By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 26, 2018) US Soccer Players - Wednesday night marked the finale of the 2018 Concacaf Champions League. Chivas de Guadalajara edged Toronto FC for the title in a gut-wrenching second-leg decided by penalty kicks. Trailing 2-1 from the first-leg, the reigning MLS champs played the second-leg without a specialist center back due to injuries. Michael Bradley and . . .
When will MLS reconsider the conferences?
By Jeff Rueter – SAINT PAUL, MN (Apr 26, 2018) US Soccer Players - Last week, we looked at the growing conference imbalance in MLS. Due to population centers and ownership wealth, the Eastern Conference is quickly dwarfing the quality level of its more even-keeled Western neighbors. The Mississippi River has always been a convenient way to break the country up geographically. However, in a league . . .
Another year for MLS in the Concacaf Champions League
Toronto FC got closer than any other MLS team in the Champions League era. They took the second-leg 2-1 in Guadalajara to tie the series 3-3 on aggregate and send it to penalties. Chivas lifted the trophy, winning the shootout 4-2 on penalties. Toronto staged a comeback in the series and on the night to get to that stage. Orbelin Pineda put Chivas up on the night with a 19th minute goal, extending . . .
LAFC’s stadium game
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Apr 25, 2018) US Soccer Players - For all the excitement and attention that the greatest new thing in Los Angeles causes, rarely does it apply to stadiums. There's a simple reason for that. The last time a new open-air stadium opened for business in LA was more than 50 years ago. LAFC is changing that. Major League Soccer’s newest club will officially christen Banc . . .
Arsenal, Wenger, and MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Apr 25, 2018) US Soccer Players - There aren't many things that tie Arsenal Football Club to Major League Soccer. Even Stan Kroenke, investor/operator of the Colorado Rapids in addition to majority shareholder at Arsenal, doesn’t mean much on the field or in the stands. The Rapids and Gunners have that link in the boardroom and nowhere else of consequence. Two key . . .
The away goals in the Champions League
The soccer news starts with an old problem for the home team in the first-legs of knockout round serie, giving up away goals. Liverpool was as in control as a team can get at Anfield in their Champions League semifinal first-leg against Roma. Up five goals from the 68th minute, there was no doubt Liverpool would have the advantage in the second-leg. It turns out that won't be the full five . . .
Guadalajara looms for Toronto FC
The soccer news starts with a different scenario for Toronto FC. Rather than carrying a home advantage to an away leg in Mexico in the Concacaf Champions League, they need to stage a comeback. Toronto is down 2-1 to Chivas with the deciding game on Wednesday (9:30pm ET - Univision Deportes and go90 app). So far in the 2018 Champions League, Toronto has lost and tied their away legs in Mexico. A . . .
Soccer History: San Francisco IAC
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Apr 23, 2018) US Soccer Players – Much of this country’s soccer history finds its roots among the wave of immigrants who came to the United States. These newcomers had dreams of a better future, but never forgot where they came from. In many cases, they brought with them the love and passion for the world’s most popular game. A great example of this was the . . .
NYCFC and the best in the East and MLS
NYCFC took their league leading record on the road on Sunday, losing to Portland 3-0. That result comes on the heels of plenty of praise for NYCFC this season and rumors linking their coach Patrick Vieira with the soon-to-be open Arsenal job. One game doesn't make a season, certainly not in MLS. However, NYCFC goes from obviously the best team in the league to perhaps the best team in the league . . .
Jimmy Maurer on the uncertainty of life in the lower divisions
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 20, 2018) US Soccer Players - It’s not often that you see an American player make his top-flight professional debut at age 29. It’s even rarer for a player to arrive at that milestone via a path like Jimmy Maurer’s. A supplemental draft pick of the New York Red Bulls way back in 2011 after a solid NCAA career at South Carolina, the Georgia native didn’t get . . .
