By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Nov 13, 2019) US Soccer Players - The final MLS match of the 21st century's second decade played out on Sunday in Seattle. When the Sounders toppled Toronto FC in the 2019 MLS Cup, they also put the 2010s to rest. Next season ushers in a new decade full of new teams and new challenges. It is anyone's guess who the team of the 2020s will be. It could be a team that . . .
Seattle is the MLS community club
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 13, 2019) US Soccer Players - Over in England, where the weather is wet and the soccer is pure, there exists the idea of the "community club". In a very general sense, the label applies to clubs that can count numerous locals among its administrative, coaching, and player ranks while also being responsive to the community it represents. Rather than the toy of a . . .
Seattle in 2016 set the tone for 2019
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 8, 2019) US Soccer Players - In 2016, the Seattle Sounders lifted the MLS Cup at BMO Field in Toronto following a tense, goalless affair against the home side. The hero on that day was goalkeeper Stefan Frei, who made several crucial saves to help his team to victory. That including a jaw-dropping stop that ascended to the top of the list of all-time great . . .
Weather counts for the Cup
The soccer news starts with Sunday's MLS Cup final (3pm ET - ABC). Home field advantage would be a bigger deal had Seattle not gotten it with a road win at Banc of California Stadium and Toronto hadn't won at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. That took out the two biggest home field advantages in MLS, suggesting that a capacity crowd at CenturyLink is nice but not a huge issue for either team. Whatever . . .
The revamped playoffs gave us an underdog MLS Cup
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Nov 4, 2019) US Soccer Players – Were these the best MLS Cup Playoffs in league history? It's always easy to lean to the present for hyperbole. In this case, however, it may prove true. Better players, stronger coaching, and a revamped format all certainly helped. The one-and-done playoff format contributed to a greater sense of urgency. The home-field advantage . . .
The unpredictable MLS Cup
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 1, 2019) US Soccer Players - Not that long ago, we considered the possibility of a Seattle Sounders versus Toronto FC matchup in the 2019 MLS Cup final in this very space. At the time, that possibility seemed remote. Neither team held favored status heading into their respective conference finals. The club they'd face were easy picks as the league's clear best. . . .
The rise of the lower seeds
By J Hutcherson (Oct 31, 2019) US Soccer Players - If one thing stood out from the lower seeds advancing on both sides of the 2019 MLS Cup bracket, it's that the same old truism still holds in this league. A standout player can make the difference, but one team doing even a slightly better job holding shape is more likely to result in a championship. That's what turned a mismatch between LAFC and . . .
Seattle upsets LAFC
The soccer news starts with a shock result at Banc of California Stadium. The Seattle Sounders knocked LAFC out of the playoffs, winning the Western Conference final 3-1. Eduard Atuesta put LAFC up from a freekick in the 17th minute. Raul Ruidiaz equalized for Seattle in the 22nd minute. Seattle took the lead through Nicolas Lodeiro in the 26th with Ruidiaz scoring again in the 64th minute. "The . . .
The Western Conference final
The soccer news starts with LAFC hosting the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference final (10pm ET - ESPN) in what many see as a foregone conclusion. One way or another, the best team in MLS will advance. LAFC may have somewhat returned to the MLS mean late in the season, but they had already put the work in. 72 points to win the Supporters Shield, Carlos Vela setting the new single-season . . .
Seattle Sounders among those staring at do or die situations as new MLS format sinks in
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 26, 2019) US Soccer Players - The away locker room at Audi Field was quiet. While grinning hockey star Alex Ovechkin and his entourage dropped in to congratulate the victorious home team across the hall, the Seattle Sounders were as subdued as you'd expect a losing team to be after DC United's convincing 2-0 win. It wasn't a shocking result per se. The . . .
