THE WEEK IN MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

Olsen Saves United From Further Shame & The Rest Of The News From The States

Compiled by Gavin Willacy

BEN OLSEN has a habit of scoring in the last few seconds of games. He's done it numerous times for DC United and rescued a draw deep into injury time for the USA against Tunisia last month. But his matchwinner for United against Chicago Fire on Saturday was sensational. With 92 minutes played the Fire led 1-0. By the final whistle they had been beaten.

Former Middlesbrough striker Jaime Moreno put his miserable start to the season behind him when he equalised two minutes into stoppage time. Olsen popped up to break Chicago's hearts a few seconds later and finally secure DC's first win of the season, just as the defending champions looked set to make it three defeats out of three.

New England Revolution are now the only team without a win after MLS player of the year Jason Kreis scored Dallas Burn's winner in the Cotton Bowl. The win keeps the Texas outfit on top of the Central Division with three wins out of four and they are looking like real challengers to DC United's title.

Their impressive start to the season was vital given the next two fixtures, according to star midfielder Chad Deering.

"It's not a bad start but we needed that because we have two tough games on the road now," he told Football365. "We go to Los Angeles, who haven't lost yet, on Saturday and then to San Jose, who are playing very well. I hope we put up a challenge in the Rose Bowl because weíve not fared well there in the past. Letís hope we can manufacture a tie, at least."

For a full interview with Chad Deering, click here.

Ah, ties. Draws. A point apiece. The change in the MLS rules to allow a draw after ten minutes of sudden death extra time has yet to affect Dallas but unbeaten Miami Fusion have drawn three of their four games so far. But has it made any difference to the way teams approach games?

"From what I've seen, the home team will push forward for a winner if it's say, 1-1, in the last few minutes, because they donít want to risk sudden-death," said Deering. "Anything could happen in overtime. It's beneficial for the away team because it gives them an opportunity to take a point from a good performance and that's vital.

"I couldnít stand the shoot-out Ė we'd have had the best record in MLS if we'd had a tie situation instead, I think we only lost four or five games in regulation. The new system is a lot more European, it's something they really needed to do."

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS' winning run came to an end, as did Miklos Molnarís scoring streak, but they would have settled for their 0-0 draw in the Miami Fusion's Lockhart Stadium, although the Fort Lauderdale public weren't too thrilled. The Wizards remain unbeaten and their fans believe they could be in for an exciting season.

"Finally, the Wizards have an impact player under the age of 35 in Molnar," wrote Jeff Smith from Missouri. "We have too often relied on Mo Johnston or Preki, greybeards to say the least. Molnar doesn't possess outstanding pace, but he has a nose for the net and makes the defence work hard to mark him. He's a class act, just the player that can energise the dormant soccer fans in Kansas City. I hope he stays long enough to accomplish it."

Molnar himself is loving his first few weeks of MLS.

"Itís been really good so far and Iím very happy," the Denmark striker told Football365. "We had a good pre-season when I got to know the team and this start is great for confidence. Last season, Kansas City lost their first seven or eight games so it is important to get confidence quickly.

"The standard here is very competitive and I think it's a style that suits me more than it did in Spain with Seville. I'm not a forward who can do much on my own. I like to play with wingers and get good service from midfield. The biggest thing is the change in the weather Ė it's pretty cold here. I've not played in Denmark for a long time so I've got used to it being warmer than this. I'm not a real Dane - I'm always cold!"

You can read a full interview with Miklos Molnar on our sister site Eurofinals365.com


CHANNEL FIVE'S coverage of Major League Soccer is off to its usual haphazard start. With no accompanying programmes, it is difficult for many fans to watch the weekly game in context, and showing two games from the same weekend a week apart does not help. Mind you, at least UK viewers have already seen DC United, Los Angeles Galaxy and Lothar Matthaus' debut for the MetroStars. Viewers only got ten minute highlights of the first half of that game in Miami but all of the second half. Don't spend too much time in the editing suite C5, whatever you do!

The MetroStars lost 2-0 in San Jose on Saturday thanks to John Doyle's double for the Earthquakes, but despite starting with two defeats out of three, Matthaus should not despair. The New Yorkers look far better than last season already, playing with speed and passion. Matthaus and Dooley seem to have the task of spraying long balls from the back to the wide midfield, with Brian Kelly providing a useful outlet down the right.

Colombia striker Alex Comas, reminiscent of a baddie off Miami Vice (in fact, he was a baddie in Miami when he scored there just 23 minutes into his MetroStars debut), looks capable of curing last year's horrendous goal scoring problems and, with Tab Ramos tipped to return on April 19 against Columbus, the MetroStars could be back in business soon.

One nugget of trivia: did you know that the other new Colombian striker, Adolfo Valencia, won the Bundesliga with Matthaus' Batern Munich in 1994? Nor did I. He was in the side beaten by Norwich that season, too. Jeremy Goss, Ian Butterworth, jumpers for goalposts...


OF ALL the changes in MLS this year, one of the best is purely aesthetic: several clubs have changed their kits to more traditional strips and they look mighty fine for it.

The MetroStars are sporting thick black and white stripes, Miami's pale blue has no sponsor spoiling it, and Tampa Bay Mutiny look superb in their glorious new kit of navy and sky blue thirds - a take on Birminghamís 1970s number.

RESULTS (Home team first): Miami 0 Kansas City 0, Columbus 2 Los Angeles 2, DC United 3 Chicago 2, Dallas 2 New England 1, Colorado 1 Tampa Bay 0, San Jose 2 MetroStars 0

FIXTURES Saturday: MetroStars v Columbus, New England v DC United, Tampa Bay v Colorado, Chicago v Miami, Kansas City v San Jose, Los Angeles v Dallas. Wednesday: MetroStars v Kansas City