#vancouver whitecaps fc vs. columbus crew sc

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Vancouver Whitecaps Earn a Point with Late Penalty in Draw against Kansas

 Ryan Gauld's goal secures a 1-1 draw for the Whitecaps in MLS clash

Date: June 4, 2023

In an exciting Major League Soccer (MLS) matchup on Saturday night, the Vancouver Whitecaps fought back to claim a point against Sporting Kansas City with a(more)

[pelangislot]

PREDIKSI PERTANDINGAN BOLA 07 – 08 OKTOBER 2020

JAPAN J1 LEAGUE

07/10 17:00 Sagan Tosu vs Gamba Osaka [1-3]

JAPAN J-LEAGUE YBC LEVAIN CUP

07/10 17:00 Kawasaki Frontale vs FC Tokyo [1-2] 07/10 17:00 Yokohama F.Marinos vs Kashiwa Reysol [2-0]

SCOTLAND LEAGUE CUP

08/10 01:45 Airdrieonians vs Alloa Athletic [2-3] 08/10 01:45 Brechin City vs Dundee United [1-4] 08/10 01:45 Hibernian vs Brora Rangers [2-1] 08/10 01:45 Kelty Hearts FC vs Saint Johnstone [1-5] 08/10 01:45 Montrose vs Ross County [2-6] 08/10 01:45 Saint Mirren vs Partick Thistle [2-2]

NORWAY OBOS LIGAEN

07/10 23:00 Ham-Kam vs FK Jerv [3-1]

JAPAN J3 LEAGUE

07/10 11:00 Iwate Grulla Morioka vs Kamatamare Sanuki [2-0] 07/10 11:00 Fukushima United vs Cerezo Osaka U23 [2-1] 07/10 11:00 Azul Claro Numazu vs Vanraure Hachinohe FC [2-1] 07/10 11:00 FC Imabari vs FC Gifu [1-3] 07/10 15:00 Fujieda MYFC vs Kataller Toyama [1-0] 07/10 16:00 Blaublitz Akita vs Yokohama SCC [1-2] 07/10 17:00 SC Sagamihara vs Gamba Osaka U23 [0-1] 07/10 17:00 AC Nagano Parceiro vs Roasso Kumamoto [1-1] 07/10 17:00 Gainare Tottori vs Kagoshima United FC [2-1]

ENGLISH NATIONAL LEAGUE

08/10 01:45 Notts County vs Altrincham [1-1]

ITALY SERIE C

07/10 20:00 S.S. Matelica Calcio vs FC Sudtirol [1-3] 07/10 20:00 Ternana vs Palermo [1-1] 07/10 20:00 Triestina vs Modena FC 2018 [0-2] 07/10 20:00 Virtus Francavilla vs Vibonese [2-0] 07/10 22:15 Piacenza vs Livorno [1-2] 07/10 23:30 ASD Turris Calcio vs AS Viterbese Castrense [1-1] 07/10 23:30 Carpi vs Alma Juventus Fano [1-1] 07/10 23:30 Catania vs Juve Stabia [1-1] 07/10 23:30 Catanzaro vs Paganese [2-0] 07/10 23:30 Cavese vs SSC Bari [1-3] 07/10 23:30 Lucchese Libertas vs US Grosseto 1912 [1-0]

ITALY SERIE C

07/10 23:30 Olbia Calcio vs Pro Patria [2-2] 07/10 23:30 Pistoiese vs Pergolettese [1-0] 08/10 01:45 Albinoleffe vs Pro Sesto [2-1] 08/10 01:45 Carrarese vs Pontedera [1-1] 08/10 01:45 Lecco vs Alessandria [1-2] 08/10 01:45 Novara vs Giana Erminio [1-0] 08/10 01:45 Padova vs Mantova [2-0] 08/10 01:45 Potenza vs FC Casertana [2-1] 08/10 01:45 Ravenna vs Vis Pesaro [2-0] 08/10 01:45 Renate vs Pro Vercelli [1-1] 08/10 01:45 Virtus Verona vs FC Legnago Salus [1-0]

GERMANY REGIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

07/10 21:30 Luneburger SK Hansa vs Eintracht Norderstedt [0-3] 07/10 21:30 Holstein Kiel Am vs Heider SV [4-1] 08/10 00:00 St. Pauli Am vs Phonix Lubeck [2-1] 08/10 00:30 Altona 93 vs FC Teutonia 1905 [1-3] 07/10 21:30 SV Atlas vs HSC Hannover [0-2] 08/10 00:00 TSV Havelse vs VfL Wolfsburg Am [1-4] 08/10 00:00 Hannover 96 Am vs SSV Jeddeloh [1-3] 08/10 00:00 BSV SW Rehden vs VfV 06 Hildesheim [2-1]

SWEDEN ETTAN NORTH

07/10 23:00 IFK Berga vs IK Frej [1-1] 07/10 23:00 Sandvikens IF vs Vasalunds IF [0-1] 07/10 23:00 Karlslunds IF HFK vs IF Sylvia [1-1] 08/10 00:00 Taby FK vs Sollentuna FK [0-2] 08/10 00:30 IFK Haninge vs Gefle [1-0] 08/10 01:00 Brommapojkarna vs Orebro Syrianska IF [4-2]

SWEDEN ETTAN SOUTH

07/10 23:00 Tvaakers IF vs Lunds BK [1-1] 07/10 23:00 FK Karlskrona vs Oskarshamns AIK [1-2] 08/10 00:00 Landskrona BoIS vs Torns IF [1-1] 08/10 01:00 Assyriska Turabdin IK [n] vs Motala AIF [1-0] 08/10 01:00 IFK Varnamo vs FC Linkoping City [2-1] 08/10 01:00 Lindome GIF vs Eskilsminne IF [4-1] 08/10 01:00 Utsiktens BK vs Skovde AIK [2-3] 08/10 01:00 FC Trollhattan vs Qviding FIF [4-2]

USA MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

08/10 06:00 Atlanta United vs Orlando City [1-3] 08/10 06:00 New York Red Bulls vs Inter Miami CF [4-1] 08/10 06:30 Columbus Crew vs vs Montreal Impact [2-0] 08/10 06:30 New England Revolution vs Toronto FC [1-2] 08/10 06:30 Philadelphia Union vs FC Cincinnati [3-1] 08/10 07:00 Houston Dynamo vs FC Dallas [2-2] 08/10 07:00 New York City FC vs D.C. United [3-1] 08/10 07:00 Sporting Kansas City vs Chicago Fire [1-1] 08/10 08:00 Colorado Rapids vs Los Angeles FC [0-2] 08/10 09:00 Seattle Sounders vs Real Salt Lake [2-0] 08/10 09:30 LA Galaxy vs Portland Timbers [3-2] 08/10 09:30 San Jose Earthquakes vs Vancouver Whitecaps [3-1]

BRAZIL SERIE A

08/10 06:30 Goias vs Fluminense [1-1] 08/10 05:00 Corinthians vs Santos [1-0] 08/10 05:15 Flamengo vs Sport Club do Recife [3-0] 08/10 05:15 Gremio Porto Alegre vs Coritiba [3-1] 08/10 05:15 Bahia vs Vasco da Gama [2-0] 08/10 06:30 Sao Paulo vs Atletico Goianiense [2-1] 08/10 07:30 Botafogo RJ vs Palmeiras [1-1] 08/10 07:30 Fortaleza vs Atletico Mineiro [1-0]

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY

07/10 23:00 Cyprus vs Czech Republic [1-3] 07/10 23:00 Denmark vs Faroe Islands [2-0] 07/10 23:00 Estonia vs Lithuania [2-0] 07/10 23:00 Malta vs Gibraltar [1-3] 07/10 23:00 Montenegro vs Latvia [1-0] 08/10 01:15 Luxembourg vs Liechtenstein [4-1] 08/10 01:30 Austria vs Greece [3-0] 08/10 01:45 Portugal vs Spain [1-2] 07/10 20:00 Zambia vs Malawi [1-0]

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY

08/10 01:45 Germany vs Turkey [1-1] 08/10 01:45 Switzerland vs Croatia [2-1] 08/10 01:45 Holland vs Mexico [4-2] 08/10 01:45 Poland vs Finland [3-0] 08/10 01:45 Slovenia vs San Marino [5-1] 08/10 01:45 Italy vs Moldova [6-0] 08/10 02:10 France vs Ukraine [1-0]

[365footballorg-blog]

This Week in MLS - October 30, 2018

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

October 30, 20186:28AM EDT

The playoff-bound clubs that are playing their kids

Could New York host MLS Cup for first time in MLS history?

Blistering D.C., Knockout Round sides look to defy MLS Cup odds

Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Bracket challenge locks Oct. 31

MLS Cup Playoffs: Knockout Round Notes

The playoff-bound clubs that are playing their kids

New York Red Bulls.

FC Dallas.

Real Salt Lake.

Philadelphia Union.

What do these playoff-bound clubs have in common? They played their kids more than any other clubs in MLS this season, ranking as four of the top five teams in terms of Homegrown Player minutes in 2018.

And while three of those clubs (Real Salt Lake, FC Dallas, Philadelphia Union) will rely on their young stars in Knockout Round action this week, the New York Red Bulls, who started four Homegrowns in the midfield alone in Sunday’s Supporters’ Shield clinching win, secured a first-round bye behind a game-winning goal from Academy star Derrick Etienne Jr.

After leading the league in Homegrown minutes with three-fourths of the starting back line comprised of Academy products, Real Salt Lake will count on recent U.S. National Team call-ups Justen Glad and Brooks Lennon while facing the No. 3 seed Los Angeles Football Club on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2 / UniMas / TVA Sports / TSN3). Forward Corey Baird meanwhile is on the shortlist for the 2018 AT&T MLS Rookie of the Year after finishing the season with eight goals, tied for third on the club.

Long-recognized as a leader in the youth development landscape, Dallas qualified for the playoffs behind the fourth-stingiest defense in the league, led by 20-year-old homegrown and recent U.S. National Team call-up Reggie Cannon. With current Homegrown Players like Cannon and starting goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez on the roster, along with former Academy products such as Weston McKennie (FC Schalke 04), the club is continuing its run of excellence in the space of identifying, training and signing top players. Dallas and the 10 Academy products currently on its roster will face the Portland Timbers on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET, UniMas / TVAS / TSN 1 / TSN4 / ESPN+).

Philadelphia, anchored by the youngest starting center back pairing in the league with 20-year-old Auston Trusty and 19-year-old Mark McKenzie, Jim Curtin has trusted the teenage defense to stop the likes of Josef Martinez, David Villa and Wayne Rooney this season… and they will have to stop them in just four more games if they want to earn a chance at MLS Cup beginning with NYCFC on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET, FS1 / UniMas / TVAS / TSN1 / TSN4).

The No.1 seed in the Eastern Conference, the New York Red Bulls finished second in MLS in Homegrown Player minutes this season, setting a league record with 71 regular season points, and capturing the Supporters’ Shield and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Tyler Adams, who began with the Red Bulls Academy at age 11, is the latest in a long list of stars to develop in the system and experience success with the U.S. National Team. The 19-year-old anchored the midfield for a Red Bulls squad that saw six different Homegrowns record a goal or assist for the team this season.

Could New York host MLS Cup for first time in MLS history?

Never before has MLS Cup been hosted in New York and with the Red Bulls capturing the Supporters’ Shield on Sunday, the club is only four games away from hosting the championship match at Red Bull Arena in front of their home fans.

But not so fast… how likely is that to happen?

Only seven times in the league’s 23-year history have the Supporters’ Shield winners also been crowned MLS Cup champions. And only five clubs have accomplished it.

While the LA Galaxy (2002, 2011) and D.C. United (1997, 1999) were able to pull it off twice each, Toronto FC most recently accomplished the feat during their extraordinary record-setting 2017 season. The other two clubs include Columbus Crew SC (2008) and the Kansas City Wizards (2000).

The Red Bulls (71 points) have already outpaced Toronto’s 2017 season (69 points), but their MLS Cup ambitions have been dashed in previous Supporters’ Shield-winning years with the team bowing out in the quarterfinals (2013) and the semifinals (2015).

Will the third time be the charm for these Supporters’ Shield winners?

Blistering D.C., Knockout Round sides look to defy MLS Cup odds

D.C. United’s red-hot surge garnered a Knockout Round position in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs. United and seven other clubs in action this Wednesday and Thursday will attempt to do what just three previous teams have accomplished from this starting point: win MLS Cup.

United players have downplayed their impressive 10-game unbeaten streak (7-0-3) to cap off the MLS Regular Season because the heavy postseason lifting awaits. They hope to join the 2012 LA Galaxy, 2015 Portland Timbers and 2016 Seattle Sounders FC, who won their respective championships – meaning 7.5 percent of Knockout Round teams (3 of 40 teams, from 2011-17) have defied the odds.

This year, D.C. United in the Eastern Conference and FC Dallas in the Western Conference have earned No. 4 seeds – the same position as the 2012 Galaxy and 2016 Sounders, who are the lowest-seeded teams to win MLS Cup. The Houston Dynamo, as a No. 5 in 2012, is the lowest seed to advance to MLS Cup.

Is it hopeless for the No. 5 or 6 seeds, who have never won MLS Cup? Will Columbus SC, the Philadelphia Union, Portland or Real Salt Lake be the first to break through with the title this year?

Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge locks Oct. 31

MLSsoccer.com has officially launched the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge, which allows fans to predict each round of the postseason for a chance to win MLS season tickets or a VIP driving experience at the only Formula One track in the United States.

Participants can build their own leagues, challenge friends, or join a league created by their favorite MLS clubs before brackets lock on Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. ET, when the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs kick off with Knockout Round games.

More information is available here.

MLS Cup Playoffs: Knockout Round Notes

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

No. 3 New York City FC vs. No. 6 Philadelphia Union, 7 p.m. ET (UniMas, FS1, TSN, TVA Sports)

The teams met twice during the regular season, splitting the two matches, each winning at home. Cory Burke and Ilsinho netted for the Union in a 2-0 win on Aug. 18 at Talen Energy Stadium, then Maxime Chanot and David Villa bookended an early NYCFC blitz as they rolled to a 3-1 win on Decision Day at Yankee Stadium.

NYCFC are looking to advance in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time. They have appeared in the Eastern Conference Semifinals each of the past two years, eliminated by Toronto FC (2016) and Columbus Crew SC (2017). They lost their first three postseason games before defeating Columbus in the second leg of their conference semifinal last year, despite losing on aggregate.

The Union are looking for their first-ever playoff win. They have appeared in the MLS Cup Playoffs twice previously (in 2011 and 2016), dropping all three matches played thus far. Their last appearance came in the Knockout Round in 2016, suffering a 3-0 loss at Toronto FC.

NYCFC put an end to a two-game losing slide with the Decision Day win vs. Philadelphia, their first since Sept. 26. They have won their last two home matches.

The Union come into the postseason on a two-game losing slide on the heels of a four-game undefeated run, falling to both New York clubs.

No. 4 FC Dallas vs. No. 5 Portland Timbers, 9:30 p.m. ET (UniMas, ESPN+, TSN, TVA Sports)

The teams are meeting for the second time in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Timbers advanced 5-3 on aggregate when the clubs met in the Western Conference Championship in 2015, Portland winning the first leg 3-1 at Providence Park, before the teams reached a 2-2 draw in the return match at Toyota Stadium.

The teams met twice during the regular season, playing to a pair of draws. They reached a 1-1 result March 24 in Frisco, Texas, before playing to a goalless draw Sept. 29 in Portland.

The Timbers have not won in Frisco since 2014, their only road victory in the league series between the clubs. The last two matches at Toyota Stadium have ended in draws.

FC Dallas comes into the postseason riding a three-game losing streak, after their 2-1 loss to the Colorado Rapids on Decision Day. Maximiliano Urruti’s goal early in the match put an end to a 218-minute shutout streak.

The Timbers saw a two-game winning streak come to an end on Decision Day, falling 2-1 to Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place.

Thursday, November 1

No. 4 D.C. United vs. No. 5 Columbus Crew SC, 8 p.m. ET (UniMas, FS1, TSN, TVA Sports)

The Knockout Round match renews what was once one of the most heated playoff rivalries in all of MLS – though United and Crew SC have not met in the postseason since 1999. The clubs met in three successive seasons from 1997-99, D.C. United advancing on all three occasions, including back-to-back wins in best-of-three series in the Eastern Conference Championship in ’98 and ‘99.

D.C. United are making their first appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs since 2016. They have lost their last three postseason matches, suffering a 4-2 loss to the Montréal Impact at RFK Stadium in the Knockout Round in their last playoff match.

The teams met twice in the regular season, three weeks apart early in the year. Crew SC took a 3-1 win March 24 at Mapfre Stadium, then United made the lone goal stand up for the entire match after just 43 seconds of play, for a win April 14 at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, Md.

Crew SC reached the Eastern Conference Championship a year ago, falling 1-0 to Toronto FC on aggregate, after getting past Atlanta United on penalties in the Knockout Round, then New York City 4-3 on aggregate in the semifinals. Crew SC have not scored a goal in their last 270 minutes of postseason play.

Crew SC put an end to a two-game losing slide and three-game winless run on Decision Day, defeating Minnesota United FC 3-2 at Mapfre Stadium. Gyasi Zardes scored the first hat trick of his professional career, accounting for all the Columbus goals.

D.C. United concluded their regular season with a 10-game undefeated streak (7-0-3), ending with a goalless draw with the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park on Decision Day.

No. 3 Los Angeles Football Club vs. No. 6 Real Salt Lake, 10:30 p.m. ET (UniMas, ESPN2, TSN, TVA Sports)

LAFC are looking to become only the second expansion team to win a game in the MLS Cup Playoffs. One of five expansion clubs to reach the postseason, the only one to actually win a game in the playoffs was the Chicago Fire in 1998 – coached by Bob Bradley. The Fire won all five of their games in the postseason that year (two by shootout), on their way to winning MLS Cup.

Real are making their first appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs since 2016. They have been eliminated by the other team from Los Angeles – the Galaxy – on each of their past two playoff trips, including a 3-1 loss in the Knockout Round at StubHub Center last time out.

The teams met twice during the regular season, and LAFC won both. Diego Rossi became just the sixth player in MLS history to be involved in five goals in a single game, scoring two goals and assisting on three in leading LAFC to a 5-1 win on March 31 at Rio Tinto Stadium. Christian Ramírez netted both goals in the LAFC win Aug. 15 at Banc of California Stadium.

LAFC saw a three-game undefeated streak put to an end on Decision Day, falling 2-1 to Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park. Carlos Vela netted his 14th goal of the season.

RSL had Decision Day off, their regular season coming to an end Oct. 21 in a 3-0 loss to the Portland Timbers at Providence Park.

Series: 

Topics: 

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This Week in MLS – October 30, 2018 was originally published on 365 Football

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Davis puts Southampton ahead early vs. Palace

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The post Davis puts Southampton ahead early vs. Palace appeared first on Daily Star Sports.

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Davis puts Southampton ahead early vs. Palace

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1

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Home: 13/2  Draw: 3/1  Away: 4/9  Odds from bet365 bet365

Highlights

Bayern Munich

Mainz

1:30 PM UTC

Game Details

Home: 1/7  Draw: 7/1  Away: 14/1  Odds from bet365 bet365

Liverpool

Burnley

2:00 PM UTC

Game Details

Home: 1/4  Draw: 11/2  Away: 13/1  Odds from bet365 bet365

Watford

Manchester City

2:00 PM UTC

Game Details

Home: 17/2  Draw: 19/4  Away: 1/3  Odds from bet365 bet365

Getafe

Barcelona

2:15 PM UTC

Game Details

Home: 11/1  Draw: 5/1  Away: 1/4  Odds from bet365 bet365

AS Monaco

Strasbourg

3:00 PM UTC

Game Details

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Tottenham Hotspur

Swansea City

4:30 PM UTC

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AS Roma

Hellas Verona

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Atletico Madrid

Málaga

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Orlando City SC

7:55 PM UTC

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Columbus Crew SC

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LA Galaxy

Toronto FC

2:30 AM UTC

Sep 17, 2017

Game Details

Home: 21/10  Draw: 5/2  Away: 6/5  Odds from bet365 bet365

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The post Davis puts Southampton ahead early vs. Palace appeared first on Daily Star Sports.

from https://dailystarsports.com/2017/09/16/davis-puts-southampton-ahead-early-vs-palace/ from https://dailystarsports.tumblr.com/post/165397298056

[madpicks]

New Post has been published on https://www.madpicks.com/sports/mls/mls-week-5-preview-fixtures-will-atlanta-united-cope-without-leagues-top-scorer/

MLS Week 5 preview and fixtures: How will Atlanta United cope without the league’s top scorer?

Kenwyne Jones is in for Josef Martinez, and that should make Atlanta quite a bit different. Plus what games to watch, how to watch them, and what you should keep an eye out for.

Most of MLS was off during the international break while big chunks of their squads were off playing for their countries. And during every international date, some teams get extremely unlucky with injuries. This one was no exception.

The most severe injury was one to Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget, who will miss 4-6 months. The one to Atlanta’s Josef Martinez was less severe — he’ll return sometime in May — but is slightly more immediately interesting.

Martinez has arguably been the best player in the league so far. His replacement Kenwyne Jones is certainly good enough to be an MLS starter, but is a completely different type of player. We’ll get to see how Atlanta copes on Friday night, when they play away to Seattle on FS1.

Your national TV games (all times ET)

Toronto FC vs. Sporting Kansas City — Friday, 7:30 p.m., FS1 Seattle Sounders vs. Atlanta United — Friday, 10 p.m., FS1 Columbus Crew SC vs. Orlando City — Saturday, 4 p.m., UniMas Portland Timbers vs. New England Revolution — Sunday, 9 p.m., ESPN2

The must-watch game is the one that’ll be most inconvenient for most viewers, unfortunately — that late Friday night one. Seattle vs. Atlanta should be great. But none of the teams featured on national TV this week totally stinks to watch, so they should all be worth your time.

MLS Live games, ranked

Minnesota United vs. Real Salt Lake — Saturday, 8 p.m.

Houston Dynamo vs. New York Red Bulls — Saturday, 8:30 p.m.

New York City FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes — Saturday, 2 p.m.

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. LA Galaxy — Saturday, 10 p.m.

Chicago Fire vs. Montreal Impact — Saturday, 3 p.m.

D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union — Saturday, 7 p.m.

This is probably the weakest full week of the season for great matchups. It doesn’t help that FC Dallas and Colorado Rapids are off this week. Minnesota has a bad defense and RSL has a new coach, so that game should be interesting. You can definitely skip DC-Philly.

One big storyline: Two new-look teams face off in Minnesota

Minnesota United is working on being the worst team in MLS history, and they know it. They switched to a 3-5-2 formation in the second half of their loss against the New England Revolution and could trot it out from the start this week. They’ve also reportedly made a trade for two defensive players, shipping out Josh Gatt and Mohamed Saied to make room for Sam Cronin and Marc Burch. While Cronin and Burch might not be able to start on Saturday, it wouldn’t be too shocking to see them dress, and both could slot into any formation.

Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Sam Cronin fills a big hole at defensive midfield for Minnesota

Their opponents on Saturday, Real Salt Lake, have already made a coaching change. Jeff Cassar was sent packing after just three games, with Real Monarchs coach Mike Petke getting promoted to replace him. Petke won Supporters’ Shield with New York Red Bulls in 2013, but was surprisingly fired after his second season in charge of the club.

Petke mostly favored a 4-2-3-1 formation with Red Bulls and used it in his only game in charge of Real Monarchs, but it’s probably not the best fit for the RSL squad. Kyle Beckerman wasn’t even asked to play in a pivot much in his younger days, and at 34, probably wouldn’t be great in a system that asked him to do a ton of running. What Petke’s first lineup will look like is anyone’s guess.

One player to watch: Kenwyne Jones

Atlanta United forward Josef Martinez has a league-leading five goals, but he’s going to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks after picking up an injury on international duty. Enter Kenwyne Jones, his similarly talented but extremely different backup.

Martinez is a small, quick player who’s an excellent dribbler and regularly tried to beat offside traps. In stark contrast to that, Jones is a big target man who doesn’t have quite the speed that he used to back in his Premier League days. He’s still an extremely intelligent player, great in the air and excellent at holding up the ball, but Atlanta can’t play the same way with him that they did with Martinez.

Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Expect to see a few more lofted crosses into the box, and a bit of Jones coming deep to find the ball so his teammates can make runs into the space behind him.

Four things to read before games get underway

Parker Cleveland at Dirty South Soccer on the tough four-game road trip Atlanta kicks off on Friday.

Spenser Davis at Sounder at Heart on Seattle GM Garth Lagerwey’s praise for Atlanta.

Pat Murphy at Massive Report on another trade, Tony Tchani and money for Kekuta Manneh.

Ben Baer at MLS on why Petke should turn to a diamond midfield.

[junker-town]

MLS Week 5 preview and fixtures: How will Atlanta United cope without the league’s top scorer?

Kenwyne Jones is in for Josef Martinez, and that should make Atlanta quite a bit different. Plus what games to watch, how to watch them, and what you should keep an eye out for.

Most of MLS was off during the international break while big chunks of their squads were off playing for their countries. And during every international date, some teams get extremely unlucky with injuries. This one was no exception.

The most severe injury was one to Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget, who will miss 4-6 months. The one to Atlanta’s Josef Martinez was less severe — he’ll return sometime in May — but is slightly more immediately interesting.

Martinez has arguably been the best player in the league so far. His replacement Kenwyne Jones is certainly good enough to be an MLS starter, but is a completely different type of player. We’ll get to see how Atlanta copes on Friday night, when they play away to Seattle on FS1.

Your national TV games (all times ET)

Toronto FC vs. Sporting Kansas City — Friday, 7:30 p.m., FS1 Seattle Sounders vs. Atlanta United — Friday, 10 p.m., FS1 Columbus Crew SC vs. Orlando City — Saturday, 4 p.m., UniMas Portland Timbers vs. New England Revolution — Sunday, 9 p.m., ESPN2

The must-watch game is the one that’ll be most inconvenient for most viewers, unfortunately — that late Friday night one. Seattle vs. Atlanta should be great. But none of the teams featured on national TV this week totally stinks to watch, so they should all be worth your time.

MLS Live games, ranked

Minnesota United vs. Real Salt Lake — Saturday, 8 p.m.

Houston Dynamo vs. New York Red Bulls — Saturday, 8:30 p.m.

New York City FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes — Saturday, 2 p.m.

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. LA Galaxy — Saturday, 10 p.m.

Chicago Fire vs. Montreal Impact — Saturday, 3 p.m.

D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union — Saturday, 7 p.m.

This is probably the weakest full week of the season for great matchups. It doesn’t help that FC Dallas and Colorado Rapids are off this week. Minnesota has a bad defense and RSL has a new coach, so that game should be interesting. You can definitely skip DC-Philly.

One big storyline: Two new-look teams face off in Minnesota

Minnesota United is working on being the worst team in MLS history, and they know it. They switched to a 3-5-2 formation in the second half of their loss against the New England Revolution and could trot it out from the start this week. They’ve also reportedly made a trade for two defensive players, shipping out Josh Gatt and Mohamed Saied to make room for Sam Cronin and Marc Burch. While Cronin and Burch might not be able to start on Saturday, it wouldn’t be too shocking to see them dress, and both could slot into any formation.

Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Sam Cronin fills a big hole at defensive midfield for Minnesota

Their opponents on Saturday, Real Salt Lake, have already made a coaching change. Jeff Cassar was sent packing after just three games, with Real Monarchs coach Mike Petke getting promoted to replace him. Petke won Supporters’ Shield with New York Red Bulls in 2013, but was surprisingly fired after his second season in charge of the club.

Petke mostly favored a 4-2-3-1 formation with Red Bulls and used it in his only game in charge of Real Monarchs, but it’s probably not the best fit for the RSL squad. Kyle Beckerman wasn’t even asked to play in a pivot much in his younger days, and at 34, probably wouldn’t be great in a system that asked him to do a ton of running. What Petke’s first lineup will look like is anyone’s guess.

One player to watch: Kenwyne Jones

Atlanta United forward Josef Martinez has a league-leading five goals, but he’s going to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks after picking up an injury on international duty. Enter Kenwyne Jones, his similarly talented but extremely different backup.

Martinez is a small, quick player who’s an excellent dribbler and regularly tried to beat offside traps. In stark contrast to that, Jones is a big target man who doesn’t have quite the speed that he used to back in his Premier League days. He’s still an extremely intelligent player, great in the air and excellent at holding up the ball, but Atlanta can’t play the same way with him that they did with Martinez.

Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Expect to see a few more lofted crosses into the box, and a bit of Jones coming deep to find the ball so his teammates can make runs into the space behind him.

Four things to read before games get underway

Parker Cleveland at Dirty South Soccer on the tough four-game road trip Atlanta kicks off on Friday.

Spenser Davis at Sounder at Heart on Seattle GM Garth Lagerwey’s praise for Atlanta.

Pat Murphy at Massive Report on another trade, Tony Tchani and money for Kekuta Manneh.

Ben Baer at MLS on why Petke should turn to a diamond midfield.

[letterstotrixie]

A Simple Schedule for When to Wear Your Colors

Dear Trixie,

Hey, kiddo.  So, the Sounders played last weekend but it was an international friendly.  We’ll discuss friendlies more in depth at a later date but, the long and short of it is: the result will have no bearing on team, a B-squad will usually comprise a good portion of the starting XI, and, in my opinion, these international club level friendlies are somehow more worthless than preseason games.

So instead, at your mom’s request (and this just goes to show her foresight and thoughtfulness), let’s get the Hoang household on the same page as far as schedule.  That way, your gear will be ready to go on match day.

So, we have 34 games in an MLS season.  17 home and 17 away.  With the addition of expansion sides in Minnesota and Atlanta, the league is composed of 22 teams with 11 in each conference.  Each team plays 23 matches against teams within their conference and 11 matches against teams from the other conference.  Does this work out into a nice, even way?  No.  No, Trixie it does not.  Would it be smarter to lose one match from the year and play a home-away series inter-conference and 11 out of conference matches with hosts alternating annually?  Probably.  But Trix, I’m not MLS Commissioner.  So we get what Don Garber says we get.  (There’s also US Open Cup and CCL but, since this is complicated enough, let’s stick to regular season.  For now, at least.)

So, here’s the 2017 season for the Sounders:

Sat, Mar 4 @ Houston Dynamo 5:30p Sat, Mar 11 @ Montreal Impact 4:00p Sun, Mar 19 vs New York Red Bulls 4:00p Fri, Mar 31 vs Atlanta United FC 7:00p Sat, Apr 8 @ San Jose Earthquakes7:30p Fri, Apr 14 @ Vancouver Whitecaps FC 7:00p Sun, Apr 23 @ LA Galaxy 1:00p Sat, Apr 29 vs New England Revolution 7:00p Sat, May 6 vs Toronto FC 1:00p Sat, May 13 @ Chicago Fire 5:30p Wed, May 17 @ Sporting Kansas City 5:30p Sat, May 20 vs Real Salt Lake 2:00p Sat, May 27 vs Portland Timbers 12:00p Wed, May 31 @ Columbus Crew SC 4:30p Sun, Jun 4 vs Houston Dynamo 7:00p Sat, Jun 17 @ New York City FC 10:00a Wed, Jun 21 vs Orlando City SC 7:30p Sun, Jun 25 @ Portland Timbers 1:00p Tue, Jul 4 @ Colorado Rapids 6:00p Wed, Jul 19 vs D.C. United 7:30p Sun, Jul 23 vs San Jose Earthquakes 7:00p Sat, Jul 29 @ LA Galaxy TBD Sat, Aug 5 @ Minnesota United FC 5:00p Sat, Aug 12 vs Sporting Kansas City 1:00p Sun, Aug 20 vs Minnesota United FC 7:00p Wed, Aug 23 @ Vancouver Whitecaps FC 7:00pm Sun, Aug 27 vs Portland Timbers 6:30p Sun, Sep 10 vs LA Galaxy 6:00p Sat, Sep 16 @ FC Dallas 5:00p Sat, Sep 23 @ Real Salt Lake 6:30p Wed, Sep 27 vs Vancouver Whitecaps FC 7:30pm Sun, Oct 1 @ Philadelphia Union 10:00a Sun, Oct 15 vs FC Dallas 2:00p Sun, Oct 22 vs Colorado Rapids 1:00p

When you see “vs,” that means a home game and when you see “@,” that means we’re playing away.  You’ll notice a couple of TBD’s for time on the Galaxy games.  They’re prima donnas, so sometimes we have to wait until LA’s front office isn’t “washing their hair” to lock down when we’ll actually be playing.  If you want to match your kit to the team, they usually make an announcement about what colors will be worn, but generally rave green at home and whatever our secondary kit looks like when we’re away.  There’s a third kit too which gets trotted out for competitions but those are going away after this season.  Again, Don Garber says so (it’s not fair; don’t try to make sense of it).  Visuals below.

Rave green for home.  This is our most traditional color.

Smolder in the rave green, Deuce.

This year they trotted out a new away kit called Heritage (they alternate release years btw).  It’s based on on the NASL days and comes with a strong warning from me not to eat while wearing.

White jerseys don’t work well with ketchup or nacho cheese.  The star looks good though.

That’s real Head Coach Brian Schmetzer holding his real jersey from several decades ago.  LEGIT.

Our third kit gets brought out and dusted off for competitions outside of MLS, for big rivalry games, and when our colors match our opponents to closely.  Like fine china or formal wear, it’s reserved for special occasions.

Third kit for third wheel competitions.  Note: Tyrone Mears is not a third wheel.  Even if he is playing for Atlanta right now.

Ok, now you’ve got a schedule and you know about the kits we’re wearing this season.  Next game is on Friday, Trix.  OH!  And there’s a super important World Cup Qualifier tonight for the USA Men’s National Team.  Sorry about not letting you know earlier, I’ve had trouble posting.  I’ll get you a schedule on that ASAP, but throw on some red, white, and blue; first kick is 7pm PST!

Nationalistically Yours,

Uncle Nick

[pelangislot]

JADWAL PERTANDINGAN BOLA 07 – 08 OKTOBER 2020

JAPAN J1 LEAGUE

07/10 17:00 Sagan Tosu vs Gamba Osaka 1/2 : 0

JAPAN J-LEAGUE YBC LEVAIN CUP

07/10 17:00 Kawasaki Frontale vs FC Tokyo 0 : 3/4 07/10 17:00 Yokohama F.Marinos vs Kashiwa Reysol 0 : 1/4

SCOTLAND LEAGUE CUP

08/10 01:45 Airdrieonians vs Alloa Athletic 0 : 0 08/10 01:45 Brechin City vs Dundee United 2 1/4 : 0 08/10 01:45 Hibernian vs Brora Rangers 0 : 2 1/2 08/10 01:45 Kelty Hearts FC vs Saint Johnstone 2 1/4 : 0 08/10 01:45 Montrose vs Ross County 1 1/2 : 0 08/10 01:45 Saint Mirren vs Partick Thistle 0 : 1 1/2

NORWAY OBOS LIGAEN

07/10 23:00 Ham-Kam vs FK Jerv 0 : 1/2

JAPAN J3 LEAGUE

07/10 11:00 Iwate Grulla Morioka vs Kamatamare Sanuki 0 : 1/4 07/10 11:00 Fukushima United vs Cerezo Osaka U23 0 : 1/2 07/10 11:00 Azul Claro Numazu vs Vanraure Hachinohe FC 0 : 1/4 07/10 11:00 FC Imabari vs FC Gifu 1/4 : 0 07/10 15:00 Fujieda MYFC vs Kataller Toyama 0 : 1/4 07/10 16:00 Blaublitz Akita vs Yokohama SCC 0 : 2 07/10 17:00 SC Sagamihara vs Gamba Osaka U23 0 : 3/4 07/10 17:00 AC Nagano Parceiro vs Roasso Kumamoto 0 : 1/4 07/10 17:00 Gainare Tottori vs Kagoshima United FC 0 : 1/4

ENGLISH NATIONAL LEAGUE

08/10 01:45 Notts County vs Altrincham 0 : 1 1/4

ITALY SERIE C

07/10 20:00 S.S. Matelica Calcio vs FC Sudtirol 1/4 : 0 07/10 20:00 Ternana vs Palermo 0 : 1/4 07/10 20:00 Triestina vs Modena FC 2018 0 : 1/4 07/10 20:00 Virtus Francavilla vs Vibonese 0 : 1/2 07/10 22:15 Piacenza vs Livorno 0 : 0 07/10 23:30 ASD Turris Calcio vs AS Viterbese Castrense 0 : 1/4 07/10 23:30 Carpi vs Alma Juventus Fano 0 : 3/4 07/10 23:30 Catania vs Juve Stabia 0 : 1/2 07/10 23:30 Catanzaro vs Paganese 0 : 1 07/10 23:30 Cavese vs SSC Bari 1/2 : 0

ITALY SERIE C

07/10 23:30 Lucchese Libertas vs US Grosseto 1912 0 : 1/4 07/10 23:30 Olbia Calcio vs Pro Patria 0 : 0 07/10 23:30 Pistoiese vs Pergolettese 0 : 0 08/10 01:45 Albinoleffe vs Pro Sesto 0 : 1/2 08/10 01:45 Carrarese vs Pontedera 0 : 1/4 08/10 01:45 Lecco vs Alessandria 1/4 : 0 08/10 01:45 Novara vs Giana Erminio 0 : 3/4 08/10 01:45 Padova vs Mantova 0 : 3/4 08/10 01:45 Potenza vs FC Casertana 0 : 1/4 08/10 01:45 Ravenna vs Vis Pesaro 0 : 1/4 08/10 01:45 Renate vs Pro Vercelli 0 : 1/4 08/10 01:45 Virtus Verona vs FC Legnago Salus 0 : 1/2

GERMANY REGIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

07/10 21:30 Luneburger SK Hansa vs Eintracht Norderstedt 1/4 : 0 07/10 21:30 Holstein Kiel Am vs Heider SV 0 : 1 1/2 08/10 00:00 St. Pauli Am vs Phonix Lubeck 0 : 3/4 08/10 00:30 Altona 93 vs FC Teutonia 1905 3/4 : 0 07/10 21:30 SV Atlas vs HSC Hannover 0 : 1/2 08/10 00:00 TSV Havelse vs VfL Wolfsburg Am 0 : 1/2 08/10 00:00 Hannover 96 Am vs SSV Jeddeloh 0 : 1/2 08/10 00:00 BSV SW Rehden vs VfV 06 Hildesheim 0 : 3/4

SWEDEN ETTAN NORTH

07/10 23:00 IFK Berga vs IK Frej 1/2 : 0 07/10 23:00 Sandvikens IF vs Vasalunds IF 1/2 : 0 07/10 23:00 Karlslunds IF HFK vs IF Sylvia 1/2 : 0 08/10 00:00 Taby FK vs Sollentuna FK 0 : 0 08/10 00:30 IFK Haninge vs Gefle 0 : 3/4 08/10 01:00 Brommapojkarna vs Orebro Syrianska IF 0 : 2 1/2

SWEDEN ETTAN SOUTH

07/10 23:00 Tvaakers IF vs Lunds BK 0 : 1/4 07/10 23:00 FK Karlskrona vs Oskarshamns AIK 1/2 : 0 08/10 00:00 Landskrona BoIS vs Torns IF 0 : 3/4 08/10 01:00 Assyriska Turabdin IK [n] vs Motala AIF 0 : 3/4 08/10 01:00 IFK Varnamo vs FC Linkoping City 0 : 1 1/2 08/10 01:00 Lindome GIF vs Eskilsminne IF 0 : 1 1/4 08/10 01:00 Utsiktens BK vs Skovde AIK 0 : 3/4 08/10 01:00 FC Trollhattan vs Qviding FIF 0 : 3/4

USA MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

08/10 06:00 Atlanta United vs Orlando City 1/4 : 0 08/10 06:00 New York Red Bulls vs Inter Miami CF 0 : 1/2 08/10 06:30 Columbus Crew vs vs Montreal Impact 0 : 1 1/4 08/10 06:30 New England Revolution vs Toronto FC 0 : 1/4 08/10 06:30 Philadelphia Union vs FC Cincinnati 0 : 1 1/4 08/10 07:00 Houston Dynamo vs FC Dallas 0 : 1/2 08/10 07:00 New York City FC vs D.C. United 0 : 1 08/10 07:00 Sporting Kansas City vs Chicago Fire 0 : 1 08/10 08:00 Colorado Rapids vs Los Angeles FC 1/4 : 0 08/10 09:00 Seattle Sounders vs Real Salt Lake 0 : 3/4 08/10 09:30 LA Galaxy vs Portland Timbers 0 : 1/2 08/10 09:30 San Jose Earthquakes vs Vancouver Whitecaps 0 : 1

BRAZIL SERIE A

08/10 06:30 Goias vs Fluminense 1/4 : 0 08/10 05:00 Corinthians vs Santos 0 : 1/4 08/10 05:15 Flamengo vs Sport Club do Recife 0 : 1 1/4 08/10 05:15 Gremio Porto Alegre vs Coritiba 0 : 1 08/10 05:15 Bahia vs Vasco da Gama 0 : 1/4 08/10 06:30 Sao Paulo vs Atletico Goianiense 0 : 1/2 08/10 07:30 Botafogo RJ vs Palmeiras 1/4 : 0 08/10 07:30 Fortaleza vs Atletico Mineiro 3/4 : 0

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY

07/10 23:00 Cyprus vs Czech Republic 3/4 : 0 07/10 23:00 Denmark vs Faroe Islands 0 : 2 1/4 07/10 23:00 Estonia vs Lithuania 0 : 1/4 07/10 23:00 Malta vs Gibraltar 0 : 3/4 07/10 23:00 Montenegro vs Latvia 0 : 1 1/4 08/10 01:15 Luxembourg vs Liechtenstein 0 : 3/4 08/10 01:30 Austria vs Greece 0 : 3/4

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY

08/10 01:45 Portugal vs Spain 1/4 : 0 07/10 20:00 Zambia vs Malawi 0 : 1/2 08/10 01:45 Germany vs Turkey 0 : 1 1/4 08/10 01:45 Switzerland vs Croatia 0 : 1/4 08/10 01:45 Holland vs Mexico 0 : 3/4 08/10 01:45 Poland vs Finland 0 : 3/4 08/10 01:45 Slovenia vs San Marino 0 : 3 3/4 08/10 01:45 Italy vs Moldova 0 : 3 1/2 08/10 02:10 France vs Ukraine 0 : 1 1/2

[365footballorg-blog]

Playoff Scenarios: Four spots remain as Decision Day looms near

October 19, 20181:45PM EDT

After 32 matches (33 for two teams), eight of the 12 spots in the 2018 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs are claimed. Here are the scenarios for the remaining four spots — plus the keen Supporters’ Shield battle between Atlanta United and the New York Red Bulls — heading into a full slate of weekend matches. 

RELATED: Live standings

Atlanta United

Atlanta United will clinch the Supporters’ Shield if:

Atlanta United win vs. Chicago Fire and …

NY Red Bulls lose vs. Philadelphia Union

Columbus Crew SC

Columbus Crew SC will clinch a berth in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs if:

Columbus Crew SC win vs. Orlando City SC

– OR –

Montreal Impact lose or tie vs. Toronto FC

D.C. United

D.C. United will clinch a berth in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs if:

D.C. United win vs. NYCFC

– OR –

Montreal Impact lose vs. Toronto FC

– OR –

D.C. United tie vs. NYCFC and …

Montreal Impact tie vs. Toronto FC

FC Dallas will clinch the top seed in the Western Conference if:

FC Dallas win vs. Sporting KC and …

LAFC lose vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

FC Dallas will clinch a first-round bye in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs if:

FC Dallas win vs. Sporting KC

– OR –

FC Dallas tie vs. Sporting KC and …

LAFC lose vs. Vancouver Whitecaps and …

Seattle Sounders lose or tie vs. Houston Dynamo

LA Galaxy will be eliminated from playoff contention if:

LA Galaxy lose or tie vs. Minnesota United

Montreal Impact

Montreal Impact will be eliminated from playoff contention if:

Montreal Impact lose vs. Toronto FC

– OR –

Montreal Impact tie vs. Toronto FC and …

D.C. United win or tie vs. NYCFC

– OR –

Columbus Crew SC win vs. Orlando City SC and …

D.C. United win vs. NYCFC

Portland Timbers

Portland Timbers will clinch a berth in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs if:

Portland Timbers win or tie vs. Real Salt Lake

– OR –

LA Galaxy lose or tie vs. Minnesota United

Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake will clinch a berth in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs if:

Real Salt Lake win vs. Portland Timbers

– OR –

Real Salt Lake tie vs. Portland Timbers and …

LA Galaxy lose or tie vs. Minnesota United

– OR –

LA Galaxy lose or tie vs. Minnesota United and …

Vancouver Whitecaps lose or tie vs. LAFC

Vancouver Whitecaps

Vancouver Whitecaps will be eliminated from playoff contention if:

Vancouver Whitecaps lose or tie vs. LAFC

– OR –

Real Salt Lake win or tie vs. Portland Timbers

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MLSsoccer.com News

Playoff Scenarios: Four spots remain as Decision Day looms near was originally published on 365 Football

[365footballorg-blog]

Armchair Analyst: What's at stake for all 22 MLS teams in action in Week 34

October 19, 201812:45PM EDT

The regular season’s penultimate weekend. At this point you probably know – broadly speaking – every team’s tactics. So let’s take a look at what’s at stake in all 11 games this weekend.

Bear in mind that the Revs, who were throttled 4-1 at RSL on Thursday night, are the only team who won’t take the field.

Here we go:

The Early Games

Atlanta United vs. Chicago Fire 3 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

The Supporters’ Shield, maybe? Home field throughout the playoffs? Maybe a good chunk of Tata Martino’s legacy – and Josef Martinez’s – before he maybe heads south to take over El Tri?

What Tata’s built has been magnificent, and this team will be remembered for a good, long time, no matter what happens. But in order for the Atlanta United Way™ to become the league blueprint, it needs to be sealed with more than just big transfer fees and individual accolades. Martino’s team needs to win a trophy, and it’s hard to imagine they’d win one if they figure out a way to drop home points to this Chicago team at this stage in the season.

Josef, meanwhile, needs to make one last push to cement his MVP credentials. It was unquestionable at this time last month, but he’s gone dry while Zlatan has led the Galaxy on something of a playoff push. This game, with Miguel Almiron out and silverware in the balance, is the perfect venue to remind people of whose team it is.

The elephant in the room is Ezequiel Barco. With Almiron out, it seems like this is the kid’s chance to take the reins:

He has the on-the-ball skill to play that role. So far he has not displayed anything close to the kind of vision necessary.

At stake for Chicago is absolutely nothing but pride. I was surprised that Veljko Paunovic was so sanguine about his future in Bridgeview, but there it is.

D.C. United vs. NYCFC 3 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

The old axiom is “games in hand don’t mean anything unless you use them” and I’ll go ahead and say it: No team in MLS history has used its games in hand as well as D.C. United. A win here and they are officially into the playoffs, and will have gotten there by going 11-2-3 since the midway point of the season. Here’s what that climb looks like:

They could be in fifth by the end of the weekend (unlikely since Columbus play Orlando City, but still), and possessed of an outside chance at winding up in third place by the end of Decision Day presented by AT&T.

Which tells you what’s on the line for a reeling NYCFC team. D.C.’s great run of form started on July 28, while on July 29 NYCFC forgot how to soccer and haven’t rediscovered it since. They’re 2-5-4 in their last 11 games and are in danger of playing themselves into a road trip for the Knockout Round – deadly for a side that’s been not great away from Yankee Stadium.

A single point for the visitors here would be ginormous as it would virtually guarantee home field in the Knockout Round.

Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC 3 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

It’s win or die for the Impact, who’ve gone 10-5-4 since the start of June and have really, really had their moments. But they’ve had some notable lapses as well, including a pretty comprehensive 3-1 loss to this same TFC team at the end of August.

For the Reds there’s nothing but pride and hatred of a rival on the line. There’s obviously no salvaging this season for TFC – that ship sailed sometime in late July, and has been making for the horizon ever since – but at the very least they could do the honors of knocking out their most loathed enemy. I personally find the ability to deliver a helping of schadenfreude to be good fuel.

Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew SC 3 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

Crew SC fans were big winners last week, and are on the verge of doubling it up here as a win against the worst team in the league (sorry Quakes, I know what the standings say but c’mon) gets them through to the playoffs and keeps alive the fight for home field in the Knockout Round. As it stands they’re fifth behind the Union, but Philly have much tougher games down the stretch – home vs. RBNY, at NYCFC – than Columbus do (at Orlando, home vs. MNUFC).

Friendly reminder that the last time these two teams met, the Purple Lions took Columbus deep into stoppage time before Wil Trapp found the game-winner from 35 yards:

Columbus don’t need more of that, though. They’re still in desperate need of goals from their wingers, and until they get that they should be considered prohibitive underdogs once they get into the playoffs (which they will).

Orlando are 1-19-3 since their six-game unbeaten run ended back in May, taking six of the last 69 points on offer. On Wednesday they lost 2-1 at home to a shorthanded Seattle team, in the process setting a new record for defensive futility (their 72 goals conceded is the most in MLS history). They’ve not had a nice season.

My colleague Bobby Warshaw detailed their midweek struggles HERE. 

Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls 3 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

All that stuff at the top about the Shield being on the line for Atlanta should they drop points to Chicago? That’s predicated upon the idea that the Red Bulls will get full points here, which is not a particularly great bet. Philly are unbeaten in four, and are 9-3-2 in MLS play since the middle of July. In the Eastern Conference just D.C. and RBNY have had better records (and only slightly better).

And these teams have already met twice this year. Philly got a scoreless draw in Harrison back in May, and then been RBNY 2-1 in Open Cup play in Chester a month later.

This all by way of saying that the Union have been really, really good for about the last six months, and if they win this they come pretty close to solidifying home field in the Knockout Round.

RBNY, meanwhile, need three points or their Shield hopes are pretty close to done. Both teams should throw caution to the wind here because a draw helps neither.

The Late Games

FC Dallas vs. Sporting KC 5 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

Dallas remain atop the West despite their indifferent second half of the season form, as they’ve gone just 6-5-4 since the midpoint of 2018. Obviously that’s not so great, and obviously the problem is their attack. While they’ve had some good moments, those have come in fits and starts and have proved to be unreliable/unrepeatable.

To that point: In their past five games they’ve been shut out three times and have scored just two goals from the run of play, both of those against what is literally the worst defense in MLS history. On top of that, they’ve only beaten one playoff team in the second half of the year.

Of course that playoff team was Sporting KC, at Sporting, back on July 28 in a fun and high-scoring 3-2 affair. We were all so young then.

If FCD lose here then SKC jump them and move into the top spot in the West, and LAFC most likely skip past them as well. It’s not nothing – I’m sure they’d prefer to have the whole week after Decision Day to rest up, rather than having to play in the Knockout Round – but it’s also not the biggest deal in the world, either.

SKC were sluggish and bad for their first 60 minutes on Wednesday in Vancouver, then fun and rampant for the final 30 of a 4-1 win:

Clever ball here from 16-yr-old  Gianluca Busio, who made his 7th MLS appearance last night for Sporting KC and got his first MLS goal. The first 10 of his 30 mins were rough, but he grew into the game and hit several insightful passes. KC scored 3 after he came on. #VANvSKC pic.twitter.com/DeE9YBv3GQ

— Scuffed (@zlebmada) October 18, 2018

Busio’s fun, but with Felipe Gutierrez back it’s unlikely he plays much this weekend.

Anyway, Wednesday’s big win means it’s super unlikely SKC will fall out of the top four and into yet another road Knockout Round game, but that chance does still exist. A single point here guarantees (not mathematically, but there’s no way the Timbers are making up 17 goals worth of tiebreaker in the final two weeks) fourth place at the very worst, and a home playoff game in Kansas for the first time since everybody froze to death at MLS Cup 2013.

Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders 5 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

Let’s give it up for the Sounders, who dug an even deeper hole in the first half of 2018 than they had in 2017 or 2016, and responded by putting together literally the longest real(*) winning streak in league history, and the best half-season PPG in league history. They are playing good, pretty and winning soccer no matter what Bobby says.

And on Wednesday in Orlando, without Nicolas Lodeiro or Gustav Svensson or Raul Ruidiaz, they calmly and comprehensively clinched a playoff berth for the 10th straight season. 

Here’s the kicker: Their work’s not done yet. Given how their respective schedules map out, it seems pretty likely that we’re destined for a Seattle v. Portland game in the Knockout Round. And while the Sounders are currently in fourth, it’s only by two points and the Timbers have a manageable final two games. Seattle need to keep their run going unless they want to open the playoffs on short rest at their biggest rival’s home.

Since they raised the US Open Cup trophy last month the Dynamo have been playing like a team making offseason plans, including a 4-1 loss to this same Seattle team. 

LAFC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps 5 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

Vancouver’s season ended over the past 48 hours. Not mathematically as they can still get to 49 points and 14 wins, but they’re not making up a -14 goal differential. It’s done.

So what do they throw out there against an LAFC team that’s made a habit of carving up bad defenses, and are 6-1-2 in their last nine?

Honestly, it shouldn’t matter. If LAFC are as good as I think they are, and as good as they’re supposed to be, they’ll go out there and win this one comfortably no matter how the ‘Caps line up.

This tweet is correct, by the way:

The most important part of #LAFC’s big win was Carlos Vela assisting a goal by Adama Diomande, because they had really lacked chemistry before tonight. Crucial that they develop a stronger connection in the final third, going into the playoffs.#LAFCvHOU #MLS pic.twitter.com/UokXk8AY5W

— #ThankYouDeuce (@JogaBonito_USA) October 13, 2018

This is what needs to continue for the Wingdings. And I need to see them be a little smoother playing from the back than they were last week.

Minnesota United vs. LA Galaxy 5 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

Minnesota United finished last year on 36 points, with 70 goals conceded and a -23 goal differential.

In 2018 they signed one home run of a DP in Darwin Quintero, and with two weeks left are on… 36 points, with 65 goals conceded and a -19 goal differential. Injuries have made for some extenuating circumstances, but 1) there has been minimal improvement, and 2) I don’t entirely believe this:

Just off the phone with Minnesota United CEO Chris Wright, who reiterated his support for Loons coach Adrian Heath and GM Manny Lagos in the wake of his “passing grade” comments to @theothermegryan last week.

He said Heath and Lagos will be back in their current roles in 2019.

— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) October 4, 2018

If Minnesota finish their season with a home loss to the lowly Rapids, and then a home loss to the Galaxy, and then go on the road and lose at Columbus (which I’m pretty sure they will), and show basically zero year-over-year improvement, it’s fair to assume their brain trust has been graded on a curve.

It’s simple for the Galaxy: They win or their season ends.

It’s safe to assume there will be major changes coming to Carson this offseason regardless of whether LA make the playoffs or not, but guys are very much playing and coaching for jobs here. Also bear in mind that the MVP race could actually get pretty real, and if Zlatan – who is, by the way, in the process of setting a league record for goals + assists per 90 – really is the god he says he is, this would be a good weekend to show it.

Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake 5 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

If RSL hadn’t come out on Thursday night and absolutely drilled the Revs, this would be hands-down the biggest game of the weekend. Worth noting, for those of you with ESPN+ and a hankering for USMNT candidates: In a must-win game, in the playoff race, rookie Homegrown Corey Baird put in the best attacking performance any American’s had this year in MLS. He utterly dominated the first half, and while I’m not screaming “cap him now!!!!111” I am, at the very least, saying “bring him to camp in January!”

Baird kind of flew under the radar because he chose to go to Stanford at age 17 instead of signing a pro contract. And he could’ve signed a pro contract either in MLS or Europe, and has spent most of this season going out there and proving why. His 8g/5a in 1900 minutes this year compare pretty favorably to other youngish attackers Albert Rusnak (10g/7a in 2500 minutes), Alphonso Davies (6g/11a in 2250 minutes) and Michael Barrios (6g/6a in 2350 minutes).

So yeah, Thursday night took a lot of the drama out of this game – which, for clarity, is RSL’s last of the year – but not all the drama because the Galaxy are still lurking and Zlatan is still talking big. If RSL lose or tie, and LA win out, they jump the Claret-and-Cobalt in the standings and another season in Utah ends before November arrives.

There is also a non-zero chance Portland miss the playoffs, though it is small: They would have to lose this game and their Decision Day trip to Vancouver, and LA would have to win out. It would be a pretty crazy confluence of events, but this is MLS and this is the year 2018, so who’s brave enough to bet against it?

But the more realistic “what’s at stake?” answer is “playoff seeding.” Just like Seattle don’t want to start their playoffs on the road against a rival, same goes for Portland. That trip up I-5 has not treated them kindly over the years.

Quick reminder that, two weeks ago at Rio Tinto, Portland stuffed RSL in the trash.

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Colorado Rapids 5 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

There is nothing at stake in this game except pride, and maybe the chance for a few Quakes players to impress future head coach Matias Almeyda.

EDIT: Somehow I forgot about #WondoWatch. He’ll probably bag a brace now and claim the record in front of his home fans, which would be pretty dope.

One More Thing to Ponder

That’s a single image. Perspective is fun.

Happy weekending, everybody.

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Armchair Analyst: What's at stake for all 22 MLS teams in action in Week 34 was originally published on 365 Football

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Fantasy: How to take advantage of the final double-game week in Week 34

October 17, 20183:43PM EDT

Reid, Mike, and Blayne are joined by Tim to review the penultimate round of the 2018 Fantasy season. They start the show by giving LAFC the credit they are due before moving into the revised format for round reviews and previews (feedback wanted on the new format). They have a great discussion about the value of D.C. United midfielders vs defenders and toss around ideas about how to integrate away players into your lineup…if you dare! It’s the final DGW of the season so be sure to listen before games kickoff on Wednesday at 7:30 pm ET.

Round 33 was short, and a high fantasy score mostly depended on avoiding the Minnesota vs. Colorado trap and picking Carlos Vela as your captain. If you did, I hope you enjoyed your 54 fantasy points! If not, you can make up for those lost points now, as Week 34 is the last double-game week of 2018.

There are a lot of tempting possibilities this week, but a top score will depend on finding a balance between promising double-away and single-game week player. Below are some of my favorite options for Week 34.

Double-Game: D.C, United, Orlando City, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City, Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps

Bye Teams: None

Keepers

Bill Hamid has two home games this week with D.C. United | USA Today Sports Images

Home Stretch: D.C. United are close to sealing a playoff berth thought impossible a few short months ago. A part of this success is thanks to the return of Bill Hamid ($ 8.4), who has helped D.C. win close games and tripled the number of clean sheets this year. Hamid has a great shot at starting the round off with his 4th shutout of the season as we may see rotation in Toronto’s starting XI on Wednesday night (7:30 pm ET | TSN2 — Full TV & streaming info). 

Road Wall: If you’d rather save your D.C. picks for the field, then consider Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei ($ 7.5). At first glance, a double-road gameweek may seem unfavorable, but the Sounders have the league’s top road defense and have won four of their last five road games. Two clean sheets is not out of the question. The Houston Dynamo will be missing key attacking players Sunday (5 pm ET | TV & streaming info) and Orlando enters Wednesday night (7:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info) in a slump.

Defenders

Graham Zusi is a two-way threat from his outside back position, on a team that plays two games this week | USA Today Sports Images

Double Threat: If you’re looking for a defender who can generate points on both side of the field, start with SKC fullback Graham Zusi ($ 10.5). He’s averaging over seven points per game and has only scored less than four once thanks to his bonus point generation. His first game against a weakened Vancouver side is his best shot for a clean sheet, but he could see more success later if his current form holds against FC Dallas on Sunday (5 pm ET | TV & streaming info).

Value Option: If you can’t afford an expensive defender, then go with D.C. center back Frederic Brillant ($ 6.5). He’s the cheapest option if you want coverage for D.C.’s double-home games and has earned an average of eight points per game since working back into Ben Olsen’s starting XI.

Midfielders

Despite Orlando’s continuing slump, midfield talisman Sacha Kljestan could be a big fantasy producer this week | USA Today Sports Images

Underdog: If you want a differential player with more than one game this week, then consider Orlando playmaker Sacha Kljestan ($ 6.5). Yes the Lions are a longshot, but their final two home games could end in their favor. Seattle may be without key attackers on Wednesday night (7:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info). And Columbus Crew SC is currently experiences its own dip in form entering a Sunday encounter (3 pm ET | TV & streaming info). Kljestan, on the other hand, is a player with a proven history for fantasy point generation and his low price makes him an ideal switcheroo.

Lineup Watch: This is the final week of the season for RSL, and many managers may be hoping that the pressure results in big fantasy scores. However, I am concerned that international call-ups and suspensions will hurt their chances against the New England Revolution on Thursday night (9 pm ET | TV & streaming info) and that on Sunday, Portland will hand out another blowout (5 pm ET | TV & streaming info). If you have more faith, Albert Rusnak ($ 11.8) is your best option for points, but watch for the roster on Thursday and have a backup plan.

Forwards

Target Man: Round 34 offers no shortage of quality forwards, and that means that most managers will likely use all three spots. It’s usually easy to fill the first two spots, so if you’re still looking for that third player, don’t forget about Kei Kamara ($ 11.5), who’s scored a goal or earned an assist in six of his last eight games. With several key players missing for Vancouver, Kamara will be the go-to man for the offense against both Sporting KC on Wednesday (10:00 pm ET | TSN — Full TV & streaming info) and LAFC.

SGW Option: If you’re looking for the ideal single-game week player for your front three, my top pick is LAFC maestro Carlos Vela ($ 13.1). His recent offensive success is likely to continue against Vancouver on Sunday (5:00 pm ET | TSN — Full TV & streaming info), but he earns my top spot mostly due to concerns I have with the other top two options. Sebastian Giovinco ($ 14.4): Will he play? I don’t know. Now that Toronto is out, I could see rotations. Josef Martinez ($ 12.6): A promising game against the Chicago Fire, but he could experience more defensive pressure without Almiron.

WHICH PLAYERS are you considering for Round 34?

FOR MORE fantasy advice, be sure to check out the articles and charts posted at MLSFantasyBoss.com.

Stay Connected: To get all the latest Fantasy news and advice, download the MLS app and sign up for MLS Fantasy notifications. To sign up for notifications, select the main menu, then choose settings. Within the settings menu, select News & Videos notifications and turn on notifications for “Fantasy Soccer.”

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Fantasy: How to take advantage of the final double-game week in Week 34 was originally published on 365 Football

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PRO announces assignments for Week 34 of the 2018 MLS season

USA Today Sports Images

October 16, 20182:56PM EDT

The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) has released referee assignments for Week 34 of the MLS season:

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 17

Orlando City vs. Seattle Sounders

Orlando City Stadium (7:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info)

REF: Mark Geiger

AR1: Brian Poeschel

AR2: Jose Da Silva

4TH: Rubiel Vazquez

VAR: Christopher Penso

D.C. United vs. Toronto FC

Audi Field (7:30 pm ET | TSN – Full TV & streaming info)

REF: Allen Chapman

AR1: Corey Rockwell

AR2: Jason White

4TH: Marcos DeOliveira

VAR: Edvin Jurisevic

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Sporting Kansas City

BC Place (10 pm ET | TSN – Full TV & streaming info)

REF: Armando Villarreal

AR1: Ian Anderson

AR2: Chris Wattam

4TH: Joseph Dickerson

VAR: Tim Ford

THURSDAY, OCT. 18

Real Salt Lake vs. New England Revolution

Rio Tinto Stadium (9 pm ET | TV & streaming info)

REF: Jair Marrufo

AR1: Jeffrey Greeson

AR2: Adam Garner

4TH: Nima Saghafi

VAR: Alex Chilowicz

SUNDAY, OCT. 21

Atlanta United vs. Chicago Fire

Mercedes-Benz Stadium (3 pm ET | ESPN – Full TV & streaming info)

REF: Drew Fischer

AR1: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho

AR2: Cameron Blanchard

4TH: Jose Carlos Rivero

VAR: Allen Chapman

D.C. United vs. New York City FC

Audi Field (3 pm ET | TV & streaming info)

REF: Chico Grajeda

AR1: Kyle Atkins

AR2: Eric Weisbrod

4TH: Christopher Penso

VAR: Younes Marrakchi

Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC

Stade Saputo (3 pm ET | TVAS, TSN – Full TV & streaming info)

REF: Baldomero Toledo

AR1: Corey Parker

AR2: Andrew Bigelow

4TH: Rubiel Vazquez

VAR: Jorge Gonzalez

Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew SC

Orlando City Stadium (3 pm ET | TV & streaming info)

REF: Kevin Stott

AR1: Kevin Klinger

AR2: Eduardo Mariscal

4TH: Marcos DeOliveira

VAR: Caleb Mendez

Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls

Talen Energy Stadium (3 pm ET | TV & streaming info)

REF: Ted Unkel

AR1: Adam Wienckowski

AR2: Logan Brown

4TH: Silviu Petrescu

VAR: Jon Freemon

FC Dallas vs. Sporting Kansas City

Toyota Stadium (5 pm ET | TV & streaming info)

REF: Robert Sibiga

AR1: Jason White

AR2: Peter Manikowski

4TH: Guido Gonzales Jr.

VAR: Alex Chilowicz

Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders

BBVA Compass Stadium (5 pm ET | TV & streaming info)

REF: Dave Gantar

AR1: Jeff Hosking

AR2: Felisha Mariscal

4TH: Victor Rivas

VAR: Armando Villarreal

Los Angeles FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

Banc of California Stadium (5 pm ET | TSN – Full TV & streaming info)

REF: Nima Saghafi

AR1: Corey Rockwell

AR2: Mike Rottersman

4TH: Ramy Touchan

VAR: Jair Marrufo

Minnesota United vs. LA Galaxy

TCF Bank Stadium (5 pm ET | ESPN – Full TV & streaming info)

REF: Alan Kelly

AR1: Jeremy Hanson

AR2: Matthew Nelson

4TH: Fotis Bazakos

VAR: Geoff Gamble

Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake

Providence Park (5 pm ET | TV & streaming info)

REF: Ismail Elfath

AR1: Ian Anderson

AR2: Chris Wattam

4TH: Alejandro Mariscal

VAR: Edvin Jurisevic

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Colorado Rapids

Avaya Stadium (5 pm ET | TV & streaming info)

REF: Tim Ford

AR1: Michael Kampmeinert

AR2: Apolinar Mariscal

4TH: Joseph Dickerson

VAR: Christina Unkel

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PRO announces assignments for Week 34 of the 2018 MLS season was originally published on 365 Football

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2018 MLS Awards Ballot: MLS Comeback Player of the Year award

October 15, 20182:00PM EDT

Award season is almost here.

Players, technical staffers (technical directors, GMs and coaches) and a select group of national and regional media will begin voting for each of the awards on Monday, October 15.

Each voting group, representing one-third of the total vote, will select from the below list of 15 players named to the ballot for the 2018 Comeback Player of the Year award.

All players on the Comeback Player of the Year ballot were nominated by their respective club, with a maximum of two nominations permitted per team. Finalists (three per award) will be announced on Wednesday, October 31.

Michael de Leeuw

Chicago Fire attacker Michael de Leeuw ruptured his left ACL on Sept. 30, 2017 in the first half of the Fire’s match against NYCFC. After 10 months and 13 days of intense rehab, de Leeuw made his long-awaited return to the pitch on Aug. 11, 2018. Since his return, the Dutchman — affectionately known as “The Lion” – has scored one goal and added two assists in eight matches.

Djordje Mihailovic

The Fire’s Homegrown midfielder Djordje Mihailovic suffered a right ACL rupture in the Fire’s Eastern Conference Knockout match on Oct. 25, 2017. After being sidelined for nearly a year, Mihailovic returned to the pitch on Aug. 18, 2018 and has since scored one goal, a strike that won MLS Goal of the Week for Week 31, and added three assists in seven matches. 

Gaston Sauro

Halfway through the 2016 season, Gaston Sauro injured his left knee and was forced to undergo surgery. As a result, Sauro was sidelined for over a year. Despite medically only being given a 50-50 chance of being able to return to action, Sauro defied the odds, returning to the field and making five regular-season appearances for Columbus Crew SC in 2018.

Gyasi Zardes

In August of 2016, Gyasi Zardes suffered a season-ending injury. After undergoing knee surgery in early 2017, he scored two regular-season goals, before suffering another injury in October of that year. Zardes joined Crew SC ahead of the 2018 season and bounced back to score 16 regular-season goals this year – more than any other American player in MLS this season.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Zlatan Ibrahimovic

After suffering a career-threatening injury on April 20, 2017 with multiple ligament damage in his knee, Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to action less than seven months later and put himself in the discussion for MLS MVP since joining the LA Galaxy. This year, Zlatan has 21 goals and 9 assists in just 25 appearances, including seven game-winning goals. His 21 goals are second only to Josef Martinez in MLS, despite playing in seven fewer games than the Atlanta United forward.  

Ronald Matarrita

After an injury-plagued 2017, Ronald Matarrita returned to NYCFC in 2018 and has been an instrumental part of City’s success. His play earned him a spot on Costa Rica’s 2018 FIFA World Cup roster; however an injury derailed his World Cup dreams. Matarrita has returned from that setback to help lead NYCFC on their MLS Cup push.

Mason Stajduhar

In November 2017, at age 19 (he’s now 20), Orlando City SC goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was diagnosed with Localized Ewing’s Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. He spent the next seven months undergoing radiation treatments and chemotherapy through June 20, the day he rang the bell for remission at his Florida-based hospital. Stajduhar, who chose a lengthier treatment plan vs. a career-ending surgery option, never stopped training, commuting nearly four hours round trip between his home team and his team of doctors every week for half a year to continue training with the team.

Harold Cummings

San Jose Earthquakes center back Harold Cummings missed the entire 2017 season to a high-ankle sprain and fractured fibula. The Panamanian returned in 2018 to play a key role in the center of the team’s defense, while also representing his nation of birth at the FIFA World Cup.

Nick Lima

After missing more than one-third of the 2017 MLS season to injury, San Jose fullback Nick Lima returned to become one of Major League Soccer’s minutes leaders in 2018. The second-year Homegrown Player has been the one constant on the Quakes’ backline this season.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Osvaldo Alonso

After battling injury in the 2017 postseason and again in the early portion of 2018, Seattle Sounders midfielder Osvaldo Alonso’s presence has been felt more than ever for the Rave Green this campaign. Seattle is 11-5-2 in the 18 matches Alonso has started in midfield, with his return to form bolstering a single-season MLS record of nine consecutive wins. For players that have logged at least 500 minutes, Alonso is first in MLS in passing accuracy (92.29 percent), while Seattle have allowed just 17 goals with him on the field as a starter. Now in his 10th season with Seattle, Alonso is the club’s captain and the only remaining original member of its 2009 expansion season squad.

Felipe Gutierrez

Sporting KC midfielder Felipe Gutierrez earned MLS Player of the Month honors in March before undergoing hernia surgery on May 1. He was sidelined for the next two months before returning in the late summer to lead Sporting KC to four straight wins in August. Gutierrez has seven goals and two assists in his debut MLS campaign, and Sporting KC are 10-5-3 when he plays.

Diego Rubio

After overcoming a long-term ACL injury that ruled him out for part of 2017, SKC striker Diego Rubio continued to work his way into form before exploding this summer. He scored or assisted in a club-record eight straight games from July through September and currently ranks in the top three in MLS with 0.99 goals per 90 minutes. Rubio has eight goals and six assists in eight starts (19 appearances) this season.

Jonathan Osorio

After a difficult 2017 regular season, Toronto FC midfielder Jonathan Osorio had a strong performance in the 2017 MLS Cup final. Osorio earned a regular starting position this year and contributed a career-high 10 goals and 6 assists to date in league play. Osorio earned the Concacaf Champions League Golden Boot and was named the Canadian Championship MVP.

Doneil Henry

After being sidelined for 15 months due to a devastating run of injuries, including an ACL tear in 2016, Vancouver Whitecaps center back Doneil Henry made his long-awaited return to action this season. The Canadian center back impressed on a loan stint with Ottawa Fury FC before establishing himself as a regular with Whitecaps FC, starting 12 MLS regular season and three Canadian Championship matches, as well as returning to the Canadian men’s national team.

Brett Levis

Vancouver left back Brett Levis made his MLS debut as a late sub in Vancouver’s 2016 MLS regular season finale – the culmination of an improbable journey from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. However, Levis tore his ACL in that brief cameo and spent the next 18 months working his way back to full fitness. As he’s been doing his entire life, Levis persevered again and has started 10 of his 11 MLS regular season appearances this season.

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2018 MLS Awards Ballot: MLS Comeback Player of the Year award was originally published on 365 Football

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United States vs. Peru | 2018 International Friendly Match Preview

October 15, 20189:12AM EDT

United States vs. Peru International Friendly Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field — East Hartford Oct. 16 — 7:30 pm ET WATCH: ESPN2, UniMás, UDN p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px ‘Helvetica Neue’; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none}

After falling to Colombia, 4-2, on Thursday in Tampa, the US national team will look to bounce back against another South American World Cup squad when they host Peru Tuesday night at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.

Peru is coming off a 3-0 win over Chile at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Friday night.

“Well, going into these two games, the idea was to get through the first game with a core group. There are plans to make a number of changes for Tuesday,” US interim coach Dave Sarachan said. “And that’s the reason you play these friendlies, to allow certain players opportunities, so we’re going to make a number of changes. We’ll address some of the issues from today and scout Peru. The same fundamentals we’ll apply to the new group this week, so we need to do better in all the areas I talked about.”

United States Outlook

After playing somewhat tentative and trailing after 45 minutes thanks to a sensational James Rodriguez strike in the 36th minute, the USMNT roared back after halftime only to fall short against Colombia, 4-2, Thursday in front of a pro-Colombian crowd at Raymond James Stadium.

Kellyn Acosta of the Colorado Rapids leveled five minutes into the second half and Bobby Wood gave the U.S. a 2-1 lead three minutes later. But Carlos Bacca equalized just three minutes after that, followed by goals by Radamel Falcao and Miguel Borja five minutes apart to lift Los Cafeteros to the win.

“You play against a team like Colombia, who have, obviously, very good players,” Michael Bradley said. “If your reading of certain situations, if the way you deal with certain advantages that they have isn’t good enough, then they can punish you. In moments tonight, they were sharper than we were, but like I said, that’s what nights like tonight are for.

“I thought the response at the beginning of the second half to put the game back on our terms was very good. In all ways, we’ll use this in the right way as we continue to move ourselves forward.”

Peru Outlook

Pedro Aquino struck for a second-half brace to help lift Peru to a 3-0 win over Chile at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Friday night. It was the 78th encounter between the South American rivals, and first on US soil.

Following an own goal by Enzo Roco in the 64th minute, Aquino added an insurance goal in 11 minutes later and the Leon midfielder put in a second goal four minutes from full time. Orlando City SC midfielder Yoshi Yotun and Seattle Sounders FC forward Raul Ruidiaz both started for Peru, which fell to the Netherlands and Germany by matching 2-1 scores last month, while Yordy Reyna of the Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers midfielder Andy Polo both came off the bench.

“The important thing is to get over the losses,” Peruvian coach Ricardo Gareca said after the match. “Now on to recover and moving on.”

History

The United States are 3-2-1 all-time against Peru. In the last meeting, Toronto FC’s Jozy Altidore scored twice in a come-from-behind 2-1 win for the US at RFK Stadium on Sept. 4, 2015. Tuesday’s match comes 22 years to the day of Peru’s first win in the series, 4-1 in Lima on Oct. 16, 1996.

Players to Watch

United States — Aaron Long: The New York Red Bulls defender is having a career year and after watching his first three games with the USMNT as an unused sub, Long could become the 17th player this year to earn his first cap

Peru — Alex Callens: A few days after Ben Sweat made his U.S. debut, his New York City FC teammate could be in line for his 11th all-time appearance in East Hartford. He’s the lone MLS-based player who didn’t feature in Peru’s win over Chile Friday.

United States Roster

Pos. Player Club Caps/Goals GK Brad Guzan Atlanta United 58/0 GK Ethan Horvath Club Brugge 2/0 D John Brooks VfL Wolfsburg 35/3 D Reggie Cannon FC Dallas 0/0 D Cameron Carter-Vickers Swansea City 5/0 D Aaron Long New York Red Bulls 0/0 D Matt Miazga  Nantes 10/1 D Antonee Robinson Wigan Athletic 5/0 D Ben Sweat NYCFC 1/0 D DeAndre Yedlin Newcastle United 55/0 M Kellyn Acosta Colorado Rapids  20/2 M Jonathan Amon Nordsjælland 0/0 M Michael Bradley Toronto FC 141/17 M Marky Delgado Toronto FC 4/0 M Julian Green Greuther Furth 13/4 M Fafa Picault Philadelphia Union 2/0 M Kenny Saief Anderlecht 3/0 M Wil Trapp  Columbus Crew SC 8/0 M Tim Weah Paris Saint-Germain 6/1 F Andrija Novakovich Fortuna Sittard 3/0 F Josh Sargent Werder Bremen 4/1 F Bobby Wood  Hannover 96 42/13    

Peru Roster

Pos.

Player Club Caps/Goals GK Patrico Alvarez Sporting Cristal 0/0 GK Jose Carvallo UTC 6/0 GK Pedro Gallese Veracruz 45/0 D Luis Advíncula Rayo Vallecano 72/1 D Alexander Callens New York City FC 10/1 D Nilson Loyola Melgar 5/0 D Johan Madrid Sporting Cristal 0/0 D Christian Ramos Al-Nassr 73/3 D Anderson Santamaria Puebla 11/0 D Miguel Trauco Flamengo 33/0 M Pedro Aquino Leon 18/3 M Horacio Calcaterra Sporting Cristal 3/0 M Andre Carrillo Al-Hilal 52/6 M Wilder Cartagena Veracruz 5/0 M Christian Cueva FC Krasnodar 52/8 M Edison Flores Morelia 35/9 M Paolo Hurtado Konyaspor 35/3 M Sergio Pena Tondela 7/0 M Andy Polo Portland Timbers 18/1 M Renato Tapia Feyenoord 35/3 M Yoshi Yotun Orlando City SC 79/2 F Yordy Reyna Vancouver Whitecaps FC 19/2 F Raul Ruidiaz Seattle Sounders FC 33/4

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United States vs. Peru | 2018 International Friendly Match Preview was originally published on 365 Football

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Boehm: Week 32 sets up nerve-wracking October sprint for last playoff slots

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October 8, 20181:56PM EDT

“I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, straining upon the start. The game’s afoot��”

– Shakespeare, Henry V

If you kept your eye on the big, league-wide picture on Saturday, you might just have heard the gears whirring and clanking, pushing the pieces a few clicks closer to place.

Vancouver knocked off Toronto FC, preserving their own postseason prospects while killing off the reigning champs’ final, flickering hopes of defending their title. The LA Galaxy walked into stormy Kansas City and snatched a hard-won road point that keeps them alive. The Portland Timbers stunned Real Salt Lake 4-1 in Utah, simultaneously hauling themselves away from the playoff line and sparking tumult among those beneath them.

Montreal whacked Columbus 3-0 – the Impact, by the way, are 4-2-3 since the start of August – and on Sunday D.C. United rounded out the weekend with a sweaty 2-1 comeback win over the Chicago Fire, a key result that underlines the potential for disruptive chaos this time of year. The Seattle Sounders are expected to cap Week 32 by reaping maximum points from the Houston Dynamo’s visit to CenturyLink Field on Monday night, but, well, you never know… probably best to tune in just to make sure.

You’ve heard a lot about the “stretch run” over the past few months, and for good reason. But now, we’ve reached the desperate final sprint towards the finish line.

There are less than three weeks left in the MLS regular season, and only seven of the 12 spots in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs are spoken for. The horses can smell the barn, as they say. And it appears that not only have the soccer gods blessed the league with a photo finish at the top of the standings, where Atlanta United and the New York Red Bulls are neck-and-neck for the Supporters’ Shield, but also a frenzied scramble for the final postseason slots.

Though nerve-wracking for the teams and fans involved, this is very much a good thing for the rest of us. I suspect it’s just what league officials hoped for when they implemented the current playoff format. I, and others, have in the past lamented the existence of that sixth and final berth in each conference – it often seems overly generous – but it’s hard to deny that it stokes the drama at this time of year.

In the East, we basically have two teams, Montreal and D.C., vying for one final ticket. Yes, the Impact could still catch fading, fifth-place Crew SC, but that would require the Impact to take maximum points from their final two games, vs. TFC and at New England, AND Columbus taking just one point from their games at flatlined Orlando City and home to road-shy Minnesota United. Possible, but not probable.

D.C. are the ones Montreal are most concerned about, and rightly so: The Black-and-Red have two games in hand, both at Audi Field, thanks to the home-heavy conclusion to their backloaded calendar, and after their early-season woes are now collecting points at a higher per-game rate than the Impact. United trounced the Canadians 5-0 in their head-to-head meeting last week, inflicting a high-profile psychological wound, yet the Black-and-Red still have work to do.

Two of their four remaining opponents are playoff teams, and the other two, TFC and the Fire, would be delighted to play spoilers. But between their noisy new stadium and their new superstar leader Wayne Rooney, there’s a steeliness about this United team that’s crucial in Octobers like these.

“We have to keep pushing because we have another ‘most important game of the season’ next weekend against Dallas,” said coach Ben Olsen on Sunday. “That’s just how it has to be for the rest of the year and that’s okay. I trust our guys and know they’re up for it. I don’t think we had the greatest performance today but there is a belief in the group that on days like this we can still get out with three points. That’s extremely important and that’s something we lacked earlier in the year.”

Aside from that strange blowout in D.C., the Impact, too, have stepped up to the challenge. Expect this race to go right down to Decision Day.

The picture is a bit cloudier out West. Depending on how highly you think of the fifth-placed Sounders – and their back-to-back runs to MLS Cup have earned them some capital with me – it’s either four teams gunning for the No. 5 and No. 6 slots in the postseason bracket, or three hunting for that last spot.

RSL’s home loss to the Timbers was quite a damaging setback, ending their 14-game unbeaten streak at Rio Tinto Stadium and shrinking their lead over the Galaxy and Whitecaps to one and three points, respectively. Coach Mike Petke fumed that “We’re going to see what we’re made of,” and they’re further disadvantaged by the fact that they are the odd ones out in this 23-team and thus don’t play on Decision Day, forcing them to watch those proceedings passively.

Only the maximum six points in their final two games will be enough to insulate them from a late charge by LA or Vancouver.

The Galaxy, too, suffered on Saturday night, at one point leading SKC 2-0 only to see a goal waved off by a Video Review offside decision before Johnny Russell struck to salvage a draw for the hosts. A win for Zlatan Ibrahimovic & Co. would’ve pushed them ahead of RSL; now they must try to win at Minnesota, on turf, in front of a 50,000-plus crowd in the Loons’ final game at TCF Bank Stadium, then beat the Dynamo at home on Decision Day.

And the bipolar Whitecaps, despite dismissing longtime coach Carl Robinson and installing their academy director as the interim boss in his place, are somehow still in the reckoning too. They have the hardest road, with playoff teams Sporting KC, LAFC and Portland still to come. But at this point, who knows?

So by my count, that’s an entire year hinging on a handful of October games – six in the East and seven in the West. The pressure will crush some, and inspire others. Fortunes will undulate from moment to moment as the matches unfold. Catch every moment you can.

Series: 

Topics: 

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Boehm: Week 32 sets up nerve-wracking October sprint for last playoff slots was originally published on 365 Football