Yuck.

The Washington Generals (realmadrid.com)
Originally uploaded by mfishkin.

What can really be learned from yesterday’s, um, competition at the Bernabeu where Real Madrid beat the Washington Generals, I mean the “MLS Select XI” 5-0?

Not much, really. Real dominated from start to finish, though for the first twenty minutes of each half the MLS gang played ok. Here are my thoughts on players that helped or hurt their chances of getting “discovered” by European scouts who pried themselves away from Partizan Belgrade – Artmedia Bratislava to watch the match:

Helped:
Jeff Cunningham. He’s fast (as we know) and he made some dangerous runs. If Eddie Johnson and DaMarcus Beasley aren’t ready for 9/3, will Bruce start him up top with McBride vs. Mexico?

Amado Guevara. The MLS game seemed to pick up a bit when he replaced Jamie Moreno.

Matt Reis. Yes, he gave up 5 goals, but what goals! Reis turned away a few quality chances throughout the match.

Shalrie Joseph. While not stellar, he did ok until Guevara came in to run the midfield for MLS. Went the distance. As said on FSC, it’s a shame he decided to play national-team ball for his native Grenada. He’d be an asset for the Yanks.

Hurt:
Landon Donovan. As we know, he plays best when he’s happy, and he was clearly unhappy and in need of a rest. Perhaps missing his USOC quarterfinal tonight won’t be such a bad thing. As Sigi said on the telecast, he normally plays a bit more withdrawn, not up top as vs. Real. Just not a good showing from the balding one. Not that he needs to be "discovered," anyway.

Justin Mapp. Not ready for prime time. Was a non-entity out there.

Pablo Mastroeni & Jimmy Conrad. Tough to put them in this bucket, though they were burned, badly, by one of the best scorers in the world.

Cup time again
Only eight teams remain in the hunt for Lamar’s US Open Cup tonight, including six clubs (Chicago, DC United, FC Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles, and Rochester) that have won the prize before. The matchups:

Rochester (II) vs. Chicago
DC United vs. FC Dallas
Kansas City vs. Minnesota (II)
San Jose vs. Los Angeles

Second division clubs Rochester and Minnesota should be emboldened as their opponents will be missing key players who took the plane to Spain. Chicago will be without Justin Mapp, Kansas City will miss Jose Burciaga and Jimmy Conrad. In addition, DC will miss Jaime Moreno, who took a nasty ankle knock vs. Real, and Nick Rimando. Dallas will be without Ronnie O’Brien, LA without Landon Donovan, and SJ, Ricardo Clark.