By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 8, 2018) US Soccer Players - Sometimes resumes and backstories prove to be Rorschach tests for readers. One observer might look at a long list of previous employers and wide-ranging destinations and see instability, perhaps challenges settling in. Others eye the same bullet points and see ambition, drive, enterprise or a useful restlessness. This often takes . . .
Manchester United’s Champions League turnaround
The soccer news starts with Manchester United's late winner to beat Juventus 2-1 away in the Champions League. Though the 89th minute winner came from a deflection off of Juventus's Alex Sandro rather than the type of wonder goal Cristiano Ronaldo scored to put Juventus up in the 65th, it still counts. How much for Manchester United is now the question. We're not far removed from open speculation . . .
Year one for LAFC
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Nov 7, 2018) US Soccer Players - Normally, a season in which a team loses its regular-season finale and a knockout-round match within a span of five days would be a failure. In most instances, that would certainly classify as one. Especially since the regular season finale was for the conference title and a playoff top seed. 2018 is far from a failure for LAFC even . . .
Halftime in the MLS conference semifinals
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Nov 7, 2018) US Soccer Players - Halftime of the conference semifinals in Major League Soccer’s 2018 playoff season means taking stock of a number of areas on the way to the deciding second-legs. Since no first-leg delivered a multi-goal win for any team, there’s plenty of drama packed into every matchup on the board. That doesn’t mean that a few of the final eight . . .
Horvath gets Champions League shutout
The soccer news starts with the USMNT players in the Champions League. Ethan Horvath was in goal for Club Brugge's 4-0 win at Monaco in Group A. Hans Vanaken opened the scoring in the 12th minute and converted a penalty in the 17th. Wesley Moraes made it 3-0 in the 24th and Ruud Vormer scored in the 85th. Horvath made six saves to keep the clean sheet. After five matchdays, Club Brugge is in . . .
Super League fatigue
By J Hutcherson (Nov 6, 2018) US Soccer Players -It's hard to get worked up about the latest potential for the elite European clubs breaking away and forming their own super league. The super league story has been dragging along for so many years now it borders on cliche. There could be a super league. It might even make more sense for there to be a super league. There probably won't be, at least . . .
USMNT squad for November 2018 friendlies
USMNT interim coach Dave Sarachan named 28 players to his squad for the November friendlies. The USMNT plays England at Wembley Stadium on November 15 (3pm ET - ESPN2) and Italy at Luminus Stadium in Genk, Belgium on Nov 20 (2:45pm ET - FS1). “These are important matches and we only have so many opportunities every year to bring our players together," Sarachan said about including players from . . .
Playing for perfect in the Champions League group stage
We start the soccer news with matchday four from the 2018-19 Champions League group stage and another opportunity for a streak to end. Borussia Dortmund in Group A, Barcelona in Group B, and Juventus in Group H are three for three with 9 points. Borussia Dortmund and Juventus have both yet to give up a goal. Making it through the group stage without dropping any points is a rarity. It's happened . . .
Columbus, Portland, and Atlanta take first-leg leads
The soccer news starts with the first-round of the MLS conference semifinals. Columbus took a 1-0 lead over the New York Red Bulls at MAPFRE Stadium. Gyasi Zardes scored the game's only goal in the 61st minute with Zack Steffen keeping the clean sheet with three saves. New York hosts the 2nd-leg on Sunday, November 11 at 7:30 pm ET on FS1. Portland came back at home to take a 2-1 lead over . . .
Newcastle wins at home
The roundup of USMNT players in Europe and Mexico starts in the Premier League with Newcastle United picking up three points at home. DeAndre Yedlin's Newcastle shutout Watford 1-0. Ayoze Perez scored in the 65th minute with Martin Dubravka keeping the clean sheet. “I think you could see from the lads on the pitch that there was a desire to get the points today,” Newcastle's Matt Ritchie said. . . .
