By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Oct 14, 2021) US Soccer Players - The Portland Timbers have not become an MLS dynasty like their Cascadia rivals to the north, but the club's recent history has impressed. Portland, Columbus, Seattle, and Toronto FC have each made multiple MLS Cup appearances since 2015. In fact, Atlanta United is the only other club to participate in this four-team MLS Cup game of . . .
MLS Power Rankings: The stretch run
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Oct 6, 2021) US Soccer Players - The stretch run is here. Teams are either battling for playoff positioning or fighting to stay alive. At the very top of the table, though, one team is putting the finishing touches on the best regular season in MLS history. That makes it all too easy to figure out the top spot. It's the rest of the rankings where things get . . .
The Galaxy and LAFC’s struggles come at the worst time in Los Angeles
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 29, 2021) US Soccer Players - Not too long ago, Major League Soccer revolved around Los Angeles. If the LA Galaxy wasn't winning or making a run at MLS Cup, something was missing for the league. For a brief period of time, Chivas USA was also helping bring success and attention to Southern California. A couple of years ago, though, that success bottomed out. . . .
The surprising future of the Leagues Cup
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 22, 2021) US Soccer Players - The Covid-19 pandemic destroyed any semblance of what the 2020 MLS season should have been. No soccer for months. Abbreviated, travel-restricted schedules. Empty stadiums. As understatements go, let's just say that it wasn't ideal. However, if there was any hint of lemonade that came out of the truckloads of lemons 2020 threw at . . .
MLS tries again against Liga MX
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 15, 2021) US Soccer Players - The US National Team and Mexico met up twice in a pair of high-stakes title games over the summer with the Americans winning both. The victories showed that the USA returned to the same level as Mexico, arguably taking a step past them. After all, the USMNT played with two different rosters, in two different largely pro-Mexico . . .
Playing past distractions, RSL stays in contention
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 8, 2021) US Soccer Players - Typically, the on-the-field play suffers when things are chaotic for Major League Soccer teams off the field. Distractions are real. Teams tend to find it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand while keeping an eye on off-the-field issues. Eventually, it becomes too much. All that, though, simply makes Real Salt Lake's 2021 . . .
MLS Power Rankings: Staying put at the top
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 1, 2021) US Soccer Players - We are finally entering the home stretch. There are roughly two months left in the season, and the playoff picture is tightening up. With only a handful of games remaining, teams are running out of wiggle room to compensate for poor results earlier in the season. Of course, that doesn't matter as much to the top team in the . . .
MLS moves past injuries with the latest version of the MLS All-Star Game
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 25, 2021) US Soccer Players - Major League Soccer's annual showcase of talent made a bit of a deviation this year. Originally planned to debut last season but postponed due to the pandemic, on Wednesday we get our first MLS vs Liga MX All-Star Game. It brings to an end the league's 15-year stretch of pitting the MLS All-Stars against a European club. The revamp . . .
LA’s competitive imbalance in the 2021 MLS season
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 19, 2021) US Soccer Players - Los Angeles is arguably the biggest soccer hub in the United States, perhaps in all of North America. It's a safe assumption that fans will turn out for soccer events in the region, making it an easy stop for promoters. In Major League Soccer terms, LA has always been the center of it all. That's expected to show next week when . . .
MLS and Liga MX supporters are asking different questions
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 11, 2021) US Soccer Players - In 1995, the Mexican league was a well-established league that featured strong players on quality teams that captivated the entire nation year after year. At the same time, American club soccer was looking to restart topflight soccer for the first time in just over a decade. Over 25 years later, both countries have strong leagues . . .
