By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Apr 11, 2022) US Soccer Players – MLS coaches have gotten more tactically savvy in recent years. With better players come better tactics, and MLS teams have experimented with a wide variety of formations. Whether it's playing with three in the back or relying increasingly on intricate passing, MLS coaches aren't afraid to push the tactical envelope this . . .
Ben Bender, Kipp Keller, and first team minutes for SuperDraft picks
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 8, 2022) US Soccer Players - New teams need players. It's a statement as reductive as it is obvious. If you're building a new soccer team from scratch, the players for your new team have to come from somewhere. You can, of course, sign veteran players domestic and foreign, per the rules of your league. In Major League Soccer, those rules are myriad and . . .
MLS retirements in 2021
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Dec 20, 2021) US Soccer Players – Decision Day was the end of the line for the 14 teams not moving onto the playoffs. With that, several MLS stars brought their careers to an end. In the case of the San Jose Earthquakes, there was nothing to play for at PayPal Park. Instead, the crowd was there to see star striker Chris Wondolowski score the final goal of his pro . . .
A big year goes south for MLS in Texas
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 22, 2021) US Soccer Players - Under Major League Soccer's forgiving postseason structure, every instance of elimination from playoff contention is a sobering milestone. Still, it feels quite different when confirmation of that status is certain well before Decision Day. Such was the case for FC Dallas on Wednesday night. In a playoff-race six-pointer, they . . .
Normal expansion realities set in for Austin FC
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 24, 2021) US Soccer Players - "Yeah, well, you can keep blaming Wolff. You're fine, that's an easy narrative." It sounded much more lighthearted in context than it might look on paper. A genial one-liner tossed out with a smile in the midst of a conversation with a well-intentioned journalist. Still, the strain of a difficult season was detectable in Josh . . .
The issues for Major League Soccer’s Texas trio
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 1, 2021) US Soccer Players - As tourism efforts like to remind us, "Everything is bigger in Texas." The phrase is likely rooted in the state's sheer size, but it applies to many areas of life for Texans. Nobody does it bigger than Texas, with "it" standing in for food, football, and much more. Soccer, however, probably doesn't belong on the list. At least . . .
Toronto and Austin at the bottom of the tables
By J Hutcherson (Aug 17, 2021) US Soccer Players - Major League Soccer has a long tradition of unbalancing the schedule. Figuring out the table takes more than assuming all teams playing the same number of games at any given time. For long stretches of the season in this league, it's points plus games played up and down the conference tables. Even that may not be enough information. With MLS . . .
Austin’s night of firsts
Friday's soccer news starts with Austin FC's 4-1 home win over Portland. Jon Gallagher scored the first home goal at Q2 Stadium in the 28th minute with Diego Fagundez doubling the lead in the 33rd. Jeremy Ebobisse pulled a goal back for Portland seven minutes into a lengthy first-half stoppage time. Alexander Ring made it 3-1 Austin int he 77th with Hector Jimenez finishing off the goals in the . . .
Austin opens its soccer stadium
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jun 16, 2021) US Soccer Players - Not all that long ago, as human history goes, Texas was a frontier for European settlers making their way across the vast North American continent. Make no mistake, people lived in the area, but Texas lacked any permanent settlements that we would identify as a city. As time unspooled and explorers drifted from east to west, Texas, . . .
MLS back in action with one game
Friday's soccer news starts with the return of Major League Soccer after the Nations League break for all of one game. In a push for interest against EURO 2020 and the Copa America. Mexico vs Honduras, and Canada in World Cup qualifying on the 12 and 15, it's only Sporting Kansas City vs Austin this weekend. It's a Western Conference match-up between 2nd-place and 11th, with Austin remaining on . . .
