A new 20,000 seat stadium and mix use apartments/business park and retail on 18 to 20 Acres just West of Lucas Oil Stadium along the White River has been announced by the Indy 11. Video The Eleven Park stadium will host Indy Eleven games for both its men’s and women’s professional soccer teams. The facility will also be designed to host field sports (soccer, lacrosse, football, rugby, and field hockey) events for partners such as the NCAA and IHSAA; international matches; concerts; and various community events.“This announcement is the culmination of years of hard work and partnership between countless individuals and entities who believed in our vision, and we are beyond excited to share the results of that effort today with our community,” said Indy Eleven President & CEO Greg Stremlaw. “While there is still more work to do, today the Indy Eleven family is thrilled to put a pin in the map and celebrate what Eleven Park will provide the country’s premier city for sports and all Hoosiers who will experience and benefit from this world-class destination.” After approximately two years of construction, Indy Eleven expects to begin play at its new Eleven Park stadium home in Spring 2025.Due to a myriad of factors, including the rise in construction costs, inflation, and an increase in the scale and scope of the project, Eleven Park is expected to exceed a $1 billion investment in the largest piece of property in an under-developed area of downtown Indianapolis. All facets outside the stadium project – retail, restaurants, hotel, apartments, and office space – will be developed by Keystone Group.
USA Ladies vs Colombia Sat 7:30 pm FS1
The US Ladies start the summer prep for CONCACAF Qualification in early July with 2 games over the next week against Colombia starting Sat. Night at 7:30 pm at FS1. The US bring the youngest team they have fielded for a tournament in years. A front line of youngsters including Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Pugh will mix in with veterans Megan Rapinoe, Ashley Hatch and NWSL leading scorer Alex Morgan. Of course the US will pound Colombia – look for 4 to 5 to zero with Morgan scoring at least 1 if not 2. Too bad we don’t qualify as a European Team where we could face the best teams in the world this summer in European Cup play July 6 – 31 across the ESPN network of stations. The US will face Colombia again Tuesday night on ESPN2 at 10 pm before starting CONCACAF play in Mexico July 4th on ESPN. Read all about the Summer of Women’s Soccer.
Shane’s Starting Line-Up
Smith/Morgan/Pugh
Mewis/Horan/Lavelle
Fox/Sonnett/Sauerbrunn/O’hara
Naeher
The USWNT Concacaf roster
Goalkeepers: Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars).
Defenders: Alana Cook (OL Reign), Emily Fox (Racing Louisville FC), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign), Kelley O’Hara (Washington Spirit), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Sonnett (Washington Spirit).
Midfielders: Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon), Taylor Kornieck (San Diego Wave FC), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Kristie Mewis (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit).
Forwards: Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Midge Purce (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Mallory Pugh (Chicago Red Stars), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC).
Indy 11 Women Race to First Place in the League
The Indy 11 Women’s 3-1 win at home over Louisville catapulted them into sole possession of first place in the league. They return home next weekend as part of a Indy 11 Double Header on Saturday – The action starts at 2:00 p.m., when Indy Eleven’s new pre-professional women’s side will conclude its successful inaugural regular season in the USL W League. Indy Eleven is looking to break the single-game attendance record for a women’s soccer game in Indiana of 4,137 (U.S. Women’s National Team vs. France in 1996 at Kuntz Stadium). Fans are encouraged to back their undefeated and first-place Girls in Blue in numbers and help them make a deserving piece of Hoosier State history! After some time for some afternoon tailgating, we’ll pack Carroll Stadium once again to back the Boys in Blue as they launch one of the USL Championship’s most anticipated rivalries against DCFC at 7:00 p.m. The boys in blue return home Sat, July 2 at 7:30 pm with a fire-works display after so make your plans to be there- tix are just $15 @ indyeleven.com/tickets.
World Cup Memories
This week marks the anniversaries of some legit big World Cup memories – like Maradona’s Hand of God. The US Men of course have gone thru their own qualification triumph see video.
2022 Midwest Regional Championships @ Grand Park June 24 – June 29, 2022 Westfield, Indiana
The 2022 US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships takes place June 24 – June 29 in Westfield, Indiana. The event will feature Boys and Girls teams in the 13U through 19U age groups who will compete for a regional championship and a spot at the 2022 US Youth Soccer National Championships. (Schedule)
• Preliminary Round – Friday, June 24 // Saturday, June 25 // Sunday, June 26
• Semifinals – Tuesday, June 28
• Finals – Wednesday, June 29
BIG GAMES ON TV
Sat, June 25
3 pm ABC Seattle Sounders vs Sporting KC
3:10 pm fubo tv France vs Cameroon women
5 pm ESPN DC United vs Nashville FC
7:30 pm Fox Sport 1` USA Women vs Colombia
7:30 pm ESPN+ CF Montreal vs Charlotte
8 pm TUDN Chicago Fire vs Houston Dynamo
Sun, June 26
3 pm ABC LAFC vs NY Red Bulls
6 pm Fox Sport 1 Philly vs NYCFC
6 pm ESPN+ San Diego Loyal vs Las Vegas Lights USL
Tues, June 28
10 pm ESPN USA Women vs Colombia
Wed, June 29
7 pm ESPN+ Orlando City vs Nashville US Open Cup
10:30 pm FS1 LAFC vs Dallas
10 pm ESPN+ Seattle vs CF Montreal
Thur, June 30
7 pm ESPN+ NY Rd Bulls vs Atlanta United
Frir, July 1
8:30 pm Para+ Houston vsKC NWSL
10:30 Para+ Angel City vs Portland NWSL
Sat, July 2
7 pm Para+ NY Gotham vs Chicago NWSL
7:30 pm ESPN+ Toronto vs Seattle
7:30 pm TV23 Indy 11 vs Miami FC (fireworks)
Mon, July 4
10 pm ESPN USA Women vs Haiti CONCACAF
Wed, July 6
3 pm ESPN England vs Austria Euro Women’s Cup
Thur, July 7
3 pm ESPN2 Norway vs Northern Ireland Euro Women’s Cup
10 pm Para+ USA Women vs Jamaica
Fri, July 8
12 pm ESPN+ Spain vs Finland Euro Women’s Cup
3 pm ESPN2 German vs Denmark Euro Women’s Cup
Sat, July 9
12 pm ESPN+ Portugal vs Switzerland Euro Women’s Cup
3 pm ESPN2 Netherlands vs Sweden Euro Women’s Cup
Sun, July 10
12 pm ESPN2 Belgium vs Iceland Euro Women’s Cup
3 pm ESPN+ Italy vs France Euro Women’s Cup
Mon, July 11
12 pm ESPN2 Austria vs N. Ireland Euro Women’s Cup
3 pm ESPN2 England vs Norway Euro Women’s Cup
10 pm Para+ USA Women vs Mexico
Mon, July 11
12 pm ESPN2 Austria vs N. Ireland Euro Women’s Cup
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Transformative Neighborhood Project Anchored by 20,000-seat Multipurpose Stadium;
Construction Anticipated to Start Spring 2023 Ahead of Targeted Spring 2025 Grand Opening;
Populous to Serve as Stadium Project’s Lead Architect
INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, June 24, 2022) – In collaboration with Keystone Group, Indy Eleven today announced the acquisition of over 20 acres of land in downtown Indianapolis that will serve as the future home of Eleven Park, the transformative neighborhood village development that will forever impact the skyline of the Circle City.Keystone Group is a construction, development, management, and investments company headquartered in downtown Indianapolis that specializes and invests in complicated transformational mixed-use developments that are located in premier locations. Ersal Ozdemir is the Founder and Chairman of Keystone Group as well as Indy Eleven, which has provided a professional club for Indiana’s thriving soccer community to rally behind since its successful launch in 2013.As per the conceptualization of the development project outlined in 2019, today’s news confirmed the Eleven Park development will include hotel, office, apartments, retail and public spaces – all anchored by a 20,000-seat multipurpose stadium built with soccer at its core. Eleven Park will be constructed on the plot of land previously owned by The Diamond Chain Company, bordered by West Street, Kentucky Avenue, and the White River – an area that was recently acquired and is now 100% owned by Keystone Group.“We have been working diligently for the last several years to secure a large area of land downtown for Eleven Park, and with our prime location now secured we are eager to take the next steps for this groundbreaking development,” said Ozdemir. “This village will be a 365-day-a-year live, work, and play community that will transform this section of Indianapolis, providing jobs and significant economic development to downtown Indianapolis and surrounding areas.”The Eleven Park stadium will host Indy Eleven games for both its men’s and women’s professional soccer teams. The facility will also be designed to host field sports (soccer, lacrosse, football, rugby, and field hockey) events for partners such as the NCAA and IHSAA; international matches; concerts; and various community events.“This announcement is the culmination of years of hard work and partnership between countless individuals and entities who believed in our vision, and we are beyond excited to share the results of that effort today with our community,” said Indy Eleven President & CEO Greg Stremlaw. “While there is still more work to do, today the Indy Eleven family is thrilled to put a pin in the map and celebrate what Eleven Park will provide the country’s premier city for sports and all Hoosiers who will experience and benefit from this world-class destination.”Keystone and Indy Eleven are continuing their ongoing discussions with the City of Indianapolis and the State of Indiana to finalize project terms this year, which would allow for tear down of existing buildings and additional site work to begin in Spring 2023. After approximately two years of construction, Indy Eleven expects to begin play at its new Eleven Park stadium home in Spring 2025.Due to a myriad of factors, including the rise in construction costs, inflation, and an increase in the scale and scope of the project, Eleven Park is expected to exceed a $1 billion investment in the largest piece of property in an under-developed area of downtown Indianapolis. All facets outside the stadium project – retail, restaurants, hotel, apartments, and office space – will be developed by Keystone Group. As per the State legislation that was passed and signed into law in 2019 , the City of Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board (CIB) would own the Eleven Park stadium, while Indy Eleven would lease and operate the venue.“We believe this site is the best place to invest knowing it will have a transformational impact to the southside of Indianapolis, serving as a new neighborhood village within the Stadium Village Neighborhood that bridges the central business district, Victory Field, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indiana Convention Center, the White River, and the Elanco campus,” continued Ozdemir. “This location, along with the new Henry Street bridge and extension of the Cultural Trail, will serve as an important gateway to the city and bring connectivity and a pedestrian connection to the heart of downtown.”Indy Eleven and Keystone also announced three key additional partners for the Eleven Park project as part of today’s announcement. Populous, the global industry leader in soccer/multipurpose stadium design, will serve as the stadium project’s lead architecture and design firm, partnering with Indianapolis-based Browning Day Architects. In addition, D3i, a Baltimore-based international design firm with award-winning mixed-use projects that span five continents, has been hired as the master planner for the project.While the initial design process is already underway, Indy Eleven will meet with fans, community members, and other constituents regarding specific design elements to make Eleven Park a special place to create a vibrant village . Indy Eleven expects to share updated renderings of the Eleven Park stadium with the public in the coming months.For more information on this transformative neighborhood project, follow the ElevenParkIndy and IndyEleven channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and visit elevenpark.com.
Blockbuster summer of women’s soccer: Your guide to Euros, USWNT World Cup/Olympic qualifying and more
7:00 AM ET ESPN
Ahh, summer — ’tis the season for the beautiful game’s biggest and best international tournaments. This year, however, with the World Cup in Qatar set to start in November, the spotlight will be on what the women’s game has to offer — and there is a lot on offer.
Almost every region in the world has a big women’s soccer tournament starting in July where the best and most exciting players will be squaring off. In every competition, the stakes are incredibly high: Either a spot at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is on the line, or in the case of the European championship, there’s a most-ever €16 million prize pool and some major bragging rights up for grabs.
Let’s just put it this way: The month of July is going be fun. If you’re not up to speed, we’re here to help. This is your guide to an epic summer of women’s soccer, with input from a global team of ESPN’s Caitlin Murray, Cesar Hernandez, Sophie Lawson, Ed Dove and Tim Vickery.
High-stakes tournaments across the globe
UEFA Women’s Euro 2022: July 6-31 Often simply called the Euros, it’s the third-oldest confederation tournament in the world, and arguably the most prestigious. That’s because of the parity and quality throughout Europe, and also because it is a rare standalone tournament that does not double as a World Cup qualifier. Initially a four-team tournament, the Euros have gradually expanded to 16 teams now, and the tournament has seen 19 different nations compete over the years. England will host this summer, with the monthlong Euros starting at Old Trafford and wrapping up at Wembley Stadium.
CONCACAF W Championship: July 4-18 The newly formatted CONCACAF W Championship for North America and the surrounding region may not boast the competitiveness of the Euros — the reigning World Cup champion, the U.S. women’s national team, remains the perennial favorite — but it will certainly offer the high stakes. This tournament, hosted in Monterrey, Mexico, is a new one devised by CONCACAF to serve as both the qualifiers for the World Cup and the Olympics, so teams have to go all-out to win — even the mighty Americans.
Africa Women Cup of Nations: July 2-23 Kicking off in Morocco, the Africa Women Cup of Nations — called AWCON for short — is Africa’s premier women’s soccer competition. For three weeks, the continent’s finest women’s sides will contest the 14th edition of the competition, with the winner to be decided in a final in Casablanca, Morocco. Three stadiums in two cities will be used as the tournament makes its comeback following a hiatus of three years, and World Cup qualification is on the line. The four semifinalists advance automatically to the 2023 World Cup, with losing quarterfinalists getting another chance via a playoff.
Copa America Feminina: July 8-30 The women’s Copa America tournament comes to Colombia for the first time, and it’s perhaps overdue — the women’s game is well-established in the country. This Copa will qualify three South American nations for the 2023 World Cup, with another two going into playoffs. In this tournament there are two groups of five, with the final stages taking place in Bucaramanga, and an expectation that most of the matches will be played in front of big crowds.
Where to watch: FS1, FS2 (U.S.)
OFC Women’s Nations Cup: July 13-30 Oceania’s World Cup qualifying tournament in Fiji will look a little different this year because the reigning champion of the last four tournaments won’t be participating. That team is New Zealand, and as co-host of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, they’ve automatically qualified for the big stage. (Australia, the other co-host, qualifies through Asia fter it left the Oceania confederation in 2006.) But that means the OFC Women’s Nations Cup is guaranteed to have a first-time winner when it’s over. (No U.S. broadcast available yet)
Storylines to watch, questions to answer
Can the Netherlands repeat at the Euros? At the last Euros five years ago, the Dutch were buoyed on by an ever-growing home crowd to win it all, and the question is whether or not they can do it away from home. A team undergoing something of a personality change since Mark Parsons took over, the European champs could be viewed as a wild card this tournament, still in a transitional stage.
How will hosts England do? There is plenty of buzz around England and their potential ability to harness home support as the Dutch did at the last Euros. The English FA even went as far as to bring in the Dutch coach from 2017, Sarina Wiegman, as their new manager.
Will France falter again? As we head into another major tournament, it’s impossible to escape rumblings around France, who are in their own mini group of death at the Euros. France have long been considered a top contender in global women’s soccer, but despite so much promise, they have little to show for it. Just like Germany, Les Bleues will have to be at their best from their first match against Italy, an outing against Belgium something of a reprieve before they end the group stage against an improving Iceland.
Will the USWNT’s youth movement pay off? While the U.S. are fully expected to qualify for their ninth consecutive World Cup, there are lingering questions about how they’ll do it. Despite the presence of long-time veterans Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, and Becky Sauerbrunn, the U.S. roster boasts plenty of untested youth. Ten players on the roster have never competed in a senior World Cup qualifier, and the last time the USWNT came close to missing out on a World Cup, it was during a qualification tournament in Mexico in 2011. Might Mexico have a repeat of history in store this July?
Who can challenge Nigeria’s supremacy? Nigeria have enjoyed remarkable dominance during the AWCON’s 31-year history, winning 11 of the 13 previous editions. They’ve never lost a final — failing to reach it only twice — and to suggest they’re the team to beat would be an understatement. The Super Falcons are massively popular in Nigeria, and having won 52 of the 62 matches they’ve played in tournament history, they will be heavily expected to romp through again.
Is the opposition to Brazil’s dominance stronger than ever? Brazil have won all but one of the eight previous Copas — Argentina came out on top when they hosted the 2006 tournament — and Brazil would still seem to be way ahead of the pack. But the opposition are getting stronger — fitter, more talented and more organized — and contenders like hosts Colombia, Argentina and Chile shouldn’t be written off. For Brazil, then, the tournament is a staging point on the way to the 2023 World Cup. An upset is always possible, but for Brazil, missing out on the title is hard to imagine, while failing to qualify for the World Cup is unthinkable. For the others, making it to the 2023 World Cup is the main priority.
Players to watch, from known stars to potential breakouts
Alexia Putellas, midfielder/forward, Spain Considered by many to be the best player in the world, Alexia Putellas will be tasked with leading Spain to their first Euros title ever. Putellas’ accolades are plenty — she won the Ballon d’Or last year and was named UEFA’s top player of the year — but Spain hasn’t had similar success. If La Roja can top their quarterfinals appearances in the previous two Euros, they will be counting on Putellas’ creative playmaking to do it.
Marie-Antoinette Katoto, striker, France She wasn’t picked for France’s World Cup squad in 2019 and Marie-Antoinette Katoto may yet be an unknown quantity to fans around the world regardless of a stunning goal scoring record for PSG or her increasing tally for France, which includes 24 goals in 28 appearances. A determined striker, Katoto is the goal scorer the great French teams of 2011 and 2015 were crying out for, the type of player who only needs service to score. The 23-year-old is certain to impress during the Euros if her teammates can get her the ball.
Lauren Hemp, forward, England A talented player who has already caught the wider eye for her exploits with Manchester City as well as Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics, Lauren Hemp is set to cement herself as one of the most talented players in her age group this summer. The pacey 21-year-old winger has been delighting for the Lionesses since 2020 and is sure to be one of England’s best attacking outlets at the Euros.
Damaris Egurrola, midfielder, Netherlands Having declared her intention to play for the Netherlands, rather than Spain or the United States, the American-born Damaris Egurrola is the natural replacement for an aging Sherida Spitse at the heart of the Dutch midfield. Despite only earning her first cap in April, Egurrola has quickly settled into the Oranje side. As well as being a reliable midfielder, she has already shown her prowess at set pieces, with two goals in her two appearances. She may not be a star yet, but she just might announce herself on the Euros stage.
ayMegan Rapinoe, winger, U.S. Does she still got it? The 37-year-old’s inclusion on the roster for the CONCACAF W Championship raised eyebrows and drew pushback from critics, but Rapinoe has that special undefinable it-factor that coach Vlatko Andonovski said couldn’t be ignored. She probably won’t be starting every game, but her clutch play could be a key factor for the USWNT. Rapinoe, for her part, told ESPN earlier this week that she is excited by her new role as a mentor to the youngsters and isn’t worried about the critics: “If people don’t like that, that’s fine. They’re not the coach of the national team,” she said.
Trinity Rodman, forward, U.S. On the other end of the spectrum, it’s worth keeping an eye on the youngest player on the USWNT’s roster for World Cup/Olympic qualifying. Named ESPN’s top U21 player, Trinity Rodman is more than the hype surrounding her famous family. She is the youngest player ever drafted into the NWSL, was named NWSL Rookie of the Year for her debut season last year and led the Washington Spirit to an NWSL Championship in November. The thing is, for all her club success, she hasn’t proved herself at the senior international level — at least, not yet. Andonovski has cautioned against expecting too much from her too soon, but the CONCACAF W Championship could be her big breakout.
Alicia Cervantes, forward, Mexico Mexico will have no lack of forward options in the CONCACAF W Championship, but none have been as deadly as Alicia Cervantes of Chivas. The 28-year-old, who was the Liga MX Femenil leading goal scorer in both the 2021 Apertura and 2022 Clausura tournaments, is a constant threat in the 18-yard box with her potent finishing and aerial capabilities. Cervantes has averaged a goal every 83.3 minutes of regular season play since last summer and scored five times in Mexico’s four CONCACAF W qualifiers this year. If Mexico is going to qualify for a World Cup and the Olympics, Cervantes needs to play a big role.
Asisat Oshoala, striker, Nigeria She is the undisputed superstar of African women’s soccer. A Barcelona forward, Champions League winner, and four-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala is the most decorated player in the history of African soccer — and many would argue she’s the greatest the continent’s game has ever seen. She’s already won the title on three previous occasions, but after recovering from a recent injury, she’ll be raring to add further Golden Balls and Golden Boots to her expansive trophy haul.
Deyna Castellanos, forward, Venezuela There will be a lot of eyes on the Venezuelan striker, who at club level is now swapping Atletico Madrid for Manchester City. Venezuela are one of five South American nations never to have made it to a World Cup at senior level or an Olympics, but the nation has high hopes of the generation who did well in under-17 soccer back in 2014, and Deyna Castellanos is the leader of the pack. Back in 2017, she was placed on the shortlist for FIFA’s best player of the year. Castellanos should now be keen to show that her time has arrived.
Key dates and matches for your calendar
July 4: Nigeria vs. South Africa Heavyweights Nigeria and South Africa were pitted together in their Group C opener at AWCON, which will take place at the Stade Moulay Hassan in Rabat. Not only is this a blockbuster bout between two of the tournament favorites, but it’s also a rematch of the 2018 final — the last match played in the competition — as underdogs Banyana Banyana looked poised for an upset over the Falcons before eventually succumbing on penalties.
July 6: England vs. Austria As the opener of the 2022 Euros, this match is already worth scribbling on your calendar for the pomp and circumstance alone. The last time England hosted the Euros back in 2005, a record crowd showed up for the opener, and the atmosphere for this one ought to be even better. But luckily, this is also a solid matchup. England and Austria both reached the semifinals at the last Euros in 2017 and will be eager to issue a statement of intent.
July 9: Netherlands vs. Sweden This promises to be an intriguing group stage match to set the tone, not just for Group C of the Euros, but the whole of the tournament and who we’re likely to see in the last four. The past two competitive meetings of the two nations have seen the Dutch triumph, knocking Sweden out at the quarterfinal stage of the last Euros before dispatching them in extra time of the World Cup semifinals in 2019.
July 9: Brazil vs. Argentina Brazil meet Argentina in Armenia, Colombia on the second day of the Copa America Femenina. This is a meeting of the only two teams ever to have won the trophy. Argentina, as was clear from their past World Cup campaign, have worked hard on tightening their defense, while the Brazil side are not scoring as many goals as they would like. The script for this match, then, would seem to revolve around whether Argentina can frustrate the Brazilians.
Women’s European Soccer Pick ‘Em
Make picks throughout the Women’s European Championship for a shot at $5,000. Make Your Picks
July 11: USA vs. Mexico While the rivalry between these two nations is red-hot on the men’s side, it’s been tempered a bit on the women’s side by the dominance of the U.S. and Mexico’s struggles to keep up. However, there is a huge wrinkle to keep in mind: The only time the U.S. almost failed to qualify for a Women’s World Cup came in 2011 in a loss to — you guessed it — Mexico, in Mexico.
July 12: Germany vs. Spain Die Nationalelf and La Roja will square off in a match that pits one longtime European powerhouse against a new kid on the block. It would be prudent to remember that when these two sides met earlier this year at the Arnold Clark Cup, the match ended 1-1 and it figures to be an even affair again. With Germany and Spain both viable candidates to win the Euros in a very difficult Group B, this will be a key match.
July 15: England vs. Northern Ireland The hosts of the Euros take on a team that is appearing in their first major tournament ever. England are the heavy favorites, and given that the Lionesses rolled Northern Ireland the last time they met, it probably won’t be close, but a scrappy performance from the debutante could keep things fun.
July 16: Denmark vs. Spain After you watch Germany face Spain on July 12, you’ll have to come back for this one. With Group B slated to be the so-called “group of death” because it has three viable Euros contenders in Germany, Spain and Denmark, this match could deliver the final blow for one of these teams.
July 18: Olympics spot-decider By this day, we will already know which teams in the CONCACAF W Championship have clinched their World Cup spots — we will know some berths before the knockout games start — but the final of the tournament will decide the lone automatic qualification spot for the 2024 Olympics. While most of the other tournaments in July do have World Cup spots on the line, no other tournament will decide who’s going to the Paris Olympics. The favorites are the U.S. and Canada, but anything is possible.
USWNT: Vlatko Andonovski chose a young World Cup/Olympic qualifying roster. Will it pay off?
When U.S. Soccer sends out press releases to announce upcoming match rosters, there are always a few stats and facts included. But I think this bullet from the announcement of the 23-player roster for CONCACAF’S World Cup qualification tournament sums up the state of the U.S. women’s national team perfectly:
Just 10 of the 23 players on the CONCACAF W Championship roster have experience in World Cup and Olympic qualifying. The other 13 players will get the opportunity to make their CONCACAF qualifying debuts at the senior level.Honestly, when was the last time we have read that well over half of a USWNT roster has not had any qualifying experience? Other than our very first World Cup qualifier ever in Haiti before the 1991 Women’s World Cup, my best guess is never. In fact, these 13 qualifying debutants all have 27 caps or fewer, including eight in single digits: Alana Cook (9 caps), Ashley Hatch (8), Ashley Sanchez (7), Casey Murphy (4), Trinity Rodman (3), Naomi Girma (1), Aubrey Kingsbury (1) and Taylor Kornieck (0).What does that tell you about the roster head coach Vlatko Andonovski has chosen in this moment? It tells me the youth transformation is official, and Andonovski didn’t need the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies against Colombia on Saturday and Tuesday to know the direction he will take the team. So much so that Christen Press, even before her recent torn ACL, was still not even in the final 23-player roster. And given the high-level play by the younger group in the NWSL this year, if I were Andonovski I’d be confident in them as well.
Sure, it was a major setback and disappointment when Catarina Macario recently tore her ACL given the season she had for Lyon, helping them win both the Champions League title and French league title with her team-leading 23 goals across competitions. But Sophia Smith and Mal Pugh are both equally hot with their respective NWSL teams, and with Alex Morgan scoring seemingly at will for the San Diego Wave, leading the league with 11 goals, that front three of Smith, Morgan, and Pugh will be a handful for every single CONCACAF opponent.
The midfield sitting behind them — if healthy (the ultimate qualifier in a year like this) — should be Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle and Andi Sullivan, although I know more than just San Diego Wave fans are excited to see what Taylor Kornieck can do at this level, given her dominance for the Wave.It is the back line where I think the most question marks fall. With Tierna Davidson‘s ACL injury and Abby Dahlkemper‘s continued bouts of injury, Alana Cook and Naomi Girma may be given the nod again as the chosen center-back pairing, as they were in the previous USWNT games in April.
But with Becky Sauerbrunn returning to the fold healthy, will Andonovski choose to bring the veteran captain into the starting 11? I think he probably goes with the same starting back-four he used in the last friendly the USWNT played vs. Uzbekistan — it was Sofia Huerta on the right, Cook and Girma as the center-backs, and Emily Fox on the left.
That rare positional battle where a veteran may hold onto a spot challenged by a rookie is where the pair of friendlies against Colombia before the qualifiers can sway Andonovski’s approach. His focus is clearly on the qualification tournament at the start of July, and his roster selection makes it clear his mind is made up in pushing the team younger — but still, the Colombia friendlies are his last pit stop on the road to qualifiers in Mexico, and we ought to see him test his on-field partnerships.
The one head-scratcher for many fans with the roster announcement was the fact that Megan Rapinoe made the final roster. And I say “head-scratcher” because Rapinoe had not played much at all with her OL Reign team. She was just coming back from injury and had played a total of 154 minutes for the entire season.Despite the wave of young talent, 37-year-old Megan Rapinoe made the roster for both a pair of friendlies vs. Colombia and the World Cup/Olympic qualifiers. Brad Smith/Getty Images
Given Andonovski’s insistence that all national team call-ups must prove themselves at the club level, the reason for the call up suddenly became quite clear: It’s Megan Rapinoe.
Andonovski called in Rapinoe because he loves the swagger that a player like Rapinoe brings. I don’t think he is planning on giving her tons of minutes, but wants her there as an option to bring off the bench if they need a goal, if they need a lift, and mostly, to give this younger group confidence. It is her leadership and mentality that he seeks more than anything.
Yes, you get that leadership and veteran experience with players like Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelley O’Hara and Alex Morgan, but there is only one Megan Rapinoe when it comes to that swagger. And I take you back to the first bullet above: With over half the team never having gone through a qualifier, Rapinoe brings stability more than anything. She has done it at every level — and the brighter the lights, the more she glows. That confidence is contagious.
Remember, these CONCACAF W qualifiers are interesting particularly because they double as the Olympic qualifying tournament.
Women’s European Soccer Pick ‘Em
With four CONCACAF teams getting an automatic spot in the 2023 World Cup thanks to the expanded 2023 World Cup field, qualifying for the World Cup should be a given for the United States. The USWNT simply has to finish in the top two of its group of Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico, and which means reaching the semifinal round of the tournament is enough to qualify for the 2023 World Cup. They don’t have to win the semifinal game to qualify for the World Cup either — they just need to get there.
But to get to the Olympics, this is where things get interesting: The U.S. must either win this CONCACAF W Championship tournament out-right or finish in 2nd or 3rd place for the right to play a playoff game to get to the Olympics. Only two teams from CONCACAF will compete in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
So buckle up: There could or could not be turbulence when it comes to these qualifiers. Given how young this group is, you just never know. And that is a variable I absolutely love.
USWNT vs. Colombia, 2022 friendly: What to watch for
The United States Women’s National Team begin their final preparations for the Concacaf W Championship when they host Colombia in a pair of friendlies, beginning tomorrow in Denver. The USWNT are hoping to figure out the best combinations of players as they prepare for the confederation championship, which also serves as qualifying for the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics.
The USWNT look to use their lessons learned against the 28th ranked Colombia, who are preparing to host the Copa America Femenina next month. Both teams will likely be aggressive on the ball, and the two teams have a history of physical play when they face each other. We’ll see who will own the day in Denver.
Avoid the chippiness. Colombia’s physical play against the United States over the years has on several occasions become more on the dirty side. The USWNT can’t let Colombia get them off their game while at the same time matching that intensity and physicality.
Midfield should step up. The American midfield has to keep the pressure on Colombia’s defense while also ensuring the ball doesn’t get into the defensive third. They have the better talent on paper, but they have to be able to absorb the intensity that Colombia’s going to bring.
End the game early on offense. Create scoring chances, and the USWNT attackers should show no mercy. They’ve recently given opponents fits as they put big numbers on the board. Colombia is a team that will take an opposition’s scoreless droughts and turn them into momentum. The USWNT should end that quickly by capitalizing on scoring chances and ending any hope for the Colombians.
Prediction
It starts out fast for the USWNT with a couple early goals, and they cruise to a 4-0 victory.
Megan Rapinoe’s USWNT role has changed and she’s at peace: ‘A weight has been lifted’
Rapinoe — both she and Andonovski say — will play a very different role from the one that the world is accustomed to seeing her in.”We have a really young squad,” Rapinoe told ESPN, “and I feel like what I can bring to them in a mentor role, at training, being in their ear, the level of professionalism and understanding the style that Vlatko wants to play, and [being] that conduit to what the coaching staff wants and what the players are going to ultimately do on the field, was part of the roster selection.”If people don’t like that, that’s fine. They’re not the coach of the national team. Vlatko’s the coach, and ultimately it falls on him and what he wants and what he’s willing to put his reputation on and the team’s reputation on. Ultimately, if he’s unsuccessful, he’ll be fired, and he knows that, and I think he’s OK with that. If we’re unsuccessful — if I’m unsuccessful — I’ll be cut from the team, and that’s fine, too.”Most of the world knows Rapinoe for her role as the leader of the United States’ triumph at the 2019 Women’s World Cup. With her unmistakable pink hair, Rapinoe won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot as the top player and scorer while the U.S. clinched a second straight World Cup title, all while fighting the U.S. Soccer Federation for equal pay and protesting against the Trump administration.
After that magical month in France, Rapinoe says now, she felt stuck in a “hamster wheel.” Her life changed completely as her celebrity increased, and she found herself struggling to balance the emotional, mental and spiritual aspects with the usual physical demands made harder as she aged. The Olympics were delayed a year until 2021, and the U.S. eventually slogged through some poor stretches of play at that tournament to win a bronze medal. Rapinoe scored twice in the 4-3 win over Australia in that third-place game.Then came the break. Beginning in November, Andonovski purposely left out longtime veteran national team players — including Rapinoe — from training camps. His plan was to get a better look at young, less experienced players in order to determine whether they could contribute to more important moments like qualifying and, ultimately, the World Cup. Andonovski revealed earlier this month that he and Rapinoe had a discussion in late 2021 about her eventual return to the team.
“With that conversation, she understood that we are going to bring in a lot of players, we are going to test a lot of players,” Andonovski said. “We want to give the young players lots of minutes and opportunities to play and give us a chance to evaluate as much as possible. But after everything is said and done, if she is healthy and if she is fit to get minutes, that she will be on the roster. We know what Megan is capable of doing.”
From thoughts of retirement to reinvigoration
At some point during qualifying, Andonovski says, younger U.S. players will need Rapinoe’s experience to navigate a difficult situation. Rapinoe was around for qualifying in 2010 — the previous time Mexico hosted the tournament — when the U.S. lost to Mexico in the semifinals and had to eke through a playoff with Italy to become the final team to qualify for the 2011 World Cup. It was the closest the U.S. women’s national team had ever gotten to not qualifying for a World Cup.Several veterans from that near disaster remain active. Rapinoe said that no two players’ situations are the same, and that people very generally grouped veterans together over the past nine months of this roster overhaul process. (Alex Morgan also returns to the squad for qualifying. She leads the NWSL with 11 goals in 10 games.) Everyone who got called up deserves to be, Rapinoe said, and even players who did not get the call deserved inclusion, too.”Rosters are not a compilation just of, go pick the best players and hope for the best,” Rapinoe said. “It’s about constructing an organism that works together on and off the field, that works not necessarily harmoniously all the time, but that the right pieces fit for certain reasons and for reasons most people don’t understand.”Injuries played a role in the public skepticism of Rapinoe’s return to the national team. A day after feeling like she completely recovered from a nagging ankle injury this spring, she pulled her calf muscle. Her return to the field for OL Reign, something she needed to do to show she was fit for national team selection, was then delayed.Personal frustrations mounted for Rapinoe during that time, she says, so much so that sometimes retirement became a thought of hers — not because it was what she wanted to do, but because it felt like the only way to break the cycle. Rapino credits her fiancée, Sue Bird — who announced last week that she would retire at the end of this WNBA season, her 21st — with helping her manage those feelings as someone going through a similar process. Those are thoughts of the past, Rapinoe says.”I think being able to have someone who intimately knows what it means when I say, ‘I want to retire right now I’m so frustrated,’ it may not actually mean that,” Rapinoe said. “It actually means a lot of different things. So, being able to be there for her, and her be there for me, is the greatest gift ever.”
As U.S. national team training camp convenes in Colorado this week ahead of World Cup qualifying, Rapinoe said she’s in a much better place now. The outside world saw some of her physical struggles as she tried to get back on the field this spring, but they did not see her daily, internal battles with herself.”I feel like I’m just now on the other side of healing, physically and emotionally, and getting to a place where this feels new,” Rapinoe said. “Because I couldn’t have done what I was just kind of continuing to do after 2019. That felt like a hamster wheel, and it didn’t feel like a choice, and now I feel like I’m actually making a choice. My role is different, and I think I understand what my role is and I’m comfortable with it — I’m really excited about that. It’s kind of a combination of those things where I feel like in the last couple of weeks, I feel like a weight has been lifted. But also, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I’m excited again.’ “Beyond leadership, Rapinoe still has an uncanny ability to change results on a dime by being unpredictable from both open play and set pieces. She is also just reliable, and that matters to coaches in pressure-filled situations. As Reign head coach Laura Harvey said in May, “I would put my mortgage on Megan Rapinoe to score a penalty.”
Growing her game
Harvey and Andonovski played significant roles in Rapinoe’s career arc. The affable winger is best known for her triumphs at the world stage, but Rapinoe credits the evolution of her game — one that helped the Americans win both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups — to her time with the Seattle-based club, and specifically Harvey and Andonovski, who have both served as her coaches at the Reign.”I feel like I owe so much of my national team career to the Reign,” Rapinoe said. “I’ve had two of the best, if not the best coaches in the world, coach here and to be able to play under them. Some of the best players in the world [were here]… I feel like it’s where my game grew up. I think up until I got here it was like, ‘Yeah, I’m talented, I’m on the national team, we’re doing stuff, we’re successful.’ But I feel like when I got here, my game changed completely, and I really took it to the next level. I just owe so much to this club.”ndonovski coached the Reign prior to taking over the national team job and in that role he insisted that Rapinoe could still be better by improving her crossing accuracy and influencing the game in small moments, like a quick throw-in to catch an opponent off guard. He said that one year before Rapinoe dominated the 2019 World Cup.”I didn’t want her to be known as Pinoe who can serve the ball,” Andonovski said in 2018, as coach of the Reign. “I wanted her to be known as Pinoe who can change the game. How? Who cares? One time she’ll serve, one time she’ll slice a through ball, one time she’ll shoot. One time she’ll get a restart — it doesn’t matter. Be unpredictable.”Harvey was the original coach of the team — then called the Seattle Reign prior to being bought by the owners of Olympique Lyonnais — and she oversaw arguably the most dominant team in NWSL history in 2014 and 2015. The Reign went 16 games unbeaten in 2014 on their way to the first of two consecutive NWSL Shields, but they lost the NWSL championship each year to Andonovski-coached FC Kansas City sides.Ten years into the NWSL and many great Reign teams later, a playoff championship trophy still eludes the franchise. Rapinoe is one of three original Reign players to have been with the team from the inaugural season in 2013 (among 21 who remain active leaguewide from that first season). Jess Fishlock is one of the others, and while she was the league MVP in 2021, she will turn 36 before next season. Add that context to the short-term loan acquisition of Kim Little — who was the engine of those Reign glory teams and the 2014 league MVP — and the arrivals of Tobin Heath and striker Jordyn Huitema, and it suggests the Reign are all-in on finally ending the drought this year.
Women’s European Soccer Pick ‘Em
I’m really motivated and focused to bring a title to a club that I feel like really deserves it and has done things the right way,” Rapinoe said. “I feel like [we play] a style of soccer that has been inspirational not only here but around the world.”Before she returns to the Reign for the stretch run of the NWSL season, Rapinoe will help guide a very different-looking U.S. team at World Cup qualifying in Mexico. Four automatic qualification berths from the region lower the stakes a bit, but only the winner of the CONCACAF W Championship tournament will earn an automatic berth to the 2024 Olympics. (Second and third place go to a playoff.)Rapinoe’s inclusion in World Cup qualifying both reinvigorated her and provided clarity for her path ahead. If Rapinoe is to play in a fourth World Cup next year, it will have to be in a much different capacity than the previous cycles. She is at peace with that, so long as it is the best path for the team.”Now, I can imagine myself in qualifiers,” Rapinoe said. “Now, I can imagine, potentially, what a run to a World Cup would look like and what’s going to be required of me, where I feel comfortable and where I can push myself, where I can be of the utmost help to the team. Ultimately, that’s what it’s about. It’s about winning, period. It’s about getting another championship and going for a three-peat, which is f—ing ridiculous and amazing. If I can be a part of that, that excites me.”
After a successful group stage, Hadjuk Split’s Pukstas sets sights on qualifying
Rokas Pukstas has had a great 2022 with his promotion into Hadjuk Split’s first team and being named to the U.S. U-20 roster for World Cup and Olympic qualifying. Now the Oklahoma native will be looking to qualify for both tournaments and perhaps follow in his family’s Olympic legacy. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta spoke with Pukstas from Honduras.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTA JUNE 24, 2022 11:00 AM
THE UNITED STATES U-20 national team is now entering the pivotal stage of the CONCACAF Championships that will serve as qualification for both the 2023 U-20 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics. It is a massively important tournament for the U.S. Soccer to secure participation for key American prospects in two global tournaments .Rokas Pukstas, 17, is one of the team’s central midfielders and he has been part of the cycle since the start when the team participated in November’s Revelations Cup in Mexico just days after head coach Mikey Varas was hired. Since then he has watched the team grow while also making huge strides at his club, Hajduk Split in Croatia, where he made his first team debut in April.For both club and country, it has been a huge year for Pukstas and these CONCACAF Championships are where he wants to see that progress translate into tangible results.“When I was in November camp I was still training with the U-19s at Hajduk, barely with the first team,” Pukstas told American Soccer Now from Honduras. “Once I progressed to first team in January preseason and then I was full time since then, my comfort level got so much better, especially in these camps, I have more confidence. Definitely I see myself bringing the kind of that European style – the calmness, less frantic – into these camps. I see the progress in myself, but also our team. You can see the progress from the November camp, individually too. The individual success can also bring team success.”It has been quite a journey for Pukstas to get to this point and it differs from many other top American prospects. He did not come from a major U.S. metropolitan center with professional soccer academies nearby. He also did not come from a soccer family who was able to give him proper instructions at a high level.Instead, Pukstas is from Stillwater, Oklahoma – where American football reigns supreme. His parents are both Lithuanian immigrants who participated in other sports at the highest levels. His father, Mindaugas Pukstas, even represented Lithuania at the 2004 Olympics in Greece for the marathon.Getting pushed and getting high quality games was always a challenge for Pukstas once he discovered he had the talent and drive to go far.“In Oklahoma, soccer is the fourth most popular sport there,” Pukstas said. “It all started with rec. I was from a small town. Once I competed there, once I develop, I need a place to move. So, I went to Oklahoma City to train. It’s just different there because there’s was no Development Academy. They had a lot of good players but they’re just not pushed how they should be. It was better for me to go to Sporting KC rather than stay in Oklahoma. Dike, he went away to college. Oklahoma has the talent, but we lack the system.”Like many top American kids, Pukstas had ambitions to play in Europe but there are always questions over where to being a career. Many players on the U.S. team have begun there careers domestically in MLS before heading abroad and for Pukstas, that was an option as he initially moved away to join the Sporting Kansas City academy.But with his Lithuanian passport, he was able to go on trials at an earlier age and Hadjuk Split was the first place he trialed. In the end, it was the place he decided to sign his first pro deal. In April, he signed a new deal with the club through 2025.“It was the next steppingstone from Oklahoma,” Pukstas said of Sporting KC. “Like always, it was a struggle at first, but I got comfortable and started executing. It was great. I learned a lot there. But I felt it was better to continue to go to Europe. But Sporting was great. It was a great steppingstone.”“I went on trial in a couple of places and I looked into Hadjuk,” Pukstas added. “Hadjuk was actually the first spot I went, and I was hooked. I saw the pathway and it’s been working great. Croatia is known for their really good development. I felt like my best option was to go there, learn the system, learn the best techniques for everything and grow from there.”The past six months in 2022 have seen Pukstas take his game to another level. He’s now on the first team at Hajduk Spit and has ambitions of becoming a regular next season for one of Croatia’s biggest clubs. “I’m not going to lie, it was really tough for me at the beginning,” Pukstas said. “I was confused about the tactics. I wasn’t getting a lot of minutes. I was being pushed down and I was kind of the guy who was different. Most of the guys there were Croatian. But once you start performing, the teammates will accept you more and it just became better and better every day. But it was really, really tough in the beginning getting used to the culture, the food, everything’s different there.”“Right now, it’s great” he added.He has also been growing in importance to Varas throughout the cycle this qualifying tournament has shown that as he was given the starting job for the group stage finale against Cuba where the U.S. team won 3-0 to secure a first-place finish in Group E. Due to the fact that the roster size is small and games taking place every two to three days, players have to get rotated into the starting XI frequently and are often asked to play multiple positions.Rokas describes himself as a box-to-box midfielder who can play either the No. 6 or the No. 8. Stylistically, he says he enjoys being the “fireman of the group” who can defensively respond to situations when the opponents create a dangerous possession (“being there defensively, aggressive with tackles, covering a lot of ground, being that leader and to win the midfield battles and just controlling the tempo of the game”).Now in Honduras, Pukstas is happy, but he knows the responsibilities of the tasks ahead. He enjoys the progress the U-20 team has made this cycle and hopes that it will be on full display in the knockout rounds where the opponents will be better and the intensity will be raised.“The first two camps we would play intrasquad matches where we would all outplay the press pretty easily. But now once we learned the system, everybody’s more disciplined. It is really hard to beat our press and trainings are more intense. It’s hard to break everything. So once people got more disciplined, got more into the tactics, it has just been a lot smoother process. We feel confident… Everybody’s been talking about the importance of qualifying but Mikey really does a good job of telling us the focus on the next game.”There is a lot of pressure on this U-20 team to end U.S. Soccer’s skid of failing to qualify for the Olympics. For this to happen, the U.S. team will have to win its semifinal game in Honduras, quite possibly against the hosts.The Olympics play a big part the Pukstas family given his family’s athletic history and his father’s participation in the 2004 Games. Even though it was a different sport, for a different country, coming from that background has helped Pukstas mentally adjust to the pressures of international sports.“It makes me really proud to show what my parents have done for their country also,” Pukstas said. “They’ve basically been through these processes. It’s a different sport, but they know what could happen. They’ve been really helpful and to help me get through this because they went through it, too.”Even though Pukstas is from a Lithuanian family, he looks forward to representing the United States (which has has represented since the U-15 level) and believes in the future of soccer in this country. Earlier this year, Lithuania’s soccer federation met with Pukstas to gauge interest and see if he would be interested in following in his father’s footsteps. Pukstas politely declined, however, with seeing the potential of the current younger generations of American players. “My whole family is from Lithuania,” Pukstas said. “When I was from six to 10, I’d go every summer and stay with my grandparents and play for the academies there. Lithuania definitely has a place in my heart. But the future in the U.S. is great to see. I want to be part of that process. I want to help in that process for the U.S. to be good. Lithuania is in my culture but my whole family agrees that this is the best pathway for me.”
ON THE DAY BEFORE the USWNT meets Colombia in a friendly in the Denver area, star winger Megan Rapinoe gave her reaction to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in a press conference. Here’s what she said:
MEGAN RAPINOE:
Hi everybody. I mean, first of all, obviously it’s good to be back in the crest and seeing all of you. I wish that we could just talk about soccer today. But obviously with the ruling on Roe v Wade, that takes precedence over everything. It’s hard to put into words how sad a day this is for me personally, for my teammates, for just all of the people out there who this is going to affect. I say this all the time, but pro-choice means that you get to choose. Pro-choice allows other people to be pro-life if that is what works for them, or that is what their beliefs are, or if that is where they’re at in their life.
Pro-life doesn’t allow anybody to make a choice. Obviously you can understand from an individual perspective how difficult it is to live in a country where you have a constant, unrelenting, violent tide against you, an onslaught as a woman. And it would be as a gay person and as a non-binary person, as a trans person, whoever this is going to affect, because it affects a lot more than just women, or cis women, it really does affect us all. If people are seeing this, beyond that I would just encourage people to try to understand the intersectionality of this.
I am a cis-gendered rich white woman that lives in two of the most progressive cities in the world with protection of not only myself and my resources, but this resource and this protection, as are all of my teammates, not everyone is afforded that. We know that this will disproportionately affect poor women, Black women, brown women, immigrants, women in abusive relationships, women who have been raped, and girls who have been raped by family members. Who, you know what, maybe just didn’t make the best choice. And that’s no reason to be forced to have a pregnancy. It will completely exacerbate so many of the existing inequalities that we have in our country.
It doesn’t keep not one single person safer. It doesn’t keep not one single child safer, certainly. And it does not keep one single inclusive term woman safer. We know that the lack of abortion does not stop people from having abortions. It stops people from having safe abortions. I would encourage people to understand all of the different aspects that overturning Roe v Wade will have on so many … actually on everyone in the entire country. I just can’t understate how sad and how cruel this is. I think the cruelty is the point, because this is not pro-life by any means.
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This way of thinking or political belief is coupled with a complete lack of motivation around gun laws. It comes with pro death penalty. It comes with anti health care, anti prenatal care, anti child care, anti pre-K, anti food assistance, anti welfare anti-education, anti maternity leave, anti paternity leave.
This is not pro-life. And it’s very frustrating and disheartening and frankly just infuriating. To hear that be the reason that people are wanting to end abortion rights and this vital aspect of a woman’s not only healthcare and general basic safety in this country, but her bodily autonomy and the right to freedom and the pursuit of happiness and liberty is being assaulted.
And it’s just incredibly disheartening. Um, there are an infinite amount of reasons why a woman chooses to do what she does with her body or what they do with their body, none of which are anybody else’s business. And I just, again, like, it’s just so disheartening and so sad because some people will be okay, but most people will not, most people are not in a position or have the resources or whatever the case may be to protect themselves. And so to have the entirety of the U.S. government say to people’s faces, say to women’s faces, we do not care. We are going to force our belief system, which is deeply rooted in a white supremacist patriarchal Christianity. We are going to force that upon you. First of all, your religion is a choice and it is a belief that you have. It is not my belief and it is not many people’s beliefs, and it certainly is not the law of the land. And it certainly in the context of Roe v Wade is not the will of the country, and that has been explicit for so long. The makeup of the court is ill-equipped to handle this kind of decision. Frankly, a majority male court making decisions about my body or any other woman’s body is completely misguided and wildly out of touch with the desires of the country, the will of the country and the will of the people. And I think they acting incredibly irresponsibly and inappropriately.
Again, I think I’ll just end with pro-choice means that we all get to decide what is best for us, because that is our right as a human being in this country. And frankly, I believe in the world and pro-life does not allow anything other than one very strict religious view, frankly, and belief system to be forced upon everyone else.
So this will obviously have very wide ranging effects when it comes to racism and transphobia and homophobia and inequality and will exacerbate so many of the existing issues that we have in our country. Particularly as we come out of COVID as the economic situation will likely continue to deteriorate for so many people.
It’s a really sad day. It’s a really hard thing to deal with for all of us. And again, I encourage people to take a step back and come from a place of compassion and humanity. And understand that just because I believe something doesn’t mean everybody else has to, and we all get to make our own choices, but ultimately we need to come from a place of love, respect, and autonomy to do what we feel is best for us.
NANCY ARMOUR, USA Today:
Megan, thank you very much for taking the time to do this. You were one of the 500 female athletes who submitted an amicus brief to the court in this case, making the link between Title IX and Roe v Wade that without Roe, the gains of Title IX would not be possible. Obviously yesterday was the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Can you just talk about what, first of all, the fact that this decision came down a day after that, and also just from an an athlete’s perspective, just put into perspective what Roe allowed you to do, how it allowed you to take advantage of everything that Title IX provided?
RAPINOE:
I think Title IX, first of all, it’s just oddly cruel for this to happen during this time, obviously with Title IX, celebrating a piece of legislation that gave so many women the opportunity to make our own choices about what we wanted to do with our life. And obviously in the context of athletics gave us the opportunity to pursue a unicorn talent that all of us have to be professional athletes or to go to college, or honestly gives people so many opportunities to go to college and get an education and potentially change their situation or choose for themselves what they what they want their situation to be.
I mean, for me personally, I obviously have this once in a lifetime talent that I’m able to use to take me into the rest of my life. It’s what brought me to college. And it’s what obviously has brought me beyond, but it was very clear, very early on. My parents were not in position to financially support both my twin sister and I going to college where they had to pay for it. So I was able to use Title IX to get an education. And my sister was able to use Title IX to get an education. God forbid soccer doesn’t work out, which it does not work out for almost everybody who tries to play professional soccer. So I can’t understate the importance and the impact of Title IX in the world, not just in our country, but in the world at large. And how this is yet again, another assault on women’s autonomy to do what they want. Because it won’t stop here. And this isn’t the first place that it has started. Lack of healthcare, the disgusting and cruel attack on trans kids, the bathroom bills.
A lot of the decision I believe, from what I’ve read. Obergefell comes up a lot in this decision about Roe v Wade. I think gay marriage is under attack. I think that trans rights are under attack. I think that women’s rights are under attack. We know voting rights are under attack. We know civil rights are under attack of all kinds.
So I don’t think you can understate the importance of Title IX and also the dire situation which we are in, in which a very small number of people are dictating the lives of quite literally hundreds of millions of people.
STEPHANIE YANG, The Athletic:
Thanks Megan. That was a lot of emotional labor. So please feel free to skate right past this. You’ve got me crying in the club too. So, sorry about that. And my voice is like crazy right now. You did just mention Obergefell and gay rights and you know, I’ve got colleagues in this space who are talking about, let’s go get married at the courthouse today, just in case, things like that. And I was just wondering if there was any discussion amongst you and other teammates about the impact of this on queer communities, not just in terms of gay marriage but for queer communities, bodily autonomy is also a really huge issue.
RAPINOE:
Listen, I hold space for that. And it’s a very emotional day. Of course, of course. I see everything in intersectionality. As an intersection, I absolutely think gay rights are under attack. I absolutely think we will see legislation pop up state by state by state that will eventually come to this radical court. I have zero faith that my rights will be upheld by the court. I have faith in our country and I have faith in people and I have faith in the voters. And if you ever needed a fucking motivation to vote, to get involved. Quite literally people’s lives depend on it. Like actual lives, we’re talking life and death, and also, you know, your life in terms of what does it mean to even be alive if you can’t be your full self, like what the fuck is the point? So yeah, I mean, we’ve absolutely had these conversations.
I think we’ll continue to have these conversations. I think this is obviously very new and very raw, you know, a few of us. I mean, obviously we heard about the leak. I mean, to whoever leaked that, thank you for giving us a heads up, because this is a lot to take in, and to be surprised by this would’ve just been fucking out of control.
But yeah, people are scared, you know, and it’s like, for me, I’m scared because this is just awful. And I know how important it is for me to express myself and to be who I am, but I’m going to be fine. I said that I’m rich and white and super privileged and famous. And live bicoastally. I will not be subjected to so much of the impact that this will have, but other people are not that lucky and they will be affected immediately. They’re likely already being affected. So yeah. It is an emotional day. It is a scary day. We have to be vigilant. If again there is any needed motivation for getting out and voting and using our voice and by any and all means necessary protecting the progress we’ve made, but also fighting like hell for what we still need, please let this be the siren that you need.
ME:
Hi, Megan. Your team plays in Utah a couple of days. I’m not sure what the laws are in Colorado. My understanding in Utah is that they have some sort of trigger law, anti-abortion law, that goes into effect. What do you want to see U.S. Soccer do when they schedule games in certain locations in states that have anti-abortion laws? How do you feel about playing in Utah in a few days?
RAPINOE:
I mean, obviously we’re not moving the game, and we’re not protesting the game. I think, as you guys have seen, the most powerful thing we can always do is show up and not only express our supreme skill and talent and joy on the field, but to be able to have that platform. I think moving forward we should do any and all things necessary as people, organizations, the media, corporations, government, national governing bodies and everybody to ensure the rights and liberties of every single American. So I don’t know exactly what that looks like. Thus far we’ve felt extremely supported by U.S. Soccer, by everyone here individually.
We spoke to Kate [Markgraf] last night, a group of us. Obviously, I’ve been given this platform and had conversations with [Aaron Heifetz] already. We will always be supported to use our voices, and we always have been in this federation and we will continue that. And I think we understand that as a team we have an incredible platform to do good in the world. And to me, this is not a political issue at all. This is a human rights issue.
And I think the players in U.S. Soccer and everyone in this environment and back home in Chicago feel that same way and will support a group of women who rely on the autonomy of their body to do the thing that they love and to make this circus run. So I think it is only in the benefit of everyone to do whatever we can to provide an environment where the players feel protected, supported, and have the utmost autonomy in their bodies.
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Indy 11 Womenbeat Louisville II for 1st / Indy 11 Men tonight 9 pm
Our Indy 11 women took over sole possession of first place after an impressive 3-1 win over Racing Louisville Fri night. The 11 are off to a great start with 6 wins and 2 ties on the season for tops in the league. (story below) To learn more about the newest edition of Indiana’s Team representing the women’s game, visit indyeleven.com/wleague. On the men’s side they will next play in Colorado tonight at 9 pm on MyIndyTV 23/ESPN+. The boys in blue return home Sat, July 2 at 7:30 pm with a fire-works display after – so make your plans to be there- tix are just $15 @ indyeleven.com/tickets.
2026 World Cup Cities Announced
The 2026 World Cup Cities have been announced and the expected cities were selected (video). Los Angeles, San Fran, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, New York, Boston, Philly, Atlanta & Miami. I guess the Midwest doesn’t matter in the World Cup. And NO KANSAS IS NOT THE MIDWEST. Cincy was, maybe Nashville – but not Kansas City which is 8 daggum hours away from us. I plan to follow the US team anyway – but Chicago’s mayor refusing to play FIFAs game and pony up the resources needed – has left the Midwest with NO GAMES. Thanks for nothing CHICAGO!! I am figuring the US will play in NY/NJ, Philly and perhaps Boston – so look out friends in those areas – The Ole Ballcoach is coming!
US Ties El Salvador 1-1 in SlopFest
Not 100% sure what learned from the slopfest in El Salvador other than this US team has guts and spirit – and they won’t be bossed around. The US found a way to tie the game late with a huge header by Seattle forward Jordan Morris (gooooall) to tie it at 1-1 (highlights) of a fantastic pass from Eric De La Torre in the 90th minute. (Highlights). I thought the boys showed some real heart in the worst possible field conditions (welcome to CONCACAF), Musah was the Man of the Match as he just played his heart out and was all over the field. I thought the Captain Pulisic was good – but obviously he’s not a mudder – though he did not back down and the team followed his lead as McKennie, Adams (shown body slamming a player) and the center backs played this game like a WWE match. I was proud of the way they stood up and wouldn’t back down to El Salvador’s ridiculous rough play and the horrific referring on the night. I thought VAR would have overturned multiple calls and would have possibly given the US a PK along the way. GK Ethan Horvath stood and watched as a screamer beat him near post – HORRIFIC. He has played his way into 4th slot on the GK list at this point. No way Turner gives up that goal – so we should have won the game rather than tie it. I also though Haji Wright was not even on the field – unfortunate that his go was in the mud but he did not play well. Everyone else was fine – and in the long run a young squad has more faith they can comeback in a tough setting against the odds.
MLS Moves Games to Apple TV
MLS has signed a huge 2.5 billion dollar deal for 10 years with Apple TV to be their streaming home of all MLS games – replacing ESPN+. Evidently ESPN and Fox and other TV networks are still bidding for TV rights to the games on a national basis – but all local coverage will be replaced with Apple+.
Carmel FC Coaches Game
Man what a good looking group of Carmel FC Coaches Showed up for our Annual End of Season Game. Of course the Ole Ballcoach was the star LOL – Not!! Thanks Juergen for the Pizza’s after!
Coach Best is Doing some Goalkeeper Training this Summer – reach out if interested in small group training at inexpensive prices. shanebestsoccer@gmail.com or 317-748-7174.
2022 Midwest Regional Championships @ Grand Park
June 24 – June 29, 2022 Westfield, Indiana
The 2022 US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships takes place June 24 – June 29 in Westfield, Indiana. The event will feature Boys and Girls teams in the 13U through 19U age groups who will compete for a regional championship and a spot at the 2022 US Youth Soccer National Championships. (Schedule)
• Preliminary Round – Fri, June 24 // Saturday, June 25 // Sunday, June 26•
Semifinals – Tuesday, June 28
Finals – Wednesday, June 29
BIG GAMES ON TV
Sat, June 18
3 pm ABC Seattle Sounders vs LAFC
5 pm ESPN LA Galaxy vs Portland
7:30 pm ESPN+ Philly vs Cincy
8 pm ESPN+ Chicago Fire vs DC United
8:30 pm TUDN USA U20 vs St. Kitts
8:30 pm Para+ KC vs Chicago NWSL
9 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Colorado
10:30 Para+ Seattle Reign vs Angel City NWSL
Sun, June 19
3 pm ESPN2 Atlanta United vs Inter Miami
3:30 pm Para+ Portland Thorns vs Orlando Pride NWSL
4 ppm Para + NY/NJ Gotham vs San Diego Wave
5 pm Para + NC Courage vs Houston Dash
6 pm Fox Sport 1 Nashville vs Sporting KC
6 pm ESPN+ San Diego Loyal vs Las Vegas Lights USL
Tues, June 21
10:30 pm ESPN+ LA Galaxy vs Sacramento US Open Cup
Weds, June 22
8:30 pm ESPN+ NY Red Bulls vs NYCFC US Open
8:30 pm ESPN+ Sporting KC vs Union Omaha US Open
8:30 pm TUDN USA U20 vs Cuba U20
Fri, June 24
7:30 pm ESPN+ Cincy vs Orlando City
Sat, June 25
3 pm ABC Seattle Sounders vs Sporting KC
3:10 pm fubo tv France vs Cameroon women
5 pm ESPN DC United vs Nashville FC
7:30 pm Fox Sport 1 USA Women vs Colombia
7:30 pm ESPN+ CF Montreal vs Charlotte
8 pm TUDN Chicago Fire vs Houston Dynamo
Sun, June 26
3 pm ABC LAFC vs NY Red Bulls
6 pm Fox Sport 1 Philly vs NYCFC
6 pm ESPN+ San Diego Loyal vs Las Vegas Lights USL
The 2022 US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships takes place June 24 – June 29 in Westfield, Indiana. The event will feature Boys and Girls teams in the 13U through 19U age groups who will compete for a regional championship and a spot at the 2022 US Youth Soccer National Championships. (Schedule)
• Preliminary Round – Friday, June 24 // Saturday, June 25 // Sunday, June 26
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Indy Eleven ended their two-game week with a 3-1 victory in front of a sold-out crowd at Grand Park in a pivotal showdown against second-place Racing Louisville FC. Two goals from forward Maddy Williams and a goal from forward Katie Soderstrom moves their record to six wins, 0 losses and two draws, crowning them the queens of the Great Lakes Division. There were many goal-scoring opportunities from both sides, as Louisville had a chance from the corner in the fifth minute before it was blocked just inside the opposing half. Williams unleashed forward Rachel McCarthy on a breakaway two minutes later as she attempted to beat the goalie, but she was stopped. Scoring the first goal in the 28th minute, forward Maddy Willams provided her veteran presence when midfielder Addie Chester delivered her a pass over the top, which Williams tucked into the far bottom corner. Williams’ goal would hold for the remainder of the half putting Indiana’s Team ahead at halftime.
“We talked before the game that we were probably going to get in on the counter-attack and that was exactly what happened,” Williams said. “Addie picked her head up and played a great ball and behind and really just caught them off guard.”The second half saw a spark for Indiana’s team as in the 57th minute a free-kick from midfielder Grace Bahr sailed into the box, where Williams fired the loose ball into the net, tallying her second goal of the game. With the goal, she now ties Soderstrom as Indy’s leading goal-scorer and one of the USL W-League’s top scorers. “The goal was on the corner. I think we all kind of felt like we had another one in us,” Williams said. “And that corner I think was just kind of a big mess in the box and landed right on my feet luckily.” The celebration did not end there, as Soderstrom’s stray shot went under the Louisville defense and resulted in a goal, putting Indy up three to nil in the 61st minute of the game. Louisville’s Emily Madril silenced the momentum of the Girls in Blue with her penalty kick into the bottom corner after the referee called a handball on Robyn McCarthy, putting Louisville on the leaderboard. The silence however was short-lived, as the Girls in Blue gathered the hard-fought victory, putting them at the top of the Great Lakes Division. “It’s a fierce rivalry; we’re competitors in nature. We knew it was gonna be a dogfight and it was a dogfight,” Assistant Coach Brandon Kim said. “But huge credit to the players, they fought, scratched and clawed their way to victory again.” Indy Eleven will embark on their final road trip of the season by making two stops in Michigan, first to take on Kalamazoo FC on Tuesday, June 21 at 7 PM followed by a trip to the east to take on Detroit City FC on Friday, July 1 at 7:30 PM. To learn more about the newest edition of Indiana’s Team representing the women’s game, visit indyeleven.com/wleague.
League Leading Indy 11 Women Face Racing Louisville for First Place 7 pm at Grand Park Events Center
The first half of Indy Eleven’s two-game week began with a trip to the Kentucky region to face Kings Hammer FC. Tuesday’s match for the Girls in Blue resulted in a 1-1 draw thanks to a lone goal from Katie Soderstrom. Battling a heatwave that brought extremely high temperatures to the Midwest, Head Coach Paul Dolinsky said the girls did not appear to be themselves. He said the team did not have the extra energy and punch they are accustomed to every game. “The game was played at an incredibly slow pace for various reasons. We are not a slow pace playing team,” Dolinsky said. “The fact that it was as hot as it was definitely made the game less interesting than they usually are.” A goal from Kings Hammer put the team up 1-nil in the opening two minutes of the contest. However, This did not deter Indy Eleven, as forward Katie Soderstrom’s lone goal in the 19th minute tied the game at halftime and eventually brought the game to a close. Soderstrom said that it was not the team’s finest performance, but she believes they battled hard and are looking forward to improving ahead of Friday’s match. “It was definitely a hard, hard-fought battle but it wasn’t our best performance as a whole,” Soderstrom said. “But we definitely showed a lot of grit and effort and to come back from being behind so early on.” Soderstrom’s goal on Tuesday was her sixth of the season, making her the Indy Eleven’s goal leader as well as one of the league’s top goal scorers. With a hand in half of Indy’s 17 goals thus far, Dolinsky believes she is one of the main components of the team’s success. “With her ability to get behind defenders and create goal-scoring opportunities to score goals herself, she’s a massive impact on any team she plays for,” Dolinsky said.Soderstrom said having the accolade is really exciting but credits her teammates for helping put her in this position. “It comes from great play for my teammates and them setting me up,” Soderstrom said. “I’m just trying to do my part to help us win games. But, it’s all on them for putting me in those positions to succeed.” The second part of Indy Eleven’s two-game week will conclude on Friday with a home match against Racing Louisville FC. The squad had their first taste of the Lousiville-Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest rivalry at Racing Lousiville on May 20, dishing up a 2-0 win. With five wins and two draws, Indy Eleven sits atop of the W League’s Great Lakes Division standings, while Louisville sits in the second place with five wins, one loss and two draws. Dolinsky acknowledged that Friday’s game is going to be pivotal, but he wants his girls to be ready for the battle. “We need to go into that game understanding that it is a game with two teams at the top of the table and as well as the rivalry game and try to beat a team twice in succession,” Dolinsky said. Tickets for that contest are available at indyeleven.com/wleague-tickets for only $8. To learn more about the newest edition of Indiana’s Team representing the women’s game, visit indyeleven.com/wleague.
USMNT showed mentality needed for World Cup to salvage draw on muddy night in El Salvador
Jun 15, 2022Kyle BonaguraESPN Staff Writer
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — Any hope the United States men’s national team had of using Tuesday’s CONCACAF Nations League game against El Salvador as a quasi-dress rehearsal for the FIFA World Cup faded away when the team arrived at Cuscatlan Stadium for training Monday night.They were aware the forecast called for rain, but minutes into the first warm-up drill, it became clear the field wasn’t going to hold up. Even light jogging left mud tracks in the previously undisturbed grass, and that was before the rain really started to come down.”We saw the conditions, saw how it was gradually getting worse and knew at game time it wasn’t going to be good,” USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter said. “I can only say that I’m really proud of the guys, the way they embraced that.”
It wasn’t exactly an ideal scenario for a team fully focused on preparing for a tournament in Qatar, where the annual average precipitation is roughly 3 inches. Instead, the team received a final dose of CONCACAF madness, where skill and precision were trumped by grit and emotion in a 1-1 draw.
A Jordan Morris header in the first of six minutes of stoppage time rescued the result for the U.S. — extending its unbeaten streak against El Salvador to 20 games — but not before each team was issued a red card, El Salvador employed an array of time-wasting tactics, and chaos reigned supreme.
It was clear from the opening kickoff that neither team was going to attempt to build much from the back, instead opting to bypass the sloppy terrain with long balls.
“We thought after the warm-up that it would best suit us to play long,” midfielder Tyler Adams said. “I think with Haji [Wright] in the game, it suits him as well to hold the ball up, link up play like that.”
It didn’t work. For Wright, the game was supposed to be his big audition. Starting between Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah, a convincing performance could have made an impact on his World Cup roster chances or perhaps even earn consideration for a meaningful role. Instead, his involvement was minimal and he was subbed for Jesus Ferreira at halftime.”It’s always difficult when players get an opportunity and don’t fully capitalize on it,” Berhalter said. “It’s not nice for a coach. It’s not nice for the player. It’s not nice for the group. We were all rooting for Haji to be a force. We purposely played more direct in the first half because we thought he could be the force that would unsettle them. And it just wasn’t his night tonight.”It doesn’t rule him out for anything in the future. We don’t work like that. Now it’s about him going back to his club and continuing to score goals and do his thing. It was an unlucky night for him tonight, for sure.”Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath had a similar opportunity. He made his first start in a U.S. shirt in more than a year but was caught out of position on Alex Larin’s 35th-minute goal. Beyond that moment, Horvath wasn’t really tested and will head back to Europe no closer to earning a place in Qatar.After a steady rain during the first half, it dissipated in the second, which, coupled with El Salvador’s lack of defensive pressure in midfield, led to a shift in approach. The U.S. limited the long balls — choosing to build out its attack — and the initial results were encouraging. Yunus Musah was particularly impressive on the ball, as one of the few players who seemed unencumbered by the conditions.”It was definitely fun,” Musah said. “When we came out of halftime for the second half, I just told Tim [Weah] that, ‘Yo, let’s just enjoy this. There’s not many matches that are like this, so let’s just enjoy it.’ And, yeah, we definitely did.”One passing sequence Musah was involved with led to the game’s best chance, but his shot was saved from nearly point-blank range. Being more clinical in front of goal, he said, is something he plans to work on and thinks can take him to another level as a player.”I was a little bit hesitant thinking about his skill set and how that was going to work today, but he took advantage of the dribble for sure,” Berhalter said. “Under poor field conditions, sometimes that can slow you down, and he was tremendous today. If there was a man of the match, we’d probably give it to him.”Paul Arriola replaced Weah on the right wing on the hour mark but lasted just nine minutes before being sent off with a straight red card for a slide tackle in the El Salvador box. That’s when the game truly went off the rails. A fight nearly broke out when Adams earned a yellow card after tossing an opponent to the ground in the 76th minute before El Salvador’s Ronald Rodriguez was sent off in the 79th minute when he took down Musah, who was in on goal.With the teams playing 10 vs. 10, an already discombobulated game veered even further away from the norm. The U.S. was desperate to score a goal, while El Salvador took every opportunity to preserve the win, which would have been its second against the United States all-time, and first since 1992.The U.S. could have easily packed it in, too. Had Berhalter removed Pulisic from the game as a means of preservation, few would have taken issue. The idea of the Chelsea star — or anyone else, really — getting injured on a muddy field chasing a result in a Nations League group game was terrifying for many U.S. fans watching at home.Competitive instinct overruled precaution, and the U.S. performance wasn’t lacking for effort. When Luca de la Torre‘s cross found Morris’ head for the tying goal, the celebration spoke volumes. The bench emptied. This mattered.
“One, it was Jordan scoring and I think that, for me at least, this kind of marked his comeback after all over overcoming all the injuries that and really showing the impact that it has on this group,” Adams said. “But also this means a lot to us. We want to win another trophy and as a young group, we don’t get many opportunities to do that. We’re taking it seriously. I think that showed.”If there’s a takeaway for what Tuesday’s game means for the World Cup, it must be about the team’s mentality. From a tactical standpoint, the field and rain made for mostly a pointless exercise, but the team’s ability to respond when faced with difficult circumstances points to a quality that not all teams have.”To see that from this group, to see the resiliency from this young group, the way they fought, we’re really proud of that,” Berhalter said. “Although we didn’t get the win, I think it’s a good takeaway and a good end to the June camp. It really brought the guys together in a good way.”After flying back to Miami early Wednesday morning, the players will go their separate ways, with 2½ months before they reassemble in Europe for the final pair of friendlies ahead of their opening game of the World Cup against Wales on Nov. 21.
Megan Rapinoe among the surprises on U.S. women’s CONCACAF W Championship roster
Kevin Baxter Mon, June 13, 2022, 12:02 PM LA Times
Megan Rapinoe, right, celebrates with teammate Alex Morgan after scoring on a penalty shot for the U.S. in the 2019 Women’s World Cup final against the Netherlands. Rapinoe and Morgan will represent the U.S. in the CONCACAF W Championship in July. (Francisco Seco / Associated Press)
U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski on Monday called up a mix of young and veteran players for next month’s CONCACAF W Championship, the qualifier for the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics. And that makes the 23-player roster one full of surprises — both for who made it and who didn’t.Making it were forward Megan Rapinoe and defender Becky Sauerbrunn.Rapinoe’s inclusion was surprising because the 36-year-old hasn’t started for her NWSL club this season, playing just 154 minutes over four games for the OL Reign. And she hasn’t been part of the national team since October.Less surprising was the inclusion of Sauerbrunn, who is a week past her 37th birthday. Although she missed the national team’s April camp because of a knee injury, Sauerbrunn has played in the Portland Thorns’ last six NWSL games. She is also the U.S. captain and leads all active players with 202 international caps.Also returning for the first time since October is Alex Morgan, the NWSL scoring leader with nine goals in as many games for the expansion San Diego Wave. She is the national team’s leading active scorer, ith 115 goals, and she’ll be joined by Wave midfielder Taylor Kornieck, who is looking for her first senior national team cap.Among the missing is Angel City forward Christen Press, who hasn’t played with the national team since last summer’s Tokyo Olympics. She left Angel City’s match in Louisville on Saturday with a knee injury, but Andonovski said she wouldn’t have beaten out Mallory Pugh and Sophia Smith — whom he called the two most exciting players in NWSL — even if she was healthy.“She’s performing well. But it’s not just her now. It’s her competing with the players that are in front of her,” he said. “It’s not easy to be a forward in United States. The competition has just gotten bigger and bigger.”Eight other regulars were not available because of injury or maternity leaves, among them Abby Dahlkemper Catarina Macario, Sam Mewis, Crystal Dunn and Julie Ertz.The coach said Rapinoe, third among active players with 187 caps, was included largely because her experience will be valuable on a team that features 10 players under the age of 26 and eight players with fewer than 10 caps.“She is very important for this group,” Andonovski said. “Her winning mentality, her knowledge and understanding is very valuable for the group.”Alyssa Naeher, Kelley O’Hara, Emily Sonnett, Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan, all members of the World Cup-winning team in 2019, were included as well.“They’re on the team, first and foremost, because they can perform,” Andonovski said. “Their experience is a bonus.”
The U.S. will play friendlies against Colombia on June 25 in suburban Denver and on June 28 outside Salt Lake City before flying to Monterrey, Mexico, for the eight-team CONCACAF tournament, which kicks off July 4. The U.S. will play Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico in group competition. Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and Canada, the reigning Olympic champion, will play in the other group.The top two teams in each group will earn berths in next summer’s expanded World Cup field, as well as spots in the tournament semifinals. The W Championship winner earns an automatic berth in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The second- and third-place finishers will meet in a September playoff with another Olympic invitation at stake.The last time the U.S. played in a World Cup qualifying tournament in Mexico, in 2010, the Americans suffered their only loss against Mexico, which forced them to win a two-leg playoff with Italy to qualify for the 2011 World Cup.
#COSvIND Preview
Indy Eleven vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FCSaturday, June 18, 2022 – 9:00 p.m. ETWeidner Field – Colorado Springs, Col.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: 10W-2L-0D (+14 GD), 30 pts.; 1st in Western Conference
Indy Eleven are set for the third of a four-match, month-long road trip Saturday night in the Rocky Mountains, as the Boys in Blue face the Western Conference-leading Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Indy is coming off of a 1-1 draw at The Miami FC last Wednesday, while Colorado Springs defeated LA Galaxy II 3-1 on Saturday. Saturday’s match marks the first-ever meeting between the Eleven and the Switchbacks. Despite Colorado Springs joining USL Championship in 2014 and Indy joining in 2018, the two teams have yet to play, in part due to scheduling changes made during the Covid-19 pandemic. The match is the fifth of eight against first-time opponents for the Boys in Blue this season, with Indy holding a 2W-1L-1D record in these matches so far. The Eleven drew 1-1 with LA Galaxy II on Apr. 2, defeated Rio Grande Valley FC 2-1 on Apr. 9, won 2-1 over Orange County SC on Apr. 30 and lost 2-1 to New Mexico United on May 28 in the previous four matches against new foes this season. The team will follow up their first-time match against Colorado Springs by facing San Diego Loyal on June 25, San Antonio FC on Aug. 27 and Monterey Bay F.C. on Sept. 17. After a nearly three-hour lightning delay in last Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at The Miami FC, the weather could play a factor again this week for the Boys in Blue. Possible showers and thunderstorms are in the forecast for Saturday night in Colorado Springs, something the Eleven are no strangers to playing in after the downpour in South Florida last time out. Tim Trilk returned to goal for Indy Eleven in Miami, allowing one goal immediately after play resumed following the weather delay. The third-year pro would keep the opponents off the scoreboard for the remainder of the match. Stefano Pinho scored the equalizer last week, his third consecutive match with a goal. The draw also marked a club record for the Eleven, being the eleventh-consecutive match in which the team scored at least one goal, the most in a row in team history. This mark beats out a 9-game run across July and August last year. Indy also scored in 10 straight games including postseason play spanning the 2019-20 seasons. After scoring multiple goals in only 8 of 32 games in 2021 (and none in its last 12 games), Indy has already done so in 5 of its 13 games so far this season. Switchbacks FC sit atop the Western Conference, having won all but two matches all season, while Indy holds onto the 7th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Colorado Springs have been among the most formidable teams in the league all season, but have hit their stride in the last few weeks, winning five of six matches with a plus-nine goal differential in that time.
Indy Eleven needed nearly four-and-a-half hours to win a hard-earned point on the road from a 1-1 draw at The Miami FC at a rain-soaked Riccardo Silva Stadium on the campus of Florida International University. Indy forward Stefano Pinho’s goal in the 55th minute countered Christian Sorto’s 15th minute goal that came mere seconds after the game restarted following a two-and-a-half-hour delay for thunderstorms in the Miami metro area.
The result from the first meeting of the former NASL rivals since 2017 kept Indy Eleven (6W-4L-3D) and Miami (5W-4L-6D) even on the Eastern Conference table now on 21 points and in a tie for seventh place. Pinho’s team-high seventh goal pushed his scoring streak to three games and also improved Indy Eleven’s scoring streak to a club-record 11 games.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 3 : 1 LA Galaxy II
After going down 1-0 early, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC scored three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 road victory over LA Galaxy II in Southern California. Colorado Springs has won five of its last six matches dating back to a 2-0 win over FC Tulsa on Apr. 23, outscoring opponents by nine goals in that time.
SERIES VS. COLORADO SPRINGS SWITCHBACKS FC
Saturday is the first-ever meeting between Indy Eleven and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC will be the fifth of eight new opponents this season for Indy Eleven, due in large part to USL expansion and scheduling conflicts created during the 2020 and 2021 pandemic-altered seasons. The Boys in Blue are 2W-1L-1D in four matches with first-time opponents this season:
vs. LA Galaxy II (1-1 D on 4/02)
at Rio Grande Valley FC (2-1 W on 4/09)
vs. Orange County SC (3-1 W 4/30)
vs. New Mexico United (2-1 L 5/28)
at Colorado Springs Switchbacks SC (6/18)
at San Diego Loyal (6/25)
vs. San Antonio FC (8/27)
at Monterey Bay F.C. (9/17)
The Eleven also meet two opponents for the first time in USL Championship competition, which the team has previously faced in other competition in The Miami FC (1-1 D on 6/08), who Indy faced in NASL, and Detroit City FC (7/09), who the team saw in a friendly.
ELEVEN PLAYER TO WATCH: F Stefano Pinho
Stefano Pinho has been outstanding for the Boys in Blue all season long but has found his stride in the team’s most recent fixtures. Pinho is the only player on the team to score in three consecutive matches this season, doing so in the team’s three most recent games against New Mexico United, Charleston Battery and The Miami FC. The Brazilian is tied for third in scoring in USL Championship with seven goals and should have an excellent opportunity to extend his scoring streak to four games on Saturday.
Hard to make much of the USA 5-0 shellacking of Grenada (ranked 170) on Friday night (highlights). While these Nations League early games are good for the minnows in CONCACAF – they certainly don’t help the top 4 teams in my opinion. That being said – good showing by #9 Jesus Ferreira – his 4 goals (the most by a US forward in a long time). After he scored the hattrick – I don’t understand why Wright didn’t come right in – but what the heck. Again his movement was good and he finally finished his chances. I thought Arriola also looked good on the right wing and had a sublime assist on Ferreira’s goal. Carter Vickers looked good on the night, and he should be in the discussion to pair with Zimmerman come World Cup time. I also liked Eric De La Torre in the midfield on the night, he almost always takes it forward, has good vision, he had 2 assists, and did not give up the ball in tough situations. Good win on a night when honestly the best thing might have been Berhalter’s behind the back pass on the throw in. (Men in Blazers reaction) (The Berhalter bounce pass has become a thing to watch for lol). Oh and is Berhalter the Worse Dressed Coach in Soccer History or what? Seriously its embarrassing. At least wear a dang golf shirt.
USA @ El Salvador Tues Night, 10 pm FS1
Looking ahead – El Salvador is a legit match-up against the old US bench coach. Berhalter has already announced that Wright will get the start at the #9 which is good – we need to see if can score against a decent team with Pulisic and Weah on his flanks. Assuming McKinney is not going to play a full game – (recovering from broken foot) does Berhalter start him or Aaronson (either way Aaronson gets in at wing or mid at half if not starting- I think Aaronson is a must play in a must win game right now – not sure who sits to give him that spot though?) De La Torre played most of the last game so I assume its Musah in the middle of either the MMA or MAA midfield. Finally in the back I want more CCV – need to see him under pressure with Zimmerman. I am merely worried about pace with CCV and Zimmerman together. On the outside does he go with our starters or give Bello and Cannon a shot to earn spots with a good show? In goal I would hope we see Horvath – Sean Johnson got his chance – its time for Horvath to get his in between the pipes. El Salvador is not a bad team and they tied / beat us in World Cup Qualifying there – the US needs pull out a win – and will 2-1 with Wright scoring hopefully. US Prep video. Preview
Shane’s Starters for Tues Night vs El Salvador
Pulisic /Wright/Weah
McKennie or Aaronson/Musah
Adams
Robinson or Bello/Carter Vickers/Zimmerman/Yedlin
Horvath
The 26-man roster for June Games
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest), Zack Steffen (Manchester City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution), Sean Johnson (DC United)
DEFENDERS (9): George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic FC), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes), Antonee Robinson (Fulham FC), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg), Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea FC), Tim Weah (Lille), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor)
World Cup Qualifying – Costa Rica & Australia, Wales all In
Exciting games last week as Wales advanced past Ukraine, and this week as Australia defeated Peru in Penalty kicks and Costa Rica and GK superstar Keylar Navas beat New Zealand 1-0 today. Lots of Great saves this month with Nations League and World Cup Qualifying going on (see below).. First check out the Dancing Goalkeeper who won the PK shootout with his “dancing” before shots. The announcement of the US Cities that will host the 2026 World Cup is expected this Thursday – here are the favorites. Currently Cincy is the only close venue to us here in Indy – and they are a long shot – dang Chicago refused to put a bid in which means we’ll have to travel (Nashville is also a longshot as Kansas City appears to have passed them). I plan to travel and follow the US team – though that will certainly cost me a mint.
Indy 11 Women Play Friday night at Grand Park Events Center
Our Indy 11 women are off to a great start with 5 wins and 1 tie on the season for tops in the league, after their 3-0 win last weekend at a sold out Grand Park. They play Friday night 7 pm at the Event Center at Grand Park Friday night vs Racing Louisville so make plans to go out and see the ladies !! Tickets for that contest are available at indyeleven.com/wleague-tickets for only $8. To learn more about the newest edition of Indiana’s Team representing the women’s game, visit indyeleven.com/wleague. On the men’s side they got the 1-1 tie at Miami last Wednesday and will next play in Colorado Sat, June 18 on MyIndyTV 23/ESPN+. The boys in blue return home July 2 at 7:30 pm with fire-works display after so make your plans to be there tix are just $15 @ indyeleven.com/tickets.
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And back to Central America our squad goes for the first time since World Cup qualifying – and likely the last time for awhile – before a three-month break from international duty. The foe: El Salvador, who held us to zeros on our visit down there last September, and who held strong in Columbus in January before falling victim to The Force. Still coached by USMNT legend Hugo Pérez, their Nations League squad includes many of the same players who competed in qualifying. Missing, however, is perhaps their best player from the Octagon, Alex “Brother of Christian” Roldan of the Seattle Sounders. It sounds like we’ll see another mix of the guys whose tickets to Qatar are likely booked and those who are still making their case. We do know who will start in goal: Gregg confirmed yesterday it’ll be Ethan “The Mile High Hero” Horvath. Regardless, y’all know the drill. Playing in Central America has never been, nor likely ever will be, a walk in the park. The field will probably be a mess and the crowd will be loud. It’s the CONCACAF Nations League – what could be better? Oh yeah, watching it with your fellow chapter members tonight. It’ll be the last time the MNT kicks off at nighttime for us in the States for a long, long while, after all.
What we learned from the U.S. men’s soccer team’s last home games before November’s World Cup
Jesús Ferreira, Haji Wright, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Malik Tillman have been among the headline names so far this summer. Here’s a look at why.Jesús Ferreira (right) looks to have the inside track for the starting striker job after scoring four goals against Grenada on Friday night.Chuck Burton / AP
AUSTIN, Texas — The U.S. men’s soccer team’s 5-0 demolition of overmatched Grenada on Friday in the Concacaf Nations League was the team’s last home game before this fall’s World Cup. Now there are just 270 minutes of soccer (plus stoppage time) for the Americans to play before the tournament kicks off in November in Qatar.
So it’s a good time to look at a few things we’ve learned so far this summer.
Ferreira first
Jesús Ferreira is now the No. 1 story, for better and worse.
He started all three home games and played the entirety of Friday’s blowout, cementing his place atop Gregg Berhalter’s striker depth chart. But there’s a case to make that he shouldn’t have played so much because at a certain point that takes away minutes that are needed to evaluate other players at that position.There’s also the none-too-small matter of his big-moment misses against Morocco and Uruguay, likely the best teams the U.S. will face before the Black Friday blockbuster against England. And yes, that includes the Americans’ first group stage opponent, Wales.When the Grenada game kicked off, Ferreira’s critics were ready to pounce. They seized on his missing his first three scoring chances, all of which were good looks.Late in the first half, Ferreira finally broke through. And he went on to score three more times, tying the record for the most goals by a U.S. men’s player in a game with four. “Any time a player is under pressure, you look for how they respond,” Berhalter said afterward. “And no matter what the level of the opponent is, the player still has to perform.”Ferreira admitted before and after the game that he’d been in a funk. This should have snapped him out of it.“I talked to him to this afternoon, and I told him that we don’t judge him just based on goals,” Berhalter said. “And I’ve said that to you [the media] all along — he does a lot of other stuff that really helps this group be successful. I just said, ‘Go out there and relax, and play your game.’”Ferreira certainly did that, but his critics still have some fuel. He shot 4-for-10 overall on the night, and you don’t get 10 chances against good teams. So how much can really be taken from pounding the world’s 170th-ranked men’s squad?We won’t know the answer for a while.
Wright’s stuff
Haji Wright clearly is in the race to go to Qatar, thanks to his close ties to U.S. teammates and the praise Berhalter has given him. Has he risen enough to overtake Ricardo Pepi or Jordan Pefok, the latter of whom has the best finisher’s touch in the striker pool?Pepi was given this camp off to recover from a taxing first season in Europe, and Pefok is injured. We can suspect, though, that the U.S. World Cup team will probably only have two pure strikers on it — unless FIFA expands rosters to 26 players, as is currently being debated. Then the calculus changes.We’ll learn more Tuesday, because Berhalter announced that Wright will start the Nations League game in El Salvador (10 p.m., FS1, UniMás, TUDN).“He’ll have an opportunity, and that was the plan all along,” Berhalter said. “We wanted to give Jesús 90 minutes today and have Haji ready and fresh for Tuesday’s game.”
It will be a big moment for Wright and for Berhalter.
Even Berhalter’s critics can agree that Walker Zimmerman has earned the right to be a lock as one of the team’s starting centerbacks. The other starting spot and the bench places remain up for grabs.
Aaron Long is a candidate, as shown by his starting these last three games. Chris Richards would likely have taken some of that playing time had he not been injured, and a lot of observers think he’s the best choice to start next to Zimmerman.Take note, though, of Cameron Carter-Vickers. After a few seasons in the European club wilderness, the son of 1983 NBA first-round pick Howard Carter just finished an outstanding campaign with Scottish champion Celtic. And after earning a place in the Scottish players’ union’s team of the year, Carter-Vickers earned something even more important.
Carter-Vickers was at Celtic on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. On Friday, Celtic bought him outright for $7.4 million. That’s a big vote of confidence. If he keeps playing regularly and well, he’ll be on the plane to Qatar.
» READ MORE: The dream has come true for Brenden Aaronson, with Leeds United and the U.S. men’s soccer team “I’ve been on loan for the last few years now, kind of moving about,” Carter-Vickers said. “Which is not necessarily a bad thing — I’ve had some great experiences and learned a lot. But, yeah, it’s nice to have somewhere where I’m going to be settled for a few years, and try and kick on.”Who else is in the mix? Erik Palmer-Brown for sure. He missed Friday’s game with a minor hamstring injury. Former Union stalwart Mark McKenzie could be too, but needs a strong start to the season at Belgium’s Genk.Then, of course, there’s John Brooks. The 2014 World Cup hero seems to be on the outs with Berhalter, and that likely won’t change before November.
A game against Grenada in sweltering Texas heat probably wasn’t the main reason Malik Tillman chose to play for the United States. Still, it seemed reasonable to expect he’d play Friday, after playing 25 minutes against Morocco and not at all against Uruguay.He did indeed, coming in at halftime for Weston McKennie. That put Tillman in a central midfield position, after he played on the left wing against Morocco. The 20-year-old from German powerhouse Bayern Munich was quietly effective in the middle. Fellow central midfielder Luca de la Torre — who has really raised his stock, by the way — liked what he saw.“He’s definitely got quality,” de la Torre said. “He’s young, he plays for a really big club, he has a really kind of easy way with the ball.”We’ll see if Tillman plays in El Salvador. Then the wait will begin to see if he plays more this season at Bayern.
Previewing USMNT vs. El Salvador,
ASN’s Brian Sciaretta previews the USMNT – El Salvador with a look at key positional battles. Plus, he looks at Ethan Hovartha’s media call, the big shakeup at NYCFC as Ronny Deila leaves the club, and LAFC’s big-name acquisition in Giorgio Chiellini.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTa JUNE 14, 2022
THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL team will conclude its four-game run on Tuesday night with a visit to El Salvador as part of its Nations League campaign. It has been a successful month for Gregg Berhalter’s team that defeated Morocco, drew Uruguay, and then trounced Grenada to open its Nations League defense. The main story, however, is that this game is the final opportunity players will have to make an impression within the team ahead of the September window – the final window before the 2022 World Cup.The competition is tight – both among players on the “bubble” to make the team and also among those who are likely to make the team but who are simply pushing for starting jobs or more minutes in Qatar.
In terms of players to watch against El Salvador, here are a few players or positions I will be watching for tonight.
Ethan Horvath: the Nottingham Forest goalkeeper is on the bubble of making the team but is facing the issue of not being a starter at his club. Mostly likely he and Sean Johnson are pushing for that third goalkeeper spot with Johnson having been playing regularly for NYCFC and also having played well for the U.S. team in the 0-0 draw against Uruguay. Horvath will start against El Salvador, and he needs to match Johnson’s performance. The pressure is on.
Cannon vs. Yedlin: This is a tight battle between DeAndre Yedlin and Reggie Cannon for the backup right back spot to Sergino Dest. Given Cannon’s positional switch at the club level to a right central defender in a three-man backline, perhaps he gives Berhalter some versatility. But Yedlin more closely resembles the main starter, Sergino Dest, in terms of style. Maybe both go, but right now this is a tight competition and not much separates the two.
Aaron Long, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Erik Palmer-Brown: While the U.S. team has not conceded any goals over its first three games, central defense has been up and down. Goalkeeping and luck bailed out the U.S. team both against Morocco and Uruguay while Grenada simply did not test the U.S. team. Walker Zimmerman has performed well but Berhalter has rotated the other three central defenders. Palmer-Brown struggled against Uruguay, Carter-Vickers was mixed against Morocco, Long has also been mixed. Whoever can play well against El Salvador could be in a good spot heading into September. Zimmerman and Chris Richards are in a good spot right now. After that, it is wide open.
Brenden Aaronson vs. Yunus Musah: Aaronson, the new Leeds United man, is a lock to make the World Cup team but it remains to be seen how Berhalter will use him. While he’s mostly been a winger for the U.S. team, Berhalter tried him as his No. 10 against Morocco and Aaronson played well. He now has his foot in the door in central midfield and that puts him in direct competition with Yunus Musah who had that position throughout qualifying. Musah has played well for the U.S. team and has a big upside, although his final ball and shot are sometimes lacking. For Aaronson, that is his strength. If Aaronson continues to play well and if Musah doesn’t improve on his finishing, Aaronson could shift Musah to the bench in terms of the first choice XI.
Haji Wright: After a strong season in Turkey, Wright has put himself into a great spot to compete for a spot on the World Cup team. The U.S. team needs a No. 9 and over the past year, Berhalter has used Josh Sargent, Matthew Hoppe, Daryl Dike, Ricardo Pepi, Jesus Ferreira, Jordan Pefok, and now Wright. Ferreira has done well in a different kind of role that helps open the game up for others. But can Wright build up the case to put distance between him and players like Pepi, Pefok, and Sargent.
Joe Scally vs. George Bello: The backup left back spot behind Antonee Robinson is wide open. Scally another talented young American player, but it remains to be seen if he’s ready or is one for the next cycle. Bello (who was teammates with Scally on the U.S. U-17 team in 2019), is also very much uncertain. Bello has had more opportunities to date than Scally but both Bello and Scally have had a tough run in Germany since the start of the new year. Scally started off the Bundesliga season well for Borussia Monchengladbach and has floated between right and left back. Bello, meanwhile, joined a Arminia Bielefeld team in a bad spot, got relegation, and now has to compete in the 2.Bundesliga. If neither Bello or Scally leave camp without having made a positive impression, Berhalter might look to other options like DeJuan Jones, John Tolkin, or Sam Vines in September.
TILLMAN OUT FOR EL SALVADOR
Malik Tillman struggled in his sub outing for the U.S. team against Grenada but Gregg Berhalter said there was a reason for that.Berhalter indicated that Tillman suffered an injury after coming on against Grenada and it progressively got worse. The U.S. manager said that is why Tillman looked frustrated. Because of this, Tillman will not be available to play against El Salvador.Berhalter said Tillman had a good first camp for the United States team, although it remains to be seen how much in contention he will be for Qatar or if he is viewed as a potential player for next cycle.The answer will probably come down to how he does to start the 2022/23 season where there have been reports that Bayern Munich is looking to loan Tillman out.
HORVATH ADDRESSES THE MEDIA
Ethan Horvath is the lone American player on the roster who hasn’t yet appeared for the U.S. team the first three June games. The Colorado native, however, told the press on Monday that he will start against El Salvador for his first start with the U.S. team in over a year. That was shortly after his triumphant moment when he replaced Zack Steffen in the final of the Nations League against Mexico and stopped an Andres Guardado’ penalty in the 118th minute to preserve a 3-2 win.But after that moment, things for Horvath have been mixed. He was the backup keeper to Brice Samaba and despite playing well (aside from one noticeable error in the first half of the season), he rode the bench. Before that, he was the backup for three seasons at Club Brugge behind Simon Mignolet.With Nottingham Forest having secured promotion to the Premier League, their goalkeeping position is in flux. Brice Samba might be on the move, or might be looking for a pay increase. But there are also reports Forest are looking at bringing in another goalkeeper with Nick Pope’s name having been mentioned.Horvath, now 27, has played such little soccer over the past four years that he told the media he just wants to play and that the national team is just one reasons why.“The World Cup is coming around and that is part of the reason why I want to play, but to be honest, I just want to play again to feel that adrenaline and those butterflies and just that game-day feeling day in and day out,” Horvath said. “We’ll see what happens. We’re in close contact with Nottingham and whatever happens, happens there. The main objective is to play, with Nottingham or somewhere else.”It’s a tight competition to make the World Cup team and the third goalkeeping spot will likely come down to Horvath or Sean Johnson. It’s too early to give an edge to either of the players as it might come down to who is playing this fall and who is playing well.But Horvath said the competition is making everyone better.”It’s a healthy competition,” Horvath said. “If it’s one of the other three playing, I want them to do good. It’s a team sport. And at the end of the day, we all have the same objectives and the same goals. And in trainings, we have a good time. We have laughs, but at the same time, it’s also a healthy competition. We get our work done. We want to make each other better.”
USMNT seek to end June camp “on a good note” against “more aggressive” El Salvador
By Charles Boehm @cboehmMonday, Jun 13, 2022, 08:34 PM
As many observers and players alike have noted, World Cup qualifying is at its core a pass/fail exam – either you made it to the dance or you didn’t – and the US men’s national team earned their spot in Qatar 2022 via one of the Concacaf Octagonal’s three automatic qualification slots.
Yet the Yanks’ 1W-3L-3D record in away matches was an unsightly blemish on their campaign, a dereliction of the region’s traditional “win at home, draw on the road” formula for success that left them third in the final standings, well back of Ocho winners Canada.
For head coach Gregg Berhalter, that raises the importance of both the performance and the result in Tuesday night’s Concacaf Nations League visit to El Salvador (10 pm ET | FS1, Univision and TUDN), where the US labored to a 0-0 draw on the opening matchday of the Ocho back in September.
The USMNT opened their CNL title defense with Friday’s blowout of Grenada, as expected, and now want to round out their June camp successfully with a solid outing in what should be a much more demanding task.
“We’re pleased with the game on Friday. Any time you beat an opponent 5-0 at any level, I think is good. Any time you limit them to zero shots on goal, that’s important. So we were pleased with that performance,” Berhalter said of the 5-0 win over the Spice Boyz in Monday afternoon’s matchday-1 press conference. “You can only play against your opponent on the field, right, and we have to take care of business and we did that on Friday, we put ourselves in a good position.
“El Salvador will be a different opponent. They’ll be more aggressive, I think they’ll be a higher pressing, better counter-pressing, and away from home. So for us, it’s how do we deal with those elements and then how do we put a good performance in a way from home, that we haven’t always done since we’ve been together? So that’s certainly going to be a challenge for this group. We know it’s the last game before we go on break from each other, and we want to end on a good note.”
As the World Cup draws ever closer, assessment of both individuals and on-field relationships continues as well. Berhalter has already revealed that striker Haji Wright and goalkeeper Ethan Horvath will start on Tuesday for the first time in this international window, while newcomer Malik Tillman aggravated an injury against Grenada and is out for Tuesday.Others on the fringes are also likely to get extended minutes in a setting that could prove much more demanding than Friday’s in Austin.
“Everyone in this camp is trying to be an established player, and we have a lot of guys here that have been the core of the team for the last three years,” said the coach. “So I’d say that any time a player gets an opportunity with the national team, it’s an opportunity for him to show that he belongs there and show that he has what it takes to play international soccer.“When you’re talking about the detal of chemistry between guys and certain partnerships working together, that’s something that you don’t always get in some of the lineups that you’re playing. But it’s still an opportunity for guys to show that they belong playing at this level … that’s an important part of the evaluation process.”With El Salvador having already dropped points on their visit to Grenada last week, a 2-2 draw in St. George’s, a USMNT win on Tuesday would effectively put them in the catbird seat for winning CNL Group D even with two matchdays still to play in 2023. Making games like this a proving ground for Qatar while also picking up positive results is a priority.“The tricky thing about the national team is that you have to perform each and every time that you’re in camp,” said Berhalter. “How do we get better collectively as a team, how do we evaluate players and then how do we start defending our Nations League title? And we’re very much in the present right now and focused on, how do we win against El Salvador?“That overall evaluation process will take place, it takes place after each and every game in seeing how players do and seeing how they perform in their positions, see if they’re executing the roles that we have them in based on what we’re doing on the field. So all those things are daily work. We’re not in a position right now where we’re saying, ‘OK, this person’s locked in or not locked in,’ or this person’s out. I don’t think we’re there yet. But certainly we’re using these games to evaluate performances.”
The USMNT Goalkeeper Roulette Wheel Keeps on Spinning
Ethan Horvath will get his long-awaited chance in a national team shirt as part of a process that’ll determine who will be the go-to backstop at the World Cup.
More than a year later, Ethan Horvath’s national team number is finally being called again.It was in early June 2021 when the goalkeeper enjoyed a Hollywood moment that seemed like it might alter his U.S. trajectory. Starter Zack Steffen went down with an injury in the second half of the Concacaf Nations League final against Mexico, and Horvath, who grew up in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, took the Mile High field and then sensationally saved an Andrés Guardado penalty kick in extra time. The American men held on and won the trophy
“To come have a performance like that in his hometown, it’s stuff that storybooks write about,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said that night.Horvath was suddenly back in the national team fold following about two years away. And after too much time on the bench at Club Brugge, he was on his way to England and Nottingham Forest. Things were looking up. A few days after the euphoric win over Mexico, Horvath went the full 90 minutes in a friendly shutout of Costa Rica. Steffen was about to spend another season on the periphery at Manchester City. Matt Turner had one cap to his name, and Sean Johnson had yet to backstop New York City FC to an MLS Cup. The World Cup was in 18 months, and Horvath appeared to be back in the U.S. picture. That storybook pretty much ended there, however. He started just 10 times for a Forest side that earned promotion to the Premier League. Turner was outstanding in the Gold Cup and wound up battling Steffen for the No. 1 job during World Cup qualifying. And although he was called up by Berhalter a couple more times, Horvath never played.Enough time passed for the U.S. situation in goal to be settled. Horvath likely wondered if he’d get another shot. But uncertainty remains a year later, and so the American goalkeeper roulette wheel is spinning yet again. No one is certain where the ball might land when the U.S. opens the World Cup against Wales on Nov. 21. What has traditionally been a position of strength for the American men is now a source of some concern.Tuesday night in El Salvador, Horvath will get his long-awaited chance when the U.S. meets La Selecta in its second game of the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League. It’s also the fourth and final match of this international window. Berhalter’s decision to start Horvath is as much about his potential as it is a commentary on the goalie depth chart. The position, and the careers of the men who may fill it, are in flux.“We have to take them both into consideration, and it may not be perfect,” Berhalter said Monday when asked how he’ll weigh a goalkeeper’s club form against his national team experience when making his World Cup decisions. “It may come down to small differences amongst the group. But right now, it’s really too early to give an in-depth comment on it because we just don’t know what their situation is going to be.” https://104e1c5fab61e0c24097301c523229ef.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html Turner is headed to Arsenal this summer after breaking out in New England.
Katie Stratman/USA TODAY SportsAt the moment, Horvath, Steffen and Turner, who’s on his way to Arsenal, are all slated to be Premier League backups. Johnson is the only regular starter, but for a long time he didn’t seem to be anything beyond Berhalter’s third choice. Both Steffen and Turner had their ups and downs during qualifying, and while Steffen appeared to lock down the starting U.S. job last fall, some back trouble and then a couple shaky moments in March opened it back up. Berhalter had expressed concern about Turner’s comfort with the ball at his feet and his role in the American buildup, but the departing New England Revolution star has been working on that and is expected to do so even more frequently at Arsenal. The analytics (advanced stats like goals prevented, etc.) also favored Turner during qualifying.
Speaking at the start of the current window, the second-to-last before the World Cup, Turner said he’s eager to bet on himself in England after a dizzying rise from undrafted afterthought to MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and Gold Cup Golden Glove winner.“Being a week-in, week-out starter in MLS didn’t guarantee me to be a starter for the national team and going to the World Cup. I obviously want to play games, so I needed to shake things up in my club career and I think this is a positive step forward for me in the long term and in the immediate future,” he said in Cincinnati.“If you’re going to tell me that somebody’s No. 1, or a position is completely set, I’m not sure I really buy that because in professional sports, you always have to show up and you always have to put your best performances out there if you want to maintain,” Turner continued. “You can have something, but you need to maintain it and be consistent over a number of games, a number of years, whatever it is.” urner and Steffen started the U.S.’s World Cup qualifiers and appear to be the top two goalkeepers on the depth chart.Steffen and Horvath are in a slightly different spot than Turner. They made their moves to England, but they haven’t broken through. Horvath, 27, acknowledged his complicated situation when speaking on the eve of his first U.S. start since last year.“I don’t 100% know what will go on, but I think mine and everyone’s main focus going into these last couple of months is playing time and just getting as many games as possible before Gregg makes the final decisions,” Horvath said.“Yeah, there is the uncertainty,” he added. “But going into this summer period, my main objective is to play. And I know that, yes, the World Cup is coming around, and that is part of the reason why I want to play. But to be honest, I just want to play to play again, to feel the adrenaline and those butterflies and just that gameday feeling day-in and day-out. So yeah, we’ll see what happens. We’re in close contact with Nottingham and yeah, whatever happens, happens there. The main objective is to play, if that’s with Nottingham or somewhere else.”Turner played in the window-opening win over Morocco in Cincinnati and was very good, and then Johnson made his own statement with a clean sheet against South American power Uruguay in Kansas City. Turner had almost nothing to do in the Nations League opener against Grenada last Friday. Now, it’s Horvath’s turn. Steffen pulled out of this month’s camp for undisclosed family reasons, which paved the way for Johnson’s inclusion.“It’s a healthy competition, you know? If it’s Zack, Sean, Matt or myself playing, if it’s one of the other three playing, I want them to do good,” Horvath said. “It’s a team sport and at the end of the day, we all have the same objectives and the same goals. And in trainings, we have a good time. We have laughs. But at the same time, it’s also healthy competition. We get our work done. We want to make each other better.”
t’s a healthy competition that will end in one of two ways. Either someone will emerge as the starter because of form or performance (or injuries to others), or Berhalter simply will have to make a choice when the alarm rings on Nov. 21. Playing regularly has to matter to an extent, and Horvath has an opportunity at the Estadio Cuscatlán to show Berhalter, Nottingham Forest or another club that might be interested that he’s capable and worthy. It’ll be a game that doesn’t have much in the way of competitive stakes. The Nations League’s primary purpose, apart from giving Concacaf’s smaller countries more competition, is Gold Cup qualifying. All the U.S. has to do to ensure its place in the 2023 regional championship is not finish third in its three-team group when it concludes in March (otherwise, it’ll enter a four-team playoff). Grenada’s presence makes that extremely unlikely.So, Tuesday is about individuals and the opportunity to step up and stand out in a road game against an energetic Salvadoran side that has demonstrated it can be tough to deal with. The U.S. will have only two more matches before leaving for Qatar—September friendlies on European soil against a pair of Asian teams. Time is running out. Horvath has been clutch for the Americans before. He may have to be clutch again to maintain his place in the competition and boost his club prospects.“I’m very happy to get the start [Tuesday],” Horvath emphasized. “It’s one of three last games before we head to the World Cup.” “Every roster spot is going to be carefully considered, and what’s worked in the past may not work now,” Berhalter said Monday when discussing his keepers. “I’ve seen Spain, where they’ve taken a really old goalkeeper [to the World Cup] because he [Pepe Reina] means a lot to the group. I see other teams take young goalkeepers. And for us, nothing’s set in stone right now. “What we know is we want, A; guys that can perform up to the level, and B; guys that are bought into the team ethos and and fit the culture of our group. So we’ll make a decision based on those two parameters and hopefully get it right.”
Which U.S. cities will host 2026 World Cup games? We’re about to find out
The 16 United States cities bidding to stage the 2026 World Cup will finally learn on Thursday whether they’ll get that chance.It’s been exactly four years since FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, awarded the world’s most popular sporting event to North America. Ever since, two dozen cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico have been preparing and politicking, trying to prove themselves worthy of hosting matches.On Thursday in the 5 p.m. ET hour on Fox Sports 1, FIFA will pick anywhere between 16 and 19 of them — including 10-12 in the U.S. — and leave the others feeling as if this agonizingly thorough, oft-delayed process was all for naught.In Mexico, FIFA’s decision is a foregone conclusion. Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey will host a combined 10 games down south. Another 10 will be played in Canada, where Toronto and Vancouver are locks, and Edmonton is the third candidate. The North American bid committee originally proposed that there would be three host cities north of the border, and 10 in the U.S., but there have been rumblings that FIFA could select an 11th U.S. city, or even a 12th — perhaps at the expense of the less-glamorous Edmonton, or in addition to it.With four U.S. cities long considered locks, and a few more shoring up their status in recent months, that leaves 12 American contenders for either six or seven spots in the 2026 World Cup rotation. According to conversations with people familiar with the process and previously reported information, here’s how the race looks with less than a week to go.
Which USA cities will (almost) definitely host 2026 World Cup games?
1. New York/New Jersey (MetLife Stadium)
An obvious choice, and the favorite to host the final.
2. Dallas/Arlington (AT&T Stadium)
The grandeur of Jerry Jones’ palace outweighs any functional aspects that make it unsuitable for soccer. Originally pitched as a semifinal venue, Jerryworld is, according to one source, the only other candidate to host the final, because it has one thing that MetLife does not: a roof. Domes can make for strange soccer settings, but, contrary to traditionalist assumptions, FIFA loves indoor stadiums for their weatherproof-ness. The nightmare scenario is a July thunderstorm in North Jersey interrupting the most-watched game in all of sports.
3. Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
With one of the few NFL stadiums that regularly hosts soccer matches, Atlanta will be a prime candidate for a semifinal. It also could be the site of the International Broadcast Center, the tournament’s main media hub.
4. Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium, Rose Bowl?)
One ideal city, two less-than-ideal stadiums — and that’s why Los Angeles’ status as a favorite to host the U.S. opener has gotten shaky. It has ritzy SoFi, with just about every imaginable amenity but not enough field space for soccer. It has the Rose Bowl, which is steeped in history but relatively bare-bones compared to the other venues on this list.It’s unclear whether both will get games or, more likely, FIFA will choose one. SoFi is the logical choice, but if FIFA is unwilling to compromise on field dimensions, it might have to sacrifice thousands, if not tens of thousands of seats — an adjustment that could jeopardize L.A.’s candidacy for a high-profile match like an opener or semifinal.
5. Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field)
Perhaps no city’s bid has been more squeaky-clean and impressive than Philadelphia’s. It began this whole process on the bubble. By late-April, according to a report from Grant Wahl, it was in the running for a semifinal, which could coincide with the 250th anniversary of the crafting of the Declaration of Independence in … the nation’s original capital, Philadelphia. (July 4 itself, though, would likely be the date of a quarterfinal.)
6. San Francisco/Santa Clara (Levi’s Stadium)
Grass field at a modern stadium in a moderate climate near an airport and an attractive metropolitan area. There’s a reason Levi’s has hosted some high-profile soccer matches since it opened, and there’s no reason to think it won’t get more in 2026.
7. Houston (NRG Stadium)
City infrastructure and the retractable roof are two big pluses — nobody wants to play in 95-degree Texas heat in June. It’s unclear whether Houston’s proximity to Dallas is a pro or con, but its proximity to Mexico, and specifically Monterrey, is another plus. Teams will, at some point, have to travel between the U.S. and its neighbors, and only two other American host cities (Dallas and Atlanta) are within a four-hours-or-less flight from Mexico City.
8. Seattle (Lumen Field)
Rich soccer culture? Check. Proximity to two other host cities (Vancouver and San Francisco)? Check. Natural grass? Nope, and that’s the reason Seattle doesn’t get more big-time internationals and preseason friendlies. But it isn’t alone here — nine of the 17 American stadiums in the mix have artificial turf. FIFA has said that, in general, “that’s not a concern.” Sod can be temporarily installed. And Seattle should be selected.
Which American cities will likely host 2026 World Cup games?
9. Miami (Hard Rock Stadium)
The first of the modern NFL stadiums built to accommodate soccer, Hard Rock has hosted summer friendlies over the past six years, including the first stateside Barcelona-Real Madrid Clasico in 2017. The assumption all along has been that FIFA will pick one of the two Florida cities still standing, and that Miami is the destination of choice.
10. Baltimore/Washington D.C. (M&T Bank Stadium)
FedEx Field, as you’ve probably heard, is a dump. FIFA officials confirmed that perception when they toured the then-Washington Football Team’s stadium last fall. So, with D.C. slipping from contention, and Baltimore always a longshot, the two DMV cities merged their respective bids into one.
The games would be in Baltimore. Many festivities would be 45 minutes away in D.C. On one hand, it seems ridiculous to even consider such an unwieldy arrangement over a dozen other solid options. On the other hand, it seems ridiculous to hold the world’s biggest tournament in the world’s most powerful nation without the nation’s capital involved.
An alternate solution could be to hold various ceremonial events in D.C., but not games in Baltimore, which is why this joint bid remains on the bubble. But two sources with knowledge of the process said recently that they couldn’t fathom FIFA snubbing it.
Which U.S. cities are on the World Cup 2026 bubble?
11. Kansas City (Arrowhead Stadium)
Kansas City is the only contender even remotely close to the middle of the country. (Chicago, which would have been a near-lock, pulled its bid in 2018 due to taxpayer risk, leaving the Midwest without another legitimate option.) The question is how FIFA will interpret that geography. Does K.C.’s location help bridge geographical divides between the two coasts and Texas, because it cuts some flight times in half? Or, if FIFA wants “clusters,” as one of its top officials has said, is Kansas City a tad too isolated?
Local officials are confident enough in a favorable answer that they’ve scheduled a downtown watch party for Thursday’s announcement.
Perhaps the most polarizing bid of the bunch, Boston has first-hand World Cup hosting experience and, most importantly, Robert Kraft — a Major League Soccer founder and 2026 bid committee honorary chair who boasts a personal relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Unfortunately, it also has an inconvenient, barely-even-suburban stadium with neither a roof nor natural grass, which makes it extremely unattractive. There has also been a litany of minor issues behind the scenes. If it weren’t for Kraft’s political pull, Boston would surely be out. As it stands, it’s squarely on the bubble.
13. Nashville (?)
FIFA officials left Nashville impressed after their visit last fall, but uncertainty surrounding the future of the Music City’s NFL venue — the Titans now plan to build a new stadium rather than renovate Nissan Stadium — has left FIFA asking a simple question: Why, with so many low-risk options, would we gamble on a construction process that could become a race against time?
Unless they’ve secured assurances in recent weeks, Nashville will be on the outside looking in — though it could remain in contention to host non-soccer events, like the preliminary or final draw.
Which USA cities are FIFA World Cup 2026 longshots?
14. Denver (Empower Field at Mile High)
The calculus here is similar to Kansas City, but Denver is much more of a longshot. There’s better soccer infrastructure and a richer soccer culture in K.C.
15. Orlando (Camping World Stadium)
See Miami. (The stadium in Orlando is one of the least impressive and, more importantly, least weatherproof.)
16. Cincinnati (Paul Brown Stadium)
With all due respect to Cincinnati, whose training facilities have twice lured the USMNT, it probably shouldn’t even be in this conversation.
What factors are being considered in World Cup 2026 host cities?
FIFA considers dozens of factors, from a city’s hotels and public transportation, to its willingness to commit public funds to events, to its training sites. But there is one absolute non-negotiable: “The pitch is everything,” FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani said last November. “The pitch is sacrosanct.”
More broadly, the stadium is the single most important factor. As spectator venues, each of the 17 proposed American stadiums is beyond sufficient. The difficulty is in converting them to soccer venues with natural-grass surfaces that are wider than NFL fields, and that don’t have any imperfections that might mar games that billions of fans around the world will watch. (The World Cup is, above all else, a television extravaganza; what matters is the quality of the product that shows up on TV screens.)
Who, exactly, will make the decision?
FIFA. Colin Smith, its “chief tournaments and events officer,” is leading the charge. But he and his team have consulted a wide range of stakeholders, from local bid committee officials to U.S. Soccer Federation executives. In fact, FIFA recently hired two former USSF employees, former CEO Dan Flynn and VP of events Amy Hopfinger, to help lead the local subsidiary that it has created for the 2026 World Cup.
How many games will each selected city host?
That hasn’t been decided, but if there are 10 sites for 60 stateside games, that’s an average of six per city. The North American bid committee originally proposed that each U.S. city would get a minimum of five.
And it’s reasonable to assume that each host city will get at least one knockout-round match. In fact, the bid committee sketched out a schedule way back in 2018 that put at least two knockout games in each U.S. city. With the World Cup expanding to 48 teams, there’ll be a truncated group stage (16 pods of three teams, and three games each) and a Round of 32, meaning 31 win-or-go-home games over a span of three weeks.
Will the snubbed cities get any consolation prizes?
The half-dozen cities that aren’t selected on Thursday, plus others who weren’t even finalists, could host ancillary events, team base camps and pre-World Cup friendlies. North American officials also proposed “pop-up fan fests” — tamer versions of the official fan hubs that FIFA sets up in each host city — in cities that don’t stage matches.
When will ticket sales begin?
Likely sometime in 2025. But if you’re interested in buying tickets, get ready to pay handsomely. The average ticket across all rounds, based on sales and revenue projections submitted by the North American bid to FIFA years ago, will cost upwards of $300.
What, exactly, will FIFA announce on Thursday?
Not much beyond the list of host cities. Details will likely trickle in over the coming years, in part because intermittent announcements mean more opportunities to build excitement and generate interest, but also because the logistics of organizing a World Cup are unfathomably complex.
FIFA originally hoped to announce the host cities in 2021 and the match schedule in 2022. Delays, some of them related to the COVID-19 pandemic, have pushed back the timeline. An early draft of a schedule, including the hosts of the final and openers, could be revealed in 2023. Qualifying processes and the “preliminary draw” will likely be set in 2023 as well.
When does the 2026 World Cup begin?
In June, and most likely on or around June 11, specifically. The final would likely be on July 12. Despite the expansion to 48 teams, the tournament will still fit in the traditional 32-day window.
How to watch the host city selection
The Thursday announcement will be made during an hour-long live show that begins at 5 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1. The network will announce details soon.
A follow-up news conference is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET, and can be streamed live on FIFA’s website.
Will the Women’s World Cup come back to the U.S. anytime soon?
Possibly. U.S. Soccer officials have said they’re planning to bid for either the 2027 or 2031 tournament. The more likely option is 2031. But FIFA hasn’t yet finalized bidding processes for either of the t
Megan Rapinoe among the surprises on U.S. women’s CONCACAF W Championship roster
Kevin Baxter Mon, June 13, 2022, 12:02 PM LA Times Megan Rapinoe, right, celebrates with teammate Alex Morgan after scoring on a penalty shot for the U.S. in the 2019 Women’s World Cup final against the Netherlands. Rapinoe and Morgan will represent the U.S. in the CONCACAF W Championship in July. (Francisco Seco / Associated Press)
U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski on Monday called up a mix of young and veteran players for next month’s CONCACAF W Championship, the qualifier for the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics. And that makes the 23-player roster one full of surprises — both for who made it and who didn’t.Making it were forward Megan Rapinoe and defender Becky Sauerbrunn.Rapinoe’s inclusion was surprising because the 36-year-old hasn’t started for her NWSL club this season, playing just 154 minutes over four games for the OL Reign. And she hasn’t been part of the national team since October.Less surprising was the inclusion of Sauerbrunn, who is a week past her 37th birthday. Although she missed the national team’s April camp because of a knee injury, Sauerbrunn has played in the Portland Thorns’ last six NWSL games. She is also the U.S. captain and leads all active players with 202 international caps.Also returning for the first time since October is Alex Morgan, the NWSL scoring leader with nine goals in as many games for the expansion San Diego Wave. She is the national team’s leading active scorer, ith 115 goals, and she’ll be joined by Wave midfielder Taylor Kornieck, who is looking for her first senior national team cap.Among the missing is Angel City forward Christen Press, who hasn’t played with the national team since last summer’s Tokyo Olympics. She left Angel City’s match in Louisville on Saturday with a knee injury, but Andonovski said she wouldn’t have beaten out Mallory Pugh and Sophia Smith — whom he called the two most exciting players in NWSL — even if she was healthy.“She’s performing well. But it’s not just her now. It’s her competing with the players that are in front of her,” he said. “It’s not easy to be a forward in United States. The competition has just gotten bigger and bigger.”Eight other regulars were not available because of injury or maternity leaves, among them Abby Dahlkemper Catarina Macario, Sam Mewis, Crystal Dunn and Julie Ertz.The coach said Rapinoe, third among active players with 187 caps, was included largely because her experience will be valuable on a team that features 10 players under the age of 26 and eight players with fewer than 10 caps.“She is very important for this group,” Andonovski said. “Her winning mentality, her knowledge and understanding is very valuable for the group.”Alyssa Naeher, Kelley O’Hara, Emily Sonnett, Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan, all members of the World Cup-winning team in 2019, were included as well.“They’re on the team, first and foremost, because they can perform,” Andonovski said. “Their experience is a bonus.”
The U.S. will play friendlies against Colombia on June 25 in suburban Denver and on June 28 outside Salt Lake City before flying to Monterrey, Mexico, for the eight-team CONCACAF tournament, which kicks off July 4. The U.S. will play Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico in group competition. Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and Canada, the reigning Olympic champion, will play in the other group.The top two teams in each group will earn berths in next summer’s expanded World Cup field, as well as spots in the tournament semifinals. The W Championship winner earns an automatic berth in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The second- and third-place finishers will meet in a September playoff with another Olympic invitation at stake.The last time the U.S. played in a World Cup qualifying tournament in Mexico, in 2010, the Americans suffered their only loss against Mexico, which forced them to win a two-leg playoff with Italy to qualify for the 2011 World Cup.
DEILA LEAVES NYCFC
As one of the more impressive foreign managers in MLS, Ronny Deila has decided to return to Europe and join Standard Liege after the Belgium club agreed to terms with the Norwegian Deila and agreed to pay a termination fee to New York City FC.It marks the second time NYCFC has lost a successful head coach midseason after Patrick Viera left in 2018 to take the job at Nice.Deila has been a successful manager having won a Norwegian title at Stromsgodset in 2013, then in Scotland with Celtic in 2015 and 2016. In 2021, he won MLS Cup with NYCFC.His time in New York was very successful as he guided the team to a 46-29-15 record across all competitions. In 2022, following its elimination from the CONCACAF Champions League in the semifinals to Seattle, NYCFC has been the best team in MLS. The team has one of the best rosters in the league and is 7-0-1 in its last eight league and has also advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup.Former Manchester City women’s head coach Nick Cushing will take over as the interim head coach after he joined NYCFC as an assistant coach in 2022.
What to make of this?
This is the business of soccer and the price for success. After he left Stromsgodset in his native Norway to move abroad, Deila has never stuck around with a club for more than three seasons. It is the same with Tata Martino who left Atlanta after winning MLS Cup in 2018 but who rarely stayed at any club for more than two seasons. Some managers move frequently and there is a good chance Deila won’t be at Standard Liege in more than three seasons.NYCFC knew or should have known that this is what happens when it looks for talented foreign managers who have a history of moving around. There is nothing wrong with it, but it’s the business. You’re not going to get a talented local manager like Brian Schmetzer or Jim Curtin who is going to build up a good team over many years. Instead, it becomes a priority for the front office to set the philosophy and culture while then looking to bring in a manager who fits the culture.The problem, however, is that it is never easy. Just look at Atlanta United in the years following Martino’s exit. The good news, however, is that NYCFC has done a good job so far with Viera and Deila both having success. NYCFC has a pretty good idea of what works.
CHIELLINI JOINS LAFC
While most big-name imports made by MLS teams have been younger in recent years, LAFC made a throw-back signing on Monday when it announced the signing of legendary Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini from Juventus.Chiellini, 37, is not a designated player but was signed using TAM money.Such signings were more common in the earlier days of MLS when teams would bring in older players from Europe in the twilight of their careers. That trend ended within the last decade as top targets were younger, often from South America. MLS teams found the younger players were often hungrier and looking to still make their way in the game. Meanwhile, older imports like Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Andres Pirlo, Rafa Marquez, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and others were struggling.Chiellini is certainly older but is not far removed from incredible moments. In 2021, he was named European Championship’s best defender as Italy defeated England in the final.LAFC is also looking to add a player who will complement what the team already has as opposed to hoping that Chiellini can elevate a club by himself.“Giorgio is a special, one-of-a-kind player and person,” LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington said. “Signing Giorgio was a unique opportunity to improve our club. He will complement what we believe is already a strong team as every day he will set the right example with his leadership competitiveness, and experience. He is a serial winner at the highest levels, and we are grateful he has chosen LAFC to join in our pursuit of trophies.”For me, it would not be surprising at all if Chiellini turns out to be a success. LAFC is one of the better teams in the league and Chiellini is not a designated player. The club can bringing him into the fold as its own pace and the fact that he will be surrounded by the better teams in the league will only help him.While this is a throw-back signing in terms of bringing in an “big-name” older player, there still will be those in that mold who will find success. The question is whether it is a right fit.
Premier League season is second-most watched
The English Premier League season averaged 507,000 viewers per window across the NBC family of networks (including additional streaming data not tracked by Nielsen), up 21% from last year (414K) and behind only 2015-16 (514K) as the most-watched ever on U.S. television.Last weekend’s season-ending EPL Championship Sunday averaged a combined 2.2 million across NBC’s linear networks and Peacock, matching 2019 as the highest on record. Manchester City-Aston Villa led the way with a 0.48 and 817,000 on NBC, that figure rising to 955,000 with Peacock included — the largest audience on record for a Championship Sunday match. Liverpool-Wolverhampton on USA averaged a 0.33 and 652,000 (681K including additional streaming data), a record for a Championship Sunday match on cable.
Maddy Williams’ Historic First Half Hat Trick Helps Keep Indy Undefeated, Atop Great Lakes Division
WESTFIELD, Ind. (Friday, June 10, 2022) – The Indy Eleven women’s squad remained undefeated and atop the Great Lakes Division standings courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Flint City AFC in front of another sellout crowd of 1,041 fans at the Grand Park Events Center. The result included a historic performance from forward Maddy Williams, who notched the first hat trick in Indy Eleven’s short USL W League history, with all three tallies coming in the first half and lifting her into a tie for the team’s scoring lead alongside Katie Soderstrom.The result pushed the Eleven’s undefeated record to 5W-0L-1D after the first half of the squad’s 12-game W League campaign. The three points also pushed Indy back into solo possession of the Great Lakes Division lead on 16 points, with Indiana’s Team now sitting two points clear of Racing Louisville FC and holding a game in hand on its rival.The action towards goal started early on both sides, with Rachel McCarthy pushing a near-post header just side from five yards only 30 seconds in and Flint City defender Abby Werthman putting a 3rd minute free kick from just outside the area just wide of the left post. The scoreboard wouldn’t stick on zeroes for long, however, as Williams started her hat trick off in the 7th minute by taking down Robyn McCarthy’s diagonal into the left side of the area with a touch in space before finishing into the middle of goal past Flint netminder Kayla Shuk for the opener.It was another well-placed diagonal into the left side of the area that set-up Williams’ second of the night in the 17th minute, this time via a low ball by midfielder Ella Rogers that took three defenders out of the play. With ample time and space Williams chose to chip Khuk, with her bending effort from 15 yards dipping perfectly into the upper right corner for a classy finish and a 2-0 Indy lead. Williams upped the degree of difficulty to cap off her hat trick in the 22nd minute, when she took a popped up clearance attempt first-time with an audacious volley from 20 yards out that hit the inside of the far right post, leaving the Purdue product shrugging her shoulders and Flint asking plenty of questions down 3-nil just a quarter of the way through the match.Flint City AFC nearly pulled one back in the 36th minute after a long spell of possession ended with Eleven ‘keeper Nona Reason chasing a cross off her line and the ball eventually landing at the feet of Alexa Sabbagh, but the AFC striker sailed her chance from six yards over frame. Williams looked to continue her dominating performance in the 41st minute by nutmegging a defender to get into the left side of the area once again, but her clipped effort from 10 yards missed the upper right 90 by a foot. The Eleven closed out the first half in stoppage time with Grace Bahr’s 25-yard rocket off a free kick that Shuk did well to grab onto without spilling at her left post, allowing the score to stay at 3-0 Indy heading into the halftime break.The second half saw the Noblesville H.S. grad Reason called into more action during her first start of the season, starting in the 51st minute when she extended fully to her right to get both hands on a shot across her frame from 15 yards. Five minutes later AFC midfielder Alana Wood ended a mazy run from midfield and into the area with a solid 15-yard effort, but once again Reason was on the spot at her right post to make a sure-handed stop.As substitutions chopped up the game following the hour mark, Indy Eleven still kept its foot on the gas, with forward Rachel McCarthy looking the most dangerous down the stretch. The BYU striker nearly had Indy’s fourth in the 78th minute with Kruk drawn off her line, but late pressure forced her to dribble an angled effort just past the base of the far post. Half chances would be all that was left for the remainder of the match, giving Indy a second straight victory and third win at its Grand Park home in as many outings.Indy Eleven will kick off the second half of its USL W League campaign with a two-game week, starting on Tuesday evening when it travels to the Cincinnati area to take on Kings Hammer FC at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Girls in Blue will return home to the Grand Park Events Center next Friday, June 17, for a pivotal showdown against Racing Louisville at 7:00 p.m. ET. Tickets for that contest are available at indyeleven.com/wleague-tickets for only $8, and fans who cannot make it to the match can watch the proceedings via ISC Sports Network. To learn more about the newest edition of Indiana’s Team representing the women’s game, visit indyeleven.com/wleague.
2022 USL W League Regular Season – Matchday 6 Indy Eleven 3 : 0 Flint City AFC Friday, June 10, 2022 – 7:00 p.m. Grand Park Events Center – Westfield, Ind.
Scoring Summary: IND – Maddy Williams (Robyn McCarthy) 7’ IND – Maddy Williams (Ella Rogers) 17’ IND – Maddy Williams (unassisted) 22’
The US had good moments against the top team they have played in the Greg Berhalter Era – but they settled for a 0-0 tie with the South American power Uruguay. US Game Hightlights I thought the US played well especially from about 15 minutes in until after halftime. The US had numerous chances including two that US #9 Jesus Ferriera just has to finish if he wants to start for us in the World Cup. In the end – Uruguay probably should have ended the US 23 game home unbeaten streak in as US GK Sean Johnson stood on his head to make these 2 spectacular saves. Another miss by Man United’s Cavani, who subbed in with 30 min to play, in the final minute probably could have scored as well. But it didn’t and the US finished with a solid even game against the top ranked team (#13) the US has played in years. Overall I thought Johnson was great in net, the middle of the defense was fine with Long and Zimmerman but the outside backs – Yedlin and the 19 year-old MGladbach man Joe Scally really, really struggled on the night. Not sure Scally is ready for big time competition just yet. Musah was fantastic in the midfield #8 slot as his combos with Pulisic were mighty dangerous again. (See tons of stories on the OBC/below).
USA vs Grenada Fri 10 pm ESPN+
The team flips to Nations League play in CONCACAF now with a home gimme vs Grenada on Friday night on ESPN+ from Austin, Texas. I look for the US to play a lot of guys who have not played yet in this match – as they will probably return to a normal starting side for their Tues Night game in El Salvador at 10 pm on FS1. US Men Use platform to Question Gun Violence. Also Funny Berhalter bouncepass issue. Sign up Weston McKinney up for the Celtics Quick!
Shane’s Starters for Fri Game vs Grenada 10 pm ESPN+
Haji Wright
Morris/Arriola
Roldan/De la Torre
Acosta
Bello/CCV/Palmer Brown/Cannon
Ethan Horvath
The 26-man roster for June Games
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest), Zack Steffen (Manchester City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution), Sean Johnson (DC United)
DEFENDERS (9): George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic FC), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes), Antonee Robinson (Fulham FC), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg), Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea FC), Tim Weah (Lille), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor)
Indy 11 Women Play Friday night at Grand Park Events Center
Our Indy 11 women are off to a great start with 4 wins and 1 tie on the season for tops in the league. They play Midwest United Friday night 7 pm at the Event Center at Grand Park Friday night vs Flint City AFC so make plans to go out and see the ladies !! Tickets for that contest are available at indyeleven.com/wleague-tickets for only $8. To learn more about the newest edition of Indiana’s Team representing the women’s game, visit indyeleven.com/wleague. On the men’s side they got the 1-1 tie at Miami on Wednesday and will next play in Colorado next Sat, June 18 on MyIndyTV 23/ESPN+. The boys in blue return home July 2 at 7:30 pm with fire-works display after so make your plans to be there tix are just $15 @ indyeleven.com/tickets.
Former Carmel Dad’s Club and Carmel High School Standout Forward Katie Soderstrom and Noblesville’s GK Nona Reason are local players helping to lead to our Indy 11 Women’s Team who plays Friday night, June 10 7 pm at the Grand Park Events Center.
Participants in the Carmel Dads’ Club big sisters/little sisters soccer program with Carmel FC (Carmel’s Travel Program). Back, from left, Lyla Barnhart, Rylie Heath, Ava Donofrio, Lily Bose, Amit Gat, Molly Broach, Liz Putts, Olivia Ritchey, and Kate Huitsing. Front, from left, Gabriella Roesner, Natalie Guibault, Adeline King, Molly Keen, Ruby Crosby, Alexis Westphal, Zipporah Brown, Madeline Nies, and Carly Orr. (Photo courtesy of Abigail Donofrio) Read full Story from the Carmel Current
Congrats to the Carmel FC 2008 Girls Gold Team who capped off the year with a Gold Medal at the Siege of St. Francis tourney last week. Coaches Tim Broach (right), Charles Switzer and Bill Spencer (not pictured).
All evaluations and tryouts will be held at Shelborne Fields. 3451 W 126th St, Carmel, IN 46032.
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Monday June 13, 2022- Players 11u and older (Birth Years 2004 to 2012)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before tryouts.
Tryouts for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012: 5:45pm to 7:15pm
Tryouts for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008: 7:30pm to 9pm. ——————————————————————————————————————– Use this link to register for tryouts before hand. Visit : carmelfc.teamapp.com Please email info@cdccarmelfc.com. with any questions.
Interested in Group Goalkeeper Training this summer – call me at 317-748-7174 and I’ll look to add some more early evening or weekend sessions.
Indy Eleven Women Remain Undefeated with Victory at Grand Park
WESTFIELD, Ind. (Friday, June 3, 2022) – After nearly a month on the road, vocal chants from the Brickyard Battalion got the Indy Eleven USL W League squad and the sellout crowd of 1,023 crowd back into the homecoming spirit, as the Girls in Blue captured a 1-0 victory over Midwest United FC at the Grand Park Events Center. Forward Kristina Lynch’s left footed shot from 20 yards near the end of the first half was enough to keep Indy atop the Great Lakes Division and remain the division’s only undefeated side, pushing its record to 4W-0L-1D (13 pts.) on the campaign.The first half was an intense 45 minutes filled with chances for both sides and energetic pressure and aggression across the pitch. Many scoring opportunities came on the counterattack, and they started early as in the fourth minute of the game Indy midfielder Jenna Chatterton had the first big chance of the match, but her shot from 12 yards straight out from goal was just wide of the left post. Midwest United FC responded seven minutes later on a 3-v-2 break, but Avery Lockwood’s shot was blocked and the rebound effort was just missed. In the 33rd minute, Chatterton’s up-tempo speed found Maddy Williams down on the left side, who cut back to get inside the area and unleash a near post blast that stuck in the gloves of Midwest United goalkeeper Lauren Kozal at her near post.Just when it looked as if the first half would go scoreless, Lynch had other plans. In the 41st minute, the Indy attacked space in the middle of the field before splitting two Midwest United defenders and finding an opening at the arc, where she powered a shot that left Kozal diving at air, putting Indy up 1-nil heading into halftime.“Everybody was just pressing really well, we pushed up the field and everyone was marked up and the ball just kind of bounced to where I happened to be and took a few touches,” Lynch said. “The gap opened up, tried to hit it with the left foot, and it went in.”The second half saw both sides using their full allotment of five subs, indicative of the fresh legs needed to get through the more physical final 45 minutes that saw the flow of the game become a bit choppier. One of those subs, Indy attacker Milica Bulatovic, nearly got on the board in the 55th minute when she lashed Katie Soderstrom’s laid off ball into the heart of the area, only to see Kozal leap across her line to make the save.Another bench performer, Heather MacNab, nearly scored with her first touch in the 63th minute, only to see Kozal go low to make another fine save. Deep into four minutes of stoppage time, Rachel McCarthy had an opportunity to add Indy’s long-awaited insurance goal off a 2-v-2 break, but her miss just wide right of frame mattered not, as the chance marked the final action of the hard-fought victory for the Girls in Blue.“The game is supposed to be a battle and you should know what you’re up against,” Eleven W League Head Coach Paul Dolinsky said. “We still tried to play and there were some very good spells where the ball was moving pretty well. And in a day where we have one and the other team has zero, then we don’t try to find too many issues.”Indy Eleven will continue its June homestand in Westfield next Friday, June 10, when it hosts Flint City AFC at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for that contest are available at indyeleven.com/wleague-tickets for only $8. To learn more about the newest edition of Indiana’s Team representing the women’s game, visit indyeleven.com/wleague.
Scoring Summary: IND – Kristina Lynch (unassisted) 41’
Former Carmel Dad’s Club and Carmel High School Standout Forward Katie Soderstrom and Noblesville’s GK Nona Reason are local players helping to lead to our Indy 11 Women’s Team who plays Friday night, June 10 7 pm at the Grand Park Events Center.
Armchair Analyst: Matt Doyle
Halfway through the USMNT’s June camp, what have we learned?
By Matthew Doyle @MattDoyle76Tuesday, Jun 7, 2022, 11:00 AM
The US men’s national team’s June camp, with a pair of friendlies (in the books!) and a pair of Nations League contests (coming this week!), is half done. While it has been a somewhat experimental camp – we’ll discuss how in a minute – its main purpose has been to fine-tune the team, both in terms of its personnel and baseline tactical shapes and concepts, ahead of November’s World Cup.With 180 minutes logged we’ve learned some stuff about what Gregg Berhalter’s thinking, and we’ve learned some stuff about what he’s trying to do.
Let’s dive in:
Changing the midfield shape
The biggest thing that’s jumped out to me over the course of these first two games, a delightful 3-0 win over Morocco and a scoreless draw against Uruguay that was alternately rugged and wide open, is that Berhalter has inverted the US’s base midfield triangle. Throughout most of World Cup qualifying it was a single pivot with a pair of No. 8s pushed forward; through these two games it’s been inverted, with Yunush Musah (or Luca de la Torre) dropping deeper to play alongside Tyler Adams, making a double pivot.
There is a “coming full circle” aspect to Berhalter’s decision here, as when he initially took over he was working with various rotations to create a double pivot. Back then it was Adams, deployed as a fullback, who would push up and inside next to the nominal d-mid – Michael Bradley or Wil Trapp, and yes, 2019 seems a million years ago – to sit in front of two central defenders and a stay-at-home left back who basically never overlapped. The idea was to get a solid enough defensive foundation to let the five more advanced players just go to work in attack.
Over time Berhalter, as mentioned, went to a single pivot. Adams (it was almost always Adams) had a very clear remit: Protect the backline, snuff out any opposing transition moments, win the ball and play it quickly to those who are able to do more with it.
What we never saw was something like this:
That’s Adams pressing way, way up, which is something I can’t recall him doing any of since the US moved to a single pivot. In this instance he gets cut out of the play and it becomes the responsibility of Musah to slide over and protect the backline from the exact sort of cutback that almost led to a goal here, but Musah never sees it. It’s just not something he’s used to with club or country.
The flip side is he’s now, in possession, doing more of the types of things he actually is used to (and is excellent at): ball progression. Pushing Musah deeper gets him on the ball earlier in sequences, which draws opposing defenders upfield and, once he cuts them out of the play, puts the US into positions of numerical advantage.
Here ya go:
That is the value of getting him on the ball deeper, and earlier in the play (and the same goes for de la Torre, who is a like-for-like sub for Musah). He doesn’t produce goals and assists, but he does produce the stuff that needs to happen first in order to make goals and assists possible.
The other advantage of putting Musah deeper is, by the end of qualifying, Adams had kind of been figured out by the rest of Concacaf. He is iffy receiving the ball in traffic and is limited in his distribution, and so as the windows went on the US veered more and more toward becoming a team that played against the ball rather than a team that plays with it. Adams is not, by any means, the only cause of that tactical drift, but he’s definitely at the heart of it.
And I think it’s pretty telling that, in the first two games after qualifying, Berhalter changed the midfield shape and responsibilities so drastically.
A true(ish) attacking midfielder
The upshot of all of the above is that Brenden Aaronson and Weston McKennie have both been put into spots where they can play as something closer to what I think most would consider being a true attacking midfielder. It wasn’t 100% across the board – there are still moments where each drops deep into a line with Adams and Musah in the US’s base 4-3-3 – but more and more often the US, on the front foot, looked like a team playing out of a 4-2-3-1.
Whether you consider the player in this spot to be a true No. 10 or not doesn’t really matter; what does is understanding their job is much less about ball progression through the middle, which falls to Musah and (to a lesser extent) Adams, and more about operating in the half-space as part of the attack. If, for example, they’re operating in the right half-space it’ll usually be the right winger out wide, the center forward occupying the middle channel, the left winger (Christian Pulisic basically all the time) in the left half-space and the left fullback trying to get around the edge out wide.
The goal is to get to the baseline 3-2-2-3 formation in possession and to create both positional and dynamic superiority. Throughout 2021 and most of 2022, the US had aimed for a 2-3-2-3 instead.
It sounds minor, but it’s really not a trivial distinction. Getting efficiently into final third kill patterns, and getting your most talented attackers into spots in that final third where they can execute said kill patterns, is how you can make a solid team good or even great.
I’m not sure scrapping the single pivot is the way to do it, but I understand the ideas behind what Berhalter’s done here.
Attacking balance from the fullbacks
Against Morocco, Berhalter tinkered with a rotation that turned what was nominally a back four into a back three, as Antonee Robinson was given license to overlap all day long in his usual manner from left back, while Reggie Cannon – who has played mostly as a right center back for Boavista in Portugal this year – didn’t overlap at all. Instead, he’d slide inside to create that 3-2-2-3 look.
Against Uruguay the fullbacks, Joe Scally on the left and DeAndre Yedlin on the right, were operating on the basic “you stay I go” system. In other words, if one was overlapping then the other stayed home. Nobody was cutting inside to create midfield overloads and nobody was sliding inside, Cannon-style, to create a permanent back three.
Scally, who was targeted all night by La Celeste, couldn’t manage it. He barely got forward and the few times he did, he created nothing. The knock-on effect was a significant attacking imbalance for the US:
(Note you can see McKennie’s positioning there in the right half-space. He’s No. 8).
An attacking imbalance is not, in and of itself, a calamity. Just look at the Musah clips above and you’ll see the two best US chances of the game came down the right-hand side.
But Jedi’s played 85% of available USMNT minutes this year and his absence against Uruguay (he came on midway through the second half, but the game was truly gone by then) was visible. Not having him – or someone like him – at left back drastically changes the way the US can play.
Ideally, that’s not something the US will have to worry about in Qatar. Ideally, Robinson will play every single minute.
But what if he can’t? Putting Sergino Dest at left back and slotting Cannon or Yedlin in at right back is just a massive shift for the US since Dest doesn’t create width or penetration on the overlap when he’s inverted. George Bello came up short both in qualifying and at Arminia Bielefeld, while Scally’s a right-footed wingback who evolved from a starter into a sub over the course of last season.
I wouldn’t be against bringing Sam Vines in for another look. Vines struggled at first in Belgium, but wound up winning a starting job down the stretch and into the playoffs. The other high-upside option is young Kevin Paredes (my favorite player of the bunch), who was outstanding last year for D.C. United, but didn’t really break through at all for Wolfsburg when he moved in January (nobody breaks through for Wolfsburg right away, unfortunately).
Both of those guys are left-footed, overlapping, attacking fullbacks. Both are plausible like-for-like back-ups for Jedi, and I think we’ve got to have that on the roster.
The No. 9 situation
So here’s the question: Do you credit the player who finds high-upside chances for understanding attacking patterns well enough to actually find those chances in the first place? Or do you ding him for not finishing?
That’s what the situation with Jesus Ferreira is at the moment.
Now, understand on a long enough timeline, a given player’s actual goals will tend to match their expected goals, and in that instance Ferreira is massively underperforming for the US. But he massively underperformed for Dallas in 2020, then found his level last year, then upped his level this season. That feels like a pretty natural progression for a young attacker, and since Berhalter keeps showing faith in Ferreira, and since the overall attack keeps operating better with Ferreira out there, I tend to think the No. 9 is Ferreira’s job to lose.
I am sympathetic to those who would rather Berhalter go in a different direction (and for what it’s worth, I expect Haji Wright to get a start in at least one of the next two games). Guys like Wright, Daryl Dike, Jeremy Ebobisse and Brandon Vazquez don’t just move well; they have dominant physical characteristics that make them a different type of center forward than Ferreira, who’s more of a false 9 than a classic striker.
The question is, though, will they even find the types of chances Ferreira is currently failing to finish? Dike has struggled mightily in his non-friendly appearances for the US, while Wright missed his one good open-play chance against Morocco, then touched the ball just four times in 29 minutes against Uruguay (which is in line with his underlying numbers from Turkey, which say he finds good chances, but doesn’t find many of them and doesn’t do anything else at an above-average level). Vazquez and Ebobisse might not even be a glint in Berhalter’s eye as far as we know.
I do think Ricardo Pepi has a chance to work his way back into the picture, provided he actually puts the ball into the net a little bit for Augsburg. For Jordan Pefok and Gyasi Zardes, however, I think the ship has most likely sailed.
Regardless, what we’ve learned about the No. 9 job for the US is we’ve got a lot more to learn about the No. 9 job for the US.
Center back hierarchy
I think it’s telling Aaron Long started both games alongside Walker Zimmerman. Long wasn’t perfect – there were a couple of times he scrambled slowly in the 18, which led to a spectacular block vs. Morocco and a massive let-off vs. Uruguay – but he was better than the other two options, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Erik Palmer-Brown.
Carter-Vickers does a lot of good stuff when the ball’s on the ground, but he’s not Long’s equal in the air, and that matters. Here are two clips from CCV’s 45 minutes against Morocco. The first is a header Long wins, and the second is a header Carter-Vickers completely whiffs on:
Misjudging the cross to allow Tarik Tissoudali a free look speaks for itself, but that first clip is important as well. Carter-Vickers has never really shown the ability to muscle a center forward and win a long clearance like that for the US, and has struggled to do it for his club at higher levels. His weakness in the air is the reason he plays in Scotland rather than England, full stop.
So right now I think Zimmerman’s first in the center back pecking order, with Chris Richards second, Long third and either Carter-Vickers or Mark McKenzie (who did not have the best year with Genk, but played more down the stretch and into the playoffs) fourth.
One thing I will say is if there needs to be a fifth center back – and there should be if rosters are expanded to 26 – it should be James Sands because of his versatility. He’d slot into the depth chart as a fifth center back as well as a third d-mid and a third right back.
I’m not sure Berhalter sees it that way, and the fact neither Sands nor McKenzie are in this camp doesn’t bode well for them. But going five-deep at center back and three-deep with d-mid ball-winners should be non-negotiables.
A few other thoughts…
• Taylor Twellman said during the Morocco game he thinks the No. 1 goalkeeper job is Matt Turner’s to lose, and I tend to agree. He’s the superior shot-stopper, which is what matters most, and is going to be training with an Arsenal side that demands improvement in his footwork playing out of the back.
Add in Zack Steffen’s repeated struggles for both club and country, and I will be surprised if Turner’s not the starter this autumn.
• Sean Johnson, who’s having a wonderful year with NYCFC, got a chance to make his case for inclusion and did so with a Man of the Match performance on Sunday. Here he is bailing out Aaronson and Scally:
I don’t think Johnson truly has a shot to win the No. 1, but I would honestly choose him, Ethan Horvath or, obviously, Turner over Steffen at this point.
• For me the Musah/McKennie/Adams midfield is written in pen. I understand there is a sentiment in certain corners of the internet to bench one of Musah or McKennie in favor of Aaronson, but… no. Inverting the midfield triangle, as Berhalter did this week, did a nice job of showing how Aaronson* could play in the midfield effectively (he’s been disastrous when played as one of the dual 8s). But to me, that was more of a “let’s see what he can do in case Wes is hurt” type of thing.
(*) Also, this role was made for Djordje Mihailovic. I can see now why Berhalter kept insisting he was brought to camp as a midfielder.
• If Aaronson’s competing for a starting spot anywhere, it’s on the wing. And the truth is nobody – not even Pulisic – should have their name in pen in that front three. If all four of Aaronson, Pulisic, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna are healthy and good to go in November, then most likely two of them will be coming off the bench (though there is at least a chance Weah could be used as a No. 9 instead).
Still, if I were a betting man I’d wager Pulisic and Weah are the starters. But just think about how much has changed in the past five months, and imagine about how much can change in the next five.
We’ve learned a lot about what Berhalter is thinking, and about the state of the player pool. There are only two games left in this window – just four games left until the freaking World Cup itself is finally here! – but we’ve still got a lot of learning left to do.
Benefit or burden? USMNT begin Nations League defense
Concacaf Nations League got a mixed reception among the region’s largest and most established programs when the concept was unveiled in November 2017. The new tournament was meant to give a helping hand to smaller nations by replacing often-meaningless friendlies with official competitive matches, thus raising the region’s overall level of play. But for the likes of Mexico and the United States, there was some frustration at the prospect of losing already-scarce opportunities to test themselves against elite opponents from Europe, South America and points further afield.Thanks to COVID-19, the inaugural edition of the CNL didn’t conclude until a year ago this week, and the joy of the US men’s national team was palpable and authentic as they hoisted the hardware following a dramatic extra-time victory over their rivals El Tri that night in Denver. The Yanks extended that high in a dogged march to the 2021 Gold Cup title a few weeks later, building momentum heading into their ultimately successful 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign.In retrospect, the event many fans feared as a hindrance turned out to be a platform for collective growth.“This tournament helped us a lot to gain confidence in the team as a whole,” USMNT winger Paul Arriola told reporters in Spanish in a Wednesday afternoon media availability ahead of Friday’s 2022-23 CNL opener vs. Grenada in Austin (10 pm ET | ESPN+, UniMas, TUDN). “Winning this tournament for the first time was very important for us, it gave us the confidence that we can win cups and tournaments. So for us right now the most important thing is to focus on defending our title, and also trying to improve.”In recent days multiple other players have also pointed to the value of that CNL final triumph over Mexico as milestone and proof of concept in Gregg Berhalter’s team-building process.“Each tournament was a stepping stone in the right direction for us,” midfielder Kellyn Acosta said on Tuesday. “Nations League was a stepping stone for us to go into Gold Cup and have a great result, then to go into the World Cup qualifiers and obviously prevail and qualify for the World Cup. I think we’re using each and every opportunity to grow as a group.”Added fullback Reggie Cannon: “That group set the standard and it’s been carried out ever since, all the way through World Cup qualifying.”CNL also served up instructive moments like the dispiriting 2-0 group-stage loss to Canada in Toronto in October 2019, one of the low-water marks of Berhalter’s tenure and a result that seemed to prompt some tactical and personnel rethinks.So now the Nations League is a conquest that the USMNT fully intend to defend, even if it requires matches against what are likely to be less-demanding opponents like Friday’s – which is also their final game on US soil before the World Cup proper, a de facto sendoff in which the team wishes to “joy and confidence,” in Arriola’s words, to their fans.“I think anytime that you’re playing for a trophy, it’s a great experience. It obviously doesn’t mimic a World Cup but it’s a similar sense, that you’re trying to accomplish a goal and win a trophy,” said Jordan Morris. “The mentality throughout the last one was great … it brought the group closer together, instilled confidence and pushed us forward, and I think that we’re going to use this as a similar platform these couple of games.”After Friday’s match the USMNT will jet to Central America for another CNL fixture, a visit to El Salvador at Estadio Cuscatlan, typically one of the loudest and most spirited environments in Concacaf and another evaluation point in the countdown to Qatar. Their group stage will conclude with two more ties next spring.It might not get pulses racing on the level of a meeting with Uruguay or a comparably world-class opponent, but it’s another step towards the desired destination just the same.“Nothing changes based on the opponent,” said Morris. “We go out and execute our game plan and work on the things that we want to work on in the game. Everyone’s going to go out and compete and show themselves to the best of their ability.
“It comes back to the collective and getting better as a team, because there’s not that many games left before the World Cup and we want to continue to take steps before that tournament.”
Jun 8, 2022, 10:32 AM
Motivation in short supply? Nations League tests players’ pride and exhaustion
The number of matches and multiple tournaments players partake in each year is always a big topic of discussion, not only for executives at FIFA or the presidents of each footballing region, but for coaches and players alike.
In a recent press conference with Belgium, Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne offered a very honest take on the UEFA Nations League: “For me, the Nations League is not important. We have to play these games, but it feels like a campaign of friendly games. Just glorified friendlies after a long and tough season. I’m not looking forward to it.”
That perspective was echoed by his club teammate and Portugal star Bernando Silva, who offered this about a stretch where they’ll play four Nations League games in 10 days: “After a season in which we’ve had 60 games, to come here and then have to play four more… many people have spoken about it. There are too many games, in the end, too many injuries. We start the new season in a month’s time and I’m certain we are not going to be 100% ready.”
I will tell you now, they’re not the only ones thinking this.
If it is not a World Cup Qualifier or a major tournament, most players will have the same sentiment as Mr. De Bruyne. Now, not every player will come out and say that but, speaking from my experience of playing in Europe with a lot of other internationals, that is the reality.
After a long season, half of the time most players want to go on holiday for a few days, get away from the game and enjoy their time off. And you better believe they couldn’t be bothered with playing in a friendly match against countries ranked low or participating in newer tournaments like the Nations League.
Fatigue, motivation & an increasing number of games
I know everyone is different and the age where a player is in his respective career can be a factor in how one feels about playing international friendlies or the Nations League. We can sit here and throw different variables of why players don’t see the importance of these games, but the simple fact is this: There are too many games and fatigue becomes an issue.
It is not that players don’t want to represent their country or are not proud to do so. Not every player will play 50-60 games a year for their club and country and being able to do so is a privilege. However, the ones who have this opportunity would prefer not to play in matches where the competition isn’t as high as what they are used to.
Nowadays players have an increased number of games throughout a season, mostly due to the added international matches and bevy of competitions. It makes it basically impossible to keep the same intensity and mentality at a high level for all of them.
I remember playing in USMNT matches after a long season where we knew we were going to win. The competition was not very high, and neither was my motivation. In those situations, you do enough to get through the match because in your head you know it doesn’t mean much in the bigger scheme of things.
That said, I loved playing for my country every chance I got. The feeling of putting on your nation’s colors is almost indescribable. I always felt a sense of pride as I was honored to be representing my country and to be viewed as one of the best soccer players in this country. Still, when you have been playing in so many matches in the year and then need to rustle up any energy or motivation to play these games, it is difficult.
Finding meaning in Nations League
The USMNT will start the defense of their Concacaf Nations League title on Friday against Grenada after winning the first version of the tournament against Mexico last year. I know this tournament was brought on to be a substitute for meaningless friendlies throughout the year and the hope was that adding a trophy would stop players from backing out of friendly matches. Also, the tournament serves to help the smaller nations play in more high-level matches, something I think is important for the growth of Concacaf as a whole.
However, with this being a World Cup year, does the Nations League serve a purpose? I do not think so.
Now, more than ever, we have top players in Concacaf playing at big clubs around the world. Keylor Navas (PSG), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Jesus “Tecatito” Corona (Sevilla), Hirving Lozano (Napoli)… I mean, the list goes on and on.
Do I think this type of top-level player will take the tournament seriously? Maybe to a certain extent, but not for long. We have seen it before with the Concacaf Gold Cup when the USMNT, Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica, arguably the top four teams in Concacaf, do not always bring their “A” team.
I have never played in the Concacaf Nations League, so I can only compare it to the Gold Cup. And in these matches, the motivation wasn’t always high. Obviously when you get to the final you want to win it, but it is true the vibe and atmosphere in camp are very different when playing in a Gold Cup than when preparing for a World Cup Qualifier.
During a World Cup Qualifying window, everyone has the same mentality, the same mindset. It was easy to be self-motivated in matches of this magnitude. When you came into camp, the atmosphere is relaxed and a bit tense at the same time. And that is a good thing. The level of concentration and focus needed to play those types of matches were through the roof. You didn’t need to worry about players being checked out or less motivated to be in camp. Everyone wanted to go to the World Cup, and more importantly, everyone wanted to be a contributing asset on the field.
I don’t think the same can be said about the Gold Cup or the Nations League.
A lot of times, not every time, players who came into camp had different agendas and mixed emotions. Some wanted to be there, and some didn’t. There were players who took it seriously because this was their chance to prove themselves on the international stage and others, more “seasoned,” who were there just after a long season and were too relaxed. When you add 40-50 international games under your belt, mixed with playing against low-ranked teams, your mindset is already thinking about vacation.
And I will be honest: I did both. There was a time that I took matches like the Gold Cup seriously and other times when my motivation didn’t really come until we reached the final of the tournament. But I will say the professionalism of our group was always there. Did we have that driving force needed in every single match? No, but we always tried to win our matches and bring home a trophy.
In 2003, our motivation level needed to play in a Gold Cup wasn’t there. A lot of players were held over from the Confederations Cup in France to play in the Gold Cup that summer. Others were allowed to head back to their respective clubs. Not everyone had the same goal in mind that camp, including myself. Some were on vacation; some didn’t even want to be there, and yes, others wanted to show their worth. You can say it is easy to pick out that year because we didn’t reach the final, but ask anyone who was a part of that group that summer. These matches were viewed as “glorified friendlies”.
Playing for your country is a privilege. It is earned, not given. I loved playing for my country, and I know players who get the opportunity love playing for their country. So, when players voice their concerns about why they see these games as non-important or “glorified friendlies,” it is not because of a lack of passion or love for their flag. It is simply because they are exhausted.
USMNT draws Uruguay, disagreement in second half on number of subs allowed
The United States men’s national team played Uruguay for 90 minutes and drew their friendly 0-0. The most noteworthy thing to happen may have been a disagreement over the nmber of subs.Just days after Uruguay beat Mexico by a comfortable 3-0 margin, the USMNT held them scoreless in Kansas City. The USMNT looked more dangerous in the first half, benefitting from Weston McKennie’s return after a three-month layoff due to a metatarsal injury. His interplay with Christian Pulisic helped keep the hosts on the front foot, while benefitting from strong service via Walker Zimmerman. Unfortunately, Jésus Ferreira’s performance was the latest in a long line of U.S. strikers failing to make their mark. The FC Dallas designated player sent a wide-open header over the bar despite standing two yards short of the goalmouth, just minutes after sending a one-on-one chance into goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.The second half highlight came off the pitch, as Uruguay coach Diego Alonso made a seventh sub despite the U.S. claiming the sides had agreed on six. If Alonso used an illegal sub, it may run the risk of negating the 90 minutes altogether. Still, Sean Johnson put in a fine shift between the posts which helps make his case to join Zack Steffen and Matt Turner on the projected World Cup roster.The USMNT also wore orange armbands during the match in support of a letter the team penned to Congress calling for stronger gun legislation. “We want to affect the United States on and off the field,” Zimmerman said. “[I’m] proud of this group, proud of the message that we sent, and hopefully there’s enough action that we can get some progress.”
• The U.S. central defense held its own against the world’s most coveted young striker and 30 minutes of Edinson Cavani. Even without Cavani starting and missing Luis Suárez entirely, this Uruguay team was by a wide margin the toughest foe the U.S. has faced this year. Darwin Núñez, the 22-year-old Benfica striker, tore up the Champions League this season and is the top transfer target of Manchester United and other wealthy clubs. But the U.S. central defense of Walker Zimmerman and Aaron Long (and Erik Palmer-Brown, his second-half replacement) did mostly well against Núñez and Cavani, keeping them from having a major influence on the game. Núñez did get free in on goal in the first half when a poor U.S. throw-in allowed him to get to the ball before Zimmerman, but Núñez made the wrong decision to pass the ball instead of shooting it. And Núñez 63rd-minute close-range shot was saved beautifully by Sean Johnson. Uruguay had another golden chance in stoppage time, but Núñez decided to drop off a pass to Cavani, who missed the chance. Long is still very much in audition mode for a starting centerback spot in the wake of Miles Robinson’s Achilles injury, but he did pretty well during the Morocco and Uruguay games. The main question here is whether Chris Richards (not in camp due to injury recovery) can make a good enough case for that spot at club level and in the U.S.’s two September friendlies. Personally, I think Richards should have a slight edge over Long to play alongside Zimmerman, but it’s clear that U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter really likes Long.
• The U.S. center-forward position continues to be an open battle. Jesús Ferreira played 61 minutes and remains Berhalter’s top choice for the spot, not least because of his mobility and ability to combine with other front-line players. Berhalter loves his expected goals stat, which reflects a player’s ability to put himself in positions to score, and Ferreira’s individual xG is higher than the other U.S. strikers. But at some point Ferreira is going to have to finish more of his chances, and once again he was unable to do that, failing to convert scoring opportunities in the 20th and 21st minutes. What’s more, Ferreira wasn’t great at holding the ball—an important skill facing high-pressure teams like Uruguay—and on several occasions managed only to get one touch before losing possession. The chance is there for Haji Wright to stake a claim to be the starter, but Wright was unable to do much in his half-hour on the field Sunday. Wright’s play is more in the mold of Jordan Pefok, which is to say his mobility isn’t quite what Ferreira’s is. That means Wright will have to bang in some goals to win over Berhalter. I’d like to see Wright get a starting opportunity against Grenada or El Salvador, even though those opponents won’t bring as much to the table as Uruguay and Morocco have done.
• I liked Christian Pulisic’s edginess and ability to release the ball quickly. Early on in World Cup qualifying, there were a number of occasions when it was clear that Pulisic didn’t totally trust his teammates. You could tell because he often tried to play “hero ball” and dribble through opposing teams when it would have been much better to pass the ball and continue an attacking threat. We didn’t see any of that from Pulisic on Sunday—or, for that matter, for a while now—and instead he has played more like he does with Chelsea, taking on defenders when he can and passing the ball when he should. I also like the harder edge Pulisic has showed with referees and opponents in games like Sunday’s. There’s nothing dirty about it, and I have often felt that this U.S. team has missed having some of that quality since the days of Jermaine Jones. Weston McKennie can provide that as well, and it was good to see him start and get 45 minutes on the field as he continues his full return from his broken foot.
With Aaron Long appearing a likely World Cup starter, an imperfect but resolute USMNT back line gets its second straight clean sheet against a Qatar 2022 team in a 0-0 tie against Uruguay
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Uruguay’s Darwin Núñez, with Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland off the market, is at 22 the most coveted transfer target among young strikers in the world these days. Teammate Edinson Cavani, now 35, is a lion who can still summon the old furies—he scored twice against Mexico last week—as he prepares for one last World Cup.
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They were exactly what the U.S. central defenders needed on Sunday: a significant test beyond any they’d faced during CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. And while the Uruguayans certainly had chances to score—U.S. keeper Sean Johnson saved Núñez’s point-blank second-half shot, while Cavani misfired on a stoppage-time sitter—the combination of Walker Zimmerman and Aaron Long (and second-half sub Erik Palmer-Brown) helped give the U.S. its second clean sheet in as many games against World Cup-bound foes in a 0-0 tie at Children’s Mercy Park.“They’re very good forwards,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said afterward. “Núñez is a younger guy with a huge potential and is going to be a huge transfer. He’s had a great season at Benfica. Cavani from Man United is a workhorse, a battler, a guy who competes for everything. He gets chances like you saw against Mexico, and he’s able to finish it. We talked to the centerbacks about embracing that challenge, enjoying that challenge. It’s not often that you get to play against guys of that quality, and I think they did a really good job.”Zimmerman said: “It’s very important to have back-to-back opponents [Uruguay and Morocco] in the top 25 in the world. Uruguay, I think 13th, with quality players all over the pitch and guys that have experience, World Cup experience, big-time game experience. So it was an opportunity for us, and we didn’t take it lightly. It was a dress rehearsal for a World Cup. We wanted to compete as if this was Game 3 in our group and we had to get points to move on. So that was the mentality.”Zimmerman has become the rock of the back line, and that was the case again on Sunday over 90 minutes. He rarely put a foot wrong, delivered some nice passes to start the buildup and covered for his teammates on occasion. But one of the big questions coming into this four-game window was whether Long would stake his claim to be Zimmerman’s sidekick after starter Miles Robinson suffered a ruptured left Achilles last month. And while Long wasn’t perfect handling Uruguay’s pressure, he acquitted himself well enough in his 45 minutes after going 90 in the U.S.’s 3-0 win over Morocco on Wednesday. “It’s great to get a shutout, right?” he said afterward. “At the end of the day, that is what matters. I think we gave up a couple chances that were a little bit self-inflicted a couple times. Overall, a shutout is great, but there’s room to improve.”Enough room, in fact, to make you wonder what might have happened had Chris Richards been fully recovered from injury to participate in this month’s games. Richards, 22, who played for Hoffenheim last season on loan from Bayern Munich, has a higher upside and a bit more speed and ball-playing ability. Long, 29, has more experience and a slightly more imposing presence against physical forwards. It remains to be seen if Richards’ club performance starting in August can help make his case, but it’s going to be hard with only two U.S. friendlies in September coming before the World Cup. Centerback is a position of trust, and Berhalter appears to believe in Long at this point—much as he did when Long was a regular USMNT starter before his own right Achilles rupture in May 2021. Goalkeeper is another intriguing situation. Zack Steffen is out this month for family reasons, and Matt Turner was solid putting up a clean sheet against Morocco. Johnson got the nod on Sunday over Turner and Ethan Horvath (a late camp arrival after Nottingham Forest, where he’s the backup, won the promotion playoff to the Premier League). “As a professional player who has been around the national team scene for a while, and been around this group for a while, the opportunity meant everything,” Johnson said.Since none of Steffen (Man City), Turner (Arsenal) or Horvath appears likely to be the starter at his club come August, I asked Johnson on Sunday if he thought being a starter for your club—in his case, New York City—should influence playing time for the national team and which keepers are named to the World Cup team.“Ultimately, I think for me it’s just playing every single game and maintaining a high level,” he responded. “I’m not really worried about too much else besides what I have to do. And when I’m with my club team, it’s putting in performances week in and week out and holding myself to a high standard, maintaining a good level and good form. Good rhythm coming to these camps helps. So it was a smooth transition into the game today, having gotten a ton of games.”Christian Pulisic, for his part, kept it simple: “SeanJohn was incredible today.”
Two other pieces of news dominated the day for the USMNT in addition to the Uruguay game. The 1-0 victory by Wales over Ukraine ended the latter’s inspiring World Cup qualifying run in the wake of the Russian invasion and meant the U.S. will face Wales on the opening night of the World Cup, November 21. “It’s a great feeling [to know the U.S.’s opponent],” said Berhalter when asked about it. “It’s kind of strange when you get drawn into a group and it’s one of three teams that you can play. So in terms of prep you get stalled a little bit, but now it’s full steam ahead and concentrating on Wales. My heart goes out to Ukraine. The whole world was probably behind Ukraine wanting them to go to the World Cup. So: England, Wales, Iran and the U.S., an interesting group.”The other big announcement was the letter from the USMNT players and staff to every member of Congress imploring them to pass legislation to counter gun violence. “We implore you to stand with the majority of Americans who support stronger gun laws,” they wrote in an eloquent and direct letter. “As athletes who have the privilege of traveling the globe representing the greatest country in the world, we are often asked how in a place like the United States there can be such horrific gun violence. We are also asked why the representatives of the people do nothing even though most Americans want them to take action. Those of us who play professionally abroad experience none of these things in our daily lives, yet we return home to a place where mass shootings are frighteningly common and the victims are often defenseless children.”
Zimmerman, who has become one of the team’s leaders, explained it this way: “We look at our motto Be The Change, and we didn’t just want to sign something. We wanted to take action and really send it to Congress, to those who can make a difference with these laws, and we’re really proud of the group and the way that we stepped up. Gregg kind of helped us draft that letter. And we kind of looked over it as a leadership council first and then with the bigger group, talked through it and said, ‘Is everyone good? Is this something that we want to do?’ And it was unanimous, a hundred percent yes. We want to take action and speak up on that.”Pulisic added: “I hope you guys can all realize why we did it. I think it’s getting to a point where [it’s about] anything that we can do and trying to take action. People can say it’s not the guns, it’s the people, but we have to start somewhere, and that’s where we wanted to start.”This may be a young U.S. team—the youngest squad, in fact, at the World Cup—but it’s finding its voice. And that matters.
USMNT draw with Uruguay key takeaways: Midfield questions and more striker struggles
The U.S. men’s national team passed their final big test of the June international window, but only just.
Five days after putting together one of their more cohesive recent attacking performances in a 3-0 win against Morocco in Cincinnati, the USMNT was mostly stymied against a strong Uruguay side on Sunday, struggling to string much together going forward and nearly conceding on a few occasions in a relatively ugly 0-0 draw in Kansas City, Kan.
The U.S. battled well against a difficult, albeit rotated, opponent, but most of the pressing questions that were facing the team at the start of this camp remain unanswered. That’s unlikely to change in the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League contests against comparatively weak Grenada and El Salvador, meaning U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter will likely enter the September window with plenty to suss out.
In the meantime, here are a few main takeaways from Sunday’s scoreless affair:
Midfield still a work in progress
More than four months since their last match together, the U.S.’s “MMA” midfield of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams got the start on Sunday, teaming up for 45 minutes before McKennie, who is still working his way back from a lengthy injury absence, was taken off at halftime in a planned substitution.
They had some good moments, with McKennie shaking off some rust and growing into the game as the half progressed, but they mostly had a tricky time trying to play through the well-organized Uruguayans. Things became even more congested for the U.S. in the second half, with the Americans struggling to maintain what little rhythm they built in the opening 45 after McKennie departed for Brenden Aaronson and Uruguay brought in some of their midfield stars.
The performance stood in stark contrast to the more flowing soccer the U.S. exhibited against Morocco, when the tucked-in Christian Pulisic and Aaronson found a good amount of space between the lines and combined well in buildup play. There was a lot less of that against Uruguay, who didn’t press as high or as hard as Morocco did on Wednesday, a tactic that made things a bit difficult for the U.S.
“They didn’t press as much, they kind of sat back, so it was asking us to kind of get on the ball a little bit deeper and kind of make the game from there. It was tough for us,” Aaronson told The Athletic. “In the first half, I thought it was better, I think we had some good moments where we could get out the other side and maybe get an overlap from the outside back. I think especially Yunus did very well in the midfield dribbling out of pressure, Tyler did, I think Weston did, too. But it was a tough game, really. They were very good, they crowded the middle and they made it tough for us.”
There were some positives: As Aaronson mentioned, Musah dribbled out of pressure impressively on a few different occasions, showing the technical skill and graceful athleticism that have so many so excited about his potential. This play, where he carried the ball forward out of the back, found a teammate, received a return pass and found winger Tim Weah with a good switch to set up a chance in the 29th minute, was perhaps his best moment.
Of course, there were also a few instances when he broke pressure with his dribble but ended up holding the ball too long, carrying it into trouble instead of finding an available teammate. It’s a consistent, though not overly concerning, issue for Musah, who was indeed good on Sunday.
“Yunus is a guy that just blows me away,” Berhalter said. “At his age, what he can do, he’s got a crazy level of talent. We need to work with Yunus on the final product, the final pass, the finishing, because he has a huge ceiling.”
The midfielders also played roles in creating the U.S.’s two best chances of the afternoon in the 19th and 20th minutes. On the first, center back Walker Zimmerman found Adams with a quality, line-breaking pass to the middle of the attacking third. Adams quickly played a ball forward to Pulisic, who hit striker Jesus Ferreira in for an opportunity on goal. Musah was involved in the second, receiving a layoff from Ferreira and playing a well-weighted through ball into the area for right back DeAndre Yedlin, whose cross Ferriera failed to convert.
Those kinds of plays weren’t all that common, however. Uruguay made it difficult on them, to be sure, but the midfield struggled to help build out of the back and, as a unit, looked a little bit off in possession. That’s not the biggest strength for the trio of Adams, McKennie and Musah, which creates some real questions for Berhalter ahead of the World Cup. Two of the U.S.’s three opponents in Group B — Iran and Wales — will likely look to sit deep and remain compact against the Americans. The U.S. typically struggles against those types of opponents. Playing Aaronson in a more attacking role gives them a little bit of a different look, though he wasn’t at his best on Sunday, either. Gio Reyna could also be an option, but his continuing injury issues and the fact that he’s never before played as a No. 8 for the U.S. could make integrating him at the position somewhat trickier.
Berhalter was complimentary of McKennie after the game on Sunday, but there are reasonable questions about how he fits in this setup, too. He’s a big talent — athletic, active, disruptive to opponents, great in duels, dangerous on set pieces, adept at arriving late into the box and finishing — but he’s not as smooth on the ball as Musah, not quite as quick or efficient in tight spaces in the attacking end as Aaronson and sometimes seems to freelance a bit with his positioning. When he’s firing, he makes a huge impact for the U.S. But against countries that are organized and savvy in defense, it might make sense to either drop him a little bit deeper or perhaps start him on the bench and play a more natural attacker in midfield.
No matter who’s playing, it’d be nice for the U.S. midfield to be a little bit smoother with their buildup play than they were on Sunday. They’ll need better in that area to unbalance the well-organized, disciplined opponents they’ll see in Qatar.
Struggles continue at striker
The U.S.’s long-standing issues at the striker position continued on Sunday, with Ferreira missing the mark on a couple of opportunities and substitute Haji Wright not seeing much involvement after he entered at the hour mark.
As described above, Ferreira’s two best looks came in the 19th and 20th minutes. He made a good run off the shoulder of Uruguay center back Jose Gimenez to free himself up for the first opportunity, but couldn’t get his 15-yard attempt far enough away from goalkeeper Fernando Muslera to open the scoring.
The second miss was more glaring. Ferreira helped start the play, checking back to the ball, receiving and laying it off to Musah before turning and sprinting into the area. He got onto the end of a fizzed-in cross from Yedlin at the left post, but couldn’t quite redirect his header on frame.
Ferreira caught plenty of stick on social media for not converting the chances, and he looked a bit downcast after the game for not scoring either opportunity. Both plays were a bit tricky, however. He didn’t really have much of an angle on the first attempt; Gimenez did a good job of blocking off his path to the back post and Muslera was positioned well. He had an open net on the second look, but Yedlin’s cross was hit hard and a bit behind him. It was a great chance, but not the completely unexplainable miss it may have appeared.
Still, you’d expect an international-caliber striker to finish at least one of those two opportunities. Ferreira does a good job of getting himself in positions for chances on goal and has been on a tear for FC Dallas, but his finishing for the U.S. has been mostly lackluster. That needs to change.
Wright, after scoring a penalty and making a solid impact in his debut on Wednesday, was pretty anonymous against Uruguay. He didn’t really find the ball and mostly struggled to connect with teammates when he did.
“Overall, the strikers — it’s a difficult game,” Berhalter said. “Difficult game against big, strong center backs, aggressive center backs. I think there were moments, Jesus had another really good chance, there were moments, and we came up a little bit short, but we’ll keep working with these guys.”
“We want to get them chances, we want to see how they’re finishing chances, we want to see how they’re competing against elite international players,” he later added. “That’s important. I still don’t think there’s enough of a sample size for Haji, and we’ll continue to work with him. We have two Nations League games and we’ll see if Jesus and Haji can hit the back of the net in those.”
In the 17 games dating back to the start of the Octagonal, the U.S. now has just four goals from open play from their strikers: one from Ferreira and three from Ricardo Pepi, who wasn’t called to this camp after ending the German Bundesliga season on a 25-game goalless streak for club and country. The U.S. can succeed without much production from the position, but the margins will be thinner in Qatar than they were in qualifying. Clear chances like Ferreira’s second opportunity need to be converted if this team wants to achieve its objectives at the World Cup.
At a certain point, Berhalter might begin to wonder about making a change at the position, as well. He’s tried Ferreira, Wright, Pepi, Jordan Pefok, Josh Sargent and Gyasi Zardes up top since last September, all with middling to poor effect. If the U.S. continues to get such little production from their out-and-out striker options, maybe Berhalter would eventually consider shifting Weah, who has been excellent on the wing this window but has experience as a No. 9, or Reyna into the role.
Scally’s tough outing another example of depth issues at left back
Regular starting left back Antonee Robinson came down with a non-COVID-19 illness following the Morocco game, keeping him out of training on Saturday and relegating him to a reserve role on Sunday.
His absence was keenly felt. Joe Scally had a hard time filling in for the Fulham defender, struggling with his positioning on three different occasions in the first 10 minutes, each resulting in chances for Uruguay. All three times, Scally was positioned too far inside and was too slow to release to Uruguay players who had made their way down his flank and received the ball via a switch from the left side.
“Joe was getting too tight to the center backs,” Berhalter said. “They were playing with two forwards and the forwards are inside of our center backs, so he doesn’t need to be that tight. He can start opening up and read those diagonal switches and get much tighter pressure on their wing back. Once we made that adjustment, it helped.”
Scally adjusted his positioning in a way that helped stem the tide down the U.S.’s left, but he had another bad moment in the second half, when he fell asleep at the back post on the Mathias Olivera shot that goalkeeper Sean Johnson denied with a tremendous save. He also struggled to get into the attack, not providing much of a vertical threat on either flank (he switched to the right when Robinson entered for Yedlin at the hour-mark) throughout the match.
Berhalter, who appeared to be visibly frustrated with Scally early in the match, commended the 19-year-old afterwards for “the way that he managed the game and hung in there, battling even though he was cramping and going from left to right back. Really proud of that effort.”
Scally, who was making his first-ever start for the USMNT, certainly did put in an honest effort, but that comment from Berhalter was likely a preemptive strike to soften any criticism against him and help preserve his confidence. That’s well and good, but it doesn’t change the fact that it was an afternoon to forget for the Long Island native.
His poor performance — and the strong play of Robinson after he entered — is just another reminder of the U.S.’s depth issues at left back. If Robinson is healthy and available, the U.S. should be just fine. If he picks up an injury or suspension that keeps him out of a match at the World Cup, though, the options behind him seem bleak. Scally got the chance today, but failed to take it. George Bello, who didn’t dress for the match on Sunday, didn’t really impress in qualifying. Sam Vines seems far from claiming the role. Kevin Paredes is an intriguing prospect, but he needs to play at Wolfsburg, where he only got 13 minutes after transferring to the Bundesliga club in January, before he can break in with the USMNT.
If none of those options emerge over the next five months, Berhalter’s best cover for Robinson might be starting right back Sergiño Dest. That’s uncomfortable.
Johnson steps up in rare opportunity
After 11 years and just nine caps, veteran goalkeeper Sean Johnson got one of the biggest opportunities of his USMNT career on Sunday. Knowing what he has in potential No. 1 Matt Turner, who started on Wednesday, Berhalter chose to give the Uruguay game to Johnson, who, despite being a regular call-up, hadn’t played a game for the U.S. since 2020.
The NYCFC backstop rewarded his coach’s decision with a fine performance, making three saves, including his game-changing stop against Olivera in the 63rd.
“Sean Johnson in goal, who’s been really asking for a difficult opportunity or a challenging game, he got his game and he responded,” Berhalter said. “I thought he played an excellent game.”
“I wanted the opportunity for quite some time, and just stayed ready for the opportunity whenever it might come,” Johnson said. “Then to get it against an opponent of this caliber in a window where we have two friendlies against two high-level opponents headed into Nations League, then the last two tuneups (in September) before the World Cup, I think, for me, meant everything.”
The performance could potentially have some serious ramifications for the U.S. As things currently stand, Johnson, who was only added to this roster after Zack Steffen had to withdraw late due to family reasons, looks like he’ll be the only one of the USMNT’s top-four goalkeepers who will be getting regular playing time with his club in the months leading up to the World Cup. Turner is headed to Arsenal, where he’ll likely back up Aaron Ramsdale; Steffen is ensconced as the No. 2 behind Ederson at Manchester City; Ethan Horvath, who backed up Johnson on Sunday, spent this season as the second-choice for Premier League promotion winners Nottingham Forest.
It’s a longshot, but in the event that those three options falter as they mostly sit on benches across England, Johnson could theoretically work his way into the starting goalkeeper discussion ahead of the World Cup. He diplomatically deflected a question on the subject on Sunday, but ESPN’s Taylor Twellman said on the broadcast of the Morocco match on Wednesday that Berhalter brought up Johnson in that exact context during his sitdown with the commentary team before that game. Even if those conversations never materialize, Johnson at the very least showed on Sunday that he’s a viable option in net if needed. There weren’t a ton of overwhelming positives for the U.S. on Sunday, but that was a clear one.
USMNT Player Ratings: Zimmerman, Johnson stand out in tough test vs. Uruguay
The New York City FC netminder was excellent with the ball at his feet and gave the USMNT another dimension in possession. Johnson capped off his strong showing with a ridiculous point-blank save in the second half to deny Uruguay from close range.
Scally struggled mightily in his first international start. He was consistently caught out of position and left acres of space in behind. He lost possession far too frequently, either due to poor decisions or under-hit passes. A night to forget for the 19-year-old.
It was a fairly neutral night for the New York Red Bulls defender. Long had a couple of nervy moments in possession, including a poor back pass to Johnson, but defended well enough when needed. He was called on to cover for Scally’s poor positioning on multiple occasions, making his job harder.
Zimmerman put in one of his best showings in a national team shirt against Uruguay. His aerial ability has been well-documented, but he showed another level to his forward passing and defended on the break better than he’s done before on the international stage. The Nashville SC defender got caught out of possession once in second-half stoppage time, but Edinson Cavani missed the ensuing chance.
Yedlin made plenty of trademark overlapping runs and was a consistent outlet on the right flank, but he lost his marker on the back post and picked the wrong pass too many times.
The Juventus midfielder was eased back into action with a 45-minute run-out. McKennie went for a spectacular overhead kick attempt early in the match, but overall looked a bit timid around the box and struggled to make a major impact.
The RB Leipzig midfielder started the match strong and faded the longer it went on, especially defensively. Despite some good moments in possession, Adams uncharacteristically missed a handful of tackles in the second half.
It was another mixed bag from Musah. The Valencia midfielder made several excellent runs with the ball out of midfield, but too often the final ball let him down.
Pulisic looked consistently dangerous around the box, creating the most chances for either side and linking up well with the frontline. As usual for the Chelsea man, he took a beating and drew fouls throughout the night.
The FC Dallas striker and MLS joint-leading scorer got into good positions all night and linked up well in and around the box. Ferreira couldn’t find the finishing touch, hitting one shot right at the goalkeeper and putting a header over an open goal. The cross made his header tricky, but it was the type of chance a starting striker at the international level should finish. At some point, he needs to start finding the back of the net.
Weah is consistently the most dangerous attacker in a US shirt, but wasn’t able to find the ball enough. The Lille attacker flashed a couple of attempts across goal and looks sure of his place on the right.
5.5
Gregg Berhalter
Manager
Berhalter’s side weathered the early storm and grew into the match. After being caught on the back foot, they controlled possession more and more as the night went on and created several chances with the ball. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was a good measuring stick.
The Troyes defender struggled significantly in his 45-minute showing. He was slow to read the game and got caught out of position on more than one occasion, forcing Zimmerman and Johnson to bail him out.
The Leeds-bound man once again played in a central midfield (No. 8) role, and once again brought a spark and an edge to the match that had been previously lacking. Aaronson had the right ideas in possession and showed a grit that will serve him well in the Premier League.
Arriola brought his typical industry and work rate to the match. He stretched the field with intelligent off-ball movement, but he couldn’t pick out the right final ball into the box.
The Heracles midfielder was brought on in the 85th minute for a cameo appearance.
NYCFC’s Sean Johnson stakes claim for USMNT GK job with clean sheet vs. Uruguay
By Charles Boehm @cboehmSunday, Jun 5, 2022, 10:01 PM
Amid all the analysis and debate of the US men’s national team’s goalkeeping situation – all the fretting over Matt Turner’s impending move to Arsenal, Zack Steffen’s errors at Manchester City in the FA Cup semifinals, Ethan Horvath’s ups and downs with Nottingham Forest, and the very real possibility of the program’s top three ‘keepers riding the bench in the English Premier League as the months count down towards the 2022 World Cup – one noteworthy name has rarely been uttered:
Sean Johnson‘s.Despite being the oldest and most experienced member of the USMNT’s GK corps, despite backstopping New York City FC’s 2021 MLS Cup title run, despite playing for a club with a similar game model to Gregg Berhalter’s, despite getting regular call-ups during their Concacaf Octagonal qualifying campaign, it appears the Georgia native just hasn’t been treated as a serious contender for the starting job by fans, pundits or the coaching staff.
That may have changed on Sunday afternoon in Kansas City.Handed his first USMNT start in more than two years, “SeanJohn” was the man of the match in the Yanks’ 0-0 friendly draw with an impressive Uruguay side at Children’s Mercy Park, making three saves – the best a jaw-dropping denial of Mathias Olivera at point-blank range – and completing 85% of his passes.“It’s great to get the opportunity and to take advantage of it. A clean sheet’s always nice,” Johnson told MLSsoccer.com after the match. “But ultimately, against a good opponent that’s going to be competing in a World Cup in Uruguay, I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to step out and perform.”
With Turner minding the nets vs. Morocco on Wednesday and Steffen not in the current squad due to family issues, the NYCFC mainstay nosed ahead of Horvath, who arrived in camp late due to Forest’s promotion playoff triumph last Sunday, to earn the nod vs. La Celeste. He can feel secure in the knowledge that he seized the chance.
“I’ve been waiting some time for this opportunity,” said Johnson. “But I did the best job I could to prepare every single week at my club and then coming in, the transition was easy. The guys in front of me made the job a lot easier today, so I was happy to contribute to the performance and yeah, we’ll always take a clean sheet.”
While both teams can claim to be disappointed not to win, Uruguay’s attack posed real problems for their hosts, especially in the early going, when the USMNT backline found itself under waves of pressure.
“Sean Johnson in goal, who has been really asking for a difficult opportunity or a challenging game, and he got his game and he responded,” said Berhalter. “I thought he played an excellent game.”
The South Americans probed the US left in particular, testing inexperienced left back Joe Scally and sending several dangerous deliveries into Johnson’s penalty box.
“Yeah, it’s a quality opponent. I think they were dynamic in the way they possessed the ball and built up, so we had to adjust on the fly and really look at how we were getting pressure on the ball, also how we were shifting as a team,” explained Johnson.
“We had a few chances, a few good chances, half-chances. So that’s how games are against quality opponents; there’s not much in them. There’s quality on both sides of the pitch. So obviously just doing anything I could to help my team on the day, being there when I was called upon.”
His resourceful shin save on Olivera, one of two Uruguayans left startlingly wide open deep inside the US six-yard box by Walker Zimmerman and Erik Palmer-Brown on a 63rd-minute cross to the far post, will probably linger longest in everyone’s memory.
“I think it was a long action, quality play by them to switch the field a couple of times and to offset us a little bit with a cutback and get the ball behind the backline,” said Johnson of the sequence. “Just getting ahead of it, positioning myself to make a save was what was necessary in that moment. Those are the moments that you train for and prepare for.”He said his teammates and the coaching staff were otherwise largely satisfied with their work in KC, with this match and Wednesday’s providing an eye-opening glimpse of the caliber of opposition that awaits them in Qatar this fall after two years of a Concacaf-dominant schedule.
“Ultimately, we’ve got a really good taste of what the level is going to be moving forward, playing Morocco and now Uruguay,” said Johnson. “To manage, on a day where maybe things offensively didn’t work out for us, to keep it together with with a clean sheet defensively, I think we can look to build on these two games moving forward into Nations League.”Asked during a Tuesday media rond table why he hasn’t been a more central part of the USMNT goalkeeping discourse in 2022, Johnson let slip a brief flicker of a smile before responding, “I think it’s up to you guys. You guys are the ones that do all the talking, put up all the articles and all that stuff.”
The 13-year veteran is the quiet sort, loathe to do any sort of self-promotion, preferring to fly below the radar in the collective-oriented culture of Berhalter’s national team. He was happy to stick to the same outlook on Sunday, after his 90-plus minutes on the pitch rang out quite loudly on their own.
“That’s not my job to talk about those things,” said Johnson. “Getting opportunities, taking advantage of them and playing consistently and keeping my level where it is with club and country, I think is important. That speaks volumes.”
USMNT, Uruguay Play to Scoreless Draw in Pre-World Cup Friendly
Fresh off learning who will be its first opponent at the World Cup in November, the U.S. men’s national team took aim at what was likely its toughest test ahead of the competition, and it walked away with a scoreless draw.The U.S. played 13th-ranked Uruguay to a 0–0 tie at Sporting Kansas City’s Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday, following its 3–0 win over Morocco on Wednesday night with a less fruitful result. Jesús Ferreira had the U.S.’s best opportunities in rapid succession in the first half, while Sean Johnson, getting a rare start in goal, made a point-blank save in the second half to preserve the draw. It also helped the U.S. that Edinson Cavani missed a wide-open net in second-half stoppage time.It probably won’t get more difficult for the U.S. than Uruguay, a two-time World Cup champion that was drawn into a difficult group with Portugal, Ghana and South Korea, before it begins group play against Wales, a 1–0 playoff winner against Ukraine earlier Sunday. That’s because after this match, the U.S. has two Concacaf Nations League group games during the ongoing window (vs. Grenada, at El Salvador), followed by a pair of friendlies in late September abroad, where the options for opponents are limited due to the scheduling conflict with the UEFA Nations League.Prior to the draw, Uruguay had won all five matches since Diego Alonso replaced longtime manager Óscar Tabárez, including four straight South American qualifiers to surge into the top four in CONMEBOL and automatically qualify for Qatar. It has still only conceded one goal in that time.Uruguay heavily rotated its squad, with just one starter carried over from the team that beat Mexico 3–0 on Thursday night in Arizona—veteran defender Jose Maria Giménez—though it still fielded a squad with plenty of firepower and experience. While Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde and Cavani were left out (Luis Suárez isn’t with the team altogether), the likes of Darwin Núñez and Diego Godín suited up from the start.The U.S., meanwhile, made multiple changes as well, with Johnson in goal and Joe Scally getting an important chance at left back, with Antonee Robinson dealing with a non-COVID-19 illness (Robinson entered later in the match). In the midfield, Weston McKennie returned to the U.S. starting lineup for the first time since breaking his foot in the winter, though was limited from the start to 45 minutes.Núñez had Uruguay’s first chance five minutes in, when Martín Cáceres delivered in a ball from the right to the far post, only for the in-demand Benfica star unable to do much with it despite his acrobatic efforts.Another dangerous ball came in from the right a couple of minutes later, with Guillermo Varela’s cross turning into more of a shot and whizzing right by Johnson’s far post.It was another long switch to Varela that resulted a dangerous header for Maxi Gómez that was deflected over, and following the ensuing corner kick, DeAndre Yedlin was forced into a goal-line clearance that kept the U.S. from conceding.The U.S. had its first glimpse at goal in the 14th minute, and it was McKennie who had it in spectacular fashion, attempting a bicycle kick after Tim Weah had won a corner kick with a run down the right. The chance sailed just over the bar, though, keeping the match scoreless.Ferreira, getting another start at center forward as the U.S. searches for a long-term option at the position, called veteran Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera into action in the 20th minute, firing on target only to have his chance parried to safety. The shot capped a sequence started by a line-splitting pass out of the back by Walker Zimmerman. He found Tyler Adams, who laid it off for Christian Pulisic to deliver the set-up to the FC Dallas star.
The USMNT held off Uruguay, but hinted at major flaws
Henry BushnellMon, June 6, 2022, 3:35 AM In this article:
On the surface, 180 minutes of friendly soccer yielded plenty of positivity around the U.S. men’s national team this week. Two tests against World Cup participants yielded three goals scored and none conceded. An ultra-young USMNT kept two clean sheets using two different goalkeepers behind two different pressing schemes. It created chances in two different attacking shapes against Morocco and Uruguay, two of the sturdiest defensive platoons on their respective continents.It claimed two results that would likely be sufficient to see it through a World Cup group, and that alone will fuel optimism for months to come.Those results, though, were a bit deceiving.Beneath the surface, there were flaws.Gregg Berhalter, the team’s head coach, knows this, and hinted at it after a 3-0 win over Morocco and a 0-0 draw with Uruguay. He spoke about vulnerability on Wednesday, and danced around some questions without doling out his customary praise on Sunday. He likely knows that his team’s Expected Goal differential across those 180 minutes was, according to mostmodels, negative. He knows that, amid all the promise that his players wield, they are an incomplete unit that hasn’t yet learned to paper over its cracks, which were evident as World Cup prep kicked into gear.There are, of course, also reasons for optimism. The bubbliest of the many is a 19-year-old who’s been stuck in a suboptimal position at his club, but whose potential the USMNT is beginning to unlock.The worry, however, is that deficiencies at both ends of the field could mask promise in Qatar come November.Sunday’s tussle with Uruguay offered no solutions to the USMNT’s two most nagging dilemmas. Neither of its strikers, Jesus Ferreira nor Haji Wright, looked capable of leading a line under Uruguayan pressure. Both of its left-sided center backs, Aaron Long and Erik Palmer-Brown, looked shaky.They weren’t punished by Uruguay’s B-plus team, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be in five-and-a-half months.
The search for a second center back goes on
When Miles Robinson crumpled to Atlanta United’s turf last month, and when subsequent scans revealed a torn Achilles, a seemingly settled partnership at the heart of the U.S. defense ruptured. Walker Zimmerman, as he embraced an off-field leadership role, had established himself as one starting center back. Robinson was “so valuable” next to him, Berhalter said last month, because pressing teams “need guys that can win duels convincingly” and that possess elite speed to clean up messes behind a high back line.Robinson could do both of those things.Long tried to on Wednesday, but got rolled and spun by Moroccan striker Ayoub El Kaabi. And the same unawareness that triggered problems on Wednesday emerged again on Sunday. In the fifth minute, a split-second of indecisiveness dragged Zimmerman with him toward the ball, and left Darwin Nuñez free at the far post.In the 23rd minute, Long dawdled in no-man’s land in the penalty area, and failed to spot Manuel Ugarte lurking free at the top of the box.Long, though, seems to be the primary candidate to partner Zimmerman in Qatar, especially after Palmer-Brown’s shoddy second half. The 25-year-old was primarily, and sometimes singlehandedly responsible for a few of Uruguay’s best chances. A simple, straight ball over the top caught him flat-footed in the 94th minute, and nearly won the game for the visitors.Cameron Carter-Vickers looked solid in 45 minutes on Wednesday, but he’s never started a game under Berhalter. Chris Richards has the most raw talent of the lot, but he’s 22 years old and currently injured. They’re the two most intriguing options, but the U.S. will enter September, its last window for World Cup tuneups, with those two having never faced a World Cup-caliber opponent alongside Zimmerman.Whoever does emerge will inevitably shoulder responsibility. This U.S. team is at its best when pressing ravenously. As Berhalter said, pressing puts stress on center backs — stress that Long didn’t handle all that well on Wednesday.Scoreboards didn’t reflect any of that, but more predictive metrics did. The USMNT’s 3.7 Expected Goals Against over the two friendlies, per Tru Media’s Paul Carr, suggest the defensive cleanliness was misleading. Backup fullbacks exacerbated issues, but Sergiño Dest won’t solve them, and they could limit Berhalter’s aggressiveness in Qatar.
A no good, very bad day for USMNT strikers
The USMNT’s single biggest positional weakness, though, is at the top of the field, where encouraging Wednesday performances gave way to Sunday flops.Ferreira’s lowlight was a wayward header on the Uruguayan doorstep. The real problem, though, was nearly everything else. Ferreira can influence games without scoring, but on Sunday, most of his impact was negative. He seemed to struggle in tight spaces with European title winners breathing down his neck. His first touch was uncharacteristically sloppy.And that, precisely, was always the concern with Ferreira — that characteristics developed in MLS, against weaker competition, would crumble against unfamiliar resistance.Sixty minutes, of course, is far too small a sample size to draw grand conclusions. And conclusions could have been wildly different if a well-struck 19th-minute shot had found a corner, or if DeAndre Yedlin’s cross had been a half-foot lower or a half-ounce more controlled. Berhalter knows not to overreact to one game. He has said that club form will be his primary evaluation tool — and at FC Dallas, Ferreira has sizzled.But he didn’t offer the USMNT a target or outlet on Sunday. He didn’t score or create.Wright,who was crisp on Wednesday, then entered at the hour mark, and completed one pass in 30 minutes.He could’ve counted his touches on one hand.He was all but invisible.The U.S. doesn’t necessarily need goals from its striker, but it needs something, much more than it got on Sunday.
The brilliance and intrigue of Yunus Musah
The optimistic spin on Sunday’s performance, on the other hand, is that ball progression and chance creation are far more sustainable than finishing; and that the USMNT has found a ball-progression wizard.His name is Yunus Musah, and he is an absolute delight to watch. He skates by opposing midfielders and zooms from defensive third to attacking third with the ball on a string. He has qualities without precedent in American soccer, and again, he is only 19.To empower him, Berhalter has tweaked the USMNT’s shape in possession this month. Musah has dropped deeper, next to Tyler Adams in a 3-2-5/3-2-2-3 (against Morocco) or a 4-2-4 (against Uruguay), when the U.S. builds from the back. He now regularly picks up the ball from center backs, and can foil an opponent’s press with one simple drop of his shoulder and burst of acceleration.”When you play the 3-2-2-3 type of shape, you have a guy deep that can take people on the dribble and break lines dribbling, it’s really valuable,” Berhalter explained Wednesday.On Sunday, he raved: “Yunus is a guy that just blows me away, at his age, what he can do. Craaazy level of talent.”The next step, Berhalter said, is the end product, the final or penultimate pass. It’s the ability to carry the ball the length of midfield and then release it to teammates who can do damage with it.That “finishing attacks phase,” in general, is where the team struggled on Sunday, Berhalter said.But it largely withstood Uruguay’s pressure. It will never perfect any phase of play, but it’s moving toward mastery of the middle third of the field. That’s where the raw ability of players like Musah, Adams, Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic takes over. Their ability is why this USMNT is so tactically flexible, and potentially dangerous in Qatar.It’s those flaws, though, that can unjustly dump a talented team out of a World Cup. And they’ll loom over this youthful, innocent American team until they’re solved.
USMNT analysis
USMNT questions and observations from Uruguay & Morocco friendlies plus US U-19 & U-20 notes
The U.S. team’s two toughest games from the four-game June run are now over and ASN’s Brian Sciaretta looks at the big takeaways and questions remaining after these two games. Plus, Sciaretta also looks at the U.S. youth teams including the U-19 team’s win over England on Monday and the U-20 team getting ready for qualifying.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTA JUNE 07, 2022 :25 PM
THE UNITED STATES national team is two games through its four-game June run but the first two games offered the best opportunity to learn given the World Cup-quality opponents. There still will be an opportunity to build up chemistry and work on tactics, but there are some important questions raised and lessons learned from the fist two games of the summer.The U.S. team has shown some positives from the first two games, but the team remains a work in progress. Here are some observations from the first two games.
STRIKER REMAINS OPEN
After first two games, the question over the striker position isn’t any clearer. The current situation is that the player pool consists of many players who have produced at the club level but who haven’t yet made a big impact for the national team. Haji Wright and Jesus Ferreira are in this camp while the extended pool has Jordan Pefok and Daryl Dike – who was great at the club level for 18 months prior to his latest injury. There are also players like Josh Sargent and Ricardo Pepi who are in a funk at the club level. It made sense that Berhalter took Ferreira and Wright to this camp. They are the two most in-form forwards who are healthy at the moment. While Wright buried a penalty in the win over Morocco (given to him by Pulisic, who earned the penalty), neither had scored from the run of play or from a set piece either has earned.The question for Berhalter then becomes will he continue to ride the hot hand and call-up whoever is hot? Or will he settle on his options now and work with them to build-up chemistry. Ferreira and Wright still both are able to help the team even if they’re not scoring. Typically that wouldn’t be good enough, but it’s better than simply disappearing. Ferreira has a good soccer sense and gets into dangerous positions. He also combines well with his wingers. Wright is strong and physical. He also can make runs into the attacking half that open the game up.When you compare that with Pefok, it is different. Pefok can finish, but if he’s not finishing well or the service isn’t there, he disappears.Anything can happen but at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if Berhalter sticks with Ferreira and Wright.
CENTRAL DEFENSE PARTNER
Berhalter brought in four central defenders to this camp: Walker Zimmerman, Aaron Long, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Erik Palmer-Brown. With the two toughest games in June already completed, it’s safe to say that Walker Zimmerman will leave this camp in strong contention. He’s not simply a lock to make the World Cup team, he’s likely a starter and an important part of the team. His distribution out of the back in addition to his defense has been very good.The other three are still in a battle. Long has played fairly well with some good moments and some tough moments. Carter-Vickers also was pretty good in his one half against Morocco. Palmer-Brown struggled against Uruguay in the second half but is still in the mix. Most likely, Berhalter will take four central defenders, even with a roster increased to 26 players because it is rare that the fourth central defender plays. The only way he might take a fifth central defender is if the three-man backline becomes more of a preferred formation.If you consider that Chris Richards is likely to make the World Cup team if healthy, that makes one from the current camp likely to be cut. If John Brooks is still really in contention, then two from the current camp could get cut. Other options like Mark McKenzie, James Sands, and Tim Ream are all probably on the “outside looking in” right now.For the remaining two games, Berhalter will probably give opportunities to Carter-Vickers and Palmer-Brown – along with Long. The quality of opponents probably makes it tough to draw conclusions but it will be interesting to see how they play tactically.My guess is that that leaving this camp, the front runners to be the four central defenders at the World Cup are Zimmerman, Richards, Carter-Vickers, and Long. Heading into September, I can see Berhalter wanting to use that camp to test the chemistry of a Zimmerman-Richards pairing.
BACKUP FULLBACKS
Few would argue that if everyone is healthy, the starting U.S. national team fullbacks are Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest. Whether it be in a three-man backline or a four-man backline, those two have been first-choice players for well over a year now and both are still going strong.But there is a question of backups. This is an important question two given that Dest and Robinson have both had injuries in their past and few would assume that the U.S. team will be 100% healthy come the World Cup since the U.S. team has only very rarely ever been 100% healthy.On the right side, there is Reggie Cannon and DeAndre Yedlin backing up Dest.On the left side, there has been George Bello and Sam Vines having stints as Robinson’s backup.Meanwhile, Berhalter has used Sergino Dest also as a backup left back (while then opting to play his backup right back). There is also Joe Scally who can play both the left and the right.The backup right and left back situations are both unsettled but are both different. Berhalter seems as if he is comfortable with either Yedlin or Cannon. On the flip side, Berhalter is likely uncomfortable with any of the backup left back options right now.Scally battled hard against Uruguay but ultimately didn’t make a solid case he is ready right now – albeit is certainly one for the future. George Bello has had a bunch of chances but really struggled positionally with Arminia Bielefeld the second half of the season and has never looked compelling with the full team.As of now, the position hasn’t really addressed itself well during this camp. If that doesn’t change in the final two games, perhaps Berhalter will callup different faces in September.There are always players who emerge late in the cycle to earn a spot and the fact that the U.S. team is concerned over a back-up left back, as opposed to a starting one, is a big sign of progress. Club form could be key but two names to follow would be DeJuan Jones and John Tolkin. Neither of these players are capped but Berhalter indicated Tolkin was in consideration for this camp while he also had Jones in camp with the team in January.As for Vines and Bello, they are both in the picture. Bello might get minutes in the final two games albeit now against teams who struggle in CONCACAF. For these players, it will come down to the start of the Belgian season for Vines and the 2.Bundesliga for Bello.
MIDFIELD COMPETITION
Right now, the midfield positions look solid for the U.S. team. If the U.S. team rolls with the typical 4-3-3 formation with a healthy roster, Adams and McKennie are starters. Musah has typically been a starter but it’s not as much of a lock to start as the other two. That’s because Brenden Aaronson has been given a chance to start centrally in the midfield – where he is most comfortable. Thus far, Aaronson has played well and Aaronson might have more of a lethal final ball than Musah right now.Berhalter should be comfortable the midfield right now. He has options he is comfortable starting and the backups are in good position too. Kellyn Acosta might not be a great No. 8 with the U.S. team right now, but he has shown to be a good backup for Tyler Adams at the No. 6. The more advanced “dual No. 8” roles can go to two of McKennie, Musah, or Aaronson. Assuming there will be a 26 player roster, Berhalter will probably take 6-8 midfielders. Adams, Acosta, McKennie, Musah, and Aaronson are five.The remaining backup options for the No. 8 or No. 10 positions could see a little bit of competition. At this camp there are Luca de la Torre and Christian Roldan, who are dependable. In terms of other here are also players like Gianluca Busio, Djordje Mihailovic, Richard Ledezma, and potentially others knocking at the door who are more distant options – such as Cole Bassett, Paxton Pomykal, or Alan Sonora.
GIO’S RETURN
One big question to consider is Gio Reyna and how he might fit in once he returns. Since the Nations League last year, Reyna’s appearances with the national team have been few and far between. He’s coming off what was essentially a lost season with Borussia Dortmund.Reyna, 19, is a great talent but the U.S. team has been progressing without him. If he gets healthy in time for Qatar, he’ll go to the World Cup – but what is his role? It’s impossible to say as you can never really tell with a player who had a lost season. Sometimes they rebound strong but other time it can take awhile to get back in that rhythmFor Reyna, is he going to start in the midfield over either Aaronson or Musah? If he’s a winger, does he unseat Pulisic or Weah? He’s not in a position now where he looks like a lock starter. Potentially he could get that back if he hits the ground running at Dortmund in preseason and the early parts of the season while then looking sharp in September with the U.S. team.But that’s a lot of “ifs” and it’s too early to project when he wasn’t even healthy enough to make this camp. Right now, he’s looking like a spot starter or a super-sub.
GOALKEEPER LOOKS SAFE
With this current camp, one position that has given itself a little more clarity is goalkeeper. The first two games have seen Matt Turner and Sean Johnson put in really solid shifts to boost their resumes.Turner is a lock to make the World Cup team but is he the starter? If the World Cup was right now, he would probably start. It all comes down to the playing time in August in September. Zack Steffen might push for a loan and that could help his case if he starts and performs well.As for Johnson, he made a strong case to be the team’s third goalkeeper. He’s been around the team the entire cycle and has been, and will be playing regular minutes this entire year.Ethan Horvath is very tough to read right now. There are reports that Nottingham Forest starting goalkeeper Brice Samba wants a transfer. Normally, that would be good news for Horvath except for the fact that Forest is reportedly after English international Nick Pope. If Forest is willing to spend that money on Pope, then it is the same situation Horvath dealt with Brugge when the club brought in Simon Mignolet. Only this time, he can’t wait for years.It seems most likely that right now, the three goalkeepers heading to Qatar are Turner, Steffen, and Johnson with Turner right now having the strongest case to start.
YNT UPDATES
Turning away from the senior U.S. national team and shifting down to the youth national teams, which are going to have an extremely busy month.On Monday, the United States U-19 team defeated England 2-1 in Marbella, Spain. The U.S. team had a slight advantage in age as England opted to field a roster entirely of its 2005 birth year. The United States had a 20-player roster with six players born in 2004 and 14 born in 2005.In the win over England, the U.S. goals were scored by Atletico Madrid B’s Rodrigo Neri and Orange County’s Korede Osudina. Neri’s goal (seen below) came just minutes after he was subbed on. England played with a man down after the 60th minute.The U.S. U-19 team (like the U.S. U-18 team) exists almost as a second team to the United States U-20 team. Many of the players are eligible for the following cycle but are too young for the U.S. U-17 team. This is a way of keeping these players involved with the program between youth cycles.It also gives players a platform to potentially compete for the United States U-20 team this cycle. The current U.S. U-20 team will attempt to qualify for both the 2023 U-20 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics but if the team qualifies for the U-20 World Cup, the cycle will continue for almost another year to prepare for the that tournament.If you look at the U-20 cycles, there was always heavy turnover between qualifying and the World Cup. With such a long gap between the two, this cycle there could be more over a turnover. It could very well start with this U-19 group.Two players to pay close attention to are Joshua Wynder and Brooklyn Raines. Wynder was the U-19 captain against England and he plays central defense – which is a huge position of need for the current U-20 cycle. Wynder was actually a surprising omission for the U-20 team for qualifying given the way he has been playing Louisville City and the fact he (along with players like Obed Vargas) is among the top 2005-born players in the United States. If the U.S. U-20 team qualifies for the World Cup, Wynder has an excellent chance of making a quick rise through the team.Now there is the U.S. U-20 team which is set to travel to Honduras later in the week ahead of its opening group stage game against St. Kitts and Nevis on June 18.That roster is still not announced but there are a few nuggets. Sounder At Heart reported that U.S. Soccer reached a deal with the Sounders for the release of Obed Vargas and they reported that Vargas will join the team after the group stages.Releases are a massive issue with this team and ASN understands that Kevin Paredes, Justin Che, Caleb Wiley, Gaga Slonina, and Bryan Gutierrez. Once considered a top prospect, Malick Sonogo is not on the team although it is unclear if he was either cut or this was a coach’s choice. The same for Dante Sealey who is also not included.On the flip side, head coach Mikey Varas will have the three Philadelphia Union core of Jack McGlynn, Paxten Aaronson, and Quinn Sullivan – the latter of whom scored four goals in the two March games in Argentina. Cade Cowell is likely going to participate along with the New York Red Bull duo of Caden Clark and Daniel Edelman. From USMNT analysis
abroad, Varas could have midfielders Rokas Pukstas from Hadjuk Split and Alejandro Alvarado from FC Vizela.
Analysis & player ratings: USMNT play Uruguay to a 0-0 draw in Kansas City
The United States played Uruguay to a 0-0 draw on Sunday in Kansas City. The effort reflected a team that is still a work in progress but also one that can hang compete well against difficult opponents. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks down the game and the performance of the players after a second viewing.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTA JUNE 06, 2022 6:30 AM
THE UNITED STATES national team played Uruguay to a 0-0 draw at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City on Sunday in its final test against a World Cup-caliber opponent before the September window. The result was certainly not bad, but it once again revealed that the U.S. team is still very much a work in progress.The most important perspective to have when judging this game is that Uruguay entered the game having won its last five games by a combined score of 11-1. In other words, Uruguay is playing extremely well right now on both sides of the ball. They boast a powerful attack as well as a defense that can keep opponents off the board.“Give this team credit, Uruguay is a team that doesn’t give up many goals,” U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter said. “They have top of the line defenders and they compete like crazy.”That streak was snapped by a U.S. team that got a little lucky at the end, but still played well for stretches. Overall, the first two games have indeed been productive as it shows the U.S. team does have talent and quality, but still needs to be more ruthless and aggressive.Berhalter announced his starting lineup the day before to the media. The changes from the 3-0 win over Morocco saw Sean Johnson get the nod in goal over Matt Turner. Joe Scally and DeAndre Yedlin replaced Reggie Cannon and Antonee Robinson. Weston McKennie replaced Brenden Aaronson although Berhalter noted that McKennie was capped at 45 minutes as he is still rehabbing his foot injury. The front line of Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, and Jesus Ferreira remained unchanged.Uruguay did well the first 10-15 minutes and it’s best chance of the half came in the 10th minute when DeAndre Yedlin was able to clear a shot from Diego Godín off the line. U.S. team mostly controlled the final 30 minutes of the half, despite not scoring. The U.S. had its chances. Weston McKennie seemed to bring some life into the attack in the 14th minute when he sent a bicycle kick over the goal. From then, the U.S. had more chances. Jesus Ferreira had his shot late in the 19th minute saved by Fernando Muslera. Minutes later, Ferreira was not able to drive a header on goal in the 21st.Sean Johnson had strong performance in this game and two of his three saves were difficult. The first of which was in the 23rd minute when Johnson denied Manuel Ugarte from close range.In the second half, as is typical with friendlies, the game became disjointed due to both teams making a wave of substitutions. Pulisic hit a shot wide in the 53rd. Minutes later, Uruguay squandered a chance when they hit the U.S. team on a counterattack after a turnover in the midfield. Fernando Gorriarán’s shot ended up going over the bar from close range.In the 63rd minute, Mathías Olivera had his shot saved by Johnson for the NYCFC goalkeeper’s second impressive save of the afternoon.In the 81st, the U.S. team thought it had earned a penalty and if VAR existed, perhaps it would have been called. On the play, Pulisic played Robinson into the box. The speedy Fulham left back sent in a cross but it appeared to hit a sliding Sebastián Coates in the had but a penalty was not awarded.In a game that was filled with misses, the game ended in stoppage time just after the biggest miss from this game’s biggest player. Edinson Cavani had an open net off a transition play but shanked it wide right.
Here are some thoughts on the game
FORWARDS STILL EMPTY
Through two games, the U.S. team has looked solid in goal with good efforts from Sean Johnson and Matt Turner. Central defense has certainly conceded some chances it shouldn’t have (Erik Palmer-Brown struggled against Uruguay) but for the most part, it’s been more positive than negative.Central midfield and the wings have also been more positive than negative for the first two games.The U.S. team should be concerned right now with both fullback positions and the center forward position. Both of these positions have been overall weak in the first two games. Up top, Jesus Ferreira had chances but hasn’t been able to burry them. Instead, his shots have been saved. The 19th minute shot was such an example as Muslera was able to make a big stop.Aside from being handed the ball to take a penalty, Haji Wright hasn’t been able prove he’s the answer. Against Uruguay, Wright had just four touches over 29 minutes. Ferreira, for his limitations, has at least been able to get involved and work with the wingers. But the forwards need to score goals.“It was more the finishing attacks phase that we struggled in,” Berhalter said. “We got the ball into really good positions and then just didn’t take advantage of it…. Overall for the strikers, it’s a difficult game against big, aggressive centerbacks. Jesus had another really good chance. There were moments. We came up a little bit short, but we’ll keep working with these guys.”“We want to get them chances,” he added. “We want to see how they’re finishing chances. we want to see how they’re competing against international players. That’s important. I still don’t think there’s enough of a sample size for Haji but we’ll continue to work with him. We have two Nations League games, and we’ll see if Jesus and Haji can hit the back of the net in those.”
FULLBACKS MIXED
Fullbacks are a concern. Yes, Sergino Dest is out with an injury but the problems with the fullbacks shouldn’t be happening even with the current players. Yedlin made a big defensive play clearing a ball off the line and he also created a good chance but overall, among each of the four fullbacks over both games, the defense hasn’t been there. It has put a lot of stress on the centerbacks.In this game, Joe Scally went 90 minutes (the first 62 minutes at left back and the final 28 minutes at right back) and had a tough stretch early. To start the game, Uruguay had a field day attacking down Scally’s side – where there were acres of space.Berhalter, however, painted a positive picture on the young fullback from Long Island.“For Joe Scally, the way he managed the game and hung in there, was battling, was cramping, going from left to right back – I was really proud of that effort,” Berhalter said.“Uruguay didn’t touch the ball in the first three minutes,” Berhalter added. “Then in minutes three through seven, it was just an adjustment. Joe [Scally] was getting too tight to the centerbacks. They were playing with two forwards and the forwards are inside of our centerbacks – he doesn’t need to be that tight. He can start opening up and reading those diagonal switches and get much tighter pressure on their wingback. Once we made that adjustment, it helped.”On a more positive note, Antonee Robinson was improved after a tough first half against Morocco on Thursday night. DeAndre Yedlin created a chance and had a goal-line clearance as he remains in a very tight battle with Reggie Cannon as the backup rightback.But overall, the fullbacks haven’t been a position of strength in these games.
MIDFIELD WAS STRONG
The U.S. team lost its spark in the second half – which was expected with the wave of substitutions. But overall, there was plenty to like about the return of the Adams, Musah, and McKennie trio that was unable to go in March due to McKennie’s injury.In this game, the trio really helped the U.S. enjoy stretches where they controlled the game. “Tyler Adams, for me, had an extra gear, an extra spark, was all over the place, and really helped us on both sides of the ball,” Berhalter said. “Weston was able to compete for 45 minutes after not having started a game for five months. Yunus is a guy that just blows me away with what he can do at his age. He’s got a crazy amount of talent. We need to work with Yunus on the final product – the final pass, the finishing. Because he has a huge ceiling.”It is going to be interesting to see the dynamics of how the midfield evolves over the remainder of this camp and into the fall. Brenden Aaronson came into the game in the second half an looks as if he could be more lethal in producing goals and assists right now. If that happens, how would an Adams, Aaronson, McKennie midfield look?There is also the return of Gio Reyna and whether Berhalter might want to try him in a midfield role?But right now, the midfield looks sharp and that is actually surprising when you consider that Adams and Musah didn’t really have strong club seasons. For both, playing time was irregular but especially for Musah, his club career is in its early stages. He doesn’t yet have a set position although he has been playing his preferred central role more often. Adams, meanwhile, doesn’t have the rhythm he could have if he still had a starting job at Leipzig. Meanwhile, McKennie made his first start in five months due to injury.If this group can play well despite not having rhythm of consistent club minutes, imagine what it would be like if they are all in rhythm and form.
LOOKING AHEAD TO NATIONS LEAGUE
The Nations League games against Grenada and El Salvador are still useful opportunities to give the team repetitions and develop chemistry. Drawing conclusions from the results and specific performances could be misleading. It’s not the level of competition that is comparable to the World Cup.Berhalter indicated after the game that the September window will feature two games against World Cup opponents, but what are the positive opportunities that the Nations League represents?It’s a good chance to look at depth and how the team could hypothetically deal with injuries to key players. How would Kellyn Acosta fit in should he have to play the No. 6 in place of Adams? Or what could other central defense combinations look like even if they might not get tested?Grenada might be more experimental, but El Salvador is good enough where it might be useful to test a combined lineup that mixes first-team players and backups. That could at least give the players more familiarity to a situation that could arise if there is a wave of injuries in Qatar.
JOHNSON ANSWERS THE CALL
After the game, Berhalter revealed that Sean Johnson had been asking for an opportunity against a quality opponent. Johnson has been the loyal third string keeper behind Matt Turner and Zack Steffen. Sometimes he’s also been behind Ethan Horvath. He didn’t play in World Cup qualifying despite being a regular on the roster. Typically, his only performances have come in low-profile friendlies or Gold Cup games against lower CONCACAF teams.Berhalter, perhaps wanting to award his loyalty and give him an honest opportunity, gave him the start in team’s most high-profile friendly in years. Johnson delivered with a clean sheet performance that featured three solid saves.“Sean Johnson has been asking for a challenging game and he got it, and he responded with a very strong performance,” Berhalter said.What does this mean? to the detriment of Ethan Horvath.
PLAYER RATINGS
THE STARTERS
Sean Johnson: He asked for a quality game to showcase himself and he got one. He answered the call and put out a great outing with big saves in the 23rd and 63rd minutes. He was very important in keeping the clean sheet. Rating: 7.5
Joe Scally: The Gladbach defender played both left and right back. He struggled with spacing early but then settled into the game and battled. He didn’t make a big impact getting forward. Rating: 5.0
Walker Zimmerman: The Nashville SC defender played a big role in keeping a clean sheet and was the best American defender on the day. He was credited with four clearances. He won 5/6 ground duels. He also had three blocks, including a big one against Diego Rossi from close range late in the game. He was 5/7 with his long balls, which also resulted in a pair of decent scoring chances for the U.S. team. His only blemish was getting beaten in the 41st minute, but other than that, it was a good day at the office Rating: 7.5
Aaron Long: The Red Bulls captain played the first half and was forced to scramble in emergency defending early as Uruguay was often awarded too much space. He only played the first half and was decent, except for a poor 42nd minute backpass to Sean Johnson which the U.S. team only narrowly escaped without conceding a goal. Rating: 6.0
DeAndre Yedlin: The Inter Miami right back was useful early as he cleared a shot off the line in the 10th minute. Offensively, he was bright early connecting with Ferreira for a chance. But he faded after his bright start and struggled to get forward effectively. Rating: 5.5
Tyler Adams: The U.S. team’s captain battled hard, won duels, and helped in possession. He even made some nice runs that were unrecognized. Defensively, he won duels and tracked back late when Uruguay was pressing forward for a goal. Rating: 7.0
Yunus Musah: Overall, a good performance from the Valencia midfielder who showcased athleticism and ball control that is tough to stop. Once the final product is there, he’ll be a handful. But overall, he was useful against a tough opponent. Rating: 7.0
Weston McKennie: The Juventus midfielder made his first start in nearly four months. His attempted bicycle that went over the bar seemed to be the starting point for the U.S. team’s attack. Overall, he wasn’t as involved as the other midfielders but it was important to the U.S. team having him back. Rating: 6.0
Christian Pulisic: Had a nice interception that sprung him free on the wing in the 12th minute – his cross to Weah wasn’t dangerous. Unlike Wednesday’s win over Morocco, Pulisic was not able to get in isolated 1v1s with defenders or use his dribble effectively. His one shot went well wide Rating: 6.0
Jesus Ferreira: The Colombian-born forward did a lot of small things right and was helpful in the buildup to chances but he had a chance early that he needs to bury to be a lethal finisher. That still is his main job even if he’s active otherwise Rating: 5.5
Tim Weah: The Lille winger struggled to make an impact against Uruguay only managing one weak header for a shot. He tried to hit a low, hard cross to Ferreira that was just a bit too far out of reach. Rating: 5.5
THE SUBSTITUTES
Paul Arriola: Was a bit more active in this game despite Uruguay picking it up in the second half. He drew two fouls for free kicks, fought hard in his duels. Rating: 6.0
Erik Palmer-Brown: tough moment at the end when he lost Cavani, who inexplicably missed. Earlier he was beaten for a chance that Gorriaran missed high. His passing was okay at 24/28. Rating: 4.5
Brenden Aaronson: Was lively off the bench in replacing McKennie. He won duel after duel to make Uruguay’s life difficult. Rating: 6.5
Haji Wright: Wright did not make an impact in this game and only had four touches with one completed pass over 29 minutes. Part of that is on his teammates not getting him service but it’s also partly on him. Rating: 4.5
Antonee Robinson: The Fulham left back was an upgrade after coming into the game in the 62nd minute. He got forward effectively and also defended well. It was an improved performance than his game against Morocco. He arguably should have earned a penalty in the 82nd minute after he effectively got into the box and hit a cross that appeared to be a handball. Rating: 6.5
Luca de la Torre: Came into the game in the 85th but didn’t do enough to earn a rating. Rating: NR
USA v. Uruguay, 2022 Friendly; What We Learned
The USMNT took on Uruguay to a 0-0 draw. Here’s what we learned.
The United States Mens National Team took on Uruguay and came away with a 0-0 draw. It was something of a tense match, with chances for both teams. However, neither could put one away and the match came up scoreless. Let’s break down what we learned.
Introducing Uruguay
Uruguay are, of course, a distinctly historic side in international soccer. Despite being a small country, they twice won the World Cup in the pre-modern era, including the inaugural edition in 1930. In more recent times, they’ve emerged as a consistently strong team. They’ve made it to the knockout rounds in three straight tournaments, reaching the quarterfinals in 2018 where they were knocked out by eventual champions, France. For sure, this was a stronger test than the (admittedly pretty decent) Morocco side the US battered aside a few days earlier.In particular, Uruguay is renowned for their defensive prowess. For this match, they put out a defensively solid 3-5-2, anchored by the renowned Diego Godín, formerly the star center back of Atletico Madrid. The side looked to keep an organized and solid defensive shape, conceding possession to attack swiftly on the counter. While the USMNT was, at times, a little exposed, the sides mostly played evenly, with a final squandered attempt from Uruguay pushing them a bit ahead of the US on the expected goals metric.While it’s not the result the USMNT were hoping for going in, it is still a good sign building up to the World Cup. This is a serious side (Uruguay did just swat aside Mexico 3-0), yet the USMNT played them even. With a little bit of luck — and better finishing — the US could have won this one. And that should be a good sign for November.
Let the Hammer Drop
With two straight clean sheets against World Cup calibre (ie, will be at the World Cup) opposition, I think we have to stop and give some credit to the defensive lines.Walker Zimmerman in particular has been the standout.Over the last year, Zimmerman has solidified his place as the go-to Center Back choice for the USMNT.In particular, he’s strengthened his passing game. We’d seen moments of good passing from the Nashville SC lynchpin in the past, but it’s clear that he’s really worked on the skill. In particular, we saw a few reallygreat long balls from Zimmerman to Pulisic. Verses Morocco, that led to the starting goal, and while it didn’t lead to a goal v. Uruguay, it demonstrated a level of consistency there.Let’s break down how those passes work.The move starts with Walker Zimmerman in space with the ball in his own half. The USMNT now has multiple avenues to progress the ball, whether that is directly through the midfield, particularly Tyler Adams, or up the flanks through the fullbacks, especially the right back. But if that progress is a bit stymied, there’s the option of going over the top. In general, Pulisic takes a position that’s tucked in from the left wing rather than out wide. From there, he can drop in and assist in possession, or, more crucially/usefully, he can make runs towards the opposition’s backline. If the run goes unanswered, the run still potentially drags a defender out of space, making room for Musah or McKennie to receive the ball. But if a defender doesn’t track him, Pulisic can get in behind, or at least stretch the backline. What he does is burst forward towards the backline, and peels himself centrally so that he splits the backline. In turn, Zimmerman sprays the ball into the exact space where Pulisic arrives. It immediately advances the ball up to the final third.
Long Time Gone
Aaron Long probably also deserves more praise than not for these games. He played a total of 135 minutes (3 halves) without conceding a goal against solid opposition, and that deserves recognition. However, he definitely wasn’t as consistent on defending one-v-one as Zimmerman was, nor was his passing as effective or ambitious as his partner. That said, this is still a good sign for where Long’s abilities will be by the time of the World Cup.Remember, Long has barely played with the national team over the last two years. While 2020 was cut short for basically everyone due to the outbreak of the (still-ongoing) Covid-19 Pandemic, Long’s achilles tear at the start of 2021 ruled him out for essentially a second consecutive year. In that time, national team has changed considerably, even as Long naturally grew less and less connected with the program. And then there’s the injury recovery itself. It’s not enough to merely recover from an injury; it also takes time to return to that same level of match sharpness as before the injury. And the longer the injury, the longer it takes to get back to that match fitness, even after after the recovery. So with a year-long injury, recovering that match fitness could take upwards of 8 months. This is to say, between regaining that sharpness and chemistry, there’s every reason to think that Long will improve in the coming months.For now, it looks like Berhalter’s center backs of choice are Zimmerman, Richards (out for this camp due to injury), and Long. The notable missing name is, of course, John Brooks. Brooks has been excluded due to what looks like some sort of feud with Berhalter. I’d personally prefer for Brooks to be in the mix, but I think the urgency of the calls for his return come with rose-tinted glasses. Brooks obviously has quality, as demonstrated by his fairly consistent play for years in the German Bundesliga. However, his last few international matches did in fact feature significant mistakes. And, with his most distinguishing skill (his distribution) replicated by Zimmerman, the need for Brooks to make a return just doesn’t seem to be there, even with the injury to Miles Robinson.
Formation Wrinkles
As has long been the norm, Gregg Berhalter put out his team into a 4-3-3 against Uruguay. In general, that first half formation looked a lot like what was expected, particularly when the McKennie–Musah–Adams (MMA) midfield has been available. Adams forms a decisive defensive shield ahead of the backline, with Musah and McKennie offering a high powered a press. In addition, Musah offers a great, press resistant outlet, while McKennie provides an offensive thrust (and a set piece target). As a trio, the three create a suffocating midfield, and we saw that on display in the first half.With Jesús Ferreira dropping back into midfield, space opened up for Christian Pulisic to tuck inside. Combined with Tim Weah’s strong play on the right wing, the US was able to generate a number of chances.However, with McKennie coming off a foot injury, he was limited to just a half of soccer. So on came Brendan Aaronson to take his spot. Against Morocco, we saw Musah tuck a bit alongside Adams, while Aaronson took on more of an attack-centric role. Aaronson’s play was a bit more well-rounded here, but the change, in conjunction with a few other ones made at half time, failed to create a breakthrough for the USMNT. Still, the half, (alongside the one v. Morocco) offers evidence that Aaronson can do a job in midfield. Aaronson already was the first reserve at wing. The ability to play in midfield merely adds to his usefulness to the squad. And it also offers something as an option for the USMNT if McKennie isn’t available.
The big wrinkle with this USMNT squad, however, remains the goals. At this point, the MNT is now much stronger at generating chances than they were at the start of World Cup qualifying. However, those chances are all too often going unfinished. For these two matches, it’s been Jesús Ferreira who’s been up top but not finishing. To his credit, he’s been creating chances and taking shots. That’s generally been more than what we’ve seen from the other options as of late. But Ferreira’s finishing has been lacking. This might be a case where, as long as the chances keep coming, they finishing will follow, at least eventually. That’s been the case to a certain extent in MLS, where Ferreira went from creating loads of shots without scoring at the start of the season, to the top of the Golden boot race in just a few months. But those goals need to come at some point. Finish just one of those opportunities in the first half and the pressure would have severely dropped off the US and changed the match.
Closing Thoughts
Sean Johnson deserves a moment of praise. While he only made the trip after Zack Steffen dropped out due to family reasons, he got the start for this friendly and did well to hold the clean sheet. This second half save in particular stood out as a good moment.
Too many American players switched off on the follow-up play, allowing Uruguay a strong opportunity at goal. However, the NYCFC shot stopper had the exact right positioning to make the save. He’s unlikely to get time in Qatar at the end of the year, but this game was evidence that Johnson’s long been a good and loyal servant for the USMNT.
Erik Palmer-Brown didn’t really look the part in this game, with a bad mistake at the end of the game that gave Edinson Cavani a nearly open look at goal (which he mercifully botched). It was nice, however, to see the Kansas City native get some time out in his hometown.
Joe Scally really didn’t look up to this level. On the defensive side, he looked to be a clear target for Uruguay and frequently either came up short on the tackle or took up the wrong position, letting the ball bounce or whiz past him and to an onrushing Uruguayan attacker. And, on the attacking side, Scally simply wasn’t very involved. At just 19, there’s still more than ample time for Scally to grow into his game a bit, but, for now, I think it’s clearly little premature to be penciling his name into the squad for Qatar.
Big congratulations goes to Christian Pulisic for getting his 50th cap. He’s not quite done it faster than anyone else, but he’s not far off. With some better luck (and one fewer pandemic), he likely would have gotten it much earlier.
There was some big news elsewhere in CONCACAF, with the Canadian Men’s National Team players refusing to appear for a friendly vs. Panama. The players released a letter criticizing their federation over contract negotiations. The letter includes demands for pay equality between the mens and women’s teams and marked reforms at the federation level.
Elsewhere in international play, we saw Wales come up just ahead of Ukraine in the final UEFA World Cup Qualifying playoff. This means Wales will head to the World Cup, specifically, the USMNT’s group. Wales was the final team to qualify from Europe for the World Cup, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine forcing the delay of Ukraine’s two play off matches (first v. Scotland, then this one v. Wales). Wales won 1-0 thanks to a Ukrainian own goal and mostly looked like the weaker of the two teams. Which is, of course, a good thing as far as USMNT prospects go. The USMNT will play v. Wales to open their World Cup on November 21st.
Ferreira then sent a difficult close-range header over the bar, after Yunus Musah split the Uruguay defense with a ball for Yedlin, who crossed to the forward.The U.S. looked to strike just before halftime, and it nearly came through an unlikely source, with McKennie holding up the ball well in and around the Uruguay box and laying it off for Pulisic, who dummied it for Adams. The RB Leipzig midfielder doesn’t score much, and he curled his 20-yard chance on frame but right at Muslera.In addition to swapping out McKennie as was preplanned, Berhalter took off Weah and Aaron Long, bringing on Brenden Aaronson, Paul Arriola and Erik Palmer-Brown for the second half.After running the show vs. Morocco, Pulisic hadn’t had much going toward goal until the 53rd minute, when he got the opportunity to run at Cáceres before lacing a low chance toward goal, only to hook his chance wide of the post.On the other end, Núñez tried to score in highlight-reel fashion, with a header into his path on the left-hand side bouncing up nicely for him to attempt an audacious volley from a tight angle. He couldn’t quite steer it inside the far post, though, sending it flying wide right.Uruguay sent another chance wayward moments later, with Núñez getting free down the right and going at Palmer-Brown before cutting back a cross into open space in the center of the U.S. box. Fernando Gorriarán ran right onto it and tried to volley home, but his first-time chance went sailing high and didn’t threaten Johnson in goal.Johnson was tested from point-blank range just after the hour mark, but he came through with flying colors, as a pair of Uruguayan attackers were there to stab in a chance from the doorstep, only for the NYCFC backstop to deny them.An oddity took place in the 67th minute, when Uruguay made changes for the fourth time during the match, bringing on a seventh bench player. Teams are allotted six changes in friendlies, and personnel from both benches were drawn into conversation with the fourth official about the mishap. After all that, the U.S. was granted a seventh sub, and both teams carried on.As for the action on the field, the U.S. looked to sneak in a go-ahead goal with about 10 minutes to go, with Pulisic picking out Zimmerman on a corner kick, only for the Nashville SC anchor to head right at Muslera.Uruguay had a golden chance to win it, with Núñez getting in behind the defense and opting to square for Cavani instead of having a go at goal. The longtime Uruguay star missed his chance facing a vacant net, though, allowing the U.S. to escape with the draw.
Perception Is Everything When It Comes to the USMNT’s World Cup Group
Wales, England and Iran are the three opponents, and while it seems manageable on paper, it also arguably makes for the most difficult quartet in the competition.
Suffice to say, the group stage that the U.S. men’s national team is about to open up is hardly a tune-up for what’s to come in November. The Concacaf Nations League, where the U.S. will play the world’s 170th-ranked team (Grenada) and 74th (El Salvador), begins for the Americans on Friday night in Texas, and it’ll seem a world away from the World Cup—even if Austin’s Q2 Stadium is where the U.S. edged Qatar in the Gold Cup semifinals last summer.But it’s part of the prep the U.S. must take on due to the function of the international calendar, and after a win vs. Morocco and draw vs. Uruguay, time continues to tick down toward the group stage in November. Ever since the draw for the 2022 World Cup, there have been a couple of schools of thought when it comes to the U.S.’s chances in Qatar. On one hand, it seems incredibly manageable, especially when compared to the Ghana-Portugal-Germany task of ’14. On the other, perhaps there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the perception of the quartet.Wales’s qualification Sunday completed the puzzle, and it’s now known that the U.S. will open against Gareth Bale & Co. on Nov. 21 before the already scheduled dates with England (Nov. 25, for a Black Friday matinee in the U.S.) and Iran (Nov. 29). Three games in just over a week and three of the top 21 teams in the world—at least according to the March FIFA ranking—are what stand in the way between the U.S. and the knockout stage.Could it have been worse for the U.S? Absolutely. England may be England, fresh off a 2018 World Cup semifinal run and Euro 2020 final appearance, but it’s at the very least a known commodity. Facing a second UEFA nation in Wales is very much a product of the luck of the draw, but it’s one that hasn’t played in a World Cup since 1958. While so few in the young U.S. player pool have World Cup experience, there’s still an advantage on that front as it relates to the Dragons. And then there’s Iran, which may not be among the world’s elite powers, but it performed better than any other side in Asia’s qualification tournament and gave Spain and Portugal all it could handle in Russia in 2018, narrowly missing out on the knockout stage. Team Melli is the strongest “weakest link” in any of the eight groups at the World Cup. This may not be a true group of death, but in a lot of ways it’s also the most difficult and balanced group the U.S. could have drawn.Wales, 18th in the FIFA ranking used to determine the pots for April’s draw, would have been the highest-ranked team in Pot 3 had its qualification been secured on schedule, meaning the U.S. has ostensibly drawn two of the top three Pot 3 teams in addition to the Three Lions. The only reason Wales wound up as a Pot 4 team is due to the postponement of its UEFA qualifying playoff bracket on account of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which forced that playoff winner to be a last-pot side regardless (for what it’s worth, Ukraine also would have been a Pot 3 team, albeit the second-to-lowest-ranked side, while Scotland would have been in Pot 4 either way).To Gregg Berhalter’s credit, the U.S. manager recognized the threat on the day of the draw, especially as it relates to the team most are undoubtedly going to overlook.“Iran, in general, I think is going to be a great challenge for us. I’m a little bit nervous that the public or the media may take Iran lightly. But it’s not a team to take lightly. It’s going to be a good opponent,” he said, well before Wales’s qualification was sealed.“So overall, it’ll be a strong group. When you add that European team to it, it’s going to be a well-rounded group and it’s going be difficult to advance. But that’s a positive, becauseI think everyone’s going to be battling and … I think it will come down to the last game.”
It may indeed come down to that last game, but it’s the first game that has the ability to really dictate the U.S.’s fortunes. In the seven World Cups in which the U.S. has competed in the modern era, a failure to get at least a point out of the first game has resulted in elimination in the group stage. Not being able to truly prepare for that first opponent for a couple of months—Spain and France are the other teams still waiting for their first marching orders; the remaining playoffs will be sorted next week—has put the U.S. at a bit of a competitive disadvantage.“It’s kind of strange when you get drawn into a group, and it’s one of three teams that you can play,” Berhalter said Sunday. “So in terms of prep, it gets stalled a little bit, but now it’s full steam ahead into concentrating on Wales.”The same way that it’s easy to look at Wales and shrug—Sunday’s performance, albeit in victory, shouldn’t have put a fright into anyone—that’s the perception from outside of the U.S. as well. English tabloids already had their fun in early April, and Robert Page, whose first game as interim Wales coach while Ryan Giggs faces domestic abuse charges was a 0–0 draw against the U.S. in Nov. 2020, was reverential, but he thinks three points are there for the taking.“We have played against the USA. We know they are a really strong outfit,” Page told BBC Wales, when discussing his team’s group prospects. “We played against their European-based players, in my first game. They [and Iran] are winnable games and when you play against a home nations team, anything can happen.”The task has cleared up for all four teams now, and with so much likely riding on the U.S.’s opener and what it’ll mean for those subsequent matches, there’s finally the chance to start crafting the game plan to navigate through it.“Now we finally know our opponent, and we can finally set our sights on that group and how we’re going to get out of it,” U.S. defender Walker Zimmerman said Sunday. “They each have their different challenges and to g to play a guy like Gareth Bale, I think it’s something we can all be excited about.”It sure beats a June Nations League night in Austin against Grenada.
USMNT-Morocco tactical notes: Why a changed shape might not be repeatable
Apart from Christian Pulisic’s controversial comment about the crowd, no topic was discussed more in the immediate aftermath of the U.S. men’s national team’s 3-0 win in a friendly against Morocco than the Americans’ changed on-field shape.
Head coach Gregg Berhalter tweaked the system he used for most of qualifying, playing Brenden Aaronson in an advanced central midfield role, dropping No. 8 Yunus Musah closer to defensive midfielder Tyler Adams, giving Christian Pulisic free reign to find interior space, pushing his left back very high and shifting to a three-man backline when the U.S. had the ball. The changes led to a more cohesive, freer-flowing attack than we saw from the U.S. for the bulk of the CONCACAF Octagonal, though they also left the Americans looking vulnerable in defense. Morocco, which registered 2.07 expected goals to the U.S.’s 2.10, really should have made it a lot closer than 3-0.
While the changes were instructive, it seems highly unlikely that this exact shape will become the U.S.’s primary set. The eventual return of fullback Sergiño Dest from injury almost rules it out on its own. Dest is the U.S.’s best right back, but, unlike Wednesday’s starter Reggie Cannon, he doesn’t have the defensive attributes needed to slide into a three-man backline. Even if he did, moving him into that spot would neutralize his excellent ability to get into the attack. He could theoretically reprise the role Antonee Robinson played on the left on Wednesday, but his tendency to come inside would make him a less than perfect fit in that spot. It’d also be a bit shocking if Robinson was dropped after he’s been so steady since the start of qualifying.
That doesn’t mean Berhalter can’t implement elements of what we saw on Wednesday between now and Qatar, however. Clearly, he can use Aaronson in a central role. Pulisic showed that he can have a massive impact from interior positions, too — especially when the spacing is such that he has room to operate and the players around him are strong at combining, things that weren’t always the case in qualifying. Musah’s more reserved position helped maintain that breathing room for him on Wednesday, while Aaronson gave him someone to quickly connect with. Dropping one No. 8 deeper and having another play higher would be interesting for the U.S. to continue over the next six months.
McKennie’s looming return to the starting lineup could throw a wrench into that, however. He’s capable of playing in both of the spots that Musah and Aaronson occupied on Wednesday, but he has a different skill set than his younger counterparts. He wouldn’t be as good at combining with Pulisic in the attack as Aaronson, but he’d perhaps be more dangerous in front of goal and could be just as, or even more effective with his counterpressing. His defensive skills would serve him well in the role Musah played on Wednesday, too, though a pairing of him and Adams wouldn’t be the strongest in building out of the back. Such a role could also minimize the frequency he streaks into the box on one of his excellent, late-arriving runs.
As such, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Berhalter returns to the usual, balanced No. 8 setup we saw for almost all of qualifying once McKennie, who the U.S. is hoping can start one game this window as he continues to work his way back from his foot injury, gets into the XI.
A possible return of the mega-talented Gio Reyna from injury would also create lineup questions for Berhalter. Unless he uses Reyna or Weah as a striker, it’d mean he’d have just four spots in the lineup for those two, Pulisic, Aaronson, McKennie and Musah. That’d be a champagne problem, though, and an unlikely one for him to have, considering the USMNT’s injury history.
So while the exact shape we saw on Wednesday probably won’t carry over to Qatar, a couple of elements on display — tweaking the shape of the midfield and adjusting Pulisic’s positioning, specifically — could remain important aspects of the USMNT’s play up to and in the World Cup.We’ll see if Berhalter has any new adjustments in store for Sunday’s friendly against a strong Uruguay team in Kansas City, Kan. Until then, some additional thoughts from the win against Morocco:
No goals from the run of play, but encouraging signs at striker
Neither of them scored in open play, but strikers Jesus Ferreira and Haji Wright both displayed some solid work in their respective 45-minute shifts on Wednesday.
Ferreira got the start, linking well with the other attackers and looking confident on a couple of decent opportunities. As is typical for him, he wasn’t afraid to drop into midfield, and he actually dragged a couple of center backs with him into the center circle to open up space for Pulisic to run in behind the Morocco defense for the first goal.
He seemed decisive on his chances, but… he didn’t finish. He made a smart run off the back shoulder of a defender to free himself up for a through ball from Aaronson for a good look in first-half stoppage time, but Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou came out quickly to close the angle and Ferreira couldn’t quite direct his shot wide enough to sneak it past him.
Wright’s performance was probably more promising. Not only did he convert a penalty to put the U.S. up 3-0 in the 64th (after, it must be said, a gracious handoff from his old friend Pulisic), but he exhibited some solid hold-up play. He’s bigger than the U.S.’s other options at the position, and he showed it with his ability to maintain possession in some difficult spots with his back to goal. One of the better examples of that kind of play came in the 49th minute, part of an excellent team move (patient build up in the back, a decisive pass forward when a window for one opened, then a quick, vertical breakout) that ended with Wright nearly scoring.
He had another solid moment in the play that led to the penalty, making a darting run behind the defense, then holding up play before finding Weah at the top of the box. He wasn’t involved all that much after the goal, but the game was put to bed by the 75th. After Wednesday, Wright merits another look with the U.S., perhaps from the start on Sunday.
The lack of goals from strikers in the run of play remains an annoyance, but it was good to see both Ferreira and Wright involved in broader positive attacking movements and get into position for chances. If that continues, the goals should, in theory, follow.
Vulnerabilities in defense, questions at center back
For all the fun that was had in the attacking end, there were some real issues in defense on Wednesday. Morocco should’ve found the net on a couple of occasions, including, of course, on the penalty they were ridiculously awarded in the late stages.
Their best looks came after they broke U.S. pressure and switched the ball to left wing back Adam Masina. Weah would be caught high, Aaronson would be tucked inside and Cannon would be sitting deep, leaving Masina wide open and with tons of space to drive into. The U.S. didn’t confront him quickly enough in most of those situations, with Cannon often delaying his release until it was far too late to prevent danger. Morocco nearly took the lead on two such plays in the 12th- and 19th-minutes.
sah, who was shaded to the left, and Adams, who spent a good portion of the match man-marking Morocco defensive midfielder Sofyan Amrabat whenever he got the ball, were usually taken out of these plays when Morocco broke the American press.
Of course, the U.S. shape wasn’t familiar to most of the players on the field; there were always going to be some hiccups. If the U.S. does return to this kind of setup at any point in the future, they’ll have some work to do to clean up this part of their game.
Center back also remains a bit of a question mark following the achilles injury that will almost certainly keep Miles Robinson out of the World Cup. Walker Zimmerman was his usual solid self, but Berhalter indicated after the match that he thought fellow starter Aaron Long struggled a bit. Long definitely had his hands full with the physical nature of Morocco forwards Ayoub El Kaabi and Tarik Tissoudali and got turned pretty badly on one occasion, but, watching the match back on Thursday morning, he mostly acquitted himself OK. He wasn’t perfect, but he managed.
It was a similar story for Cameron Carter-Vickers, who came on for Zimmerman in a planned halftime substitution. He had some decent interventions, but also lost Tissoudali just before Masina found him at the top of the six for a free header that Turner did well to keep out. Look for Erik Palmer-Brown to start in his hometown of Kansas City on Sunday.
Big picture, the position bears watching before Qatar. It wasn’t the U.S.’s strongest group even before the Robinson injury; the Americans will need someone to step up to increase their odds of getting out of their group. A lot might end up riding on the progression of injured 21-year-old Chris Richards, who could be headed to the Premier League this summer, per reports.
Turner adds to case for No. 1 job
Speaking of players on their way to the EPL this summer, Turner enjoyed a solid night in net on Wednesday. He made eight saves, commanded his box well and, apart from a couple of elementary and ultimately inconsequential mistakes, looked decent with the ball at his feet. He wants to improve that facet of his game to give himself a better chance of starting in Qatar ahead of Zack Steffen, who had to withdraw from this camp due to family reasons.
Turner’s teammates certainly seemed more comfortable playing to him in possession than they did at times in qualifying, and he helped the team play out of some substantial pressure a few times, including on that 49th-minute move that led to Wright’s chance.
Taylor Twellman said during ESPN’s broadcast of the match that he thinks Turner is in the driver’s seat to start at the World Cup. I tend to agree. Turner is an excellent shot-stopper and performed better in qualifying than Steffen, who had a tough end to the season with Manchester City. Berhalter isn’t all that interested in handicapping the race, however. He talked in his pre-match news conference on Tuesday about not needing to rush into any decisions at the position. The door will undoubtedly remain open for Steffen, as well as for others, too.
The U.S. is entering strange territory with their goalkeepers. Turner, Steffen and Ethan Horvath will likely be backups in the Premier League this fall and not getting regular games in the buildup to the World Cup. NYCFC’s Sean Johnson, who was added to this roster after Steffen pulled out, seems like he’ll be the only one of the U.S.’s top-four options at the position getting regular minutes in the weeks ahead of Qatar.
That creates a potential quandary for the U.S., and, according to what Twellman said during the broadcast on Wednesday, a possible opportunity for Johnson. Don’t be surprised if he gets a start in this window.
USMNT Vs. Uruguay: 3 Players Who Stood Out And 3 With Nights To Forget
IT WAS A FAIRLY ENTERTAINING SCORELESS DRAW WITH PLENTY OF FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
The USMNT vs. Uruguay friendly never got going in the way we imagined on Sunday night at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City. At the end of the day, the main talking point is that Uruguay manager Diego Alonso made seven substitutions — Diego Rossi and Facundo Pellistri somehow entered the match together in the 68th minute when that obviously shouldn’t have been allowed.Surprisingly the fourth official isn’t on FIFA’s list for the World Cup. I’d like to see him and Janny Sikazwe form a crew. Uruguay made 10 changes to the side that beat Mexico 3-0 last week, and big names like Edinson Cavani, Federico Valverde and Matías Vecino started on the bench. Uruguay’s play, particularly in the final third, suffered as a result. There wasn’t much cohesion to La Celeste’s build-up play, and when the U.S. midfield or defense did them a favor with a cheap turnover or miscue, the South Americans still found it difficult to create opportunities of note. Cavani had a glorious chance in second-half stoppage time but spooned his effort wide with the goal at his mercy. The U.S. had its moments going forward in the first half, but the second half was erratic and disrupted by all the changes.
USA Vs Uruguay: 3 Stars
Sean Johnson
A clean sheet against Uruguay with four saves, including this one in the 63rd to preserve the draw. The 33-year-old took a massive step towards being on the plane to Qatar.
Yunus Musah
There’s something evocatively LaLiga about Musah. He holds the ball that split second longer to give the runner that extra bit of space; he spots and hits cross-field rakers like a PlayStation footballer; he’s confident enough to dribble his marker, even if it’s on the edge of his own area.
Musah completed a team-leading 92.5% of his passes and was untroubled by Uruguay’s physicality in midfield. How is he just 19 years of age?
Brenden Aaronson
Aaronson ran out there for the second half and threw himself into some tackles and challenges. He brought a bit of energy to the second 45 when the U.S. was clearly lacking it. Apart from Uruguay’s fast and loose approach to subs, Aaronson provided one of the game’s best moments.
3 Players With Nights To Forget
Jesus Ferreira
Ferreira had two shots — one that stung the palms of Fernando Muslera and a close range header that he couldn’t direct on frame. The other attributes he brings to the table — link-up play and leading the press — weren’t clearly on display either. Overall, an ineffective 61 minutes on the pitch.
Joe Scally
This was a baptism by fire in Scally’s first-ever USMNT start. Maxi Gómez, Manuel Ugarte and Guillermo Varela clearly targeted the 19-year-old, and there were a couple moments in the first half when Uruguay looked poised to score after dicing the left-hand side of the U.S. defense.
He only won 30% of his duels, but this will ultimately be another great learning experience for the teenager on the road to winning us the 2026 World Cup.
Paul Arriola
45 minutes of very little on the attacking end, although he put in the defensive work. Given his form with FC Dallas, we wanted to see more of a threat from Arriola, but Christian Pulisic went at it alone in the second half.
How US Soccer Federation Should Respond To Christian Pulisic’s Comment About USMNT Fans
The USMNT produced an impressive performance to beat Morocco 3-0 at Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium on Wednesday night.But Christian Pulisic was not impressed with the size of the crowd that came to watch the international friendly.The stadium’s capacity for soccer games is 26,000 but there were only 19,512 fans in attendance to see Brenden Aaronson, Timothy Weah and Haji Wright score in a one-sided win.Furthermore, a significant percentage of the fans that did turn up came to support Morocco – as this was their first game in the States in 16 years.After the game, Pulisic was asked by an ESPN reporter how it felt to be back playing in front of US fans again. His response was a little spiky.He said: “Yeah, it was nice. To be honest, for whatever reason, I’m not super happy with the amount of Americans here, however that works out.”But thanks to the ones that did come and the support is always great from them.”But yeah, it’s nice to be back in America and playing again.”But why was the turnout so low? After all, US men’s soccer is seemingly in a good place right now, with the USMNT heading to the World Cup in just six months.The answer is simple. Fans were priced out by the US Soccer Federation.Most of the tickets for the match had been priced between $60 and $160 plus fees. That is a lot for a friendly against a team ranked outside of FIFA’s top 20.Fortunately, the solution is equally simple for the US Soccer Federation. They just need to make international soccer more affordable and audiences will swell.Those in charge of developing soccer in the States are meant to be appealing to new audiences – many of whom may be in need of convincing.Staging the game in Middle America was a solid start, but organizers got the price point very wrong. More empty seats are expected at Sunday’s friendly against Uruguay at Kansas City’s Children’s Mercy Park.Tickets for that match are still widely available, but the cheapest seats are currently being listed from around $90 including fees.
As the USMNT called and Arsenal awaited, Matt Turner met profound heartbreakBy Sam StejskalMay 31, 202292
In a world where everyone is a statistical anomaly, where even the most average players have to outlast thousands upon thousands of competitors to carve out a career as a professional, Matt Turner is an outlier.The U.S. men’s national team and soon-to-be Arsenal goalkeeper didn’t begin playing soccer until he was 14, going out for his high school squad simply so he could stay in shape for his main athletic pursuits of basketball and baseball. He only hopped in goal because the team’s one other ‘keeper got hurt on the first day of freshman tryouts. He was barely recruited to play in college, where his most notable moment was a colossal, viral mistake. He wasn’t drafted out of Fairfield University in 2016, but he made the New England Revolution roster after impressing as a preseason trialist, walking away from a more lucrative job he’d lined up in the business world to sign with the club. When he finally got a chance to play in MLS after three years spent mostly as a No. 3, he thrived, turning heads in 2018 and starring in 2019 and 2020 before being named the league’s goalkeeper of the year in 2021.His excellent performances in New England led to his first U.S. cap in January 2021. Five months later, he helped the Americans to the Gold Cup title, raising his profile with some top-tier play that culminated with him winning the Golden Glove award given to the best goalkeeper in the tournament. Turner entered World Cup qualification locked into the USMNT backup job behind presumed starter Zack Steffen, but simply being in the squad was a real achievement.Then, two days before the U.S. played its first qualifier at El Salvador, that story took a heartbreaking turn.Early in the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 31, Turner, who was in Nashville with the USMNT, got a call from his then-fiancee Ashley Herron. She had made the short trip from Boston to see Turner and the Revs play at New York City FC the previous weekend, but arrived back in Massachusetts on Monday feeling a little bit off. A trip to the doctor on Tuesday brought some awful news: She had suffered a miscarriage. Herron was about 10 weeks into her pregnancy.“I thought to myself that I needed to go home to be with her,” Turner told The Athletic. “I couldn’t imagine the fact that she was going through this alone. She was in the doctor’s office alone, she had the miscarriage alone and I wanted to be there for her. I just love her so much, and I wanted to help her, to just help ease the pain any way I could.”First thing on Wednesday morning, hours before the U.S. was scheduled to fly from Tennessee to El Salvador for the match the following night, Turner made his way downstairs at the team hotel to tell Berhalter he needed to leave camp. He ended up bumping into him immediately after he stepped off the elevator. Before Turner could get a word out, the head coach hit him with some news of his own.“He looks at me and says, ‘Hey Matty, Zack has back spasms, he can’t go. You’re playing tomorrow,’” Turner said.Turner barely remembers how he responded to Berhalter — some platitude about being ready. Internally, he was a mess, standing in the elevator bank “like a deer in headlights, trying to choke back tears.”“I just pretty much sank away,” he said. “Imagine Homer Simpson sinking back into the bushes. I just sink back into the elevator to go right back upstairs to call Ashley. I tell her what happened and she just, thank God for her, really, because she just said, ‘You have to stay. I’ll never let you miss that.’”Turner is making this story public in part because he and Herron, who got married a few weeks ago, want to do what they can to make people understand that miscarriages are not uncommon. According to March of Dimes, about 10 to 15 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. For someone like Turner, a 27-year-old who had never before been expecting a child with a partner, that fact can come as a bit of a surprise.“I never realized how many people had actually gone through it in their lives,” he said. “Even just talking around the team, some of the staff with the national team, there were loads of guys that could talk to each other about that experience. We just want to normalize it a little bit. Just hopefully make people feel like they’re not alone when they go through it.”Turner didn’t tell anyone outside of his family about the miscarriage during that initial window, however. And after his conversation with Herron that Wednesday morning, he chose to go with the USMNT to Central America instead of returning to Boston. He started in El Salvador the following night, keeping a shutout in a scoreless draw in front of a heaving crowd at Estadio Cuscatlan, and remained in net for the U.S.’s 1-1 draw against Canada in Nashville and 4-1 road win at Honduras.Turner spent most of that week holding his emotions off to the side as he and the team worked through a dramatic, controversial and draining first foray into qualifying. The strategy worked in terms of his on-field performance, with Turner playing well in all three matches, but it didn’t exactly allow him the space to process his feelings about the miscarriage.In the hours after the victory in Honduras, a rollercoaster of a match that became a turning point in the USMNT’s entire qualification campaign, he headed up to his room, had a drink, put on a disco-heavy playlist that he listens to to unwind (“That playlist is riddled with Donna Summer. It’s music that my Mom and I always bonded over.”) and gave himself some time to actually feel.“I was alone in the hotel, knocking back a beer, and I finally felt like I could breathe again,” he said. “With the pressure of the games, with the buildup, the fact that we were losing at halftime and came back and won, it was just all so much emotion, so much going on that I needed some time to myself to process everything. For me, that was the hardest part of it all. You have to compartmentalize, but then when do you have time to reflect? You have to make time to deal with the things that you need to deal with, because you can’t just forget and hope it fades into the past. You gotta be a human at some point.“So I had my music, I had my beer and I just… exhaled. Just sat there and thought about how I’m going home and facing something much scarier than those crazy crowds in Honduras or El Salvador. I’m going to have to go home and help put our lives back together.”He and Herron were able to do just that — not that his schedule got any more forgiving. Turner immediately returned to action with the Revs then was back with the U.S. a few weeks later, starting the home win against Jamaica on Oct. 7 and loss at Panama on Oct. 10. He played just fine in those two matches, but Berhalter replaced him with Steffen in the starting lineup in the third match of the window at home against Costa Rica in Columbus, Ohio on Oct. 13.
Turner was, naturally, disappointed by the decision, but the trip to Ohio wasn’t all bad. Not only did the U.S. beat Costa Rica to move into a solid position in the CONCACAF Octagonal, but Herron was able to travel to the game. A few weeks later, the couple found out they had conceived in Columbus. She’s due to give birth to a baby boy on July 16.
Becoming a father isn’t the only major life change Turner is preparing for, of course. In January, New England agreed to transfer him to Arsenal for a fee that sources said is just shy of $7 million. He’ll play his last game for the Revs on June 19 and join Arsenal in time for the start of their preseason on June 24.For Turner, the move is a legitimate dream come true. He didn’t really get into watching soccer until the 2010 World Cup, when he was 16. After the tournament, he, like so many others on this side of the Atlantic, began to follow the Premier League, and became a fan of Arsenal. As he got a little bit older, during his final years in college and first season or two with the Revs, Turner spent many of his weekend mornings watching games at Arsenal supporters’ preferred bars.“A lot of those Gooners probably saw me at the bar and obviously had no idea who I was, which is pretty funny to think about now,” he said.Even after he began starring in MLS, it looked relatively unlikely that Turner would ever get the opportunity to move to Europe, nevermind to one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League. His value to the Revolution meant the club was always going to have a high asking price for him. The list of clubs that would be able to meet New England’s desired number for a soon-to-be 28-year-old goalkeeper who has never played outside of North America was always going to be pretty short, something Turner was very much attuned to. Before Arsenal came calling, he said no European club had ever made an offer for him.
“Towards the end of last year, probably in November, my agent mentioned something about Arsenal getting in contact and having a bit of interest,” he said. “He was like, ‘There’s this, this and this out there, a couple of teams in the Championship, nothing that’s going to hit the price that the Revs are going to want for you, but there’s a ridiculously long shot that Arsenal is interested. You’re on a list of probably five to eight goalkeepers that they could see themselves going for.’ That was his quote: ‘A ridiculously long shot.’”Over the next couple of months, the ridiculous long shot turned into Arsenal’s primary target to provide cover behind Aaron Ramsdale. The England international was signed last summer for a transfer fee that could rise as high as $38 million and soon won the starting job from Bernd Leno, who is reportedly set to leave the club this summer. Before Arsenal opened talks with New England, however, Turner went back to the Revs to negotiate a new contract. He had outperformed the deal that paid him $375,000 in guaranteed compensation in 2021, and, not knowing if a European move would materialize, he was hoping he might be able to cash in on his big year. The club rebuffed him, a position Turner said he understood considering the fact they had given him new contracts in August 2019 and January 2021.“And literally two days later, Arsenal comes in and throws in their first bid,” he said. “Now the wheels start turning. At that point, I already made my mind up that I wanted to go. It just felt right. … I thought it was going to be simple: They offer, great, Revs accept, done. But it was one of the biggest emotional rides I’ve ever been on, and that’s saying something considering what happened in the fall. It was off, it was on, it was off, it was on. I’m sending text messages, calling people, stuff tht I probably didn’t have to do, but at the end of the day, everyone got where they needed to get and the deal got done.”The parties agreed to the deal on Jan. 27, just hours before Turner would return to the USMNT starting lineup in place of the injured Steffen for a 1-0 win against El Salvador in Columbus. After the match, a young fan handed Turner a jersey to sign as he walked off the field. It wasn’t a New England or U.S. shirt, but a red Arsenal top.The storybook scene can’t mask the many legitimate questions about how the move will play out. Turner said that he has every intention of competing for the starting job in preseason, but acknowledged that the general expectation is that Ramsdale will be the No. 1. His job, he said, will most likely be to “come in and push him and help him get better.”Serving as Ramsdale’s backup would be a significant change from starting every single match for the Revs, for whom he recently returned to the field after injuries — which did not include frostbite, he said — sidelined him from mid-February until late-April. But irrespective of the potential for decreased playing time, Turner thinks the move will actually help his odds of starting at the World Cup for the USMNT, which will play friendlies against Morocco on Wednesday and Uruguay on Sunday and CONCACAF Nations League matches against Grenada on June 10 and at El Salvador on June 14.Turner correctly noted that starting for the Revs while Steffen was backing up Ederson for Manchester City didn’t guarantee him anything with the USMNT. He entered qualifying as the backup and, apart from the first two games of the October window, served as the No. 2 in every match for which he and Steffen, who withdrew from this camp late last week due to family reasons, were both available.“I needed to shake it up heading into Qatar. I really needed to, in my opinion,” Turner said. “Is it risky? Yeah, probably a little bit. But at the end of the day, it’s a step forward for my career. I’ve always said that I want to see how far I can take soccer, I want to really push it. This is the logical next step if that’s my mentality.”Over the course of qualifying, Berhalter consistently cited Steffen’s ability to play with his feet as a reason for starting him over Turner despite the disparity in club appearances between the two. Steffen had a very high-profile, very costly recent error with the ball at his feet, but he has improved that part of his game since he moved to Man City from Columbus, where he played under Berhalter, in the summer of 2019. Turner likely needs to up that part of his game to have a shot at winning the USMNT job outright.“I have to train at a higher level,” he said. “The style of play with the Revolution is mighty old school. If there’s pressure, we don’t really try to play out of it too much. At Arsenal, the goalkeepers are required to play a little bit more with the ball, playing in the system rather than just sort of going out there. They have to follow tactics and game plans a little more closely. Those are things that I know are valued with the national team that I’ll be challenged more with Arsenal.
“In December and January, I got to spend weeks at a time with the national team in buildup to games. And in all those games, I feel like I was pretty solid with the ball at my feet. Apart from the one blip in Canada, pretty solid connecting passes, making the right decisions. And then I don’t train exactly like that when I’m with the Revs, so I lose it. I get it for a couple of weeks, then I lose it. Now I’ll be training that way all the time.”Berhalter has been a big booster of the move, telling Turner in January that he thought it was a good step for his career and that it would challenge him in the ways he needed to be challenged. He’s already generally considered a superior shot stopper to Steffen, a stance that was borne out by the numbers in qualifying. If he can maintain that element of his game and improve with his feet, he’ll have a real argument to start in Qatar in November.
“I wouldn’t say I’m not concerned (about potentially not playing regularly), but I’m also not entirely concerned,” he said. “I’m just going to take it as it comes, you know? I’m gonna work my hardest and then put my best foot forward every time I’m out on the field with Arsenal, every time I’m out on the field with the national team. Regardless, I’m proud of the decision I made. I’m proud of where I’m headed. And I’m gonna have a lot of confidence going into November, that’s for sure.”There’s not much time between now and then, but Turner and his family have plenty on the docket. Herron flew to London with her mother on Monday to get settled in their new home ahead of the birth. Turner, who arrived in Cincinnati for U.S. camp on Sunday, will join them there on June 20. Their son, who they’re planning on naming Easton, should follow not long after. Then comes the start of the EPL season with Arsenal and the USMNT’s final preparations for the World Cup.
“You can imagine this stuff, but only in a fantasy,” he said. “You know that it’s never actually going to happen. Thinking about all the little things along the way that had to break for this to be possible, all the signs and all the omens, it’s all crazy. It’s really crazy. I never thought that this would actually happen for me. I’m just so excited and blessed.”
‘A day like this gives us hope’: Ukraine’s game in Wales, written by a fan
Ukraine played a football match on Sunday. They didn’t win it. Yes, football doesn’t matter when compared to horrors of war, but Ukraine’s matches against Scotland and Wales have given hope, joy and pride to its people. A sense of normality at a time when life is anything but.There are no words The Athletic can write to sum up what it meant for those thousands of Ukrainians in the Cardiff City Stadium, or millions more watching around the world as refugees, or back home in their country, to play a World Cup play-off.So we have handed over this article to Inna Selivan, who attended the game with her godchildren Alex and Kira, aged 13, and her partner Michelle. This is Inna’s story.Alex and Kira, who are twins, left Kyiv at the end of March with their mother Irina. They travelled to Moldova, then to Romania, which took 30 hours in total. That’s where I met them and my mother Olga, who is disabled and needs a wheelchair. From the borders we drove to Bucharest, then waited there for four weeks to get visas, then we all flew back to the UK and to my home in Berkshire.Their mum came over to the UK at first – their dad couldn’t come for various reasons – and now Irina is back in Kyiv as she has to look after her own elderly parents. She was devastated to leave her children, but they’re safe here. They’re missing Ukraine badly, they want to go back home to normality, but the most important thing is they are safe.I’m supporting everyone I can who comes to the country, doing what needs to be done; often their English isn’t great and it’s very difficult for people. Everyone needs help.I have friends who are still in Ukraine and they don’t want to leave. I speak to them almost every day.Alex and Kira have never been to a Ukraine match before. We had to be here. We were camping in Bristol and were frantically trying to get tickets. Yes, it’s only football but it means a lot – the team is still playing and that’s absolutely huge. It’s something people cheer for and, yes, if we win it’s another victory step after winning Eurovision and beating Scotland.I have lived in the UK for 30 years and to be with my people is special. Alex is excited to be here. He’s been to a couple of matches since March — he went to an Arsenal game — but to watch his country is very different.Inside the ground, the atmosphere is incredible. People are mixing with each other, chatting, they are all from different parts of Ukraine and many of them have probably been misplaced and are far away from their home country. It is great to unite together.People have come from over the UK. I know some from London, others from the Midlands, we came from Berkshire.There are more important things going on than football but it means something to be out together, waving flags, wearing yellow and blue.There is a huge amount of respect between the Wales fans and the Ukraine fans; it’s very friendly outside and inside the ground, and I have to say the atmosphere was absolutely fantastic.
In the away end, the singing doesn’t stop. People chant “Ukraine, Ukraine” over and over again but they also shout for different regions back home which are under attack now. They chant for Azovstal, the place in Mariupol held by Russians under siege for many days.It’s political but, at the same time, they want to say that parts of Ukraine are still very much suffering in the war.People are disappointed with the result and there is a lot of frustration because of course we wanted to win, but it’s OK, it’s sport. We have more matches to look forward to soon as well, unfortunately not in the World Cup, but the team is going to play.There is a huge amount of pride in the players. Some of them hadn’t played for months and went and beat Scotland, and only lost narrowly to Wales.
The emotion of Sunday was too much for some Ukraine fans (Photo: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
At the end of the game, there is a nice touch when the Wales team come over to clap us, that was a touching moment. Their supporters also join in with the clap we do with the Ukraine players. It’s such a respectful atmosphere and that means a lot.Alex said at the end of the game how disappointed he was, but when the team came to our corner and applauded he said, “That made my day”.The team also gave shirts away to fans, which was really nice. Kira isn’t a huge sport fan but she sang the songs, she was supportive, she was on her feet. In fact we all were – everybody stood up all game.Ultimately, it’s just a game of football, there are more important things to think about and the fact that everyone is there and safe in the stadium is all that matters.But a game and a day like this brings people together. It gives them hope.
A big 3-0 win over a very good Morocco team (highlights) that had not lost by more than 2 goals in over 50 games – in Cincy on Wednesday night – has set up a huge game vs an even better Uruguay team on Sunday at 5 pm on Fox. Coverage starts at 4:30 pm – as Uruguay is coming off a huge 3-0 blanking of Mexico in Texas in front of 55K last night. This Uruguay team is a true test – hopefully Berhalter will send out his very BEST team on Sunday as a national TV audience has a chance to tune in on Fox – against the 3rd best team in South America – behind only Brazil and Argentina. This is a much tougher game and should really be the toughest test the US will face before the World Cup.
Shane’s Starters for Sun game vs Uruguay
Haji Wright
Pulisic/Weah
Aaronson/Yanus Musah
Adams
Robinson/Long/Zimmerman/Scally or Yedlin
Matt Turner
Wow what a game for the US attack on Wednesday night. A huge 3 – 0 win was lead by Pulisic of course and a surprising strong performance by new Leed’s United winger Brenden Aaronson playing in the 8 spot for McKinney. Pulisic was voted Coaches Man of the Match for this spectacular over the shoulder first touch and incredible assist – but also for his leadership as captain for the game. But you could argue that Aaronson was Man of the Match with his incredible pace in the middle of the field. I am not sure how you can justify leaving Aaronson off the field anymore. For now he slides in for an injured McKinney but you gotta find a way to get this 20 year old on the field. I thought Tim Weah was fantastic – at the winger slot and his goal was classic – along with some good crosses and few more shots that had a chance. Musah is honestly one of my favorite players (he always goes forward) in the 8 slot and he was fantastic again. His combination with Pulisic and Aaronson and Jedi at left back was amazing coming down the left side of the field. So he’s another guy that’s hard to justify him not being on the field.
Now my Man of the Match was Goalkeeper Matt Turner – who made 2 huge saves in the first 20 minutes of the match. I will say this now – Matt Turner is our BEST SHOTSTOPPER – PERIOD!! If he starts for the US men in the World Cup – we will Advance past the group stage. If not – we will not!! He’s that much better than Steffan who absolutely gives up the goal on one of the first 2 shots. Defensively I thought the back 4 were good – Long played ok alongside Zimmerman though did give up a couple shots that Robinson would have covered. We’ll just have to see if the communication is better vs Uruguay between the 2 centerbacks or we might be in trouble. Surprising to see Reggie Cannon over Yedlin on the right side. I thought Scally showed well at left back subbing for Robinson – I suspect we might see him start on the right Sunday – or perhaps it’s a more experienced Yedlin. At Center forward I thought Ferreira was fine at the #9 – his high pressure helped lead to the PK goal, and his movement opened space for Pulisic and Weah playing the false 9 role (however he missed his 1 vs 1 with the keeper). It was awesome to see former USYNT star Haji Wright score in his first cap for the US as Pulisic gave him the PK to wrap up the scoring (but he also sent his only shot right to the keeper). Read about Haji’s connection with Pulisic (they were roommates) and McKinney/Adams and Weah who he teamed with at the US U15/U17 and U19 levels. It will be interesting to see who starts at the #9 Sunday – I say we give Wright a shot at it with the start on Sunday – but we’ll see what GB is thinking. I see a 2-2 tie in this match with Uruguay, goals by Pulisic and Aaronson.
The 26-man roster for June Games
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest), Zack Steffen (Manchester City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution), Sean Johnson (DC United)
DEFENDERS (9): George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic FC), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes), Antonee Robinson (Fulham FC), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg), Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea FC), Tim Weah (Lille), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor)
Pulisic calls out the Crowd at Cincy
So interesting comments by our captain after the game (video) regarding the lack of US fans at the game. Now I was there – and what looked like a 50/50 crowd on TV – in reality was more like 3 to 1 US fans in the stands. They are red and we are red – now they were loud and the Morocco fans came from all over the country – I spoke to folks from NY, Canada and Florida at the game. Hey if I live in Germany and the US came to play for the first time in 2 decades? I would get to the game too. Now I am ok with Pulisic’s comment – we had 19K on hand – I couldn’t believe we didn’t fill the stadium – but hey I ate 2 extra tickets that I literally couldn’t give away outside the stadium. Yes it was just Morocco – (top 25 and 2nd qualifier from Africa) but they don’t have many real stars on the team. And the ticket prices are high – mine seats were $70 behind the goal but the sideline seats were $165 to $250 a seat for a friendly – honesty about the same pricing it was for the Mexico game and that is nuts and it completely US soccers issue!! But if Mexico can put 55K in a stadium in Texas and we can’t put 25K in a stadium in Cincy? I don’t know folks?
Ukraine vs Wales SUNDAY – 12 noon on ESPN2 – MUST SEE TV
Ukraine looked great in beating Scotland 2-1 on Wednesday – the national anthem was incredible as the Scotland fans joined in singing the anthem!! Ukraine played like a team possessed – as they all laid it all on the field. Man I feel bad for Ukraine – but the winner of this playoff-) will be our first opponent in the World Cup. As much as I want to root for Ukraine we would much rather face Wales if we want to advance to the next round. So go Wales and Garreth Bale !!
Reffing Section included below
Including a story about the ref shortage in the US and the reasons why. As for the shortage – my kids both reffed all the way thru high school – and my son still refs in college. It’s a great weekend job where you make good money – ($15-20 an hour) and you can often choose your own schedule – what other high school job lets you do that? :Let me know if your kid needs direction on reffing – and I will point you in the right direction.
Indy 11 Women Play tonight at Grand Park Events Center
Our Indy 11 women are off to a great start with 3 wins and 1 tie on the season. They play Midwest United tonight at 7 pm at the Event Center and Grand Park and again next Friday night vs Flint City AFC so make plans to go out and see the ladies !!
Indy 11 on Road for all of June
Our Indy 11 will travel to Charleston then Miami FC over the next two week – the Charleston game is Sat night at 7 pm on ESPN+.
Good Luck to our Carmel FC Team in State/President’s + Challenge Cup this weekend @ Grand Park –
U13 2009 Girls Gold Team – State Cup / 2009 U13 Boy Gold Team – President’s Cup
2011 U11 Girls Gold team, U17 2005 Girls Gold team, U15 2007 Boys Gold Team, U13 2009 Boys Blue Teams in Challenge Cup
Here’s the Schedule if you would like to go see them play Sat 6/4
U15 07 boys 10:30 am field 18
U 11 – 11 girls 12:30 pm field 2 U13 09 boys 1 pm field 6 U13 09 Girls 3:30 pm field 14 U17 2005 Girls 3:30 field 18
All evaluations and tryouts will be held at Shelborne Fields. 3451 W 126th St, Carmel, IN 46032.
June 7, 2022 – Players 10u, 9u and 8u (Birth Years 2013 to 2016)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before evaluations begin.
Evaluations for all age groups: 6pm to 7:30pm
——————————————————————————————————————–
June 13, 2022- Players 11u and older (Birth Years 2004 to 2012)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before tryouts.
Tryouts for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012: 5:45pm to 7:15pm
Tryouts for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008: 7:30pm to 9pm. ——————————————————————————————————————– Use this link to register for tryouts. Visit : carmelfc.teamapp.com Please email info@cdccarmelfc.com. with any questions.
BIG GAMES ON TV
Fri, June 3
2:45 pm FS1 Belgium vs Netherlands
10:30 pm Para+ Portland Thorns vs Angel City NWSL
Sat, June 4
9 am Fox Sport 2 Armenia vs Ireland
12 noon Fubo TV England vs Hungary NL
12 noon FS2 Finland vs Bosnia NL
2:45 pm FS2 Italy vs Germany NL
3 pm Para+ Chicago Red Stars vs Seattle Reign NWSL
7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Charleston
8 pm Para+ Racing Louisville vs NC Courage NWSL
830 para+ KC Current vs San Diego Wave NWSL
Sun, June 5
12 noon ESPN2 Wales vs Ukraine (WCQ)
2:45 pm FS2 Czech Republic vs Spain NL
2:45 pm FS+ Sweden vs Norway NL
2:45 pm Fubo TV Portugal vs Switzerland NL
5 pm FOX USA vs Uruguay
Mon, June 6
2:45 pm FS1 Croatia vs France NL
Tues, June 7
2 pm Para+ United Arab Emirates vs Australia WCQ
2:45 pm FS1 Italy vs Hungary NL
2:45 pm Fubo TV Germany vs England NL
Weds, June 8
2:45 pm FS1 Belgium vs Poland NL
2:45 pm FuboTV Wales v Netherland NL
2$45 pm FS+ Ireland v Urkraine NL
7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Miami FC
Thurs, June 9
2:45 pm FS1 Portugal vvs Czechs NL
2:45 pm Fubo TV Swiss vs Spain
10:30 pm Para+ Canada vs Curacao
Fri, June 10
2:45 pm FS1 Austria vs France NL
7 pm Grand Park Indy 11 Women vs Flint City
10 pm ESPN+/TUDN USA vs Grenada
Sat, June 11
2:45 pm FuboTV England vs Italy NL
2:45 pm FS1 Ireland vs Scotland NL
2:45 pm FS2 Netherlands vs Poland NL
2:45 pm FS+ Hungary v Germany
3 pm ABC Charlotte vs NY Red Bulls
8 pm Para+ Racing Louisville vs Angel City NWSL
8:30 pm PAra+ KC Current vs NY/NJ Gothem FC NWSL
10 pm Para+ Mexico vs Suriname
Sun, June 12
9 am FS1 Northern Ireland vs Cyprus NL
12 pm FS1 Norway vs Sweden NL
3 pm ABC Sporting KC vs New England
5 pm para+ San Diego Wave vs Seattle Reign NWSL
6 pm TUDN Nashville SC vs San Jose
7 pm PAra+ Houston Dash vs Portland Thorns NWSL
Tues, June 14
10 pm ESPN+? USA @ El Salvador
Fri, June 17
7 pm Grand Park Indy 11 Women vs Racing Louisville
Uruguay had little problem handling Mexico. What should the USMNT expect from Edinson Cavani & Co.?
Tim VickerySouth America correspondent
By the time Diego Alonso’s Uruguay squad arrived in Glendale, Arizona, he had come to some important conclusions about the balance of his side. After beating Mexico 3-0 at State Farm Stadium on Thursday, La Celeste can now move forward with confidence to Sunday’s meeting with the United States in Kansas City, Kansas.
In two of the past three World Cups — statistically, at least — Uruguay have been South America’s best team, remarkable given it’s a nation with a population of just 3.5 million. Being so small inevitably limits their options; if they are to get the best out of their resources, they must achieve the right collective balance. And over time, a hardened group of wonderful veterans have helped haul Uruguay back to football’s top table after a spell between 1994 and 2006 in which they failed to qualify for three out of four World Cups and were eliminated in the group phase the one time they did qualify. In 2010, they finished fifth in South America’s qualifiers and had to go through the playoff to make it to South Africa — where they announced their return to the big time by finishing fourth. Many of the players responsible for that remarkable run are still involved, but how should they be handled? Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani have formed a magnificent front pair, but can they both still operate together? And is 4-4-2 still the team’s best formation?Toward the end of his marathon reign, manager Oscar Washington Tabarez appeared to have decided that it was time to move on. In his last nine World Cup qualifiers, only once did the team play in a 4-4-2 formation. Suarez and Cavani took the field together away to Brazil, where Uruguay were lucky to come away with a 4-1 defeat. In came Alonso — fresh off a futile tenure as Inter Miami‘s first-ever coach — and turned the clock back. Uruguay had to win and their remaining fixtures were relatively straightforward, so he went back to a 4-4-2 set-up, pairing Suarez either with Cavani or with the emerging star, Benfica’s Darwin Nunez.Three consecutive wins took the team over the line and, interestingly, with a place in Qatar secure, Alonso tried something different in the final round, away to Chile. He started with Cavani on his own up front, ahead of a five-man midfield. It looked closer to the team that he’d use in the World Cup — an impression confirmed by his selection against El Tri. Suarez is unavailable this time. but Alonso can call upon Nunez, plus the strength of Maxi Gomez.There are, though, clear advantages of playing a single central striker. It allows the team to field three in the centre of midfield, which these days is playing to a new strength. Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde has emerged as probably the most important member of the side, and he works well with Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur. Even in the absence of Bentancur due to injury, Uruguay can play Lucas Torreira holding in front of the defence and Matias Vecino alongside Valverde in a mixed attacking/defensive role. It is a formation that makes the current Uruguay side more fluent in possession, and harder to play through.Having one striker also frees the flanks. In Thursday’s match, Uruguay effectively won the game over Mexico in the first few minutes of the second half, when a 1-0 lead was quickly turned into a 3-0 rout by two Cavani goals. The quick strikes both came from breaks down the right, where Facundo Pellistri is a gamble that has come off for Alonso. The Manchester United attacking midfielder is on loan at Alaves, where he’s not seen a great deal of action. Alonso took a chance on him early this year and has been rewarded — especially against Mexico, where his running with the ball caused untold problems. He set up the second goal, while the final strike was made by a forward burst from substitute right-back Damian Suarez.It’s true that all of Uruguay’s opponents will not be as obliging as Mexico, whose formation seemed ill-equipped for the occasion. With a back three against one striker, they left themselves light in central midfield. The USMNT on Sunday can be expected to provide a stiffer test, which is exactly what Uruguay need. They have one final game in these June FIFA dates, a chance for their fans to see them in Montevideo on June 11, but opponents Jamaica have pulled out, leaving Uruguay scrambling for a replacement.There is a chance, then, that the rescheduled opponent could produce a festive occasion more than a serious international, which adds to the importance of the match against the USMNT.Centre-back Diego Godin will presumably play in Kansas City. The team captain was on the bench against Mexico, coming on for the last few minutes. It will be a surprise if he’s left out against the USMNT, but some will be surprised if he keeps his place in Qatar. Godin is at the veteran stage of his career, and a move back to South America has not gone especially well. He has struggled to get a regular game with Brazilian champions Atletico Mineiro and could soon be on his way to Velez Sarsfield in Argentina.
Will Alonso phase him out? At the World Cup, he could certainly pair Atletico Madrid‘s Jose Maria Gimenez with Ronald Araujo of Barcelona. Araujo has been used at right back, but this seems like a waste. He went off injured in the first half against Mexico — and the advantages of a genuine right back were made clear when Suarez made the forward run that set up the third goal.
Sunday’s game, then, may well be an important one in the long career of Godin. He has been a rock all the way through Uruguay’s reemergence. He needs a sound display against the USMNT to show that he can end his international career on a high in Qatar.
US PLAYER RATINGS
The United States men’s national team began its summer with a 3-0 win over fellow World Cup entrant Morocco on Wednesday in Cincinnati.There was a lot to like about the USMNT’s day, even including some of the big chances they allowed due to the fact that goalkeeper Matt Turner showed the goods with a number of fine saves.
Of course it wasn’t all all-stars for the Stars and Stripes, as the midfield had its struggles and the center forward question remains to be answered ahead of Qatar 2022.
Here are our player ratings for the USMNT players in their win over Morocco, with the base line being 6 as an average performance.
Matt Turner: 9 — Again, the only question about Turner is whether he’s good enough with the ball at his feet. The incoming Arsenal goalkeeper was terrific in making several diving saves and others where he was just well-positioned to make a decent save look easy.
Antonee Robinson (Off HT): 6 — Not one of his better days, though hardly dismal; There are no doubts going forward, but teams like Morocco will test how honest he can be against better attacks.
Walker Zimmerman (Off HT): 7.5 — Picture-perfect can-opener of a pass to get Pulisic behind the Moroccan defense for the opening goal.
Aaron Long: 6.5 — Steady enough. One big shot block. A couple dicey moments but no glaring gaffes.
Reggie Cannon: 7 — Good going forward, drawing a couple of fouls and getting an assist. Some questionable moments at the back.
Tyler Adams (On 66′): 6 — Not a banner day, by any means, including one ill-advised pass that put Matt Turner under pressure.
Yunus Musah: 6 — Just okay. He’s a ball mover who moved the ball, but more than a couple of unnecessary fouls.
Brendan Aaronson (Off 72′): 7.5 — Got his goal through typical relentless running to be in the right position, and generally delivered the type of performance Gregg Berhalter expects from him.
Christian Pulisic (Off 66′): 8.5 — Electric from the opening whistle, Pulisic showed class with the ball at his feet for his assist. He also delivered when the ball was in his hands, deferring to debutant Haji Wright after winning a second-half penalty.
Timothy Weah: 8 — Man is he good when he’s going, and he was going on Wednesday.
Jesus Ferreira (Off HT): 6 — One very decent chance was also one you’d want to see finished… but Yacine Bounou is a very good goalkeeper.
Substitutes
Joe Scally (On HT): 6.5 — A promising day on the left, even if the referee awarded a weak penalty against the Gladbach man.
Haji Wright (On HT): 7 — Scored his penalty and made some solid runs. His imposing nature is unmissable. If he’s going to finally live up to the hype he acquired at a young age, that’s big big big for the U.S.
Cameron Carter-Vickers (On HT): 6 — Couple of good interceptions, caught out by a well-drifted cross.
Malik Tillman (On 66′): 6 — Didn’t have much to do. Trouble the keeper once.
Luca De La Torre (On 66′): 6.5 — Typically-steady.
Weston McKennie (On 72′): N/A — Good to see him back
USMNT analysis
Analysis: Turner, Pulisic, & Aaronson fuel USMNT to 3-0 win over Morocco
The United States national team enjoyed a strong, but still flawed performance in a 3-0 win over Morocco. The team needed solid goalkeeping and emergency defending at times but in the end, had the superb individual quality to prevail. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks the game down.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTA JUNE 01, 2022 11:55 PM
THE UNITED STATES national team opened its June run of games with a 3-0 victory over Morocco. Gregg Berhalter’s team completely deserved the victory, and it was an entertaining game, but not revealed in the score is that there is still plenty of work to do ahead of the World Cup in November.Berhalter’s starting XI was completely expected. Matt Turner was in goal, Aaron Long and Walker Zimmerman started in central defence while Reggie Cannon and Antonee Robinson were on the outside. In the midfield was Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, and Brenden Aaronson – who Gregg Berhalter revealed would start in the middle – where he typically does with his club. Up top was Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah on the wings with Jesus Ferreira at center forward.The U.S. team conceded possession but both teams had chances up to the 26th minute when the U.S. team took the lead. Walker Zimmerman hit a beautiful long ball into the final third for Christian Pulisic. The Chelsea winger controlled the ball with fantastic first touch and laid it off to Brenden Aaronson for the easy finish.”I take a touch; I look up to see further down the field what are my options. I see [Pulisic] look at me and change pace and immediately I put my head down to strike it over the top,” Zimmerman said. “It’s one of those things that you’ve got to constantly work on your chemistry and I think we have a good feel for each other in that regard.””The ability of players to control the ball at high speed and change direction at high speed with the ball is what really separates players at the next level, and Cristian definitely has that,” Berhalter added on Pulisic’s touch to create he first goal.Then in the 32nd minute, Tim Weah doubled the U.S. lead with a shot from distance that probably should have been saved by Morocco’s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou who plays at Sevilla. Still, it was a great shot from Weah who hit it with pace and saw it knuckle to find its way into the back of the net.
The U.S. team continued to push on and nearly had a third just before the half when Jesus Ferreira had his shot from close range saved by Bounou after the Dallas attacker got behind Morocco’s backline.In the second half, the U.S. team made a lot of predetermined substitutions. Cameron Carter-Vickers, Joe Scally, and Haji Wright made way for Zimmerman, Robinson, and Ferreira.The U.S. team found its third goal in the 64th when Christian Pulisic was fouled in the box. Pulisic gave the ball to Haji Wright, his former Bradenton teammate with the U.S. U-17 team, and Wright converted with a low shot.Morocco had its best chance in the 74th minute when Joe Scally was called for a penalty – harshly, but there was no VAR. Standard Liege forward Selim Amallah took the penalty for Morocco, but his shot hit the crossbar. The subsequent loose ball in the box was eventually cleared.The remainder of the game was relatively uneventful and the U.S. team was able to see out its 3-0 win.Here are a few thoughts on the game.
TURNER HELPED FLATTER THE USMNT
Matt Turner was very good in this game. He made several point-blank saves to keep Morocco off the board. Good goalkeeping is excellent, but these are not the kind of opportunities that can be given up too often. At the World Cup, teams will bury these chances more times than not.As for Turner, he is only strengthening his grip on the starting goalkeeping position. This was the type of game that gives confidence in the team around him.
AARONSON SHARP IN THE MIDDLE
There has been some debate over where Brenden Aaronson should play. He starts centrally for his club but in a way that might not translate to the national team, where he typically plays on the wing. The U.S. team has depth on the wings and there is a need in the midfield with Gio Reyna hurt and Weston McKennie still not at 100%.Now was another great chance to give Aaronson a look in a central attacking midfield role. Berhalter announced this the day before.The result is that it worked. Aaronson scored the opening goal when he made the lethal run into the box to hammer home Pulisic’s feed. On top of that, Aaronson looked sharp in many areas that helped the team. He won a huge percentage of his duels (9/13 of his ground duels), his dribbles helped put Morocco on his heels (he was 3/3), and his passing was an outstanding 28/31. His shot in the 64th forced a save that eventually resulted in the penalty getting awarded.
Aaronson’s strong play centrally puts him in a good position to continue to stay there. It remains to be seen what happens when McKennie is able to start. That is where one of the big questions is right now. The Adams, Musah, and McKennie trio that was preferred in qualifying could open a competition between Musah and Aaronson as to who starts. Aaronson very well might prevail.
NEW FACES WERE MIXED
Against Morocco, Gregg Berhalter awarded first caps to Joe Scally, Malik Tillman, and Haji Wright. Cameron Carter-Vickers had been capped before, but this was his first appearance in three years.As you would have expected, it was a bit of a mixed bag.
Joe Scally conceded a harsh penalty that probably would have been overturned on VAR but it was still a penalty. Other than that, he was aggressive getting forward – which is good to see.
Malik Tillman kept the pressure on Morocco, which was tiring in the second half. He is still a bit raw and his duel winning wasn’t great, but he nearly scored and forced a tricky save in the 74th.
Haji Wright scored the third goal from a penalty, which was fortunate. In games that matter, those kicks will likely be taken by Pulisic. But aside from that, he was dangerous. His run behind the defense helped start the attacked that ended up in that penalty.
Cameron Carter-Vickers was pretty good in this game playing the second half. His passing was decent although he was beaten to conceded a point blank header in the 53rd, which Turner saved.
TOO MUCH SPACE CONCEDED
The U.S. team obviously has the quality to make big plays in the attack. Whether or not the team finds success at the World Cup will come down to the backline and defensive midfield positions. The team cannot concede that much space and the defense needs to avoid being pinned back so much.A lot of this is on the fullbacks which often were caught up-field or were isolated. This left a lot of work for the centerbacks, who made some big plays but also struggled at times. Aaron Long made a great emergency-defending play to block a point-blank shot, but also conceded a yellow card when he was beat.But there was often way too much space, and this was on the team’s defensive shape as a whole.”In the first half, Hakimi had too much time on the ball and Antonee was a little bit late releasing, I think at times the back line was too deep, gave the opponent too much space and in the physical battles, I think at times we got dominated on our back line,” Berhalter said. “For us it’s about team defending. Getting pressure on the ball makes it a lot easier for the center backs.”
NO. 9 REMAINS OPEN
While Haji Wright scored a penalty after Pulisic drew the foul, neither he nor Ferreira were able to convert dangerous chances. Still, both players had their moments where they stretched the defense to open up the game. Wright did that on the play that led to the penalty, and Ferreira was very active and aggressive in his pressing – which helped.The point being is that both players were at least bringing something else to the table if they’re not going to score chances from the run of play. Still, there needs to be more production from whoever plays this position.Neither player was poor, however, and Berhalter probably will continue to stick with these two because there still should be optimism that goals will come. Jordan Pefok is an interesting case after a great season in Switzerland but there is the question as to whether he can also help the team in other ways.
PULISIC QUESTIONS FAN SUPPORT
The TQL Stadium wasn’t at a capacity in Cincinnati but it was also very red. While that would give the impression that the U.S. enjoyed a home-crowd advantage, it did not. Many of the red-wearing fans in the crowd were there for Morocco, who sung their national anthem loudly before kickoff.“I’m not super happy with the amount of Americans here, however that works out, if I’m being completely honest,” Pulisic said. “But thanks for the ones who did come and the support is always great from them. It’s nice to be back in America and playing again.”Pulisic should speak his mind but the comment makes him seem like he’s late to a problem that has been ongoing for generations. When the U.S. team plays Mexico at a big venue (as opposed to small ones in Ohio), the crowd is 80% for Mexico. El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil, Italy, Ireland, England, Ecuador, Peru, Jamaica, France, and many other national teams enjoy strong support in the United States.Pulisic was there when the U.S. team lost a crucial 2017 World Cup qualifier to Costa Rica and the Ticos had a huge amount of support.
There are a bunch of factors to this. Soccer in this country is still a heritage support. Second and third generation immigrants still use the sport to connect to the identity of their family’s heritage. The process converting these fans to embrace the U.S. team over the teams of their ancestors is a long, long process. It’s a generational issue and while progress has been made since the 1990’s when the U.S. team would be outnumbered in qualifiers at RFK to Jamaica and Guatemala, it’s a long process.What helps is winning and making the U.S. team fun to follow. The team has improved in recent years, but it still is in a position where it missed the last World Cup. That’s a hole it is still digging out of, in terms of image.But complaining about it is a complete lost cause and isn’t a good understanding of the issues.Some have also mentioned ticket prices. They’re expensive, but they’re expensive for Morocco fans too. The U.S. team doesn’t play a lot of home games and they’re an expensive operation. Unlike a club team that can burry fixed costs over the course many games throughout a season, a national team cannot.Sure, fans of the U.S. team would always like to see stadiums full of its own supporters whenever there is a home game. But we are still a ways from that.
PLAYER RATINGS
STARTING XI
Matt Turner: Excellent game from the Revolution goalkeeper who will soon join Arsenal. He made seven saves, including several a point-blank range, to help give the U.S. team a flattering cleansheet. Rating: 8.0
Reggie Cannon: The Boavista right back was beaten off the dribble to allow a 12th minute chance and was off sometimes with his spacing. But made some good clearances in the second half an fed Weah for his goal. Rating: 6.0
Walker Zimmerman: The mainstay central defender had a good first half before leaving as part of a preplanned sub. Like Cannon, he struggled to defend an attack in the 12th minute but was fine aside from that. His pass to Pulisic on the opening goal was instrumental to giving the U.S. team an opening lead. Rating: 6.5
Aaron Long: Long was beaten in the 28th minute and picked up a yellow card. He also made some nice defensive plays in emergency defensive situations, most notable in the 12th minute. His mobility helped and he’s beyond his injury. Rating: 6.0
Antonee Robinson: It was a tough first half for Robinson who misplayed balls inside of the first 10 minutes and then was caught out of position defensively in the 12th minute. Eventually he made way for Joe Scally for the second half. Rating: 5.0
Tyler Adams: Was the defensive cover behind Aaronson and Musah. In 66 minutes he won his duels, tackles, and was solid in his passing. Any defensive miscues were minor. Rating: 7.0
Yunus Musah: A relatively quiet performance from Musah who started off well helping to set up Ferreira for a 3rd minute shot. He helped in possession but wasn’t part of anything too dangerous either. Rating: 6.0
Brenden Aaronson: An outstanding performance from the new Leeds United man who got the team on the board early. The finish was easy but the run and the speed he showed starting from the halfway line was impressive. His shot also was a big part of the penalty for the third goal. He looked confident in the middle of the field with his pressing and dribbling as well. Rating: 8.0
Christian Pulisic: A terrific performance full of skill. The touch on the first goal was remarkable and he was always drawing defenders who respected his talent. He also showed leadership after drawing the penalty and let Wright take it so that he could build up confidence. Rating: 8.5
Tim Weah: The Lille winger continued the strong form he showed at the end of the last season with a nice shot from distance. In addition he also forced two other tough saves to keep Morocco on its heels. Rating: 7.5
Jesus Ferreira: Should have done better with his chance just before halftime with a shot strikers need to finish. But he was a “pressing machine” as Berhalter put it and that helped wear Morocco down in the first half. Rating: 6.0
THE SUBSTITUTES
Haji Wright: Converted his penalty but, like Ferreira, also had chances he could have done more with. He did help boost the U.S. team’s attack with his runs and his physical strength wore down Morocco’s defense. Rating: 6.5
Joe Scally: Was aggressive getting forward and showed promise. He conceded a very questionable penalty but was bailed out by the crossbar. Rating: 5.5
Cameron Carter-Vickers: He had one tough moment early in the second half when he was beaten in an aerial duel and his man had a point-blank header which was saved. Other than that, he did his job. Rating: 5.5Luca de la Torre: Despite having a tough end to his club season, the San Diego native was sharp off the bench in a limited role as Morocco began to tire. Raing: 6.0
Malik Tillman: Nearly scored on a good shot in the 74th and helped keep the U.S. team in control. Rating: 6.0
Weston McKennie: The Juventus man continues his recovery from suffering a broken metatarsal in February. He helped the team see out the game in a quiet performance. Rating: 5.5
National Writer: Charles Boehm
USMNT reality: World Cup tryouts underway as final roster decisions loom
By Charles Boehm @cboeh Friday, Jun 3, 2022, 11:28 AM
Jordan Morris wasn’t in the mix to make the US men’s national team’s World Cup roster eight years ago. Yet through a quirk of fate, he got a glimpse of the agony when ex-manager Jurgen Klinsmann made his final cuts for the 2014 squad that would go to Brazil.
In what proved one of the more momentous inflection points in his life so far, Morris was a student-athlete at Stanford University, where the USMNT held their pre-World Cup camp, and was invited to join in a few workouts after impressing in a scrimmage against the national team. On Thursday, May 22, he was in the room when Klinsmann surprised everyone by announcing his roster selections ahead of schedule, famously dropping program legend Landon Donovan.
“I was training with the team that day actually, when all the cuts were happening,” Morris told MLSsoccer.com at the USMNT’s hotel in Cincinnati on Tuesday, recalling the raw emotions of that hot day in Northern California. “I was in the locker room and I was just thinking, ‘I shouldn’t be here for this. This wasn’t my place to be part of this.’
“Everyone wants to make the team and be part of the team, and when those cuts happened there were people that were sad and frustrated,” he added. “As a college kid that hadn’t really been part of the program, it was kind of wild for me to be in that environment.”
Stick to the basics
The Seattle Sounders star and most of his current US teammates are bearing down on a comparable moment in the coming months. This month’s slate of two friendlies (vs. Morocco, Uruguay) and two Concacaf Nations League matches (vs. Grenada, El Salvador) offers their longest stint together this year. A briefer gathering will occur around two to-be-announced friendlies in Europe during the September international window.
Then at some point, probably in early November, Gregg Berhalter and his staff will finalize which 23 or 26 (depending on FIFA’s final decision regarding roster sizes) players will board the plane to Qatar ahead of the Yanks’ Group B opener on Nov. 21. At the other end of the spectrum, at least a handful of those who’ve contributed to qualification, and probably some of those taking part in this month’s camp, will be walloped with one of the most painful disappointments of their careers.
As the old joke goes: no pressure!
“I don’t try to see it as myself trying to force my way into anything. I just try to be myself, try to work hard for the team and good things will come,” said Atlanta United product George Bello, who is competing for the backup left back slot behind Jedi Robinson. “No World Cup roster spot is given. So everyone has to show what they can do and keep working hard and everything will decide itself.
“I mean, there’s pressure in all sports in any given moment, but obviously there’s pressure with this as well. But you’ve got to use that pressure in a good way and not let it get to you or be like, ‘Oh, I have to do this, do this.’ I just try to clear my mind and just know that I’m here for a reason.”
Amid such high stakes, between now and then the balance between individual ambition and service to the program becomes more crucial than ever.
“Yeah, it’s an interesting one, because you want to continue doing what you’ve done to qualify, what you’ve done to be on the roster each and every camp,” said Morris’ club and country teammate Cristian Roldan, who has been a squad regular though a rare starter. “And sometimes people can try to overplay and feel like they’re doing too much.
“When there’s a little bit of pressure here with making a World Cup squad, you’ve just got to go back to the basics and do what you’ve been doing to get called up. For me, that’s being a great team player, being a really good practice player, itching for some time and showing that I’m capable of playing here. So that’s my goal for this camp, and as a team, hopefully we can get better.”
Friendly rivals
Berhalter spoke last month of his assessment that “the culture needed fixing” when he took over the program in late 2018. He and his staff – with the help of a “leadership council” of several prominent players – have endeavored to unify the group, to make it “a brotherhood” even with a high churn rate across USMNT camps due to injuries and other factors.
After Wednesday night’s 3-0 friendly win over Morocco, he pointed to the warm reception for fresh dual-national recruit Malik Tillman, even though the Bayern Munich attacker represents yet another talented competitor for a spot in Qatar.
“Sometimes when a new player comes into the group, it’s very difficult for them to break in. But what I hear time and time again, when new players come into our environment, is that they’re welcomed and they feel really comfortable, and they’re in a good position to perform. And that’s the most important thing,” said the coach.
“And I’m proud of that, because I know now is a competitive time, right? People are jockeying for positions on the World Cup team, potentially, but you don’t see it from these guys. You see they work extremely hard, and they’re extremely close together as a group, which is fun.”
Like Matt Turner, who is days away from departing the New England Revolution to join Arsenal, several USMNTers may be on the move in the summer window. While Berhalter encourages the pursuit of the highest possible level of club competition, losing out on regular playing time could be disastrous for World Cup hopes.
In some areas of the depth chart, like the stacked right back position, even the best-case individual scenario might not be enough to make the cut. If ever a situation called for the proverbial “mentality monsters,” it’s this one.
“It’s no secret that we have so many talented right backs and the way I look at it is, DeAndre Yedlin and I are competing, Joe Scally and I are competing, Sergino [Dest] and I are competing, Shaq Moore and I are competing, and that just makes me excited,” said FC Dallas product Reggie Cannon, who started against Morocco on Tuesday.
“Because that gives me an opportunity to work on the things I need to work on and push me to be a better player while I push them to be a better player. Like I’ve said many times, competition breeds greatness. And the only way you’re going to make a deep run in a World Cup is if you have players that are constantly challenging the players in front of them because again, that makes you have consistency.”
Therein lies the paradox at the heart of most top national teams: The ferocious dogfight for minutes and spots coexists with respect, camaraderie and shared purpose. It represents the apex of the high-wire act that these players have pulled off to advance this far in their careers.
“I don’t have any hostility towards any of those guys. I actually welcome it, because it makes me a better player. It gives me more pressure. And it makes me more happy,” said Cannon. “Because this is the talent that the US has now. And I’ve always looked at it as a positive thing for my game and for the other guys’ games. So I’m really excited for what’s to come, but that competition is going to make the squad very great.”
USMNT win vs. Morocco provided World Cup-level test with “vulnerable” moments
Fate, and the calendar, have given the US men’s national team a fleeting six matches to prepare themselves for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar over the next six months.
The first of those took place in sultry Cincinnati Wednesday night, and Gregg Berhalter’s group walks away from their 3-0 friendly win over Morocco with a raft of encouraging data points – as well as a few blemishes that the coach hinted will draw ample scrutiny in light of the daunting adversaries and tight margins awaiting them at the world’s most beloved sporting event.
“We talked before the game about establishing a baseline for this group about how we can perform against World Cup opponents. And I felt like the group went out and showed exactly how good we can be, but also at times were vulnerable,” said Berhalter after a victory paced by a swaggering display from captain Christian Pulisic. “We’re very happy with the result. We still know that we need to keep improving, and that’s why this game was so good for us.”
This was the first step in an unconventional and unavoidably imperfect buildup to Qatar. Two of their six opponents are outside their choosing, thanks to the Concacaf Nations League. And the COVID-19 pandemic and the compression it imposed on the World Cup qualifying process have prevented the USMNT from testing themselves against elite global opposition for most of the past two years.
The Yanks passed this first test.
“It was a good opponent, very, very dangerous opponent. And I think we controlled the match pretty well, and were able to create a number of chances against a good defensive opponent,” said Berhalter.
“These guys are playing regularly in Europe and playing for big teams and big clubs,” he added of the North Africans, who cruised through their CAF qualifying campaign undefeated. “Really happy that we got to play against them.”
The USMNT flashed a tactical wrinkle as their usual 4-3-3 formation morphed into a 3-2-2-3 in the buildup. Left back Jedi Robinson roamed forward while Reggie Cannon tucked centrally. Brenden Aaronson and Pulisic were freed to probe between the lines, while spearhead Jesus Ferreira drifted and combined in his usual elusive fashion.
The result: Flowing stretches of attacking possession as well as threats from direct play, like Walker Zimmerman‘s ball over the top that released Pulisic and led to the opening goal.
“Based on what we saw Morocco do, based on how we wanted to control the game, we think that it’s a very difficult formation to play against, to build pressure against,” explained Berhalter of the 3-2-2-3.
“If [opponents] want to really commit to building pressure, you have to bring numbers forward. And once you bring numbers forward there are spaces that open up on the side of the field, and between the lines. So we wanted to use Christian and Brenden in those positions to really hurt the opponent, and then still have three guys high on the backline that could be running behind them and keeping their five pinned back.”
If the scoreline threatens to send fans’ expectations soaring, they merely need to review the Yanks’ defensive jitters – and the ensuing eight saves required from goalkeeper Matt Turner – to gain some grounding.
Gent striker Tarik Tissoudali bedeviled Aaron Long and Cameron Carter-Vickers with his physicality and movement. The Atlas Lions’ talented wingbacks, Paris Saint-Germain regular Achraf Hakimi and Watford’s Adam Masina, repeatedly sparked danger down the flanks, each playing a game-high four key passes. Young substitute Joe Scally was baited into conceding an admittedly quite questionable late penalty-kick decision that Selim Amallah wastefully clanged off the woodwork.
“Sometimes the center backs, [Morocco] got a good cross in the second half, we were out of position,” noted Berhalter. “For me, it was about how quickly we could release to their wingback in the first half; Hakimi had too much time on the ball, and he was a little bit late releasing. I think at times our backline was too deep, gave the opponent too much space. And in the physical battles, I think at times we got dominated on our backline.
“It was a good opponent, good forward [Tissoudali], the guy’s scored a ton of goals this year, and he got really physical. But for us, it’s about team defending. Getting pressure on the ball makes it a lot easier for the center backs.”
While the degree to which Turner was exposed hinted at Achilles heels in the US setup, the extended possession that precipitated their second goal, Tim Weah’s thumping strike from distance, was more encouraging.
“I think it’s about moments. And we have to be really careful and really deliberate to keep the ball when we can, and really hurt the opponent in certain moments with the ball,” said Berhalter. “I mean, how long do we have the ball before we scored the second goal? For a while, yeah. And that’s perfect. I mean, just keep doing that. Keep wearing them down, wait for an opening and then play behind.
“You need to control the tempo of these games, because there’s going to be very little separating the teams at the World Cup, and it’s about the teams that can control the tempo and then be decisive in the key moments.”
All in all, it was a decent beginning to the end of the road to Qatar. Further progress will be demanded in Sunday’s meeting with Uruguay in Kansas City (5 pm ET | FOX, Univision, TUDN).
Indy Eleven Remains Undefeated with Victory at Grand Park
WESTFIELD, Ind. (Friday, June 3, 2022) –
After nearly a month on the road, vocal chants from the Brickyard Battalion got the Indy Eleven USL W League squad and the sellout crowd of 1,023 crowd back into the homecoming spirit, as the Girls in Blue captured a 1-0 victory over Midwest United FC at the Grand Park Events Center. Forward Kristina Lynch’s left footed shot from 20 yards near the end of the first half was enough to keep Indy atop the Great Lakes Division and remain the division’s only undefeated side, pushing its record to 4W-0L-1D (13 pts.) on the campaign.The first half was an intense 45 minutes filled with chances for both sides and energetic pressure and aggression across the pitch. Many scoring opportunities came on the counterattack, and they started early as in the fourth minute of the game Indy midfielder Jenna Chatterton had the first big chance of the match, but her shot from 12 yards straight out from goal was just wide of the left post. Midwest United FC responded seven minutes later on a 3-v-2 break, but Avery Lockwood’s shot was blocked and the rebound effort was just missed. In the 33rd minute, Chatterton’s up-tempo speed found Maddy Williams down on the left side, who cut back to get inside the area and unleash a near post blast that stuck in the gloves of Midwest United goalkeeper Lauren Kozal at her near post.Just when it looked as if the first half would go scoreless, Lynch had other plans. In the 41st minute, the Indy attacked space in the middle of the field before splitting two Midwest United defenders and finding an opening at the arc, where she powered a shot that left Kozal diving at air, putting Indy up 1-nil heading into halftime.“Everybody was just pressing really well, we pushed up the field and everyone was marked up and the ball just kind of bounced to where I happened to be and took a few touches,” Lynch said. “The gap opened up, tried to hit it with the left foot, and it went in.”The second half saw both sides using their full allotment of five subs, indicative of the fresh legs needed to get through the more physical final 45 minutes that saw the flow of the game become a bit choppier. One of those subs, Indy attacker Milica Bulatovic, nearly got on the board in the 55th minute when she lashed Katie Soderstrom’s laid off ball into the heart of the area, only to see Kozal leap across her line to make the save.Another bench performer, Heather MacNab, nearly scored with her first touch in the 63th minute, only to see Kozal go low to make another fine save. Deep into four minutes of stoppage time, Rachel McCarthy had an opportunity to add Indy’s long-awaited insurance goal off a 2-v-2 break, but her miss just wide right of frame mattered not, as the chance marked the final action of the hard-fought victory for the Girls in Blue.“The game is supposed to be a battle and you should know what you’re up against,” Eleven W League Head Coach Paul Dolinsky said. “We still tried to play and there were some very good spells where the ball was moving pretty well. And in a day where we have one and the other team has zero, then we don’t try to find too many issues.”Indy Eleven will continue its June homestand in Westfield next Friday, June 10, when it hosts Flint City AFC at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for that contest are available at indyeleven.com/wleague-tickets for only $8. To learn more about the newest edition of Indiana’s Team representing the women’s game, visit indyeleven.com/wleague.
2022 USL W League Regular Season – Matchday 5 Indy Eleven 1 : 0 Midwest United FC Friday, June 3, 2022 – 7:00 p.m. Grand Park Events Center – Westfield, Ind.
Scoring Summary: IND – Kristina Lynch (unassisted) 41’
Disciplinary Summary: MID – Paige Eli (yellow card) 87’
Pinho’s Fifth Goal of Season Not Enough to Continue Home Winning Streak
INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, May 28, 2022) – Indy Eleven saw its four-game home winning streak snapped this afternoon at IUPUI Carroll Stadium after falling 1-2 to a surging New Mexico United side in the teams’ first-ever meeting. Stefano Pinho’s fifth goal of the season with 10 minutes remaining sparked a comeback bid to life, but Justin Portillo’s first half golazo and an own goal early in the second half proved too much to overcome for Indy Eleven (5W-4L-2D, 16 pts.). While the early stages of the match saw both sides create pressure in their respective attacking thirds, Indy Eleven midfielder Jonas Fjeldberg’s header off a second minute corner marked the only shot in the opening 20 minutes. Fjeldberg saw his day cut short in the 20th minute dur to an apparent hamstring injury and was replaced by midfielder Nicky Law, who just a minute later set up Indy’s best look of the half on a cross that Pinho headed off the crossbar.It took New Mexico 37 minutes to get its first shot off, and a minute later its first attempt on frame changed the scoreboard against the run of play. Portillo ran onto Chris Wehan’s laid off ball at the top corner of the area, where he struck a first-time blast that curled off the underside of the crossbar, giving Eleven goalkeeper Tim Trilk no chance and putting the visitors in the lead. Two chances in quick succession by Pinho and Eleven midfielder Noah Powder in first half stoppage time were thwarted, sending Indy trailing into the locker room for just the second time in six home contests in 2022.Trilk, who was making his first league start for Indy between the posts, came up big early in the second half, diving to his right to parry away a shot by Sergio Rivas. The 57th minute saw nervy moments for United with Indy flooding the area with numbers, the chance ending with Justin Ingram’s shot from the edge of the 18 headed away by a defender inside the six with United netminder Alex Tambakis scrambling.An Indy back-pass gone wrong resulted in New Mexico’s second in the 63rd minute. Defender Mechack Jerome failed to make contact on Alex McQueen’s ball played back towards goal, and with Trilk away from his line the ball frustratingly rolled inside the left post to gift United a 2-0 advantage. Indy forward Manuel Arteaga nearly clawed one back in the 69th minute with a near-angle shot that forced Tambakis into a near post save.After a couple of close calls in the first half, Pinho made his first chance of note in the second pay off with Indy’s opener in the 80th minute. Newcomer Solomon Asante, who entered just past the hour mark, showed off his MVP pedigree with a low, driven cross into the six, where Pinho beat his mark and dove in to redirect past Tambakis, setting up a potential Eleven comeback bid. However, only a few set piece opportunities would come out of the late going, sending Indy to its first home loss in eight games dating back to last September.Indy Eleven will embark on a month-long, four-game road trip beginning next Saturday, June 4, when it heads to the Palmetto State to take on Charleston Battery. Kickoff at Patriots Point in Charleston is set for 7:00 p.m. ET (streamed live on ESPN+).Indy Eleven’s next home match will also take place during a holiday weekend, as Indiana’s Team will host The Miami FC during its “Indy-pendence” Celebration game on Saturday, July 2. The special 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff at Carroll Stadium will be followed by a post-game fireworks display, and more details on the evening will be updated in the coming weeks at indyeleven.com/promotions.Tickets for that July 4th weekend affair – and all remaining Indy Eleven regular season contests – are available starting at just $15 and can be purchased online at indyeleven.com/tickets. Fans who cannot make it to The Mike can follow the action on MyINDY-TV 23, Exitos Radio 94.3 FM/exitos943.com, and the @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed, presented by Central Indiana Honda Dealers.
2022 USL Championship Regular Season – Matchday 11 Indy Eleven 1 : 2 New Mexico United Saturday, May 28, 2022 IUPUI Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, Ind.
All evaluations and tryouts will be held at Shelborne Fields. 3451 W 126th St, Carmel, IN 46032.
June 7, 2022 – Players 10u, 9u and 8u (Birth Years 2013 to 2016)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before evaluations begin.
Evaluations for all age groups: 6pm to 7:30pm
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June 13, 2022- Players 11u and older (Birth Years 2004 to 2012)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before tryouts.
Tryouts for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012: 5:45pm to 7:15pm
Tryouts for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008: 7:30pm to 9pm. ——————————————————————————————————————– Use this link to register for tryouts. Please email info@cdccarmelfc.com. with any questions.
Mid June – early August – Games Wed/Sun Age 18-30 Registration open thru June 16th. Call 317-846-1633 or Click Here Make your own teams or we can add you to a team. Cost is just $105 includes Jersey.
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Heading over to Badger Field for Training? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
I have 2 tickets to tomorrow Nights Game $75 each – AO Section behind the US Goal section 108 – if anyone wants to come along to Cincy.
USA vs Morocco Wed 7 pm ESPN2 / Sun 5 pm vs Uruguay FS1
The US Men are back with 4 big games here in June – the first 2 friendlies against top ranked World Cup Teams in Morocco and Uruguay. Morocco is ranked 24th right behind the US at 15th in the latest FIFA World Ranking while Uruguay is ranked just ahead of us at #13. I am headed that way tomorrow afternoon and have 2 extra tickets if at cost of $75 each.
Returning to the team off a broken foot is Weston McKennie of Juve (though I suspect he may not play more than a half in these 1st 2 games in early June.) Former German Youth National Malik Tillman (Bayern Munich) -whose dad is an American serviceman has flipped to the US and should get his first game action in the Red. White and Blue most probably at the #9 slot as a sub on Wed night I would think. Center forward Haji Wright hopes to ride his hot streak of goals at Antalyaspor into a June chance at claiming the unclaimed #9 shirt for the US along with a fairly hot Jesus Ferreira from Dallas FC. The Backline is looking for a replacement for starter Miles Robinson who is lost to an acheles heel injury for the year. Erik Palmer Brown and Cameron Carter Vickers fresh off his helping Celtic win the league in Ireland will battle with Aaron Long for the spot opposite Penciled in starter and Captain Walker Zimmerman. Also good to see 19 YO outside back Joe Scally (MGladbach starter) back in the fold and hopefully we’ll see him in action in 1 of the first 2 games. Sad to see midfielder Mihailovic who has reinvigorated his career in Montreal in MLS has been dropped due to a hurt ankle over the weekend. Also expect Turner to gets of lots of goal time in these next 2 games especially – as Steffan is out for these June games. I expect newly EPL promoted GK Ethan Horvath of Nottingham Forest to start the 2 Nations Cup games next week and the week after. See my starters below I have inserted Turner of course with #9 forward Haji Wright – (interesting story about him here), and I expect to see Weah on a wing and Aaronson to get a go at the #8 slot with Musah. I think he will give McKinney a 30 min runout until Sunday to give him more time to adjust. With more time – I would love to test Pulisic in the 10th beneath Wright, with Aaronson on the left and Weah on the right wing mid slots. And McKinney and Adams in the 2 man 6/8 roles. I am interested to see how Berhalter approaches this – does he play his strongest squads this week – against the best competition then let the tired EURO Starters go for next week’s Nations League games vs Grenada June 10 and @ El Salvador June 14, or does he keep everyone in camp for the entire 2 weeks ? I would keep everyone healthy in camp to give these guys a chance to build chemistry! I do think we will win 2-1 over Morocco (with a goal from Pulisic and hopefully Haji Wright.)
Shane’s Starters for Wed game vs Morocco in Cincy
Haji Wright
Pulisic/Weah
Aaronson/Yanus Musah
Adams
Robinson/Long/Zimmerman/Yedlin
Matt Turner
The 26-man roster for June Games
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest), Zack Steffen (Manchester City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution), Sean Johnson (DC United)
DEFENDERS (9): George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic FC), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes), Antonee Robinson (Fulham FC), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg), Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea FC), Tim Weah (Lille), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor)
Ukraine vs Scotland Wed 12 noon on ESPN2
Ukraine will finally return to action trying to secure a birth to the World Cup thru the Playoff that was put off in March due to the War in Ukraine. Man I feel bad for Ukraine – but the winner of this playoff – (Winner faces Wales on Sunday at 12 noon on ESPN2) will be our first opponent in the World Cup. As much as I want to root for Ukraine we would much rather face Scotland if we want to advance to the next round. So go Scots !!
Champions League – Real Wins 14th, Courtois lays claim to top GK in the World
So it wasn’t the greatest game – but Real Madrid found a way to win again – a record 14th UCL Title despite being outshot 5 to 1 on the day. Liverpool dominated the opening half but Belgium Goalkeeper Courtois was up to the task making 9 huge saves on the night when he set the save record for a UCL Final. The heroics earned him player of the Match and Goalkeeper of the Tournament. Checkout all the Stories Below.
Reffing Section included below
Including a story about the ref shortage in the US and the reasons why. I still think 2 man instead of 3 man is a possible option in this time of low #s. I have reffed 2 man for almost 10 years now and I while I will admit the 3 man system gives more coverage – 2 man is just fine for U12 and below. Heck for Rec – 12 man is fine in my opinion until high school age kids are involved and even then its often ok and the 2 man system allows the two refs to actually get paid decently for the games – especially the U13 and below games. As for the shortage – my kids both reffed all the way thru high school – and my son still refs in college. It’s a great weekend job where you make good money – ($15-20 an hour) and you can often choose your own schedule – what other high school job lets you do that? :Let me know if your kid needs direction on reffing – and I will point you in the right direction.
All evaluations and tryouts will be held at Shelborne Fields. 3451 W 126th St, Carmel, IN 46032.
June 7, 2022 – Players 10u, 9u and 8u (Birth Years 2013 to 2016)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before evaluations begin.
Evaluations for all age groups: 6pm to 7:30pm
————————————————————————————————————————————
June 13, 2022- Players 11u and older (Birth Years 2004 to 2012)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before tryouts.
Tryouts for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012: 5:45pm to 7:15pm
Tryouts for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008: 7:30pm to 9pm. ———————————————————————————————————————————– Use this link to register for tryouts. Visit : carmelfc.teamapp.com Please email info@cdccarmelfc.com. with any questions.
PARIS, FRANCE – MAY 28: Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid CF in action during the UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid at Stade de France on May 28, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)
The United States Men’s National Team are in Cincinnati to take on Morocco tomorrow night in a friendly at TQL Stadium. The USMNT is using this friendly to begin preparations for the Nations League group stage, which begins next week. They are also using this as the beginning stages of preparing for this fall’s World Cup. USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter will use this camp for final evaluations as he decides who will make the final roster that heads to Qatar.
They face a strong team in Morocco, ranked 24th in the world and who will also be at the World Cup this fall. With this window and September being the final opportunities to play decent competition to prepare for the World Cup, Morocco will serve as a formidable test. Fans should be in for an intriguing matchup, as the two teams have not faced each other since 2006.
Latest Form
USA
L (0-2) – Costa Rica – World Cup Qualifying
D (0-0) – Mexico – World Cup Qualifying
W (3-0) – Honduras – World Cup Qualifying
L (0-2) – Canada – World Cup Qualifying
W (1-0) – El Salvador – World Cup Qualifying
Morocco
W (4-1) – DR Congo – World Cup Qualifying
D (1-1) – DR Congo – World Cup Qualifying
L (1-2) – Egypt – Africa Cup of Nations Quarterfinals
W (2-1) – Malawi – Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16
D (2-2) – Gabon – Africa Cup of Nations Group C
What To Watch For
Keep the back line in sync. The defense will have the most scrutiny with all eyes on who will be the centerback pairing. The back line will want to remain in sync all match so that Morocco doesn’t get behind them for scoring chances.
Who’s stepping up on offense? The biggest question facing this team is who will do all the scoring, particularly at the center forward position. So many have been unsuccessful, so there’s an opportunity for players to show that they can be the consistent scorer that the team needs heading into the Nations League and the World Cup.
It’s the midfield’s match to control. The American midfield should be ready to battle all night, but they should be the ones in control. If they can do that, it will relieve pressure from the back line and give the forwards more chances to push ahead and look for the goal.
Lineup Prediction
Gregg Berhalter will have some options when setting out his lineup. In the end, this is what we predict he’s going to do:Predicted Lineup vs. Morocco
With Zack Steffen out of camp due to family reasons, the starting goalkeeper job is Matt Turner’s. His back line will consist of Antonee Robinson and DeAndre Yedlin at left and right back, with Erik Palmer-Brown being granted the starting centerback role next to Walker Zimmerman.
In the middle, it’s MMA time, as Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah join Tyler Adams to form probably the best midfield core. Up front, Christian Pulisic will occupy the left wing, while Paul Arriola will be tried on the right. Haji Wright gets a shot to show he can provide the scoring in the middle.
Prediction
It’s a difficult match for the USMNT, and it ends in a 1-1 draw.
One-time phenom has chance to find himself as USMNT’s starting World Cup striker
Henry Bushnell Yahoo Sports = Mon, May 30, 2022, 1:43 PM·9 min read
CINCINNATI — Haji Wright’s World Cup dreams initially sprouted amid broken glass. That’s what his mother, Serena, lovingly recalls about the boy who seemed attached to his soccer ball. His feet would carry it from the family’s Los Angeles backyard to the dining room table. He’d dribble it to the bedroom he shared with his younger brother, Hanif — and that’s where the window would shatter. The brothers broke it at least twice, Serena says. She threatened to leave it unrepaired. She offered them a squishy soccer ball alternative, but to no avail. They were obsessed.“They also broke a glass in the TV console,” Serena says. “And I was just livid each time.”She also cherished Haji’s attachment to the sport. He’d grown entranced by YouTube reels of early 21st century stars. After the family moved from Culver City up into L.A.’s hills, 11-year-old Haji would venture into the backyard alone and try to emulate legends. On long summer days, he’d pound the ball against the garage for hours on end, honing his non-dominant left foot and his shooting technique. He’d mimic the Thierry Henrys of the world, and he’d dream — of Europe, of World Cups, of goals in finals.or most pre-teens, they’re far-fetched fantasies. For Haji, they quickly became “real possibilities.” Soccer moms and scouts alike recognized his rare talent. The L.A. Galaxy academy came calling. Haji excelled at U.S. Soccer’s residency program, where he roomed with a fellow innocent teen named Christian Pulisic. He tallied 18 goals and seven assists in 22 matches for the U.S. under-17s, and became “one of the hottest prospects” in the country. He was the player who reportedly attracted German giants Borussia Dortmund to a youth tournament in 2014, where Dortmund ultimately discovered Pulisic. He was, according to FIFA’s official website in 2015, “poised to become the next big thing for football in America.”And then, to many American fans who’d lapped up the hype, Wright seemingly disappeared.He signed with Schalke in the German Bundesliga at age 18 in 2016. He’s since bounced around to five different clubs. He never got the U.S. men’s national team call-up that many assumed would come before his 21st birthday. And as he endured a goal-less 2019-20 league season at VVV-Venlo in Holland, he essentially fell off USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter’s radar.That’s when he turned to an outlook he’d adopted as his remarkably steep trajectory turned sideways. “All these experiences,” Serena would tell him, “are going to lead you to where you need to be.” He learned to shun negative thoughts and search for positivity. “There’s always tomorrow to prove myself,” he’d think, and he now says.Just two years later, he’s the hottest American male striker on the planet. As he banged in 14 goals in 32 appearances for Antalyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig this spring, those childhood dreams came back into focus. Wright is here in Cincinnati as the only true No. 9 at the USMNT’s most important pre-World Cup training camp, where it will face fellow 2022 qualifiers Morocco.And he will, Berhalter said, “get an opportunity” — to debut, at age 24, for the team he always seemed destined for, and maybe, just maybe, to make the USMNT’s neediest position his.
Haji Wright stood out amid star-laden USMNT youth teams
The hype first bloomed before Serena Wright knew much of anything about soccer, and perhaps even before she knew that Haji had taken to the sport during recess at school. She enrolled him in a rec league around age 7. Other parents were taken aback by his skill. Clubs began making their recruiting pitches. Summer camp invites multiplied. Before long, the words “Europe” and “overseas” entered conversations. “It just did not seem normal to me,” Serena says. It all happened “very quick.”It fueled young Haji’s confidence. On U.S. youth teams that also included Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie, he and Pulisic were the headliners and the stars. Wright scored twice in a 4-1 U-17 victory over Brazil that resonated among American soccer diehards. He moved to Schalke as soon as he was eligible, shortly after his 18th birthday, and “talent-wise, he was ready,” Serena says.“There were some other pieces that still needed to develop,” she continues. He was, of course, still a boy. He needed Mom’s help with typical teen things, like driver certification. But he picked up the German language surprisingly quickly, and settled into a quiet life that revolved around soccer. In downtime, he absorbed himself in “Call of Duty” and an addictive, “Candy Crush”-like smartphone game called “Toon Blast.” After McKennie joined him at Schalke in August of 2016, the two Americans “were together almost every day,” Wright recalls.They also seemed to be on parallel paths. They were jointly promoted to Schalke’s senior team toward the end of Wright’s first full season. They were still teens, but “they belong in the first team next year,” Schalke sporting director Christian Heidel said at the time.As McKennie established himself in the Bundesliga, and Pulisic starred 40 minutes away at Dortmund, Wright began to struggle. After a difficult first preseason with Schalke’s senior team, he was sent on loan to SV Sandhausen in the second division. “And I remember he was really, really upset after that,” Serena says — not because he felt wronged, or unenthused by Sandhausen, but rather because he hadn’t “performed to his full potential” in preseason.“He was down on himself,” Serena says. And, alone in a foreign land, he had to learn how to pick himself back up.
Wright says he didn’t necessarily arrive in Germany envisioning a specific trajectory toward the top of the sport. He did envision playing in packed stadiums in the Ruhr Valley, and across the Bundesliga. He surely envisioned success, because as a child and teen, that’s all he really knew.“So then when [a setback] happens, it’s unexpected,” Serena points out. “He expected his path to be straightforward,” she continues, but inevitably, “the path, sometimes, is not linear.”Wright now understands this, more so than most 24-year-olds. But the “twists and turns,” Serena says, were initially challenging. Her son leant on her and his agent for encouragement as his visions failed to materialize. After a sputtering loan spell at Sandhausen, he returned to Schalke for the 2018-19 season, and made his senior debut in November. He scored his first goal in December, but it would be his only one for the club. After just seven appearances, he left the following summer.At Venlo, where he scored one cup goal and none in 22 league appearances, “it just wasn’t clicking,” Wright says. He understands how unfathomable those numbers are to fans who saw what he once did and see what he’s doing now. Soccer, he explains, comes with “rough patches.” Goalscoring often requires “a bit of luck.” Adjustments to new systems have taken time. Berhalter remembers watching Wright play as a winger rather than a striker, and saying: “We don’t think that’s his strength, and it’s gonna be hard to make an impact with our team in that position.”By 2020, Wright had acclimatized to soccer hardship. “He wasn’t upbeat, for sure,” during that season at Venlo, Serena says, “but I don’t think he was discouraged.”
Is USMNT about to find the striker it’s long been looking for?
The following year, he took a step down to SønderjyskE in Denmark, and that’s where things began to click. For years, Wright had been a “humble,” “modest,” “chill” team player — which aren’t necessarily the best qualities for a forward. “As a striker,” he now realizes, “you have to be selfish.”“I don’t think you have to be overly selfish,” he continues. “Like, if you’re 2-v-1 vs. the keeper, you [don’t] shoot, it’s not like that. But I think you definitely have to be selfish to a certain degree.”His coaches have noticed a new mentality that Wright puts into words: “I have to be the guy to score.”As he started doing just that last season in Denmark, Berhalter called to tell him: “You’re doing well, we’re watching, keep doing your thing.”He moved to Antalyaspor on loan last summer, and started slow, but caught fire over the season’s second half. He scored eight goals in eight games throughout April and May, and that’s why he’s here, in U.S. camp with the World Cup six months away.For years, ever since Jozy Altidore’s prime ebbed away, the USMNT has not had a consistent striker. Josh Sargent and Jordan Pefok are injured. Ricardo Pepi, who exploded into the starting lineup last fall, hasn’t scored in almost eight months, and needs a break. For Wright, Berhalter said last week, “now is the perfect time.”It is, perhaps, not precisely what Wright dreamed of all those years ago. But here he was Sunday, grouped with Pulisic, Adams and McKennie for a pre-training warmup circuit, riding with his former U-17 running mates on the national team bus. They swapped some old stories. “It’s a little nostalgic,” Wright says, and “crazy” that it’s been almost a decade since those innocent residency days.And it’s “fun,” he says. It feels “normal.” There’s “no weird energy or anything. It’s good times.”And “obviously,” he says of his impending national team debut, “I was hoping for it to happen earlier. But I’m here now. And that’s really all that matters.”
Miles Robinson’s injury testing USMNT depth in year that’s challenged resolve of Gregg Berhalter’s team Jeff CarlisleU.S. soccer correspondent ESPN
CINCINNATI, Ohio — In the moments after Atlanta United and United States men’s national team defender Miles Robinson went down with a torn Achilles tendon, international teammate Walker Zimmerman got a text from a friend who was inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium telling him that Robinson’s injury “looks bad.” Zimmerman then found the video on Twitter and saw the responses, and his “stomach just completely sank.” “You start thinking about the timelines, you start thinking about the math, and while it’s not impossible to come back, certainly it’s going to be an uphill battle,” Zimmerman told members of the media on Monday. “I just immediately reached out to [Miles].”Zimmerman then called up Aaron Long, who almost a year earlier had suffered the same injury as Robinson, and let him know what happened.”It was a weird feeling I got,” the New York Red Bulls defender said upon hearing the news. “It was like heartbreak and instantly, like, ‘I need to be the one that that reachesout to him as fast as possible to let him know that I’ve been through this, and I will help him through this process.'”Both players have stayed in steady contact with Robinson since, with Long saying he’s called Robinson once a week, the better to answer questions and talk timetables. It helps that Robinson, at age 25, is three years younger than Long was when he was injured, but it’s a long process, one that will be filled with ups and downs. Long stressed the best thing Robinson can do right now is be patient.”There’s certain ways you can speed up the rehab process, but you’ve got to listen to your body,” Long said. “I’m just trying to tell him that now’s not the time to speed things up. You’ve got to let it heal for that first month or two.”Every player is different, although for Long, the mental hurdles were the toughest to get over.”I think more than anything, it’s just trying to get your calf and your brain just to be on the same page, and to almost trust yourself in certain moments of like exploding or backpedaling, things like that,” he said. The irony is that Robinson’s ascension was aided in part by Long’s injury. The Red Bulls defender had been a mainstay under U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter during the first two years of his tenure. With friendly matches against Morocco on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN2) and Uruguay on Sunday, followed by CONCACAF Nations League games against Grenada and El Salvador, the door has been opened for Long to take on a greater responsibility than the substitute role he had in the final qualifying window.Robinson’s injury is the latest to strike a core U.S. player in what has been a year beset by them. Borussia Dortmund midfielder Giovanni Reyna missed most of World Cup qualifying with multiple hamstring injuries. Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie missed the last qualifying fixture window with a broken foot, and has just recently made it back. But the U.S. team’s depth helped carry it to World Cup qualification. When Reyna went out, Timothy Weah and Brenden Aaronson stepped in and produced some dynamic displays on the wing. The same happened when McKennie was injured, with Kellyn Acosta and Luca de la Torre picking up the slack. Now the same will likely have to happen at the World Cup. Long is among those poised to step in, as is Chris Richards, although the latter suffered through ankle and thigh injuries during the latter half of the club season with TSG Hoffenheim. The center-back position is of critical importance, and this was evident during qualifying. Even on the days when the U.S. didn’t play well, the center of defense was usually solid, evidenced by the team’s 10 goals conceded in 14 qualifiers. It didn’t seem to matter who was on the field either, be it Zimmerman, Robinson or Rchards.Yet chemistry is important, and there will need to be some retooling in this regard during the current camp, as well as in the last international window in September. When asked what traits they would like to see in a center-back partner, both Long and Zimmerman cited good communication as a critical attribute.”It’s more of a mental connection than like anything physical, or like a guy that’s fast, or a guy that’s strong, or good in the air or anything like that,” Long said. “I think it’s more just trust in being on the same page in not only like tactical moments, but big defensive moments, like putting out fires. I know where my other center-back is going to be in a moment where we can’t talk and we can’t discuss things. We know what we’re going to do in those moments together.”Zimmerman added, “I love when I have that [communication] on my back shoulder. You know, when I’m getting the instruction, consistently, constantly, that’s huge. And when you get games with other center-backs, you kind of develop that almost without them even talking sometimes. You know exactly where they’re going to be.”The coming months will reveal the extent to which that familiarity can increase.Center-back isn’t the only area of the field where depth will be tested in the coming months. In fact, while there are plenty of options at the striker position, none have performed with the kind of consistency to make the position their own. That’s why Antalyaspor’s Haji Wright — fresh off a 15-goal season in all competitions — will be the latest to get a look from Berhalter and his staff.”I think generally being called into camp, it’s always an opportunity for you to show yourself and take hold of your position, whatever it may be,” Wright said. “I do think it’s an opportunity for me and I’m ready to take it.”Left-back has been a position cited by Berhalter as one where there aren’t many options behind presumed starter Antonee Robinson. Joe Scally looks to be a candidate given his ability to play outside-back or wing-back on either side — during the past season with Borussia Monchengladbach he even had a brief spell at center-back — but so far (and yes, it’s early in camp) Scally has lined up on the right side of the U.S. defense. That leaves George Bello as the only alternative to Robinson.The hope is that the U.S. will enjoy a greater degree of health than it’s had in the first five months of 2022.
USMNT’s Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie rave about resurgent Haji Wright
6:33 PM ETJeff CarlisleU.S. soccer correspondent The United States national team’s Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie said they’re excited to be reunited with former teammate Haji Wright. Pulisic and Wright played together at the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup, and seven years later now are playing together with the full team ahead of a quartet of games over the next two weeks.The U.S. will begin its four-game run on Wednesday against Morocco at Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium (watch live at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2). That will be followed four days later with a match against Uruguay at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. Then come a pair of CONCACAF Nations League matches, first against Grenada at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, on June 10, followed by a road game against El Salvador four days later.
Carlisle: U.S. seeks defensive depth after loss of Robinson
Back when they played together at the U17 World Cup, their roles were similar to what they are now, with Pulisic acting as the playmaker for Wrig. That was the duo back in the day, me and Haji,” Pulisic said during a roundtable with reporters. “We played a lot of games together in the youth national teams. And it’s cool to have him back in, first of all, seeing him do so well at club level, and having him in here is great.”So he’s gonna get his opportunity and yeah, I’m just so excited for him. And I know he’s going to use the opportunity.”McKennie not only crossed paths with Wright at youth level, but they were teammates at Bundesliga side Schalke 04 from 2017-19. And while Wright had the greater success at youth level, McKennie made bigger inroads at Schalke before moving to Juventus.”I think it’s beautiful,” said McKennie about Wright’s recall. “I didn’t have an easy path through the national team, especially in the youth. We had a bit of a different story at the youth age. And just to see that some players would be knocked down, some players would be [where] their spirit is gone, and I think just for him, finding his own path to get back in here is definitely one that’s inspirational and something that I can kind of relate to.”It’s wonderful and exciting just to see him in here, and kind of sharing the same story at the same time.”Wright’s meandering path saw him move from Schalke to a loan stint with Sandhausen and then to VVV-Venlo in the Netherlands, and he struggled to find the net at all three stops. He saw his fortunes improve with Danish SuperLiga side SonderjyskE starting in 2020, but it was a loan spell last season with Turkish Super Lig side Antalyaspor — where he scored 15 goals in 35 league and cup appearances — that got Wright back in the national team frame.”I really respect people who haven’t necessarily had it easy and given to them and everyone’s on their own path,” said Pulisic. “I’ve seen it myself. Ups and downs and to come out the other side and be performing like he is now is impressive.” USMNT’s 50 games of Berhalter: How coach has made his mark on the national team Espn When the United States men’s national team takes on Morocco in a friendly on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET, watch live on ESPN2), it will be the 51st time the Americans have taken the pitch under the stewardship of manager Gregg Berhalter. The former Columbus Crew boss took control of the national team in December 2018, and the 50 games he has since overseen give us a more-than-reasonable sample size to evaluate his impact on the USMNT.How has Berhalter put his stamp on the U.S.? How has he shaped it in his image? How has he influenced games from the dugout? How will his management style dictate results at this winter’s World Cup in Qatar?In order to answer these questions, we asked Kyle Bonagura, Bill Connelly and Jeff Carlisle to dive into Berhalter’s national-team tenure and detail where the U.S. stands after 50 games of Berhalter. What is Berhalter’s style? From a 20,000-foot view, one would guess that Berhalter has installed the identity he wanted with the USMNT. Known from his Columbus days as a manager with a preference for long spells of possession — building patiently from the back and unfurling more lengthy possessions than opponents (albeit without the rigorous counter-pressing that some sides attempt) — Berhalter has established exactly that: In 50 matches, his U.S. has enjoyed 56.8% possession overall and averaged 5.6 passes per possession. For context, that would have ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Premier League this season. Acknowledging that international opponents vary widely in quality, that still suggests that execution is matching intention. Under Berhalter, the U.S. has also slowly eliminated the sudden-turnover disasters that can occasionally emerge from patient build-up play; opponents scored four goals from possessions starting in the attacking third in 2019, three in 2020-21 and none in World Cup qualification. Meanwhile, the possession rates have slowly risen — the U.S. was at 63% possession in 2021 friendlies and 57% during qualification.This all makes it sound like things are working out as imagined, but if you’ve watched the U.S. play in the past year or so, you’ve seen something that amounts far more to pragmatism than possession. Thanks to injuries, the quintet of Christian Pulisic, Giovanni Reyna, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Sergino Dest — all of whom currently play for renowned European clubs — have played in the same match just once for the U.S.: They teamed up to beat Mexico in last summer’s CONCACAF Nations League final … in a match in which they saw 43% possession and averaged 3.4 passes per possession. In last summer’s Gold Cup, with what was considered a primarily second-choice squad, the U.S. beat Canada with just 45% possession (thanks in part to the fact that they led for 89 minutes), produced just six shots from 58% possession against Qatar, then managed just 37% possession in the victory over Mexico. And while they may have averaged 57% in World Cup qualification, the range was immense: from 72% in an easy win over Honduras and 71% in a draw with Canada, to 51% in a dispiriting loss to Panama and 50% in a draw with El Salvador to 39% in a win over Panama and 38% in a draw with Mexico. In qualification, the U.S. was far more placid in possession on the road than at home and catered its style dramatically to game state. And against an opponent like Mexico, which also prefers to dominate possession, the U.S. seemed to often revert to the old “tenacious goalkeeping and route-one counterattacks” style of previous decades. It occasionally worked, too. The U.S. qualified despite a run of injuries that prevented its top 11 players from ever seeing the pitch at the same time, but its identity — both what’s preferred and what’s optimal — seems blurrier than it did a year ago. — Connelly How has Berhalter managed his team? Berhalter is not one to rule with an iron fist. In his relatively short tenure, he has established himself — mostly — as a players’ coach who has facilitated a culture that players want to be part of, and generally, speak highly of. In public, he’s so overwhelmingly positive that oftentimes it comes off as protective of the young squad.Take the 2-0 loss to Canada in qualifying, for example. Anyone who watched that game understood that even though the U.S. had the bulk of the possession, Canada was in control for nearly the entirety. Berhalter described it as a “dominant” U.S. performance. It wasn’t. The only way to make sense of what he said is if Berhalter wasn’t genuinely assessing the game as much as he was trying to send a positive message back to the locker room. Whether that’s an effective approach is up for debate, but that has been his style.It’s easy to see how Berhalter’s positive demeanor plays well when recruiting dual nationals, which is one area where he has experienced some big wins. Dest (Netherlands), Yunus Musah (England) and Ricardo Pepi (Mexico) all committed to the U.S. under Berhalter’s watch and played key roles during qualification. Bayern Munich’s Malik Tillman (Germany) and Chicago Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina (Poland) made similar decisions this month, and while others haven’t gone Berhalter’s way — namely LA Galaxy right-back Julian Araujo (Mexico) — his track record has been very impressive.The most confounding part of his man management centers on one man: veteran center-back John Brooks. Despite playing more than 600 minutes more than any other American in a top-five European league this year (2,617 minutes in 31 league games for VfL Wolfsburg), Berhalter has routinely passed over him in favor of less proven options. Brooks wasn’t great when he did play for the U.S. early in qualifying, but Berhalter’s vague, changing reasons for his continued omissions indicate it’s something more than form or fit within the system. There’s no other way to explain how someone can ostensibly go from one of the team’s most important players to out of the picture in less than a year. More questions than answers remain. — Bonagura How has Berhalter influenced games? It was halftime of the United States’ away World Cup qualifier against Honduras, and Berhalter’s side was staring into the abyss. The Americans trailed 1-0, and a September window in which they had thought they were capable of getting nine points was suddenly looking like it would only result in two, a potentially disastrous start that would leave the U.S. in a sizable hole. Berhalter was then aggressive in his choice of alterations. Out went Brooks, George Bello and Josh Sargent; in came Antonee Robinson, Brenden Aaronson and Sebastian Lletget. The formation changed, too, from a 3-4-3 to a 4-3-3. The changes worked a treat, as all three substitutes scored, and with Pepi tallying as well, the U.S. went on to secure a vital 4-1 win. While the rest of the campaign had a few hiccups, that victory in San Pedro Sula allowed the U.S. to breathe easier and stay firmly in control of its own destiny throughout qualifying. Granted, not every tactical change has that kind of impact, but the victory highlighted Berhalter’s flexibility. Rather than stubbornly persist with his initial plan, he was willing to junk it if it wasn’t working. He didn’t care about reputations either, as evidenced by his decision to pull Brooks — widely regarded as the U.S. team’s best defender — from the match. He hasn’t played for the U.S. since. All of these are positives in terms Berhalter’s ability to adjust on the fly. Of course, the path the Honduras game took raises the question of how Berhalter and the U.S. found themselves in such a situation to begin with. In fact, there were other instances in which Berhalter seemed to overthink things, whether it was the decision to start Gyasi Zardes against Canada or the near-wholesale changes made for the away qualifying defeat against Panama. But it’s also clear that triple-fixture windows, which typically involved three games in a seven-day timeframe, forced Berhalter into some tactical and personnel decisions that he otherwise wouldn’t have made. Injuries at times to key players like McKennie, Reyna and Pulisic only amplified that.The World Cup will offer up a more forgiving schedule. There will be three full days between games in Qatar instead of the two that were the norm during qualifying, yet it seems likely that the extra day won’t be enough for Berhalter to trot out the same lineup for all three games. The U.S. team’s depth will still be tested, and given the greater stakes involved, a premium will be placed on the manager getting his tactics and personnel decisions right from the get-go.Berhalter’s tactical evolution hints at progress in this area. The U.S. manager started out his tenure with an almost dogmatic approach of building out of the back. As time went on, starting with the home match against Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League, pragmatism crept in, and there was a greater willingness to be direct when circumstances dictated. There was more of an emphasis on pressing as well.Granted, at the World Cup, things never go fully according to plan. Berhalter’s willingness to adapt and change gears bodes well in that regard. — Carlisle How will Berhalter’s team perform at the World Cup? Group B seems impossibly tight in terms of the relative strengths of the teams involved. England has a clear talent advantage over the others and seems to have hit its stride under manager Gareth Southgate, although the U.S. has given the Three Lions fits in the past. Securing the second spot in the group looks like a challenge, though. The U.S. could just as easily advance as not. If one of Wales or Ukraine makes it through, it will have a roster comparable to the U.S. team’s in terms of quality. Iran is a complete wildcard given the relative unknown strength of the Persian Gulf Pro League, although history has shown that it would be a mistake to take Team Melli lightly. Stylistically, the games will likely be a bit more open for the U.S. given that, unlike matches in CONCACAF, opponents won’t be as inclined to bunker in, but circumstances will dictate that as well. If the U.S heads into its final game against Iran needing a result, which seems likely, it might find itself facing precisely that circumstance. The U.S. team’s health will play a huge role. If the likes of Pulisic and Reyna can avoid injury, that will bode well. The big worry remains the No. 9 position. Pulisic, Reyna, Aaronson and Tim Weah can each win a match, but production out of the center-forward spot would be a big boost.The U.S. is a confident bunch, borne of a core group of players performing for some of the best clubs in the world, but advancing out of the group will likely go down to the wire. — CarlisleThe pragmatism we saw from Berhalter’s squad in the past year, shifting in intent and strategy depending on the opponent, isn’t going to go away in Qatar. And that’s probably the way it should be. While we don’t know who will join England, the U.S. and Iran in World Cup Group B — Ukraine and Scotland will play on June 1, with the winner facing Wales on June 5 for the final spot — we can already see that the diversity of approaches within this group is immense.In England, the U.S. will face one of the most talented teams in the world, one that combines an often conservative approach with pure playmaking talent. England is often OK with bunkering deep to defend at times, but with the skill in possession its players naturally possess, it still tend to dominate the ball against all but the best competition (last two years in tournament play: 61.9% possession, 7.9 passes per possession). The U.S. will almost certainly end up with 40% possession or lower whether things are going well or poorly. — Connelly Since the draw, just about every casual conversation I’ve had with anyone about the national team has begun with some version of: “Do you think they’ll get out of the group?” For the USMNT, that’s the most basic way to measure success at a World Cup. If the answer is yes, it’s a success; if it’s a no, it’s a failure. For an event that is generally considered the only one that really matters for the United States (good luck making the case for the Gold Cup or Nations League), it’s a bizarre paradigm. It’ll be easier to have a stronger feeling once the final team in the group is determined, but one of those teams will be widely considered the USMNT’s chief rival to get out of the group, behind favored England. Iran can’t be taken lightly, but on paper, it is the weakest of the six. — Bonagura
USMNT’s Matt Turner to play one more game in New England before Arsenal move
By Charles Boehm @cboehm Monday, May 30, 2022, 08:43 PM
He knows how difficult it will be to earn playing time at mighty Arsenal, how difficult a transfer overseas can be. He’s heard the concerns among US men’s national team fans and pundits that he and two of his fellow goalkeepers are staring at limited minutes in the run-up to the World Cup in Qatar.
“Those same people are probably the ones that were saying that because I play in MLS, I don’t deserve to play for the national team,” Turner told reporters at a media availability in downtown Cincinnati on Monday before the USMNT’s first match of their portentous June camp, against Morocco on Wednesday (7:30 pm ET | ESPN2, UniMas, TUDN).“So it’s hard for me to swallow all the things that people say from time to time. I’m going to go out there, I’m going to put my best foot forward. I think it’s definitely a step up for me, and I’m going to take this as far as I can do it.”
By “this,” Turner means his whole unlikely adventure with soccer, the sport he picked up very late in his adolescence by modern standards, only to turn out to be quite good at it. And even though staying with the New England Revolution might possibly give him an inside track in the competition with Zack Steffen (Manchester City) and Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest) for the national team’s starting job, he sounds certain that this is the time to leap into the English Premier League.“Well, I’ve been playing pretty well in MLS for the better part of three years now. And given the environment of transfers for goalkeepers in particular, this is the first real interest, first real offer that I’ve had,” the New Jersey native explained. “And I’ve been trying to make things happen for quite some time. So it seemed like the right time for me.“Being a week in, week out starter in MLS didn’t guarantee me to be a starter here for the national team, and going to the World Cup, I obviously want to play games. So I need to shake things up in my club career and I think this is a positive step forward, for me in the long term and in the immediate future.”Turner says he’ll play one more match for the Revs after this international window (June 19 home to Minnesota United FC), then jet across the Atlantic on June 21 to begin his Arsenal career in earnest. His wife Ashley, who is pregnant with their first child, is already en route to London to dive into the relocation process while Matt is with the national team.“I still have a little business to take care of over in Foxborough, one more game,” said Turner. “I’m hoping that it’ll be a nice little send-off and I can say bye to the fans and people that are so close to my heart, that really welcomed me to the area. It’s pretty emotional, though, overall, with everything because it’s where I first became a professional.“It’s where I became a man. It’s where I fell in love. It’s where I got married. It’s where I found out I was having my first child. So a lot of firsts in that area. And it’s going to be tough to leave behind, for sure. But I think I’m ready. I know who I am. And I know I’m ready for a new challenge.”Already a Cinderella story with his unheralded climb from undrafted rookie to US international, he’ll have to push his own limits yet again to earn a prominent role with the Gunners while competing with incumbent Aaron Ramsdale. And he’s just fine with betting on himself.
“I’m going to have an entire preseason to get comfortable, learn the system, learn the ropes. And I think there’s going to be a pretty busy fixture list in the beginning of the season. So I’m looking forward to the opportunities that will present themselves and I just want to showcase the best of my ability,” he said. “For me, I’ve always wanted to just get out there and see how far I can take this thing. That has always been my goal for football, for soccer. And so I’m going to take it a step further into the Premier League and we’ll see how it goes for me.
“It’s the sport that I love and I never thought that I’d be in the shoes that I’m in. So I’m playing with house money, and I’m going to just go for it.”
In World Cup year, can Matt Turner “take this leap and challenge myself” at Arsenal?
By Jonathan Sigal @JonathanSigal Wednesday, May 18, 2022, 04:11 PM
Now, with the Qatar 2022 World Cup six months out, there’s a realistic chance the Arsenal-bound netminder could start when the USMNT’s Group B campaign begins Nov. 21 against a to-be-determined European opponent.
The 27-year-old doesn’t lose sight of that arc, and he’s determined to force manager Gregg Berhalter’s hand with his strong play, having started eight World Cup qualifiers as the Yanks placed third in the Octagonal phase.
“My long, arching goal was to be on the roster in any facet,” Turner told The Call Up’s Jillian Sakovits and Susannah Collins. “And I think that’s changed and shifted a little bit to I want to be challenging to be the guy that’s playing in those games. Not just happy being on the team – happy being on the team, but also wanting to be between the sticks when that opening whistle happens.“I’m going to work hard, whatever it takes, whatever I need to prove when I’m over with Arsenal and give it my best shot like I always do. Wherever the chips fall, I’ll let them fall and I’ll do my role to the best of my ability, whatever it is.”
Turner’s likeliest competitor for the No. 1 role is Manchester City’s Zack Steffen, a former Columbus Crew standout. Also 27, he started five WCQs and played under Berhalter during their mutual MLS days.
They face remarkably similar obstacles toward earning first-team minutes, with Steffen the backup to Ederson at club level and Turner slated for a similar role behind Aaron Ramsdale. But Turner covets that test in London, challenging himself to succeed in the Premier League.
“I was talking to Alexi Lalas yesterday and he was like, ‘At what point are you going to stop being this underdog story and own everything?’ I think it’s around this time,” Turner said. “I think it’s around time for me to start putting on my big-boy pants, becoming a father, becoming a husband and moving over, changing leagues, changing scenery.
“I think that’ll be good for me. I think that’ll be good for my career, to sort of take this leap and challenge myself in a lot of ways, on the field, off the field and just help me to really continue that growth in personal and professional life.”
in-world-cup-year-can-matt-turner-take-this-leap-and-challenge-myself-at-arsenal&sessionId=684135d9c97889fd62bb3332a554907e5522122c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=c8fe9736dd6fb%3A1649830956492&width=550px Before making that jump, Turner’s Revolution career has a few final chapters to write. In late June, he’ll depart the club where he went from an undrafted free agent to the 2021 Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and earning a transfer that nets New England around $6 million initially and can reach just under $10 million with incentives.
Turner’s replacement seems to be rising Serbian talent Djordje Petrovic, a midseason acquisition by the reigning Supporters’ Shield winners. But filling the shoes of a player approaching all-time-great territory won’t be easy.
“Do I deserve a legacy? Am I a club legend? I don’t know,” Turner reflected. “I just hope that fans remember some of the fond memories that we all shared. They remember me for the things I was doing not just on the field but also off the field.
“… I just hope people know I always gave my all to this club every time I stepped out onto the field and I always really cared about the results and I always really cared about where this club was headed. I hope that it’s going to be continuing to trend in the same direction it has been since Bruce [Arena] got there.”
Kellyn Acosta – Being Japanese American in America These Days
Los Angeles F.C. | United States May 27, 2022 I’m Japanese. Most people can’t see it. That’s O.K. Some are surprised when they hear it. Again, I can understand. But once people know, the reactions are quite different. Some say, “Hey, that’s awesome!” Others go, “No way. You can’t be.”Yeah. It’s a weird feeling when people refuse to believe who you are.Sometimes I’ll go through the whole spiel. My dad was born in Japan and lived there until he was 10. My grandma is full Japanese. My stepdad, who I consider my grandpa, he’s Mexican — hence Acosta. There’s some Irish blood in there as well, so it’s kinda crazy. A lot of people think I’m Mexican or Spanish or Colombian but, you know, I’m American. Japanese-American. But even after I have said this, some people continue to insist that I’m not. Sometimes I have resorted to showing pictures of my family. Hard proof, right? Case closed.They still won’t believe me. “Naaaaaaaaah. No chance.”Some people have told me I’m adopted. For real. Thankfully I’m at a point in my life where I’m embracing my identity, which is why I’m writing this for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. It’s been a long journey to get here though, which is why I want to tell my story. Not just for all the Asian-Americans out there, but also for anyone who’s been made to feel like they’re somehow different. You see, when I was a kid, I was heckled for standing out. I grew up in Plano, in Texas, which is predominantly white. I’m not just Asian — I’m Black as well. Double minority. Double whammy, right?I was a complete outcast. Even my education was different. My dad is a hard-nosed engineer, very strict, so at home I got the streotypical Asian upbringing. Straight A’s. When my parents divorced, I spent a lot of time with my grandma, who I called Mimi. She would speak Japanese on the phone, watch Japanese news and eat food from the Asian market. In Asian culture a full stomach means a happy heart, so no matter how full I was when I got there, I had to eat. I’d wolf down rice bowls and sushi with wooden chopsticks. Sometimes I’d tell her that I wanted to become a soccer player. She just said that she didn’t care what I became, as long as I had a good heart. But it was hard. Plano is Cowboys Country. The average boy there will play American football, aim for collge and dream about the NFL. Fewe than .10% actually make it, but if you don’t try it’s like, “So what do you do?” Which is shorthand for, You must be a loser. Soccer? That was for girls. Some days I’d wear my soccer tracksuit at school, and I’d get all these comments. “Hey, why are your pants so tight?”“Why are you wearing skinny jeans?”“What are you doing?”If my parents worked late I would be in this after-school program, and my grandma would pick me up. People would see the Black soccer kid in the tracksuit walking over to this Asian lady, and then they would go, “What’s going on here? This guy’s a mess.”They would ask me, “Is she your nanny?” I’d say that she was my grandma.“But you’re not Asian.”“You don’t look like her.”“You’re adopted.”I heard it all. I heard it all. So eventually I tried to kind of hide my grandma away. I would ask her to call the school and let them know she was there so that she didn’t have to get out of the car. I wasn’t embarrassed. I was just tired of people making fun of me. But sometimes she would come in anyway. She’s my grandma, right? She didn’t care. So yeah, it took a toll. My family would tell me that the other kids were jealous, but when you’re a kid it’s hard to understand. One day, when I was about eight or nine years old, I snapped. I’m a pretty reserved person, but it just boiled over. This girl kept making fun of me. She just wouldn’t stop. So I grabbed a pair of scissors and threw them at her. They flew through the air. SWOOOOSSSSH. And they just missed her. Got stuck in a door right behind her. Everyone in the room gasped like, What just happened?I wasn’t trying to hit her. I had decent aim, so it was more to make a point. But I was shocked too. I didn’t know that I was capable of doing that, you know? The teachers called my parents and said they had to come get me immediately. They even kept me away from the other kids, as if I was a dangerous lunatic. I began to cry. I was like, This isn’t me. This isn’t who I am.My head was so cloudy. Being an outcast was eating me up. So I ended up trying to fit in. I’d ask for certain clothes so that I didn’t stand out. I had been in love with soccer since I was about five, and I had also been playing basketball and running track and field, but in seventh grade I began playing American football. It wasn’t me at all. I just wanted to make friends and be part of the group. I was trying to create a new identity. Luckily, I had a friend who showed me how to be me.This guy was a real legend. His name was Zequinha, a Brazilian former professional soccer player, and in the ’60s and ’70s he had been a striker for some of the biggest clubs in Brazil: Flamengo, Botafogo, Grêmio, São Paulo. The guy was legit — he even played with Pelé. Toward the end of his career he had moved to Dallas, where he had started to coach and, when I was seven years old, that’s how I met him. Zequinha was a bit like my grandma: Strict, but sweet and soft-spoken. When you got to know him, he would tell all these crazy stories, like how he’d had to walk miles to training in Brazil, or how they used to tie grocery bags together to make a ball. Stuff that changes your outlook on life. We got so close that I’d stay at his house, ride with him in the car to games and hang out with his son, João, who was about my age. My life became even more multicultural. One night I could be eating a good old American burger. The next I’d be at Mimi’s slurping noodle soup, and then I’d be at Zee’s having feijoada.It was amazing. And you know, Brazilians, they’re different, right? They love creativity and freedom. They are who they are. So when I told Zee about being heckled at school, he told me to stop caring what people said. Stop tiptoeing around others. Stop trying to fit in. Stand out. Be who you are. This guy was my hero. I even dressed up like him once for Halloween, which was supposed to be scary but it didn’t matter, hahaha. (And yes, he had that hair.) But it took some time before I fully embraced what he’d said. It was only once I reached my teens that everything changed. I stopped hiding who I was. I didn’t care about trying to fit in. I told my grandma to come out of her car to get me. I quit American football. I did whatever felt right for me.And guess what? I performed a lot better.I was drawing on all these cultures for inspiraion. My dad always told me to give it 110%, because 100% wasn’t good enough. His buzzword was intensity. Zequinha told me to express myself. Suddenly I was thriving on this mix of Asian discipline and Brazilian creativity. By the time I was 13, people could see that I would turn into a special player, and they gravitated toward me. I was no longer an outcast. I came out of my shell. As I got older and more independent, nobody could really tell that I was Asian, so I didn’t really show it as much as I could have. I wouldn’t say I wasn’t proud. It was more like I was proud in silence. It’s only in these last few years that I have fully embraced my complete identity. Once I did that, it was like the clouds made way for the sunshine. I’m 26 now, and I love being different. I love that I understand so many cultures and that I can relate to so many people, like a social chameleon. I also feel proud that I may have the opportunity to become the first Japanese-American to play in a World Cup. I really hope that I can help inspire others with a similar background. But I wish it hadn’t taken so long. I wish that I had accepted who I was at a younger age.Unfortunately, I still know what it’s like to suffer discrimination and racism. Like walking down the street and seeing people cross the road to avoid me, as if I’m about to rob them. Or going into stores and getting asked, “Are you lost? You know how much that costs?”It’s crazy, it really is. And those are just the ones that pop into my head.Then you have the discrimination against Asian-Americans. There is a national coalition called Stop AAPI Hate that reported more than 9,000 anti-Asian incidents in the 15 months after the pandemic began in March 2020. I didn’t experience any racism like that personally, but I know that my grandma did. We have to keep speaking up about this, so that people realize it’s not O.K. In some ways, things are getting better. A big part of that is social media, and the fact that people are filming racist behavior. Before, it was always a matter of “he said, she said.” Now we have proof. We have to fight to keep that trend going. I also hope that we can celebrate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Mnth more, and educate people about thculture and history of Asian-Americans. It’s amazing how history can teach you things about yourself. A few weeks ago, I went to visit the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo, here in L.A., with my dad and my grandma. My dad has become very Americanized since moving here, but in that museum he remembered things like, “Oh, this is what we had in school. This is what my teacher used to tell me.” My grandma hasn’t been to Japan in half a century, so to see her wind back time was really special, too. Apparently they would take refuge in a cave during the war. She’d have to grab a pail, go to a lake and get water for her brothers and sisters. When they moved to the U.S., they had to stuff everything they had in a bento box, which is like a picnic basket. They turned up here with nothing but a blanket, one change of clothes and a pair of bamboo sandals. I just remember going, This is nuts. Think about it. You wouldn’t even go on a three-day trip with that. My grandma was packing stuff for a new life. In six hours I felt more connected to her than I ever had in my whole life.After that I looked at her and dad with awe. Even though they had been strict with me, I thanked them for the upbringing they had given me. I’m Japanese-American. How could I hear those stories and not be proud of who I am?hoever you are, I hope you embrace your identity too. It doesn’t have to be about being Asian-American — it can be about your sexual orientation, or some interest that you’re afraid to share, or a fashion style that nobody’s into. It can be whatever. Once you embrace that, you’ll have a better understanding of yourself. Then you will realize that there are many people just like you. You’ll find people who support you and love you for who you are. And then you’ll be a lot happier. I’ll leave you with the words that Zequinha gave to me. Whatever you do in life, play with freedom. Be brave. Don’t hide. Forget what the others think.Only you decide who you are.
US referee numbers are plunging and aggression is to blame
We all want better officiating. But it’s tough for referees to develop when abuse from players and spectators hound them out of the game Beau DureThu 26 May 2022 05.00 EDT The Guardian • • My three-year-old could’ve made that call!” exclaimed commentator Kaylyn Kyle after an apparent handball wasn’t called at the end of an NWSL Challenge Cup game between OL Reign and the Washington Spirit.Unfortunately, most three-year-olds who grow up to be soccer fans will be armchair referees rather than being on the field where they’re actually needed.They’ll grow up to spend their hours on Twitter, dissecting photos and videos often taken from sightlines the actual referee and assistant referees do not have. They will also have far more time to process plays than the officials. And too many of them will grow up to become parents and coaches who prowl sidelines yelling at referees until those officials finally toss aside their whistles and quit.We all want better referees. But it’s tough for referees to develop when there’s much more incentive for them to quit than there is for them to stick with it and improve.It’s a simple spiral. Referees drop out of the sport, especially after discovering the joys of extra free-time during the pandemic. Less experienced referees fill their spots. Coaches, players and parents harass and abuse the less experienced referees. Then those referees quit. And then the pool of referees drifting upwards to the top level is that much smaller.
The story is familiar to players in England, where some semi-professional games are going forward with teenagers and some games below that level have no officials at all. In the US, the shortages are rampant at youth level and can even reach up to MLS Next, Major League Soccer’s academy program, for which some grassroots referees in Virginia have seen urgent calls for help. In Utah, the state youth association had reached the point of canceling 570 matches and rescheduling more than 1,000 in one season. They sent out an email trying to drum up interest in referee certification. The response was telling. “We were flooded with responses stating they would never register as referees or allow their children to register because they’ve seen how horrible the treatment of referees has been, and they refuse to be subjected to it,” said Jen Rader, the Utah association’s marketing and media manager.
The response: A ”zero tolerance” policy on complaining to referees. The name is more draconian than the actual policy, which recognizes the reality of heated competition. “Exclamations in the moment are part of the game,” the policy states. “A ‘handball’ or ‘offside’ as an immediate response to a situation is more than acceptable so long as that exclamation ends there.” Coaches and players can still speak respectfully with refs. And if things are unresolved, there’s a complaint procedure that takes place electronically, not with a barracuda parent going after a terrified teenager. To an extent, referee shortages aren’t new. Wisconsin’s youth association instituted its own zero tolerance policy in 2015, citing a “persistent shortage of referees.” The most recognizable referee in recent history, the imposing Pierluigi Collina, warned in 2017 that soccer may face a global shortage of referees. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), which oversees all US scholastic sports, launched a recruitment drive in 2017. But the pandemic has worsened the situation. The US is dealing with labor shortages in many fields, all part of what has been called the Great Resignation, and refereeing is no exception. Spending weekends somewhere other than a soccer field has proven alluring for some, especially when players apparently have pent-up frustration to unleash. “Since the pandemic, I have seen more heated parents, coaches and players than usual,” said Janet Campbell, who chairs referee abuse and assault hearings for North Texas Soccer. “They need to settle down and let the children play the game and let the referees do their jobs. They don’t seem to understand that you have to have referees to play the game.” And the NFHS, five years after launching that recruitment drive, has had to redouble its efforts after seeing referee numbers drop from about 240,000 to 200,000 in three years. Wisconsin is now offering financial incentives – paying for certification and uniforms for new refs, then raising game fees paid to referees in fall 2022 – in addition to beefing up its zero tolerance enforcement. “Zero tolerance policies continue to be enforced and we are also taking steps to be more transparent back to referees and referee leadership of suspensions and sanctions that have been assessed to show the association is working to curb behavioral issues,” said Brandon Wachholz, Wisconsin’s youth referee administrator. Another factor feeding the frenzy on the sidelines – the US now has no shortage of games on television, which means parents and players witness (and are perhaps tempted to emulate) pundits and the professionals dissenting referees’ decisions. Advertisement And to be sure, sometimes the critics have a point. Though Kyle’s rant of nearly three minutes over what was, at worst, a simple mistake was over the top, NWSL fans can’t be faulted for complaining about a few institutional issues. Namely: • The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) assigns NWSL games to Tier B and Tier C referees in their development ladder, multiple tiers below MLS. • The league lacks VAR, which might have shed some light on the incident Kyle decried as well as a horror tackle, committed by Washington’s Sam Staab, of which the referee didn’t have a clear view – screened, as is so often the case even with top-notch referees, by the defender trailing back to catch the attacker. • MLS has some transparency via a weekly YouTube review, while PRO offers a weekly behind-the-scenes look at VAR in MLS. • Refs assigned to the league also have a curious aversion to red cards – in 2018, Carli Lloyd and Marta were the only players to be sent off. Kyle also happened to be on the field for one of the most controversial games in recent international play – a 2012 Olympic semi-final in which her Canadian team suffered two dubious calls in quick succession that allowed the US to get back into the game and eventually march on to the final. That game still elicits strong feelings in Canada. It was also the last major international game officiated by Norway’s Christina Pedersen, who was just 31 at the time. By the letter of the law, she didn’t even make mistakes – she simply made decisions that aren’t usually made. Fifa and Uefa aren’t prone to announcing that a referee has been removed from the public arena, but whether her disappearance was their decision or Pedersen’s, those two calls were clearly pivotal. Pedersen’s exit from the international stage also proves that referees are held accountable – in many ways, more than players or coaches are. One bad game or even a couple of simple mistakes can sink a referee’s career. Players can fill blooper reels and still get called up to national teams. Players, coaches and even commentators can look at a play multiple times and still misunderstand the call. Case in point: On a 2010 World Cup broadcast, Efan Ekoku ranted about what he considered an erroneous offside call, either failing to notice that the attacker was well past the goalkeeper or failing to realize the rules say “second-to-last opponent,” not “last outfield player.” And there’s no shortage of commentators. Ex-players happily line up to take a microphone, not a whistle. We’ll never hear of a broadcast in which the broadcaster simply couldn’t find anyone willing to take the gig. But if the referee pool keeps dwindling, plenty of games will go forward without a full officiating crew. Maybe Kyle’s three-year-old should go ahead and sign up now.
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Congrats to the U13 2009 Carmel FC Boys Gold team with coaches Jeremy Slivinski and Chris White as they advance to the President Cup Final after a perfect 3-0 mark last weekend at Grand Park. Good luck next weekend in the Finals boys! Also the 2009 Girls Gold Team coached by Doug Latham and Paul Cullingtonadvanced to the State Cup finals. I will try to dig up some game times for our teams at State/Prez/Challenge Cup finals next weekend at Grand Park in case you want to come watch. I hope to be reffing as well.
Wow what a final we have lined up – certainly Liverpool has been dominant in this competition since coach Juergen Klopp arrived – they face the winningest team in Champions League history in Real Madrid. The Madridistas have been on the edge of their seats as Ballon D Or Leader and #9 Benzema has helped this team pull out some late game dramatics in 2 huge come from behind wins. The late goals vs Man City – the things legends are made of as they scored 2 goals in the last 5 minutes to force extra time where they won it on a Benzema goal. I love the match-up and see a hard fought and high scoring affair – both teams like to attack and neither is necessarily the best on the defensive wings especially. Both teams have great goalkeepers who can win for them in Alisson for Liverpool and Courtios for Madrid. I see an early goal by Liverpool being the difference and a 3-2 win by the men in Red. The Reds will fall just 1 pt short of the Quadruple (League Cup/FA Cup/Champs League/EPL title) if they can pull it off.
CARMEL FC COACHES AND FRIENDS – Join us at the PINT ROOM in DOWNTOWN CARMEL 110 W Main St. 2:45 pm Game starts at 3 pm
Finally a Network – CBS Treats Champs League with the respect it deserves
CBS is going all out with wall to wall coverage live from Paris France– The pregame starts at 1:30 pm with the best in the business Kate Abdo on site with Jamie Carragher, Thierry Henry, and Micah Richards, Peter Schmeichel, Jenny Chui. Unlike Fox and TBS/TNT (which was a friggin nightmare on Coverage) – CBS is employing real soccer talent to give us the full perspective on the game. Camilla Cabello – has the pregame concert and my favorite Anthem in all of sports We Are the Champions will get things started at about 2:45 pm. Over 400 million (4 times the Superbowl) will be watching Worldwide – a # only matched by the World Cup and the Olympics. So tune in and enjoy!! (here’s the intro from the last time these teams played).
USA vs Morocco Wed 7 pm ESPN
The US Men are back in action as we have some huge June Games set to prepare us for World Cup play in Nov. Returning to the team off a broken foot is Weston McKennie of Juve (though I suspect he may not play more than a half in these 1st 2 games in early June.) Former German Youth National Malik Tillman (Bayern Munich) -whose dad is an American serviceman has flipped to the US and should get his first game action in the Red. White and Blue most probably at the #9 slot. Center forward Haji Wright hopes to ride his hot streak of goals at Antalyaspor into a June chance at claiming the unclaimed #9 shirt for the US along with a fairly hot Jesus Ferreira from Dallas FC. The Backline is looking for a replacement for starter Miles Robinson who is lost to an achilles heel injury for the year. Erik Palmer Brown and Cameron Carter Vickers fresh off his helping Celtic win the league in Ireland will battle with Aaron Long for the spot opposite Penciled in starter and Captain Walker Zimmerman. Also good to see 19 YO outside back Joe Scally (MGladbach starter) back in the fold and hopefully we’ll see him in action in 1 of the first 2 games. The other interesting callback is midfielder Mihailovic who has reinvigorated his career in Montreal in MLS I would guess we’ll see him in the Nations League games in late June. Late note that Zack Steffen will miss these summer games so I see I have my starters below in a game which I think we will win 2-1 over Morocco.
Shane’s Starters for Wed game vs Morocco in Cincy
Haji Wright or Malik Tilman
Pulisic/Aaronson
Luca De La Torre/Yanus Musah
Adams
Robinson/CCV/Zimmerman/Yedlin
Matt Turner
The 26-man roster for June Games
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest), Zack Steffen (Manchester City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution), Sean Johnson (DC United)
DEFENDERS (9): George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic FC), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes), Antonee Robinson (Fulham FC), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg), Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea FC), Tim Weah (Lille), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor)
This is why the EPL is the Best League in the World
The EPL came down to the final minutes on the final day of the final game of the season as Man City had to make up a 2 goal deficit to Aston Villa with 20 minutes to play to pull of the 3-2 victory at home to win their 4th straight league title by 1 point over Liverpool – who also had to come from behind to keep the pressure on Man City (they won 2-1). Arsenal won but couldn’t make up points on Tottenham who won and had Son Min tie for the Golden Boot with Mo Salah of Liverpool after tallying 1 on Sunday. Man United tied but still finished in the 6th spot automatic qualifier for Europa League play over West Ham United who lost and will now have to qualify their way in.
American Manager Jesse Marsch Keeps Leeds United in the EPL
Wow – I am going to have to get me a Leeds United America Shirt now – as coach Jesse Marsch pulled a rabbit out of the hat and kept his team alive be winning on the final day in the last minutes of the game (again) to secure their way out of the relegation zone. Leeds finishes in 17th place – but picked up a solid # of points since Marsch took over to help keep them alive. Now Marsch and the Club have signed American National Brenden Aaronson (who Marsch coached at Salzburg) for 30 million making him the 2nd highest US signee to Christian Pulisic’s $75 million a couple of years ago. Also on the short list for wants at Leeds – Barca’s Sergino Dest and Tyler Adams from Red Bull. All the crap about Marsch’s American accent and him being Ted Lasso and he doesn’t belong in the EPL – well boys if you believe!!
Come Downtown, attend the AES 500 FESTIVAL PARADE & then make your way to Carroll Stadium to see Indy Eleven throw their version of a Race Day celebration in partnership with Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kickoff is set for 4 pm vs New Mexico with multiple special Indy 500 like celebrations, shirts, and the BYB Little 500 BigWheel Race starting at 1:30 pm. Preview of Game Indy Eleven closes out a run of six home games in seven matches with a rare matinee at Carroll Stadium against its practical mirror image from the Western Conference in New Mexico United. Both teams enter Saturday’s match on hot streaks, the Boys in Blue winning five of their last six and the Black-and-Yellow going unbeaten in their last four outings, including two straight wins. After enjoying plenty of home cooking since the beginning of April, Indy Eleven will embark on a June-long, 4-game road trip before returning to “The Mike” on July 2. Indy Eleven will look to stay unbeaten in league play at Carroll Stadium, where its 4W-0L-1D mark in Championship action includes four straight victories. Order your tickets now.
BIG GAMES ON TV
Champions League Specials on CBS Sports Network
Friday, May 27, 2022
CBSSN1981 European Cup Final: Liverpool vs. Real Madrid – 9 p.m.
CBSSH 2018 UCL Final: Real Madrid vs. Liverpool – 11 p.m.
Saturday, May 28, 2022
2019 UCL Finals: Finals Archive – 1 a.m.
2007 & 2012 UCL Finals: Finals Archive – 1:30am ET
1 pm CBS, TUDN Champions League Pre-Game
3 pm CBS, Univision Liverpool vs Real Madrid Final
4 pm ESPN+, WNDY Indy 11 vs New Mexico United (Indy 500 Day)
8 pm Para+ Chicago Red Stars vs Portland Thorns NWSL
Sun, June 1
3 pm Para+ OL Reign vs San Diego Wave NWSL
6 pm Unimas, ESPN+ LA Galaxy vs Austin
9 pm Para+ Angel City vs NY/NJ Gotham
9:10 pm Univision Pachuca vs Atlast Liga MX
9:30 pm Fox Spprts 1 Seattle Sounders vs Charlotte
All evaluations and tryouts will be held at Shelborne Fields. 3451 W 126th St, Carmel, IN 46032.
June 7, 2022 – Players 10u, 9u and 8u (Birth Years 2013 to 2016)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before evaluations begin.
Evaluations for all age groups: 6pm to 7:30pm
——————————————————————————————————————–
June 13, 2022- Players 11u and older (Birth Years 2004 to 2012)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before tryouts.
Tryouts for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012: 5:45pm to 7:15pm
Tryouts for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008: 7:30pm to 9pm. ——————————————————————————————————————– Use this link to register for tryouts. Visit : carmelfc.teamapp.com Please email info@cdccarmelfc.com. with any questions.
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— Alexander-Arnold — Matip — Van Dijk — Robertson —
—- Henderson —- Fabinho —- Keita —-
—- Salah —- Mane —- Diaz —-
Alisson will obviously start in goal and the back four pretty much picks itself now that Virgil van Dijk is back from his injury scare. Joel Matip will get the nod over Ibrahima Konate but the latter has done absolutely nothing wrong when rotated into the lineup and he’s been very good in the Champions League this season.
In midfield Jordan Henderson is expected to start but then it gets interesting. Fabinho is back in training after his hamstring issue which is a huge boost. But will he be ready to start the final? Klopp told reporters that Fabinho is back training normally, while another huge boost for Liverpool is that Thiago Alcantara is fit. Will he start? He didn’t really do anything too rigorous on the pitch in Liverpool’s final training season before the final and it is tough to see him starting. That leaves one central midfield spot open and it is likely that Naby Keita will start in the midfield three over James Milner and Curtis Jones.
Up top Mohamed Salah will start on the right and Sadio Mane could well start through the middle again with Luis Diaz starting on the left. Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota are pushing to start but both are very good options off the bench.
Real Madrid lineup (projected, 4-2-3-1)
—- Courtois —–
—- Carvajal —- Militao —- Alaba —- Mendy —-
—- Casemiro —- Kroos —-
—- Valverde —- Modric —- Vinicius Jr. —-
—– Benzema —–
This Real Madrid team is very settled and has an excellent blend of youth and experience. Veteran left back Marcelo is their only injury concern as Carlo Ancelotti has been able to rest plenty of players in recent weeks after they won the La Liga title with weeks to spare. That means Real will be fully fit, but will their rhythm be impacted by players going in and out of the lineup?
In defense Dani Carvajal is expected to start at right back with Eder Militao and David Alaba at center back and the excellent Ferland Mendy at left back tasked with shutting down Salah.
In midfield the duo of Casemiro and Toni Kroos will start as the holders with Luka Modric pulling all of the strings just ahead of them. In attack Federico Valverde and Vinicius Jr look set to start on the right and left respectively with red-hot Karim Benzema leading the line. Youngsters Rodrygo and Eduardo Camavinga have played extremely well in cameos off the bench and they will have a big part to play in this final.
Liverpool vs Real Madrid live! Champions League final, how to watch, latest news
Liverpool vs Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final in Paris (Saturday, 3pm ET kick off) is the epic showpiece game that this season’s tournament deserved.
These two teams epitomize this competition as Real have won more European titles (13) than anybody else, while Liverpool sit joint-third in the all-time list of European champions with six.Jurgen Klopp vs Carlo Ancelotti. Virgil van Dijk vs Karim Benzema. Trent Alexander-Arnold vs Vinicius Jr. Mohamed Salah vs David Alaba. The list of epic head-to-head battles goes on and on as these two European giants collide at the Stade de France to be crowned European champions.Given that these teams met in the final in Kiev in 2017-18 (when Real prevailed) and Liverpool won the title in 2018-19, these two Goliath’s continue to dine at the top table of European soccer season-after-season and their fanbases hold this trophy in even greater esteem than winning the domestic title.Below is everything you need to know ahead of the Champions League final, as Liverpool vs Real Madrid will see two heavyweights go all-out to be crowned Champions of Europe once again.
How to watch Liverpool vs Real Madrid live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 3pm ET, Saturday (May 28) Venue: Stade de France, Paris TV Channel: CBS, Univision, TUDN Live analysis from Stade de France: From Joe Prince-Wright here on NBCSports.com Online: Stream via Paramount+
Sights and sounds in Paris + Press conferences, live! – By Joe Prince-Wright at Stade de France
Wrapping things up from a sunny Stade de France!Final question of Klopp’s press conference was about the final being moved from St Petersburg to Paris. His response was emotional and her’s what he said.Jurgen Klopp is asked Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara. He says it looks good for both. Great news for Liverpool fans.Robertson and Alexander-Arnold are being asked a lot about Liverpool not winning the title on the final day. They so they have ‘put it behind them’ and say Champions League final is best way to get over it.Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are both batting away questions about Liverpool not being fresh and Real Madrid having a bit of an edge as they’re rested.“It goes without saying we have a world class opponent staying in our way,” Alexander-Arnold says.Trent and Robbo are here…
Welcome to the Stade de France! The Liverpool team have arrived in Paris and we are about to speak to Jurgen Klopp, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson here in the press conference room.
Liverpool team news, injuries, lineup options
Klopp has breathed a huge sigh of relief after Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk were both injured in the FA Cup final but Salah played in the final Premier League game of the season and VVD was on the bench, so they’re fine. His main issue is in midfield. Thiago Alcantara trained with the group on Friday at the Stade de France, while Fabinho has been back in full training for a few days. The latter news is massive as Fabinho’s ability to help cut off the service to Benzema will be huge.
If Thiago isn’t fit to start, expect Naby Keita to start in midfield with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho. Up top Klopp has a huge call to make (he’s been getting it right for months with his rotation of his front five) as Luis Diaz may start on the left with Sadio Mane through the middle and Salah on the right. However, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota have consistently shown they can impact the game and it would not be a surprise if either started ahead of Diaz in attack.
Real Madrid team news, injuries, lineup options
Carlo Ancelotti has had the luxury of resting his key players in recent weeks as Real won the La Liga title at a canter. Veteran left back Marcelo is Real’s only injury concern and that leaves Ancelotti with plenty of options in midfield and attack as youngsters Rodrygo and Eduardo Camavinga have pushed hard to try and grab a starting spot in the final.
Liverpool vs Real Madrid head-to-head record
Liverpool wins: 3 Real Madrid wins: 4 Draw: 1
Liverpool record in European Cup finals
Title won: 6 Runners up: 3 Seasons they’ve won the European Cup: 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005, 2019
Real Madrid record in European Cup finals
Title won: 13 Runners up: 3 Seasons they’ve won the European Cup: 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018
Liverpool vs Real Madrid odds
(-105) Liverpool vs Real Madrid (+260). Draw: +270
Champions League final: Liverpool vs. Real Madrid will be box office
May 25, 2022 Gabriele MarcottiSenior Writer, ESPN FC
PARIS — If the Champions League final is the European game’s answer to the Super Bowl — and there are some powerbrokers who ould love to make it even more so — then most will be more than happy with Saturday’s contenders. Liverpool versus Real Madrid ticks many of the hype boxes so dear to sponsors and broadcasters, but also likely reflects the current pecking in order in Europe.There’s no fairytale here. There’s merit and savvy, quality and confidence, experience and grit. Most observers would rank Liverpool, runners-up in the Premier League and winners of the League Cup and FA Cup, and Real Madrid, winners of LaLiga, as two of the top three club sides in Europe this season. (In case you’re wondering, the third member of this season’s dominant trinity is Premier League champions Manchester City, who were beaten by Real Madrid in a dramatic semifinal comeback).Those three were the elite among Europe’s already elite super clubs as the others fell to the wayside. Paris Saint-Germain, despite the Neymar–Kylian Mbappe–Lionel Messi frontline, and Chelsea, the reigning European champions, were felled by, yes, Madrid, whose run to the final has seen them knockout multiple potential winners with late comebacks. Bayern Munich and Juventus fell to giant-slaying upstarts Villarreal (themselves beaten by Liverpool, after giving them a scare). Fellow blue-bloods Barcelona and Manchester United also made early exits, burdened respectively by the fallout of a near financial meltdown and the ongoing chaos and psychodrama that is Old Trafford.
So you have two more-than-legitimate finalists. We’ll let marketing folk with their consumer surveys work out where they rank, but it’s safe to say that in terms of global fan base and brand strength, both Real Madrid and Liverpool are in the top five. Part of the reason why the City of Light’s tricolor may as well ditch the blue for the next few days and leave just Madrid’s white and Liverpool’s red, because that’s all you’ll see on the streets.Nobody can question their history, both past and present. Nobody has been European champions more than Real Madrid, who have won it 13 times, dating back to the days when it was called the European Cup (same trophy, by the way, just rebranded as Champions League) in the mid-1950s. But Liverpool have won it six times and victory on Saturday will see them match AC Milan‘s seven victories in second place. And we’re talking recent success, too. This is Liverpool’s third trip to the final in the past five years; Real Madrid have won it four times in the past eight campaigns.But you also have a delicious tasting menu of subplots and backstories.For a start, in some ways it’s a grudge match following the 2017-18 Champions League final in Kyiv. That night, Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1, but, for many Reds, the way the game unfolded still smarts. Goalkeeper Loris Karius made two colossal blunders and star forward Mohamed Salah had to be substituted after half an hour following a clash with Sergio Ramos. Salah will be there on Saturday night, along with 18 others from both teams who were involved in Kyiv. Ramos, the sort of player loathed by opponents and adored by supporters, might be temped to be there too, and not just for trolling purposes: after all, he spent 16 years at Real Madrid and now plays for PSG, just a short trip around the Peripherique from the Stade de France.
Then there’s the fact that Real Madrid arrive with the ego somewhat bruised. Not the players mind you — if there’s one thing this season’s comeback run to the final has taught us is that few can match them for resilience, unflappability and sheer self-belief — but Madridismo, that great collective (part-philosophy, part-flesh and blood) of supporters and club members itself.After months in which it appeared dead certain that they were signing star striker Mbappe, one of the two heirs apparent to the Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly, as a free agent, the French superstar said “non” and instead opted to stay at PSG.It was a shock to many and even prompted Mbappe to personally reach out to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and give long interviews to explain his decision. It’s not just the fact that it throws Madrid’s summer transfer plans into disarray, it’s the fact that this is a club unaccustomed to not getting its way. Mbappe, who was born and raised just a few miles away, will hang over Madrid fans on Saturday; in spirit, if not in body. playhere’s more to ratchet up the hype meter and the star power. Real Madrid have the presumptive Ballon d’Or winner (Karim Benzema) and a pixieish turn-back-the-clock floppy-haired genius who, even at 36, sees and hits passes others can only draw on whiteboards (Luka Modric).
Liverpool have Salah, the Premier League’s top scorer, and Sadio Mane: bitter rivals on another continent — Mane’s Senegal outlasted Salah’s Egypt in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations — brothers in goals on the pitch. The goalkeepers, Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois and Liverpool’s Alisson, are arguably the best in the world, capable of the sort of stand-on-your-head performance that can single-handedly win you a final. Both coaches are wildly popular and quick with a smile, albeit all business in the 90 minutes in their own way: Jurgen Klopp maniacally waving his arms and roving the sideline, Carlo Ancelotti intensely chewing gum and huddling with his assistant, Davide, who also happens to be his son. Klopp is looking for his second Champions League title; Ancelotti his fourth, more than any other manger in the history of the game.
They arrive at the final having taken different paths. Real Madrid wrapped up the Liga title some three weeks ago and spent their final games recuperating and resting their battle-weary stars; Liverpool, who reached the final in every competition they entered, played an FA Cup final and contested a Premier League title right up until the dying minutes of the last day of the season, less than a week ago. (That’s another age-old question to be resolved: better to be well-rested, or better to keep the competitive juices flowing until the very end?)The scene is set and it could not shape up any better: for the supporters, for the neutrals, for the lucky 80,000 in the ground and the hundreds of millions watching around the globe, for the organizers and for the sponsors, for the storytellers and for the dreamers.All that’s left is for the two teams to take the pitch and deliver. Do not let us down.
Zack Steffen to miss U.S. World Cup prep matches; Sean Johnson added
The 27-year-old Steffen was considered the top American goalkeeper going into qualifying last September but was sidelined at times by a back injury and started six of 14 qualifiers. New England‘s Matt Turner, who joins Arsenal in July, started eight.
Steffen has 29 international appearances.He played in just nine matches this season for Manchester City, where he is Ederson’s backup. He appeared in just one Premier League game along with four in the FA Cup, two in League Cup, and one each in Champions League and the Community Shield.Johnson, 32, joins Turner and Nottingham Forest‘s Ethan Horvath on the roster. Johnson debuted for the U.S. in 2011 and has nine international appearances.Forest faces Huddersfield on Sunday in the Championship promotion playoff final for a place in next season’s Premier League.The U.S. plays exhibitions against Morocco on Wednesday in Cincinnati and against Uruguay on June 5 at Kansas City, Kansas, then has CONCACAF Nations League matches against Grenada on June 10 in Austin, Texas, and at El Salvador four days later.The Americans have just two more World Cup prep matches after, a pair of friendlies in Europe in September. They open the World Cup in Qatar on Nov. 21 against Wales, Scotland or Ukraine. They play England four days later and close group play against Iran on Nov. 29.
USMNT analysis
Analysis: A deep dive into Berhalter’s 27-man USMNT roster for June
The roster is out, Gregg Berhalter has named a 27-player roster for the upcoming friendlies against Morocco on June 1, Uruguay on June 5, followed by the start of the Nations League against Grenada on June 10 and El Salvador on June 14. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks down the roster with his thoughts and analysis.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTA MAY 20, 202211:30 AM
UNITED STATES NATIONAL team head coach Gregg Berhalter today announced his 27-player roster for the upcoming friendlies against Morocco and Uruguay along with the start of the CONCACACF Nations League. The roster is most important, obviously, because it is one of the final opportunities Berhalter will have with his players prior to the start of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.Many of the top stories on the roster have already been leaked over the past few weeks.Haji Wright and Cameron Carter-Vickers were going to get a chance.Sergino Dest, Gio Reyna, Jordan Pefok, Chris Richards, and Josh Sargent have all been carrying injuries.As announced by the German U-21 head coach, Malik Tilman will switch to play for the United States. Regardless of most of the surprises being known ahead of time, here are my thoughts on it all. THE ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 7/0), Zack Steffen (Manchester City/ENG; 29/0), Matt Turner (New England Revolution; 16/0)
DEFENDERS (9): George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld/GER; 6/0), Reggie Cannon (Boavista/POR; 24/1), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 8/0), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; 23/3), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes/FRA; 3/0), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 25/2), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 0/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami; 73/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 28/3)
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg/AUT; 18/5), Paul Arriola (FC Dallas; 44/9), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; 9/3), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; 46/10), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 48/21), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 22/2), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor/TUR; 0/0)
MCKENNIE’S RETURN
Weston McKennie was named to the roster and at a time when many key American players are injured, McKennie looks ready to go. He’s an important part of the team and it was obvious in the loss to Costa Rica in March that the team needs grit in the midfield in the form of a two-way midfielder who can do the dirty work, win balls, disrupt the opposition, and get the ball forward into the attack.McKennie has been out since suffering a broken metatarsal in his foot while playing for Juventus in March. For that, Berhalter tempered enthusiasm as to what he can accomplish in this camp. “I wouldn’t be expecting him to play major minutes in these in the first couple of games,” Berhalter said of McKennie. “Hopefully, and this is hopefully, we can get to a point where he can start one of the Nations League games, but that’s not guaranteed. He’s been doing a great job and getting back and for us it’s just great to have him back in camp and hopefully get him some playing time throughout the camp.”
MALIK TILLMAN’S ADDITION
On Thursday, German U-21 national team head coach Antonio Di Salvo announced that Bayern Munich attacker Malik Tillman would no longer represent Germany and would instead represent the United States moving forward. Di Salvo admitted to being surprised by the decision.We regret Malik’s decision and it surprised us very much,” said Di Salvo. “We encouraged him as a younger player with the U-21s, placed a lot of trust in him, and gave him playing time. In addition, we were in intensive exchange regarding his prospects on a path to the senior national team.”After that, Tillman’s addition to the U.S. roster was expected although his change of association has not been completed. He will not be eligible to play until it is completed.The United States needs more attackers across the board and more goal scoring threats. Right now, there are still a lot of players who haven’t been scoring enough goals for their club teams – whether it be on the wings or in midfield. Players such as Luca de la Torre, Yunus Musah, and Tim Weah, have all has seasons that haven’t produced goals. Those players all have something to offer, but the question is where are the goals going to come from? Tillman is certainly a useful player to add to the mix.”He’s an attacking midfielder in a 3-4-2-1,” Berhalter said. “He could be a pocket winger in a 4-3-3. He could be a center mid in a 4-3-3 depending on if we can get his defensive work up to where it needs to be. But he’s really talented between the lines, he really has a knack for scoring goals, good and calm around the penalty box, good technique scoring both feet – both footed. So, he’s an interesting player.”Expectations should be tempered. It’s not wise to start posting him into key roles for Qatar until it is seen how he can do with the team. He is young, at age 19, and has shown glimpses of great promise and potentially a high ceiling. But until first team minutes establish a benchmark, it is tough to tell. Even with German youth national teams or dominating at the reserve level, it can be hit and miss. Shawn Parker, Gedion Zelalem, Julian Green, Terrence Boyd never materialized into full national team quality for any length of time. On the other hand, John Brooks and Fabian Johnson did.We won’t really know until he settles into a first team level. Next season, it appears as if he will head out on loan and that will be a good thing.Berhalter also opened up about Tillman’s recruting. “It started maybe about a year ago,” Berhalter said. “He was he was a player that was actually in a U15 camp with Gio Reyna and George Bello. And so he’s been in our youth program before. We saw him progressing and getting feedback from from his performance. It was something that became interesting to us, although he was only 18 years old. And so when we started speaking to him and his representative, it was just about painting the vision of our program and where we potentially see him fitting in…We had some good conversations a couple of weeks ago in Munich and was happy to see him commit to us and looking forward to working with him in camp.” Still, adding a promising prospect to the mix is always a good thing. It continues to be a numbers game and a program can have all its hopes in a limited number of players. When you see the U.S. U-20 team struggle to find a number of forwards for a second straight cycle (2023 and 2021) and the once promising forwards of 2019 in Sebastian Soto struggling, finding more players helps and is good forward thinking.
LEFT BACK COMPETITION
We know Antonee Robinson is the starting left back for the United States national team when healthy. Gregg Berhalter has been praiseworthy over the Fulham left back.The backup left back position, however, is wide open and that is mainly because no one has stepped up to take the chance. George Bello has been the most used left-back but his positioning has been up and down for both the U.S. and with his club team Arminia Bielefeld, which was relegated from the Bundesliga.The other left-back on this roster is Joe Scally, who is a right-footed option but will get the opportunity to make a case for him as the team’s back-up left back. Scally enjoyed a terrific start to the season in the Bundesliga but the second half the season has mostly seen him play off the bench.This will be an interesting competition and development to watch because neither option has been convincing and if they don’t convince here, perhaps Berhalter decides to change again late in the game and go with Sam Vines – who was ahead of Bello at the Gold Cup last year, or a player like DeJuan Jones who has the athleticism in droves that would not require the team to change the way it plays.
CB PAIRINGS & FORMATION
Berhalter named four central defenders to the mix. It was noted that Richards was not named because of injury.Walker Zimmerman, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Erik Palmer-Brown, and Aaron Long will make up the foursome this camp. What is striking about this is that none of these four players were on the team at the start of World Cup qualifying in September.Zimmerman only played his way onto the team in October. Palmer-Brown was riding the bench at the time in France. Carter-Vickers wasn’t completely rated at the time. Aaron Long was injured.It’s actually stunning to think about how much central defense can change. Miles Robinson is, of course, out unil 2023 Tim Ream has probably aged out, James Sands’ position isn’t set, John Brooks has a situation where he just off the team, Chris Richards is hurt, and Mark McKenzie also hasn’t had a great season.Now Berhalter will be looking to hope what is a late-emerging core can develop chemistry. Yes, Zimmerman has been with Berhalter for a while, Long also has familiarity before his injury, and Chris Richards will be back after he heals ( although he has missed a lot of time dating to last season).It will be interesting to see how the pairings go. He has two physical defenders in Zimmerman and Carter-Vickers (who isn’t tall but is strong), and two more mobile defenders in Long and Palmer-Brown. In Palmer-Brown’s one appearance in qualifying, he was a more of a wing-back.One other factor to consider is that Berhalter said he wants to look at a three central defender formation, Reggie Cannon has been playing that role. Regardless of who plays there, the idea of the formation is to get the fullbacks forward. If that doesn’t happen, the benefits of the formation are neutralized.
FORM WATCH
There are a number of different players who are on this roster who come in either red hot form or who are struggling. It will be interesting to see how they perform and it could be a sign that they are either peaking heading into the World Cup or could be in spot playing their way off the team. Here’s just a list.
Djordje Mihailovic: The former Chicago midfielder played with the U.S team early in Berhalter’s cycle but faded out. He took his game to another level in Montreal. This season he has seven goals and four assists between MLS and CCL games. Over the last 50 games between both competitions, he has 11 goals and 18 assists. Bottom line is that he played his way onto the roster.
Haji Wright: The Antalyaspor forward, 24, has been in the form of his life. Entering into Friday’s game, he has 13 goals on the season and nine goals in his last nine games (goals in each of his last seven games. Like Mihailovic, he played his way onto the team.
Jesus Ferreira: Ferreira has essentially played his way onto the team. He’s not a traditional No. 9 but he is skillful and can pass to help elevate his teammates. He’s is more of a “false nine” but his goalscoring has been impressive as he leads MLS in goals with nine.
Cristian Roldan: Roldan has taken on more of a late-game sub role for the national team and he rarely starts. Even last summer in the Gold Cup when it wasn’t the full selection of players, he rarely started. He can bring life into the game. But for Seattle, he’s been in terrific form and was one of the best players in the entire CONCACAF Champions League. In that winning effort, he won a huge majority of his duels, drew key penalties, and assisted. It truly is a unique form for him.
Luca De la Torre: Until recently, de la Torre had been having a nice season. But the end of the season has been a nosedive. Everyone on Heracles has been playing poorly and de la Torre hasn’t helped. The team finished the season with three straight losses against bottom-third Eredivisie teams. Having fallen into the relegation playoff position, Heracles was thoroughly outplayed in the first leg 3-0 by Excelsior of the second tier. De la Torre was defensively partially responsible for the first goal and his turnover directly resulted in the third goal. Barring a miracle in the second leg, he will be entering into camp in a very tough spot.”I’ve been in the exact situation he’s in right now,” Berhalter said. “Your team is going into the relegation area. You have to play playoffs. You’re ending the season on a down note, you’re exhausted because you’ve been playing all these games and the team collectively is in a funk.””My team ended up getting relegated in Holland in the same conditions that he’s under,” Berhalter added. “The warning to him is don’t take any of these teams lightly and you’ve got to get recovered. You got to get your group up with that same energy because these teams are coming up from the second division and they’re motivated and if you’re not up for it, you’re going to get beat. So that’s a concern.”
George Bello: Similar to de la Torre, it has been a tough five months for George Bello since moving to Arminia Bielefeld in the Bundesliga. In the second-to-last game of the season, Bello lost his man and converted a own-goal to essentially seal his club’s relegation. Bello hasn’t made a compelling case yet to be Antonee Robinson’s back-up at left back and if he doesn’t play well this camp, it might cost him a chance to go to Qatar.
THE NO. 9
The number of No. 9 options Berhalter has tried over the past year makes for a long list: Josh Sargent, Daryl Dike, Jordan Pefok, Ricardo Pepi, Matthew Hoppe, Jesus Ferreira, Gyasi Zardes, and now Haji Wright. What is particularly impressive about the length of this list is that all of this came not during experimental friendlies but rather World Cup qualifying and the Gold Cup. A list that long shows that not much has been working. Now it will be up to Jesus Ferreira and Haji Wright this camp. That is fair and the correct choice to call both of them. They are the two hottest American forwards who are healthy. It is an enormous camp for both of them. If they both can play well, it could give the U.S. team stability heading into the World Cup. On Monday, Berhalter spoke at length about Wright’s rapid rise in recent months.”He’ll get the opportunity to play in this camp,” Berhalter said. “We only have two true strikers on the roster, so he will get an opportunity. In terms of his path. It’s been really interesting to follow. He’s been bouncing around at clubs and hasn’t really stuck at any club and hasn’t really outperformed anywhere yet. But this year, I think it’s an exception. And speaking to their coaching staff, they’ve been really pleased with his progress. They’ve been really pleased with how he started slow but then picked up momentum, really changed his mindset, changed his mentality and was able to start dominating in games. And I’ve watched a lot of his games and he’s doing an excellent job. So I think now is the perfect time. We always talk about form and trying to capitalize on guys form. I think now is the perfect time to get him back into the group.
NOTABLE OMISSIONS
As with any roster, there are notable absences. So, let’s discuss them.
The injuries need no further explanation: Gio Reyna, Sergino Dest, Josh Sargent, Jordan Pefok, and Chris Richards were all listed as injured. U.S. Soccer also announced that Dayl Dike was given the chance to continue his rehab progress after missing the second half of the season for West Brom Albion. “There are a number of players that started their first season in Europe and had very little rest coming off and MLS season and we’re really thrown into it, notably Ricardo Pepi, Gianluca Busio, James Sands,” Berhalter said. “It doesn’t mean that any of these players that I mentioned don’t have a chance to participate in the World Cup. Ricardo Pepi: his absence was known in advance. It has been a struggle for him since moving to Germany with Augsburg and U.S. Soccer felt it was in his interest to regroup. That is a smart decision and it also allows the more in-form forwards to make a case.
John Brooks: will certainly get a lot of talk when supporters digest the roster. But Berhalter is has been consistent with not calling Brooks up. Is it a personality difference, is it a lack of chemistry, is it due to his performance with the team prior to the start of his exclusion last year? Possibly a combination of everything. Berhalter said the fact that Brooks is switching clubs could help him.”Trust me, he’s not out permanently,” Berhalter said of Brooks. “That’s not our idea. The idea is we want players that can fit our game model, that can that can play in our game or can make us better.””We’re going to be able to see him now in his new environment, hopefully doing things that are similar to what we need him to do,” he added of Brooks. “And that could help him, you know, make a case to be on the roster.”
Gianluca Busio: the former Sporting Kansas City midfielder was regularly in the plans, when healthy, dating back to last fall after he moved to Venezia in Serie A. Initially his time in Serie A was promising but the last few months have been a tough time. He’s struggled with the physical side of the game in Italy and didn’t play much down the stretch as Venezia were relegated to Serie B. Berhalter said his absence was due to giving him a break after his first full European season and not having an off-season since early 2021.
Mark McKenzie: has been in and out of Genk’s starting rotation all season and Genk has had a subpar season overall. It was building this way although he could easily be an injury alternate – which isn’t out of the range of possibilities.
DeJuan Jones: even without any caps, this was a bit of a surprise to me as he is a right-footed left back but also brings a lot of athleticism to the position and more closely matches the style of Robinson.
Duane Holmes: Seemed a possibility as he has played quite a bit for a Huddersfield team that is off to Wembley for the promotional final. He seemed worthy to be in consideration and in the mix.
Sebastian Lletget: has fallen out of favor since last October when his minutes dried up and eventually stopped getting called up. At one point he deserved to be in the mix and was playing well. But Berhalter seems to have moved on.
Alan Sonora: the Independiente midfielder has been a consistent starter in Argentina and was in contact with Berhalter as recently as January (as he told ASN). He’s done well in Argentina and there are questions about his ability to handle the physical side of the game despite his crafty playmaking ability.
James Sands: The Rangers midfielder/central defender potentially gives Berhalter cover in several positions. His minutes for Rangers has been inconsistent since January but he did play in the Premiership season finale as well as the Europa Cup final.
Richard Ledezma: Ledezma came back at the end of the season to score a goal for PSV in the season finale. But he had just 33 minutes of first team action this year, most of which was fighting his way back from ACL surgery. “He feels and I agree with him that based on the entire season being extremely taxing for him mentally and physically taxing, getting back from injury, getting injured again,” Berhalter said of Ledezma. “He feels like he needs this time to recover and prepare for the next preseason.”
FINALLY, SLONINA
Just before the roster was announced, Chicago Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina announced that he wanted to represent the United States moving forward as opposed to Poland.lonina, 17, was announced to be on Poland’s roster for its upcoming Nation’s League games.Like many prospects, it’s tough to gauge just how good he will be. He has done well up until recently but the last two games have seen him really struggle. He’s admits that and owns it – which is a good approach for a player his age.The U.S. program needs young goalkeepers who are playing minutes, so adding him to the pool is good.Berhalter opened up about his discussions with Slonina.”I’ve been really impressed with Gaga and just his mindset,” Berhalter said. “If you could imagine a 17-year-old being that determined. I think the danger was and this is just an honest conversation I had with him, I said: listen, I can’t bring you into this camp because of your form – I just can’t do it. We have guys at a really high levels and experienced guys that played for us before, and your form hasn’t been good enough. And I can understand if you’re going to go take a look at Poland because you’re disappointed with this.”His response was great,” Berhalter continued. “He understands where he’s at. He’s going to work to get out of where he’s at. But he said he’s still committed to us. You make relationships with players. You welcome players as a group. Guys make them feel welcome. And you hope that’s enough that in the end of the day, they decide. But in Gaga’s case, also, his heart was telling him where to go. That’s a really an important part of the equation.”
Marsch survives, McKennie returns, Weah’s big day, two Yanks debut, LDLT relegated & much more
For 95% of Americans abroad, the season is over. The ending over the weekend brought about some mixed emotions. Jesse Marsch was the brightest start his survival silenced critics. There was also Tyler Adams winning the German Cup, Tim Weah scoring a brace, and two young Americans making debuts in Europe’s Big Five. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks it all down in his final piece of the season with this thoughts and analysis over the past few days.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTAPOSTED AY 22, 2022
IT WAS THE FINAL weekend for most of the Americans abroad season and while this season wasn’t as good as previous season, it ended on a high note – for the most part. Jesse Marsch, Tim Weah, Weston Mckennie’s return, as well as some rewarding debuts were made by some young American players.The season was flawed by injuries, relegations, and runs of poor form. Many of the players took smaller roles within their teams. So, while metrics such as the overall number of American players in the high levels of Europe remained high, the quality of output wasn’t as strong.But the end of the season was nice, and hopefully this will provide a boost as preseason for most of the top five European leagues is only about a month away.Here were the weekend’s highlights.
MARSCH SURVIVES
When Jesse Marsch replaced Marco Bielsa on February 28, it was viewed skeptically by a lot of people. Ted Lasso jokes became popular, and people did not know what to expect. But Leeds United had a lot of problems leading up to Marsch’s hire. The team conceded 21 goals over the six games prior to Marsch’s first game and it had just one point from that run.Marsch had to shore up the defense and get points. That wasn’t easy given that just before the end of the season, Leeds had its toughest stretch of the season in a three-game run against Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea.But Marsch got it done. Yes, it was close but in a relegation battle the verdict is on a pass/fail basis. What proved to be the difference for Leeds was a five-game unbeaten run from March 14-April 24 where Leeds posted three wins and two draws. That allowed them to have a chance on the last day of the season.What had to happen is that Leeds United needed a better result than Burnley. The two teams entered the final day even on points, but Burnley had a far superior goal differential. While it was close, in the end Leeds United got it after a 2-1 win over Barnsley combined with Burnley losing at home to Newcastle United.The Leeds United winner came from Jack Harrison, the former New York City winger whom Marsch coached against when he was at the New York Red Bulls.This was great news all around for American soccer. The only way to stop the jokes and the negative stereotypes is to win. That’s it. Winning silences critics and it opens doors for others also looking to get into the English game.Now Marsch will have the ability to start building a Leeds United team with two things Bob Bradley never had in England – a transfer window and a preseason.One more final note, it was a terrific month for the two American coaches in the top five leagues of Europe. Pellegrino Matarazzo led Stuttgart to survival on a dramatic final day of the Bundesliga. There are some similarities of their situations. Both Leeds United and Stuttgart are huge clubs that had fallen on tough times.They’re both trailblazers but I think the one difference is Marsch carries the American label more. Matarazzo has been in Germany so long and his Italian name sometimes has him referred to as an Italian coach. That is partly true as he is an Italian citizen, but he was born and raised in New Jersey. He lived in the United States until he was 22 years old.As for Marsch, he deals with the stereotypes head on and silenced them, for now, at least.
ADAMS WINS THE GERMAN CUP
Adding to the list of Americans who won silverware, Tyler Adams and RB Leipzig won the German Cup on Saturday following a shootout win over Freiburg after a 1-1 draw.Adams came into the game in the 99th minute with the score 1-1 and Leipzig having played down a man since the 54th minute (and then reduced again in the 118th minute). For Adams, his role was primarily defensive. One moment he received the ball and had the chance to make a dangerous play, but the referee stopped the game for a Freiburg foul. Adams protested as he wanted the advantage call.
Leipzig thought it had a penalty call late in the game, but it was not awarded. In the shootout, Leipzig converted all four of its kicks while Freiburg missed two.Adams might be on the move this summer as his playing time diminished the past few months. If this was his last game for Leipzig, he will end lifting a trophy.
WEAH’S BIG FINALE
Up until 10 days ago, Tim Weah’s season at Lille was rather lackluster. He had no goals and four assists in Ligue 1 and most had concluded that the production just wasn’t there this season.Then last weekend, Weah had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over Nice. The season finale on Saturday meant little for Lille but it meant a world for its opponent, Rennes, which was pushing for a Champions League spot.Weah ended up putting on a MOTM performance in a 2-2 draw where he scored both goals.His first goal was fortunate. In the 11th minute, Rennes goalkeeper Alfred Gomis spilled an easy shot and Weah was there to put in the rebound. With the score 1-1 in the 88th minute, Weah headed home a Mehmet Celik cross for a 2-1 lead. Rennes equalized at the end of the game and ended up finishing fourth and a spot in the Europa League, short of their Champions League goal.As for Weah, ending the season on a high note was huge. Lille must get better offensively next season and it will be harder given that Jonathan David is probably going to get sold for a fortune. Lille will have money to spend but it remains to be seen if they will spend it wisely.Weah will now rejoin the United States national team will a lot of momentum. Given that the team needs more goal-scoring options with the No. 9 position so unsettled and Christian Pulisic not finishing well, he is in a position to be a go-to guy.
DJordje Mihailovic’s Montreal renaissance reignites USMNT ambitions and interest from Europe
May 24, 2022Jeff CarlisleU.S. soccer correspondent
The CF Montreal midfielder is enjoying the best form of his career. His tally of seven goals has almost doubled his previous single-season career high of four and, 13 games into the Major League Soccer campaign, Montreal is firmly inside the playoff places. The personal accolades are coming his way, too. The interest from European clubs is heating up, as is talk about Mihailovic being the league MVP. He’s also been called into the United States men’s national team training camp and will be hoping to make his first international appearance since December 2020.There is a part of Mihailovic eager to let the good times roll, the better to allow him to play with the joy that is present when he’s performing at his best. He’s pleased to have left some tough spells behind as well, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament in 2017, but right now there is also a wariness about the heights his career has recently reached.
“In my opinion, the good times can actually be more detrimental to someone’s mental aspect versus the negative,” Mihailovic told ESPN. “I think a lot of players, when you start to succeed, you get a little bit too ahead of yourself, a little bit too high and overwhelmed with things. You expect a lot more from yourself because you’re doing a lot of good things. So it’s a lot easier to fall down a wrong path when things get too high.”Mihailovic quipped that he blames teammate Alistair Johnston for the MVP chatter, claiming that “he started the ywhole snowball.” Now the midfielder is the butt of jokes inside the Montreal locker room.”I try to keep a steady state and I don’t tr to think too much about all this talk,” he said. “I have to do it for 34 games and not just the first [13], so that’s kind of where my mind is.”Starting on Sunday, Mihailovic’s mind will be on the U.S. and trying to make a late push to make the World Cup roster. It’s not unheard of for a player who didn’t play a part in qualifying to make a World Cup squad, whether it was Pablo Mastroeni in 2002 or Herculez Gomez in 2010 or Julian Green in 2014. Mihailovic is holding out hope he can follow in those footsteps, even if the mountain he has to climb is steep.It’s exciting, something that I’ve been working towards,” he said about the call-up. “On the field, it’s something that a lot of my mind has been thinking about, doing the most I can to be called back in, and I’d love to make the most of this opportunity.”Mihailovic has long caught the eye of U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter, who admired the player’s ability to play “between the lines,” be good technically and be a difference-maker in the attacking third. Berhalter calls Mihailovic a “Day One-er,” as one of the invitees to his first U.S. camp. The player in fact is the answer to a trivia question, having scored the first goal of the Berhalter era in a 3-0 win over Panama in January 2019. The expectation from Berhalter and the national team staff was that Mihailovic would kick on from there, but struggles at club level saw him called in only in spurts.”There were glimpses of it, but the consistency wasn’t there,” Berhalter said. Now that Mihailovic is playing an advanced attacking position in Montreal that suits him, Berhalter has liked what he has seen this season, although questions remain.The coach said of Mihailovic, “If he’s a winger, can he press with the intensity that we need, with the speed and with the quickness that we need to press to cause turnovers? And the second thing is, as a midfielder defensively, can he have the work rate to be winning the ball back and have that defensive work rate, to get it done?”The coming weeks will see the extent to which Mihailovic can close that gap. He certainly has some players to leap over if he’s even to get a sniff of the World Cup, but he knows his recent play has him back in the reckoning. His dream can be visualized again, and that is due to some pointers from Montreal manager Wilfried Nancy.Mihailovic was already coming off an impressive 2021 season, a campaign in which his 16 assists ranked second in the league behind New England‘s Carles Gil‘s 18. But Nancy wanted his protégé to be more goal-dangerous, and he zeroed in on what was going on in the midfielder’s head, namely more “emotional control.””In the past, [Mihailovic] was rushing all the time in terms of internal decision-making in the final third,” Nancy told ESPN. “This year, when he takes his shots, it’s better, because in the past, he wanted to score, but he wanted to score from 50 yards, you know what I mean?”Now he’s able to recognize the moment when it’s a good moment to place the ball, or to kick it hard or to make the pass. For me this is a big, big, big improvement.”The numbers bear this out beyond just the number of goals Mihailovic has scored. According to ESPN Stats & Information data, Mihailovic has hit the target on 63.6% of his shots, tops in the league among players with at least 15 shots on goal for the season. That is more than double the 25.4% he recorded last season.Mihailovic noted that the timing of his runs has improved, but he’s also playing with a freedom given to him by Nancy that allows him to crash the box when the time is right. The increase in goals is also down to an accumulation of experience that comes from being in his sixth professional season. The more he finds himself in certain situations in front of goal, the cooler he is.”When you get in these moments, you have a lot more time than you think,” he said. “It’s no different than when I receive a ball in the middle of the field, and I’m able to pick a pass. I’m always in that situation for the last six years. I’m always receiving the ball in the middle and just repeating that action. It’s the same thing when I’m in and around the goal, having that calm head and executing.”It makes the $1 million in allocation funds that Montreal sent to the Chicago Fire look like money well spent, even if the move at the time seemed fraught with risk. Raised in the Chicago suburb of Lemont, Mihailovic was comfortable around friends, family and the club he had been with since his academy days. But after the 2020 season, there was also a sense that it was time to move on. Mihailovic wanted to be the player, but the Fire didn’t want to hand him the keys to the attack.”I’m just thinking, ‘I’m playing in the, with the club that I grew up watching,’ and you hope to be an important player for that team going forward,” Mihailovic said. “When it’s suddenly your time to go, it’s tough.”It was then that Montreal sporting director Olivier Renard pounced. Mihailovic had been on Renard’s radar for years dating back to the executive’s time with Standard Liege. With Montreal, he was looking for a player to replace Bojan Krkic as one of the team’s attacking midfielders.”I thought that Djordje can be an important player for us, and that’s why we give a lot of money to Chicago,” Renard said. “He’s a guy who also mentally is working every day, in the fitness before the training, after the training. He’s not a complicated guy. He is a special character.”The move also forced Mihailovic to grow up. He didn’t have any family with him. All he had was soccer. That focus led to more consistency, and increased talk of a move to Europe.
Renard chuckles when asked about inquiries from abroad, noting that when a player gets 16 assists, as Mihailovic did last season, such calls are inevitable.”For me the most important thing is the mind of the player and to know Djordje is very happy,” Renard said. “He never called me to tell me [he wanted to leave]. We never spoke about that, but if he tells me wants to leave for [Europe], we will find a solution every time.”Mihailovic said his World Cup quest wouldn’t influence his decision on whether to head to Europe, where a source with knowledge of the situation said that clubs in Germany and Belgium are interested. He noted that a World Cup, while a dream of his, happens every four years. A club is more of a long-term decision.”I do have to keep in mind that the World Cup is at the end of the year, and I have to make sure I’m at a club where I’m playing and playing while I’m happy,” he said. “I can’t just leave Montreal, for thinking that it’s gonna help me get to the World Cup. I don’t think like that. So if I leave Montreal, I have to make sure it’s the best thing for my career.”One gets the sense that Mihailovic feels he’s ready. He spent part of last offseason training with Serie A side — and Montreal’s sister club — Bologna, and his growth is evident when he compares that time with another training stint, with Nurnberg in 2019. On that occasion, he admitted to being overwhelmed by the speed of play and the physicality.With Bologna he said he felt “comfortable,” although there was plenty to learn, especially in terms of how players dealt with the pressure from supporters and the club.”Just to see how players on these teams handle themselves, it was always good to see,” he said.Granted, staying in Montreal might be the best for Mihailovic in the short term. He’s getting on the field and contributing consistently. And he is valued by Montreal.”They didn’t really overshadow me. They didn’t lock me up in any way,” he said about Montreal. “They allowed me to express myself with my emotions, and I’m a player that plays with a lot of emotions. I think that’s one of my biggest strengths in the sport. So they allow me to play free and to do what I know how to do.”
All evaluations and tryouts will be held at Shelborne Fields. 3451 W 126th St, Carmel, IN 46032.
June 7, 2022 – Players 10u, 9u and 8u (Birth Years 2013 to 2016)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before evaluations begin.
Evaluations for all age groups: 6pm to 7:30pm
————————————————————————————————————————————
June 13, 2022- Players 11u and older (Birth Years 2004 to 2012)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before tryouts.
Tryouts for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012: 5:45pm to 7:15pm
Tryouts for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008: 7:30pm to 9pm. ———————————————————————————————————————————– Use this link to register for tryouts. Please email info@cdccarmelfc.com. with any questions.
Huge Congrats to the U19 2003 Carmel FC Boys Gold team as they won their Final Tournament – The Crown Challenge in Cincinnati last weekend with a wonderful way to end their Carmel FC Journey. Coach Mike Cronin (right) and Matt Madden (left) have been with this team since their beginning with many of these players playing since U11 with Carmel FC. I have coached with these guys and they are the best in the business – thanks for all your years of coaching guys and best of luck after graduation boys !!
Also huge congrats to the 2011 U11 Girls Gold team, U17 2005 Girls Gold team, U15 2007 Boys Gold Team U13 2009 Boys Blue Team. Good luck to all of our teams playing in State and President’s Cup games at Grand Park this weekend – I will be refing all weekend long!
Champions League Specials on CBS Sports Network All Week
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
2013, 2003 UCL Finals: Finals Archive –1:30 a.m.
1999, 2005 UCL Finals: Finals Archive –2 a.m.
2021-22 UCL, Quarterfinals, 1st Leg: Benfica vs. Liverpool – 10 a.m.
2008, 2014 UCL Finals: Finals Archive – 6:30 p.m.
2021-22 UCL, Semifinals, 1st Leg: Manchester City vs. Real Madrid – 9 p.m.
2021-22 UCL, Semifinals, 2nd Leg: Real Madrid vs. Manchester City – 11 p.m.
Thursday, May 26, 2022
2021-22 UCL, Semifinals, 2nd Leg: Villareal vs. Liverpool – 10 a.m.
2018, 1994 UCL Finals: Finals Archive – 6:30 p.m.
Friday, May 27, 2022
2020-21 UCL, Quarterfinals, 1st Leg: Real Madrid vs. Liverpool – 10 a.m.
1981 European Cup Final: Liverpool vs. Real Madrid – 9 p.m.
2018 UCL Final: Real Madrid vs. Liverpool – 11 p.m.
Saturday, May 28, 2022
2019 UCL Finals: Finals Archive – 1 a.m.
2007 & 2012 UCL Finals: Finals Archive – 1:30am ET
EPL Ends with Title, Top 4, Top 6, Top 7 still undecided & Leeds American Coach trying to avoid Relegation Sun at 11 am on NBC all Channels
So this is why the EPL is the most popular league in Europe and the World as who will win the EPL Title (Man City 89 pts or Liverpool 88 pts), who will finish 4th and qualify for Champions League play next season (Spurs 68 pts or Arsenal 66 pts), who will finish 6th and automatically qualify for Europa League (Man United 58 or West Ham 56) and finally who will be relegated or sent down to the lower league Leeds United 35 pts or Burnley 35 pts. Of course Leeds United has newly appointed American Coach Jesse Marsh trying to keep his team in the EPL – the difference in money over 100 million dollars – what’s It mean to the club? Well in addition to many of the players being released, perhaps the coaches, it’s the cooks, the kit men, the ticket takers, the chefs and cooks, the parking lot attendants – its something we in the US know nothing about. In the US American teams want to lose to get the better draft pick next year – in the rest of the world Relegation and Promotion means the worst 2 or 3 teams move down to the lower league (Jacksonville Jags you are USFL now) and the best 2 or 3 teams from the lower leagues move up (Indy 11 you are now in the MLS and get $100 million more dollars to work with to make your team better – be it by new players or better chefs, etc). That makes this weekend’s Leeds United @ Brentford (Peacock 11 am) and Burnley vs New Castle United (Golf Channel) perhaps the biggest games on this monumental final day of play Sunday at 11 am in the English Premier League. Of course Arsenal must win at Everton (who just barely staved off relegation with their last second win midweek) and Norwich City vs Tottenham on Syfy will decide that 4th and final Champions League spot. While the title will come down to weather Man City can beat Aston Villa at home on NBC or do they lose and Liverpool hosting Wolverhampton on USA Network allows the unthinkable just 2 month ago and they take the Quadruple (Liverpool has won both league Cups and still has Champions League to play for vs Real Madrid next Sat on CBS 3 pm – all they need is the League Title to become the first ever EPL team to pull the quad) VERY Doubtful it happens on this final day of play however. Also up for grabs the Goal Scoring leader, Goals + Assists and the Top Goalkeeper – click here to read more).
Indy 11 return home Sat 7 pm to host the NY Red Bulls at the Mike
Its going to the Dogs night for the Indy 11 Saturday at 7 pm. Indy Eleven will look to start a new win streak when it returns to Carroll Stadium Saturday evening to host New York Red Bulls II. Despite a loss last week at Memphis that snapped a four-game winning run and six-match undefeated streak, the Boys in Blue still sit just on the right side of the Eastern Conference playoff line with some room to improve that positioning thanks to two games in hand on each of the 4 teams within 2 points both above (Tampa Bay & Miami) and below (Birmingham & Tulsa) them. The presence of 2019 and 2020 USL Championship Most Valuable Player Solomon Asante should only bolster Indy Eleven’s hopes of a successful homecoming. After signing with the Boys in Blue on April 11, some massive lifting behind the scenes allowed Asante to arrive from his native Ghana last weekend. The ex-Phoenix Rising FC standout trained throughout the week for the Boys in Blue, but how much Head Coach Mark Lowry will utilize the influential attacking presence remains to be seen.
US Men & Women Agree to EQUAL PAY CONTRACTS
Huge news this week that the US Men and Women become the first Country in the World to agree to Equal pay across the board for the Men’s and Women’s teams. The teams agreed to share in total prize money gained from both World Cups and split it equally amongst the teams to make it happen. The Men had to give up higher overall payouts made to the men by FIFA while the women had to give up guaranteed contracts and some other things- but in the end everything will be equal. That means accommodations, travel, per diem, payment for making rosters, payments for wins, etc – is all going to be equal. Lots to read below in the ole Ballcoach about what this all means – but huge !! And Well done US Soccer – finally !!
USMNT Names Roster for June Games
The 26-man roster for June Games
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest), Zack Steffen (Manchester City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
DEFENDERS (9): George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic FC), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes), Antonee Robinson (Fulham FC), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
All evaluations and tryouts will be held at Shelborne Fields. 3451 W 126th St, Carmel, IN 46032.
June 7, 2022 – Players 10u, 9u and 8u (Birth Years 2013 to 2016)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before evaluations begin.
Evaluations for all age groups: 6pm to 7:30pm
——————————————————————————————————————–
June 13, 2022- Players 11u and older (Birth Years 2004 to 2012)
Check-in starts 1/2 hour before tryouts.
Tryouts for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012: 5:45pm to 7:15pm
Tryouts for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008: 7:30pm to 9pm. ——————————————————————————————————————– Use this link to register for tryouts. Please email info@cdccarmelfc.com. with any questions.
Mid June – early August – Games Wed/Sun Age 18-30 Registration open thru June 16th. Call 317-846-1633 or Click Here Make your own teams or we can add you to a team. Cost is just $105 includes Jersey.
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GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest), Zack Steffen (Manchester City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
DEFENDERS (9): George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic FC), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes), Antonee Robinson (Fulham FC), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
Premier League final day: what is at stake and how could it all play out?
6:01 AM ET Mark OgdenSenior Writer, ESPN FC
Down at the bottom of the table, Leeds United and Burnley are battling to avoid the relegation trapdoor and one of them will be joining Norwich and Watford in the EFL Championship next season.
And there is also the race to claim the individual awards with it still too close to call for the Golden Boot, Golden Glove and Playmaker of the Season prize.
So with one round of games to go, what needs to happen on the final day of the season?
Title race
Manchester City opened a 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League in February, albeit having played two more games than Liverpool. But despite their significant advantage, Pep Guardiola and his team have stumbled in the run-in and allowed Jurgen Klopp’s side to go into the final day with hopes still alive of a second title in three years and the third leg of a quadruple.But while Liverpool’s 2-1 midweek win at Southampton moved them to within one point of City, the odds strongly favour the reigning champions this weekend.City are at home to Aston Villa, managed by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, and a win will guarantee a fourth title in five seasons for Guardiola’s side.Villa have lost their last eight games against City in all competitions and haven’t won a league game at the Etihad since 2007, so their form against City is poor. But if they can sneak a draw, Liverpool can then win the title with a victory against Wolves at Anfield.If City lose and Liverpool draw, it then goes down to goal difference but it would require City to lose by seven goals for Liverpool to finish top.There is, remarkably, the prospect of a title playoff if both City and Liverpool end the season level on points. If City lose 6-0 and Liverpool play out a 5-5 draw, then the two teams will be level on goals scored, goals conceded, goal difference and head to head. Such an outcome would require a playoff at a neutral venue, but if that happens, it really will have been an unforgettable final day.
Champions League qualification
Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are separated by just four miles in North London, so their rivalry was already intense enough before the two clubs became locked in a battle for the final Champions League qualification spot this season.Arsenal could have secured a top-four finish and a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2017 by beating Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 12, but Mikel Arteta’s team suffered a 3-0 defeat and handed their bitter rivals a lifeline.Tottenham’s subsequent home win against Burnley three days later meant Arsenal had to win at Newcastle on May 16 to climb back into the top four, but a 2-0 defeat saw them blow their chance to go into the final day with a one-point advantage.So Spurs will start the day with a two-point lead over the Gunners and a goal difference of +24 — 15 better than Arsenal’s.It means that if Spurs avoid defeat at relegated Norwich, they are effectively guaranteed fourth place and a Champions League spot. For Arsenal, they simply have to beat Everton at the Emirates and hope that Norwich can produce one of the shocks of the season by beating Antonio Conte’s team at Carrow Road.
Europa League positions and Europa Conference League spot
Arsenal or Spurs will take the first Europa League spot by finishing fifth, although it will be no more than a consolation prize with both clubs still chasing a Champions League berth on the final day.The second spot is a two-way scrap between Manchester United and West Ham. Both teams are guaranteed European qualification, but results on Sunday will determine which plays in the Europa League next season and which ends up in the Europa Conference League.
United need a win at Crystal Palace to be certain of a sixth-place finish and the Europa League pass that comes with it. A draw or even defeat could still see Ralf Rangnick end his spell as interim manager with Europa League qualification, as long as West Ham do not win.
Due to their superior goal difference — West Ham are at +11 compared to United’s +1 — a win at Brighton will take the Hammers above United if Rangnick’s side fail to win at Selhurst Park. West Ham simply have to win and hope United drop points. A draw will not be enough for this season’s Europa League semifinalists.
Relegation
Everton’s remarkable 3-2 win against Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on Thursday, when Frank Lampard’s team trailed 2-0 at half-time, was enough to banish the club’s relegation fears and ensure a stress-free final game of the season at Arsenal on Sunday.
So the battle to avoid the third relegation spot, and join Norwich and Watford in the Championship next season, is now down to just two teams — Burnley and Leeds. Burnley’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa on Thursday moved them out of the bottom three and gave them a crucial edge over Leeds going into the final day. Although the two clubs are level on 35 points, Burnley’s vastly superior goal difference — Burnley are on -18, Leeds on -38 — means that they will stay up if they at least match Leeds’ result at Brentford. It’s a simple scenario for Burnley. If they beat Newcastle at Turf Moor they stay up and a draw or even defeat could be enough if Leeds get the same result. Jesse Marsch’s Leeds simply need to better Burnley’s result. If Burnley draw, Leeds need to win, but if Burnley are beaten, a draw will be enough for Leeds. If both Burnley and Leeds win on the final day, Leeds will be relegated just two seasons after being promoted back to the Premier League after a 16-year absence.
Golden Boot
Mohamed Salah leads the scoring charts with 22 goals going into the final day, but the Liverpool forward could be overtaken by Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min who has 21 goals to date. With Spurs playing relegated Norwich at Carrow Road, Son will be facing the team with the worst defensive record in the Premier League this season, with 79 goals conceded in 37 games, so the South Korea forward will be confident of getting on the scoresheet.But with Liverpool needing a win to keep alive their title hopes, Jurgen Klopp’s team will almost certainly play all-out attack, so Salah — who is expected to have recovered from an injury suffered in the FA Cup final and missed Tuesday’s win at Southampton — will also have his chances.Cristiano Ronaldo, with 18 goals for Manchester United this season, is third in the goal charts, but although the 37-year-old has proved time and again that he is capable of the improbable, a four-goal display against Crystal Palace may be pushing even Ronaldo’s capabilities.
Golden Glove
Manchester City’s Ederson and Liverpool’s Alisson go into the final game having both kept 20 clean sheets in the Premier League this season. Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris is next on the list with 15 shutouts, so it will be Brazil‘s leading keepers who battle it out to win the Golden Glove this weekend.
Alisson has 20 from 35 games, while Ederson has managed 20 from 36, so the Liverpool No. 1 has a slight edge in terms of numbers, but if the two keepers end the season with the same number of clean sheets, the award is shared.
Playmaker of the Season
The Playmaker of the Season award was introduced in 2017-18 for the player with most assists. Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne has won it twice (in 2017-18 and 2019-20) with Chelsea‘s Eden Hazard (2018-19) and Tottenham’s Harry Kane (2020-21) the other winners so far.
Barring a stunning individual performance by West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen or Chelsea’sMason Mount on Sunday — both players have 10 assists this season — the Playmaker award will go to a Liverpool player.
Salah leads the way with 13 assists, while Trent Alexander-Arnold is one behind on 12. Andy Robertson is also in contention, but like Bowen and Mount, the Scotland defender is on 10 assists so he would need to create a hat trick of assists to tie with Salah.
Paul Pogba, whose six-year spell at Manchester United will end when he becomes a free agent this summer, is next on the line with nine this season.
Which Premier League clubs will qualify for the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League?
May 16, 2022 Dale JohnsonGeneral Editor, ESPN FC
The Premier League season is almost over and the race for a place in Europe is reaching its climax.
The maximum that can qualify from domestic performance in the Premier League — so either league position or by winning one of the two cup competitions — is seven.However, the places reserved for European titleholders are separate if a team does not qualify domestically. Therefore, it is technically possible, though unlikely, for the Premier League to have 10 teams in Europe — the seven domestic qualifiers plus the winners of the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League if they are outside the European places.
With West Ham and Leicester losing in the semifinals if the Europa League and Europa Conference League respectively, there will be the usual seven Premier League teams in Europe next season.
Which Premier League places will qualify this season?
At the start of the season, the top four in the Premier League qualify for the Champions League, while fifth place and the FA Cup winners enter the Europa League. The winners of the Carabao Cup qualify for the Europa Conference League.However, Liverpool won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup and can finish no lower than second in the league, so the Europa League and Europa Conference League places transfer to the Premier League.So, on domestic performance we know the following: Champions League: 1, 2, 3, 4 Europa League: 5, 6 Europa Conference League: 7
All teams go direct to the group stage, apart from the Europa Conference League, where the seventh-placed club will enter in the final qualifying round.
Who is in contention for Europe?
Premier League Table
GP
GD
PTS
1 – Man City
37
+72
90
2 – Liverpool
36
+65
86
3 – Chelsea
36
+42
70
4 – Tottenham
37
+24
68
5 – Arsenal
37
+9
66
6 – Man United
37
+1
58
7 – West Ham
37
+11
56
8 – Wolves
37
-3
51
Manchester City (90), Liverpool (86 points) and Chelsea (70) are confirmed in the Champions League.
That leaves two teams in contention for the final UCL place. Tottenham Hotspur (68) have a vastly superior goal difference to Arsenal (66), which means Spurs will qualify for the Champions League if they get at least a draw at bottom-of-the-table Norwich City on Sunday. Arsenal must win at home to Everton and hope Spurs lose at Norwich. Whoever missed out will play in the Europa League.The second Europa League place is close. Manchester United (58) hold it right now, but West Ham United (56) are two points behind with a far superior goal difference. The Hammers must win at Brighton on the final day and hope Man United draw or lose at Crystal Palace. Both are assured of at least a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League as no other team remains in contention for a place in Europe.
What if Liverpool win the Champions League?
This will have no effect on the Premier League as Liverpool are guaranteed to finish in the top four this season. There is no “drop down” of places to give fifth a Champions League spot.If the Champions League winners also qualify domestically, the position in the group stage for the titleholders is vacant. This isn’t filled by giving another team a place, the qualifying rounds are rebalanced with clubs effectively receiving byes.Ordinarily, this would mean the champions of the country ranked 11th in the UEFA coefficient table at the end of the 2020-21 season — which is Scotland — would go direct to the Champions League group stage, rather than having to qualify. However, Russia is ranked eighth, and UEFA has announced its clubs will continue to be excluded from European competition. That means the Scottish champions, likely Celtic, are guaranteed to go direct to the group stage.So, if Liverpool win the Champions League it will be the champions of the 12th-ranked country who are given a place in the group stage. This just so happens to be Ukraine (Shakhtar Donetsk), though there are obvious doubts about its clubs participating next season. If Ukrainian clubs are not able to compete, it would be the champions of Turkey (Trabzonspor) promoted to the group stage.
How does qualification work for other European titleholders?
This can no longer apply this season, but it’s worth explaining. By winning the Europa League, a club earns a place in the Champions League group stage. How that affects European places in the Premier League depends purely on where they finish.
There are three overriding principles: – The winners of a European competition have the automatic right to European football the following season. – A team has the right to play in the highest-ranked competition they qualify for. – Another Premier League team cannot be affected by another’s success in Europe.
There are a few caveats, but it’s best to keep things simple for the purposes of this article.
So if a team wins the Europa League: – They are guaranteed to play in the Champions League wherever they finish in the Premier League – Eighth in the Premier League cannot qualify for Europe as a result of this
If the Europa League winners finish in the top four, nothing changes for the Premier League. The UCL qualifying rounds are rebalanced with clubs effectively receiving byes.
If the Europa League winners finish fifth or sixth, there would be only one Premier League team in the Europa League: Champions League: 1, 2, 3, 4, UEL winners Europa League: 5 or 6 only Europa Conference League: 7
If the Europa League winners finish seventh, there would be no English team in the Europa Conference League: Champions League: 1, 2, 3, 4, UEL winners Europa League: 5, 6 Europa Conference League: –
This happened in Spain last season, when Villarreal won the Europa League and finished seventh, meaning LaLiga had no representative in the inaugural season of the Europa Conference League.
If the Europa League winners finish lower than seventh, they would their place in Europe as titleholders but the top seven would be unaffected — there would be eight Premier League teams in Europe: Champions League: 1, 2, 3, 4, UEL winners Europa League: 5, 6 Europa Conference League: 7
The same outline principles apply to any team that wins the Europa Conference League.
If the Europa Conference League winners finish in the top six, nothing changes for the Premier League. The qualifying rounds are rebalanced with clubs effectively receiving byes.
If the UECL winners finish seventh, they play in the Europa League and there is no Premier League team in the UECL. If the UECL winners finish lower than seventh, it would create an additional team in Europe as titleholders.
Can eighth in the Premier League qualify for Europe?
It is impossible for eighth to qualify by league position. This team must win a domestic cup competition or a European title to play in Europe the following season.
USWNT, USMNT achieve equal pay: How they reached a historic benchmark
For years, the slogan has been ubiquitous: “One Nation. One Team.” Whether you’re watching a U.S. national team match, on one of their official social media pages or shopping in the federation’s web store, you’re almost guaranteed to see it plastered all over the place. But that marketing campaign has never felt more fitting than right now. On Wednesday, following a bitter lawsuit and lengthy, occasionally contentious negotiating process, the U.S. Soccer Federation and the players’ unions for the U.S. women’s and men’s national teams announced that they have agreed to separate collective bargaining agreements that achieve equal pay through identical economic terms for both teams. “One-hundred percent, it embodies One Nation, One Team,” USWNT forward Midge Purce told The Athletic during a Zoom call with USMNT center back Walker Zimmerman and U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone. “We’re intrinsically tied now (with the men’s national team). When they score, we’ll cheer just a little bit harder. We did before, but we’re excited about it — we want a doubleheader. We’re opening doors for a new look of what football is in America.”Equal pay is, of course, the major and deserved headline with Wednesday’s news. The three sides have agreed that the compensation negotiated with the two new CBAs is not just equal pay, but equal pay with equal rates of pay (rather than comparing total compensation, regardless of imbalances of matches played).
The two teams will now be on level terms for:
Equal pay for every game played, from friendlies to World Cups and other competitions
Equal bonuses for game outcome and World Cup participation
Equal pay for every day in camp
Equal split of World Cup prize money, with the two teams pooling and then dividing their prize totals from the 2022 and 2023 tournaments, and 2026 and 2027 competitions
Equal split of a new commercial revenue share program with U.S. Soccer
Equal rate for tickets sold for games controlled by U.S. Soccer
Equalizing World Cup prize money was the major hurdle that needed to be cleared to get these deals done. In practice, it’ll work like this: Say the U.S. men reach the round of 16 in Qatar to win a $13 million prize from FIFA and the U.S. women win the tournament in 2023 to earn a potential $7 million prize from FIFA. The two teams would then evenly split 90 percent of that combined total of $20 million, with the remaining 10 percent of their respective prize monies going to the federation. That nets out to $9 million for each team to be split between their respective players. That number does not include the World Cup roster appearance fee paid by USSF to each player on the respective squads.For the 2026 men’s World Cup and 2027 Women’s World Cup, the two teams will split 80 percent of the combined prize money paid by FIFA. U.S. Soccer’s cut of the overall winnings will increase to 20 percent for those two tournaments. For other competitions, prize money will be distributed depending on if the same tournament exists for both the MNT and the WNT. In the case of the Gold Cup and W Gold Cup, for instance, the prize money will be pooled and shared equally between the teams, with U.S. Soccer keeping 30 percent of the total and each team receiving 35 percent of the entire pool. For any other competitions that don’t have an equivalent (such as Copa America), U.S. Soccer will give 70 percent to the participating team.Both the WNT and MNT collective bargaining agreements will run for the same term, retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year, through Dec. 31, 2028. “This is the first time that we have sat down together, and we accomplished something historic,” said Zimmerman, a member of the leadership group for the men’s union, the U.S. National Soccer Team Players Association (USNSTPA). “We’re really excited to continue that timeline and to work together. It makes a lot more sense when you’re united, and you want to have — and you do have — equal terms, it just makes sense to move forward on that (shared) timeline.”The larger structural changes are on the women’s side. Guaranteed contracts are now gone, though even without the new CBA, the number of guaranteed contracts had already fallen to only 16. Some players will still be able to receive benefits, which include insurance, parental leave and short-term disability, through the federation, in recognition of what the federation deems “additional work.”
In February, U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association (USWNTPA) president Becky Sauerbrunn said that the team has approached past CBA negotiations differently. “We’ve asked for different structures (than the men), but that’s always because we never got an identical compensation proposal, and so we had to fight for the best deal that we could at the time. Fortunately, because of the equal pay commitment in the settlement, and between the federation and our players’ association and men’s association — there will be things that we are fighting for separately — but when it comes down to pay, when it comes down to working conditions, those things will be the same.”With compensation equalized, the WNT players were willing to shift to the pay-for-play structure of the men, with their money now coming on a per-game basis. “The way that this new CBA is structured, we’ve increased the amount of risk with your paycheck,” Purce, a member of the USWNTPA CBA committee, said. Rising NWSL salaries (and the new NWSL CBA, signed on Apr. 29, which introduces free agency by 2023) will play a role in minimizing some of that risk for players moving forward — though it’s nowhere near as financially robust as the club contracts signed by men’s players.“I’m really happy that people aren’t signing for $16,000 like I did when I was still in college, and that people can support themselves more comfortably with NWSL salaries,” she said. “It’s a credit to the NWSL, and I hope it just keeps growing with this.”There are also smaller wins for the WNT which will have a direct financial benefit. The federation has equalized how opponents’ FIFA rankings impact game bonuses, with the same tier system now in place for both senior national teams. An equal number of players will now be named to game-day rosters (unless otherwise restricted by the competition) for the MNT and WNT, which will increase most WNT rosters from 18 players to 23. Combined, that means that the WNT isn’t just getting better bonuses, but that more players will be earning them.
Here’s how these numbers will play out for both the WNT and MNT for friendlies, with the new equal tier system in place:
Friendlies vs. FIFA rank 1-25*
RESULT
APPEARANCE FEE
GAME BONUS
TOTAL
Win
$8,000
$10,000
$18,000
Draw
$8,000
$3,000
$11,000
Loss
$8,000
$0
$8,000
*Tier includes all men’s friendlies vs. Mexico and all women’s friendlies vs. Canada, regardless of their respective FIFA ranks
Friendlies vs. FIFA rank 26+
RESULT
APPEARANCE FEE
GAME BONUS
TOTAL
Win
$8,000
$5,000
$15,000
Draw
$8,000
$2,000
$10,000
Loss
$8,000
$0
$8,000
Game bonuses will be higher for World Cup qualifying matches compared to other official competitions. Here are the breakdowns for appearance fees and bonuses for these two other types of matches:
FIFA World Cup Qualifying
CATEGORY
APPEARANCE FEES
GAME BONUS
TOTAL
Win
$10,000
$14,000
$24,000
Draw
$10,000
$4,000
$14,000
Loss
$10,000
$0
$10,000
Non-FIFA World Cup Official Competitions
CATEGORY
APPEARANCE FEES
GAME BONUS
TOTAL
Win
$10,000
$12,000
$22,000
Draw
$10,000
$4,000
$14,000
Loss
$10,000
$0
$10,000
There will be no performance bonuses for World Cup matches for the WNT or MNT, though players will receive the $10,000 appearance fee for those matches.The settlement on working conditions as part of the equal pay lawsuit between the WNT players and the federation, approved in April 2021, has also been carried forward into the collective bargaining agreement, with equal resources provided for venues and field services, hotel accommodations, team staffing and travel.Additionally, for the first time, U.S. Soccer will share a portion of its broadcast and sponsorship revenue with the senior national team players. The share given to the men’s and women’s teams will be equal. The revenue share program will kick in once USSF crosses the $55 million income threshold. If the federation pulls in between $55-$75 million in an individual year, each team will receive 10 percent of the total. If U.S. Soccer earns more than $75 million, the two teams will each get 15 percent of the total. A source indicated that the federation is positioned well to hit that threshold after the agreement it signed with Nike last November, and the media rights deal it reached with Turner Sports in March.
The sides also agreed to share ticket revenue from home games controlled by U.S. Soccer. Players will receive a small cut of revenue from each ticket sold for those matches, which include home friendlies, World Cup qualifiers and Nations League contests. From 2023 to 2026, U.S. Soccer will set aside $5.06 from every ticket sold; for the last two years of the CBA terms, that will rise to $5.75. Players will also receive a bonus if games are sold out — the federation will pay the players 10% of the average ticket cost for sell outs on matches they control. As part of the new CBA, the federation will also now provide childcare to USMNT players during all training camps and match windows. The USSF has provided that benefit to the USWNT for more than 25 years. The federation is also setting up a 401(k) plan for all players from both teams. For the men, the agreement brings an end to a nearly three-and-a-half-year period in which they were working without a CBA. That process has been fraught at times, with the players reportedly threatening to strike ahead of their friendly against Costa Rica last June. That move prompted a round of negotiations that ended with the players reportedly reaching an agreement with USSF CEO Will Wilson, only for that deal to later be rejected by the U.S. Soccer board.The men pulled back from negotiations after the proposed deal fell apart last June, but they returned to the table last fall to sit in on the women’s negotiations as observers. Eventually, they became active participants. All the while, as they were working their way through qualification for the 2022 World Cup, the men were debating whether or not to pool their prize money with the women so that it would be equalized across both teams. “I’m gonna be honest, it wasn’t always easy,” said Zimmerman. “It was definitely not a quick conversation like, ‘Hey, everyone, if you vote yes, raise your hand. Yep, we’re good.’ It was a lot of conversations where we had to listen, hear everyone out, hear exactly what they thought.” Ultimately, Zimmerman said, actually sitting down at the bargaining table with the women’s players pushed the men over the line. They knew what they felt was right — they just had to act.
“I would say that’s when the reality hit,” he said. “Like, ‘Yeah, this is what we need to do, this is what has to happen to grow the game beyond just the men’s team and the women’s team, but to grow it at the grassroots level.’ … We came together and said this is what is right, this can be historic, this could change the landscape of international football and what it looks like with federations having equal pay for the men’s and women’s sides. I think that’s kind of what sold it at the end of the day, is that this is what’s right and that this is an opportunity to do what no other national team has done.” Cone, who echoed Zimmerman’s comments about the importance of the deal, not just for equal pay, but for “the overall growth of the game,” praised the men for their decision to pool World Cup prize money. I’m just so proud, especially of the men and the men’s PA, for coming together,” she said. “Because no matter how you look at it, it was contingent on them being willing to come together and negotiate with the women and give up some of the money that had previously gone to the men to help us equalize World Cup prize money. So we wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for everyone joining together and collaborating.”Of course, the U.S. men can afford to give up a portion of their prize money. Unlike the women, almost all of the regular men’s players make hefty salaries with their club teams. They derive a much lower percentage of their income from their work with the national team than the women. Zimmerman himself just signed a new contract with Nashville SC that will pay him at least $10 million over the next four years. Other USMNT players in MLS, like Jesus Ferreira, Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan and DeAndre Yedlin, are either making more than, or just under, $1 million per year. European-based stars like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams likely make significantly more. For context, newly-minted USWNT forward Trinity Rodman signed the richest contract in NWSL history with the Washington Spirit this spring. It’s for four years and a total of $1.1 million.
Zimmerman was quoted in the press release announcing the deal saying that he hopes the agreements “will awaken others to the need for this type of change, and will inspire FIFA and others around the world to move in the same direction.” He deferred comment to a later date when asked if the men have any plans to take advantage of the increased media attention that will be on them in the run-up to this fall’s World Cup in Qatar to lobby FIFA to make changes, but he, Purce and Parlow Cone all spoke about their hope that this deal will help make things more equitable between men’s and women’s national teams across the world. “This is going to have ramifications throughout not only the footballing world, but the sports world,” Cone said. “I’m really proud that we were the first country (to equalize prize money), but I would certainly hope we’re not the last. I will work to continue to encourage CONCACAF and FIFA to move in this direction as well. I think we do have willing partners there, but I don’t think things are going to move as fast as we would all like for them to.”The more immediate story here revolves around the WNT, as the new CBA was the key to their settlement with U.S. Soccer concerning the equal pay lawsuit. The federation and players announced their agreement to settlement terms on Feb. 22, though that deal was contingent upon the ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement. With that ratification from both players associations and the U.S. Soccer board of directors, the settlement process can be resolved following approval from both the class members (the players) and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.For the federation, there’s plenty of reason to celebrate two new CBAs and the final resolution of the equal pay lawsuit, but more than anything it’s the end of their public battle with the USWNT, which has cost U.S. Soccer in many ways beyond the legal fees, including sponsorship deals and public perception.It’s also another win for Cone in her role as president, with multiple sources from the women’s national team indicating that the final deal on equal pay and the CBAs wouldn’t have happened without her guidance. Thirty-two WNT players were willing to publicly endorse Cone over former president Carlos Cordeiro, who resigned in 2020 amid ferocious criticism over USSF court filings in the equal pay lawsuit that disparaged women’s players, ahead of March’s USSF presidential election.“Getting to a deal doesn’t automatically rebuild the trust,” Cone said. “We still have a lot of work to do, and that’s on us.” Wednesday will be claimed as a historic day by all sides, but there’s also no overlooking the actual impacts on the players’ lives, particularly on the women’s side. Asked if she had a favorite part of the new deal, Purce had an immediate answer.“You know, you’re not the first person to ask me this,” she said, laughing. “The money.”
USMNT weekend viewing guide: It all comes down to this
After a nine months of weekly struggle, it still all comes down to a single match for the difference between playing in the top division or being relegated a level. It’s an understatement to say this is a massive impact to the clubs including all the financial implications and player decisions that will result based on the outcomes of this weekend. It should be exciting, particularly for our USMNT players involved, so let’s get to it.
No team with USMNG connections has more to play for this weekend than Jesse Marsch and Leeds United. Leeds find themselves in 18th place heading into the final weekend, and they will be heading to the Championship unless they are able to make up ground on Burnley on Sunday. Thursday was a rough off day for Leeds, as they saw Everton win to secure safety and Burnley play to a draw, which was enough to bring them level with Leeds on points. Thanks to a 20 goal advantage in goal differential, Burnley now have the leg up and Leeds will need to jump them in points on Sunday to earn safety. Of course, this means that Leeds aren’t entirely in control of their own destiny, as they could win on Sunday and still be relegated if Burnley also win. But, a win would significantly improve their chances, as a draw would mean that Burnley would have to lose. A Leeds loss means they are relegated regardless of the Burnley result.
Leeds have just one point from their last four matches and haven’t won a game since their 3-0 win over relegation-bound Watford six weeks ago. Their opponent this weekend is Brentford, who currently sit in 11th place. Leeds needed a late stoppage time goal to secure a point the last time the teams met in December.
Broadcast matches:
The Columbus Crew will face Kellyn Acosta and league leading LAFC at 3:30p on TUDN and Unimas.
Walker Zimmerman and Nashville SC will take on Atlanta United at 7:30p on Fox.
Streaming overseas:
Christian Pulisic and Chelsea FC finish their season with a match against Watford at 11a on Peacock. Chelsea are essentially locked into third place with a three point and 18 goal differential advantage over Tottenham.
Yunus Musah’s Valencia finish their season with a match against Celta Vigo. Valencia trail Celta Vigo by a point and the two clubs sit in 10th and 11th place. Musah has started just one of the past four matches and did not make it off the bench last weekend.
Timothy Weah and Lille face Rennes at 3p on beIN Sports. Weah scored his first goal of the season and added an assist last weekend in Lille’s 3-1 win over Nice.
DC United and Toronto FC kickoff has been pushed back to 6:30p due to high temperatures. The two teams are five spots apart in the Eastern Conference standings but separated by just two points.
Jesús Ferreira continued his hot start to the season on Wednesday, picking up his second assist to go along with a league-leading nine goals through thirteen matches. Dallas would go on to lose to league worst Vancouver 2-1 but remain in third place, just a point behind league-leading Austin FC and LAFC. Paul Arriola was the beneficiary of Ferreira’s assist as Jesús found him making the run alone on the right side of the box and Arriola was able to easily slot it away.
This weekend, Dallas will face a Minnesota United side who currently sit in ninth place in the Western Conference, seven points back of Dallas. There aren’t many USMNT connections on the Minnesota side, though there is a certain William Alexander Trapp that might bring back some memories.
Broadcast matches:
The Portland Timbers host the Philadelphia Union at 10p on FS1. Paxten Aaronson, Jack McGlynn, and Quinn Sullivan all got some run for Eastern Conference leading Philadelphia on Wednesday in their scoreless draw with Inter Miami.
Streaming overseas:
Matt Miazga will bring his time with Deportivo Alavés to a close when Alavés face Cadiz at 2p on ESPN+. Alavés will be relegated while Cadiz currently sit in 18th place but are tied on points with Mallorca and and a point behind Granada so safety isn’t out of the question.
There are rumors that Matthew Hoppe could be leaving Mallorca this summer as well after making just five appearances for the club over the course of this past season. First, Mallorca will look to secure a spot in La Liga for next season when they face Osasuana at 2p on ESPN+.
Gianluca Busio, Tanner Tessmann and Venezia get their last taste of Serie A action for at least a year when they face Cagliari at 3p on Paramount+. Cagliari need a win and a Salernitana loss or they will be joining Venezia in Serie B for the 2022-23 campaign.
MLS Mashup (all matches on ESPN+):
Djordje Mihailović and CF Montreal face Real Salt Lake at 4p on ESPN+.
New York City FC and the Chicago Fire kick off at 5p. Gaga Slonina and the Chicago Fire haven’t won a match since mid-March and currently sit bottom of the table.
DeAndre Yedlin and Inter Miami host Aaron Long and the New York Red Bulls at 6p. Caden Clark is also recently returned for NYRB but did not make it off the bench on Wednesday.
The San Jose Earthquakes face Sporting Kansas City at 7:30p. If you’re looking for some fireworks, keep an eye on this one as a man has been sent off in four of SKC’s last five matches, including four reds being handed out in their match with Colorado on Wednesday!
In one of the more surprising early season standing results, Austin FC currently hold the league’s best record and will now host Orlando City at 8p Sunday evening.
The Colorado Rapids will host Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan and the Seattle Sounders. The Sounders have won their past two league matches after a slow start to their regular season.
RB Leipzig must win DFB-Pokal after strong Bundesliga finish to a tough season
12:38 PM ET Derek Rae
ESPN’s lead Bundesliga commentator Derek Rae is in Berlin for the DFB-Pokal Final (stream LIVE, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN+ in the U.S.) between Freiburg and Leipzig. He reflects on the twists and turns of RB Leipzig‘s season. Will it end with the club’s first major trophy or in tears and soul searching for a club still denied wider acceptance.
It has become fashionable to mock RB Leipzig’s fan support or more accurately, the lack of it. Not even the recent Europa League semifinal decider at Ibrox against Rangers could tempt more than a handful to make the journey, something that would have been a special, once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage for supporters of better-established clubs.
This week in the German capital, RB Leipzig will be hoping to change perceptions about themselves as a club and an entity. It must be said it’s a pretty straightforward train journey from Leipzig to Berlin and in good times, it’s a drive of little more than two hours along the A9 Autobahn. So you would worry if they weren’t going to take a large travelling support for Saturday’s showdown at the Olympiastadion. In fact, an estimated 27,000 from the Heldenstadt (“city of heroes”) will descend on the western part of Berlin and they even have their own stage show and fan march planned. It’s a sizeable number, but they will be in the decided minority in a different way. Meanwhile, 99.9999% of Germany’s football fans are willing on Freiburg, the ultimate organic community club who stand in contrast to the Leipzig business model, one that many still argue is at odds with the essence of German football culture.
Among Leipzig fans, is there a reaction of “nobody likes us but we don’t care?” More precise would be “nobody likes us but we will just remain quiet about that and not make too much of a fuss.”
Austin Lindberg
And so will Saturday, in Berlin’s Westend district, be the night when RBL start to look north and usher in an era of trophy lifts? A first major honour beckons, after all: the Regionalliga Nordost and Sachsen Pokal were nice to win during the club’s infancy, but they don’t quite qualify.
At the start of the season, there was considerable optimism within the club. Jesse Marsch was part of the family, true to the Ralf Rangnick counter-pressing approach and blessed, by his own admission, with the deepest, most comprehensive squad in the entire Bundesrepublik. I’ve written before about why the marriage between Marsch and Leipzig simply had to be terminated before it became too late to salvage a Champions League place. Essentially the team had moved on stylistically to ball-control football under Julian Nagelsmann, and Marsch’s back-to-the-future approach wasn’t going to work.
Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff recently said that Marsch was trying to change too much, too soon. Either way, the players wanted a possession game, and that’s what they got under new man Domenico Tedesco, who really began to hit his stride come the turn of the year. Squad members in various interviews have expressed their contentment at things since his arrival.
Leipzig have been the form team for a good portion of the Rückrunde (second half of the season). If you go strictly by the numbers, they have been the best team in the league since the winter break: Between early January and late April, they lost just one of their 20 competitive matches and that was 3-2 away to Rekordmeister Bayern. It has looked a lot more like “Nagelsmann football,” too, with a return to a back-three defense and the banishment of the overly hectic, wild style favoured by Marsch.
Tyler Adams has a hidden love of art
Tyler Adams takes Alexis Nunes to a museum in Leipzig to explain his love for art.
I was genuinely beginning to think that had it not been for the ill-fated Marsch period, Leipzig would perhaps be on a winning course for the Meisterschale. But something strange has happened to RBL in the past few weeks and it must surely be down to the Belastungssteuerung, a great German word for “excessive work load.” You could detect a big dip, even in victory away to Leverkusen just before their Pokal semifinal date with Union. Leipzig then appeared nervous and twitchy in the first half against the robust Unioner, and were frankly fortunate that Emil Forsberg‘s late header to clinch a place in the final wiped out memories of a skittish, under-par performance.
Facing Union at home again three days later, Leipzig struggled once more and this time let the game slip from their grasp in the closing stages. It was a portent of disappointments to come against Gladbach, but most noticeably over the two meetings with Rangers when on squad strength, RBL were favourites to go through to the final in Seville.
This tag of being the “nearly team that can’t quite get it over the line” is something Leipzig would prefer to shed — and not just in European competition. Leipzig have lost their two previous DFB-Pokal finals … albeit against Bayern and Dortmund respectively. In Freiburg, a bit like against Union and Rangers, they will face the ultimate Mentalitätsmonster (thanks to a certain Jurgen Klopp, some in the English speaking world already know this word.) They must be especially careful in defending set-pieces.
The positive for Tedesco and Leipzig is they have already nailed down their Champions League place for next season, although it was a much closer shave than it really should have been.
When Leipzig are at their best, they still need a balance between their newest stars — the fabulous Christopher Nkunku and talented Dani Olmo being the prime examples — and the old guard. Peter Gulacsi, Emil Forsberg and Yusuf Poulsen provide this link to the club’s recent past, when the club was in a rush to ascend the divisions. Continuity is important.
As against Rangers, Leipzig are favourites to beat Freiburg tomorrow even though both Bundesliga meetings of the sides this season ended in 1-1 draws. This and the fact that they finished a mere three points apart suggests a final played at eye level.
German football fans recognise that for all their reservations about RB Leipzig, sooner or later, a trophy will come their way. Their advantage in terms of resources over most of the rest of the Bundesliga virtually ensures this. Whatever happens on Saturday, at least no one will accuse RB Leipzig of not having enough of their own fans on site to witness a key moment in their history.
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MLS Finally Wins CONCACAF Champions League – Seattle Wins !!!
It was a huge night last week when Seattle finally lifted the CCL Trophy for the first time in the 17 years by becoming the first ever MLS squad to win it – 3-0 at home (5-2 on Aggregate) over Mexican La Liga side Pumas UNAM. (Relive the Final Here) and YES I CRIED!! (check out this fans video from the stands) Now, first things first, since Seattle came into MLS in 2009 – they have been the model of consistency since they entered the league 13 years ago as they have won the MLS Cup twice, the Supporters Shield, and the US Open Cup multiple times. They entered the league and immediately shattered attendance records regularly averaging 35K plus for their regular season home games. On this night they broke the CCL Record for Attendance with 68,972 fans on hand to see history made. I became a fan when I saw those huge AMERICAN CROWDS for soccer and it just grew as they signed Deuce (American Superstar Clint Dempsey). Someday I will stand in that glorious stadium and root on my Ganggreen!! Just as important though is the culture of the Sounders fans – and feel of the crowd around the city and around the stadium pregame. It is the penultimate setting in the US for game – especially a big game like this one. The TV Coverage by Fox Sports 1 was spot on check it out with the goals– treating this game with the respect it deserved – listen to that crowd! Oh and just in case you wondered – 1.5 million watched the CCL final at 10 pm EST on FS1 & in Spanish in the US almost 1 million more than watched the CCL Real Madrid vs Man City game the same day on CBS and Univision.
Indy 11 Ladies Win 6-1 on Road after 3-1 inaugural win
Braces by Soderstrom & Bulatovic, 3 assists by Lynch fuel offensive outburst in first @USLWLeagueaway contest at Flint City AFC 6-1. Indy Eleven captured a 3-1 victory over Kings Hammer FC in the Inaugural Match of the USL W League, the new 44-team women’s pre-professional league under the United Soccer League umbrella. The historic triumph for Indy Eleven was played in front of a sold out, standing room-only crowd of 1,571 fans at the Grand Park Events Center. Rachel McCarthy’s pair of goals early in the first half lifted Indiana’s Team to a comfortable cushion, and Carmel Dads Club, Carmel High School alum and current Butler standout Katie Soderstrom’s 78th minute finish sealed the win after the KHFC cut the deficit back to one just before halftime. Read all about it !! The Indy 11 men head to Memphis Sat night at 8 pm on ESPN plus
Big Games this weekend
Saturday we get the FA Cup Final Liverpool vs Chelsea at 11:45 am on ESPN plus as Liverpool is still alive for the Quad – 4 Cups – if they can beat Chelsea on Saturday. (Don’t ask me why this game is not on ESPN or ESPN2 – but I for one will be watching at Liverpool Bill’s house!! Here’s a Preview. Of course Pulisic started his 3rd straight game with Lukaku up top playing the #10 spot where he thrived again. Pulisic Scores for Chelsea. I see Liverpool being just too much for Chelsea to keep up with so I am calling for a 3-2 Liverpool win – with Pulisic scoring a goal – if he starts in the 10 spot again – if he doesn’t start 3-1 Liverpool. (Interesting Pulisic Rumors to Juventus). In other EPL action – Leeds United and US coach Jesse Marsch are begging for a win at home vs Brighton. Leeds has had a player red carded out the last 2 games – against top level teams in Chelsea and Tottenham. They still need to make up points on Burnley who are 1 spot above the relegation line with Leeds on the wrong side. EPL table They play Sunday at 9 am on Peacock while, Tottenham host Burnley at 7 am and West Ham hosts Man City at 9 am both on USA.
The sunset over the fields at Badger where I trained a couple of High School quality Goalkeepers really hard Thursday night. Man I love training GKs who want to get better and possibly play high school ball. Sure do wish we had more show up for training though. Can’t make em better if they don’t show up.
Liverpool vs. Chelsea: Men’s FA Cup final talking points: Who will win at Wembley? Which players are key?
Top Premier League teams may only have to win six matches to lift the men’s FA Cup, but Saturday’s final (11:45 a.m. ET; stream live on ESPN+, U.S. only) will still feel like a marathon more than a sprint for Chelsea and Liverpool. This weekend’s fixture concludes the 150th edition of the world’s oldest cup competition, a milestone that the Royal Mint have deemed suitably grand to create a special £2 coin in celebration.The outcome feels like a coin flip, too. Chelsea and Liverpool contested a hugely entertaining Carabao Cup final at Wembley just 76 days earlier, goalless at the end of 120 minutes and decided by the finest of margins — a penalty shootout ending 11-10 as Blues goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga skied his spot-kick over the crossbar.
Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted his players are showing signs of fatigue after such a demanding campaign, and Jurgen Klopp can empathize; Saturday will be Liverpool’s 60th game of 2021-22, and both clubs will end on 63 matches as the Reds’ season ends in Paris with a Champions League final against Real Madrid on May 28.
Although Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes are beginning to fade as Manchester City continue winning in relentless fashion, Klopp’s side still have a chance of pulling off an unprecedented quadruple. The next leg can be secured at Wembley.
Who needs this more?
Given the history at stake, probably Liverpool. Klopp has sought to deflect any quadruple talk, but success in four competitions would elevate this Liverpool team to indisputable status as one of the greatest in English football history. It is, however, the prize they covet least given the Premier League and Champions League titles are still in play.
Tuchel will feel his players deserve something to show for the professionalism they have displayed while the club’s existence has felt uncertain. Abramovich issued his first statement attempting to distance himself from the club the night before the Carabao Cup final on Feb. 23. Ever since, Tuchel has had to field questions on everything from war to morality while maintaining morale among a group of players and staff facing restrictions over day-to-day operations resulting from the terms of a special government licence granted to keep fulfilling fixtures.
A consortium led by Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly is now seeking U.K. government and Premier League approval to complete a takeover. Boehly is likely to be at Wembley on Saturday as Chelsea prepare for a new era. What better way to start than with the club’s ninth FA Cup win? For their part, Liverpool would move level with Chelsea on eight wins should they triumph.
Any injury issues to consider?
Saturday will be the fourth meeting between these sides this season, with the previous three encounters technically ending in draws, and Chelsea’s ability to compete with Liverpool has been based upon a high-pressing game housed in a 3-4-2-1 formation. It is for this reason, more than any other, that Tuchel will be tempted to restore Kai Havertz to lead the attack at the expense of Romelu Lukaku, who has started the past two Premier League games, scoring three times.
Lukaku caused Liverpool problems off the bench in the Carabao Cup final, and that “impact substitute” role could prove effective once again. Tuchel must decide whether Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner, or Hakim Ziyech play alongside Mount. Werner’s finishing is often in doubt, but his pace is not, and that speed will be a useful weapon against Liverpool’s high line.
The probable absence of Mateo Kovacic is a significant blow as Tuchel views his intelligence in possession as vital to Chelsea’s ability to dictate games. Kovacic spent Friday attempting to rejoin training following an ankle problem in a last-ditch attempt to be fit alongside N’Golo Kante, who has suffered a series of nagging muscular problems. There is a little more optimism surrounding Kante, and he is more likely to partner Jorginho in central midfield. If both Kovacic and Kante are deemed unavailable, Ruben Loftus-Cheek — who scored in Chelsea’s semifinal win over Crystal Palace — will be drafted in.
Jurgen Klopp made five changes for Tuesday’s win at Aston Villa and left-back Andrew Robertson is certain to be recalled, as is Mohamed Salah following his 18-minute cameo at Villa Park. No Liverpool player has scored more goals than Sadio Mane (12) since the beginning of February and so he will surely start, leaving Klopp with the decision of whether to pick livewire Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, or Roberto Firmino as his third forward. In midfield, Fabinho will be a big miss after suffering a hamstring injury against Aston Villa on Tuesday, but he should be fit for the Champions League final at least.
Who are the key players?
Salah, Mane, and Diaz are all obvious threats for Liverpool but looking a little deeper, Chelsea’s Mason Mount will feel he has a particular point to prove. The 23-year-old was guilty of two bad misses in the Carabao Cup final either side of half-time, which would have turned a goalless game in the Blues’ favour.
Mount was in fine form with a goal and an assist in Wednesday’s 3-0 win at Leeds and although Tuchel will make changes to that XI, Mount is expected to retain his place. He’ll be looking for space in an area of the pitch that looks certain to be vacated by Fabinho.
Jordan Henderson replaced Fabinho at Villa Park and the England international will have a key role in stopping the supply line to Chelsea’s forwards while also helping Liverpool break the Blues’ press. Thiago Alcantara was one of those initially rested at Villa Park before coming on for Curtis Jones with the scores level against Villa and it was the Spaniard’s pass which launched the attack that led to Mane’s winning goal.Thiago produced arguably his best performance for Liverpool in last month’s FA Cup semifinal win over Manchester City and will be desperate to play, having missed the Carabao Cup final after picking up a hamstring injury in the warm-up.Ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea, take a look back the EFL Cup final which ended with an unforgettable 22-kick penalty shootout.
Manager watch
This is the first time two German managers have contested an FA Cup final. It is the 19th meeting between the pair, with Klopp firmly in the ascendancy having won 10 and drawn five. Both are establishing themselves among the greats at their respective clubs, with Klopp becoming only the second Liverpool manager to lead a team into four major finals (League Cup, Europa League, Champions League and FA Cup) while Tuchel has achieved the same feat at Chelsea, something only previously done by Jose Mourinho.Impressively, Tuchel’s success comes after just one year and 108 days as head coach. Chelsea have lost the past two FA Cup finals but only one of those came under Tuchel, as his predecessor Frank Lampard was beaten by Arsenal in an empty Wembley due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Klopp’s status as one of the game’s great modern-day managers is assured no matter the outcome, but for Tuchel, a victory would be a validation of his methods and a reminder ahead of what will be a busy transfer window at Stamford Bridge that Chelsea can still rival the best despite a change of ownership and a somewhat disappointing Premier League campaign.
Prediction: Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool
It is difficult to see how this will lack goals like the Carabao Cup final did. Although Chelsea beat Leeds comfortably in midweek, their recent form is something of a concern. Liverpool’s superior options in attack should give them the advantage.
Havertz, Mane and what a Chelsea vs Liverpool FA Cup final says about modern strikers
The last time Chelsea and Liverpool met in the FA Cup final, the story was all about proper No 9s.The main character in the backstory didn’t actually play, but this match in 2012 came less than 18 months after Fernando Torres’ shock £50 million transfer from Liverpool to Chelsea, which initially left Liverpool reeling but eventually caused Chelsea more problems.By this point, Roberto Di Matteo — Chelsea’s third manager in Torres’ time at the club — had given up trying to integrate the Spaniard, and reverted to playing Didier Drogba up front instead. We all know the story with Drogba and cup finals, and after Ramires opened the scoring, Drogba put Chelsea 2-0 up.Two minutes later, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish sacrificed midfielder Jay Spearing and turned to Andy Carroll, the striker who had been desperately signed on the night of the Torres transfer. Carroll soon scored, and with the wind in Liverpool’s sails, they relentlessly knocked hopeful crosses into the box towards him. Eventually, he met one with a powerful header, and ran off celebrating.Unfortunately for Carroll, the ball hadn’t actually gone in — Petr Cech had made a remarkable save, and Chelsea hung on for a 2-1 win. save (Getty Images)
All this seems remarkably long ago, and come Saturday’s final Jordan Henderson will be the only survivor from that day. But really, what dates this story is that it was a cup final based almost entirely around No 9s. It was about Torres moving from red to blue, about Drogba being the cup final hero, about Carroll nearly being Liverpool’s saviour. A decade on, it all feels a bit Roy of the Rovers.This weekend, it’s unlikely that the starting line-ups will feature a striker.Jurgen Klopp seems likely to continue with Sadio Mane through the middle. Mane arrived at the club and played excellently on the right, then after Mohamed Salah’s arrival switched seamlessly to the left, and now after Luis Diaz’s instant impact has again been redeployed, this time through the middle. It’s arguably rejuvenated Mane’s Liverpool career, and suddenly the club have a new look in the final third.Thomas Tuchel could field Romelu Lukaku, who has scored in back-to-back games to put himself in contention. But it’s more likely that Tuchel will field a front three selected from Mason Mount, Timo Werner, Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz, probably with Havertz leading the line. Comparing Drogba and Carroll with Havertz and Mane demonstrates how much football has evolved over the past decade.The idea that players deployed as a centre-forward might not be natural, old-school No 9s is hardly new — we’ve been talking about false nines for more than a decade — but this season has been particularly notable for it. From Manchester City being likely to win the league without a recognised centre-forward and Arsenal happily ditching Pierre-Emerick Aubemeyang because he offered little outside the box, to Manchester United signing the world’s highest international goalscorer of all time but regressing as a team, this has not been a vintage season for pure finishers.But whereas Mane and Havertz might have been grouped a decade ago as false forwards, more accustomed to playing elsewhere but shoved up top through circumstances rather than design, the reality is that they’re actually entirely different players.While Mane is primarily considered a quick player adept at running in behind the opposition defence — in keeping with Liverpool’s preferred style of full-throttle attacking football — he’s actually, in another way, a natural centre-forward. Few other players in the Premier League (and surely no one else who is around the 5ft 9in mark) are as adept at dropping short to receive the ball with their back to goal and using their body to shield it. Mane is so dangerous in those situations in part because he’s happy spinning either way, comfortable shooting or passing with either foot. He’s also good at winning free kicks from defenders in tight situations.On paper, Havertz is the opposite — more of a natural centre-forward at 6ft 3in but more comfortable at arriving late in the box rather than being permanently stationed there. At times he’s shown an eye for goal, including in last year’s Champions League final. Eleven Premier League goals since signing nearly two years ago isn’t a particularly impressive return, although he hit 17 and then 12 in his final two Bundesliga campaigns, suggesting he can find the net on a more consistent basis.Maybe the most significant thing, though, is that even the players over whom Mane and Havertz are likely to be favoured are not, arguably, traditional No 9s either. For Liverpool, Diogo Jota briefly felt like a penalty box No 9 because he scored several headed goals, but is a small, quick attacker who played a wider role at Wolves. Roberto Firmino was originally considered a false nine who played as a No 9 so frequently he increasingly felt like a conventional centre-forward. Divock Origi is the closest thing to a target man, and is fielded there as a Plan B, but from the start has often played from the left as Klopp wants a better link man through the middle.From Tuchel’s perspective, Werner — who could start here if Chelsea want to exploit the space between Liverpool’s defensive line — has managed just 10 goals from 56 Premier League appearances and increasingly feels like a useful decoy runner rather than a genuine goal threat himself.Even Romelu Lukaku, the £100-million man intended to be a prolific goalscorer, has suffered badly in his second stint at Chelsea, in part because of his mid-season interview with Italian television where he complained about his role at Chelsea, presumably wishing to play a more mobile role running inside from an inside-right position, as he did at Inter. Lukaku does not consider himself a Diego Costa, an Olivier Giroud, a Drogba or even a Torres.We don’t have to go back 10 years to find the last Liverpool v Chelsea meeting at Wembley, however. That came three months ago in the League Cup final, an absolutely belting end-to-end game that created 4.4 xG worth of chances, but precisely zero goals. If something similar happens this weekend it will feel somehow fitting.
It’s Only Fitting That Seattle Breaks MLS’s CCL Glass Ceiling
For all the jokes about what Seattle has invented as it relates to American soccer, the Sounders have been a model MLS franchise and make for a worthy trailblazer.
going to strike somewhere in MLS territory, then Seattle was the perfect place. It’s a city that embraced domestic pro soccer through multiple leagues and decades with a rare, sustained fervor. And it’s home to a club that then set a standard of ambition, consistency and success in a league designed to suppress it. The Sounders have always put pressure on themselves to raise the bar and win, even when the surrounding structure doesn’t. So they have, and that ethos and championship culture paved the way for Wednesday’s historic victory before yet another raucous, record crowd at Lumen Field.Where MLS teams had stumbled and failed for two decades, the Sounders now stand triumphant. After overcoming two early injuries, they easily defeated Mexico’s UNAM Pumas, 3–0, in the second and deciding leg of the Concacaf Champions League finals (last week’s opener ended 2–2). Seattle became the first MLS club since 2001, and the first in the tournament’s home-and-away era, to claim the continental title. Raúl Ruidíaz, the Peruvian striker who has been one of many big-ticket signings the Sounders nailed, tallied goals on either side of halftime. Playmaker Nicolás Lodeiro, an Uruguayan veteran who has been the creative inspiration behind the club’s recent success, potted Seattle’s third. U.S. national team winger Jordan Morris, an Emerald City native and the son of the club doctor, set the table for his side’s two second-half strikes. The stars shone brightly.Along with the coveted CCL trophy comes an invitation to the next FIFA Club World Cup, which will feature an MLS squad for the first time. Then there’s the eternal pride and long-term bragging rights that come with being the first to do something so significant (D.C. United and the LA Galaxy won regional crowns before MLS teams were forced to travel). The annual CCL faceplant by MLS entrants was excruciating. Meanwhile, a Liga MX club had been Concacaf champion every year since 2006. There’s never been a streak like that anywhere in the world, and the Sounders will forever be the team that ended it. For those outside the city annoyed by Seattle supporters accused of behaving like they “invented soccer,” it’s about to get worse.“The first thing only happens once—making history,” said Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei, the CCL MVP who made a tremendous save on a second-half Pumas header when the score was still 1–0. “There will be many more Concacaf Champions League winners, but there’s only one that does it for the first time from MLS. And so we wrote ourselves into the history books today, and I’m so proud of my team.”It takes time to make history, and Wednesday’s climactic 90 minutes represented the final steps of a lengthy journey that began when the Sounders, a four-time champion in American soccer’s second tier, entered MLS in 2009. They immediately set attendance records and established an on-field standard, finishing third in the Western Conference and winning the U.S. Open Cup. An unprecedented run of success followed. Across the ensuing dozen seasons, the Sounders won two MLS Cups, four conference titles, three more Open Cups and a Supporters’ Shield. Their streak of 13 consecutive playoff appearances is a league record. And in each of those 13 seasons, they finished among the top four in the West. The Sounders are just about the only safe MLS bet.It’s popular to break MLS history down into eras. The league’s 1.0 era was defined by caution and contraction, NFL stadiums, incomprehensible team names and the D.C. United dynasty. MLS 2.0 was anchored by the construction of soccer-specific stadiums and the Designated Player rule, and at its peak it was dominated by Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, David Beckham and the LA Galaxy. Then came rapid league expansion, the next generation of arenas, the growth of the academy system and an increase in roster spending. That’s MLS 3.0. The Sounders are its flagship club.General manager Garth Lagerwey, who helped build small-market Real Salt Lake’s mini-dynasty in the early 2010s, and coach Brian Schmetzer, a Seattle soccer lifer who worked under the late Sigi Schmid before taking the helm, have come close to solving a notoriously inscrutable league. They’ve hit on numerous high-profile signings and become a desired destination for established MLS vets. They’ve also developed several homegrown stars, from the likes of Morris and U.S. workhorse Cristian Roldan to 16-year-old Obed Vargas, who bravely stepped in for the injured João Paulo midway through Wednesday’s first half.Seattle hasn’t been content to tread water, see its club valuation increase and hope to maybe make a splash in the transfer market. It’s played to win since day one and it’s learned to do so en route. It took eight years to break down the MLS Cup door. And it took seven CCL appearances and six CCL failures, the most in MLS since ’09, to solve the continental puzzle. The Sounders aren’t the highest-spending team in MLS but they’re typically near the top, and they’re likely the best at constructing a competitive roster under the league’s complex and sometimes stifling rules.“Since ’18, we’ve really had this [core] and we’ve tried to add one piece a year without subtracting,” Lagerwey said before the match. “We really do feel like this is the best group that we’ve had and we’ve been very methodical about it, very strategic to build to this moment. I can’t say the last five years is all about winning the 2022 Champions League. It wasn’t that specific. But it was, ‘Can we get better every single year before we get too old and take a shot at something like this, something really cool like this?’”
With Champions League breakthrough, Seattle Sounders stake their claim to title of best club in MLS history
The noise began with a low murmur from a smattering of the 68,741 fans in attendance at Lumen Field for the Seattle Sounders’ historic CONCACAF Champions League victory against Pumas on Wednesday night, but quickly grew to encompass the entire stadium, getting louder and louder with every measured, celebratory step taken by Nicolas Lodeiro, Raul Ruidiaz and Jordan Morris. At that point, midway through second-half stoppage time, the result was all but official. Lodeiro had put the game and series completely out of reach minutes earlier, tapping home a rebound after Morris caromed a shot off the post to give Seattle a 3-0 lead in the second leg and 5-2 advantage on aggregate. The wide margin afforded head coach Brian Schmetzer the luxury of subbing off his three attacking stars for a curtain call.As they made their way toward the sideline, Lodeiro and Ruidiaz in lockstep, Morris trailing closely behind, the crowd built into a deafening crescendo, saluting their captain, their ruthless striker and their hometown hero as their Sounders marched toward becoming the first MLS team to ever win the CCL.From the moment they joined the league back in 2009, the Sounders have, in one way or another, consistently raised the bar for MLS. When the final whistle blew on Wednesday, as Lodeiro sprinted onto the field in a jubilant celebration and the crowd erupted in one last moment of rapture, they raised that bar to an unprecedented new level. Even before they won the CCL, the Sounders were the most successful MLS organization of the last decade. It’s only fitting that they became the first to take the continental crown. “It’s an amazing club, an amazing fan base. We do a lot of things right, here in Seattle,” Morris said afterwards. “Going into the year, this was such a huge goal for us, to be the first MLS team to win this. And to have done it now, to have made history, it’s incredibly special.” It’s easy to look at the club’s 13 playoff appearances in 13 seasons, two MLS Cups, four U.S. Open Cups and one Supporters’ Shield and think that a night like Wednesday was in some way preordained for the Sounders.So easy, in fact, that the narrative heading into the second leg felt almost unnervingly confident. Fans and media (this writer included) who were so used to seeing MLS teams fall short in this competition over the years seemed convinced that the Sounders would take care of business after they drew 2-2 in Mexico City in the first leg last week. It was as if the league’s collective CCL scar tissue had been removed and the long, mostly sad history of Seattle sports had been forgotten, replaced by a rare, rave green-tinged sense of optimism.But there are no guarantees in no professional sports, no teams of destiny. And nothing about the Sounders’ journey to the CCL title was inexorable. That was made abundantly clear on Wednesday. The final score didn’t indicate as much, but the second leg was difficult for Seattle, which was dealt two serious blows early in the first half. Starting left back Nouhou was subbed off due to a thigh contusion in the 11th minute and star midfielder Joao Paulo, an MLS MVP finalist in 2021, was taken off in the 29th after suffering what Seattle fears is a torn ACL. The injuries threw a dark cloud over an otherwise picture-perfect evening in the Pacific Northwest, but Seattle beat it back. At the end of a relatively ugly first-half, after looking like they’d head into the locker room without creating a single clear opportunity, they took the lead through a deflected Ruidiaz effort.As soon as his shot hit the back of the net, Ruidiaz wheeled off toward the north stand of Lumen Field, flying over the advertising boards and sprinting to Seattle’s reserves and academy players, who were watching the match from a field-level suite. His Sounders teammates raced to catch him, joining the broader, organization-wide party as one straggling player picked up the ball and punted it high into the seats. The crowd became so loud that the press box began to vibrate, the first of a few moments during the match in which it seemed as if the fans were causing the stadium to shake.“I told them after the game that (they were) freaking awesome. They’re awesome,” Schmetzer, another Seattle native, Sounders lifer and card-carrying member of the Emerald City Supporters group, said of the fans. “The connection between the fans and the players is the spirit of this club. You heard it when the teams walked out tonight, you heard it during the game, it was awesome, really awesome. You felt the energy in the building, the players felt it. It was spectacular.”
Pumas responded well to Seattle’s goal, nearly equalizing in the 65th. Winger Washington Corozo got to the endline and lofted a cross to the back post, where 6-foot-4 attacker Diogo de Olivera rose over Kelyn Rowe, another native Seattlite who was only playing because Nouhou had been forced out, and directed a powerful header on frame. Goalkeeper Stefan Frei, who had arrived at Lumen Field just like any other fan and left it having been named player of the tournament, quickly got down to his right for a massive save. Fifteen minutes later, Ruidiaz called game, finishing off a beautiful counterattack to effectively secure the trophy for Seattle. Midfielder Albert Rusnak, a calming influence throughout the match and an architect of the first goal, was once again at the heart of the play. He shimmied past several Pumas players in the Sounders half before finding an escape valve in 16-year-old midfielder Obed Vargas, who had come on for the injured Joao Paulo in the first-half. The Alaska native, who signed a homegrown deal with the Sounders in December, continued the impressive start to his professional career on Wednesday, not shirking from the moment and sliding in well for Joao Paulo despite his age and inexperience. After receiving the pass from Rusnak, he quickly found Alex Roldan, with the ball eventually making its way to Ruidiaz for an emphatic strike.It was a classic Sounders goal, the exact type of transition opportunity that they feast on. It also iced the match. The fans certainly sensed that, with most of them turning on the flashlights on their phones in the moments after the goal, waving them back and forth as if they were at a rock concert. “I got a little choked up,” said Frei, who, as the longest tenured Sounder, has been in the middle of so many of the biggest moments in club history. “I had to tell myself, ‘Hey, there’s still some game left, like relax, take it easy.’ But it’s special, very special. As a little kid, this is what you dream of. You close your eyes and you envision a stadium full of people like this, chanting you on, this is it. To have the opportunity to live out that dream is precious. I cherish it.” Ruidiaz’s second strike set the table for Lodeiro to finish things off in the 88th. It was a simple goal, a close-range finish into an empty net, but it was full of meaning — and it was appropriate that Lodeiro was the scorer. The driving force behind the Sounders’ MLS Cup titles in 2016 and 2019, the 33-year-old has probably done more than any other player to construct a championship culture in Seattle, starring in the midfield, setting a high standard in the locker room and helping players like Cristian Roldan grow into leading figures on and off the field. As Seattle GM Garth Lagerwey said after the match, ‘Lodeiro is the best Sounder of all-time. Period.” The ovation he received when he exited with Ruidiaz and Morris in the final moments was exceedingly well-deserved. But he’s far from the only one that contributed to this title. It’s true that Sounders benefitted from the fact that the biggest Liga MX teams didn’t qualify for this edition of the CCL, but they are absolutely worthy champions. And their journey to this point extended well beyond the start of the round of 16 in February. Unlike many other teams in MLS that are now using their resources on signing young players with the idea of developing and transferring them for profit, the Sounders have constructed themselves over a number of years precisely and exclusively for moments like Wednesday. They’ve hit on their biggest signings in Lodeiro and Ruidiaz; they’ve plucked players like Nouhou and the Roldan brothers from disparate developmental paths and helped them mature into massive contributors; they’ve acquired experienced, valuable players from within MLS in Rusnak (who probably played the best match of his young Sounders career on Wednesday), Frei, Rowe, Fredy Montero and Will Bruin; they’ve gotten good-to-great returns on international signings like Joao Paulo, Arreaga and Yeimar Andrade; they’ve even had production from their academy through Morris and, more recently, Vargas and Josh Atencio. And in Schmetzer, they have a coach who keeps the operation running smoothly. Perhaps most importantly, they’ve found a way to keep their core together. Lodeiro, Morris, Frei and Cristian Roldan have each been around for all four of the club’s MLS Cup appearances. Everyone in the starting lineup on Wednesday other than Rusnak, who joined the team this winter via MLS free agency, has played in at least one MLS Cup for Seattle. Most of the current players got further championship match experience last summer, when Seattle lost the Leagues Cup final to Mexican club León.There isn’t any one explanation for how they’ve done this. An ability to successfully manage the salary budget and legally manipulate the MLS roster rules, a patient scouting process, an increased emphasis on youth, a willingness to be proactive with succession planning, a healthy locker room environment, a little bit of luck and some smart behind-the-scenes investments (Seattle was quick to add a second team, and was one of the first clubs in MLS to hire a data analyst on the sporting side), have all played a role in the Sounders’ success. It’s led to a virtuous cycle in Seattle, which, despite the fact that it isn’t really viewed as a sexy market in the other North American pro sports leagues, has only grown into a more attractive destination for soccer players, coaches and staffers over the years. “Because we have the continuity, the standard that we hold ourselves to is quickly absorbed by our new players,” Frei said. “They’re integrated very quickly. That’s maybe why players want to come here. You want to play your precious few years hopefully for trophies, and we’ve proven and shown that we generally speaking have the opportunity to get into those positions.”Seattle’s extensive experience in huge elimination matches — not all of which have ended well — helped significantly in the CCL. The Sounders are an extremely talented team, boasting perhaps the top front six in all of MLS and one of the more robust defensive groups in the league. But they needed more than just skill to survive in the Champions League. Whether in the second leg of the semifinal against New York City FC, when they were down 2-0 deep into the second half of the first leg of the final or after the injuries upset their plans on Wednesday, the Sounders repeatedly met obstacles in their run through the the competition that might have derailed a less experienced team. Every time, they cleared them.
“This is the most special one. I think this one means more to me than past trophies that I’ve won,” said Cristian Roldan. “When you’re the first one to do it, that puts you in the history books forever. No one can take that away from you.”
As Lagerwey and owner Adrian Hanauer spoke about in the buildup to the match, this win has the potential to serve as a jumping off point not just for Seattle, but for the entire league. Winning the CCL one time doesn’t mean that MLS is now on par or better than Liga MX, but the Sounders’ victory is an important symbol of the narrowing gap between the two circuits. The victory should make at least some U.S.-based Liga MX fans take MLS a bit more seriously, an important consideration for a league that could always use a larger audience. It will likely add some additional meaning to the CCL, as well, raising the level of intrigue in a competition that has struggled to create much momentum after years of Mexican dominance. The result could even add some extra juice to the reformatted Leagues Cup, which will see every team in MLS and Liga MX compete against each other in a standalone, month-long tournament that will be held for the first time in 2023. MLS still has plenty of work to do, but this was a needed first step. The win also secures a place for the Sounders at the next FIFA Club World Cup. The date, location and format of that competition have not yet been determined, as the November/December World Cup in Qatar has thrown off the global soccer calendar, though Lagerwey said that Seattle has been told that it will likely be held next February in the Middle East. Whenever and wherever it takes place, Lagerwey giddily noted that it could include a date for the Sounders against Liverpool or Real Madrid, who will face off in the UEFA Champions League final in a few weeks in Paris. “It’s not for giggles against their reserves, we’re gonna play them for a trophy,” he said. “I mean, this is what you do it for, right? That’s just amazing. It just is. I’d love to be real cool and calm and be like, ‘Ah, it’s no big deal,’ but it’s a big deal.” Winning the CCL is a big deal in its own right. The result is a fantastic achievement for the entire club, but it holds special meaning for Lagerwey, who lost the 2011 final when he was GM of Real Salt Lake. That defeat was particularly painful. RSL drew 2-2 at Monterrey in the first leg before losing 1-0 in the return leg — their first home loss in nearly two years — to drop the series. He’s been chasing the CCL ever since, talking about his desire to win it from the moment he arrived in Seattle in January 2015.“I warned everybody, I said look, this is all or nothing,” Lagerwey said. “This could be incredibly bitter. If we lose this game tonight, we would just be the third (MLS) finalist in five years to get beat. Nobody cares. You get consigned to the dustbin of history. But our guys stepped up. They won it. We were indomitable. We kept hanging in, showed the fortitude in Mexico to equalize and then to come here and to put on the show we did, I mean, it’s just a special group of guys. It’s the best Sounders team we’ve had.” On Wednesday, the best team the Sounders have ever had created perhaps the best moment the club has ever had. In doing so, they gave Seattle a legitimate claim to the title of best club in MLS history. That was never inevitable, but, considering their path to this historic CCL title, it’s certainly fitting.
HOW SEATTLE WON THE CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IN THE MOST SOUNDERS WAY POSSIBLE
The crowd at Lumen Field on Wednesday night wouldn’t let up.
They cheered relentlessly for over a minute while three of the Seattle Sounders’ stalwarts, Nico Lodeiro, Raul Ruidiaz, and Jordan Morris, left the field and swapped places with their substitutes. Up by multiple goals in the second leg of the Concacaf Champions League Final, the game was over. Those three players – along with the rest of their teammates, the coaching staff, and other members of the club – certainly earned that ovation.
For the first time in the tournament’s modern era, a Major League Soccer team had officially won the CCL.
The Seattle Sounders beat Pumas UNAM 3-0 on Wednesday night in the second leg of the final, giving them a 5-2 aggregate win over their opponents from Liga MX. MLS teams have played in the final before, but none of them could clear the last hurdle. Real Salt Lake fell to Monterrey in 2011, the Montreal Impact (RIP) lost to Club América in 2015, Toronto couldn’t get past Chivas in 2018, and LAFC dropped out against Tigres in 2020.
Becoming the first MLS team to win this region’s Champions League is a historic achievement. With that in mind, it’s difficult to think of a team that deserves it more than the Seattle Sounders. Since joining MLS in 2009, the Sounders have qualified for the playoffs every single year. They’ve also won the Supporters’ Shield and lifted two MLS Cups since 2014. With on-field consistency and impressive roster builds, they have become the model MLS franchise.
Still, plenty of impressive MLS teams have tried and failed to add the CCL trophy to their cases in the past. So how did Seattle do it? How did they take down Pumas on Wednesday? Well, they did it the Sounders way.
Let’s dive into some of the key pieces of that second leg.
LODEIRO’S OFF-BALL MOVEMENT
Against Pumas, Brian Schmetzer set up his Sounders team in the same formation that he’s used for so much of his MLS coaching career. He used a 4-2-3-1, complete with a double pivot behind Nico Lodeiro, who played as a No. 10. Pumas, on the other hand, started the game in a 4-3-3 shape with a lone No. 6 behind two No. 8s. On paper, those two midfield shapes cancel each other out. One team’s defensive midfielder overlaps with the other’s attacking midfielder and the double pivot in the 4-2-3-1 overlaps with the eights in the 4-3-3.
For stretches of Wednesday night’s game, those two midfield shapes really did cancel each other out. In particular Higor Meritao, Pumas’ defensive midfielder, carefully monitored Lodeiro and denied him any real breathing room between the lines.
What do you do when you can’t find space in one part of the field? Wait, actually, let me rephrase that. What does a No. 10 do when they can’t find space in one part of the field? They move. And then they move some more. That’s exactly what Lodeiro did to free himself from Meritao.
In one moment, Lodeiro would drop deep and to one side to ditch Pumas’ midfield.
In the next moment, he would drop deep and to the other side, far enough away from Meritao that the Brazilian didn’t dare follow him.
And in yet another moment, Lodeiro would move into one of the halfspaces as part of a midfield-wide shift for Seattle. That’s exactly what happened in the buildup to the Sounders’ first goal. Lodeiro relocated to the left halfspace while Obed Vargas pulled Meritao forward. With Meritao out of the picture, Lodeiro received the ball and went on to earn the free kick that led to Ruidiaz’s goal in the 45th minute.
As that clip shows, Lodeiro was just one part of Seattle’s midfield machine. Albert Rusnak provided a calming touch and had the MLS assist for the first goal. Vargas wasn’t as comfortable, but the 16-year-old subbed on for an injured Joao Paulo in the first half and ate up some valuable minutes. Vargas wasn’t the only substitute to come on for an injured starter early in the game, either: Kelyn Rowe stepped in for Nouhou, who left the field with a right quad injury in the 11th minute.
Seattle didn’t create many obvious chances until later in the game, but their midfield and their depth certainly gave them an edge.
KEEPING JUAN DINENNO AT BAY
Juan Dinenno, Pumas’ striker and the Concacaf Champions League’s leading scorer, is a dangerous man. He scored twice against the Sounders in the first leg of the final, even while dealing with an injury, and was looking to do more damage on Wednesday.
When in possession, Pumas had one primary directive: find Dinenno via direct forward passes into the channels and via crosses into the box. After targeting him multiple times in the first five minutes, it was clear that the Argentine striker was the key piece in their attack.
Seattle, to their credit, didn’t let Dinenno have anywhere near as much influence on this game as they did in the away leg. Center backs Yeimar Gomez Andrade and Xavier Arreaga generally did a good job of staying with Dinenno. The Sounders’ center backs weren’t perfect – Yeimar failed to clear a cross that resulted in Dinenno’s first and best look of the game and Arreaga put in a needless challenge on Dinenno in the 60th minute that gave the forward a free kick in Zone 14 – but they did enough.
With effective defending in their own third and some strong counter pressing higher up the field, the Sounders kept Pumas at bay for the vast majority of the game. Down 1-0 with roughly 10 minutes remaining, Pumas started to throw numbers forward in hopes that providing their No. 9 with a little extra help would change things.
It did. Just not for Pumas.
IT’S IN SEATTLE’S DNA
One of the things that makes the Seattle Sounders a consistent threat to win trophies in MLS (and now in regional competitions, too) is that they’re built to blitz you as soon as you take one too many risks in possession. With players who thrive in attacking transition like Morris and the Roldan brothers, the Sounders love to run.
There were plenty of moments on Wednesday night for the Sounders to run, but the best ones came as a direct result of Pumas’ desperation. They needed to score and were willing to push plenty of players forward to do so. Putting a group of four or five guys in the box and another group in the final third became the new normal for Pumas towards the end of the match.
If that was Pumas’ new normal, Seattle’s was breaking the game wide open in the space left behind by their opponent’s aggressive, disorganized positioning. The Sounders’ second and third goals didn’t come from any sort of crazy tactical innovation. No, they simply came from classic Seattle transition attacks.
Here’s a look at the second goal, where Jordan Morris moved behind Pumas’ backline.
And here’s a screenshot of Pumas’ scattered defensive shape less than 15 seconds before Seattle’s third and final goal.
With dangerous transition attacks, a strong defensive performance, quality midfield play, and their depth on full display, the Seattle Sounders lifted the CCL trophy in the most Seattle Sounders way possible. It just felt right.
They’re MLS’s first CCL winner – and that feels pretty right, too.
Seattle Sounders made CCL history… Which MLS team wins it next?
By Matthew Doyle @MattDoyle76 Wednesday, May 11, 2022, 10:06 AM
Last week I wrote a column titled “The Blueprint” in which I went through Seattle’s methodology in building a roster that has, for 13 straight years, competed at or near the top of MLS, and that had left them uniquely positioned to break the Concacaf Champions League curse and actually bring home the first CCL title for MLS since that competition had been remade.
Twelve hours after that column was published, the Sounders obliged by going out there and winning the damn thing over Pumas. It was a huge day for Seattle, and it was a huge day for MLS.
It is not likely to be the last huge day for MLS. As I pointed out in that column, smart teams around the league are following the same sort of best practices the Sounders have laid down in terms of roster building – putting resources into the core, being agnostic about talent acquisition, veering toward proven, high-end commodities, etc. Teams that do that, and have the right combination of coaching and ambitious ownership, give themselves a chance to be next through the regional tape and into the Club World Cup.
That is what the blueprint is for, right? Not only to be good and win stuff in MLS, but to continue to grow into the types of teams that can consistently compete internationally. The Sounders showed it can be done. Twenty-seven other teams definitely noticed.
The Black & Gold check damn near every box. They have been ambitious in their DP acquisitions over the years, and have been just as ambitious with their U22 Initiative shopping. They have brought contributors in from the USL Championship, and found value via the SuperDraft. They have sold guys on for GAM when they needed to have more flexibility to make moves within the league, and have been clear-eyed, in the last window, about spots they need to upgrade.
That last window, with the additions of Kellyn Acosta, Ryan Hollingshead and Ilie Sanchez, gave them the type of veteran core that had been culled out of the team over the previous couple of years. But it’s worth remembering the guys who are holdovers from the previous couple of years not only have title-winning experience (I still think the 2019 Supporters’ Shield-winning LAFC side is the best I’ve seen in MLS) but actual CCL experience.
Remember this?
That goal’s pretty as a picture, and it came in the actual CCL final against a Tigres side that, no disrespect intended, is a damn sight better than the Pumas team Seattle manhandled last week.
So they have the pedigree, they have the core, they have the structure, and under new head coach Steve Cherundolo they look a lot like the type of team that’s going to get their next CCL chance as soon as next year.
Why they won’t
Two reasons: DPs and depth.
LAFC have been ambitious with their DP signings, but they’ve missed on a couple. Andre Horta was here and gone in an instant, while Brian Rodriguez has all the talent in the world, but has yet to turn that into productivity. Carlos Vela, meanwhile, is just not the guy he was in 2019, and probably never will be again.
LAFC have the chance to make another big DP signing this summer given there’s an open slot with the departure of Diego Rossi. My guess is it will end up being a midfield playmaker (spending on DP 10s is almost always a good idea), which brings us to the depth part: there are good reasons to think one or both of Jose Cifuentes and Latif Blessing could end up in Europe before the summer’s over.
That’s a lot of moving pieces to juggle in some of the most important spots on the pitch. Seattle had to deal with the same, and they coped by getting at least some of the answers from academy products. LAFC can’t replicate that yet – their Homegrown pipeline has promise, but it’s yet to produce an Obed Vargas or Josh Atencio type of contributor.
Primarily because the Soccer Gods have a great sense of humor and it would be funny if the Pigeons won a continental title before Man City did. Even Red Bulls fans have to admit that would be hilarious.
Beyond that, though, the best arguments are that NYCFC have a veteran, winning core, a reliably excellent Homegrown pipeline to build depth (as well as occasional high-end starters), and are breaking new ground with their recruitment and integration of top U22 talent, primarily from South America.
It all culminated with a team that, last month, beat the ever-loving hell out of Seattle in the second leg of the CCL semis and forced an all-time performance out of Stef Frei to put the Sounders through. The fact NYCFC did that without some key contributors, and have subsequently played the best ball in MLS without some key contributors, is at least a little bit frightening.
I mean, Talles Magno was one of the very best players in CCL of any age. Full stop. He, Thiago Andrade and Gabriel Pereira could all end up being in the top 10 of this year’s 22 Under 22 presented by BODYARMOR list, and Santi Rodriguez would be there as well if he wasn’t just a few months too old. Only LAFC are in the same ballpark as NYCFC (heh) when it comes to leveraging the potential of the U22 Initiative.
Why they won’t
They have zero home-field advantage in CCL play, and it’s fair to question their DP situation. Plus it’s very likely Taty Castellanos is gone this summer.
Let’s go in reverse order: I’m not sure Taty is irreplaceable, and they’re certainly going to get a lot of money for him (though reports say it’ll be less than the $20 million they’d hoped for). But he will be very, very very difficult to replace, and even if they spend their entire windfall on the next No. 9, there is zero guarantee that guy will be as good as Taty has been.
And bear in mind he’s been this good despite the fact he’s not a DP! Which brings us to the other issue… NYCFC’s DPs aren’t great in the same way that Seattle’s are. Magno, as mentioned, is excellent, but Maxi Moralez is 35 years old and has clearly lost a step, while new center back Thiago Martins has been… less than convincing thus far.
Now think about Seattle’s DP triumvirate of Raul Ruidiaz, Nico Lodeiro and Albert Rusnak, and how significant they were in getting that team to the top of the mountain. It’s a different kind of player profile, and if NYCFC want to win the CCL next year (I think it’s very possible they’ll qualify once again), they probably need a rethink on how to use those slots.
The final issue is the home-field advantage bit. You probably remember the fact Concacaf does not certify Yankee Stadium for CCL play, but you might already have forgotten NYCFC played home matches at three different venues (Banc of California Stadium; Rentschler Field; Red Bull Arena) during their 2022 CCL run.
I am of the opinion an MLS team needs every advantage possible if they’re going to win this thing – just look at how the Sounders maximized their home-field advantage throughout their run. NYCFC doesn’t have anything like that.
The Union have a well-defined system of play that got them all the way to the CCL semifinals literally last year, and has them atop the East this year. They are a club that’s used to winning now, and that was built via repetition and excellence in the type of core the Sounders have boasted since 2009 (rotating pieces in and out).
They also have a pipeline of depth thanks both to their excellent academy as well as Ernst Tanner’s eye for undervalued overseas talent. Add in Jim Curtin’s developmental chops, and… honestly, do you remember last year’s Eastern Conference Final? They were without 11 players due to health & safety protocols, and they still gave NYCFC hell. I don’t think even the Sounders could’ve been down so many contributors and run the Pigeons so close.
What ultimately proved fatal for the Union in that game, as well as last year’s CCL final and previous playoff and US Open Cup runs, was a lack of top-end, final third quality. And so this offseason they went out and brought in two new DP center forwards to go with playmaker Daniel Gazdag (who was essentially a DP last year and is not classified as one this year).
They have very clearly tried to address what they very clearly needed to address.
Why they won’t
I like what I’ve seen of Uhre so far, and love how Carranza has taken his chance with the Union. I remain lukewarm on Gazdag, though I’ll happily admit he’s been much better over two months of the 2022 season than he was at any point in his five months of work last year.
Are those guys as good as Ruidiaz/Lodeiro/Jordan Morris/Cristian Roldan in the final third? Or Castellanos/Magno/Andrade/Rodriguez/Moralez? I don’t think you’re a gimlet-eyed cynic if you say they’re not.
The other issue for the Union could be their nature as a club regarding player sales. It’s part of who they are, so if someone comes calling for Jose Martinez or Kai Wagner (it seems likely in both cases), or Carranza or Gazdag or, I don’t know, Jack Elliott, then those players will be sold. And while the Union have the pipeline to replace them, there is a difference between “replace them and continue to be a good MLS team” and “replace them and continue to be a team that could conceivably win CCL.”
Yeah, this one might tick some folks off, but the Galaxy have in Greg Vanney a coach who’s been there before (you remember Toronto FC’s 2018 run, right?) and a history of spending like they really, really mean it. If you have a proven coach and proven ambition, and patience to let that coach build, you’re going to be successful.
And so what we’re seeing now is a Galaxy team that, with a third of the season done, is third in the West and is tied for first overall in goals allowed. They have allowed just a single goal from open play all season, and my god does that represent a massive departure from the past eight years of Galaxy soccer.
Beyond that, just look at their roster balance. The vast majority of these guys are in their prime, and many of them have international experience (that includes Mark Delgado’s CCL experience, and damn would it be a nice story if he was able to get redemption for his late miss in the second leg of the 2018 final).
There’s still a ton of work that needs to be done on this roster, and much of that is continued internal development of many of the young players on the team, but you don’t have to look too hard to see a foundation that could make LA matter again.
Why they won’t
For all their spending, their DP situation is dire. Chicharito has been excellent since the start of last year, but he’s weeks away from his 34th birthday. Douglas Costa, who they signed this offseason, has been a cipher, while Kevin Cabral profiles (and produces) more like a U22 Initiative signing – a toolsy kid who can be compelling, but is frustrating much, much more often than not.
Beyond that, there’s just been significant calcification in the front office, as profiled by Paul Tenorio in the Athletic. The tl;dr is the reason the Galaxy have been bad for so long is that since Bruce Arena left, there was never any sort of blueprint followed on how to be good.
So Vanney is trying to drag them kicking and screaming into the TAM era, while trying to be the first coach to make any sort of dent in terms of Homegrown development, while fixing the defense, and adding veteran pieces, and is doing all this with two massively underperforming DPs. It’s a lot.
I think the above three teams (LAFC, NYCFC and Philly), as well as the Sounders, could plausibly win CCL next year. I don’t think the Galaxy could do that. But if Vanney gets the type of support he needs in continuing to retool the whole organization, and gets a mulligan on one of Costa or Cabral, there is a pretty obvious path for them to get it done in 2024. And that might be (probably would be) soon enough for them to be next.
It’s the same argument as for the Galaxy – a proven coach and ambitious, high-spending ownership. The difference is Toronto are 12 to 18 months behind in their development, so the core the Galaxy have developed does not yet really exist for the Reds.
And so Bob Bradley is throwing the children to the wolves right now. In part it’s because he has no choice, since the roster was gutted this winter, but in part it’s because Bradley is building something for the future, and guys like Ralph Priso, Kosi Thompson, Luca Petrasso, Jayden Nelson and Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty are expected to be part of it. Given their talent and Bradley’s history of developing kids with potential into high-level pros, I am not doubting the outcome here.
The other thing to factor in here is TFC have historically dominated the Canadian Championship, winning seven of 10 tournaments from 2009 to 2018 (they could make it technically eight of 12 if they win the 2020 final which – and I am not kidding here – has not yet been played, and is scheduled for June 4. North American soccer is weird, y’all), so they usually have the clearest shot directly into the tournament.
Also, the same argument as the Galaxy is I don’t think there’s any legit chance they will get it done for the 2023 version of the CCL. But if no MLS team gets it done next year, I don’t think it’s crazy to think that TFC could climb the mountain by 2024 or 2025.
At the very least, this is fun as hell:
Why they won’t
There’s no actual guarantee any/all of those kids will turn into core pieces of a good team, and my god are TFC’s underlying numbers brutal this year. This does not, right now, look like an “Insigne will arrive and put them over the top” situation. This looks like an “Insigne will get here and despair at how broken things are” situation. I’m not sure they have more than two players who would be starters on good MLS teams, and that’s not great!
So there’s just so much rubble to clear. The best thing possible would be to get out of Bradley’s way and let him get to work clearing it, but even that is no guarantee – remember, when things went bad for LAFC, that was a mess of their own making. While it’s never been public as to who called the shots on things like trading Walker Zimmerman, I think it’s fair to assume Bradley had some say in how that team’s roster management went.
The other issue is in goal. I think all the other possibilities I’ve mentioned, including the Sounders, are in a better spot at that position than TFC are.
They’ve got the pedigree, a great youth pipeline and Wilfried Nancy sure seems like a great coach thus far. But they’re likely to sell their best player (Djordje Mihailovic) in this window or the next, and ownership doesn’t seem too likely to go out there and spend big to replace him. On top of that, there has been a decades-long lack of stability with regard to front office vision and a lack of patience with the coach.
What happens, for example, if they run into a prolonged patch of bad form? The Union had patience with Curtin when that happened in 2015 and ‘16. Will Montréal show Nancy the same faith?
Just based upon spend and ambition they should be at the top of this list, but Atlanta’s acquisition approach has often just been asset collection rather than having some guiding principle with regard to how the pieces actually fit, and so since Tata Martino left they have been collectively less than the sum of their parts.
That could change – it feels like it is changing under Gonzalo Pineda. But he’s trying to reorient an aircraft carrier there, and isn’t the only one with a hand on the tiller, so it’s going to take some time.
Plus there’s the Josef issue. Will he ever be the same again?
I’m not even kidding. They’ve already got one killer DP in Lucho Acosta, and it looks like they’ve got another in Obinna Nwobodo. Both those guys are the right age to keep doing this for years, and aside from them, they are rapidly building out a foundation of MLS veterans this team had previously lacked, so it’s not entirely shocking they’re finally winning, is it? Plus they just crushed their SuperDraft class, and in Brandon Vazquez have a center forward who certainly seems to check all the right boxes.
As some of the previous regime’s contracts come off the books, Chris Albright and Pat Noonan are going to have all sorts of room to maneuver and keep adding quality, and if there’s one thing Cincy’s ownership has shown, it’s that they’ll open the checkbook. Now that said checkbook is being given to folks who seem to know how to use it…
Obviously 2023 is way too early to think about Cincy in these terms, but the title of this column isn’t “which MLS team wins it next year?” it’s “which MLS team wins it next?” If the door stays open in 2023 and 2024, Cincy might be the ones to walk through it in 2025.
The odds are against them, of course, but that’s true of any MLS team. That includes Cincy, now that they’re finally playing like one.
Tottenham vs Arsenal: Top-four race takes another crazy turn
Andy EdwardsThu, May 12, 2022, 4:37 PM·3 min read
Tottenham vs Arsenal: The Premier League’s top-four race took another crazy turn on Thursday, as Spurs hammered the Gunners 3-0 in the 191st north London derby.
Harry Kane scored the first and second goals (his 14th and 15th of the Premier League season), with Rob Holding earning a pair of yellow cards for fouls against Son Heung-min, who added goal no. 3 just seconds into the second half (his 21st, one behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in the Golden Boot race).
The result leaves Tottenham (65 points) one point behind Arsenal (66 points) in the race for a top-four finish in the Premier League. With two games left for each side, it’s all to play for and looking likely to go all the way to Championship Sunday (May 22).
Tottenham will face relegation-battling Burnley (home) and already-relegated Norwich City (away), while Arsenal have 14th-place Newcastle United (away) and relegation-battling Everton (home) still to come.
Goal scorers: Tottenham (Kane 22′ – PK, 37, Son 47′), Arsenal (None)
Shots: Tottenham 16, Arsenal 8
Shots on target: Tottenham 6, Arsenal 4
Possession: Tottenham 58%, Arsenal 42%
3 things we learned – Tottenham vs Arsenal
1. Tottenham players believe in Conte, and vice versa: In the early days of Antonio Conte’s reign, it was unclear whether the manager thought that all but a select few players were woefully unqualified to play for him, or if he was conditioning a squad of players, long criticized for being mentally weak, to take the next step in their progression. Six months later, it is quite clear that Conte has made a massive impact on the Tottenham players — both as individuals and collectively — to the point that they can just about flawlessly execute his game plan against the likes of Liverpool (no matter what Jurgen Klopp thinks of it) and Arsenal, in the biggest games of their season, with their entire season riding on the results. Now, imagine a world in which Daniel Levy hired Conte this first time he had the chance, rather than appointing Nuno Espirito Santo for 10 games.
2. Indiscipline in the big game: Speaking of big games, it’s not at all an exaggeration to say that Thursday’s north London derby was the biggest game Arsenal have played since celebrating their last St. Totteringham’s Day, in 2016. The chance to clinch their return to the Champions League, after four seasons in the Europa League and, shockingly, no European qualification whatsoever this season (despite the creation of a third-tier competition), proved too big of an occasion not just for the young Gunners, but most notably for one of the longtime veterans in the squad, Rob Holding. From the opening whistle, Holding appeared intent on targeting and riling up Son Heung-min with cleverly disguised cheap shots from behind. The home fans quickly got on his case and were utterly delighted when Holding was shown a second yellow card for delivering an elbow to the face of — you guessed it — Son in the 33rd minute.
3. And yet, Arsenal still hold all the cards: As euphoric as Thursday’s derby drubbing will have felt for Tottenham and their fans, it is still Arsenal who, should they take care of business in the final two games of the season, will qualify for the Champions League.
US Coach -Jesse Marsch’s hopes of rescuing Leeds are unraveling after brutal Chelsea loss
May 11, 2022Mark OgdenSenior Writer, ESPN FC
LEEDS, England — Jesse Marsch walked into an impossible job when he became Leeds United manager at the end of February — he just didn’t know it at the time. But as Chelsea sent his team closer to relegation from the Premier League with a 3-0 win at Elland Road on Wednesday, the brutal reality of the challenge that Marsch accepted has surely set in.
Despite having an FA Cup final against Liverpool to play on Saturday, less than 72 hours after kick-off in this game, Chelsea were still too strong for Marsch’s wilting side as goals from Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Romelu Lukaku ended a three-game winless streak and edged Thomas Tuchel’s team to the brink of Champions League qualification.
For Leeds, though, this was another damaging blow. They have now lost three on the bounce, conceding 9 goals along the way, and it won’t get any easier: the first-half red card earned by Dan James for a shocking tackle on Mateo Kovacic means Leeds’ £25 million record-signing will be suspended for the remaining games of the season. James will join
2dAustin Lindberg
“Two tackles in the last two games that are a little bit crossing the line and hurting the team,” Marsch said. “I’m not going to blame or finger-point any of our players, they’ve given everything they can, but we have to stay within boundaries in not jeopardising ourselves.”Throughout their recent tailspin, which has sent Leeds into the bottom three, Marsch has watched on from the sidelines, unable to stem the tide.Leeds, promoted back to the top-flight in 2020 under Marcelo Bielsa after a 16-year absence, have been unravelling for much longer than Marsch has been in his position at the club. Bielsa was fired on Feb. 27 after a run of nine defeats 12 games, with his team’s defensive inadequacies exposed by conceding 14 goals in his final three games in charge.But while the rot had clearly already set in, Marsch has seen his chances of halting Leeds’ slide hit by injuries to key players, indiscipline and his unhelpful habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.The former New York Red Bulls coach, who lasted less than six months in his post as RB Leipzig coach before leaving last December, has publicly questioned Bielsa’s training methods, complained about American coaches being compared to comedy character Ted Lasso and, prior to this game, admitted to motivating his players with quotes by historical figures including Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa.In response, one English newspaper compared Marsch to David Brent, the Ricky Gervais character from The Office, while Ted Lasso began to trend on Twitter in the UK as Chelsea began to overrun Leeds on Wednesday.It is unfair to use the Lasso comparison on Marsch, a coach who built a strong reputation during his two-year stint as FC Salzburg coach, but with Bob Bradley also suffering from ridicule during his brief — and unsuccessful — spell in charge of Swansea City in 2016, Marsch’s difficulties at Leeds are unlikely to help other American coaches land a Premier League job anytime soon.But although he walked into a much tougher job than he could have imagined when agreeing to replace Bielsa, Marsch could have done better with Leeds.They were 16th in the table when he arrived, two points above the bottom three, with Everton and Burnley both beneath them. Bielsa had taken 23 points from 26 games, but although Marsch’s return of 11 points from 11 games is better than that of his predecessor, it is not enough to suggest he has made a meaningful difference.”None of us have lived this,” Marsch said. “In big games we make the exact same mistakes.”When Marsch walked through the door at Elland Road, Newcastle were two points ahead of Leeds. They are now 9 points clear of Leeds and safe from relegation thanks to the impact made by Eddie Howe since his midseason appointment as manager.Under Marsch, Leeds have shown glimpses of a revival — fighting back from 2-0 to win 3-2 at Wolves in March was a highpoint — but it has generally been the same story as under Bielsa in terms of too many bookings and too many goals conceded.Only bottom team Norwich, with 78 goals allowed, have conceded more than the 77 shipped by Leeds. Meanwhile the 97 yellow cards issued to Leeds players this season is a Premier League record — they have hit 100 cards when you count the three reds they have received.With two games left to play, at home to Brighton and away at Brentford, Leeds can still escape the relegation zone with Burnley on the same number of points and Everton only two points clear.But Leeds have to show they can escape their nightmare, without key players and with a coach who is still struggling to get to grips with the Premier League. It’s not a good combination.”I believe we can still fight for every point left,” Marsch said. “Until the red card there were a lot of good things. But now, our focus is totally on recovering and preparing for Sunday. We have six points to play for and we have to do everything we can to get them.”
Manchester City and their Champions League odyssey: when will it end?
It was a baptism of fire. One moment Manchester City’s players were walking out into the cauldron that is the Allianz Arena. The next, they were listening to the Champions League anthem, that jaunty sample of Zadok The Priest. Then, after a blast of the referee’s whistle, it felt as if hell had been unleashed.
“Oh my god, we got absolutely battered,” Micah Richards tells The Athletic, recalling the evening of September 27, 2011. “Our first away game in the Champions League and we were playing Bayern Munich. (Arjen) Robben and (Franck) Ribery, honestly. They kept switching. I couldn’t get anywhere near Ribery. Then you had (Philipp) Lahm overlapping on that left side. Honestly, we got battered.
“You listen to that music as a kid. Me and Joleon (Lescott) used to laugh about it. You walk out and hear it, ‘We’ve arrived!’. But then the game starts and… oh my god, these guys aren’t just elite — they are elite elite. It was a step up and I didn’t appreciate how special it was until Ribery gave me a hiding.”City struggled in their early Champions League campaigns (Photo: Sandra Montanez/Bongarts/Getty Images)
It is best remembered as the night that Carlos Tevez, a disillusioned substitute, refused to resume warming up in the second half. Roberto Mancini was furious and the club fined Tevez two weeks’ wages and suspended him for two weeks, accusing him of a breach of contract. Tevez, indignant, returned to Argentina and stayed there for months before returning to play an important role in that season’s dramatic finale.
But away from the Mancini-Tevez bust-up, City’s difficulties that night offered portents of what was to follow. They were left with one point from their first two matches in the Champions League, having drawn 1-1 at home to Napoli a fortnight earlier. They beat Villarreal home and away, but then came a 2-1 defeat away to Napoli, another of those nights when their midfield was swamped and their back line overrun in a raucous atmosphere on foreign fields. They took 10 points but failed to get through the knockout stage. Ignominy followed the next season: three draws and three defeats from a group containing Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax.
“Bayern beat us, Napoli beat us, Borussia Dortmund beat us, Ajax battered us,” Richards says. “We didn’t get through the group under Mancini. We were still getting used to it. It was a different level; a whole different thing. Every time we made a mistake, we were punished.”
It was easy for City to play the “inexperience” card in those days, particularly when as Champions League newbies their low coefficient ranking threw up some unforgiving draws (Napoli, Bayern and Villarreal in 2011-12 when Manchester United were knocked out of a group containing Benfica, Basel and Otelul Galati; Real, Dortmund and Ajax when United were drawn with Galatasaray, Braga and CFR Cluj a year later). “The reason we have not qualified yet is that we were in the toughest group in the Champions League, simple as that,” Vincent Kompany said back in 2011.
More than a decade has passed, though. This season was City’s 11th campaign in the Champions League. They have made the knockout stage in each of the past nine seasons, reached their first semi-final in 2016, the quarter-finals in 2018, 2019 and 2020, the final last year and the semi-finals this year.
Over the past five years they have been, by any analysis, one of the best teams in Europe. That is probably an understatement; for long periods, while setting an incredible standard in winning three Premier League titles in the past four seasons (and still on course for a fourth in five seasons), they could very reasonably claim to have been the best.
But there is still no European Cup. Since taking over from Manuel Pellegrini in 2016, Guardiola has elevated their football and their domestic performance to an extraordinarily high level, while repeatedly taking them to the later stages of the Champions League, but it is as if there is some fatal flaw in his team: the chaotic 6-6 draw with Monaco in 2017, which saw them knocked out on the away goals rule; the way they were overwhelmed by three Liverpool goals in 19 minutes in the quarter-final first leg at Anfield in 2018; another chaotic tie and away-goals defeat by Tottenham in the quarter-finals in 2019 (albeit with last-minute VAR heartbreak); the error-strewn display in losing to Lyon in 2020; the weirdly passive performance in last season’s final against Chelsea; and now this, going into the 90th minute of the semi-final second leg with a 5-3 aggregate lead over Real, only somehow to snatch defeat from the jaws of what felt like it should have been an emphatic victory.
Even upon second viewing, it is hard to make any sense of Wednesday night. City were in total control, 5-3 up on aggregate, twice threatening on the counter-attack through Jack Grealish in the closing stages.
As Guardiola said, “It’s not like the last 10 minutes (Real) attack and attack and attack and you suffer.” Real’s threat was largely notional until Eduardo Camavinga’s pass was turned towards the six-yard box by Karim Benzema and swept in by Rodrygo. And then, with Real smelling blood like a great white shark, City just seemed to succumb to the inevitable.
The goal came from nothing. But how and why did City allow themselves to be overwhelmed? Even at that point, they were still 5-4 up on aggregate. Why did Ederson, whose distribution is often immaculate, boot the ball long, surrendering possession at a time when City just needed to stay calm and take the wind out of their opponents’ sails? Even with six minutes’ stoppage time indicated, what did they have to fear but fear itself?
Yes, they were playing against the great Real Madrid, but for all the justifiable lauding of the way they overcame adversity to defeat Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea in the previous two rounds, City had seemed to have the beating of them — just as they did when beating them home and away in 2020.
The Real team that won four out of five Champions League titles between 2014 and 2018 has largely been replaced. Of those who remain, Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric had all been hooked by the time Real forced their way back into the tie. That left only Dani Carvajal and Benzema (and, more remotely, Nacho and Marco Asensio) as players who had contributed to the Spanish club’s glorious past in this competition. And yet suddenly Real’s young players grew in stature as their City counterparts, many of them more experienced than their opponents, froze.
Is that something innate? Is it, to use that popular term, something in the DNA of both clubs? Is it something that stems from Guardiola, given that so many of his Champions League defeats over the past 11 years (and they include those against Real and Barcelona when he was in charge of Bayern) have involved at least two goals conceded in quick succession? Is this is a coach who is so fixated on possession and control that, when a match suddenly takes an unexpected twist, with momentum lost and the pressure ramped up, their Achilles’ heel is so exposed and they don’t know how to cope?
The mind goes back to something Guardiola said in April 2018 when City, having barely dropped a point all season in the Premier League, were preparing for that fateful quarter-final first leg at Anfield. “In the bad moments, you have to remain calm,” he said, certain there would be a storm to be weathered at some point the following evening. “Madrid, Barcelona, they are taking a cup of coffee (in those difficult moments) because they know their chance is coming. That’s the big difference.”
For so much of the past few years, in the Champions League as well as domestically, City have looked like the perfect illustration of how a top-class team should perform under pressure. Their Premier League record has been phenomenal. But against Monaco, against Liverpool, against Tottenham, against Lyon, against Chelsea and now against Real, control and composure have been lost suddenly and they have paid the price.
Yes, there has been misfortune too — questionable refereeing decisions, most recently Daniele Orsati’s failure to punish Casemiro for either of two bookable offences in the first half on Wednesday — as well as individual errors in defence and glaring misses like Raheem Sterling’s against Lyon in 2020. But increasingly the hard-luck stories have been outweighed by the sense of opportunities not taken.
We come back to the familiar question of whether a team needs to win the Champions League to be considered truly great. A personal view, vehemently held, is that the City teams of the past five seasons (perhaps more the 2017-19 period than this season or last) will certainly go down as one of the best club sides we have seen in this country, just like Arsenal’s “Invincibles” of 2004, who also fell well short on the European stage — as did the Chelsea team of the mid-2000s, who were highly unfortunate in that regard.
But there will always be naysayers and sometimes only a European Cup or two can bring something irrefutable to the argument, as it did for the great Liverpool teams of the late 1970s and early 1980s and the great Manchester United sides of 1999 and 2008.
Winning the Champions League is not, on its own, a badge that confers greatness upon a team, just as falling narrowly short on the European front does not necessarily mean a dominant and at times mesmerising team like Guardiola’s City — or early Wenger-era Arsenal — should be casually dismissed from such conversations. It is a knockout tournament in which unpredictable things can happen; Chelsea were arguably the best team in Europe under Jose Mourinho in the mid-2000s, but certainly not when they finally won the Champions League under Roberto Di Matteo in 2012 (or when they won it again under Thomas Tuchel last season).
The mention of Chelsea is apposite, though. Chelsea started out from a much stronger position after Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003, but they reached the semi-finals in their first, second and fourth seasons under the Russian’s ownership, reached the final in year five (losing on penalties to Manchester United) and reached the semi-finals again in year six, performing heroically against Guardiola’s wonderful Barcelona team, only to be frustrated by some bizarre refereeing decisions and then by Andres Iniesta’s spectacular stoppage-time goal, which levelled the tie and sent Barcelona through on aggregate.
Long before Chelsea finally won it in 2012 — with, it is worth spelling out, a patched-up team which had just finished sixth in the Premier League under a caretaker manager — it had assumed the feeling of an odyssey. With City, too, it has become an odyssey, but it is one that has often been felt to lack a certain… ardour, if that is the right word. Since those early years under Mancini, they have tended to progress serenely through the group stage, playing free-flowing football, only to crack when the pressure is on in the later stages of the tournament.
Does this club and this fanbase really feel the Champions League the way, for example, Real or Bayern or Liverpool do? It has often felt not. European nights at the Etihad Stadium have at times been a hard sell. The club has frequently been at war with UEFA, European football’s governing body, over Financial Fair Play regulations, which have presented obstacles of a type that early Abramovich-era Chelsea did not face, and other disciplinary issues. City’s supporters make great play of booing the Champions League anthem. That is their right, but perhaps it doesn’t add to a sense of occasion.
But anyone who was at their quarter-final second leg against Liverpool in 2018 or that dramatic night against Tottenham in 2019 would dispute the notion that City were handicapped by their home crowd. The same goes for the semi-final first leg against Real last week, when City, in a raucous atmosphere, produced a performance of the highest intensity and technical quality, only to end up with a mere 4-3 advantage to show for a game they dominated.
Whatever any of us might think of the ownership model, the motivation behind it or the vast sums that have been spent to transform City beyond recognition, it is a club run by smart people. They always recognised it was going to take time to develop a mid-table club into one that could win the Premier League and, from there, to compete for — and, ultimately, win — the Champions League.
The mind goes back to an interview City chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak did in 2012, in which he spelt out the step-by-step approach, “year one was to learn the ropes and manage change, year two to up it a notch and compete for a Champions League position while improving the infrastructure and culture of the club” and so on. They had just won the Premier League title in year four, which was bang on schedule, and year five was going to be about trying to maintain that level domestically while challenging in Europe.
Both publicly and privately, it has been measured — far more so than at Paris Saint-Germain, whose takeover by Qatar Sports Investments has warped French football so much that even winning an eighth Ligue 1 title in 10 seasons, by a huge margin, has left an air of disillusion and a growing sense of futility. Their president Nasser Al-Khelaifi declared as far as back as January 2014 that they had to win the Champions League “within the next four years at most”. (They, like City, are still waiting, having at times shown that same penchant for implosion when the stakes have been highest.)
At City, there has always been a recognition that European glory is not a divine right and that there are more variables in a knockout tournament. But it is correct to say there was an expectation, internally as well as externally, that a club winning five Premier League titles in the first 13 seasons of Sheikh Mansour’s ownership (which is as many as Chelsea have won in 19 seasons under Abramovich) would by now have won the Champions League at least once.
It is not as straightforward as suggesting that Guardiola was hired to win the Champions League, but it was certainly a significant part of his brief. Over the past six years, it is the one area in which he has fallen short (although there would be greater appreciation of his work in moulding Phil Foden into such a high-class performer if he had done more to integrate others from an excellent youth academy into the first-team squad).
The interesting question is whether, having not yet been able to steer City to Champions League glory, he has become part of the reason why they are falling short. Speaking personally, the instinctive answer has long been a firm “no”. But there was also a feeling, watching him address his players on the pitch at the end of normal time on Wednesday and then the way they started extra time so nervously, that perhaps on this particular occasion they needed a simple message rather than whatever tactical instructions he was trying to impart in such a manic, feverish manner.
There were no “overthinking” accusations here. Tactics didn’t lose that game for City. Events — and City’s inability to come to terms with them — did. More and more, these matches in the latter stages of the Champions League are coming down to teams’ ability or otherwise to adapt to dramatic changes in the dynamics of a high-stakes encounter. City and PSG, the new kids without the Champions League pedigree, have fallen victim to that, but so too at various times have Barcelona (against Liverpool in 2019, Bayern in 2020 and PSG in 2021), Liverpool (against Atletico Madrid in 2020) and indeed Real (against Ajax in 2019, City in 2020 and, very nearly, Chelsea in 2022).
It is a phenomenon of modern football that doesn’t seem to play to Guardiola’s undoubted strengths as a coach. But would City wish to sacrifice those strengths for a more pragmatic coach like Jose Mourinho or Antonio Conte, who last won a Champions League knockout tie in 2014 and 2013 respectively? Of course not.
Or even a coach like Zinedine Zidane or Carlo Ancelotti, whose calm air of detachment has brought better results in the Champions League in recent years? No. If Guardiola wishes to stay in Manchester beyond next season, the City hierarchy will be delighted to extend the arrangement, as indeed they should be.
But if success in the Champions League is self-perpetuating in the case of Real in particular — and not just from a financial perspective — it certainly feels as if repeated failure can weigh heavily on a group of players when the pressure is at its most intense. A kind of fear seemed to take hold of City the moment Rodrygo reduced the aggregate deficit to 5-4. Would that fear have been so intense had City done themselves justice and beaten Chelsea in last season’s final? We can only hypothesise, but very feasibly not.
It is the kind of thing that City, so faultless in the Premier League for much of the past five years, just haven’t done in the Champions League.
Even some of the praise for holding firm away to Atletico Madrid in the previous round felt — like some of that directed at Real for their supposed resilience in restricting City to a mere 4-3 victory in the semi-final first leg — a little excessive. Against Atletico, City performed nervously in the second half but survived. Against Real, they were in control for 89 minutes but then Real scored and it was as if the roof had fallen in. The team has evolved beyond recognition, and has been one of the best in Europe over a sustained period of time, but in some ways it was reminiscent of those Mancini-era capitulations in Munich, Naples and Amsterdam.
It was just the kind of scenario that Richards, who left City in 2015, was dreading when we spoke on Wednesday afternoon before he headed for the NBC Sports studio. He talked about how far City have come since those naive, early days in the Champions League, but there was also a nagging fear that their profligacy might be punished by a team with Real’s killer instinct.
Richards was asked whether, given their excellence in the Premier League, City truly need to win the Champions League. “I get asked this all the time,” he said. “Sometimes I play it down because of how well they’ve done in the Premier League; what they’ve done in the Premier League is nothing short of sensational, especially with how good this Liverpool side is.
“But the Champions League is a different thing. They do need to win this competition. The majority of people would say City are one of the best teams in Europe, if not the best. But you’ve got to show that. You’ve got to win the European Cup because it propels a club to a different level.
“Me personally, I would rather win the Premier League. But for the club, for where Manchester City are and where they want to go and for people to put them in that top bracket, globally, that is what they need. So I’m not going to play it down. They do need it. And it’s about time they did. To take the club to the next level, it’s got to happen. So come on, please, I need it. We need it.”Spool forward a few hours and another eagerly anticipated Champions League night had ended in chaos and anguish for City and their supporters — just like an occasion back in September 2012 when, on their first visit to the Bernabeu for a group match, they went into the closing stages 2-1 up only to be pegged back by an 85th-minute equaliser from that man Benzema and beaten by a last-minute goal from Cristiano Ronaldo. The day before that particular game, Mancini had told reporters he believed City were now in a position to challenge for the Champions League. “If you drive a Ferrari, you can win,” he told us with a laugh. “We used to drive a Fiat, maybe a Cinquecento, and it is not so easy. But now we drive a Ferrari.”Maybe so. And one day, as Al Mubarak said in 2020, they will surely crack it. But the longer this journey goes on, the more those unexpected bumps in the road seem to leave them in a tailspin.
US National Team News
We are gearing up for an exciting summer! The Men’s and Women’s Para team are kicking things off in May at the IFCPF World Cup in Spain. Then the U.S. Men’s National Team opens June with two friendlies and two Concacaf Nations League matches and the U.S. Women’s National Team will close out June with two friendlies before heading to Monterrey, Mexico in July for the Concacaf W Championship. All this, plus our Youth National Teams are back in action and there is a new Insiders perk, check it all out below! World Cup Hype and What the Team is doing to prepare Now that the U.S. Men’s National Team has qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the team will kick off its preparation for the world’s biggest stage against Morocco on June 1 at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, before USA-Uruguay, presented by Allstate on June 5 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan.. The USMNT will then play its final home match prior to the World Cup as it begins its Concacaf Nations League title defense against Grenada on June 10 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. The team will close out the summer international window with a visit to El Salvador in its second Nations League group stage match on June 14. Tickets for the three home matches are available now at ussoccer.com/tickets. With the youngest team to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the time is now to get behind the USMNT. During the seven-month qualifying gauntlet, Gregg Berhalter’s side set a number of unprecedented records, read up on all the facts and figures around the team’s successful road to Qatar and check out ussoccer.com’s World Cup Hub for info leading up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
More than a debut: Angel City FC’s home opener felt like the start of a new NWSL era
That’s how long it took for women’s professional soccer to return to Los Angeles. The last time an LA team featured in a domestic league, it was the Sol back at the start of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS). After winning the shield in that inaugural 2009 season, their final match at the Home Depot Center (now Dignity Health Sports Park) in Carson was the WPS Championship. The LA Sol lost to Sky Blue FC thanks to a Heather O’Reilly goal in the 16th minute, in front of only 7,218 spectators.They didn’t know it at the time, but the Sol were a fleeting dream, dissolved before the league’s second season.
On Friday night, almost 13 years later, women’s soccer finally returned to the City of Angels. This time, at the Banc of California Stadium, as Nina Simone promised a new dawn and a new day over the speakers before first kick, the long-awaited return took place in front of a loud, joyous sell-out crowd of 22,000. From the stands full of supporters to minority owner Jennifer Garner, captured by cameras, they celebrated wildly, hitting triple digits on the decibel scale. First, it was Vanessa Gilles in the third minute, heading in a goal, before the expansion side struck again via Jun Endo only 10 minutes later.A dream start, a story so good it could only happen in Hollywood. But maybe it was the dream returning for good, in all the right ways — and maybe some new ones too.Angel City’s founding owner and president Julie Uhrman isn’t hard to spot as she moves through the pregame fan fest outside the stadium. The Angel City shirt and scarf combo help, but as she makes her entrance a few hours before the game, there are surprised looks of recognition on fans’ faces as she passes. Her family is in the crowd, and her twin sister Amy is by her side for most of the day. (Their resemblance fools me the first time; but by the end of the night I’m pointing out to folks that they’re about to try to talk to the wrong sister.)Being trailed by the team’s head of communications and a video crew (and The Athletic) helps up the conspicuous factor, but it’s clear that Uhrman doesn’t really mind the attention. She poses for selfies, checks in on fans waiting in line for various activities to make sure they’re enjoying themselves.Uhrman’s kids find her in the crowd, holding hand-written signs. The theme is very clear and very cute: “You did it, Mom!!!” They’re not without a little gentle parental heckling, though. Her son’s sign asks how many magazine covers she’s been on, noting that he’s lost count.She swings out to where the supporters’ groups are gathering, where her fellow founding owner Alexis Ohanian is already deep in a conversation with some folks from Rebellion 99, before one final walk through. Based on conversations with both the club and the supporters, this is one of the areas that could still use some improvement: for all of Angel City’s focus on community building and their stated appreciation of the supporters’ groups, there’s a sense that the front office still doesn’t quite grasp how a “supporter” is different from a “fan.” The team is still learning about the supporter infrastructure, and how independence from the front office is important. Angel City’s built an infrastructure around community in a way no other team has, but still needs to figure out how to truly value the external accountability supporters can provide.But even that challenge is progress in its own way.The fan fest brings back memories of WUSA, the first pro league started after the success of the 1999 World Cup — of my walking through a whole block of sponsor activations heading into Nickerson Field in Boston before a Boston Breakers game, of the pomp around the first-ever league match between Mia Hamm’s Washington Freedom and Brandi Chastain’s Bay Area CyberRays. It’s not the only time it feels like the past and present are colliding, especially considering Hamm is now an investor in Angel City.Reading back a report of that first WUSA match, the crowd is described as being “dominated by soccer moms and dads and screaming kids by the thousands.” That’s not the case at Banc of California Stadium at all. There are, of course, families and kids everywhere, but there’s also a full bar in the fan fest, along with a booth from whiskey brand Jane Walker, a sponsor. It’s still a family friendly event, but it feels far removed from those days of WUSA, or even the earlier years of the NWSL.“I was thinking of that (WUSA-opening) Washington game, actually,” Julie Foudy says a little later on, back inside the stadium. She reminisces that, for the players after the 1999 World Cup, the formation of WUSA was like “giving birth to a baby.” And when the league folded in 2003, the players who had spent so much time, and were willing to take pay cuts to keep the lights on, were crushed.“Now we’re sitting in on the ownership side as (former) players,” she says, “to be able to give in that sense meant so much to us. It’s really going to be emotional.”For Uhrman, the defining emotion of Friday night is pride, as feelings run high for most of the afternoon into evening. Long hugs, the threat of tears, a pause just to look around and take it all in — she’s not the only one experiencing the emotional release of the long journey to the first regular season game, but she is at the center of it all.“Proud of the team, proud of the club, proud of this community,” she says shortly before taking the field with the rest of her fellow owners. “Proud of everyone that believed in us and then those who came along after. There were people who didn’t believe in us, and then they’ve been converted.”It’s been almost two years since The Athletic (slightly) ruined a vacation Uhrman was on in the summer of 2020 by reporting that the ownership group and the NWSL were in advanced talks to bring a team to Los Angeles, longer still since the first conversations around the potential of such an idea. But even now, only moments before their first regular-season game, it still feels like the start of it all for Uhrman. There’s a whole season ahead. Now, maybe, they’ll finally learn what the normal day-to-day of a NWSL club is like.
“That’s the part that’s incredible,” she says, “knowing that this is the beginning.”There’s a lot that happened on Friday night that I’ve never really seen at a NWSL game before in my 10 years around the league, but the best exampleof “only Angel City would do this” is a pink carpet for the many team owners to walk for pregame interviews with media.For the owners who do roll through, it’s an interesting mix of those with deep ties to women’s soccer and women’s sports, and those who are relatively new to the landscape. When Billie Jean King shows up, she beelines down the carpet to Ohanian for a giant hug (made slightly hilarious thanks to their height difference) as she declares him an ally to everyone watching.Ohanian’s in a good mood himself. He made it a priority to show up early and head out into the fan fest to talk to as many people as he could manage before the game. While he didn’t even know the NWSL existed when he first started tweeting about women’s soccer during the 2019 World Cup, he’s now one of the most intriguing examples of this new class of NWSL owner: fully bought in, but in some ways, free of what came before.
“What’s exciting is that it’s still such a young league,” he says. “From the jump, that was one of the things that made this such an interesting opportunity for me. There was not this long precedent of decades of, ‘This is how we do things.’ There were lots of reasons why that was a disadvantage, but one key reason why that was, and I think will continue to be an advantage, is because we can dictate a different way of doing things.”
At the complete other end of the spectrum when it comes to women’s soccer experience, Mia Hamm frames the night in the greater historical context.
“With WUSA, we had no idea what was gonna happen. It was like, ‘We live for today, and then tomorrow we wake up and we do it all over again,’” she says. The fact that the NWSL is entering its 10th year helps assuage some of those carpe diem vibes, but Hamm doesn’t want anyone taking the night for granted.
“We use this energy to continue to build tomorrow, on the days after, because it can’t just be one day. It’s like anything in life, it’s a constant renewal and reinvestment.”
Angel City investor Abby Wambach, who played in WUSA, WPS and the NWSL, speaks to the shift that’s happening within the league right now, being driven by the players at multiple levels — from the negotiation of the collective bargaining agreement by the NWSL PA to players forcing change at the ownership level.
“When you’ve been given crumbs for so long, when you get crumbs plus a little more crumbs, you’re super grateful,” she says. “That’s what it felt like to be a part of the early stages of the NWSL — ‘Wow, we have a league, we should be grateful, we should just not ask questions, we should be fine with being on crappy buses and in crappy hotels.’
“What you see here (with Angel City) is a combination of so many people getting together and going, ‘No. It can be different. It can be this, don’t do that.’ We can make this whatever we want.”
That’s a huge part of the appeal of Angel City: that the team is free of the fear that has driven decision-making in women’s soccer for so long, that there’s no worry about proving the value of the team or the game — it’s taken as a foundational fact. As freeing as this is, however, that doesn’t mean it works out perfectly. The team still has to follow the new CBA; Angel City’s rightfully been criticized for building a brand first, roster second and many NWSL supporters are not willingly embracing the club’s use of NFTs.
There’s not just room for growth, but improvement. It’s not a bad problem to have on day one.
“This isn’t just about this year, right?” Wambach asks. “We’re still a new club. There’s going to be growing pains.” The important part for her as an owner is that she feels the club has opened the doors to everyone, that there are so many different voices in the mix at the ownership level.“It’s not just about even the women here, the owners, the team. It’s about the Billie Jeans, it’s about Title IX, it’s about all of the big steps and little steps that needed to be taken in order for us to get here and to be here with pride,” she says. She takes one of those long pauses, glancing at her fellow owners to her left and right, a hallway full of video crews and media, an area already jam-packed with people long before the game kicks off.“You know, this is really awesome. Here’s a pink carpet. We’re out in this freaking huge stadium, brand new stadium. It’s just a good day. It’s a really good day.”That good day only gets better. There’s an endless parade of owners out onto the field for pregame ceremonies — though the club finds out the hard way what happens when you have fireworks launch from the field, as the smoke lingers through the lower bowl. Brittany Howard and Tia P. are in front of the supporters’ safe standing section with a full brass band, launching into the club’s anthem before the players enter. Julie Foudy leads the full stadium in a clapping pattern in the way only she can, with an absurd amount of enthusiasm and zero shame about being over the top. A giant tifo is raised overhead across multiple sections of the safe standing sections — it promises Un Nuevo Amanecer; a new dawn.Nina Simone starts to serenade us all as the players shake out their legs, exchange high fives and quick words before the whistle. The wait, after all this build-up, feels infinite.Not every game is going to have a lead-in like this, but with 15,000+ season tickets sold, the team isn’t going to need to hit the high of this moment for every single game either.Angel City holds on for dear life against the North Carolina Courage for a 2-1 win to start the regular season. Walking the Banc during the game, everywhere feels like a party. The lines for merch and beer are long at every stand in the concourse. Most surprisingly, I only spot two USWNT jerseys the entire night. Mostly, the crowd is a sea of Angel City jerseys or black T-shirts — an impressive saturation level for a new team.At one point, I end up right behind one of the goals, sitting with a friend for a few minutes — which happened to be the very moment when Debinha clawed one back for the Courage, watching one of the game’s best from only a few yards away. My friend tells me later that the folks sitting in front of them bought season tickets as a family — their kids don’t play soccer, but they wanted to show them what was possible up close. We think for a moment about how many kids in that crowd were getting their first taste of women’s pro soccer, about how many lives it’s going to change, and it’s a little overwhelming.Finally, after what feels like an endless amount of stoppage time and a masterclass from Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haračić in clock management, the final whistle presents another perfect, dream moment on the field. Los Angeles-born captain Ali Riley doesn’t hold back her tears, and there are hugs everywhere, players soaking in every single second of celebration from the sell-out crowd.“I’m gonna start crying again,” Riley says after the game, in front of a full press conference. “I have waited for a moment like this for 12 years. I hoped to get drafted to the LA Sol, but they folded before I had a chance. I’ve been all over the world. To be here, with my parents watching this game, for us to win, to feel the love, the support, I think we proved that anything is possible in women’s sports.”Watching from the press box, the celebration on Friday night is truly understandable — not just because of the upset, but because the first game, despite being the first, is the end of one part of the team’s journey.“I know it was just game one,” Riley continues. “It’s a moment I’ll never forget. No matter what happens this season, no one can ever take tonight away from us and this crowd. To feel that was unbelievable. I’ll never forget this.”
More than seven months after announcing its first foray into the women’s game, Indy Eleven ensured the wait was well worth it by capturing a 3-1 victory over Kings Hammer FC in the Inaugural Match of the USL W League, the new 44-team women’s pre-professional league under the United Soccer League umbrella. The historic triumph for Indy Eleven was played in front of a sold out, standing room-only crowd of 1,571 fans at the Grand Park Events Center. Rachel McCarthy’s pair of goals early in the first half lifted Indiana’s Team to a comfortable cushion, and Carmel Dads Club, Carmel High School alum and current Butler standout Katie Soderstrom’s 78th minute finish sealed the win after the KHFC cut the deficit back to one just before halftime. Read all about it !!
Sold Out Crowd was on hand for this first ladies game Win !
US Open Cup Play Tonight ESPN+
Huge games this week as US Open Cup play is underway on ESPN + and the Special ESPN+ Goalazo Show with a boucearound from game to game feature tonight from 7 until 10 pm at least. Big games tonight for the underdogs are former Carmel fC GK Coach and Indy 11 GK Jordan Farr (who was voted GK of the month and is up for player of the month in the USL) and his San Antonio Scorpions traveling to face the Houston Dynamo at 8:30 pm on ESPN+. Also the California Strikers will host the LA Galaxy at 10:30 pm along with USL squads Sacramento and Phoenix Rising battling it out at 10:30 as well al on ESPN+. While the US Open Cup is not the FA Cup – it has been played for since 1914 and it would be cool to see one of these lower division teams surprise the MLS squads that have won the last 20 versions, hopefully Farr’s San Antonio stays alive!
Big Games this week
Lets start today with Leeds United v Chelsea, 2:30p on Peacock: A pivotal match for both sides: Christian Pulisic and Chelsea need to hold onto top-four position. Jesse Marsch and Leeds desperately need to pick up points to jump ahead of Everton or Burnley to avoid relegation. I do expect American Christian Pulisic – fresh of fhis assist last weekend to get the start perhaps in his favored #10 slot even? He sure looked good on Saturday. Midweek play for the Americans. Other games to catch today include Juventus vs Inter in the Italian Cup Final on Paramount plus at 3 pm. Of course tomorrow it’s a huge battle for 4th in the EPL as Tontenham host Arsenal at 3 pm on USA Network. Saturday we get the FA Cup Final Liverpool vs Chelsea at 11:45 am on ESPN plus as Liverpool is still alive for the Triple or the Quad – 4 Cups – if they can beat
Good Luck to our Carmel FC teams playing in Challenge Cup/State Cup and President Cup games coming up this weekend and next!! Carmel FC GKs be sure to get those trainings in this week – Wed at Shelbourne with Coach Noelle and Thurs with me at Badger 6:15-8:15 pm.
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BIG GAMES ON TV
(American’s in parenthesis)
Wed May 11 US Open Cup
2:30 pm USA Leeds United (Marsch) v Chelsea (Puliisic)
3 pm Para+ Juventus vs Inter Italian Cup
7 pm ESPN+ New England vs Cincy
8 pm EPSN+ Atlanta vs Nashville
8:30 pm ESPN+ Houston Dynamo vs San Antonio (Jordan Farr)
The Ole BallCoach 
