By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Jun 1, 2023) US Soccer Players - The leader in the technical area is new, and so is some of the roster. The style, opponents, stakes, and trophy they're defending remain quite familiar for the USMNT as the squad for the Concacaf Nations League's June 15-18 championship weekend was released on Thursday. Here's a few key topics in the wake of the announcement. New . . .
Previewing the 2022-23 season finales for USMNT players in La Liga, Ligue 1, and Serie A
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 31, 2023) US Soccer Players - This weekend brings the finales of the 2022-23 seasons for Europe's other three major domestic leagues, Spain's La Liga, France's Ligue 1, and Italy's Serie A. In Spain and France, the season culminates with games that will decide spots in next year's European competitions and which clubs will be headed to the second . . .
The highlights of the summer 2023 soccer schedule in the United States
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 29, 2023) US Soccer Players – At a time when Europe's top leagues finish their seasons, the game rolls on in North America. From Major League Soccer's summer schedule that includes the expanded Leagues Cup, National Team competitions such as the Concacaf Nations League and Gold Cup, and clubs on tour, another summer of soccer is upon us. Here are five things to . . .
Takeaways from the United States’ opening matches at U-20 World Cup
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (May 25, 2023) US Soccer Players - The US Under-20 national team has gotten almost everything right in its first two games at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Wins over Ecuador and Fiji have assured the young Yanks of advancement to the tournament's knockout phase. They can clinch 1st-place in group B by avoiding defeat vs Slovakia on Friday. Here are a few . . .
Gio Reyna’s quality for Borussia Dortmund with a two-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga table
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 24, 2023) US Soccer Players - The Bundesliga's final round of matches is an annual exercise in intrigue. Each year massive stakes are on the line when the competition's 18 teams finish a 34-match schedule with nine games played simultaneously. Near the top, clubs battle for places in the UEFA Champions League, with at least one or two of four spots available . . .
Using the US Open Cup round of 16 to push forward in MLS
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 22, 2023) US Soccer Players – The 2023 US Open Cup is down to its final 16 teams with 14 of those representing Major League Soccer. In a tournament where upsets are part of its allure, it's still an MLS team likely to win it all in the end. For some teams, the US Open Cup is a chance at building momentum after a slow start to the MLS season. This year's . . .
A dozen games in, FC Cincinnati shows how to compete in MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 19, 2023) US Soccer Players - They don't hand out trophies for topping the MLS standings in May. That won't stop FC Cincinnati and its fans from feeling pretty good about being in 1st-place nearly 40 percent through the 2023 MLS regular season schedule. A 3-0 win over Montreal on Wednesday night, an emphatic, dominant performance that featured goals from two . . .
Slonina, Wiley, Gomez, and Cowell with the USMNT U-20s
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 17, 2023) US Soccer Players - The U-20 World Cup returns for the first time since 2019 when the 2023 edition begins in Argentina on Saturday. Although FIFA doesn't require clubs to release players for the event once known as the FIFA World Youth Championship, the tournament occupies an important place in the development and promotion process for young players. . . .
New England coach Bruce Arena’s focus on quality, culture, and development
By Clemente Lisi – FOXBOROUGH, MA (May 15, 2023) US Soccer Players – New England is one of several MLS teams that have achieved great success over the past few years. While it's easy to start that discussion with the teams that have won MLS Cups, the Revolution were the ones setting a new regular season standard in 2021. Despite a 2-1 road defeat this past Saturday, the Revolution remains in . . .
CF Montreal, Inter Miami, and not panicking in MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 12, 2023) US Soccer Players - One of Major League Soccer's recurring lessons, taught every season to clubs that seem to forget it as soon as they learn it, is "Things are rarely as bad as they seem." A more direct way to state the same lesson as an imperative is "Don't panic." Both CF Montreal and Inter Miami enter Matchday 12 carrying winning streaks. Those . . .