season that is for certain. And, that is the way it should be. Plus, unseen in this fight is the impact it could also have on who wins the title too. Notice that City is the only side contending for that final Champions League place that will not face Chelsea: they’ve already done the double on the possible champs. That fact could be an unseen benefit for City as the season draws to its sure to be dramatic close.

Liverpool blitzed Fulham launching 26 attempts at goal (only 7 on frame) but failed to score without Torres and four others from their normal lineup on the pitch in a damaging 0-0 draw. The dropped points all but kill off any realistic chance of securing 4th.

Man City thumped Birmingham 5-1 with a flurry that saw 4 goals scored in the last 7 minutes of the opening half. Tevez started it from the spot (38), added a second just two minutes later before Cameron Jerome pulled one back for B’ham (42), then watched Adebayor notch his first (43) of the day as Tevez found him all alone for a tap in. Onuoha hit his first for City (74) ahead of Adebayor’s second (88) for the comprehensive win. City cements their grip on 4th while Spurs were idle and getting whipped in the FA Cup semifinal and Liverpool stumbled again at Anfield falling another two points adrift in 6th.