now that was fun.

I'm always skeptical of these US tour games. They always seem a bit rigged. More of a sideshow than a real game. If you hear the Fox Sports Soccer announcers, they are just retarded.

Just got back to the hotel. Holy crap!!! What an amazing game. The late rally was crazy.

On the bandwagon since birth. Raised in the bleachers of Kyle, Olsen, and G. Rollie White

better than expected....those players are amazing. The 1st 5 minutes of Barca/C.A. was better than the entire Dynamo/Galaxy game. And the highlights continued throughout the game.

And Ronaldinho got into it at the tail end with some fab moves.

Unbelieveable game. MLS play is not even close to this, someday maybe, but not now.

The noise level in Reliant was as loud last night as for any Texans game I have been to ever.

I love my family...

Game was freaking awesome. You can't ask for a better more exciting game. 8 freaking goals. 3 in five minutes. Just amazing play by both squads.

I just returned from Barcelona with my new FC Barca jersey, and then I found out they were over here touring. Man, that match last night was incredible. For those who missed it, the final was 4-4. Barca controlled the ball, but America's counterattacks, coupled with an own-goal, gave them a 4-1 lead early in the 2nd half. The match was actually much more even, as Barca hit the post and the crossbar within a 5 second period early in the match, and had a goal waved off by a foul or an offsides call (it wasn't clear which) right before halftime. In the 2nd half, Barca inserted Messi, Etoo, and Ronaldinho, but still trailed 4-1 in the 81st minute. Ronaldinho split two defenders, played it into the box, and one pass later a rocket cut the game to 4-2. The Ronaldinho got taken down in the box in the 89th minute on a stupid foul, and beat the keeper on a left low PK. Then in the 2nd minute of stoppage time, Ronaldinho played a perfect ball for Etoo, who headed it in for the 4-4 tie. I'm sure the America coach thought he had it won, so he put in all his reserves, some of them in the 85th minute - oops! Talk about you colossal mismatches! Probably the most entertaining match I've ever watched - not at all like an NHL or NBA all-star game. These guys were going at it hard.

Oh yeah, and this dude for America had a hat trick in the first half, and wasn't even the player of the game!

Monarch, guess you missed the MLS beating Chelsea- Premier Soccer League champs!

We couldn't have asked for a better game last night. That was the loudest I've ever heard Reliant. The 610 guys were saying that was the loudest Reliant has been since the Cowboys game.

don't even think that Chelsea was playing at 100%

My kids were crazy about football after watching the Dynamo. But now after seeing the Barca-CA match last night, they are fanatics.

The difference in the level of play was amazing. I know the MLS is getting better each year, but we still have a ways to go.

That was a lot of fun. The Dynamo-Galaxy match wasn't bad, although the Dynamo looked dominant for most of the match and lost, 1-0.

Watching Barca-Club America was great. Barcelona wasn't going full bore, but you got a chance to see what soccer on that level is like. The level of play is fantastic.

I don't think Chelsea was playing the MLS All-Stars a 100%, but they also were getting a little bit of a feel of what Shevchenko, Ballack and some other new players can add to the team. Still, they're fun to watch (although I might've offered to trade Drogba for De Rosario right after the match).

BigJim49,

Chelsea didn't bring their full starting side on this trip, choosing instead to use less experienced players to get them more playing time.

Regardless, MLS play isn't at Club America's level, much less Barca's level. Barca is a World Level side.

I love my family...

[This message has been edited by monarch (edited 8/11/2006 12:06p).]

Monarch, not true! Chelsea had their full squad in there for the All Star game.

First Half:
Chelsea (4-1-3-2) Cudicini; Gérémi, Ferreira, Terry (c), Bridge; Essien; Wright-Phillips, Ballack, Lampard; Drogba, Shevchenko.

Second Half:
Chelsea (4-3-3) Cudicini (Hilario 63); Gérémi, Carvalho, Terry, Essien; Mikel, Diarra, Lampard; Cole (J Smith 52), Kalou, Robben

Still, that doesn't mean they were in mid season form like the MLS side.

I was in Costa Rica and missed the festivities. I did DVR though so I can at least watch it on TV.

As Jock said, Chelsea most definitely brought their A team and even when they started subbing their B team, they are still a great team. Their B team could probably beat 99% of the world's A teams.