By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Jun 11, 2021) US Soccer Players - Before Sunday's Concacaf Nations League final, the last time the USMNT played Mexico was in September of 2019. That was a high-profile friendly at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Back then, coach Gregg Berhalter insisted on building play out of the back despite El Tri's fierce high press. The result was a 3-0 Mexico win keyed by . . .
What we learned, and didn’t, from the USMNT’s win over Honduras
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Jun 4, 2021) US Soccer Players - "That's what the national team is. It's unpredictable. You don't know what players are coming in, you don't know the form that the players are going to be coming in at, who's playing more with their teams than who aren't, who's injured, who's not. It's always constantly changing." That was an observation from Clint Dempsey in a . . .
USMNT start massive summer with Switzerland – Nations League two-step
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (May 27, 2021) US Soccer Players - "It's amazing to see the talent that's here. And the ages of these players is incredible, and then how talented they are. I think we're entering sort of a golden era for US soccer." That was DeAndre Yedlin's assessment of the USMNT's burgeoning youth movement as he made his first return to the program since 2019 this week. The . . .
Another soccer rebrand wanders off course
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (May 20, 2021) US Soccer Players - It quickly drew a lot of comparisons. A tooth, clip art, a bingo ticket, and the vague, referential logos created for fictitious teams in video games made that list. Some observers saw a goatee or a doorstop tucked into a corner of the image. Others puzzled over its primary shape being noticeably different from the unique . . .
FC Cincinnati opens a stadium with issues on the field
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (May 13, 2021) US Soccer Players - On Sunday, FC Cincinnati will occupy the brightest spotlight for the debut of its brand-new home, TQL Stadium. The visit from star-studded Inter Miami is available nationwide on FOX. That's priceless exposure for FCC and its glittering $250 million venue in the city's West End. With a full roof, intimate sight-lines, all the . . .
Has the coaching cult of personality arrived in MLS?
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (May 7, 2021) US Soccer Players - Gabriel Heinze's team was losing, miles from home, and there was nothing more he could do about it. Atlanta United's Concacaf Champions League dream was evaporating. The Philadelphia Union frittered away the minutes in their quarterfinal second-leg match at Subaru Park, up 3-1 on aggregate thanks to their stunning three-goal away . . .
On side tracks, persistence, and college soccer
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 30, 2021) US Soccer Players - The NCAA men's and women's soccer tournaments kick off this week. It's a few months late and comprises a smaller field than usual, due on both counts to the disruptions of COVID-19. The lingering pandemic has also led to both events being held entirely in the state of North Carolina, culminating in the College Cup finals at . . .
“Those American owners” The Super League blowback crosses the Atlantic
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 22, 2021) US Soccer Players - John W Henry looked uncomfortable. Far more uncomfortable than we're accustomed to seeing from people with his levels of wealth and power. "I want to apologize to all the fans, supporters of Liverpool Football Club for the disruption I've caused over the past 48 hours," he said at the start of a two-and-a-half-minute video, . . .
Is MLS developing replacement level players?
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 15, 2021) US Soccer Players - A little over two years ago, the New York Times profiled Dutch club Ajax and the particularly talented group of homegrown talent that spearheaded their deep run in the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League. The club's prolific academy is well-known. Members of that season's group would move to some of the world's biggest sides for . . .
DC United step onto the scales as new era unfolds
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 8, 2021) US Soccer Players - Asked for an update on the course of preseason, Hernan Losada did not waste time nor mince words. "There's still a lot of work to do," said DC United's new head coach on Tuesday, speaking to media for the first time in several weeks. "I have to say that I didn't expect this progression after five weeks of preseason, not only on . . .
