By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 14, 2017) US Soccer Players - In their last two games, the LA Galaxy has compiled four points on the strength of a home win and road draw. While that is not exactly a torrid pace, it does account for the longest unbeaten run the Galaxy has had since mid-June. Part of the Galaxy’s success has been Gyasi Zardes. The beleaguered striker has scored a goal in each of . . .
Gio Dos Santos reaches a century with Mexico amid questions
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 6, 2017) US Soccer Players - When Mexico played at Costa Rica in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier, the match itself was a bit anticlimactic for the visitors. Mexico had already wrapped up a berth in Russia 2018 the match prior and a lopsided result either way would not have made a difference. Still, the match was significant for one of El Tri’s key players. Giovani . . .
Mexico isn’t sweating World Cup qualifying and neither are their fans
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 30, 2017) US Soccer Players - There’s something to say for tranquility. For once, Mexico is not flailing about in World Cup qualifying. There are no imminent sackings or roster shake-ups. Mexico only needs one positive result in the next few days to book passage to Russia 2018. And yet, there is no enthusiasm surrounding the team. Rather, the excitement scale is . . .
LA’s MLS teams keep Mexico in mind
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 23, 2017) US Soccer Players - If you build it, so the saying goes, they will come. In Major League Soccer’s early days, the league created its own spin to that - if you load your rosters with them, they will come, where “them” meant players from an ethnic group and “they” were fans of that same group. When it came to Mexican soccer players in Los Angeles, “they” . . .
Is next season already out of reach for the LA Galaxy?
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 16, 2017) US Soccer Players - Soccer is cyclical. Dynasties build and then they crumble and from the ruins can be rebuilt once more. The LA Galaxy is a testament to that, having gone through the highest of highs to the abyss before skyrocketing once more. Climbing out of the hole the team dug for itself about a decade ago took some doing, but the team may not be . . .
LAFC begins to make an impression
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 9, 2017) US Soccer Players - For expansion MLS clubs, first impressions are important. The first impression set by the other Los Angeles expansion club engrossed that club and stuck to it like a ball and chain and haunted it until its demise. The first impression LA’s newest Major League Soccer club gives off, specifically with its newest signing, will lead in . . .
The Galaxy and Curt Onalfo
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 2, 2017) US Soccer Players - Following a legend is always difficult. No matter how good of a job the next coach does, the shadows cast are too long to overcome and the shoes left behind are too big to fill. Curt Onalfo learned that the hard way. Onalfo did not make it through his first summer on the job with the LA Galaxy. The MLS club sacked him following five . . .
Why is it so difficult to keep coaching Mexico?
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Jul 26, 2017) US Soccer Players - Peace and tranquility is a myth, at least within the Mexican national team’s coaching ranks. Disarray is harmony. Pandemonium and lawlessness is Mexico’s peace and order. Mexico national team coach Juan Carlos Osorio is under heavy fire in Mexico for the obvious reasons. Mexico after all crashed out in the semifinals of two separate . . .
Hope returns for the LA Galaxy
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Jul 19, 2017) US Soccer Players - The LA Galaxy seem to have more hope now than at any point in 2017. Perhaps not playing any league matches since July 4 has distanced onlookers enough to have forgotten the sting of losses and how poor the Galaxy have looked, particularly at home. The club seems to have renewed energy heading into the unofficial second half of the . . .
Why does MLS continue to schedule midseason friendlies?
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Jul 12, 2017) US Soccer Players - In the early days of Major League Soccer, gimmicks abounded. Part of the thinking then was that both soccer and non-soccer fans needed some sort of reason to pay attention to the fledgling league. Perhaps that was the right mindset to take in 1996. this league has grown quite a bit since and some of those gimmicks need to go by the . . .
