Neither a little heat and humidity nor the Los Angeles Galaxy were enough to slow down DC United’s potent attack nor their ascension up the Eastern Conference table as they rolled to a 4-1 victory on Sunday.

Officially it was 82 degrees at the odd noon Eastern Time start with the normal high humidity that accompanies a late June day in Washington, DC. The game was the opening act of a nationally televised double header with the Euro 2008 final between Spain and Germany, which Spain won 1-0.

However, with the two highest scoring teams in MLS and the leakiest as well, what the opening act lacked in glamour, it made up for in excitement.

United (7-7-1) have now won four in a row and are unbeaten in their last six.

Luciano Emilio scored twice to raise his season total to 10, with eight in his last six games.

In a surprising turn of events, United’s Ben Olsen saw his first action of the season, playing the last quarter hour after coming on for the effective Jaime Moreno. Olsen has been out with yet another ankle surgery.

The match was played at a breakneck pace from the onset despite the sultry conditions. United maintained most of the possession and consequently created more scoring opportunities throughout the entire match.

Despite the disparity in the possession, United Head Coach Tom Soehn downplayed his team’e effectiveness early on in the match, “I thought the first half we didn’t do a good enough job with the ball. We had stretches where we had good possession and it really opened them up. I thought we could have done a little bit better job keeping the ball instead of going right for it. That probably would have taxed them a little more.”

“It’s a difficult climate for those guys (LA) to come into,” Soehn continued however. “They are not used to the humidity and the heat and it really got to them more than it did us. We did a good job making sure we knocked it around a little more. When you are chasing the ball, you expend a lot of energy. It’s a lot easier when you have the ball. That really hurt them.”

Was it too much heat or too much United that doomed the Galaxy, who are still on top of the Western Conference? The loss is just the Galaxy’s second in their last seven matches.

“Mostly too much United,” said defender Chris Klein. “It was hot but it was hot for them too. They were more adaptable because they did a very good job today of keeping the ball so when you have the ball it’s not as tiring. We had a pretty good first half and then came out flat in the second half.”

“Well, it’s 9:00 am for us,” added an obviously tired Landon Donovan.

“It was hot out there but that affects both teams, although after all they train in it week in and week out,” added David Beckham. “Though, that it wasn’t just that today. Of course, like I said it was hot but we didn’t play a good game – we didn’t play well enough.

“We didn’t challenge hard enough and the best team won on the day. I can obviously blame the humidity, obviously it was hot out there, like I said, but it was more than that today.”

United capitalized on a critical mistake in the 5th minute by Ante Jazic who pushed Santino Quaranta in the back as the Baltimore native dribbled into a fairly innocuous spot in the penalty area. Moreno, who started the sequence with a simple ball from the right flank to Quaranta, stepped up and easily beat goalkeeper Steve Cronin, who guessed the wrong direction. The goal was Moreno’s 6th of the season and his 4th on a penalty kick.

The Galaxy equalized after a comedy of errors by United around their penalty area in the 26th minute. After Donovan’s strong run toward the penalty area from the right flank and subsequent hopeful ball toward Edson Buddle in the area, a perfectly positioned Gonzalo Peralta wiffed on a clearance attempt and Devon McTavish and Bryan Namoff collided and fell to the ground. Buddle’s subsequent right footed flick beat Zach Wells from merely yards out to equalize the score and deny United their first shutout in league play this season.

Both Donovan and Emilio scored apparent goals in the first half but both were correctly ruled offside.

Just prior to the goal, Moreno was fortunate referee Jair Marrufo did not issue a caution for a hard tackle on Beckham on the left flank.

However, the battling #10’s were both issued yellow cards by Marrufo for an altercation in the 42nd minute in front of the Galaxy bench. Gallardo, who had possession of the ball with Donovan on his back, swung his elbow violently striking Donovan in the nose. After Donovan’s retaliation, and a quick conference with the fourth official, Marrufo issued the dueling cautions.

Emilio had scored five minutes prior capitalizing on a Galaxy turnover in the midfield to make the score 2-1 and restore momentum in United’s favor, which the Galaxy had turned around in the preceding 15-minutes after their goal.

After the turnover, Moreno’s floater across the penalty area from the right flank was collected by Marc Burch, who in turn slung it back into the goal area for Emilio, whose fall away header beat Cronin just inside the left post.

“There’s a better understanding with the attack right now especially with Luciano,” said Gallardo through an interpretor. “Earlier in the year, we didn’t have that good chemistry but right now the player who’s up top for us, there’s a better understanding between him and I think that’s why we’re getting more goals.

“Jaime and I are coming back to the midfield to help build the attack and it’s important for Fred and Santino [Quaranta] to attack on the wings and right now we’re doing a good job all together finding Luciano up top because he’s the lone forward and we’re scoring on the chances that we create.”

Gallardo contributed a goal of his own, burying his second scoring chance in less than five minutes to make the score 3-1. Gallardo beat Sean Franklin in the penalty area and slipped a shot passed Cronin in the 60th minute.

Five minutes earlier, Gallardo’s right footed blast from inside the box sailed high and wide after he got a ball from Emilio. Marc Burch started the sequence lofting a rare right footed ball from the left flank over the Galaxy defense to Emilio in the penalty area.

The goal upset Los Angeles coach Ruud Gullit by the fact he felt Gallardo should not have been on the field after the incident with Donovan.

“He scored the third goal and he’s supposed to be off the pitch,” said a mildly frustrated Gullit. “Gallardo excused himself to me because he knew he was lucky to stay on the pitch. There was blood coming out of his (Donovan’s) nose. I blame also the 4th official because it’s ridiculous, it’s right in front of him. If he has no authority, what is the point of having him there.”

Gullit conceded however that his team was spent after playing a good first half.

“I think it was a totally different team than from the beginning,” he said. “You want the ball to do the work. I think in the passes in the first half we did that excellently and that could have resulted in a 2-1 lead. In the second half I think you saw the players really suffered from the heat; they were exhausted and they said it also in the locker room.”

United won ball after ball throughout the entire match, further demoralizing and breaking down the tired Galaxy.

“They won every secondary ball,” Klein said frankly. “They were first to all of those and once they got them they kept them. I think that was a big difference in the game. At this level you don’t want to say they wanted it more but it sure looked like it.”

The Galaxy’s resilience showed well only seconds later however as Donovan dribbled around multiple United defenders, starting on the left side of the penalty area and finishing on the right, but his right footed shot was denied by a sliding Wells in the 62nd minute.

Burch countered that with a rocket left-footed free kick from 36-yards out that thumped the cross bar and sailed in the air before coming down out of bounds.

Emilio put the game out of reach, scoring one of the easier goals he will score all season in the 69th minute to make the score 4-1. After Gallardo played a ball wide right to Fred, who was close to an offside position on the right flank, the swift Brazilian raced into the penalty area, laying an easy ball around a committed Cronin, to a wide open Emilio who pushed the ball into a wide open goal.

The Galaxy didn’t shut down however as Donovan had perhaps his best opportunity in the closing seconds of the match but his left footed blast from 12-yards out was deflected away on a great reflex save by Wells.

Emilio’s bid for his second hat trick of the season was denied moments later by an equally great save by Cronin.

THe otherwise exciting game fizzled out as referee Jair Maruffo took the hint from the players, blowing full time as United held the ball without attacking for the final minute.

Scoring Summary:
DC — Jaime Moreno 6 (penalty kick) 5
LA — Edson Buddle 10 (Landon Donovan 7) 26
DC — Luciano Emilio 9 (Marc Burch 2, Jaime Moreno 7) 37
DC — Marcelo Gallardo 4 (Luciano Emilio 2, Gonzalo Martinez 1) 60
DC — Luciano Emilio 10 (Fred 3, Marcelo Gallardo 3) 68

Los Angeles Galaxy — Steve Cronin, Chris Klein, Sean Franklin, Abel Xavier, Mike Randolph, David Beckham, Ely Allen (Josh Tudela 46+), Alvaro Pires (Alan Gordon 64), Ante Jazic (Joe Franchino 61), Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan,

Substitutes Not Used: Vito Higgins, Brandon McDonald, Troy Roberts, Greg Vanney

D.C. United — Zach Wells, Bryan Namoff, Devon McTavish, Gonzalo Peralta, Gonzalo Martinez, Santino Quaranta (Marc Burch 27), Marcelo Gallardo, Clyde Simms, Fred (Rod Dyachenko 77), Luciano Emilio, Jaime Moreno (Ben Olsen 75),

Substitutes Not Used: Jose Carvallo, Ryan Cordeiro, Francis Doe, Quavas Kirk

D.C. United Los Angeles Galaxy
Total shots: 22 (Luciano Emilio 7) 10 (Edson Buddle 4)
Shots on goal: 13 (Luciano Emilio 6) 6 (Landon Donovan 3)
Fouls: 5 (5 tied with 1) 11 (3 tied with 2)
Offsides: 3 (Luciano Emilio 2) 4 (Landon Donovan 3)
Corner kicks: 3 (Marc Burch 2) 4 (David Beckham 3)
Saves: 5 (Zach Wells 5) 9 (Steve Cronin 9)

Misconduct Summary:
DC — Marcelo Gallardo (caution; Game Disrepute) 42
LA — Landon Donovan (caution; Dissent) 42
LA — Josh Tudela (caution; Reckless Foul) 51

Referee: Jair Marrufo
Referee’s Assistants: George Gansner; Kermit Quisenberry
4th official: Hilario Grajeda
Time of game: 1:50
Attendance: 35,979
Weather: Cloudy -and- 82 degrees

Neither a little heat and humidity nor the Los Angeles Galaxy were enough to slow down DC United’s potent attack nor their ascension up the Eastern Conference table as they rolled to a 4-1 victory on Sunday. The game was the opening act of a nationally televised double header with the Euro 2008 final between Spain and Germany, which Spain won 1-0. Jaime Moreno, Luciano Emilio (2x) and Marcelo Gaillardo all scored for the resurgent home side, which has not lost in its last five games.

The New England Revolution played a game of possession, and came up with a decisive 2-1 win over Toronto FC at Gillette Stadium Saturday night. Revs captain Steve Ralston scored both close-range goals to become the Rev’s lead scorer with six tallies on the season. The win also placed Nicol and technical staff as the coaching team of the MLS All-Star game for the second year in a row.

The New York Red Bulls and Chivas USA fought a pitched battle at the Home Depot Center Saturday night, with the visitors managing to hold off a late onslaught largely thanks to the goalkeeping heroics of Jon Conway. New York grabbed the early lead before a defensive blunder led to former Metro Ante Razov (here against Dane Richards) equalizing on the stroke of halftime.

Eighty-nine long fruitless minutes after Saturday night’s opening whistle, Davy Arnaud looped a free kick over Real Salt Lake’s defensive wall that bounced off defender Tony Beltran and into goal, for the match’s only tally. With the 1-0 victory, the Wizards break a seven game winless streak that stretches back two months and, perhaps finally, get themselves back on track.

A sizzling shot into the lower right hand corner of the net completed a dazzling 50 yard solo run by Emmanuel Ekpo to win the game for the Columbus Crew against the Colorado Rapids at Crew Stadium Saturday. With the 2-1 victory, the Crew has now earned seven points in its last three games to maintain its hold on second place in the Eastern Conference standings and the league’s second best record overall (8-4-2, 26 pts.).

Beltran’s own goal breaks KC’s winless streak

Finally, a little luck is flowing the Kansas City Wizards’ way. Eighty-nine long fruitless minutes after Saturday night’s opening whistle, Davy Arnaud looped a free kick over Real Salt Lake’s defensive wall that bounced off defender Tony Beltran and into goal, for the match’s only tally. With the 1-0 victory, the Wizards break a seven game winless streak that stretches back two months and, perhaps finally, get themselves back on track.

“It’s not about how pretty it is,” said Coach Curt Onalfo after the hard fought game. “At the end of the day, it’s about getting three points. We need to maximize points at home. I don’t care if it’s a goal in the 3rd minute or the 94th. We’re going to build on it.”

Given their recent lack of scoring, the Wizards took the field in a more attacking 4-3-3 formation with Jack Jewsbury and Michael Harrington in the wing back positions. The switch immediately began to pay dividends as KC managed the lion’s share of opportunities in the first half. In the 10th minute, Harrington, overlapping on the left, passed low to Arnaud inside the box but Arnaud’s shot went wide left. In the 13th minute, Arnaud crossed in to Scott Sealy who one touched to Jewsbury, overlapping on the right. Jewsbury’s shot, however, sailed over the crossbar.

While the Wizards created their chances early, they failed to capitalize, generally shooting high or wide. Salt Lake, however, made little impression on the match through the first thirty minutes. Kenny Deuchar forced a giveaway in the Wizards’ defensive third in the 29th minute but his shot flew high. Deuchar pounced on another opportunity in the 30th with a shot from inside the penalty area but the ball slid straight to Keeper Kevin Hartman.

RSL faired better as halftime neared, gaining more possession and putting more pressure on KC’s defense, but to little avail. Nat Borchers managed the visitors’ best chance of the half off a corner kick in the 37th minute, but he too headed the ball over the crossbar and into touch.

The game opened up in the second half as both teams exited their locker rooms in attacking mode. Salt Lake produced the first serious attempt in the 48th minute. Midfielder Javier Morales broke free sown the left side and passed to Kyle Beckerman in front of goal. Beckerman’s shot deflected off a defender, however, as did Andy Williams’ clean up attempt. The Wizards nearly pulled ahead themselves as a clever give-and-go between Sealy and Harrington put Sealy in on goal in the 49th minute. Like all of their previous attempts on the evening, however, the shot went wide.

“I thought we created some decent chances,” said Onalfo. “I think we’re starting to get a little worried and we’re just thinking about it too much. That’s kind of what happens when you get a period of time where you’re not finishing well.”

As the second half neared its midpoint, Onalfo bolstered his offense, subbing in midfielder Carlos Marinelli and forward Ryan Pore. Immediately the Wizards attack improved. In the 64th minute, Marinelli found space down the right side and crossed in for Sealy whose shot flew over the crossbar again. Four minutes later, Marinelli played himself deep into RSL’s penalty area before kicking back out to Claudio Lopez at the top of the box. Lopez unleashed KC’s best volley of the night, but his shot deflected off a defender and out of bounds.

The match entered its final ten minutes and still neither side could break the scoreless deadlock. Andy Williams gave RSL another chance in the 79th minute, shooting from inside the box, but his shot slid wide right. Lopez created more chances for the Wizards, including a shot in the 82nd minute that barely deflected to the right of goal.

Then, in then, 89th minute, Salt Lake defender brought down Ryan Pore just beyond the penalty area to set up a free kick for KC. Arnaud took the shot, lofting it over the defensive wall and down into the melee in front of goal. The ball deflected off RSL defender Tony Beltran’s head and into the back of the net for a debilitating own goal. After eighty nine scoreless minutes, the Wizards finally took the lead.

With little time left, Salt Lake failed to seriously threaten Kansas City’s goal so the score line stood at 1-0. The Wizards will take their one game winning streak into a busy 4th of July week, playing a US Open Cup game on Tuesday before suiting up Friday for an Independence Day match up with FC Dallas. For now, the Wizards can breath easier, having shaken the winless streak off their backs.

The Houston Dynamo have signed a three-year sponsorship deal with Norwegian oil company StatoilHydro that will pinpoint player development and youth programs, according to the Houston Business Journal.

D.C. United has waived forward Franco Niell, the club announced Friday. The 24-year-old forward was acquired this January on a one-year loan from First Division Argentine side Argentinos Junior.

Niell leaves D.C. United after tallying one assist in seven first team games (three starts) and four goals and one assist in five reserves games (all starts).

Before joining United, Niell spent his entire professional career with Argentinos Junior, making his debut during the 2004-05 campaign. As a 21-year-old during his first season he saw time in four games, all as a substitute, notching one goal. During the 2005-06 campaign, the forward scored six goals in 27 games (19 starts). The following season he tallied two goals in 18 games (seven starts) and this year has contributed a goal in nine games (one start). Since Niell’s professional debut in 2004, he has made 60 appearances with 10 goals for Argentinos Juniors.

Speed kills. Consider last week’s Goal of the Week winner, defender Gonzalo Martinez, and Major League Soccer’s leading scorer, Landon Donovan. Both have running speed and mental quickness, simple swiftness of foot and mind.

Martinez normally uses his quick mind to read the flow of play and predict his opponent’s next move, before using his foot speed to position himself to stop him. Donovan uses his vision of the game to find open spaces, which he then exploits with his bursts of pace.

During the Galaxy’s gradual ascent to the top of the Western Conference, goals have been plentiful, thanks to Donovan and Edson Buddle, another swift player. Together with service from David Beckham, who possesses extraordinary mental and technical speed in his own right, is the primary driver of the team’s scoring success.

Given MLS salary cap constraints, however oddly applied, no team can be fully balanced in its strengths. Thus, the Galaxy also leak goals. Their defense hasn’t been quick enough, mentally or physically, to hold a lead as often as Coach Ruud Gullit would like.

DC United has shown a better-balanced offense to defense ratio, but also suffers from a speed deficit, leaving Coach Tom Soehn with an interesting choice. If he returns Martinez to his more normal central defense role, he will address the mental and physical weakness there at the cost of a mental speed deficit on the left flank.

Even with Martinez centrally-placed, United will still have the mental and physical speed deficiencies of Gonzalo Peralta to cover. If Soehn chooses Martinez and Peralta for the center of the pitch, he will have to rein in Clyde Simms’ forward runs to cover the speed deficit.

He will also have to cover the left back position with a player either less commonly placed there, such as Devon McTavish, or one who does not yet read the game as quickly as he needs to in order to combat the Galaxy attack (Marc Burch).

Another option is to play Dominic Mediate at wide left and kee Mctavish in the center with Martinez. This takes Peralta’s slow feet out of the equation at the cost of some physical presence. But given LA’s speed combinations, it may be the best approach to defense for United.

LA can be expected to probe for weaknesses as both Donovan and Beckham play a withdrawn game where they seek gaps to exploit quickly. United’s best defense may be the distance it can create by attacking down the wings and forcing Beckham to assist in defense enough to roll play into the Galaxy’s end. After all, the best defense is sometimes a good offense.

For United, both Fred and Santino Quaranta can move quickly into attack and thus must be respected by opposing defenders. With the flexibility in attack of Marcelo Gallardo and Jaime Moreno and the persistence and opportunism of Luciano Emilio, the Galaxy will have to play total team defense.

The most likely scenario will be a midfield battle which will settle into DC’s having the better of the possession while LA launches speed counterattacks into the space behind a forward positioned United defense.

If DC moves as the unit it should, the offside trap, with all its glory and hazards, will come increasingly into play. That likelihood alone calls for Martinez in a central role and Simms still slightly further back than normal.

The result of these adjustments might well be a lower score than one might expect from two offense-oriented teams.