By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Jun 15, 2018) US Soccer Players - Following a six-game burst of games on Wednesday night, Major League Soccer will pause for two weeks of World Cup group stage matches in Russia. The league’s decision to take a World Cup break seems like the type of thing worth celebrating, especially in light of the rising number of internationals plying their trade in the American . . .
MLS attendance is still complicated
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 21, 2018) US Soccer Players – MLS attendance has always been about looking at the bright side, especially in the league’s first decade. Seeing the glass half full has served the league well over the years. Boosters point to the fact that MLS now has a league-wide average that tops both the NBA and NHL. Despite that glowing talking point, there’s more to any . . .
Seattle or Toronto?
Friday's soccer news starts with what's becoming a recurring theme for the 2018 MLS season. Will the Seattle Sounders or Toronto FC become the first of the MLS Cup finalists to turn things around? 12 weeks into the season, Seattle is in last place in the Western Conference and Toronto is 10th in the East. There are very good reasons for both teams' situations, but there's also the expectation that . . .
Toronto vs Seattle on a Wednesday in May
The soccer news starts with a clear distinction. It doesn't take much to notice the difference between Toronto vs Seattle on December 9, 2017 and Toronto vs Seattle later tonight at BMO Field. The MLS standings does the job for us. Toronto won their first game of the 2018 season last Friday, shutting out Philadelphia 3-0 at home to move from bottom of the Eastern Conference to 10th-place. Seattle . . .
The Sounders create a challenge
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (May 4, 2018) US Soccer Players - If there are any cardinal sins for MLS general managers, the list has to begin with the one Seattle Sounders architect Garth Lagerwey committed. Speaking to Andrew Wiebe of MLSSoccer.com for a video under the Extra Time Live banner, Lagerwey candidly expressed the reality that the Sounders could no longer compete to be the league’s . . .
What will we learn in MLS week 3?
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Mar 16, 2018) US Soccer Players - MLS might be a league of parity, but three weeks into the season not all games are even. A few might have more to teach us than others. Injuries, midweek games for Concacaf Champions League participants, and unusual conditions will play a role in the results and how we parse them. Here is a look at four games have the most potential . . .
Two out of three for MLS in the Champions League
The soccer news starts with the Seattle Sounders crashing out of the 2018 Concacaf Champions League at the semifinal stage. Carrying a 1-0 advantage into the away leg against Chivas, Seattle lost 3-0 on the night with Chivas advancing 3-1 on aggregate. Oswaldo Alanis put Chivas up in the 50th minute with Javier Lopez scoring in the 55th. Jose Godinez added a third goal in the 80th minute. Seattle . . .
Derailing an MLS season
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Mar 14, 2018) US Soccer Players - Traditionally speaking, it doesn’t take much to derail an MLS season. A decided lack of depth beyond the first 11-14 players on the roster meant that losing even one or two starters for protracted periods of time could lead to a string of bad results. The safety net in Major League Soccer is significant thanks to six playoff spots . . .
Can MLS win in the Concacaf Champions League?
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Mar 9, 2018) US Soccer Players - “ES INSOLTING & UNACCEPTABOL” the headline of Mexico’s sport daily Record screamed on Thursday morning. That's the response when Liga MX teams lose against MLS sides in the first-legs of the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals. The words are a reference to a politician’s speech about the infamous border wall idea, turned for . . .
MLS wins again in the Concacaf Champions League
The soccer news starts with Concacaf insisting on a new spelling for the confederation's acronym and MLS teams winning two more first-legs against Liga MX teams in the Champions League. Both of those things didn't seem likely this time yesterday. Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders join the New York Red Bulls in carrying first-leg leads into next week's quarterfinal finales. The difference is that . . .
