By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (June 29, 2022) US Soccer Players - Major League Soccer loves a good rivalry. Check that. MLS loves any rivalry, even ones that might not be immediately apparent. MLS decided long ago that pushing rivalry was a winning marketing strategy. Rivalry can come from nearly anything, but geography is the most common variable at play. Put a couple of teams on a soccer field . . .
Figuring out how to score goals in MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (June 24, 2022) US Soccer Players - With more than half the regular season still to play and the secondary transfer window set to open on July 7, every club in MLS still believes it has a shot at glory. This is Major League Soccer. There's no reason to think that things can't change, and quickly. The question of how to get better is ever-present, even for the . . .
Kansas City adds World Cup host to its reputation as a soccer city
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (June 22, 2022) US Soccer Players - Last Thursday, Kansas City was the lone Midwestern locale to be awarded matches for the 2026 World Cup. Of the 11 American cities chosen among 16 host cities in total, Kansas City ranks among the biggest surprises. They don't have a new-ish NFL stadium like the other American hosts, and they're the smallest metropolitan . . .
The 2022 MLS season resumes with plenty of questions in both conferences
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (June 17, 2022) US Soccer Players - MLS emerges from what constituted an international break this weekend. Since the league leaves it up to individual clubs whether they want to sit out the break entirely, there were games here and there. However, for the most part, teams took advantage of the time to reset and regroup. The pause in the thick-and-fast schedule . . .
NYCFC knows how to navigate a mid-season coaching change
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (June 15, 2022) US Soccer Players - It happened again. New York City Football Club said goodbye to a head coach in the middle of the season. On Monday, Ronny Deila left defending MLS Cup champions NYCFC midway through his third season in charge to become the coach of Standard Liege in the Belgian Pro League. Assistant Nick Cushing takes over on an interim basis and . . .
Nations League A is already creating opportunities
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (June 10, 2022) US Soccer Players - A World Cup is coming, and the United States has a spot booked for the biggest tournament in international soccer. Nothing can compete with the World Cup. The USMNT's preparations for a return to the brightest stage the game can offer are naturally dominating attention. Meanwhile, there's some additional business for Gregg . . .
Mastroeni’s version of Real Salt Lake continues to surprise
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (June 8, 2022) US Soccer Players - Most successful MLS teams have an identity. It could be a particular way of playing, or a physical edge that gives them an advantage. Maybe it's a leg up that comes from a bigger budget or a super productive academy. Real Salt Lake is known for developing talented players but doesn't get the current day academy accolades of the . . .
16 points from 13 games in MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (June 3, 2022) US Soccer Players - Equal records don't necessarily make for equal teams. Still, in a league famous for unbalanced schedules there's something to learn from three teams in the same conference with identical records a third of the way through the season. Three teams in the East entered the international break with four wins, four draws, and five . . .
Union Omaha takes on MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 27, 2022) US Soccer Players - Cinderella is still dancing in the 2022 edition of the US Open Cup. America's knockout cup tournament hit the round of 16 on Wednesday night, with MLS teams dominating the proceedings. By the time the US Open Cup reaches this stage, it's often lacking for teams from the lower leagues of American soccer. This year there were . . .
Inter Miami’s new approach
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 25, 2022) US Soccer Players - For all the drama that followed the club for the first two seasons of its Major League Soccer existence, Inter Miami is suddenly decidedly ordinary. General manager Chris Henderson is working through a roster overhaul while second-year coach Phil Neville keeps the team within reach of the top-seven in the Eastern Conference. So . . .
