#mls is back knockout stage

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Join me as I review Portland Timbers Vs. Orlando City in the MLS is Back Tournament Final!

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0 on the season as they beat Manchester 11

0 on the season as they beat manchester 11 "They gave a good account of themselves and I don't think previously they would have made the quarter finals because the other teams were that strong." "We were dwarfed by what we could select in terms of players," van Gamert said. Denmark often kept the ball for longer spells in the opposition half and they looked calm, but their game could have used more incisive passes as the lack of Eriksen as their most creative player stuck out sometimes painfully. Defensive tackle Montravius Adams, linebacker Oren Burks and safety Darnell Savage Jr. Women Handbags of the 1900 to 1910Design innovations of carrying bags started at this time with the term "carrying bags" used extensively to describe what we now call handbags today. "The team is capable of great things like tonight. NEW YORK Major League Soccer's talented roster is set for the 2019 MLS Homegrown Game presented by Energizer, as players from the youth national teams of the United States and Canada will represent the league in the annual showcase. I think that by not, we are," McQueen says. Along with that she has a competitive fire where she absolutely hates to lose. In the 35th minute, midfielder Saphir Tader found full back Zachary Brault Guillard on the right flank. In its final road game before opening Allianz Field on April 13, Minnesota United traveled to the East Coast to face a perennial powerhouse on their home turf without two key pieces of its attack: midfielders Darwin Quintero and Miguel Ibarra. The best players from NSW ACT and Tasmania will then combine to form the Eastern Allies for round 2 of the championships on the Gold Coast in July. Because she was SUPER not hot, is how. They just lacked the polish to find an equaliser. Because the Marlins are a dumpster fire.If you like this story, consider signing up for our email newsletters.SHOW ME HOW2. "If he saw something we needed to work on during a game, he made sure we worked on that during practice. Led by two sets of siblings the Bekele brothers and the Dibaba sisters Bekoji's runners are poised to rack up medals at this summer's Beijing Olympics. "Tonight was a game in which points were available for us. I want to simply tell Ailish's family, thank you. The full Hungary Women's National Team will be competing in the Cyprus Cup during that time. SOUTH LAUNCESTON and George Town have the week off due to this weekend's fixture being played as a stand alone match in March. Robert Eggers The Witch (2015) has a simple plot: a family expelled from a small New England town in the 1630s gets terrorized by a woman living in a forest nearby. Top row from left, head coach Dan Salmon, Nicolaas Vermaat, Hunter Sides, Michael coach factory outlet online Johnson, Jackson Holdwick, Elijah Shevy, Tommie Carey, Erik Salminen, Trevor Salmon, Aidan Pascoe, Drew Wyble and assistant coach Maarten Vermaat. Gates to Publix Field will open one hour prior to the start of each game. This sees the Eagles as one of the main threats to the premiership. This also means that there are numerous certification programs available that vary in quality.[7]. However, these same magnets are only $1.50 each if you buy more than 100 favors. Before actually becoming a parent, it is difficult to understand what this parent is thinking. Its a three point game. Mitchell averaged 15.9 points on a remarkable 68% behind the arc over the team's last 10 games; unfortunately, he also put up just 2.7 assists per game as the team's point guard during that span. Reno 1868 FC has acquired Cuban forward Luis Javier Paradela Diaz to a 2019 loan contract. The pressure on Nathan should Ivan join Penrith would be enormous. "No way are we going into this game thinking this is the game we can get our confidence back. I just focus up and when my name gets called I give my best.". Off the miss hulser with the strong board. Anyway, that is good news for us fashionistas!. Green lost for the seventh time in eight games and head into another offseason unsure about new jordan shoes the future of longtime head coach Marvin Lewis.. Enrollment at the school has tripled over the past 15 years, and many of the runners are too exhausted to concentrate. "Colby is a smooth, smart right handed defenseman. The additions on the defensive front are probably the most significant. On the pitch, France failed to advance to the knockout stage at the 2002 World Cup; four years later, Les Blues reached the final against Italy, but Zinedine Zidane headbutt of Italy Marco Materazzi in that game overshadowed the accomplishment. Chances are some coach somewhere is going to get fired before the season ends and one of those schools is going to want to talk to Joe Moorhead. He believed the competition would be very tight. Even after they scored the goal, [Michael] Boxall has a free header from eight yards out, nine yards out and Mason [Toye] had a couple. But it is still baseball season of course. (By the way, thanks for reading this far into this column. Everything you focus on always improves. After grabbing a loose ball, Reyer went coast to coast for a layup that cut the Viking lead to 62 60. The tournament, which held its 26th edition last Friday to Sunday, is named in memory of longtime BMHA treasurer and coach Roger Ladouceur who dedicated more than 20 years of his time to minor hockey. When we come back. "What really stands out for me are the defensive linemen we signed from high schools," he said.

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FIFA World Cup 2022: Plan B and the hostility of the scenario

The regular team has been found; injuries and the wear and tear of two games in a row invite to reconsider the bench. Added to this are the unfavorable circumstances of the encounter with Cuscatlán, where it has not won so far. In 21 days, the national team begins to play against El Salvador at Cuscatlán Stadium, the second of three consecutive knockout games that will boost its chances of qualifying for the Qatar Football World Cup 2022 in seven days and stop or obliterate them for the losing team.

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                                       Panama will go into this opening stage with the cushion of five points from the three matches in which it appeared as a cohesive team that balanced its lines and advanced attacks throughout the tournament. Fourth in the provisional playoff standings, it deserves credit for not coming up short in the Octagon, and for its own soccer merits, as it is tied on points with Canada and the United States, but trails them by scoring fewer goals.

A trigger for this position is the fact that the coaching staff has found a regular team that has been in the starting eleven several times in these three games, which is in line with their playing philosophy and has proven itself on the field. luis Mejía; Michael Murillo, Fidel Escobar, Andrés Andrade, Eric Davis; An íbal Godoy, Adalberto Carrasquilla; Alberto Quintero, Edgar Bárcenas, José Luis Rodríguez and Rolando Blackburn.

High level of performance

An 11th place team composed of players with a long history and a lot of experience in the national team, who have played in previous tournaments at different times, all under the direction of Julio Deli Valdes and Hernán Darío Polillo Gómez, except for the presence of Adalberto Carrasquilla and Andrés Andrade.

If there were any doubts about Luis Mexia after the first leg against Curaçao in the last knockout round (2-1), the security he provided against Costa Rica and Jamaica completely dispelled them, but especially in the last game, in which he was the figurehead and wall to endure the shock and draw against Mexico; as he did against Brazil in the friendly (1-1) in Portugal on March 23, 2019 performance.

On the flanks in defense, Michael Murillo and Eric Davies were at the peak of their powers, while the central duo of Fidel Escobar and Andrés Andrade earned prolonged applause because they understood each other and played together as if they had done it many times before. For more details about Football World Cup Tickets.

What Andrade did was great, a performance worth highlighting, and he also scored the first goal of the channel in this final phase of the game, as if it were a positive omen because it was also defender Fidel Escobar who broke the silence of Honduras (1-0) in the hexagon with this goal and paved the way to lead Panama to Russia 2018.

In this post by Fidel Escobar, there were many positive things to say about the national coach; his quality was undisputed, but Alcorcon regained his confidence in the shadow of his team because Christiansen bet on him. Aníbal Godoy was a perfect leader as the main attacker, Panama tried to stop the circulation of the opponent and then he cleared the defense, he was up to the task; for this reason, his conditions and peripheral vision made him immobile at his club, Nashville of the MLS.

Adalberto Carrasquilla has taken a step forward in terms of performance and contribution. His short time with Houston Dynamo has brought him back to his best level. He got injured early in the game against Mexico and was hurt by the team and the whole stadium. Alberto Quintero, even when left to his physicality, was irreplaceable; Mexico abused him with the complicity of the referee.

Every time Panama had the ball at Quintero's feet, it became more offensive and creative. Edgar Bárcenas was very good in the last game against Curaçao and the final of the second Spanish league, but his potential has diminished. This is another Bárcenas who is expected to eventually make his mark in the Spanish Primera Division. It was fundamental in all three games.

Let's face it, José Luis Rodríguez is more will than soccer, and the Mexican could have easily controlled the game against Mexico, which he has lost many times. Hopefully, he will do better in these games against Atletico Gijon in the second Spanish league.

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us vs canada soccer 2021

The United States men’s national team closed out the group stage of the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 1-0 win against Canada. While it was indeed a rather dreary affair, the USMNT walked away with the result. While the team had already qualified to the knockout stages, this victory let the MNT win the group (anything less and Canada would have won the group, whether outright or through tie-breakers).

This game represented the first really significant test for a rather green group of American players. Yeah, neither Canada nor the MNT needed to win this one to advance to the knockout stages, but with second place likely to eventually face Mexico in the semifinals, both teams wanted to win this. And, while Canada was missing a handful of notable names, namely Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, this was still a pretty talented group. At the very least, the players are comparably matched to this version of the MNT, perhaps even slightly ahead. And that made this match up the perfect test to see how if this group of players can play at a higher level than was offered up in the previous two games against Haiti and Martinique and who should stay in consideration for the full senior team.

With that said, here’s what we learned:

Game States Matter In the tactical analysis for the Nation’s League semifinal against Honduras, I pissed a lot of people off by declaring that the performance was GOOD ENOUGH. The same sentiment applies here. The USMNT was GOOD ENOUGH against Canada. It wasn’t fun, it wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t what we hoped for, but it was GOOD ENOUGH. The team walked away with a win, and that’s what’s important.

There were two big moments that dictated how this game played out. The goal was, quite obviously, one of them.

Within thirty seconds, the USMNT took the lead. That means we have to analyze essentially 90 minutes with that context. Because of that early goal, the mindset of the team had to switch from “How do we win this game?” to “How do we keep this lead?”. And those questions lead to very different responses.

At 0-0, there’s a balance where a team needs to balance their priorities between scoring and defending. When you have the lead, that shifts so that defending becomes more important than scoring. Racking up goals is nice, but if you concede, you are no longer winning. On the other hand, the opposing team, the losing team, needs to get a goal. The difference between a 1-0 and 1-1 game is huge (in this case, that would have let Canada win the group), but the difference for a losing team of 1-0 and 2-0 isn’t quite so significant. Losing by more sucks, but not-losing is just worth way, way more, such that is justifies taking more risks and playing more aggressively.

Given those incentives, we can, in a game between two comparable opponents, expect the team with the early lead to sit back and seek to limit the number and quality of attacking opportunities, while the team that was behind would seek to try and control more of the game to have more opportunities and try and get back in it. The context for the USMNT demanded an effective defensive performance. And that’s what we got.

Canada led in possession, and they led in shots. But the USMNT managed Canada’s chances such that the Canadians couldn’t get any truly good opportunities. The USMNT led, not just in goals, but expected goals, 0.92-0.65, indicating that the US was both better at making high quality chances and better at limiting Canada’s. When I say that the US was good enough, I’m not making a blithe statement about the result. This wasn’t the kind of game where a team gets an opportunistic goal and is lucky not to concede three or four goals. No, the USMNT didn’t get lucky. When I say that the USMNT was good enough, I mean that they decisions and plays that they made were effective on the day.

I think USMNT fans are really anxious to see the national team crush teams that they otherwise don’t really respect. I think fans should treat these teams with more respect — soccer is hard — but I think the impulse to demand higher things from the USMNT is a good one. But we shouldn’t let our anxieties obscure what are effective performances and good results. I know a lot of people want to see thrilling soccer, with the team driving up the score, and, frankly, I do, too. But I think it is more important and more rewarding to see the MNT progress by beating more teams. By beating better teams. Honestly, I don’t really mind that the USMNT’s performance vs. Canada was merely good enough. That win vs. Honduras was merely good enough, but then we went and beat Mexico in an exhilarating final. Hopefully, this good-enough display vs. Canada is the same, that it leads to the team raising their level and beating the next team.

You Like my New Look? You know how Gregg Berhalter’s got his whole system, this whole thing where, no matter who’s on the roster, the team comes out and plays the same formation and tries to play the same way? Yeah... Berhalter’s trotted out a different starting formation in each of the three group stage games. Against Haiti, the team started in a 4-3-3. Against Martinique, it was a 3-4-3. And against Canada, the team started out in a 3-5-2.

Some of this mix-and-matching is to be expected. Berhalter called in a rather lopsided roster and doesn’t really have much choice. But I think it still highlights how disconnected the stereotype of Berhalter as this inflexible coach really is. Yeah, there’s a preferred style of play, one that, after two years of players getting used to, is leading to results with the A team. But when presented with a limited roster in competitive matches, Berhalter’s made adjustments. He’s twice beaten Canada in competitive matches by having the team sit back (those matches proved to be both the starting and ending points for a string of victories for Canada against CONCACAF opponents).

However, this game got a bit more weird than just a new starting line-up. Earlier, I mentioned that there were a few really defining moments in this match. The goal was the first, and the second were the pair of substitutions for Walker Zimmerman and Ayo Akinola for the US and Canada respectively.

As it turned out, losing Zimmerman to injury and swapping in Donovan Pines represented a steep drop in quality. Zimmerman is just both a better defender and a better passer. As a result, the team had to compensate, dropping deeper to both better screen the backline and to try and connect the defense with midfield. In turn, bringing Osorio on for Canada, coupled with Tajon Buchanan and Richie Laryea swapping sides, allowed Canada to have much more control of the game.

To compensate, we saw Sands step out into midfield more. In effect, this created a 4-4-2, which you can see with this first half pass-map that I got during the game from MLS’s match stat page.

The map’s a little bit wonky because it still lists Zimmerman in there, but I think it still shows how weird some of the positions are, particularly for James Sands and Gianluca Busio. Sands is in front of the backline like a defensive midfielder, while Busio, the ostensible d-mid, is up with the strikers like an attacking mid. When we look at Sands’ touches, we see that, yeah, he’s quite often sitting in front of the defense.

Ok, so we’ve got a 4-4-2 here. How did that play? In general, the midfield looked something like a diamond, with Sands staying back, Busio running all over the place, and the fullbacks providing width. Dike would try and tuck into midfield, providing an outlet to hold the ball and allow the other players to advance.

In general, I would say that the 4-4-2 did not work. While Moore played high up the field, Vines was needed for cover in the back. This made the team lopsided towards the right in possession. While Sands and Robinson were generally tidy, Pines proved to be far more uncomfortable in his passing. It didn’t help that Busio didn’t stick to any clear position, while Acosta had a dud of a match. Finally, the strikers were really quite ineffective. With the team failing to hold possession and unable to advance up the field, Zardes was left disconnected. While Zardes didn’t so much as get a chance to show in the match, Dike kind of squandered his chances. He was really poor while trying to hold up the ball, frequently playing bad touches and making miscues. While Dike effectively used his physicality to dominate over the Martinique defenders, the Canadian defenders seemed much better prepared to handle him.

Mind you, this 4-4-2 was an adaptation of the starting line up. It was supposed to be a 3-5-2, and that helps explain why it was so janky. But I think it really illustrates one of the big problems with three-center back systems. You have to take someone from either the midfield or the attack to slot in an extra center back. Normally, the USMNT plays with one striker and two wingers, with three in midfield. With a 3-5-2, we swapped out both wingers, getting one striker and one center back. With the 4-4-2, we pushed one of those center backs in midfield. On the next, that’s still one less attacking player. This shouldn’t be taken as a knock against Sands — he was dominant on the night, one of the best players for the USMNT. But part of that midfield dysfunction, along with individual subpar performances, is simply because there’s not the right mix of defensive, offensive, and transitionary players.

Dual of the Fates For me, the biggest takeaway on the night actually didn’t show up on the scoreline, nor even with the USMNT’s lineup. You’ve got to look at Canada for the biggest story.

Ayo Akinola started his first game for Canada. Unfortunately, he had an injury in the first half and had to be subbed off, but his starting is a big deal. You might remember, Akinola actually played for the USMNT back in December, even scoring a goal. Akinola was eligible both for the US and for Canada and, while he appeared in that friendly, he has since decided that he will represent Canada. His earlier appearance in the Gold Cup cap-tied him and he is no longer eligible for the USMNT.

I wrote about the USMNT’s approach to dual nationals back in February. The piece was very positive, but it had a warning.

As of late, dual national decisions have gone in the USMNT’s favor. To the best of my ability, I can’t think of a single high-profile case where a player decided to leave the US program in the last two years. That kind of a streak is not going to last. I mentioned in the previous article that Berhalter’s played almost 70 different players. And not all of those players are going to have robust futures with the national team. ... maybe Ayo Akinola decides his heart lies with Canada. Not everyone is going to stick around; that’s just how it works.

Not everyone eligible for the USMNT is going to pan out with the program. And, in this case, Akinola went with Canada. Frankly, that’s good for him. I wish he stuck with the USMNT, but I do not begrudge him for this choice, and may his career be long and successful.

But it’s not just Akinola who the US has recently lost out on. Efraín Álvarez went with Mexico, while Alex Roldan (the brother to Cristian Roldan on the USMNT roster) is balling with El Salvador. All of these players are Americans. We have hit the point where American dual nationals are playing, not just for the USMNT, but for the other federations as well. Indeed, El Salvador had SIX American players fielded last night against Mexico, along with Hugo Pérez, himself a retired USMNT player of Salvadoran decent.

Having so many Americans playing for different national teams is a clear sign of the game in this country. But it’s also a warning that the soccer community and national team program needs to be open and vigilant about recruiting dual nationals within the country and within the federation. The other nations are scouting us. If we are not proactive about expanding programs and reaching out to these players, players already in our country, we will miss out on talent.

But this isn’t just limited to Americans. Canada didn’t merely have Akinola on the line up. They had, by my count, 6 dual nationals in the starting line up, coming from a range of different nations. We see it from the Central American teams. We’ve already talked about El Salvador, but on Costa Rica, there’s also Ariel Lassiter, an American. The Caribbean nations have a strong history of recruiting and we see that here with Haiti and Jamaica. Indeed, even the likes of Mexico, traditionally hold-outs for incorporating dual nationals to the national team, are starting games. While Álvarez didn’t start, the Funes Mori, who was born in Argentina, did. CONCACAF is getting more diverse. That’s going to make teams better, more dynamic, and more varied.

Closing Thoughts James Sands stands out as the big winner from this group stage. He’s been cool, calm, and effective through all the matches. The fact that he can play in defense and in midfield is a big plus. He’s tidy and defensively sound in midfield, which makes him a good candidate to serve as Tyler Adams’ understudy.

Miles Robinson has also consistently been solid. Up until now, we haven’t been able to get a prolonged run with him on the national team due to injuries and scheduling, but now that he’s here, he looks the part.

On the other hand, Pines looks out of his depth. I just think this is a level too high for him. That said, the USMNT suddenly looks quite good at center back. We’ve got Sands and Robinson currently in camp, along with Zimmerman. They join Brooks, McKenzie, and Miazga (who all featured in the Nations League camp) on the depth chart. We can add Richards and Long as well, at least in the long-term. That’s eight players before we get into more fringe options like Palmer-Brown and Carter-Vickers.

Vines had a solid defensive performance. After a very “meh” performance v. Haiti, Vines came back and showed defensive fortitude. He certainly looked more solid right now than George Bello, who looked a bit lost at times vs. Martinique.

The current roster has a midfield problem. There’s going to be a lot made out about Busio’s poor display. He looked like he didn’t know where to play, which tracks for a 19 year old who hasn’t had a consistent spot in midfield. On top of that, there’s a physicality issue, with Busio not challenging against Martinique or Canada. But that’s not a problem limited to just him:

Berhalter needs to figure out how to get some physical dynamism in that midfield. Right now, it doesn’t look like there’s a clear option, though Sands may be solution.

Speaking of Busio,

Just awaiting final signed docs and player medical. @SportingKC agreed to the following; $10.5m-11m range between transfer and incentives for @gbusio13 with Venezia. Should be finalized by mid-week according to a source close to the player. #SportingKC #MLS

— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) July 18, 2021 It looks like some were a bit too quick to declare Dike as the number 1 striker after the Martinique game. Against Canada, Dike looked like a player who’s barely played with the ball at his feet for the last six months. Which is basically what happened at Barnsley, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Dike needs to work on being more well-rounded, particularly with his passing and his touch. Right now, I think Sargent offers that more well-rounded play, even though we haven’t seen too many of the goals. Getting good transfers will be important for both of them.

Gold Cup 2021: USA-Canada The whistle sounds in Kansas and Shaq Moore's goal after 26 seconds is enough for the USNMT to top Group B

Late corner for Canada with Osorio to take.... Poor hit from the Canadian as the US break and the men n white recover the ball with Lucas Cavallini getting a shot off but the ball is straight at Turner.

We're into added time, 5 minutes will be added but it looks like the US will top the group with Canada having to settle for second place

The AT&T stadium in Arlington Texas is set to host the quarter-final involving both these sides on 25 July. Costa Rica or Jamaica await in the next stage.

Five minutes remain in Kansas as Canada continue to probe but struggling to break down a very well organized US rear-guard.

The US currently playing with ten men as Dike continues to get treatment.

Daryl Dike is now being treated by the US medical team as he seems to have fallen badly and damaged his collar bone

The US are sitting deep and inviting pressure from Canada who despite their neat build-up play have still yet to go close to scoring as Buchanan goes close and sees his shot drift wide of Turner's post.

18,467 is the attendance for this evening's game in Kansas City.

Subs for the US: Yueill and Hoppe on for Busio and Zardes.

We're back underway in Kansas City as Canada make two changes:  Hoilett and Piette are off with Kaye and Pasher the changes.

The 1000th Gold Cup goal has just been scored in Frisco !

Water break time at the Children's Mercy Park as 20' remain on the clock.

Lucas Cavallini has looked bright since coming on and the former Naconal man is clipped close to the box and Canada earn a free-kick. The ball drifts in and eventually the US side clear the danger.

US still ahead in possession but Canada look like the side with more drive and initiative currently as they search for the equalizer that would see them advance as group leaders should the game end tied

Piette does well for Canada beating two men in red and clue but lacks composure with the resulting shot and drives the ball high and wide.

Buchannan fouls Vines and the US win a dangerous freekick close to the by-line. Sebastian Lletget takes and swings the ball in but Canada stopper Crepeau does well to snatch the ball.

Another change for the US as goalscorer Moore leaves the action with Boavista's Reggie Cannon his replacement

Cyle Larin is the next player to have developed a problem as the Besiktas man limps from the pitch and looks to be in trouble. Lucas Cavallini set to replace the striker.

Lareya breaks for Canada and trips over himself in the US box

Canada corner but the Canucks fail to avail of the dead ball situation. Decent start from the men in white. A draw for Canada would be good enough to see them pass to the next stage as group leaders.

Error from Pines as he gives the ball away on the edge of the box but Canada fail to take advantage of the gift. Larin failed to really test the US keeper with the effort though.

Both sides take their position and we're about to get started... Canada to start the second half.

Plenty of Sporting KC shirts on display tonight at the Children's Mercy Park as we await the teams to take to the pitch for the second half. In Frisco in the other Group B game, Haiti lead Martinique 0-1.

It's been a stop-start affair with the first 20-25 minutes of action somewhat interrupted with injured players. Shaq Moore's early goal is enough to see the USMNT take the lead and as things stand, top Group B with nine points.

Vines and Sebastian Lletget have been the standout players for the US this evening as the Mexican match official calls time on the half. The quickest goal in the history of the Gold Cup is the difference between both sides with Tenerife's Moore on target.

Canada are full of endeavor and industry but it's their final ball that lets the Canucks down as we will have three minutes of added time.

Into the final five minutes of the half and Canada have shaken off their lethargy as the try to look to both flanks to mount attacks on the US goal. Still no way through for the men in white and Matt Turner still enjoying a placid evening.

LA Galaxy's Sebastian Lletget has been excellent so far this evening with the central player instrumental in all the creative play for the US.

We hit the 30 minute mark and Matt Turner in the US goal has been a virtual spectator with the Canadian side failing to test the NE Revs stopper.

The US lead in terms of possession and on the scoreboard through Shaq Moore's 26th second opener.

Toronto FC player Osorio finally comes on for the injured Akinola.

Akinola is still on the pitch as Canada are struggling to secure a foothold in the game. Berhalter's men in very much in charge.

Play held up again as Akinola pulls up and the game is halted. The Toronto FC striker will be switched by the Canadian coach as we pause for a hydration break.

Very much a stop-start feel to the early stages of the match tonight with little flow to the action.

Another delay as Akinola is on the ground and seems to be in trouble.The Canada No. 20 was clipped by Pines and once again the Canadian physio team is called into action.

Pines set to take Zimmerman's place. The No 4 plays for DC United.

The US very mush the side in the ascendancy in the opening 15 minutes and Greg Berhalter's side buoyed by the early goal. Not looking good for Zimmerman with the Nashville SC player set to be switched.

No spot kick for Canada and we're back underway again.

Zimmerman too is being treated and seems to have a problem with his shin.

The Toronto FC man is in trouble and needs medical attention as the Mexican referee talks to the VAR booth.

Call for a penalty for Canada as Laryea is clipped by Zimmerman in the box.... VAR to take a look

As things stand... Group B live table

Canada tonight in their all white away kit with the US in their new-ish red and blue striped effort with blue shorts.

A significant setback for Les Rouges who saw how the US split the Canadian defense open with three passes needed for Shaq Moore to drive home from close range.

Goooooool. The US take the lead in 26 seconds and it's Moore who taps home from close range to open the scoring

Off we go in Kansas Cty...

Tonight's match official is Mexican Andonai Escobedo

The teams are on the Children's Mercy Park with kick-off imminent

Both the USA and Mexico started as pre-tournament favorites but Canada, Costa Rica and Honduras will all fancy their chances to deliver a surprise.

The game will be underway in 5 minutes of so despite the published time of a 5pm (ET) start time

It's a hot evening in Kansas City with a current temperature of 29 C / 81F.

Big crowd in the Children's Mercy Park for tonight's Group B climax as both the US and Canada will want to finish on top of Group B

The other Group B game taking place tonight sees Martinique face Haiti with both sides pointless after two games played. That match is taking place at the Toyata Stadium in Frisco and we'll bring you the half and full time score.

Pre-match analysis: Greg Berhalter (US coach) First of all, I'm really happy that Canada’s in the final qualifying group,” said Berhalter in Saturday’s matchday -1 press conference. “They've done a great job of getting to this point, and I'm not happy because I want to face them, I'm happy for the group, for the players. It's a lot of players that we're familiar with, we’ve got a lot of respect for those guys. It's been nice seeing them grow over the last five years, and they've arrived to this point and I think it's a good team.”

Pre-match analysis: John Herdman (Canada coach) “It is a big match against USA and the boys will be all in. The first part of our mission was qualification to the Quarterfinals which we achieved, so now the next part of the mission will be to win the group and we will be focused on that heading into an exciting match against USA".

Costa Rica or Jamiaca awaits Canada and the US in the quarter final stage of the Gold Cup with both sides probably anxious to avoid the stronger fancied Ticos from Central America.

Here's how the Group B table looks ahead of the final games tonight

Both Canada and the United States have an 100% record with two wins from two in their Gold Cup opening games with The Canucks topping Group B by virtue of goals scored.

Canada bagged four goals in their wins over Martinique and Haiti respectively and a theoretically easier quarter-final tie will be the prize for the side that tops the group.

Gregg Berhalter's men go into the game as the fancied side with the US unbeaten against their neighbors from the North in their past four Gold Cup encounters. Historically the US are the stringer side having won 15 clashes between both nations and only losing 11. Nine meetings between the USNMT and Canada have ended all square.

'Les Rouges' start with the following XI:

First up, the team news....The US side:

As has been the case with all Group B games, tonight's action takes place at Children's Mercy Park, home to MLS side Sporting KC and starts at 5pm ET/2300 CEST.

Hello and a very warm welcome to tonight's coverage of the final Group B game as the United States face Canada with top spot in the group on the line.

[tkmedia]

Gold Cup group by group preview: Can anyone stop U.S., Mexico?

12:04 PM ETCopa America and Euro 2020 will draw to a close this weekend, but fret not, dear soccer fans: the Gold Cup kicks off on Saturday night when El Salvador takes on Curacao. So with the cream rising to the top in South America and Europe, ESPN asked its North American-based writers to break down what to expect from CONCACAF's continental contest.Jeff Carlisle, Gus Elvin, Kyle Bonagura and Eric Gomez look at four groups of the 2021 Gold Cup, detailing the favorites, the dark horses and the players to keep your eye on.

Group A: Mexico, El Salvador, Curacao, Trinidad & Tobago

Expectations for the favorite: Mexico is the hands-down favorite to win it all. After losing the CONCACAF Nations League final to the U.S. earlier this summer, El Tri boss Gerardo Martino was motivated enough to present an almost-full-strength squad despite a heavy workload this summer that includes the upcoming World Cup qualifiers and the Olympics for his U-23 side. There is an unintended consequence to Martino selecting most of his top players against a somewhat-weakened field.- What's next for USMNT-Mexico rivalry after Nations League epic?If Mexico fails to win this tournament, the Argentine manager will unequivocally be on the hot seat entering qualifying for Qatar 2022, where one bad result can ruin a whole generation of talent.Can anyone knock off the favorite? Mexico has a history of playing down to CONCACAF opposition when it is expected to win and even blow some teams out. It will be very interesting to see El Tri face a team like Curacao, who they've faced only twice since 1982. In their meeting at the 2017 Gold Cup, the Caribbean side held Mexico to a one-goal advantage for 90 minutes before Edson Alvarez made it 2-0 in injury time. Granted, that Mexican side was not nearly as star-studded as this iteration.El Tri will also face the usual heavy challenges from more-familiar foes in Trinidad & Tobago and El Salvador, although neither side has had much luck against Mexico in any capacity in recent years.- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only) - ESPN+ viewer's guide: Bundesliga, La Liga, MLS, FA Cup and moreWho will be Group MVP? All eyes will be on Mexico's Hirving Lozano to put his stamp on this tournament from the very beginning. The Napoli winger has emerged as El Tri's most dangerous player since Raul Jimenez's injury resulted in a prolonged absence from the national team. Whether he's deployed in a false nine role or storms in off the wing, "Chucky" will likely lead his squad's attack throughout.Who will be the group's breakout star? After a prolonged debate as to whether he'd be able to represent Mexico in the first place, striker Rogelio Funes Mori made an instant impact with El Tri, scoring in his debut against Nigeria earlier in July. The Monterrey front man has been one of Liga MX's top scorers in the past decade, and at 30 years old, he's still capable of making a mark on this tournament. -- Eric GomezExpectations for the favorite: United States manager Gregg Berhalter has gone to great lengths to say that his Gold Cup roster isn't a "B" team, but with many of his best players being given a rest after long club seasons, that is essentially what it is. And yet, the USMNT remains the favorite to come out on top in Group B.Berhalter has also made it clear that his goal is to win the tournament. Given the strength of Mexico's team, there's a chance that might not come to pass, but this group of players will be extremely motivated to show that they should be included when the team reconvenes for World Cup qualifying in September. The backline is a bit thin, but in Walker Zimmerman and Miles Robinson, there's enough quality to get the job done.Further up the pitch, Sebastian Lletget is likely to lead the midfield, while Daryl Dike has a massive opportunity to make a strong case that he should be the starting striker heading into World Cup qualifying. For this group, a spot in the final is the minimum that should be expected.Can anyone knock off the favorite? Most definitely. Canada is an up-and-coming soccer nation, and they fired a shot across the USMNT's bow during the CONCACAF Nations League, defeating their neighbors 2-0 during the group stage. While star forward Jonathan David wasn't included on this roster, the likes of Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies, Besiktas' Cyle Larin and newly committed forward Ayo Akinola should provide plenty of skill and attacking punch. Houston midfielder Tyler Pasher is also in excellent form at the moment.There are questions about Canada's backline, but the Reds should progress out of the group and are capable of nipping the top spot. That said, Haiti has given Canada trouble in the past -- it prevailed against the Reds 3-2 in a 2019 quarterfinal -- and could pull an upset to snag second in the group. Martinique likely won't have enough to advance here despite being competitive in previous Gold Cup appearances.Could the U.S. win the Gold Cup with a B team? Charles McQuillan/Getty ImagesWho will be Group MVP? This usually goes to a forward, so Dike and Larin are the first names that come to mind. The Haitian tandem of Duckens Nazon and Frantzdy Pierrot -- who scored seven goals between them during the preliminary round -- could also dazzle.Who will be the group's breakout star? Much has been predicted of U.S. midfielder Gianluca Busio and if given time to shine, he could emerge as the latest young U.S. player to make a name for himself. The aforementioned Pasher has been tearing it up in MLS, with three goals and as many assists in eight matches this season: he's also one to watch. -- Jeff CarlisleExpectations for the favorite: By default, Costa Rica will enter as the favorite in Group C, but they'll do so despite riding an 11-match winless streak that dates back to November 2019. In the CONCACAF Nations League last month, the Ticos lost on penalties twice -- to Mexico in the semifinal and Honduras in the third-place match -- before a 4-0 loss to the United States ultimately cost manager Ronald Gonzalez his job.A run to the Gold Cup semifinal is reasonable and anything beyond that would require an improvement of recent form.Can anyone knock off the favorite? Jamaica, which has reached two of the past three Gold Cup finals and the semifinal in 2019, could just as well be considered the favorite ahead of Costa Rica. A recent infusion of English-born players has given the Reggae Boyz more squad depth, however their Gold Cup roster notably won't feature an international debut for West Ham United forward Michail Antonio and doesn't include Swansea City's Jamal Lowe or Watford's Andre Gray, both of whom debut in March.Who will be Group MVP? Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas' global pedigree is unmatched within the group, while Jamaica's Shamar Nicholson, who plays for Royal Charleroi SC in Belgium, is a dangerous attacker.Who will be the group's breakout star? Suriname's Nigel Hasselbaink, who scored back-to-back hat tricks in World Cup qualifying, has a good opportunity to raise his profile within CONCACAF. -- Kyle Bonagura

Group D: Honduras, Panama, Grenada, Qatar

Expectations for the favorite: Ranked 67th in the FIFA rankings, Honduras will be expected to top a Group D that also contains Panama, Grenada and guests Qatar. With an experienced defense led by 38-year-old Maynor Figueroa, and the always dangerous Alberth Elis in attack, Los Catrachos not only should win the group but also are more than capable of knocking off one of the big dogs in the knockout rounds, as they almost did against the United States in the Nations League semifinals.Can anyone knock off the favorite? While Honduras is favored, Group D is the most wide-open group, with Panama and Qatar both strong challengers. A battle-tested Panama features five players who have compiled more than 90 caps, led by 2018 World Cup veterans Anibal Godoy and Gabriel Torres, while Qatar, a relative unknown to CONCACAF sides, was the surprising winner of the 2019 Asian Cup, and will be keen to make the most of these competitive games leading up to hosting the World Cup in 17 months' time.Who will be Group MVP? Elis. One of the most dynamic attackers in all of CONCACAF, "La Pantera" is fresh off a strong debut season in Portugal with Boavista and will be tasked with shouldering the attacking load for Honduras. The good news for Honduras is that Elis is capable of doing just that, as his tremendous pace and dribbling skills make him a constant threat both on the counter and in one-vs-one situations with defenders.Who will be the group's breakout star? Qatar is the mystery outfit given it's a guest participant, but keep an eye on young forwards Akram Afif and Almoez Ali. Afif, 24, was named Asian Footballer of the Year in 2019, and has been recognized as the Qatar Stars League Player of the Year each of the past two seasons while playing under Xavi at Al Sadd. Meanwhile, Ali, who was born in Sudan and is also just 24, has scored 30 goals in 62 games for the national team, including nine at the 2019 Asian Cup to win MVP.While both players have already had spells in Europe -- Afif in Spain and Belgium, and Ali in Austria and Spain -- both could parlay strong showings at the Gold Cup into summer transfers. -- Gus Elvin Read the full article

[soycabcba]

¡Juega “el Chino” Zelarayan! Columbus vs. Minnesota por la MLS: hora y TV

Si hay un futbolista cordobés que está viviendo un muy buena momento, hay que hablar de Lucas “el Chino” Zelarayán.

En su arribo a la Mayor League Soccer (MLS) de Estados Unidos, arrancó con todo.

Estigarribia consiguió club e Instituto finalmente no pagará los 25 mil dólares

Zelarayán, de 28 años, fue fichado por Columbus Crew en el último mercado y luego de que se retomara la actividad en medio de la pandemia de coronavirus de la MLS, viene muy derecho, marcando goles y siendo figura de su equipo.

Este martes, se podrá ver en vivo en nuestro país un encuentro clave de su equipo: a las 21 enfrentará a Minnesota United y será transmitido por ESPN.

El cotejo corresponde a los octavos de final de este mini torneo que armó la MLS (llamado “MLS es Back”).

Columbus llega a esta etapa tras un gran rendimiento en fase de grupos, donde ganó todos sus partidos y Zelarayán marcó dos goles.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by swpave (@swpave)

El equipo de Minnesota, por su parte, quedó segundo en su zona con un triunfo y dos empates.

Ahora, ambos buscarán avanzar a cuartos de final del certamen, donde enfrentarán a San José, que conduce Matías Almeyda.

Bring on the Knockout Stage pres. by @Audi! #MLSisBack pic.twitter.com/nqIVm8QNxw

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 24, 2020

El cordobés Zelarayán vive un gran momento en la MLS. (Gentileza Twitter Columbus Crew SC /@ColumbusCrewSC)

source https://mundod.lavoz.com.ar/futbol/juega-el-chino-zelarayan-columbus-vs-minnesota-por-la-mls-hora-y-tv

[totalsoccer]

Sports can't run perfectly amid pandemic, but soccer is doing a good job

After a rough start that included numerous positive coronavirus tests and withdrawal of two teams, the MLS Is Back tournament has entered its knockout stages.

source https://sports.yahoo.com/sports-cant-run-perfectly-amid-223329419.html?src=rss

[junker-town]

What’s going on with the MLS is Back Tournament?

Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Amidst protests and a global pandemic, MLS has managed to host a tournament with plenty of compelling performances.

Say this for Major League Soccer’s return-to-play tournament: It hasn’t been boring. Before it started, two teams had to be withdrawn due to a rash of positive COVID-19 tests. Rather than the normal pre-tournament pomp and circumstance, the league opened with a ceremony honoring the Black Lives Matter movement. Once it kicked off, there has been no shortage of breakout performances.

The MLS is Back Tournament now begins the knockout phase with the Round of 16 on Saturday before wrapping up on Aug. 11 and potentially going into some sort of regular-season after that.

Bring on the Knockout Stage pres. by @Audi! #MLSisBack pic.twitter.com/nqIVm8QNxw

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 24, 2020

Here’s everything you need to know to be prepared for the rest of the tournament:

What’s happened on the field so far?

The tournament started with six four-team groups that played three matches apiece. The top two teams in each group were guaranteed to advance, along with the top four third-place finishers.

While the results weren’t exactly chalk, most of the teams you’d expect to advance did ... with a few notable exceptions.

Who were those exceptions?

The biggest was certainly perennial power Atlanta United, who managed to lose all three matches they played and didn’t even score a goal. Perhaps predictably, that cost manager Frank de Boer his job (yes, THAT Frank de Boer).

Also notable among that group were 2019 playoff teams New York Red Bulls, D.C. United and LA Galaxy, who replaced global superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic with Mexican superstar Javier Hernandez over the offseason.

It wasn’t nearly as surprising that expansion Inter Miami were bounced from the tournament, but it was notable that they became the first MLS team to lose their first five matches despite spending quite a lot of money to fill out their inaugural roster and hiring Liga MX veteran Diego Alonso as their coach.

Who’s been good?

The biggest revelation of the group stage was probably the Columbus Crew, who didn’t even make the playoffs last year. The Crew were the only team to win all three of their matches as well as the only one not to allow a goal. They opened their tournament with a 4-0 win over FC Cincinnati in the “Hell is Real” rivalry and have generally played some of the most inspiring soccer of the tournament.

After that loss, just about everyone wrote off Cincinnati’s chances, especially since they had hired Jaap Stam just a couple weeks prior to the tournament. It would be a massive stretch to call Stam’s team “inspiring” but they did manage to bounce back with a couple of shutout wins over Atlanta (1-0) and the Red Bulls (2-0).

The other big surprise was Orlando City, who have never made the playoffs but managed to go undefeated and finish atop their group. Chris Mueller’s three goals have led the way and even have earned him some mentions as a potential United States national team player.

The Portland Timbers finished atop the so-called “Group of Death”, standing toe-to-toe with Los Angeles FC in the group-stage finale. In addition to being one of the leaders of the league’s Black Lives Matter Movement, Jeremy Ebobisse has also been one of the tournament’s top players.

The San Jose Earthquakes were only able to train together as a team for less than two weeks before the tournament started and play a man-marking system that lends itself to miscommunications at the best of times. They still managed to win their group despite doing things like this:

Probably not how they drew that one up... But still in the net for @WhitecapsFC! 2-0. #VANvSJ pic.twitter.com/XbSmvaV46p

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 16, 2020

Wasn’t LAFC supposed to be favorites?

That’s what a lot of people thought and the betting odds had them heavily favored. Missing reigning MVP Carlos Vela, who decided to stay home with his pregnant wife, definitely hurt but his presence doesn’t seem to have been missed too badly as they were easily the highest scoring team in the group stage with 11 goals.

Diego Rossi has been almost unstoppable — including a five-goal performance in El Trafico — and fellow Uruguayan Brian Rodriguez has been one of the tournament’s breakout stars. They also bring someone like Mohamed El-Munir off the bench, a player capable of this:

⚠️ VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED ⚠️ Replay presented by @Heineken_US. Vote Mohamed El-Munir's screamer for @MLS Goal of the Week. ️ https://t.co/i9GNBlvRc3 pic.twitter.com/jrLJZf0Afm

— LAFC (@LAFC) July 19, 2020

Where they’ve struggled is defensively. They’ve given up the first goal in all three of their games and only one team allowed more than their seven goals. There’s something admirable about Bob Bradley’s attack-first mentality, but it’s unclear if his midfield and defense are going to be able to return to the level that made them so good last year.

They’ll face the reigning MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year, in the Round of 16. That match is on Monday.

How have the Sounders looked?

Like just about all the teams, it was hard to know what to expect from the Sounders. They opened with a 0-0 draw against the Earthquakes and looked pretty flat against the Chicago Fire in a 2-1 loss. But they came out flying in their group-stage finale, blitzing the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0 behind a dominant performance from Jordan Morris. The tournament has so far been a microcosm of many of their seasons under Brian Schmetzer: slow start, sluggish middle and strong finish. If they follow the script, they’ll put together a strong run in the knockout stages.

Anyone else to watch out for?

No one has looked particularly consistent, which is probably to be expected given the long layoff and short run-up to games, and there have been plenty of upsets along the way. If you’re looking for a team who looks capable of getting hot and making a surge, the Philadelphia Union are a pretty good bet. Jim Curtin has quietly transformed them from an afterthought into one of the more attractive teams in the league despite a roster virtually devoid of recognizable names.

Another team to pay attention to is Toronto FC. They have plenty of “names” but their most impressive player in the group stage was little-known Ayo Akinola. The Detroit-born TFC Academy product scored five goals in three games, including a hat trick against the Montreal Impact.

AYO AKINOLA The 20-year old breaks away for the hat trick! Akinola has 5 goals in 2 tournament games. #MTLvTOR pic.twitter.com/wrGcEwfIyM

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 17, 2020

Are they still playing those early-morning games?

Luckily, the 9 a.m. kickoffs are now a thing of the past. The games were designed as a way to keep games from being played at the same time, while avoiding the hottest part of the day. But temperatures still routinely crept into the high 80s and 90s and were accompanied by intense humidity. Players hated them and they were apparently a ratings bomb, to boot.

Going forward, all games will kick off in the evening with the earliest kickoff at 7:30 p.m. and the latest at 11 p.m.

How has the league handled the COVID-19 situation?

Aside from FC Dallas and Nashville SC being withdrawn, there haven’t been too many notable incidents. A handful of players from other teams have tested positive, but the league has now gone 12 straight days without any others. That suggests the positive tests were probably all limited to players who contracted coronavirus before entering the Disney World bubble. Although there were some notable complaints early on, players and coaches seem to feel like things are relatively safe there now.

[ryananderson2706]

Join me as I review Orlando City Vs. Minnesota United in the Semifinals of the MLS is Back Tournament!

[ecoorganic]

MLS Is Back: Best Stories of the Group Round and the Knockout Stage's Incentive Question https://ift.tt/32PCAFG

[techmaqofficial]

MLS is Back round of 16 preview: How the clubs match up and who will reach the quarterfinals

MLS is Back round of 16 preview: How the clubs match up and who will reach the quarterfinals

[ad_1]

3:08 PM ET

Austin LindbergESPN FC

With all 36 of the MLS is Back Tournament group-stage games complete, the competition moves on to the knockout round as the field whittles down from 24 to 16 — and with plenty of on-field drama along the way. Pre-tournament favorites like Atlanta United FC (who were held scoreless in all three of their games) and the New York Red Bullsare out, along…

[yoyo12x13]

Sounders down rival Whitecaps, clinch spot in Round of 16

Sounders down rival Whitecaps, clinch spot in Round of 16

[ad_1]

Nicolas Lodeiro scored from the penalty spot early in the first half, Jordan Morris added to the lead with his third goal of the season, and the Seattle Sounders beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0 in the MLS is Back tournament on Sunday night.

Seattle (2-1-2) clinched a spot in the knockout round of the tournament, rebounding from a disappointing loss to Chicago earlier in the group stage.…

[buenosairesnews]

Crew cruise by Red Bulls to clinch knockout berth

Gyasi Zardes and Lucas Zelarayan scored, and the Columbus Crew defeated the New York Red Bulls 2-0 on Thursday to advance to the knockout stage of the MLS is Back Tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Buenos Aires news today

[coasttickets]

MLS is Back Tournament

Major League Soccer unveiled its plans for returning to play in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, with the league set to resume on July 8 with what it is calling the MLS is Back Tournament.

All 26 MLS teams will participate in the competition, which will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort, just outside Orlando, Florida.

"We are pleased to team up with Disney to relaunch the 2020 MLS season and get back to playing soccer," MLS commissioner Don Garber said. "The opportunity to have all 26 clubs in a controlled environment enables us to help protect the health of our players, coaches and staff as we return to play."

Teams will head to Orlando starting on June 24, all though arrival dates will vary because most teams would prefer to train in their home states. Teams must arrive no later than seven days before their first match.

MLS has been shut down due to the pandemic since March 12, when the regular season was just two matches old. Teams have gradually returned to training, though local restrictions have delayed the return in some instances. The San Jose Earthquakes resumed training, making them the last MLS team to get back on the practice field.

The tournament will consist of a group stage with each team playing three matches, followed by a knockout stage. The final will be played on Aug. 11. The teams will be divided into a total of six groups, with the top two teams in each group, plus the four best third-place finishers qualifying for the round of 16.

For the remainder of the 2020 MLS season, Nashville SC will be moved to the Eastern Conference. The Eastern Conference will have three groups, one consisting of six teams and two consisting of four teams each. The Western Conference will have three groups, each consisting of four teams.

As the host club, Orlando City SC will be given the top seed in Group A, which will be the six-team group, and will play in the first match on July 8. The five remaining seeds will be the four semifinalists from the 2019 MLS Cup playoffs -- Atlanta United, LAFC, Seattle Sounders FC and Toronto FC -- and Real Salt Lake, which had the next-highest points total in the Western Conference from the 2019 season.

Initially there will be three matches held per day at 9 a.m., 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET.

All of the group stage matches will count in the regular-season standings, with the winner of the tournament earning a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League, regardless of whether it is a U.S. or Canadian club. The winner would replace the berth previously awarded to the MLS regular-season points leader in the conference opposite of the 2020 Supporters' Shield winner. In addition to matches that count in the regular-season standings and the Champions League berth, players will have the opportunity to earn additional bonuses as part of a $1.1 million prize pool. 54 games will be played over four weeks.

Once the MLS is Back Tournament is over, MLS plans to continue its regular season with a revised schedule in home markets, followed by the MLS Cup playoffs and the 25th MLS Cup. The dates are still to be determined for the playoffs and MLS Cup, while the final number of matches and the schedule for the remainder of the 2020 MLS regular season will be announced in the coming weeks.

In a bid to maintain the health and safety of players, staff and other support personnel, MLS, in conjunction with the league's infectious disease experts, have developed a COVID-19 testing plan that will be implemented for the entire MLS is Back Tournament.

[totalsoccer]

Sports can't run perfectly amid pandemic, but soccer is doing a good job

After a rough start that included numerous positive coronavirus tests and withdrawal of two teams, the MLS Is Back tournament has entered its knockout stages.

source https://sports.yahoo.com/sports-cant-run-perfectly-amid-223329419.html?src=rss

[junker-town]

What’s going on with the MLS is Back Tournament?

Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Amidst protests and a global pandemic, MLS has managed to host a tournament with plenty of compelling performances.

Say this for Major League Soccer’s return-to-play tournament: It hasn’t been boring. Before it started, two teams had to be withdrawn due to a rash of positive COVID-19 tests. Rather than the normal pre-tournament pomp and circumstance, the league opened with a ceremony honoring the Black Lives Matter movement. Once it kicked off, there has been no shortage of breakout performances.

The MLS is Back Tournament now begins the knockout phase with the Round of 16 on Saturday before wrapping up on Aug. 11 and potentially going into some sort of regular-season after that.

Bring on the Knockout Stage pres. by @Audi! #MLSisBack pic.twitter.com/nqIVm8QNxw

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 24, 2020

Here’s everything you need to know to be prepared for the rest of the tournament:

What’s happened on the field so far?

The tournament started with six four-team groups that played three matches apiece. The top two teams in each group were guaranteed to advance, along with the top four third-place finishers.

While the results weren’t exactly chalk, most of the teams you’d expect to advance did ... with a few notable exceptions.

Who were those exceptions?

The biggest was certainly perennial power Atlanta United, who managed to lose all three matches they played and didn’t even score a goal. Perhaps predictably, that cost manager Frank de Boer his job (yes, THAT Frank de Boer).

Also notable among that group were 2019 playoff teams New York Red Bulls, D.C. United and LA Galaxy, who replaced global superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic with Mexican superstar Javier Hernandez over the offseason.

It wasn’t nearly as surprising that expansion Inter Miami were bounced from the tournament, but it was notable that they became the first MLS team to lose their first five matches despite spending quite a lot of money to fill out their inaugural roster and hiring Liga MX veteran Diego Alonso as their coach.

Who’s been good?

The biggest revelation of the group stage was probably the Columbus Crew, who didn’t even make the playoffs last year. The Crew were the only team to win all three of their matches as well as the only one not to allow a goal. They opened their tournament with a 4-0 win over FC Cincinnati in the “Hell is Real” rivalry and have generally played some of the most inspiring soccer of the tournament.

After that loss, just about everyone wrote off Cincinnati’s chances, especially since they had hired Jaap Stam just a couple weeks prior to the tournament. It would be a massive stretch to call Stam’s team “inspiring” but they did manage to bounce back with a couple of shutout wins over Atlanta (1-0) and the Red Bulls (2-0).

The other big surprise was Orlando City, who have never made the playoffs but managed to go undefeated and finish atop their group. Chris Mueller’s three goals have led the way and even have earned him some mentions as a potential United States national team player.

The Portland Timbers finished atop the so-called “Group of Death”, standing toe-to-toe with Los Angeles FC in the group-stage finale. In addition to being one of the leaders of the league’s Black Lives Matter Movement, Jeremy Ebobisse has also been one of the tournament’s top players.

The San Jose Earthquakes were only able to train together as a team for less than two weeks before the tournament started and play a man-marking system that lends itself to miscommunications at the best of times. They still managed to win their group despite doing things like this:

Probably not how they drew that one up... But still in the net for @WhitecapsFC! 2-0. #VANvSJ pic.twitter.com/XbSmvaV46p

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 16, 2020

Wasn’t LAFC supposed to be favorites?

That’s what a lot of people thought and the betting odds had them heavily favored. Missing reigning MVP Carlos Vela, who decided to stay home with his pregnant wife, definitely hurt but his presence doesn’t seem to have been missed too badly as they were easily the highest scoring team in the group stage with 11 goals.

Diego Rossi has been almost unstoppable — including a five-goal performance in El Trafico — and fellow Uruguayan Brian Rodriguez has been one of the tournament’s breakout stars. They also bring someone like Mohamed El-Munir off the bench, a player capable of this:

⚠️ VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED ⚠️ Replay presented by @Heineken_US. Vote Mohamed El-Munir's screamer for @MLS Goal of the Week. ️ https://t.co/i9GNBlvRc3 pic.twitter.com/jrLJZf0Afm

— LAFC (@LAFC) July 19, 2020

Where they’ve struggled is defensively. They’ve given up the first goal in all three of their games and only one team allowed more than their seven goals. There’s something admirable about Bob Bradley’s attack-first mentality, but it’s unclear if his midfield and defense are going to be able to return to the level that made them so good last year.

They’ll face the reigning MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year, in the Round of 16. That match is on Monday.

How have the Sounders looked?

Like just about all the teams, it was hard to know what to expect from the Sounders. They opened with a 0-0 draw against the Earthquakes and looked pretty flat against the Chicago Fire in a 2-1 loss. But they came out flying in their group-stage finale, blitzing the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0 behind a dominant performance from Jordan Morris. The tournament has so far been a microcosm of many of their seasons under Brian Schmetzer: slow start, sluggish middle and strong finish. If they follow the script, they’ll put together a strong run in the knockout stages.

Anyone else to watch out for?

No one has looked particularly consistent, which is probably to be expected given the long layoff and short run-up to games, and there have been plenty of upsets along the way. If you’re looking for a team who looks capable of getting hot and making a surge, the Philadelphia Union are a pretty good bet. Jim Curtin has quietly transformed them from an afterthought into one of the more attractive teams in the league despite a roster virtually devoid of recognizable names.

Another team to pay attention to is Toronto FC. They have plenty of “names” but their most impressive player in the group stage was little-known Ayo Akinola. The Detroit-born TFC Academy product scored five goals in three games, including a hat trick against the Montreal Impact.

AYO AKINOLA The 20-year old breaks away for the hat trick! Akinola has 5 goals in 2 tournament games. #MTLvTOR pic.twitter.com/wrGcEwfIyM

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 17, 2020

Are they still playing those early-morning games?

Luckily, the 9 a.m. kickoffs are now a thing of the past. The games were designed as a way to keep games from being played at the same time, while avoiding the hottest part of the day. But temperatures still routinely crept into the high 80s and 90s and were accompanied by intense humidity. Players hated them and they were apparently a ratings bomb, to boot.

Going forward, all games will kick off in the evening with the earliest kickoff at 7:30 p.m. and the latest at 11 p.m.

How has the league handled the COVID-19 situation?

Aside from FC Dallas and Nashville SC being withdrawn, there haven’t been too many notable incidents. A handful of players from other teams have tested positive, but the league has now gone 12 straight days without any others. That suggests the positive tests were probably all limited to players who contracted coronavirus before entering the Disney World bubble. Although there were some notable complaints early on, players and coaches seem to feel like things are relatively safe there now.