Blanco is down now in the 45th. Very hard collision with Josh Wicks. Fair play, but Blanco took a thigh to the head and he isn't moving a whole lot right now. Blanco seemed to be with it when he went down, but then went limp as soon as he was on the ground. He is up now and refused to be subbed out. I would expect him to go straight to the locker room right now, but he should be back in the second half.
And I'm stupid as Blanco goes right back in for the last few minutes of stoppage time before the half. And he's right into his Blanco-best as he gets flagged off-side and shares some words with the linesman. And that's the half.
Some first half thoughts, Fire are looking good in defense because they are focusing so much on Donovan. If Beckham is on the wing, he's not a great threat to score himself and he has been on the wing for most of the game. Donovan hasn't found much time or space on the ball because the Fire are taking their chances by playing off Buddle and Gordon. Buddle started the season very strong, but has tapered off a bit and Gordon is just a horrible player. Donovan needs to shift up into a forward position, rather than sitting back as a playmaker.
Good game so far though, I'm enjoying it. (unlike some other games, where it get boring after a while) Let's hope they score more goals in the second half.
CK, just to revisit the drum issue, I didn't like them before my experience in the Fort. I thought they were just so damn annoying. Then when I was there and realized how key they were to leading the chants and how much more I enjoyed the match when I was standing there, clapping and chanting with the drums. I don't think I could ever sit in Gillette and not be in that section. The time in Bayamon was just an entirely different experience. It was less about leading songs and chants, and more about musicianship as there was an entire band. If you're ever in Puerto Rico while the Islanders are in season, check them out. There isn't a great passion for futbol in Puerto Rico, but the difference in presentation is worth checking out.
Second half starts and no changes for either side. And yes, Justin Mapp is still somewhat lost out there. I'm not sure what happened with Mapp. He was one of the best left mids in MLS and looked like he had some national team prospects. Right now, he just looks out of place and irrelevant to the action. He's made Alan Gordon look like he's playing at the high school level, as opposed to his usual elementary school gym class left back skill level.
Fire miss out on a chance in the 49th. John Thorington moved out wide, then sent a through-ball and had Rolfe in on Wicks, but the pass was at the wrong angle and Wicks was able to get it.
In the 51st now and Bakary Soumare is my new hero. While he is only soon to be an American defender, he just took the ball from his center back spot and slalomed through the Galaxy to midfield before passing it off, and completing the pass. He cannot become a citizen soon enough. Soumare also plays d-mid and could relieve some of the bitterness I have about Shalrie Joseph being left for Grenada. Becks with two corners now. Gordon gets on one and its deflected out for another. On the second, the Fire clear it back for Becks to cross it in. Gordon heads it straight down and out for a goal kick. The right side for the Galaxy has been fantastic all night. Becks the internationally known commodity, but Chris Klein is a fantastic MLS player at right back. While he's no Beckham, Klein sends in quality crosses when Becks lets him get forward.
2-1 FIRE IN THE 57TH! Rolfe plays the ball forward for Blanco, who finds a brilliant first touch to get past Troy Roberts and Josh Wicks, AND play the ball too far out for Sean Franklin to get at it AND keep the angle to get the ball into the empty net. Blanco still looks fatigued, but you can't hide the skills.
3-1 FIRE IN THE 59TH! Segares plays Rolfe into space after a brilliant back heel from Blanco. The offside flag stays down and Rolfe sends one through Wicks. Wicks gets a hand on it, but the ball bounces in. Rolfe's brace gives him a team-leading six goals on the year.
Galaxy look done. I think I read too much into their 5-2 win over a dead tired DC United team. However, as I am saying this, Alan Gordon comes off the field for Peter Vagenas. Bruce Arena has found the one thing that Gordon is good at, and that is leaving matches. Vagenas goes into the midfield in a 4-4-2, which should let Donovan move up into a center forward role, which is where he should better be able to get on the end of service from Beckham.
Beckham with a free kick in the 66th. Terrific chance as it goes right into the path of one of his players, not sure which one. However, Busch put himself in exactly the right place and gets an easy save. In the 68th now. Donovan plays out wide for Klein. Great give and go as Klein sends it back in and finds Donovan right at the near post. However, Donovan goes with the typical Alan Gordon finish and sends it well over the goal.
More Gordon-ness from Donovan in the 71st. Eddie Lewis with a brilliant ball finding Donovan charging far post. Donovan can only hit it first try, but sends it well over the goal. Very rough game for Donovan. First he wasn't getting possession, now he's struggling hard with the finish. Bakary Soumare gets a yellow card for wasting time apparently. Dennis Hamlet, Fire manager, is going certifiable on the bench as he has firmly implanted himself in the fourth official's ear.
We've reached the 78th minute now. The field is getting stretched. The Fire have been sitting back considerably, while Jazic and Klein are moving way up, leaving Franklin and Roberts very much exposed centrally. A few subs to report. Bryan Jordan replaced an ineffective Edson Buddle. Brandon McDonald enters for Greg Vanney. Justin Mapp exits for Mike Banner. Don't know much about those three, but Banner looks like a 14 year-old boy.
I think Beckham needs to look a bit more to shoot from distance. I know a moving ball isn't the same as a free kick, but I know he can send in some serious shots from outside the 18. With Klein getting so far forward, many of Beckham's touches over the last 10-15 minutes have been in the middle of the pitch. It gives him some legit chances to get the ball and bend it on goal from 20-30 yards. 84th minute now and Chris Rolfe exits for Stephen King (not the author).
This Bryan Jordan gentleman forces Segares into playing the ball out for a corner in the 86th. Sean Franklin gets wide open for a header, but heads it almost directly down into the ground in a very Gordonesque moment. Brandon McDonald receives a legit yellow in the 88th for a late challenge on Logan Pause. Blanco comes off for Diego Gutierrez. Blanco goes right down the tunnel as the Fire fans are giving him a standing ovation. Can't tell if the applause are for Blanco's career or for his moments of astounding brilliance tonight, mixed with him looking exhausted. As critical as I have been of Buddle and Gordon in this match, I am hugely underwhelmed by Brian McBride. He has been absolutely irrelevant in this match. I think a large part of that is that Mapp was useless on the left and Rolfe was regularly moving to the middle from the right and he depends greatly on service from the wings.
Game over and the Fire win 3-1. Hard to pick a man of the match here. Rolfe had two goals, Blanco was instrumental in both and scored one of his own. But I'll split it among the back four for the Fire. Conde, Soumare, Prideaux, and Segares were all over the pitch and the Galaxy rarely had serious attacking threats. Most of all, they shut off Donovan completely all match long. Donovan has 19 goals and 8 assists on the year, so that is not anywhere near being a small task.
Galaxy can't seem to get anything going with their offense. Plus they have horrible defense. They have to get some new player for next season if they want to contend for the top spot.
