By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Nov 2, 2018) US Soccer Players - The 2018 MLS playoffs didn’t exactly begin with a bang. That’s not a comment on the two games that took place on a Wednesday Halloween night roughly 72 hours after the events of Decision Day, but an observation about the excitement around them. NYCFC knocked off the Union 3-1 at Yankee Stadium. Portland sprung the rare road upset in . . .
MLS Power Rankings: The contenders come in hot
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Nov 1, 2018) US Soccer Players - It’s finally playoff time, when MLS games carry an extraordinary amount of weight compared to the regular season. While teams have a vast amount of leeway during the regular season, now the margin of error is nonexistent. It's the stretch run that turns teams into playoff threats. The top three teams in this month’s power rankings . . .
Toronto FC’s arduous 2018
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 1, 2018) US Soccer Players - Michael Bradley had just played his second game in as many days, his third game in seven. After playing a substitute’s role in the USMNT’s 1-1 draw with Peru in Connecticut on Tuesday night, he’d caught a plane south and met up with his Toronto FC teammates for a Wednesday MLS visit to DC United at Audi Field on October 17. He . . .
The Galaxy’s demise
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Oct 31, 2018) US Soccer Players - In early September, the LA Galaxy was well on its way to another disastrous season. The club had just limped away from Rio Tinto Stadium, victims of a 6-2 thrashing at the hands of Real Salt Lake, a result that extended its winless skid to six games. The early-summer turnaround appeared gone, and the team seemed to have hit rock . . .
What’s next for MLS teams that missed the playoffs?
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Oct 31, 2018) US Soccer Players - For most of us, the only answer to the question "what’s next?" in MLS is "the playoffs." The knockout round happens just days after the regular season ends. It's time for one-off games that count, the most intense version of Major League Soccer. Meanwhile, for 11 teams the end of the regular season means the end, period. With no . . .
Real Madrid picks its moment
By J Hutcherson (Oct 30, 2018) US Soccer Players - Julen Lopetegui out as Real Madrid coach after ten games is now the super club story. Following their 5-1 loss at Barcelona on Sunday, Real Madrid is 9th in La Liga and in 1st-place in Champions League Group G on a tiebreaker. That mixes the results, but La Liga struggles and a demoralizing loss to Barcelona drew a line that means a new coach in . . .
What to expect from the 2018 MLS playoffs
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Oct 29, 2018) US Soccer Players – There’s one thing predictable when it comes to the MLS playoffs. It’s that anything can happen. The long regular season has finally come to an end and the competitive postseason is finally upon us. It’s the part of the season where they’re no assured winners and teams with the strongest records often find themselves going home . . .
A new Hall of Fame faces American soccer’s generation gap
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 26, 2018) US Soccer Players - First things first: The new National Soccer Hall of Fame is gorgeous. The sleek, airy $55 million facility is a welcome addition to the American game’s “bucket list” of must-see attractions, restoring the Hall to life after nearly a decade after the closure of its previous home in Oneonta, New York. Yet as with so many matters of . . .
MLS Decision Day gets it right
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Oct 26, 2018) US Soccer Players - Decision Day arrives in Major League Soccer bursting with myriad possibility. With 10 of 12 playoff spots known heading into the final day of the season, there's a lot left to decide. The Supporters' Shield, playoff seedings, and those two final postseason berths are all in play with 11 simultaneous kickoffs Sunday afternoon at . . .
Will we see a playoff El Trafico?
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Oct 24, 2018) US Soccer Players - The final weekend of Major League Soccer’s 2018 season is near and both Los Angeles teams are in the midst of the playoff race. LAFC has already qualified, poised for a final regular season game that will determine the Western Conference champion. The LA Galaxy meanwhile needs to just beat Houston and the club will secure a . . .
