By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 23, 2020) US Soccer Players - Coaching a professional soccer club is an often put-upon profession. As a life, it's the antithesis of stability for a variety of reasons, some of them out of any semblance of control. With that in mind, most would see a lot to like in a soccer league where the people in charge of the on-field product get plenty of chances. In an . . .
The National Soccer Hall of Fame tries something new
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 23, 2020) US Soccer Players - In theory, a Hall of Fame shouldn't be controversial. When the process and the selectors who participate in it gobble up more attention than the honorees themselves, it's a safe bet that something is not functioning as it should. That's the quandary the National Soccer Hall of Fame has found itself facing. With the flow of new . . .
USMNT gets a game in November
The soccer news starts with the US Soccer Federation announcing a November friendly for the USMNT. The USMNT will travel to Swansea to play Wales on November 12 at Liberty Stadium (2:45pm ET - FS1, UniMas). Concacaf sat out the September friendlies due to the pandemic, and US Soccer didn't schedule games in October. This will be the first time the USMNT has played since February 1. US Soccer also . . .
The Galaxy’s lost season
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Oct 21, 2020) US Soccer Players - The LA Galaxy has been trying to recapture magic over the last three-plus seasons. While the club has not won an MLS Cup since 2014, the team was still quite competitive in 2015 and 2016. For both of those years, the rosters were quite formidable even if the team's results did not match that potential output. Since the end of the . . .
Depth takes on new importance in the East
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 21, 2020) US Soccer Players - Pushed to the limits of their available resources, Major League Soccer clubs are increasingly turning to squad players. If you want to win in 2020, you're going to need a couple of less-heralded figures ready to step into the void if, or when, the stars go missing. Not all of the players that deserve more recognition are surprises, . . .
Dest, Pulisic, and Horvath get Champions League starts
Wednesday's soccer news starts with USMNT players in the Champions League. Sergino Dest's Barcelona had no trouble at home against Ferencvaros, winning 5-1 despite going a man down midway through the second-half. Lionel Messi opened the scoring with a 27th minute penalty and Ansu Fati doubled the lead in the 42nd. Philippe Coutinho made it 3-0 Barca in the 52nd. Gerard Pique saw red in the 68th . . .
Philadelphia, New England, and the East
Tuesday's soccer news starts with Philadelphia winning 2-1 at New England. An own-goal put the Union up in the 34th minute with Anthony Fontana doubling the lead in the 69th. Tajon Buchanan pulled a goal back for the Revolution in the 80th minute. The result has Philadelphia in 2nd-place, three points behind Toronto and four points ahead of Columbus. Toronto and Philadelphia have played 19 games . . .
More teams make the playoffs in the East
Monday's soccer news starts with the MLS roundup and more teams qualifying for the playoffs. Toronto, Philadelphia, Columbus, and Orlando have spots in the East. In the West, Seattle and Portland are at the top of the table on 31 points with the Sounders on 17 games to the Timbers' 18. Chicago and Sporting Kansas City drew 2-2 at Soldier Field. Erik Hurtado scored for Sporting in the 35th minute . . .
Somehow, MLS gets stranger
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 16, 2020) US Soccer Players - There are almost too many places to start when it comes to Major League Soccer's Wednesday night round of games as a signifier of the strange season we're living through together. This is soccer in the middle of a pandemic, so naturally, there was a postponement. Minnesota didn't host Chicago due to a "suspected case" of COVID-19. . . .
Brenden Aaronson makes his move
Friday's soccer news starts with Philadelphia announcing a deal to transfer midfielder Brenden Aaronson to Red Bull Salzburg. It's an interesting destination for a player not connected to the New York Red Bulls, and perhaps evidence of Red Bull management paying close attention across MLS. The transfer doesn't happen until the January window, with Aaronson remaining a Union player through the end . . .
