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The 2020 MLS Cup final shifts on coronavirus positives
Friday's soccer news starts with another coronavirus issue for Major League Soccer. The Columbus Crew announced that Pedro Santos and Darlington Nagbe aren't available for the MLS Cup final (Saturday, 8:30pm ET - Fox) due to positive coronavirus tests. Santos has played 22 games this season, tied for 2nd in team scoring, and 1st in assists doubling the next three players. There's no replacing that . . .
The 4-2-3-1 worked in the 2020 MLS playoffs
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Dec 7, 2020) US Soccer Players – Teams around the world have spent the past few years embracing the 4-2-3-1 formation. The tactic has been successful in MLS as a majority of teams now use it. Like all tactics, teams often don't remain in such a rigid formation for the entire match. Depending on injuries, the score, and other factors, teams often morph into other . . .
Columbus takes the East
Monday's soccer news starts with Columbus advancing to the 2020 MLS Cup final. The Crew knocked out New England 1-0 at home from an Artur goal in the 59th minute. Andrew Tarbell kept the clean sheet with four saves. "The job is not done," Columbus coach Caleb Porter said. "When we started this tournament, we wanted to make four steps. We have made three of the four. I know the guys in that locker . . .
Coaching fit in MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Dec 4, 2020) US Soccer Players - Finding a new coach is never easy. Most of the time, the only reason for the search is because something has gone wrong. The likeliest reason is poor results. Maybe there was a personality conflict. Perhaps it was simply wanting to try something else somewhere else, leaving the team to scramble to find someone just as good to take . . .
Toronto resets without Greg Vanney
By J Hutcherson (Dec 1, 2020) US Soccer Players - Toronto FC can now add a coaching change to its disrupted 2020 season. The 2019 MLS Cup finalists played out the remainder of the 2020 season in Connecticut due to border restrictions. That ended with a playoff loss to Nashville on November 24. Now, the club is looking for a new coach. Greg Vanney didn't leave courtesy of that MLS cliche of a . . .
The Eastern Conference playoff shakeup
Wednesday's soccer news starts with reconsidering what success means in the Eastern Conference. The top two regular season finishers are out, with the MLS playoffs once again demonstrating that upsets can become the norm. The night started with 2nd-seed Toronto exiting to Nashville 1-0 at Rentschler Field. With the game scoreless through regulation, Daniel Ross got the game's only goal in the . . .
The play-in round and the underdog scenario
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 20, 2020) US Soccer Players - It would be fair to say that it has been a while since a true underdog has lifted the MLS Cup trophy. Last year's champions, the Seattle Sounders, are the model MLS franchise with two MLS Cup titles in the last four seasons. In 2018, an ascendant Atlanta United used its flashy and expensive South American talent and famous coach to . . .
MLS faces a play-in problem
Friday's soccer news starts with reports that Inter Miami is without its star players for tonight's play-in game at Nashville. The Miami Herald's Michelle Kaufman updated earlier stories that five Inter players tested positive for the coronavirus, reporting that Federico Higuain, Gonzalo Higuain, and Leandro Gonzalez Pirez are part of that group. That leaves Inter Miami and MLS facing a playoff . . .
The situation in the Eastern Conference
By J Hutcherson (Nov 19, 2020) US Soccer Players - Coming up with a problem where the only answer was a convoluted solution, Major League Soccer kicks off its Eastern Conference play-in round on Friday. After realigning the conferences to restart the season, MLS felt it had no choice but to reset playoff expectations in the now-14 team Eastern Conference. Instead of advancing the top eight . . .
