By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jan 18, 2022) US Soccer Players – Major League Soccer is getting plenty of attention in recent weeks. The annual SuperDraft introduced a group of players who could follow recent examples of draft picks turning into key contributors. Ricardo Pepi and Daryl Dike are off to Europe in high-profile moves, adding to the wealth of American talent already there. Another . . .
Toronto makes a big move in revamp
Monday's soccer news starts with Toronto FC making their move for Napoli captain and World Cup winner Lorenzo Insigne. After intense speculation linking the player with the club, Toronto announced that Insigne will complete his free transfer to MLS in July. Insigne's Napoli is currently 3rd in Serie A and plays Barcelona in the Europa League knockout round next month. "We are all looking . . .
Toronto’s rebuild may not be a model for other MLS clubs
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Dec 31, 2021) US Soccer Players - Let's pretend you run a professional sports team. Your goal is to win championships. Everything you do should be working towards that end. Failing to win a title means reassessing your approach to the process. Professional sports are often about timing. As your players age and new players become available, the trick is to bridge . . .
A reunion and a “remake” in Toronto
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 25, 2021) US Soccer Players - While most of the United States gears down for one of the country's major holidays, it's a full work week across Lake Ontario at Toronto FC, and a busy one at that. The Reds concluded their 2021 campaign with a 1-0 loss to CF Montreal in Sunday's Canadian Championship final, following a second-from-bottom finish in the MLS . . .
Toronto and Austin at the bottom of the tables
By J Hutcherson (Aug 17, 2021) US Soccer Players - Major League Soccer has a long tradition of unbalancing the schedule. Figuring out the table takes more than assuming all teams playing the same number of games at any given time. For long stretches of the season in this league, it's points plus games played up and down the conference tables. Even that may not be enough information. With MLS . . .
Major League Soccer’s Canadian teams look to go home
By J Hutcherson (Jul 13, 2021) US Soccer Players - Though it's certainly closer than last season, it's still difficult to describe 2021 as normal for Major League Soccer. The easiest example of that is the three Canadian teams starting the season in the United States. Pandemic protocols made it unreasonable to hold league games in Canada. Once again, that forced the Canadian teams to try and . . .
Playing at home in MLS and Concacaf
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 3, 2021) US Soccer Players – There's no place like home. That's what a young Dorothy in the film "The Wizard of Oz" repeated to herself as she attempted to return to Kansas. In soccer, like in sports generally, playing at home and before your own fans has been considered a positive. In the pandemic era, home-field advantage and supporters have taken on a whole . . .
Mixed results for new MLS coaches
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 21, 2021) US Soccer Players - The start of the 2021 MLS season took place over three days this past weekend, pitting 26 teams against one another in 13 games. Only one team, Real Salt Lake, awaits its turn to get its campaign underway. An odd number of teams this season means there will always be a team sitting out a given round of matches. Unlike several of . . .
Is MLS developing replacement level players?
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 15, 2021) US Soccer Players - A little over two years ago, the New York Times profiled Dutch club Ajax and the particularly talented group of homegrown talent that spearheaded their deep run in the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League. The club's prolific academy is well-known. Members of that season's group would move to some of the world's biggest sides for . . .
Manchester City advances in Champions League, Toronto and Philadelphia in CCL
Thursday's soccer news starts in the Champions League. Gio Reyna subbed on in the 68th minute of Borussia Dortmund's 2-1 home loss to Manchester City with City advancing to the semifinals 4-2 on aggregate. Jude Bellingham scored for Dortmund in the 15th minute. Riyad Mahrez converted a City penalty in the 55th with Phil Foden scoring in the 75th minute. Zack Steffen was on the bench for Manchester . . .
