By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 25, 2019) US Soccer Players - The playoff format in MLS has been as stable as the number of teams in the league. Over the years, the league has featured knockout matches, two-leg series, three-leg series, and various methods of how to determine seeding and who plays home or away. At the end of 2018, MLS changed the playoffs yet again. This season, the system will . . .
LAFC in the regular season
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 18, 2019) US Soccer Players - The stretch run in MLS has arrived. Teams have a handful of matches left on their schedule and have scant few opportunities to snag points to make one last desperate push to make the playoffs or try and jockey for a better spot in the table. Then there's LAFC. The second-year club has four matches left and sits atop the Western . . .
LAFC with and without Carlos Vela
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 4, 2019) US Soccer Players - The criticism was as easy as it was predictable. Following LAFC's 2-0 loss to Minnesota United on Sunday night in Los Angeles, voices from many quarters declared the league's best team so far in 2019 "average" in the absence of its Mexican superstar, Carlos Vela. LAFC certainly did not look as dominant without Vela, who missed the . . .
Philadelphia against Atlanta and LAFC
The soccer news starts at the top of the Eastern Conference with Atlanta and Philadelphia tied on points at 48. 1st-place Atlanta has the edge on total wins 15 to 14 with a game in hand 27 to 28 played. That has them in the driver's seat in the East with the chance to put points between them and the Union at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday. Atlanta's return to form has them on a seven-game . . .
Carlos Vela in the clutch
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 28, 2019) US Soccer Players - Carlos Vela has been having himself a season. The LAFC talisman has shattered MLS records and dominating opponents and is likely to win the league's Most Valuable Player award. Aside from his 27 goals and 15 assists though it was his team's performance in last weekend's LA derby that makes his MVP case stronger. With the game in the . . .
The rivalry problem in MLS
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 22, 2019) US Soccer Players - MLS has done a great job at building the league up over the last decade-plus. After the 2007 MLS season, 12 teams were in existence. Now, 24 teams are vying for the MLS Cup title. On Tuesday, the league announced St Louis as the 28th franchise. Forming the league has been a systematic process based on geography, venues, and willing . . .
Carlos Vela’s ridiculous season
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 14, 2019) US Soccer Players - It's a long list of Mexican players who have played in MLS, but that list is a bit of a hodgepodge collection of talent. While there have been some big-name players, many of those big names were past their prime by the time they arrived in the league. Not Carlos Vela. The Mexican international scored his 23rd goal of the season in . . .
LAFC wakes up the Galaxy
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 7, 2019) US Soccer Players - The best way to wake up the LA Galaxy is by having another team in Los Angeles and having that team succeed. When that other LA team is open to spending cash on incoming players, both teams improve and by extension so too does MLS. With the transfer deadline set to close on Wednesday, both LA teams have been buyers, trying to add . . .
LAFC and the Galaxy at the break
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Jul 31, 2019) US Soccer Players - Heading into the summer stretch in MLS, both LAFC and the LA Galaxy have shown signs mostly signs of strength. LAFC leads the league with a 15-3-4 record, good for 49 points. The Galaxy is one point out of 2nd-place place on 37 points and beat LAFC earlier this month. Lately though the clubs have hit a bit of an inconsistent spell. . . .
LAFC vs Atlanta United
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 26, 2019) US Soccer Players - White is the new black. Thirty is the new twenty. Los Angeles Football Club is the new Atlanta United. Sure, it's overly reductive, but there are plenty of direct comparisons to be made between the defending MLS Cup champions and the team currently burning up the league. Once you line up how they're similar, it's easy to see LAFC . . .
