By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 30, 2022) US Soccer Players - Major League Soccer's weekend schedule will deliver the 33rd game of the season for 24 of its 28 teams. Among that group are teams already eliminated from playoff contention, some still mathematically alive but facing a steep uphill battle for a playoff place, clubs on the precipice of confirming a postseason berth, and a small . . .
USMNT World Cup countdowns past and present
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 29, 2022) US Soccer Players - The USMNT’s final pre-World Cup camp is in the books. The results against Japan and Saudi Arabia answered some questions and left a few more hanging. Players now return to their clubs for several more weeks of action until the final roster convenes in the Middle East just before the main event in Qatar. For those fretting about . . .
Los Angeles waits for the Galaxy and LAFC at the Rose Bowl
By Luis Bueno - RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 28, 2022) US Soccer Players - The 2022 Major League Soccer regular season is coming to what should be a dramatic close, and the playoffs will ramp up the drama afterward. For Los Angeles-area soccer fans, that means twice the amount of meaningful matches as both LAFC and the LA Galaxy appear playoff bound. LAFC is one of three teams that has already booked its . . .
The 2014 USMNT World Cup squad then and now
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 28, 2022) US Soccer Players - In less than two months, the USMNT will return to the World Cup and the great stage it presents. The 26 players that USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter selects to play for the nation in Qatar will carry the weight of significant responsibility, keenly aware that there's no guarantee they'll get another chance to play in a World . . .
NYCFC, Orlando City, FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami, and the LA Galaxy put themselves into playoff positions
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Sep 26, 2022) US Soccer Players – Winning the MLS Cup is all about timing. The regular season is long, and often parts of it may seem insignificant. In reality, every game counts if you want to clinch a playoff spot in the end. Consistency is key, but so is peaking at just the right time. That time to peak is now, both for teams who've already clinched a spot . . .
The importance of the California Clasico speaks to MLS then and now
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 23, 2022) US Soccer Players - As American soccer rivalries go, there aren't many with more history than the California Clasico. The match-up of the Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes goes back to the earliest days of MLS, a standard bearer for the league. In MLS's early years, Los Angeles versus San Jose was a battle of perennial cup contenders. The . . .
Gutman, Herrera, and Williamson put the work in during the 2022 MLS season
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 21, 2022) US Soccer Players - When MLS teams look back on their seasons after the 34-game grind that pushed everyone to their physical and mental limits, they'll undoubtedly point to a few key moments as crucial to their finish. Comeback wins always get a little extra love. Late goals to salvage points will seem bigger if the playoffs beckon and bittersweet if . . .
Q&A with MLS and FIFA World Cup referee Ismail Elfath
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Sep 19, 2022) US Soccer Players – Ismail Elfath has been an MLS referee for the past decade. He has been a FIFA referee since 2016. He has a resume that includes an Under-20 World Cup, Gold Cup, Summer Olympics and the Africa Cup of Nations. He will be adding the World Cup to that list come November. Born in Morocco, Elfath moved to the United States at age 18. . . .
With the World Cup looming, the USMNT gathers in Europe for final friendly window
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 15, 2022) US Soccer Players - The USMNT will congregate in Cologne, Germany, this weekend as players report to camp following their club matches to prepare for friendlies vs Japan and Saudi Arabia. It's the team's last international window before gathering in the Middle East in November for the 2022 World Cup. "Really excited about this camp, excited to . . .
LAFC looks for its best form with three games remaining
By Luis Bueno - RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 14, 2022) US Soccer Players - LAFC has been dominant most of the 2022 season. The Western Conference leaders carried a four-match winning streak into August and promptly ripped off three more wins by a combined 10-1. After the club's seventh consecutive win, LAFC sat on 57 points and seemed well on its way to a Supporters' Shield and entering the playoffs as the . . .
