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| Friday, September 14, 2001 24:18 EST |
Real Madrid proves it belongs
By Jamie Trecker
[Special to ESPN.com]
Real Madrid wasn't supposed to be in this one -- why, I don't know, because the display they put on against Manchester United in the first leg of their quarterfinal showed they were a team to be reckoned with, despite the result. They deserved better -- Manchester United was on its heels in this match, with Real getting not only better service, but better chances; without a
heroic effort from United keeper Mark Bosnich, this one would have gone the Spanish side's way.
Where was the advantage drawn? On the left flank, with Roberto Carlos charging up and defining the play of the game with dead-on balls to Fernando Morientes and Raul that rightfully should have found net. Real's speed was better, their crosses more in tune with the flow of the game, and their attack deadlier.
But Bosnich earned his paycheck, proving the maxim that a good 'keeper is worth his weight in gold. He shined, stopping volley after volley, including a sterling chance from former Liverpool star Steve McManaman late in the second half that by all rights should have won it for Real.
Manchester United -- still the best team in Britain -- should beware. Real looked better in the back, better on the flank, and better in front than a United team that often looked too comfortable with a scoreless result. Yes, David Beckham still has it; his crosses were unerring and brilliant, but the lack of finish showed by Alex Ferguson's side isn't the best measure for United's future.
That said, Manchester United got the better result -- a win at home is all they need now, and the truth is that in the waning minutes, Madrid allowed many uncontested runs into space. But champions convert those, and United did not on Tuesday.
The shocker of the week has to be Chelsea's 3-1 dismantling of Barcelona, one of the tourney favorites. Following up a strong showing over the weekend against a potent Leeds United side, Chelsea stunned Europe's best by scoring three in eight minutes to derail the Spaniards' march to the title match.
It was Barcelona's first loss in Europe this season, and if not seriously jeopardizing their chances -- they got an away goal and face the next leg at home -- certainly casts a cloud over the side. All in all, the big winners are United -- if by some chance Chelsea can go into the cauldron and snatch a result, you have to think it will be smooth sailing for the Reds.
My soccer Saturday
So, I got up last Saturday, as I always do, to check out the English
Premier League games; the rout of West Ham United by Man U (7-1) and the rather sloppy Leeds-Chelsea (0-1) match that followed. That's somewhat early for sports -- if you drive by our flat and listen closely, I am certain you can hear my wife crabbing about the volume whilst she's trying to get her beauty sleep.
That early hour -- 9 am CDT, most days -- keeps all but the die-hard fans away from the game, and with good reason; even my pals who love Man U haven't got the house cleaned and the kids swaddled (hey, we're all house-husbands here, OK) before mid-day, and by then it's time for a nice lie-down, and, you know, when you have a four-year-old to watch after, you're gonna want a
nap too, dammit.
So, then, why is so much more attention paid to these early games than the Major League Soccer ones played on the same day, but at a civilized hour? Such is the $64,000 question for this league -- and I tried to answer it by watching the full slate, thanks to my satellite provider.
Thanks to the two Fox channels, the MLS Shootout package and ESPN2, I was able to watch a mind-numbing 12 hours of soccer of Saturday, and I can say, wholeheartedly, that it isn't for the faint of heart.
What have I seen so far on Soccer Saturday? Last week, a pretty exciting Fire game against the Crew that was only marred by another ungrammatical telecast, courtesy of Kenny Stern. I donšt know how Brian Davis can stand it, but to his credit, he kept the action flowing. and the Fox Chicago crew turned in what I thought was a markedly improved broadcast over last season.
We had solid replays, good angles on the pitch and a more intuitive feel of the game. I was surprised that there didn't seem to be a whole lot of people in the stands, but there you go.
New York and D.C. on the Deuce was also pretty solid -- hey, for once viewers were treated to a loud, rocking Giants Stadium and a pretty decent New York performance. Is it Matthaeus? Is it Zambrano? I'm not sure, but whatever it is, it's working -- this looked and felt like a real soccer match for the first time in a long time.
I must confess that I found Colorado and K.C. to be so dull as to induce sleep, so I consoled myself by watching some of the Mexican league replays. New England and L.A. perked me up a little bit -- nice to see Brian Dunseth looking sharp; ditto for John Harkes -- until the poor Revs just gave up in the second half.
My conclusions? Well, the funny thing is that the best game of the day ... was probably the 7-1 Man U rout. Even though West Ham fell to pieces, the level of play was so much greater, it somewhat negated the early demand for attention. I really enjoy watching the MLS games, but putting them head-to-head against other broadcasts -- as I was able to do, thanks to satellite -- made them pale. Is that a fair comparison? Well, yes, it is: I did what every TV fan can do nowadays.
The one thing I will say about MLS' new Saturday schedule (other than the fact that I do like it): it makes turning on the TV on Sunday that much harder. That's a lot of radiation, you know...
Random thoughts
As a fun and good-natured way to add a little excitement to the season, I publicly offer this wager to MLS, an oft-mentioned target of this column: If they can beat last year's total attendance average, I will allow any member of MLS (now's your chance, Sunil) to throw a pie at me, at the MLS Cup. I'll even buy the pie -- or pies, should it be Ante Razov that gets the nod. In addition, I will donate my paycheck (it's measly, but it's something) from
my MLS Cup column to a charity of MLS' choosing.
However, if MLS accepts, and they don't exceed the total, then I would suggest that the president of the local fan supporters group in D.C. (where the Cup will be held) get a chance to sling a pie at Commissioner Garber at the aforementioned Cup.
Do MLS' minions accept? Check back for an update.
Check this space this weekend for this year's first look at the 2000 women's Olympic team, then watch over the following weeks as we trail the men's team through the final round of qualification in Hershey, Pa. We promise: profiles of the up-and-coming stars, a look at the daily routine, and match reports straight from Chocolate World.
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