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Published on 05/29/2006 2:56 pm (Last Updated 05/29/2006 2:56 pm)

Rochester retains top spot

By Jesse

The Sounders are the big story of the week, travelling to Vancouver and getting a point, then the very next night taking all three back at home in Seattle. Rochester did slip in only coming away with a draw when visiting the Mariners, but the only team who might have been in place to capitalize on their misfortune would have been the Whitecaps. Whoops. As it stands, Virginia Beach is making a surprising start to the season and finds themselves nearing the top of the Power Rankings.

Week in review

Friday night had the Sounders travelling to Swangard Stadium in a game that proved to have more goals scored (four) than all other games over the weekend combined (three). That's a lot of 1-0 and 0-0 games. Seattle game from behind twice to steal a point in Vancouver, 2-2. In the other game, Toronto learned how to keep an opponent under two goals in a game. Unfortunately they weren't able to repeat last weeks feat of also scoring a goal. At some point this season, they might employ both skills and get a point in the standings. Romario scored the winner for Miami, 1-0.

Saturday had twice as many games but 40% as many goals. Portland managed one against the Thunder. Well, the Thunder managed one too, but there was a phantom offsides call. Regardless, the officials awarded the Timbers all three points, 1-0. The other goal was scored by Seattle in a surprise 1-0 victory at home over the Caps. In the other games, the Silverbacks hung on for a 0-0 draw in Charleston and the Mariners fended off the Rhinos in another scoreless draw.

Finally, on Sunday Miami went to Montreal and came out smelling like roses again holding the Impact for a scoreless draw. So the expansion club comes in and quickly plays the season series against one of the top teams in the league and comes out with two points. Not bad.

New Rankings

1(1)	Rochester	(5-0-2)	Small slip, but still on top, still undefeated
2(3)	Montreal	(2-1-2)	Miami appears to have their number
3(5)	Virginia Beach	(3-1-2)	Any point versus the Rhinos is a good point
4(7)	Miami	(3-2-3)	Solid trip to Eastern Canada
5(8)	Seattle	(2-2-2)	Huge set of games against the Caps
6(4)	Puerto Rico	(3-2-1)	Idle
7(2)	Vancouver	(3-1-3)	Seattle should be tough, but Vancouver should have done better
8(9)	Portland	(3-4-1)	Despite the curses I hurled their way, they pulled out a victory
9(6)	Charleston	(2-1-2)	Battery can't decide if its a good team or not, I say not
10(11)	Atlanta	(0-3-2)	If I were convinced Charleston were any good I would have been impressed
11(10)	Minnesota	(1-4-1)	You're making me nervous guys
12(12)	Toronto	(0-6-0)	0 pts

Predictions for this week

Friday:
Portland at Seattle -- 1-2, Seattle looked good versus Vancouver

Saturday:
Vancouver at Minnesota -- 0-1, Caps play against Sounders justifies my optimism, right?
Charleston at Atlanta -- 0-0, Battery returns the favor
Virginia Beach at Rochester -- 0-2, Rhinos rage to open new stadium
Seattle at Portland -- 0-1, Rivalry too bitter to lose at home

Sunday:
Puerto Rico at Montreal -- 0-1, Impact too good to not win in back to back home games
Virginia Beach at Toronto -- 2-0, Toronto still awful

Last weeks predictions

Friday:
Miami at Toronto 1-0 (2-0) -- Right result
Seattle at Vancouver 2-2 (1-2) -- Seattle surpise

Saturday:
Atlanta at Charleston 0-0 (0-2) -- Battery not better than Silverbacks
Rochester at Virginia Beach 0-0 (2-0) -- Mariners were ready for Rhinos
Portland at Minnesota 1-0 (1-2) -- *grumble*
Vancouver at Seattle 0-1 (1-1) -- Seattle surprise part II

Sunday:
Miami at Montreal 0-0 (0-3) -- Miami more than ready for Montreal

So I only got one game right. Out of seven. Wow. Perhaps I should give it up? Nah! I'll do better this week, I swear!

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