You came a long way to play like crap

That's what we were singing last night at The Jimmy after the Minnesota Thunder laid an improbable 3-0 pasting on the Montreal Impact. Striker Aaron Paye was instrumental in all three goals. In the 31st minute, he delivered a lovely through ball to Darren Spicer, who buried a left-footed bomb. Then just before halftime, Paye launched a pinpoint corner that mammoth defender Kevin Taylor calmly headed home.

Montreal poured on the pressure to start the second half, but couldn't find the net. Paye sealed their fate in the 80th minute, burying a penalty kick after getting hauled down in the box. It was his team-leading fifth strike of the campaign. Paye's had a hand in 9 of the squad's 13 goals. The boys in blue are riding a three game unbeaten streak. They are no longer at the foot of the table. Next up is a friendly against the K.C. Wizards on Tuesday night in Blaine. Then it's a rematch with the Impact on Wednesday at The Jimmy.

The U.S. U-20 squad didn't fair as well on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. They started brightly enough, with Freddy Adu whipping in another pinpoint cross on to the head of Jozy Altidore for a 15th-minute goal. Robbie Rogers terrorized the Austrians on the left flank throughout the opening 45 minutes.

But then the yanks allowed a dodgy equalizer late in the first half and the whole operation ran off the rails. Rogers disappeared completely. Goalkeeper Chris Seitz kept getting balls tatooed off his face. Tim Ward was inexplicably brought into the game. The improbably named and unfortunately coiffed Erwin "Jimmy" Hoffer scored the inevitable game winner for the Austrians in the 105th minute. Bummer.