The bad, the ugly and the good
With apologies to Sergio Leone.
*The bad: Former Galaxy man Brian Mullan received a ban today tied for the longest in MLS history when he received a 10-game suspension (including the automatic one-game ban for drawing a red card) and a $5,000 fine, the league announced.
Mullan broke the leg of Seattle's Steve Zakuani in two places in the third minute of the game between the Sounders and Colorado last Friday with a challenge that was more assault than tackle.
The MLS Disciplinary Committee said Mullan's challenge was "reckless, egregious, and showed utter disregard for the safety of his opponent."
*The ugly: Wasted chances (including two sitters that should have found the back of the net), no Kyle Beckerman and a superbly taken, swift goal of the type MLS defenses just don't see very often scuppered Real Salt Lake's chances last night of defeating Mexico's Monterrey for the CONCACAF Champions League title.
RSL players were visibly upset after the final whistle as if they had lost the opportunity of a lifetime. But good teams pick themselves up, regroup and try again. RSL are so obviously the class of MLS I don't think we've seen the last of them in this competition.
And if it's any consolation to Galaxy fans, that club remains the last U.S. team to lift the equivalent trophy 10 years ago.
*Finally, the good. If you haven't seen Lionel Messi's second goal for Barcelona against Real Madrid in the opening leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal Wednesday, you're in for a real treat as he either beats or evades half a dozen of the opposing players (and his first wasn't bad either):
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
This will make RSL doubly hungry for MLS silverware. As long as they stay healthy, I can't see anybody in the league who can stop them.