By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (June 29, 2022) US Soccer Players - Major League Soccer loves a good rivalry. Check that. MLS loves any rivalry, even ones that might not be immediately apparent. MLS decided long ago that pushing rivalry was a winning marketing strategy. Rivalry can come from nearly anything, but geography is the most common variable at play. Put a couple of teams on a soccer field . . .
Red Bulls and Sporting KC advance in the US Open Cup
Thursday's soccer news starts in the US Open Cup quarterfinals. The New York Red Bulls shutout NYCFC 3-0 at Red Bull Arena. Lewis Morgan put the Red Bulls up in the 52nd. NYCFC went a man down in the 62nd with a red card to Thiago. The Red Bulls doubled the lead through Luquinhas in the 70th and Omir Fernandez finished off the scoring in the first minute of stoppage time. Both teams saw red six . . .
NYCFC knows how to navigate a mid-season coaching change
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (June 15, 2022) US Soccer Players - It happened again. New York City Football Club said goodbye to a head coach in the middle of the season. On Monday, Ronny Deila left defending MLS Cup champions NYCFC midway through his third season in charge to become the coach of Standard Liege in the Belgian Pro League. Assistant Nick Cushing takes over on an interim basis and . . .
What did we learn from midweek MLS?
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 20, 2022) US Soccer Players - Major League Soccer delivered school night action on Wednesday with ten games spread across the country. Some midweek rounds can slip by without getting the notice they deserve. With games on top of games in a league with 28 teams, it can be difficult to fully appreciate one match night of results. Wednesday's round included a . . .
MLS teams looking to make moves in May
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 4, 2022) US Soccer Players - This May might as well be called moving month in Major League Soccer. The league kicked off at the end of February, meaning May will be the third full month of play for the 2022 season. Believe it or not, the schedule is close to one-third complete. So the time to say "it's still early" is rapidly slipping away. March and April . . .
Four points in the Eastern Conference
By J Hutcherson (Apr 12, 2022) US Soccer Players - There's no magical moment over the course of an MLS season where we all agree that the numbers become real. The league of the four-game losing streak doesn't lend itself to the points suddenly counting early or even midway through the season. Bad teams stay within easier reach than they should of a playoff spot as Decision Day looms. While this is . . .
NYCFC advances, but it wasn’t straightforward
Wednesday's soccer news starts with NYCFC advancing in the Concacaf Champions League on the away goals rule. The defending MLS Cup Champions lost 4-2 on the night at Comunicaciones, tying the series at 5-5 with NYCFC's away goals making the difference. NYCFC took the lead through Valentin Castellanos in the 31st with Comunicaciones equalizing in the 45th. Talles Magno returned New York's lead in . . .
NYCFC with one point from two games
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Mar 7, 2022) US Soccer Players – Only three teams have ever won back-to-back league championships. That short list is DC United in 1996 and '97, Houston in 2006 and '07, and the LA Galaxy in 2011 and '12. It's no surprise in the league that doesn't like dynasties. It should also not be all that shocking that those three teams are among the best in MLS history. It's . . .
MLS has half the field in the 2022 Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Feb 28, 2022) US Soccer Players – Many are already picking Seattle as an easy favorite in the race for MLS Cup. They have all of the makings of a legit contender, even in a league where several teams have spent more this offseason. Part of that may be another competition where the Sounders are an easy pick, Concacaf's Champions League. They're one of the four Major . . .
Manchester City’s big lead in the Champions League
The soccer news starts in the Champions League round of 16. Zack Steffen is injured and wasn't in the squad for Manchester City's 5-0 win at Sporting. Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring in the 7th minute and Bernardo Silva doubled the lead in the 17th. Phil Foden made it 3-0 City in the 32nd and Silva scored again in the 44th. Raheem Sterling finished off the City goals in the 58th minute. “Don’t . . .
