After a short schedule in week 15 due to the international break, all 22 MLS teams played over the weekend. Most of the schedule was on Saturday, with 20 MLS teams in action. The American MLS teams also played during the week in the US Open Cup, causing squad rotation issues. NYCFC beat the Seattle Sounders 2-1 at Yankee Stadium. Cristian Roldan put Seattle up in the 40th minute. David Villa . . .
Jurgen and Bruce: The American soccer rift that’s here to stay
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Jun 16, 2017) US Soccer Players - Sunday’s 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw with Mexico at Estadio Azteca is a great result by any measure, regardless of the circumstances or personnel involved. While there’s ample work still ahead, the USMNT can now consider itself to be back on course for Russia 2018 after last fall’s queasy wobbles. Some concerns die off more . . .
Soccer TV: NYCFC vs Seattle Sounders
MLS is on the weekend soccer TV schedule with NYCFC playing Seattle at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. This weekend is also the start of the Confederations Cup, giving the world an early look at what next summer's World Cup will look like in Russia. NYCFC vs Seattle Sounders at 1pm on ESPN. NYCFC and Seattle both played in the US Open Cup Fourth Round this week. NYCFC had it easier from a travel . . .
The lower divisions in the US Open Cup
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jun 16, 2017) US Soccer Players - The last time a team that wasn’t in Major League Soccer won the US Open Cup, MLS was only in its fourth season. Landon Donovan had yet to debut for the USMNT. Superstar-in-the-making Christian Pulisic was less than one year old. It was so long ago that in the whole of the country there were only two soccer-specific stadiums in . . .
Getting excited about the Confederations Cup
Friday's soccer news starts with the Confederations Cup. It's easy to dismiss an international tournament that doesn't involve the USMNT. Easier still if you want to jump on board with those who think it's a bit much for FIFA to run a mini-World Cup the year before the main event. Both are fair points, to some extent. They're also tough stances to take when one of the best runs in USMNT history . . .
Is soccer getting worse?
By J Hutcherson (Jun 15, 2017) US Soccer Players - The NBA finals came to a close this week with many people feeling that the league blew an entire season of games and four rounds of playoffs to get to the obvious conclusion. We all knew who the best team was in October. There's more to this than what we now expect in the era of hot take sports coverage. It's asking fundamental questions about a . . .
Germany in the Confederations Cup
Thursday's soccer news starts with the Confederations Cup. FIFA's World Cup warmup starts on Saturday in Russia, and it's not a safe assumption that even the participating countries really care. Germany, for instance. The defending World Cup champions are having issues filling stadiums for friendlies at home, partly because their results seem like a foregone conclusion. If they lose, there's an . . .
2017 US Open Cup Fourth Round results
It wasn't a sweep for MLS teams in the Fourth Round of the 2017 US Open Cup. This is the round where the American MLS teams enter, playing all the Third Round winners and in three games each other to determine the Round of 16. FC Cincinnati set an attendance record for the Fourth Round, drawing 30,160 to see them knockout the Columbus Crew. Miami FC knocked out Orlando City and Sacramento beat . . .
The LA Galaxy plays their schedule
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Jun 14, 2017) US Soccer Players - Bruce Arena’s shadow looms large over Curt Onalfo. The new LA Galaxy coach has tried to do his best to focus on the present without looking to the past. How he handles the Galaxy over the next few weeks will determine if others will stop looking at the past as well. The Galaxy will play their busiest stretch of the year, beginning . . .
The soccer game in Cincinnati
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jun 14, 2017) US Soccer Players - The life of a second division soccer team in the United States is mostly about pushing limits. It's working out what it means to be a second division soccer club in the United States. While it would be easy to make the argument that striving to break through limits in the lower divisions here is a function of the lack of promotion . . .
