The USMNT booked their spot in the 2017 Gold Cup final with a key substitution and a regular putting the ball into the back of the net. A scoreless first-half saw the USMNT with the bulk of possession but nothing to show for it. Costa Rica had their chances in the second-half, pushing the USMNT for a response. They got it in the 72nd minute. Clint Dempsey subbed on in the 66th minute, finding . . .
Worst Gold Cup ever?
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 21, 2017) US Soccer Players - Like many readers, your correspondent has grown up in a sustained era of soccer’s growth in North America. Every year the game grows bigger and more popular than the last, it seems, leading us to take for granted that the future will be brighter than the past. The 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup is doing its best to cure us of all that . . .
MLS coaches in trouble?
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 21, 2017) US Soccer Players - We're just past the halfway point of the 2017 Major League Soccer season. We're fresh off an extended break for the Gold Cup group stage. For some teams, this is the time for regrouping. For others, it's looking at what's already happened and figuring out if the time is right for a change. Yes, it's another episode of the coaching . . .
Super clubs in super friendlies
Friday's soccer news starts with the Manchester derby in Houston on Thursday night. Over 60k fans reported in the stands at NRG Stadium, a venue where Manchester United once played the MLS All-Star team. What this underlines is the point Luis Bueno made a couple of weeks ago. Do prestige friendlies need local involvement? There's a lot of evidence that they do not. So where does that leave MLS . . .
Officiating in CONCACAF
Thursday's soccer news starts with referee Drew Fischer and his assistants not exactly having the best time of it in last night's USMNT vs El Salvador game. Hesitance to show cards caught up with the officiating, leading to odd moments even by CONCACAF standards. Namely, two incidents where USMNT players were bitten by their El Salvadoran counterparts. Altidore: "My girl is mad at me. She’s mad . . .
Gold Cup: USMNT 2 – El Salvador 0
The USMNT and El Salvador met in the Gold Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday at Lincoln Financial Field. Considering the stakes, the game developed as expected. The USMNT needed goalkeeper Tim Howard to come up big early on, stopping an El Salvador breakaway after a defensive slip. Both teams had chances, but it was the USMNT capitalizing. Omar Gonzalez headed in a Michael Bradley free kick to start . . .
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 . . .
Playing for one club in MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 19, 2017) US Soccer Players - Francesco Totti, the legendary Italian striker, just retired after a 25-year career. Totti spent every one of those 25 years with the same club, Roma, where he will now serve as a director in his post-playing days. He is the epitome of that oft-romanticized idea, a player who never leaves the team he came up with as a . . .
Game day for USMNT vs El Salvador
The consensus view of the previews for the USMNT v El Salvador Gold Cup quarterfinal later tonight (9pm ET - FS1) read oddly familiar. That's because the view is the same as it's been since the second group stage game. The USMNT is the heavy favorite for obvious reasons, especially with an experimental roster now made stronger through the six changes made by coach Bruce Arena. Meanwhile, the . . .
Preview: USMNT vs El Salvador
The big story going into the USMNT's Gold Cup quarterfinal against El Salvador is the changes to the roster. USMNT coach Bruce Arena made all six, bringing in experience and familiarity to navigate the knockout rounds. Mexico made none, setting up this tournament as a test for the 23 players they didn't take to the Confederations Cup. Different options for different scenarios. The USMNT also . . .
