By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Sep 20, 2021) US Soccer Players – One of the biggest knocks against MLS has always been that teams don't know how to defend. Why this is such a regular criticism depends on your take on Major League Soccer. Those who are down on MLS blame it on the quality of players. Those who support the league argue that teams would rather emphasize offense. The truth, of . . .
Las Vegas as an MLS expansion target
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Sep 13, 2021) US Soccer Players – The growth of Major League Soccer over the past few years in speaks to the league’s commitment to bring the game to untapped markets and investors finding that fans in major US metropolitan areas crave pro soccer. Another city that has been front and center in American soccer in recent months is Las Vegas. Sin City, famous for . . .
Q&A: JP Dellacamera
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Sep 6, 2021) US Soccer Players – Soccer has seen tremendous growth in this country over the last 30 years, and the soundtrack during that time has been the voice of JP Dellacamera. He has called 15 World Cups, nine men’s and six women’s, on TV and radio starting in 1986 with ESPN. Dellacamera wears many hats as the voice of the Philadelphia Union, a job he’s had . . .
Soccer’s own-goal issue
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Aug 30, 2021) US Soccer Players – Own-goals are an unfortunate reality of soccer. They normally happen when a defender, unable to fully turn around, kicks or deflects the ball. As YouTube videos will attest, the results can be hilarious but most often lead to face-palming by players and fans alike. Just this past Saturday, Germany's Bayer Leverkusen routed Augsburg . . .
MLS vs Liga MX changes the All-Star Game
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Aug 23, 2021) US Soccer Players – The MLS All-Star Game returns this week after the pandemic forced the league to scrap it in 2020. While this game in the middle of the season may seem typically American to many around the globe, it's an established part of pro sports in the United States and Canada. That's due to the deep history of all-star games in the two . . .
5 USMNT players to watch in Europe in 2021-22
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Aug 16, 2021) US Soccer Players – The soccer calendar never comes to a stop. A two-month period loaded with National Team tournaments is behind us, and many players across Europe have now started their club seasons. Among this group are many Americans looking to leave their mark again after the success of USMNT players last season. The US emerged victorious two . . .
Q&A: Gianluca Busio
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Aug 9, 2021) US Soccer Players – Major League Soccer has been the place for young talent to flourish the past few years. It isn't so rare when a teenager makes his debut, shines for a few years, and then moves to Europe. It's a testament to the growth of US soccer and the power and importance of MLS. A prime example of this has been the success of Gianluca Busio, . . .
The Cup Winners’ Cup still resonates in Europe
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Aug 2, 2021) US Soccer Players – The architects of Italy's recent European Championship title were manager Roberto Mancini and the team's delegation chief Gianluca Vialli. The duo, famous for scoring goals at Serie A side Sampdoria in the 1980s and early '90s, famously won the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup in 1990. That title proved a springboard for their conquest . . .
Preview: 2021 Gold Cup semifinals
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jul 26, 2021) US Soccer Players – The Gold Cup has been an experimental affair for the USMNT by design, but this squad of players is showing what mutual belief can accomplish. Over their four games, the USA has worked through the regular issues with the group stage. Some games are closer than most would've predicted. Others are under control. All of them are steps . . .
The changing role of the full back
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jul 19, 2021) US Soccer Players – Soccer tactics have changed over the last few decades, but no position has undergone the biggest evolution than full back. Primarily a defensive role, the players in that position have increasingly aided the attack in recent years. Carlos Alberto, captain of the star-studded Brazil squad that won the 1970 World Cup, helped . . .
