By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Dec 7, 2018) US Soccer Players - There’s no rule that says a championship game must have a favorite and underdog. It’s quite possible that two teams can arrive at a final equally matched, on paper or in reality. That takes away the need for the tried-and-true narrative that one team is the obvious choice to win while the other is fighting an uphill battle. It . . .
Preview: 2018 MLS Cup final
The soccer news starts with the 2018 MLS Cup final on Saturday (8pm ET - Fox) with Atlanta United trying to put the exclamation point on their season at home against Portland. The big talking points haven't changed. Tata Martino's last game draws at least a temporary line between eras for a team about to complete its second season. That's the situation for United, a dynasty in the making that will . . .
What will the 2018 MLS Cup teach MLS?
By J Hutcherson (Dec 4, 2018) US Soccer Players - When Atlanta United hosts the Portland Timbers on Saturday (8pm ET - Fox) there's more at play than just the 2018 MLS Cup. That game should help set the tone for the offseason all over the league, with clubs looking at what worked for the two finalists and what they can take and adapt for their teams. In a league still under single-entity, . . .
The battle of the underdogs in the Western Conference
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Nov 16, 2018) US Soccer Players - There’s still more than a week to go before the FIFA international break is over and MLS resumes its playoff season with the conference final stage. The anticipation for one matchup, in particular, is already high. The Eastern Conference final, pitting the record-breaking New York Red Bulls team against the club the' beat to the . . .
Portland advances in the MLS playoffs
We start the soccer news with Portland knocking Seattle out of the 2018 MLS playoffs on penalties. With the second-leg finishing 2-1 Seattle in regulation, 3-3 on aggregate, the series headed to extra time. Raul Ruidaz put Seattle up in regulation in the 68th minute, shifting the series with the Sounders advancing had that score held. Portland responded with a goal from Sebastian Blanco in the . . .
FC Cincinnati gets a jump on 2019
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Aug 1, 2018) US Soccer Players - Over the weekend, the newest MLS expansion franchise made their first two MLS moves with a pair of signings. Because FC Cincinnati is attempting to ramp up quickly towards a 2019 launch, the business of building a roster has to start even as the club is in the midst of a final USL campaign. Looking to MLS is playing to the benefit of . . .
Roster issues and the US Open Cup
UPDATE: In a statement released on Friday evening, US Soccer announced that Portland officially withdrew their protest. US Soccer released the following statement: "After a thorough review of the Portland Timbers' official protest, it has been determined that the inclusion of additional foreign players was a result of a good faith misunderstanding among U.S. Soccer, Major League Soccer and . . .
NYCFC and the best in the East and MLS
NYCFC took their league leading record on the road on Sunday, losing to Portland 3-0. That result comes on the heels of plenty of praise for NYCFC this season and rumors linking their coach Patrick Vieira with the soon-to-be open Arsenal job. One game doesn't make a season, certainly not in MLS. However, NYCFC goes from obviously the best team in the league to perhaps the best team in the league . . .
New Year, New MLS Stars
By Jeff Rueter – SAINT PAUL, MN (Jan 4, 2018) US Soccer Players - In many ways, 2017 was the most eventful year for Major League Soccer thus far. For the first time in nearly a decade, the East was the dominant conference of the two. Trade announcements included the amount of allocation money swapping hands, allowing for more detailed analysis of these moves. Between the Gold Cup and World Cup . . .
Portland’s coaching search
By Jeff Rueter – SAINT PAUL, MN (Dec 7, 2017) US Soccer Players - The Portland Timbers seem to be a team on the cusp of reaching their potential. Joining MLS in 2011, Portland seemed poised to tap into the success their northern neighbors were already having. Promising early returns showed up in fits and starts through their first two seasons. Then, Caleb Porter signed on as head coach in 2013. . . .
