By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 9, 2021) US Soccer Players - The Philadelphia Union added to its list of firsts on Wednesday night. Just five months removed from securing the club's first trophy, Jim Curtin and his team traveled to Costa Rica to face Deportivo Saprissa in the quarterfinal round of the 2021 Concacaf Champions League. Not only was it Philadelphia's first match in the . . .
MLS in the 2021 Concacaf Champions League
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Mar 31, 2021) US Soccer Players - Major League Soccer teams got a bit more time to prepare for the 2021 season due to the delay caused by collective bargaining negotiations in January. That extra month might look like a positive after 2020 pushed rosters to the brink. Then again, there's already been more than enough time to recover and plan. New England . . .
Goal for McKennie, shutout for Steffen
Thursday's soccer news starts with Weston McKennie's goal for Juventus in their 3-1 win at AC Milan. Federico Chiesa put Juventus up in the 18th minute with Milan equalizing in the 41st. Chiesa scored again in the 62nd. McKennie subbed on in the 64th and finished off the Juve goals in the 76th minute. "It was a key game for us and we were focused on what we needed to do, regardless of the other . . .
Valuing goalkeepers in MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 13, 2020) US Soccer Players - Like with everything else we usually do, the Major League Soccer end-of-season awards are happening despite the strangeness of the current moment. There are several questions worth asking as the soccer community debates honors like "Defender of the Year," "Young Player of the Year" (new in 2020!), and "Most Valuable . . .
The Philadelphia Union plays for a trophy
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 30, 2020) US Soccer Players - The Philadelphia Union entered Major League Soccer on a wave of enthusiasm. It took a decade for the club to reward it. In an era when MLS expansions prospects were decidedly less exciting than they are now, a brand new franchise claiming Philadelphia was a big deal. MLS had just the year before inaugurated the Seattle Sounders, a . . .
Philadelphia, New England, and the East
Tuesday's soccer news starts with Philadelphia winning 2-1 at New England. An own-goal put the Union up in the 34th minute with Anthony Fontana doubling the lead in the 69th. Tajon Buchanan pulled a goal back for the Revolution in the 80th minute. The result has Philadelphia in 2nd-place, three points behind Toronto and four points ahead of Columbus. Toronto and Philadelphia have played 19 games . . .
Brenden Aaronson makes his move
Friday's soccer news starts with Philadelphia announcing a deal to transfer midfielder Brenden Aaronson to Red Bull Salzburg. It's an interesting destination for a player not connected to the New York Red Bulls, and perhaps evidence of Red Bull management paying close attention across MLS. The transfer doesn't happen until the January window, with Aaronson remaining a Union player through the end . . .
The problems at the top of the Eastern Conference
Wednesday's soccer news starts with MLS taking the work week off, a rarity since the season resumed. Many are correctly asking if it's possible to determine much of anything about this league week-to-week. Pick a team, and there's probably a lack of coherency and results that are cause for concern. The playoff safety net still looms, but it's going to be a questionable reward for the teams that . . .
Player development shows the value of MLS is Back
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Aug 7, 2020) US Soccer Players - What was once a product of necessity is now something of a hot commodity in the world of Major League Soccer. The league's return-to-play model, the MLS Is Back tournament in Orlando, Florida, is winding down with only Tuesday's final left on the schedule. Fifty-one games in total, played on training fields for the sole benefit of . . .
Kevin Durant, the Union, and MLS celebrity
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jun 17, 2020) US Soccer Players - On Monday, NBA star Kevin Durant officially became a minority investor/operator of the Philadelphia Union, purchasing 5% of the team. Per Union majority investor/operator Jay Sugarman, the Union is worth $325 million, putting Durant's stake at $16.25 million. Durant also holds an option to purchase an additional 5% of the team in . . .
