MLS Week 21 Review: Number 99 Scores Number 109

By: Daryl | August 26th, 2007

Jaime Moreno 109 Big week for Jaime Moreno. He netted a penalty against New York on Wednesday to make him the all-time MLS leading goalscorer with 109. Good work Jaime, but you took your sweet time doing it. Moreno levelled with Jason Kreis on 108 when he scored a penalty against Toronto way back in May and we’ve been waiting for 109 ever since, though he did go and play for Bolivia in the Copa America inbetween. The big question now is how high Moreno can set the bar. With DC United looking pretty solid again Moreno should have plenty more chances to add to that tally between now and the end of the season, and at 33 there’s no need to think about retiring just yet.

In the meantime there was plenty other MLS action, and one big big signing, so here are The Offside MLS Awards…

Toughest Job in MLS: David Beckham
Not only does David Beckham have to be a one man PR machine for MLS, he’s also expected to lead a piss-poor looking LA Galaxy side (very likely for reasons suggested here) to the play-offs by playing multiple games in a short space of time on an injured ankle AND criss-cross the North American continent and the Atlantic ocean to help another piss-poor looking team who wear white qualify for Euro 2008. I sincerely hope he can do both, but it’s a mighty big ask.

Worst coaching decision: Frank Yallop
The Galaxy boss put names before fitness to play when he selected Becks and Landon Donovan to play against Chivas, despite both of them having just returned from international games on the other side of the pond. To no one’s surprise Galaxy lost 3-0. Yallop even admitted he knew Becks shouldn’t have played, but seems to have had no choice. Exactly who’s in charge in Los Angeles???

Highest slide tackle: Jesse Marsch on Beckham
It was nasty but it was also sort of impressive. Sliding in on Beckham from behind, Marsch got his boot to chest level. Even Graeme Souness used to settle for below the waist line (click here and go to 1:55)

Most exciting signing: Denilson
To much surprise, the already decent looking FC Dallas added Brazilian World Cup winner Denilson to their roster as their Designated Player. His career might have gone off track a little recently (from world’s most expensive player to the Saudi Arabian league) but he’s only 29 and we all know he’s got a bagful of tricks. If nothing else, the number of stepovers in MLS will instantly double.

Worst Refereeing Decision: Baldomero Toledo
Burciaga clearly ran the ball out of bounds. Chicago’s defender’s stopped and even Burciaga stopped for a second. But Toldeo didn’t whistle so Burciaga started running again, squared the ball, and Scott Sealey scored for Kansas.

Best Assist:: Eddie Johnson
In the same game, Eddie Johnson had lost his balance as the cross came in, but managed to acrobatically flick the ball on with his backheel before he hit the deck, allowing Burciuaga to score what turned out to be the game winner as Kansas beat Chicago 3-2.

Best Revenge: Chicago Fire
In the corresponding fixture 3 days later, Chicago brought Kansas back to Illinois and beat them 2-0 with a Blacnco free-kick and a Calen Carr goal.

Dribbliest Dribble: Guillermo Barros Schelotto
The Columbus Crew non-DP DP dropped a shoulder in the Dynamo box and about half the Houston team bought it, allowing Schelloto to slip the ball through for Alejandro Moreno to score. But the MLS defending champs fought hard and levelled it at 1-1 with a Nate Jaqua goal.

Most MLS Minutes Without a Goal: Toronto FC
That’s an official MLS record now, as the Canadians have gone 642 minutes without scoring. It had all looked so good not so long ago, but the realities of a thin squad seem to be catching up with Mo Johnston’s men. They lost 1-0 to DC United this weekend.

Best Gary Neville/Paul Robinson Impression: Carlos Mendes/Jon Conway
Like the England pairs mishap against Croatia, only maybe a bit worse, the New York Red Bulls pair conspired to gift New England a victory. Mendes passed back to Conway from a fair distance away but Conway could only dive in horror as the ball bounced inside his far post, giving the Revs a 2-1 win.