By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Mar 25, 2020) US Soccer Players - Despite the aborted start to Major League Soccer's 25th season, there's data to go on when looking at how the landmark campaign might play out. Two games aren't much. Still, if it's possible to impress in just 180 minutes of soccer, there are a few candidates for the most promising teams of 2020. Predicting how a season might go . . .
The round one playoff disappointment
The soccer news starts with the easy round one playoff disappointment. Minnesota United lost at home in the opening round of the MLS playoffs and it wasn't down to self-proclaimed best player in MLS history Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Sebastian Lletget and Jonathan Dos Santos scored the goals for the Galaxy at Allianz Field, but it's tough to pile onto the end of Minnesota United's season. Yes, Minnesota . . .
Ike Opara is the MLS Defender of the Year
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 18, 2019) US Soccer Players - Ike Opara winning Defender of the Year in Major League Soccer in 2019 is definitely about Ike Opara. The 30-year-old Minnesota United center back won his second Defender of the Year in three years on Thursday, beating out Walker Zimmerman of LAFC and Miles Robinson of Atlanta United. Opara carried the player and front office votes . . .
Atlanta wins the US Open Cup
The soccer news starts with Atlanta beating Minnesota 2-1 at home to win the 2019 US Open Cup. An own-goal put Atlanta up in the 10th minute with Pity Martinez scoring in the 16th. Robin Lod scored for Minnesota in the 47th. Atlanta went a man down with a red card to Leandro Pirez in the 74th minute. An announced crowd of 35,709 sets a new record for a US Open Cup final "I think the goal so early . . .
Atlanta, Minnesota, and the 2019 US Open Cup final
The soccer news starts with Atlanta United hosting Minnesota United in the 2019 US Open Cup final. We're past the point in this tournament where at least one of the teams is likely leaning on the questionable importance of their league schedule to justify not using their best lineup. Both Atlanta and Minnesota are all in, with Atlanta trying to add to their Campeones Cup also won at home earlier . . .
Minnesota advances to the US Open Cup final
The soccer news starts with Atlanta vs Minnesota United in the 2019 US Open Cup final on August 27 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (8pm ET - ESPN+). Minnesota knocked out Portland 2-1 at Allianz Field. Darwin Quintero converted a Minnesota penalty in the 22nd minute with Brian Fernandez equalizing in first-half stoppage time. Mason Toye scored United's winner in the 64th minute. "I thought we were the . . .
Minnesota United builds more than a stadium
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Feb 20, 2019) US Soccer Players - It doesn’t require much in the way of retrospect to conclude that Minnesota United was always targeting 2019 as the year the Loons really gave winning in Major League Soccer a full effort. Minnesota’s arrival as an expansion team back in 2017 came with some strings. An accelerated timeline for joining the league meant that the . . .
Minnesota United makes a deal for Ike Opara
The soccer news starts with another Targeted Allocation Money deal in MLS. This time, it's Minnesota United setting another high point for what TAM is worth in Major League Soccer. Minnesota completed a deal with Sporting KC for defender Ike Opara, sending $900k in TAM with the possibility of another $100k to make it a million. "Going into this offseason we had targeted positions we felt were . . .
Osvaldo Alonso moves on
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Jan 9, 2019) US Soccer Players - Osvaldo Alonso is out-of-contract after 10 years manning the midfield for the Seattle Sounders. The likelihood is very high that the Cuban will move on this winter, departing Seattle and landing in another MLS lineup for the 2019 season. To lean on a well-worn cliche, it’s truly the end of an era. The mechanics of the Sounders . . .
Shuffling MLS rosters in August
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Aug 29, 2018) US Soccer Players - Laurent Ciman scored the first-ever goal in Banc of California Stadium history back on April 21. The center back hit a hard, low free-kick that Seattle’s Stefan Frei fumbled into his net. LAFC would go on to win the game, creating an indelible memory for the capacity crowd in the venue and for all of the new fans of Major League . . .
