By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Jun 19, 2019) US Soccer Players - Normally, the summer after the World Cup would be a busy and important one for the Mexican national team. Played every odd-numbered year, the Gold Cup is a calendar staple. With Copa America held the year after the World Cup, that too would be plenty to keep Mexico busy. Add in the importance of the FIFA Confederations Cup. For years . . .
The LA teams in the Open Cup
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Jun 13, 2019) US Soccer Players - With MLS shutting down for the Concacaf Gold Cup, its teams are still involved in meaningful matches. The US Open Cup kicked off the fourth round this week as MLS teams entered play. This presents an opportunity for one of LA's MLS teams to step up and take on the challenge of winning a trophy. LAFC and the LA Galaxy are in a battle . . .
MLS Power Rankings: International roster disruption
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Jun 6, 2019) US Soccer Players - Injuries, transfers, and international duty are threatening to change what we know about the league so far and these rankings. Teams like Columbus and FC Dallas have been hit hard by player movement of one kind or another, but it's a league-wide issue. Through it all, LAFC seems rather unaffected. LAFC is still the league's premier . . .
Will the Galaxy close the gap with LAFC?
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (May 29, 2019) US Soccer Players - At the halfway point of the 2019 Major League Soccer campaign, the Los Angeles teams have been battling for Western Conference and league supremacy. Just not against each other. While the two LA teams haven't met, the rest of the league has felt the effects of playing against LAFC and/or the LA Galaxy. Through the unofficial halfway . . .
Tigres at the top of Liga MX
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (May 29, 2019) US Soccer Players - The struggle for success in Mexico is a constant one. Liga MX is a pressure-cooker of a league with little room for failure. There's no tolerance for setbacks. Clubs continually tinker with the roster and coaching staff to try to find the right mix. What that usually translates to is a revolving door for coaches at most Liga MX . . .
The Galaxy’s form raises questions
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (May 22, 2019) US Soccer Players - Through the first two months of the season, the LA Galaxy seemed destined to regain its footing atop the league. The club’s credentials were impressive: a 7-1-1 record, a five-game winning streak, a perfect 6-0-0 mark at home. It finally seemed like the horrors of 2017 were squarely in the rear-view mirror. The turnaround was . . .
LAFC benefits from Vela’s choice
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (May 15, 2019) US Soccer Players - Since 2019 is an odd-numbered year, Major League Soccer is taking a brief hiatus in June because of the Gold Cup. MLS will stand down during the tournament's group stage, but games will pick back up when the knockout rounds begin. For teams like LAFC, who has a star player from one of the participating Gold Cup nations, that should . . .
Oscar Pareja takes the next step in Liga MX
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (May 8, 2019) US Soccer Players - When he made the leap from MLS to Tijuana, Oscar Pareja took a risk. Never before had a coach made such a move, joining Liga MX after having coached solely in MLS. Pareja survived until the end of the regular season which is in itself an accomplishment. Nine teams, half of Liga MX, fired its coaches during the Clausura 2019 . . .
MLS Power Rankings: The West Coast shift
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (May 2, 2019) US Soccer Players - The balance of power in MLS is shifting to the West Coast. Not only do the top teams share the spotlight in the same West Coast town, but the entire western part of the country is home to five of the six strongest teams in the league. Imagine if the Portland Timbers could play home games. The theme is already clear this season. The . . .
Zlatan’s game causes issues for the Galaxy
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (May 1, 2019) US Soccer Players - The LA Galaxy has always carried itself with a bit of arrogance that, when the team is winning, is something the rest of the league has to deal with. Arrogance combined with poor sportsmanship though is whole different thing. The LA Galaxy is back to its winning ways, at least early in the 2019 campaign. The club is doing well to . . .
