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 . . .
Seattle loses form in a tricky Western Conference
The soccer news starts with Seattle making it two losses in a row. After losing 1-0 at home to Wednesday to the Philadelphia Union, the Sounders lost 3-0 at the Galaxy on Sunday. Though Seattle still has a games played advantage over the two teams in front of them, in a week they've gone from potential Western Conference contenders to holding onto the final playoff spot. Fortunately for Seattle, . . .
Seattle disrupts the West again
Monday's soccer news starts with the MLS table. Once again, the biggest story is about schedule imbalance and a winning streak. Once again, that winning streak belongs to the Seattle Sounders. After playing their way out of contention earlier this season, the Sounders are on their way to repeating an old story. The late season turnaround, trademarked by Seattle. The Sounders extended their . . .
Deuce calls time: A Dempsey appreciation
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Looking for hope in San Jose, Colorado, Seattle, and Toronto
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Jul 20, 2018) US Soccer Players - The hope of March and April has given way to the despair of a season almost already lost in July for several MLS teams. Plans laid down in the dawn of the campaign have already gone up in flames in places like San Jose, Colorado, and perhaps Toronto and Seattle. Given their lack of games and a back-loaded home schedule, DC United is . . .
The simple math for the Sounders and Toronto
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Jul 4, 2018) US Soccer Players - With the Independence Day holiday upon us and the 2018 MLS season no longer in its “early” phase, it’s time for some game theory. Strike that. Forget game theory. It’s time for simple math. This deep into the season, math is not the friend of several teams thought to be shoe-ins for the postseason when the campaign began. The math . . .
Will things change for Seattle or Orlando?
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Jun 29, 2018) US Soccer Players - The story at the start of Week 18 of the MLS season are teams going opposite directions in rivalry games. Namely, the two games on Saturday's schedule. Should viewers stick around after Fox's World Cup coverage, they'll see the Seattle Sounders vs Portland Timbers derby. A few hours later, ESPN has Atlanta United hosting Orlando . . .
Seattle is still in position in the Western Conference
The soccer news starts by trying to make the case for a struggling Western Conference MLS team. The Seattle Sounders are in 10th-place, 11 points out of the playoff spaces with 4th through 6th tied on points at 23. It's been a tough season with injuries and tactical issues working against the kind of soccer the club normally puts together. In other words, it's an across the board problem for a . . .
MLS at the 2018 World Cup break
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 . . .
