In the first half, the Goats opened up the scoreboard in the twenty-second minute with a shot from Michael Lahoud who started as a forward and was assisted by James Riley. Two minutes later the Red and White would be awarded a PK after referee Mariscal called a hand ball in the box. Juan Pablo Angel would then convert for the 2-0 score. The third goal in the half for the Goats came in the 40^th minute as newcomer; Englishman Ryan Smith would convert his first shot as a member of the Red and White when the Conejos keeper lost the ball after he stopped a shot from Michael Lahoud. The Rojiblancos would end the first half by a score of 3-0.

In the second half Coach Fraser would sub out all but one Alejandro Moreno, with a squad of trialist as well as Chivas USA Youth Academy standouts and a couple of familiar faces for the Goats; Jorge Villafaña as well as Frenchman Laurent Courtois returned to the pitch for the Goats in the second half. Villafaña is returning from his U-23 Men’s National Training in preparation for the Olympic Games Qualifiers and Courtois from a late 2011 season injury.

In the 50^th minute, the Red and White set the score at 4-0 with a shot from forward, Chris Cortez. Towards the end of the match (89^th minute), Tijuana native, Cesar Romero would give Chivas USA a 5-0 finish to this first pre-season match in Carson.

Chivas USA vs FC Hasental

February 3, 2012 – The Home Depot Center – Field 4

Chivas USA 5 – 0 FC Hasental

Scoring Summary:

CHV – Michael Lahoud (James Riley) 22

CHV – Juan Pablo Angel (PK-Handball) 24

CHV – Ryan Smith 40
CHV – Chris Cortez 50

CHV – Cesar Romero 89

Misconduct Summary:

0 Cards

Lineups:

FC Hasental – 1-Michael Abalos, 2-Ruben Rodriguez, 3-Robert Pate, 4-Edger Ramirez, 5-Lucian Leu, 6-Taylor Canel, 7-Reggie Edu, 8-Jordan Palmer, 9-Alberto Anguiano, 10-Milan Radovic, 11-Jonathan Zerah, 12-Armando Gaitan , 13-Michael Barbeito, 14-Omar de la Piedra, 15 Jeremy Hohn, 16-Nicholas Ledesma, 17-Gil Aguirre, 18-Diego Adame

Chivas USA – 60-Tim Melia (GK), 13-Ante Jazic, 3-Heath Pearce, 5-John Valencia, 7-James Riley, 8-Oswaldo Minda, 6-Peter Vagenas, 11-Michael Lahoud, 15-Alejandro Moreno, 22-Ryan Smith, 9-Juan Pablo Angel. Brian Rowe, RJ Allen, Rauwshan Mckenzie, Fabian Kling, 19-Jorge Villafaña, Kennedy Chongo, Marky Delgado, 16-Laurent Courtois, 27-Chris Cortez, 59-Cesar Romero

Referee: Alex Mariscal
Time of Game: 1:46
Weather: Sunny, 75 degrees

About Chivas USA

Founded in 2004, Los Angeles-based Club Deportivo Chivas USA has achieved remarkable success in seven full seasons in Major League Soccer. From 2006-2009, the Mexican-owned club qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in four consecutive seasons, to the delight of its passionate supporters. In addition, Chivas USA’s innovative grassroots programs demonstrate its deep commitment to the Southern California community, while the club’s youth teams and Soccer Academies offer unprecedented opportunities to the region’s best young talent. For more information on Chivas USA, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit cdchivasusa.com.

Buddle spent the past year in Germany playing for FC Ingolstadt where he scored ten (10) goals.

Buddle and the rest of the LA Galaxy will play their first official game of 2012 on Wednesday, March 7 when they face Toronto FC in the first leg of their 2011/12 CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal, which will be played at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The Galaxy open the 2012 MLS season three days later on Saturday, March 10 when they host Real Salt Lake at The Home Depot Center in MLS First Kick 2012, presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods. That game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. (PT) and tickets are on sale now as part of season ticket packages as well as three and six-game plans.

For more information about this game or to purchase tickets, please visit the club’s official website at www.lagalaxy.com.

Williams has been fighting Sjogren’s Syndrome and hasn’t played a sanctioned match since the U.S. Open in August. She withdrew after the first round and was not ready to return last month for the Australian Open.

Williams practiced with the U.S. team Wednesday morning and said she’s thrilled to be so close to competing again.

“I think just being on a team and just having some adrenaline just gives me even more energy, to be honest,” she said at a news conference. “I need to be on a team every week and not at home.”

Williams has had to learn the difference between recovering from an injury and an illness. That has meant pacing herself more in practice and minding doctors’ orders not to push it while she tries to regain her form. A former No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam singles winner, Williams isn’t used to taking it easy.

“The difference is acceptance _ trying to accept how you feel and limitations. Listening to your body and taking care of yourself,” she said. “Instead of trying to run through a wall, just really kind of take a step back and be smart. I think that’s kind of what I’ve learned.

“There are some things you can’t keep going through,” she added. “I still have to be reminded to slow down, but hopefully there will be a day when I don’t have to be reminded of that.”

Williams played younger sister, Serena, in an exhibition in Colombia in November.

The recovery has been frustratingly slow at times, but she feels ready for this weekend when the U.S. begins its quest to return to the top tier in the Fed Cup. The Americans were bounced to Group II in a 5-0 loss to Germany last year, when Venus was with the team but couldn’t play because of a hip injury.

“I was just kind of standing on the sidelines, which was tough because I wasn’t able to help the team at all,” she said. “This year, it’s great to be in a position to help the team.”

It’s also great for U.S. captain Mary Joe Fernandez, who said the lineup for the matches Saturday and Sunday will depend on how well Venus plays in practice over the next few days.

Wednesday’s results looked promising, Fernandez said.

“Just to have her around is such a big motivator for the rest of the team. There’s a lot of excitement. I think Venus was thrilled and she was itching to get out there and hit that first ball,” Fernandez said. “I think that goes such a long way. The ripple effect of everybody seeing it _ just seeing the desire, the determination, the intensity _ it rubs off. It was great to see Venus out there this morning hitting well and working hard.”

Belarus features new world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, who just won the Australian Open title on Saturday.

Fernandez said she has to submit her lineup on Friday, when the weekend draw will be determined. There are two singles matches Saturday and another two rounds of singles Sunday before the competition wraps up with doubles. The U.S. team also includes Liezel Huber, the world’s No. 1 doubles player, Christina McHale and Sloane Stephens.

Serena Williams has been recovering from a left ankle injury, but could still be the American opponent to face Azarenka, who routed Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-0 in the Australian Open final.

“The good news is we can always change it up the second day, so I have good options,” Fernandez said.

No matter how she plays this weekend, just getting on the court for a real match will be somewhat of a triumph for Venus Williams, who will be 32 in June.

Injuries have limited her to playing in only 11 matches since she reached the semifinals at the 2010 U.S. Open. The last few months of recovery have been more trying than what she has endured in the past because it has been so different.

“It’s definitely difficult not being on the court, especially when there’s not much to be done about it when it’s completely out of my control,” she said. “I think that’s probably the hardest part.”

It was a bloody reminder of the deteriorating security in the Arab world’s most populous country as instability continues nearly a year after former President Hosni Mubarak was swept out of power in a popular uprising.

The melee _ which followed an Egyptian league match between Al-Masry, the home team in the Mediterranean city, and Al-Ahly, based in Cairo and one of Egypt’s most popular teams _ was the worst case of soccer violence in Egypt and the deadliest worldwide since 1996. One player said it was “like a war.”

In Cairo, fans angered that another match between Al-Ismaili and Zamalek was halted because of the Port Said violence set fire to the bleachers at the main stadium in the Egyptian capital, authorities said. No injuries were reported, and employees said firefighters extinguished the blaze before it caused much damage.

The clashes and ensuing stampede did not appear to be directly linked to the political turmoil in Egypt, but the violence raised fresh concerns about the ability of the state police to manage crowds. Most of the hundreds of black-uniformed police with helmets and shields stood in lines and did nothing as soccer fans chased each other, some wielding sharp objects and others hurling sticks and rocks.

Security officials said the ministry has issued directives for its personnel not to “engage” with civilians after recent clashes between police and protesters in November left more than 40 people dead.

The violence also underscored the role of soccer fans in Egypt’s recent protest movement. Organized fans, in groups known as ultras, have played an important role in the revolution and rallies against military rule. Their anti-police songs, peppered with curses, have quickly become viral and an expression of the hatred many Egyptians feel toward security forces that were accused of much of the abuse that was widespread under Mubarak’s regime.

There have been other recent violent incidents at soccer games. In April, the ineffectiveness of the police force also was on display when thousands of fans ran onto the field before the end of an African Champions League game between local club Zamalek and Tunisia’s Club Africain. The hundreds of police on duty at Cairo International Stadium could not stop the violence then, either.

Activists scheduled rallies Thursday outside the headquarters of the Interior Ministry in Cairo to protest the inability of the police to stop the bloodshed.

Many gathered outside Al-Ahly club in Cairo, chanting slogans against military rule, and hundreds filed into Cairo’s main train station to receive the injured arriving from Port Said. “We die like them, or we ensure their rights,” the crowd chanted, along with slogans denouncing the military rulers.

As the train arrived, scores jumped on top of the train and raised Egyptian flags.

“They came at us with machetes and knives…they threw some of us from the fourth floor,” one returning fan told the private TV station ONTV.

“Everyone was beating us. They were beating us from inside and outside, with fireworks, stones, metal bars, and some had knives, I swear,” another fan told the station, which did not give their names.

In Port Said, residents marched early Thursday, denouncing the violence and saying it was a conspiracy by the military and police to cause chaos.

Army tanks and armored vehicles joined police patrolling near hospitals and morgues. Police were not to be seen in the streets after the violence and were unavailable to break up fights that followed.

The tension also spread to the nearby Suez province. About 500 protesters, including soccer fans and activists, gathered outside the main police headquarters to protest what they called police negligence.

A security official said the police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. He was speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to reporters.

The scuffles erupted when fans of Al-Masry stormed the field following a rare 3-1 win against Al-Ahly. Al-Masry supporters hurled sticks and stones as they chased players and fans from the rival team, who ran toward the exits and up the stands to escape, according to witnesses. One man told state TV he heard gunshots in the stadium, while a lawmaker from Egypt’s powerful Muslim Brotherhood said the police didn’t prevent fans carrying knives from entering the stadium.

TV footage showed Al-Ahly players rushing for their locker room as fistfights broke out among the hundreds of fans swarming on to the field. Some men had to rescue a manager from the losing team as he was being beaten. Black-clothed police officers stood by, appearing overwhelmed.

The Interior Ministry said 74 people died, including one police officer, and 248 were injured, 14 of them police. A local health official initially said 1,000 people were injured and it was not clear how severely. Security forces arrested 47 people for involvement in the violence, the statement said.

State TV appealed to Egyptians to donate blood for the injured in Port Said, and the military sent two aircraft to evacuate serious cases to the capital, Cairo.

Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the military leadership that assumed power after Mubarak’s ouster, welcomed Al-Ahly team players who were flown back to Cairo from Port Said on a military aircraft.

“This will not bring Egypt down,” he told reporters at a military air base east of Cairo. “These incidents happen anywhere in the world. We will not let those behind it go …This will not affect Egypt and its security.”

The military declared three days of mourning starting Thursday.

Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim told state TV that 13,000 Al-Masry fans stormed the field, jumping a low fence and attacking about 1,200 Al-Ahly fans. He transferred the Port Said local security chief to a desk job as a punitive measure.

Al-Ahly goalkeeper Sharif Ikrami, who was injured in the melee, told the private station ONTV that dead and wounded were being carried into the locker room.

“There were people dying in front of us,” he said. “It’s over. We’ve all made a decision that we won’t play soccer any more. How will we play soccer after 70 people died? We can’t think about it.”

Hesham Sheiha, a health ministry official, said most of the deaths were caused by concussions, deep head wounds and suffocation from the stampede. He said 40 people were seriously injured.

In an interview with the team’s station, Mohammed Abu Trika, a player with Al-Ahly, criticized police for standing by and not intervening in the violence.

“People here are dying and no one is doing a thing. It’s like a war,” he told the team TV station. “Is life this cheap?”

Egypt’s state prosecutor ordered an immediate investigation into the violence, and the Egypt Football Association ordered an indefinite suspension of the league games. The parliament said it would convene an emergency session.

The two sides also traded conspiracy theories, with each side blaming the other for trying to destabilize the country.

Essam el-Erian, a Brotherhood lawmaker, said the military and police were complicit in the violence, accusing them of trying to show that emergency regulations giving security forces wide-ranging powers must be maintained.

“This tragedy is a result of intentional reluctance by the military and the police,” he said.

The manager of the Al-Masry, Kamal Abu Ali, announced he also was resigning in protest.

“This is not about soccer. This is bigger than that. This is a plot to topple the state,” he told the same station, using an often-cited allegation by the military against protesters.

Bob Bradley, the former U.S. national team coach who was hired in September as coach of Egypt’s national team, was not at the stadium, U.S. Soccer Federation spokesman Michael Kammarman said.

It was the deadliest incident of soccer violence since Oct. 16, 1996, when at least 78 people died and 180 others were injured in a stampede at a stadium in Guatemala City before a World Cup qualifying match between Guatemala and Costa Rica.

The Port Said game was a face-off between two teams with a long history of fierce competition, Al-Masry, the home team, and Al-Ahly, a record 36-time winner of the Egyptian league and a six-time winner of the African Champions League.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter said he was “shocked and saddened” by the deaths.

“This is a black day for football. Such a catastrophic situation is unimaginable and should not happen,” he said in a statement.

The Confederation of African Football, which organizes the African Cup, said a minute’s silence would be held before all quarterfinals this weekend as a mark of respect for the dead.

CAF President Issa Hayatou said, “African football is in a state of mourning.”

On Super Bowl Sunday, football fans who tune in to NBC 4 New York will be treated to a preview of the game, the latest from the fans, players and the game as well as predictions for the winning team. For those avid fans who can’t wait until Sunday, NBC 4 New York is hosting a half hour Super Bowl special called “News 4 NY: Deja Blue – Rematch in Indy” set to air on Saturday, February 4th at 7 pm ET which will repeat on Sunday, February 5th at 11:30 am ET. Sports Anchor Bruce Beck takes us live to Indianapolis as the New York Giants and New England Patriots prepare for the ultimate rematch. The Super Bowl Sunday kickoff at Lucas Oil Stadium is scheduled to air at 6:30PM ET on NBC 4 New York.

“For New Yorkers, it is all about rooting for the home team and this year, the stakes are especially high with arch rival Patriots in the mix,” said Michael Jack, President and General Manager of NBC 4 New York.

“The day after the Super Bowl is when people head back to their office water coolers to discuss what they loved and what they didn’t,” Rovell said. “Our conversation is about taking all those water cooler conversations and bringing it to a national, digital stage.”

On Friday evening, Feb. 17 during his NBC Sports Network show CNBC SportsBiz: Game On, Rovell will reveal the most popular Super Bowl commercial as selected by YouTube Ad Blitz voters.

The Hangout is the second piece of an NBC Sports collaboration with YouTube and its Super Bowl Ad Blitz, the premier online gallery of Super Bowl commercials. The Super Bowl is annually the biggest single day of the year for advertisers, commanding the attention of millions of Americans tuned in to watch the game as well as the TV commercials. Super Bowl XLVI between the New York Giants and New England Patriots will be broadcast on NBC on Sunday, Feb. 5.

As part of the agreement, NBC will promote Ad Blitz and Rovell’s Google+ Hangout during its pre-game coverage and YouTube will offer weekend-long online promotion of NBC’s Super Bowl XLVI coverage. This marks the first time in the five-year history of the YouTube Ad Blitz that YouTube has partnered with the Super Bowl network broadcaster.

Rovell, CNBC’s Sports Business Reporter, is responsible for both analyzing and reporting on the sports business world on all of CNBC’s programming.

KTLK 1150 AM, the sister station of Fox Sports Radio, AM 570 KLAC, will return for their fifth consecutive season of broadcasting Galaxy games in English. Joe Tutino and Ralph Perez will once again call the games for KTLK, who will broadcast 24 of the club’s 34 regular season games. In addition to being able to hear all games on KTLK across the Southland, the Galaxy will also make those games available to stream online at lagalaxy.com. Through their website, the club will also stream the 10 games that KTLK are not slated to cover this season, meaning that fans can listen to every Galaxy MLS game all season long in English either on the radio or online.

Also returning for a fifth season of radio broadcasts is ESPN Deportes Radio, KWKW 1330 AM. The local leader in Spanish-language sports talk radio, ESPN Deportes Radio will broadcast all 34 of the club’s regular season games in 2012 on either KWKW, or their sister station, KWKU 1220 AM. Rolando Gonzalez and Armando Aguayo will once again handle the broadcasting duties, while Aguayo will also continue to host Puro Galaxy, a popular, hour-long show that is all things Galaxy. Schedule permitting, Puro Galaxy will air every Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. beginning on Sunday, March 4.

A complete schedule for both English and Spanish language radio broadcasts can be found now at www.lagalaxy.com/schedule/broadcast.

The LA Galaxy opened the 2012 preseason on Monday at The Home Depot Center. The club will play their first official game of 2012 on Wednesday, March 7 when they face Toronto FC in the first leg of their 2011/12 CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal, which will be played at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They will open the 2012 MLS season three days later on Saturday, March 10 when they host Real Salt Lake at The Home Depot Center in MLS First Kick 2012, presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods. That game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. (PT) and tickets are on sale now as part of season ticket packages as well as three and six-game plans. For more information about this game or to purchase tickets, please visit the club’s official website at www.lagalaxy.com.

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Tuesday, January 31, 2012) – The Colorado Rapids and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have set the club’s full technical staff for the 2012 season, with Wilmer Cabrera joining as an Assistant Coach. Cabrera, who represented Colombia at two World Cups (1990 and 1998), served until recently as the head coach of the United States Under-17 National Team.

Joining Pareja and Cabrera on the technical staff are Assistant Coach Paul Caffrey and Goalkeeper Coach David Kramer. Caffrey had served as Cabrera’s assistant with the U.S. U-17’s, while Kramer begins his fifth season on the Rapids staff, having joined the club in June 2008. The staff will also return Fitness Coach John Ireland, Team Administrator Erik Carlson, Head Athletic Trainer Jaime Rojas, and Equipment Manager Carlos Garcia.

“Wilmer is a talented, experienced coach, and his presence will strengthen our whole club,” said Head Coach Oscar Pareja. “With Wilmer, Paul Caffrey, David Kramer and the rest of the staff, we have all the pieces in place, and we’re eager to get the season started.”

“We’re thrilled to have such an experienced and accomplished group leading our team,” said Rapids Technical Director Paul Bravo. “The work that our technical staff has done at every level of soccer will help us continue to develop and improve our team.”

Cabrera comes to the Rapids after serving more than four years as the head coach of the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team, during which time the team twice qualified to the FIFA U-17 World Cup (2009 and 2011) and advanced to the round of 16 both times. The native of Cartagena, Colombia had a 20-year professional playing career in Colombia, Argentina, Costa Rica and the United States, and also played 48 times with the Colombian National Team.

Caffrey has spent the last four years with the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team as Cabrera’s assistant coach, and worked alongside Pareja, who was also with the team in 2007-08. From 2002-2007, Caffrey was the head coach of Suffolk County Community College of the National Junior College Athletic Association, helping the team to two consecutive national final four appearances (2003, 2004) and earning National Soccer Coaches Association of America Northeast Region Coach of the Year in 2004 and the Region XV Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2006. The native of Dublin, Ireland was a four year starter and three year captain at Adelphi University, and appeared in the European Cup Winners Cup in 1985 for University College of Dublin F.C. of the League of Ireland.

David Kramer enters his fifth season as Goalkeeper Coach with the Rapids, having worked closely with Matt Pickens, Steward Ceus and Ian Joyce, among others. Under Kramer, Pickens has set career-high marks in many categories, as well as earned call-ups to the United States National Team, and Ceus has become the starter for the Haiti National Team. In a seven-year MLS career with Los Angeles, San Jose, and Colorado, he appeared in 106 matches, with 98 starts, and posted 15 shutouts. Kramer played in 42 games for the Rapids from 2000-2002, including eight playoff matches.

The Rapids are currently in preseason training, and will travel to California on Saturday for a series of scrimmages and exhibition matches. The 2012 season opens on March 10 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, when the Rapids host the Columbus Crew. For more information on the team, or to purchase tickets, please call 303-825-GOAL or visit www.ColoradoRapids.com.

Any of those athletes could be the defining face of the U.S. Olympic team in the run-up to the London Games. So far, though, none stands alone as “The One To Watch” _ at least not according to people who make a living out of watching the Olympics.

With 2012 under way and only six months left before the flame is ignited at opening ceremonies, The Associated Press sent emails to sports agents and executives, public-relations people and others with strong Olympic ties, asking them who America’s so-called face of the Olympics would be as the games approach.

Unlike past Olympic cycles, when Phelps or Marion Jones or Bode Miller or Lindsey Vonn were the clear-cut Americans to watch, there was no consensus this time around.

Phelps got the most votes with four, followed by Franklin with three, then Wieber (gymnastics) and Lochte (swimming) with two apiece. The rest of the 16 responses were spread among five athletes: gymnast Nastia Liukin, sprinter Allyson Felix, swimmer Dara Torres and soccer players Abby Wambach and Hope Solo.

That the question produced such a scattered list makes clear that generating buzz for the Olympics will take more this year than simply plastering a single person’s face on a 50-foot billboard in Times Square.

“I think we have 10 or 20 athletes who could be that face,” said Scott Blackmun, CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee. “As I sit here today, I don’t know who that face is going to be.”

The people who received the AP questionnaire were assured their names would be kept confidential, in an attempt to get the most candid answers possible.

They were asked for American athletes only, which precluded them from naming Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter who owns world records in the 100 and 200 and could have come close to sweeping the survey if nationality were no factor.

“Clearly, the world will be watching Usain Bolt, for obvious reasons and deserved reasons,” said Olympic historian David Wallechinsky, author of “The Complete Book of the Olympics.” “Clearly, people will be keeping their eye on Michael Phelps, as a record setter, even if he’s not as dominant as he was before.”

Phelps already owns more Olympic gold than anyone and needs three more medals of any color to become the most decorated athlete in history. His quest will, of course, be compelling, but it will also be mixed in with his competition against Lochte, who won five gold medals at the 2011 world championships and beat Phelps in their two head-to-head matchups.

If viewing patterns stay similar to what they were in 2008, Phelps vs. anybody in the pool will draw the best ratings. All of NBC’s prime time telecasts that drew more than 30 million viewers in 2008 came on nights when swimming was featured. (Track and field didn’t fare as well, though most of that coverage was shown on tape delay while most swimming coverage was live.)

“It’s an intriguing story,” Wallechinsky said of the Phelps-Lochte drama that could develop. “But trying to sell a U.S. versus U.S. rivalry, where the characters don’t really hate each other, sometimes that’s a little rough. It pains me when, sometimes, you see media pitching a rivalry between two athletes who are actually friends, just for the sake of creating a rivalry.”

That’s very much the way the 2008 gymnastics competition was fed to the public _ Nastia Liukin vs. Shawn Johnson. They battled back and forth in the years leading up to Beijing, and their head-to-head in the Olympic all-around was high theater, barely won by Liukin.

Both are trying to make the 2012 team, but unlike 2008, this year’s star isn’t permanently affixed to anyone just yet.

Wieber, the 16-year-old world champion is the front-runner to become America’s top all-around gymnast, and she already has an appearance on “Ellen” and a deal with Kellogg’s as signs of what some people think of her potential. But the health of Rebecca Bross, who was touted as the “next big thing” before injuries derailed her, could still factor into the big picture.

Of course, the U.S. team can’t depend on any single athlete to make the Olympics an overall success, though Phelps’ eight golds in 2008 certainly helped matters.

Americans have won the most medals at the past four Summer Olympics, but with China and Russia improving and with smaller countries, such as Brazil, Great Britain and Australia, chipping away from the other side, there’s a sense that the United States is under more pressure this time.

“The medal count is going to be the medal count,” said Alan Ashley, going into his first Olympics as the USOC chief of sport performance. “To us, it’s all about how we support the athletes and coaches and help them put their best foot forward when they get to London. If we do our job, then the medal count will take care of itself.”

Key to that medal count will be the fate of the track and field team, which won a disappointing 23 medals in Beijing, but improved to 25 at last year’s world championships _ an upward trend team leaders hope will continue.

Yet finding a singular star from that sport has become difficult, in large part because of the numerous drug scandals that have tainted track over the decades and more or less tagged its top sprinters with a “buyer beware” sign, regardless of their history.

Tyson Gay, possibly America’s best sprinter, has no doping issues in his past, but has been hampered with injuries and missed both the finals at the Beijing Games and all of last year’s world championships; he didn’t garner a single vote in the AP survey. Neither did decathlete Bryan Clay, the defending Olympic champion _ a sign of how the clout of the so-called “World’s Greatest Athlete” has diminished since the days of Bruce Jenner.

On the women’s side, Felix is well-spoken and looks good in magazine shoots, but has been a big factor in her sport for almost a decade now and hasn’t connected viscerally with the casual sports fan that makes up a big chunk of the Olympic audience.

“I don’t have an explanation for that,” Wallechinsky said. “It is a bit odd. There might be some Marion Jones backlash, where they don’t want to get burned again, don’t want to back a sprinter then have that person test positive at the Olympics. It’s one of those things where you can be completely innocent and still be under the shadow of other people’s transgressions.”

With billions of dollars invested in televising the Olympics, NBC will shape the way most American take in the games. The network, with everything from local affiliates to the web at its disposal, can tell numerous stories on numerous platforms.

Chief Marketing Officer John Miller _ the guy who created the catchphrase “Must See TV” _ said the network learned a lot when it loaded its pre-Games hype into Bode Miller before the 2006 Olympics, only to watch him turn into a bust on the mountain and a source of controversy off of it.

“We put a significant amount of eggs in that basket,” Miller said. “As a result of that, instead of going with one athlete, we decided we had to spread it around a little more. Fortunately, in the Summer Games, we have compelling stories to go after. A lot of them.”

In addition to track, gymnastics and swimming, NBC also focuses a lot on beach volleyball, where Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor will go for their third Olympic gold.

“We have enough bandwidth to go after four or five sports in a big way and cover a lot of angles,” Miller said.

NBC, he said, has no need to go with one athlete in the lead up. The network invited about 100 athletes out to its pre-Olympic TV shoot in West Hollywood, “because you never know who’s going to come out and turn into something big.”

In this case, there’s no real consensus on who’s big before the games, either. The USOC is accepting that fact _ trying to embrace the idea of promoting an Olympics with no clear-cut star instead of forcing a single story line.

“It’s different from other years because there’s not one story there that’s bubbled to the top yet,” Ashley said. “That’s one of the things I love about the Olympics, is that you never really know the answer to that question.”

The opponent has yet to be determined, though MLS Commissioner Don Garber said that an answer should come in the next two months.

“We have nothing specific yet,” Garber said after a news conference at Philadelphia City Hall. “We’re hoping to have something soon, within 60 days. That’s the plan.”

Garber appeared at the news conference with Union CEO Nick Sakiewicz, Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter and Chester, Pa., mayor John Linder.

Last year’s game was held at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., and featured top MLS players taking on Manchester United.

PPL Park is located in nearby Chester, along the Delaware River.

In their two seasons of existence, the Union have been among the league leaders in attendance. That factor, along with the soccer-specific stadium and rabid interest by the “Sons of Ben” supporters group, played into the league’s decision.

“It’s a passionate franchise with passionate fans and one of the greatest small stadiums around,” Garber said. “We think the franchise and the stadium are deserving of this event, and we believe this is going to be an incredible event not only for the fans here, but fans watching all over the world.”

The game will be broadcast on ESPN2, Galavision or Telefutura, and in Canada on TSN and RDS. ESPN International will make the game available in more than 130 countries. In addition, the game will be streamed online, and on ESPN3 and WatchESPN in the United States.

The Union averaged more than 19,000 fans per game in their inaugural season in 2010, and last year, attendance at PPL Park reached 99 percent capacity for regular-season games.

“Without the great fans, this wouldn’t be possible,” Sakiewicz said. “They’re the reason we got started. They’re the reason we’re here announcing this event. I think this will be a tremendous reward for the fans as well as the region. It’s going to be an incredibly memorable day at PPL Park.”

Manchester United defeated the MLS All-Star team, 4-0, in last year’s event.

“I’m anxious to find out the opponent like everybody else,” Sakiewicz said. “You know what, from where we were four years ago, when we didn’t even have a stadium, to where we are now, this is amazing. I think the fans are going to be rewarded in a big way.

It’s going to be one heck of a party.”

After all, the U.S. teammates will be on the same side again soon enough.

Donovan set up both Everton’s goals in Friday night’s 2-1 win and United States international Tim Howard was in goal for Everton.

The former New England Revolution forward has scored 15 goals for Fulham since August, including a hat trick earlier this month in a 5-2 win over Newcastle.

“It was a little bit of an American invasion. It was nice to see Clint. In my opinion, he’s been one of the players of the season in the Premier League and obviously Timmy here is nice to have.”

Fulham took an early 1-0 lead against Everton when Danny Murphy converted a 14th-minute penalty.

But Donovan, in the sixth game of his second loan spell from Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy, set up a 27th-minute equalizer for Denis Stracqualursi and then provided the assist for Marouane Fellaini’s 73rd-minute winner.

It was a rare bright spot for Everton this season, which is in the bottom half of the Premier League, closer to the relegation zone than to England’s last qualifying spot for European tournaments.

“Realistically, unless we go on some kind of amazing run, it’s going to be difficult for us to finish in the top six and qualify for Europe so this is our last chance to win something,” Donovan said. “It means a lot to the guys.”

Bravo hit a tops core of 49 at Kensington Oval, while Pollard blasted an unbeaten 39 off 13 balls as Trinidad & Tobago amassed 168-6 off 20 overs.

Legspinner Odean Brown led the Jamaicans with 3-22.

Jamaica lost two early wickets and its pursuit never gained momentum as it limped to 105-5 off 20 overs.

Carlton Baugh’s unbeaten 39 came with the result virtually sealed.

Trinidad & Tobago, the defending champions, won the toss and got a stirring start from openers Adrian Barath and Lendl Simmons.

They raced to 35 off the first five overs before Brown stalled the charge.

Simmons, after hitting two fours and a six in 19 balls, edged to wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh.

West Indies left-hander Darren Bravo also edged to Baugh off his international teammate Andre Russell as the innings wobbled.

Jamaica gained further momentum when Brown claimed Barath and captain Denesh Ramdin in quick succession.

Barath compiled 21 with two fours and a six before he was stumped by Baugh missing a big heave.

Ramdin was bowled as he tried to make room to cut and Trinidad & Tobago dipped to 65-4 in the 12th over.

But Dwayne Bravo rebuilt strongly in a stand of 42 with Sunil Narine.

Narine, promoted above Pollard in the order, contributed 22 off 15 balls with a four and two sixes.

Bravo, dropped on 20 in the deep by Shawn Findlay, began to open his shoulders and he and Pollard provided the acceleration toward the end with 68 runs off the last five overs.

Bravo hit three fours and four sixes off 43 deliveries.

Pollard, floored by the luckless Samuels in the deep when just two off Krishmar Santokie, ended the innings in style by carting the same bowler, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, for 26 off the final over, including three sixes off successive balls.

Jamaica’s reply never really threatened once opener Nkrumah Bonner and Marlon Samuels fell cheaply.

Bonner was run out after a mix up with Danza Hyatt and Samuels notched his third duck of the tournament when he was bowled through the gap driving at a Samuel Badree googly.

Hyatt struggled to 12 off 23 balls before Dwayne Bravo, the eventual Man of the Match, claimed him to a catch at long-off.

Captain David Bernard tried gamely by scoring 25 off 29 balls, but when he and Andre Russell were caught in the deep, the match was as good as over. Pollard claimed both catches and gave the cutthroat signal following Russell’s dismissal as the hundreds of Trinidadians in the crowd celebrated.

Pollard earned the Man of the Tournament award for his 153 runs, which included 16 sixes.

Earlier, left-arm pacer Delorn Johnson claimed 5-5, the best ever figures in regional Twenty20 history, to set up an easy Windward Islands victory over Barbados in the third place play-off.

Barbados was bowled out for 101 and Andre Fletcher and Devon Smith ensured the target was chased down comfortably with 13 balls to spare.

Summarized scores:

Third place play-off: Windward Islands beat Barbados by seven wickets.

Barbados 101 all out off 20 overs (Jonathan Carter 42, Alcindo Holder 24; Delorn Johnson 5-5).

Windward Islands 105-3 off 17.5 overs (Andre Fletcher 42, Devon Smith 34).

The final: Trinidad & Tobago beat Jamaica by 63 runs.

Trinidad & Tobago 168-6 off 20 overs (Dwayne Bravo 49, Kieron Pollard 39 not out, Sunil Narine 22, Adrian Barath 21, Lendl Simmons 19; Odean Brown 3-22).

Jamaica 105-5 off 20 overs (Carlton Baugh 39 not out, David Bernard 25, Shawn Findlay 17 not out).

The MLS all-time leading scorer is expected to travel with his new team to Los Angeles for an exhibition match against Municipal on Saturday at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

The former Columbus, Toronto, Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas joins Michael Umana, former MLS player with Chivas USA on Comunicaciones this season.

Comunicaciones have won two of the last three championships in Guatemala and are considered one of the country’s “big two” clubs, alongside Municipal.

Kirovski spent five of his 20 years as a professional player in a Galaxy uniform, including the last three years when he helped the club win the Supporters’ Shield in back-to-back seasons and reach MLS Cup twice, culminating with his first MLS Cup title last season. Kirovski joins Dave Sarachan, Curt Onalfo and Ian Feuer on Bruce Arena’s coaching staff, replacing Gregg Berhalter who left the club in December to become the new head coach of Hammarby in the Swedish Superettan.

“Jovan is a very experienced guy, he knows our club and he knows the way that we do things,” Arena said. “He has prepared himself to get into coaching and I think that it will be a good transition for him and he will be a great addition to our staff.”

“I am excited for the future and I am excited to remain a part of this club,” Kirovski added. “It was a great experience for me to be able to have had the playing career that I did and I am proud with where I have played and what I accomplished, especially the last few years here with the Galaxy, now I am looking forward to this next step of my career with a club that means so much to me.”

A native of Escondido, Calif., Kirovski began his professional soccer career in 1992 when he joined the youth ranks at Manchester United alongside players like David Beckham, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes. After four years with United, Kirovski moved to Germany, signing with Borussia Dortmund and becoming the first American to win the UEFA Champions League in 1997 while also becoming the first American to score a goal in the competition, doing so against Sparta Prague. He would go on to play for fellow German side FC Koln and Sporting Lisbon in Portugal as well as Crystal Palace and Birmingham City in England before heading to the Galaxy and MLS ahead of the start of the 2004 season.

An All-Star for the Galaxy in 2004 when he scored an MLS-career-high eight goals, Kirovski spent the first year and a half of his time in MLS with the Galaxy. He was traded to Colorado in September 2005 and helped the Rapids reach back-to-back Western Conference Championships in 2005 and 2006 before finishing as the club’s top scorer in 2007. He returned to the Galaxy in November 2008 following a short stay with the San Jose Earthquakes and became a key veteran contributor to the club’s renaissance. He played in 56 games over the last three seasons as well as five postseason matches in that time, scoring six goals and adding three assists as the Galaxy re-established themselves as the premier club in Major League Soccer. He finished his MLS career with 30 goals and 13 assists in 174 regular season games.

In addition to his club career, Kirovski, who recently completed the course work for his U.S. Soccer Federation’s “A” coaching license, made 62 appearances with the U.S. National Team, scoring nine times for his country during an 11-year international career. He made his National Team debut in October 1994 and scored his first goal a month later. He helped the U.S. qualify for the World Cup in 1998, 2002 and 2006 while also appearing in the 1995 Copa America, the 1996 and 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cups as well as the 1999 and 2003 FIFA Confederations Cups.

The LA Galaxy opened the 2012 preseason today at The Home Depot Center. The club will play their first official game of 2012 on Wednesday, March 7 when they face Toronto FC in the first leg of their 2011/12 CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal, which will be played at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They will open the 2012 MLS season three days later on Saturday, March 10 when they host Real Salt Lake at The Home Depot Center in MLS First Kick 2012, presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods. That game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. (PT) and tickets are on sale now as part of season ticket packages as well as three and six-game plans. For more information about this game or to purchase tickets, please visit the club’s official website at www.lagalaxy.com.

After trials with Real Salt Lake during their pre-season, Melia signed with the club (RSL) on March 16, 2010; he was sent on loan to USL2 side Charleston Battery in April (2010).

Melia, 25, originally from Great River, New York was a part of the Real Salt Lake for the past two seasons. Finished his collegiate career as one of the top goalkeepers to ever attend Lynn University (Boca Raton, FL), placing in the Fighting Knights’ career top-five in shutouts (18, T-5th), GAA (0.65, 3rd) and saves (85, 5th). Senior (2007): Started all 18 games for Lynn University. Posted a 14-2-1 record with eight shutouts, 47 saves, a 0.80 GAA and .770 save percentage. Selected as the Sunshine State Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

TIMOTHY MELIA

Nombre/Full Name: Timothy Joseph Melia

Posición/Position: Portero / Goalkeeper

Nacido/Born: 1986-05-15, Great River, New York, USA

Nacionalidad/Citizenship: American / Estadounidense

Peso/Weight: 86kg / 190 lbs

Estatura / Height: 1.85 m / 6’1”

Ultimo Equipo/Last Team: Real Salt Lake

Transacción/Transaction: Chivas USA adquiere al portero Estadounidense Tim Melia el 17 de enero de 2012 / Chivas USA acquires American goalkeeper Tim Melia, on January 17, 2012.

About Chivas USA

Founded in 2004, Los Angeles-based Club Deportivo Chivas USA has achieved remarkable success in seven full seasons in Major League Soccer. From 2006-2009, the Mexican-owned club qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in four consecutive seasons, to the delight of its passionate supporters. In addition, Chivas USA’s innovative grassroots programs demonstrate its deep commitment to the Southern California community, while the club’s youth teams and Soccer Academies offer unprecedented opportunities to the region’s best young talent. For more information on Chivas USA, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit cdchivasusa.com.