The Ole BallCoach

Berhalter names 27 players for USMNT pre Copa Training camp

Euro 2024 TV schedule

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(Photo: Brad Smith/Getty Images for USSF)

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US Men

Sargent returns for USMNT’s pre-Copa tuneups Jeff Kassouf

Jesse Marsch named Canada Men’s National Team head coach
Marsch: Wasn’t treated well in USMNT coach hunt ESPN

US Women

USWNT coach Emma Hayes arrives in America with her work cut out ahead of Paris Olympics
Emma Hayes aims to replicate her Chelsea success with U.S. women’s soccer

What USWNT fans can learn from Hayes’ final season at Chelsea

Exclusive with USWNT coach Emma Hayes: ‘I’m ready for the adventure of a lifetime’ David Hirshey & Roger Director, special to ESPN

Who is the best young player in the NWSL? Ranking every player 19 and younger Jeff Kassouf

US Woman’s Soccer Coach is literally Pepe Guardiola & Carlo Ancelotti combined trophy wise

Indy 11

2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals to Stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV

Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Recap – IND 3:0 DET

Stanley Named to USL Championship Team of the Week

USL W League Recap – IND 10:0 STC

USL W League Recap – IND 3:3 KHR

USL W League Recap LOU 1:3 IND

World

Leverkusen completes historic unbeaten season
Beaten Leverkusen hope to ‘find themselves’ in German Cup final
Three La Liga talking points ahead of final weekend

Pink slip: Copa coaches get 6th sub for concussion

EPL

How important is FA Cup final for Ten Hag’s future?
FA Cup final preview: Man City v. Man United

Pochettino’s Chelsea exit sealed over ‘last supper’

Why Pochettino left Chelsea, and what it reveals about the club
Source: Bayern close to Kompany agreement Rob Dawson
Why do Bayern Munich want Vincent Kompany? The relegated manager might make more sense than you think

Goalkeeping

A little rain means its diving practice – last week’s next to last workout with some of the Carmel FC Older Group.

Great Saves MLS

The Effort Every Goalkeeper would like in front of him

Reffing

PK Hits the Post – You Make the Call

Yellow / Red or nothing – You Make the Call
Lucas Paqueta: West Ham midfielder charged over four allegations he got deliberate yellow cards

Good Luck to Matt Antisdel as he moves on to Arizona – we’ll miss you Matt !

Boys in Blue move on to U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals against Atlanta United

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, May 22, 2024) – Indy Eleven is on to the Quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the first time in club history after a 3-0 defeat of USL Championship rival Detroit City FC on Wednesday night at Carroll Stadium.Indy Eleven opened the scoring by way of a Detroit City own goal off a Benjamin Ofeimu cross from the right side. The Boys in Blue have scored their first goal in the 14th minute or earlier in each of their three U.S. Open Cup matches this season (CHI 4’, SA 2’).
The home team would tack on two more in the first half with Douglas Martinez finding Augi Williams (33’) for the tally and Aedan Stanley connecting on a corner to Ofeimu (36’). Williams now has a pair of Open Cup goals for Indy this season, while Stanley has a team-best two assists.
Indy Eleven continues the streak and is unbeaten in its last eight matches, dating back to the Third Round win over Chicago Fire FC II on April 17. The Boys in Blue also become the second Indiana club in the history of the tournament to reach the Quarterfinals (Indianapolis Inferno 1992).
The Boys in Blue will play out of the East Division in the Quarterfinals on the road against Atlanta United (MLS) July 9 or 10.

Remaining U.S. Open Cup Schedule
Quarterfinal | Tuesday, July 9 – Wednesday, July 10
Semifinal | Tuesday, Aug. 27 – Wednesday, Aug. 28
Final | Wednesday, Sept. 25

Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup | Round of 32
Indy Eleven 3:0 Detroit City FC
Wednesday, May 22, 2024 – 7 p.m. ET
Carroll Stadium | Indianapolis

Scoring Summary
IND – Own Goal 14’
IND – Augi Williams (Douglas Martinez) 33’
IND – Ben Ofeimu (Aedan Stanley) 36’

Discipline Summary
IND – Ben Ofeimu (caution) 7’
DET – Devon Amoo-Mensah (caution) 61’
IND – Jack Blake (caution) 65’
IND – Max Schneider (caution) 90+1’

Ian Darke’s Premier League team-by-team season grades

Ian Darke, ESPN.com writerMay 21, 2024, 01:00 PM ET

Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola are insatiable. Six out of the last seven Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four in succession, and you know that by August, they will be hungry for more. How does Pep do it? Not even he can explain it.But City did not have things all their own way in what was a thrilling season featuring a record number of goals. So how did your team rate? Here are my end-of-season grades.

MANCHESTER CITY

First place, 91 points

Manchester City can lay claim to being the greatest Premier League team ever after winning four in a row.

EDITOR’S PICKS

Assessing Man City’s four-peat, Liverpool’s goodbye to Klopp, more: Marcotti recaps the weekend Gabriele Marcotti
Small margins: The story of Arsenal’s season, and where they can still improve4dJames Olley
Here’s how Liverpool arrived at Arne Slot as the choice to replace Jurgen Klopp4dRyan O’Hanlon

Erling Haaland won the Golden Boot again despite missing two months with injury, Phil Foden was Footballer of the Year, and Rodri has gone 50 league matches unbeaten. But the clincher in City’s faultless final stretch was the return to fitness of pass-master Kevin De Bruyne.

City are in line for more history on Saturday if they defeat Manchester United and complete a league and FA Cup double. However, the 115 financial charges issued to the club by the Premier League in February 2023 remain as the elephant in the room. GRADE: A

ARSENAL

Second place, 89 points

A magnificent effort to total 89 points — their best since Arsene Wenger’s “Invincibles” 20 years ago. Declan Rice‘s signing from West Ham United was inspired, and Kai Havertz silenced his doubters. However, not even a run of six straight wins at the end of the season was quite enough. GRADE: A-

LIVERPOOL

Third place, 82 points

The bombshell news on Jan. 26 that Jurgen Klopp would be leaving at the end of the season came with Liverpool five points clear at the top of the table. But while winning the League Cup and always looking dangerous in attack, the Reds’ defending was often less convincing. Despite an initial boost in form following Klopp’s announcement, Liverpool seemed to run out of stream in costly defeats by Crystal Palace and Everton. GRADE: B+

How Slot can use Ten Hag’s struggles to adapt to the Premier League

Mario Melchiot shares his advice for Arne Slot ahead of his first season in the Premier League as Liverpool manager.

ASTON VILLA

Fourth place, 68 points

Aston Villa will be deliriously happy at a top-four finish and a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League. Unai Emery’s team was lethal at times at Villa Park, with Ollie Watkins developing into an elite striker with 19 goals and 13 assists. The Villans were less convincing on the road, however, and the 6-2 aggregate loss to Olympiacos in the Europa Conference League semifinals was a reality check. GRADE: A-

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Fifth place, 66 points

Fifth place in a first year without Harry Kane, the team’s talisman who left for Bayern Munich, was no calamity, but disappointing in the context of their early-season charge to the top with 26 points from the first 10 games. Manager Ange Postecoglou’s adventurous and attractive style of play made him an instant hit with supporters, but the apparent absence of a Plan B means the honeymoon is probably over. GRADE: B-

CHELSEA

Sixth place, 63 points

Assessing Man United’s worst-ever Premier League finish

The ESPN FC Live team grade a Premier League season to forget for Manchester United, who finish way outside a Champions League spot in eighth.

Mauricio Pochettino’s departure by “mutual consent” comes as a big surprise after the club’s excellent finish to the season. It looked like he had found a winning blend after months of erratic form, but his exit — apparently amicable — suggests either he and owner Todd Boehly see the future rather differently. Or Pochettino has other plans. GRADE: B-

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Seventh place, 60 points

Eddie Howe’s side finished strongly to claim seventh place, but they need Man City to win the FA Cup on Saturday in order to clinch a European place. A long injury list and a less-than-watertight defence away from home meant the Magpies could never hit last season’s heights despite 21 goals from Alexander Isak, third-top scorer in the league. GRADE: C+

MANCHESTER UNITED

Eighth place, 60 points

It was Manchester United’s worst finish of the Premier League era, and as a result, the Red Devils will need to beat Man City in the FA Cup Final to salvage a berth in continental competition next season. Injuries in defence certainly played a role in the team’s lackluster performances, but United lacked shape or identity with opponents storming through a vacant midfield. Head coach Erik ten Hag will do well to survive the winds of change sent blowing through Old Trafford by new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. GRADE: F

Pickford: Everton kept fighting as a team after the points deductions

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford explains how his team kept a positive attitude even after getting hit with a points deduction from the Premier League.

WEST HAM UNITED

Ninth place, 52 points

Eye-catching wins as at Arsenal and Spurs coupled with fearful beatings in four other London derbies meant this was a topsy-turvy season for West Ham. Manager David Moyes leaves memories of some great European nights and lofty finishes in the league. But despite the menace of Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta, the Hammers’ form was patchy, with no clean sheets since Jan. 2. GRADE: C+

CRYSTAL PALACE

10th place, 49 points

New boss Oliver Glasner inspired an electric finish to the season, guiding Palace to six wins in their final seven games to sneak into the top half of the table. The Eagles were a different side after gifted duo Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise finally got fit and firing, while Jean-Philippe Mateta was a revelation with 16 goals. Can they keep these stars together at Selhurst Park for another go next season? Given the interest from bigger clubs, it will be a challenge. GRADE: B+

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

11th place, 48 points

Roberto De Zerbi’s reign ended with one win in his final 10 games. Injuries did not help, but there is no hiding from the fact that a talented team regressed this season — having finished sixth in 2022-23 — and the restless De Zerbi tinkered too much with his starting XI, which ultimately cost them. GRADE: C-

AFC BOURNEMOUTH

12th place, 48 points

A triumph for Spanish tactician Andoni Iraola in his debut season, especially after a poor start that had observers wondering if the Cherries had made a mistake bringing him in to replace Gary O’Neil. Pleasing football, 48 points, a comfortable midtable finish and 19 goals for Dominic Solanke. GRADE: B+

FULHAM

13th place, 47 points

You feared for them after losing top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic to the Saudi Pro League but, despite fading into 13th place, Marco Silva’s team was never in trouble. The emergence of Rodrigo Muniz to fill the boots of Mitrovic was important. Some top displays included a 2-1 win at Arsenal.

Overall, there will be no complaints at Craven Cottage. GRADE: B

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

14th place, 46 points

One of the few teams to beat Manchester City, Wolves might have finished higher in the table if the speedy Pedro Neto played more often alongside Hwang Hee-Chan and Matheus Cunha. Manager Gary O’Neil kept them well clear of the relegation zone, but one win from the last nine games rather spoiled the upbeat mood. GRADE: C+

EVERTON

15th place, 40 points

Three home wins in a week — including a terrific display in the Merseyside derby — clinched the Toffees’ survival in the Premier League. That was quite an achievement for Everton boss Sean Dyche in the face of a points deduction after an independent commission found the club had breached Profit and Sustainability Rules, a dearth of goals, and ongoing doubts about Everton’s alleged takeover. The blue half of Liverpool desperately needs some calmer times. GRADE: B-

BRENTFORD

16th place, 39 points

You know Brentford and their supporters are happy the club stayed up after a difficult season blighted by a long injury list and the suspension that ruled out top striker Ivan Toney until January. He will likely move to another club during the summer transfer window, giving likeable manager Thomas Frank a chance to refresh his squad. GRADE: C

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

17th place, 32 points

One stat above all others sums up Forest’s struggles: They kept only one clean sheet in the last six months of the season. But they kept their heads just above the relegation zone thanks to a trifecta of attacking talent, Chris Wood, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Morgan Gibbs-White. They were just enough to compensate for a bloated squad, VAR rows, and a change of manager from Steve Cooper to Nuno Espirito Santo. GRADE: C-

LUTON TOWN

18th place, 26 points

A fairytale with an unhappy ending as the Hatters return to the English Championship. Head coach Rob Edwards and his team won lots of friends, but not enough points, and ran out of road with only one win after January. GRADE: C

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BURNLEY

19th place, 24 points

Teams like to copy Pep Guardiola’s tactic of playing out of the defense, but it isn’t easy — unless you have City’s caliber of players — which is exactly what Burnley discovered this season. Indeed, it all looked a little naive from manager Vincent Kompany and his players. After winning the Championship at a canter in 2022-23, the Clarets were expected to do better but went straight back down. GRADE: D

SHEFFIELD UNITED

20th place, 16 points

A shadow of the team who were promoted, Sheffield United conceded a whopping 104 goals this season. One of the weakest teams in Premier League history, the Blades need a major reset. GRADE: F

USMNT roster questions: How to replace Dest and who will make Copa America cut?

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MARCH 24: Tyler Adams #4 of the United States celebrates with Tim Weah #21 and Gio Reyna #7 during the the Concacaf Nations League Final against Mexico at AT&T Stadium on March 24, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stephen Nadler/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

By Paul Tenorio and Tom Bogert

May 21, 2024

Yesterday, we took your questions right after the USMNT squad was announced for the training camp and friendlies that will precede the 2024 Copa America. The squad contains 27 players and the final group of 26 that will play in the Copa America will likely come from this list.Nturally, you all had questions. We tried our best to answer them based on what we’ve reported about this team over the years. Here are some of the bits from that session.

In case you missed it…

Quintin R. asked: What is the reasoning for calling 27 into camp? Expecting injury or someone not to be fully fit come June 23? Seems odd to leave one guy at home.

Paul Tenorio: My guess is that it’s about getting a closer look at Tillman considering the central midfield depth chart is stacked for the Olympics, too. Plus it provides some insurance as the U.S. evaluates the health and availability of Tyler Adams and Josh Sargent.

“Timmy made a good impression on us in January,” Berhalter told us earlier today. “When we’re looking at this roster versus the Olympic roster, there are some other guys that were in contention as well, but we felt like the balance of it would be better to keep them with the Olympic group and move Timmy to the senior team,”

Adam F. asked: Why is Shaq Moore on this roster?

Paul Tenorio: Bryan Reynolds is going to be on the Olympic squad and Berhalter said that of the right back options, he valued Moore’s ability to defend in one-on-one situations.

“We know he’s getting back to his form right now,” Berhalter said. “He has been out for a while, but he’s been able to get on the field now and get some more minutes and he’s a guy when we were looking at our matchups this summer, a lot of these wingers are very good one-v-one and we think that’s a strength of his, so there’s something we took into consideration.”

Berhalter also said they are looking at Weah, McKennie, Musah and center backs as potential right back depth options.

Who replaces Sergiño Dest for the USMNT?

Henry K asked: Could we potentially see Pulisic slide over to the right wing position and have Weah stand in as a right back to replace Dest?

Tom Bogert: It definitely feels like a possibility, right? It’ll probably depend on the matchup, but it seems like an option.

It’s worth noting that Christian Pulisic played the majority of his minutes on the right for AC Milan this year and was excellent. Obviously, he has different responsibilities with the national team (and he’ll be playing in a different system,) but he’d be plenty comfortable on that side.

The most ultra-attacking lineup from this roster has Weah at right back, Pulisic right wing, Gio Reyna at the No 10 and Wright at left wing.

Pulisic has played well at right wing for AC Milan this season (Getty Images)

Paul Tenorio: Berhalter said one of the main tasks of the training camp ahead of the Copa America is figuring out what they want to do at right back.

“Obviously with Sergiño going down, we have to figure out the right back situation and there’s a couple of different options we can look at,” Berhalter said. “We have like-for-like with Joe Scally and Shaq Moore. We have a winger that can play there with Timothy Weah, who’s played that for his club. We have center midfielders who can play there with Weston and Yunus, and then we have center backs that we’re looking at, can they play there? So, we just wanted the ability in this training camp to have options, to have flexibility. Some of it may revolve around a back three. But the first objective is to see how we’re going to fill that right back position because we know we’re going to be missing Sergiño.”

Austen B. asks: Out of attacking, midfield, and defense, where is the USMNT most likely to challenge the contenders and mostly likely to struggle? I know the USMNT has not had great success scoring against top competition (at least in the World Cup), yet to me their midfield and attacking was still a “strength” in that they have been able to keep possession and put pressure on opponents, whereas the defense seems to lack lock down defenders and at times show lapses against dangerous attacks.

Paul Tenorio: I think yours is a fair assessment. The area where the U.S. has been best against top opponents is in midfield. MMA was the clear winner at the World Cup in its ability to match up against England, especially. The U.S. was quite dangerous at times in transition, they got into the right spaces, but the final pass (and sometimes the pass before the pass) was lacking. I’m thinking of against Wales specifically and I wrote about it then.

Re-watching USMNT vs. Wales reveals a better performance than initially thought

Can the U.S. be more dangerous in the Copa America? Can they be more deadly with chances in the final third? We’ll see. And I definitely have concerns with defending on the right side of this lineup.

Seth R. asks: Does this roster give you any hints as to what overage players will be selected for the Olympics squad?

Paul Tenorio: I think it gives hints not just at overage players, but also some of the younger players who could play a role.

Berhalter mentioned Kevin Paredes, Aidan Morris and Bryan Reynolds as players who they see as getting more minutes at the Olympics than they would here. I think all three would have probably made this team if there was no Olympic tournament.

Overage players I think are under consideration: Zimmerman, Auston Trusty and Brandon Vazquez, among others.

Zendejas has played well for Club America but misses out on the USMNT roster (Alfredo Moya/Jam Media/Getty Images)

Collin J. asks: With Alejandro Zendejas playing well for Club America, why is he off the roster while a struggling Brenden Aaronson is on it?

Tom Bogert: It’s definitely a tough omission for Zendejas and probably disheartening on a personal level — what more could he have done? Zendejas has 14 goals and eight assists in 3,176 minutes this season for Club America and will play in the Clausura final.

Unfortunately for him, the winger position is loaded and now has a new, versatile entrant in Haji Wright (who had spent his time with USMNT at the No 9 before excelling at left wing with Coventry this year).

It’s tough for Zendejas that, if he had stuck to his original international allegiance with Mexico, he might have been a starter at the Copa America for them rather than fighting to make the U.S. roster.

Jody R. asks: If both Adams and Sargent are unable to go, who do you think the next man up would be? Pefok?

Paul Tenorio: If Sargent can’t go, I doubt there’d be a like-for-like sub there. You’d probably just roll with Pepi-Balogun-Wright as your No 9 options and carry an extra midfielder or add a winger.

I think if Adams goes down, there is probably just a plan to keep Tillman on the squad as a midfielder who can provide depth at several spots.

Dest, Tillman and Pepi: The USMNT trio who became league champions at PSV

Adam T. asked: Why is Gregg Berhalter obsessed with MLS players?

Paul Tenorio: There are four MLS players on the 27-man roster, one of which I would expect not to make the Copa roster (Tillman), the other of which is an injury replacement for the injured Sergiño Dest (Shaq Moore) and probably would not have been on the squad if not for the Olympics taking a Euro-based right back (Bryan Reynolds), the third of which is the third goalkeeper.

Miles Robinson is basically the top MLS player on this squad and judging him off the league he plays in probably is more of a you problem than a Berhalter problem.

Harry P asks: Any insight into (reigning MLS MVP) Luciano Acosta potentially switching allegiances and joining the USMNT?

Tom Bogert: Acosta remains in the process of becoming a United States citizen (and thus eligible to represent the USMNT), but it’s taking a bit longer than they hoped because when Lucho left the D.C. United to sign with Atlas, he left the country and would not have qualified as a resident at that time. Acosta has argued he couldn’t come back because of COVID-19 (Lucho signed with Atlas in December 2019), but the government didn’t see it that way. TBD on timing, but this is definitely still in the works.

https://5ccf1e54c9d8dbe8cb874428102d28ba.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

One key reason Acosta is getting citizenship is the hope to play for the USMNT.

“Obviously (I would accept a USMNT call-up), if it came,” Acosta told us last year when we revealed he was in the citizenship process. “It’s one reason I started the process.”

(Top photo: Stephen Nadler/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

USWNT head coach Emma Hayes talks Olympic roster preparations and the role of NWSL

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 23: (EDITOR'S NOTE: This image has been digitally altered.) United States Women's National Team head coach Emma Hayes poses for a portrait on May 23, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

By Meg Linehan7h ago

On Wednesday, U.S. women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes arrived at Newark airport just outside New York City following a fifth-consecutive successful title run with Chelsea in the Women’s Super League. She was only in New York — a place she considers home, previously spending seven years in the U.S. developing as a young coach — for a short time.“I’m lucky to be born in England, but made in America,” Hayes said on Thursday to the Today Show.On Tuesday, she named the roster for her first USWNT camp, causing some excitement by listing Crystal Dunn as a forward. She’ll have two chances to stand on the U.S. sideline next month with a set of friendlies against South Korea in Denver and Saint Paul.“I want to focus on the performance. I want to get to know the players. I want to make sure that, in the limited time we have together, we make the most of it,” she said from a tall stool inside Studio A at Rockefeller Center. “And for me, pressure is a huge privilege.”By Thursday morning, Hayes was making the rounds with American media, confident as she sat for half a dozen television interviews before settling in front of a round table of USWNT coverage regulars.Hayes spoke for nearly an hour with three things becoming clear: the transition process has been slowly happening since November, she sees NWSL and USL Super League as crucial parts of the USWNT’s development, and nothing is set in stone — especially not the Olympic roster.

Easing into the role

“Everything, to be honest,” Hayes said when detailing what U.S. interim head coach Twila Kilgore shared with her during the transition process. She rattled off a list of lessons from the 2023 World Cup, team personnel, and the collective bargaining agreement with the USWNT Players Association. “Culture, traditions, I want to maintain and uphold the right things.”Hayes’ conversation with Kilgore also touched on the games the USWNT has played so far this year and the finer details like the timeline of a roster selection process.“We’ve been on many long calls late at night,” she said, referencing the time difference between the U.S. and England. “Certainly been to bed quite late in the last few months, but she’s been a humongous help.“I feel like I’ve been able to quietly get to know the job without being in the job, and I think that’s really helped every little detail, whether it’s processes on game day to how they operate in the hotel to which kit they wear. When I go into camp, I know all of these things.”Her brief trip to the U.S. last November helped too, and most of the time between now and the Olympics has already been planned thanks to Kilgore’s information and what Hayes saw firsthand.“All the May camp preparation is done, all the sessions are planned,” she said. “All of the June schedule is planned out in terms of our meetings, our meeting points. July is planned. Everybody is clear on what’s going on — now it’s about getting the players.”

The American women’s soccer ecosystem

Before taking the USWNT gig, Hayes had provided an outside assessment of the team’s 2023 World Cup performance in a column, focusing primarily on player development and the fact that the team was “massively short of creative talent.” Asked if she would continue to be critical of the program, Hayes expressed that she, like any coach, wants more for the team and federation.

“That’s clear for everyone to see,” she said, gesturing widely. “I don’t always view that as a negative thing. Sometimes you need something like that in life to serve as a reminder if you don’t grow. I always say all the time, what got you here won’t get you there. It’s an opportunity now to evolve.”Hayes said the focus needs to be on improving day in and day out, which isn’t limited to U.S. Soccer.“We need our league, the NWSL, to be hugely competitive. We need the USL (Super League) for lots of reasons, a development pathway for players that don’t necessarily make the NWSL to come in and to be given a place to play,” she said. “That in itself will create competition. Competition is healthy.”That synergy was apparent Thursday as Hayes’ media availability took place at NWSL’s offices. (The league made sure she had access to NWSL+, the league’s streaming platform.) While she watches and will continue to games across the league, it’s a feat she admitted she can’t do on her own.“Across the breadth and depth of this country, that cannot be covered solely by me,” she said. “There will be a coaching and analytics team that will be scattered across the country.”Hayes added that she has seen a noticeable tactical improvement across the league this season.“We have to compete with what’s going on in Europe, and I see lots of good developments in the (NWSL). I’ve seen good international players come into the league. All of these things have to happen in order for the U.S. team to compete at the top level,” Hayes said. “My job is to make sure that I work together with all of those stakeholders so that together, we have got the experience of what’s been done in Europe to be able to say look, we have to drive to the next space.”

Assessing all options, including forward Crystal Dunn

Hayes spoke about the roster for her first camp but did not touch on too many individual players that did or did not make the cut. Crystal Dunn’s name came up a couple of times, however, thanks to the fact that Dunn is joining the forward pool in Colorado and Minnesota.

“I don’t publish the order,” Hayes said, smiling. “I had nothing to do that with.” She paused, holding the joke as long as she could before finishing, “I’m being cheeky.”

Hayes coached Dunn at Chelsea during the 2017-2018 season, but she said she’s seen the conversations about Dunn’s position over the years as well. Hayes knows how important it is for Dunn to “find a home” on the field.“For me, it’s less about, ‘Is she going to play in that position?’” Hayes said. “I would like to see her a little bit further forward this time around knowing I already know what she can do at left back.”

Dunn isn’t the only player Hayes is evaluating. She said the 18-player roster for the Olympics is not decided, and what she sees in camp will take her a step closer to knowing that final list. It’s part of why she didn’t want to comment on any individual player.

“I have to analyze players and analyze which players are closest to making that roster,” Hayes said. “I need to see it, feel it, be around it to get a sense of the tactical understanding of everyone — see where everybody is at.”

Hayes will focus on the process and the performance. She’s learned to focus on that over her years of coaching. She’s less worried about where a team is today; it’s where a team is at the end that counts.

“Are the USA at their best possible position today?” She rhetorically asked the group of reporters. “No, but it’s about where we finish when we need to that matters to me. So I want to focus on that instead of where we are in the world rankings, where we are in comparison to Spain”

Even though she’s been watching the team from a distance since she got the job in November, the time with players in June will show her how much of a gap between the team today and the team at the Olympics can be closed. She wants to be realistic about it.“I’ve come from a club level and what I have learned is the best development is done at club level,” she said addressing prospective USWNT players via the reporters in the room. “So go back to your clubs, play, compete, get healthy, and put yourself in the best possible place.(Photo: USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Emma Hayes, the long goodbye and the legacy

Katie Whyatt May 19, 2024

It was, after about half an hour, feeling like an office party at a karaoke bar. Chelsea’s travelling support were rolling through all the hits and by the end, Emma Hayes was taking requests. “We want five!” they said. Duly it arrived. “We want Fran!” came the calls, and on went Fran Kirby for her final game in a Chelsea shirt. When she scored Chelsea’s last goal, on 85 minutes, it felt like Chelsea were bending the world to their will. “What’s the score?” the fans asked Hayes repeatedly, and gladly she held up her fingers in immediate reply. It took her a little longer for goal six, probably from the extra effort of taking both hands from her pockets.

Emma Hayes’ side won 6-0 at Old Trafford on the final day of the season (Alex Livesey – The FA via Getty Images)

The only omission from their setlist was a chorus of oles. Had it been against a bigger rival, they might have whipped those out after the second goal arrived inside nine minutes but, as it was, Chelsea were too focused to break off for that kind of interlude.It helps when Manchester United barely showed up, let alone with the energy to gatecrash. Hayes’ leaving party was exactly that, and the force of it all was such that United’s decision to parade their FA Cup trophy at full time to fans unable to travel to last week’s Wembley final felt like witnessing a proposal at somebody else’s wedding. It had all the hallmarks of one: the Hayes kids flinging confetti at each other, Sam Kerr and Erin Cuthbert striking comedy poses in front of the trophy as if in a photo booth.Even Hayes seemed a touch delirious, at one point turning to her bench and mouthing: “Who scored?” and shrugging towards her players during one particularly rampant patch. Certainly, she was taken aback by the ludicrous nature of it all, the ease with which, on its final day, it all fell into place. To emerge from this season with a fifth successive league title is, to put it one way, a bit of a leap in plot terms, given where we were a month ago, and rich with irony given it was her nemesis, Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall, who opened the door for her to write her ending with a 2-1 win over runners-up Manchester City this month, a match that tilted the title race in Chelsea’s favour.

Emma Hayes: Victorious, elated, tired

Still, a sunny stroll was a nice change for Hayes given the pace of the past few months, and how quickly it looked like her final season at Chelsea would fall apart. Hayes had been hoping for a quadruple until losing the Continental Cup to Arsenal in March — the game that ended with her shoving Eidevall at full time in response to the “male aggression” she said he had exhibited on the touchline — and her decision to recite a poem in lieu of an apology at her subsequent press conference seemed to precipitate a wider unravelling and betray a more muddled line of thinking.Within a fortnight, the quadruple had halved to a double after a defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup. To attend Hayes’ post-match press conference was to see a more guarded, circumspect figure, one visibly wary about saying the wrong thing. In the end, she did: her remarks that “nobody died” and that the goal for the end of the season was for everybody to get out alive did not play well with a fanbase anxious given recent events.These were rare missteps for Hayes, a manager who, if anything, has given the impression over the years of being frustrated by too much good press rather than the reverse (the title of her audiobook, To Kill the Unicorn, is about curing the delusion of the manager as a mythical being who has all the answers). So came the backlash. This season has been the most bruising of Hayes’ career from a PR perspective and the stakes have been so much higher given the number of eyeballs on her since it was announced in November she would take over as manager of the U.S. women’s national team this summer.“Sometimes I wish I was in the old, old days where maybe it was a small press pack,” Hayes said in her final press conference before playing United. “I actually did that early on. You could sit and have little off-the-record conversations, but also share good things. Now, it’s just an exercise of not tripping up. You say too much and get whacked for it. You don’t say enough then it’s just something dull, a repetitive function that we have to serve.”She continued the theme after the match. “If I wasn’t a football manager or had to do a press conference every three days, I’m that person in the social group who sits in the corner. I’m not front and centre in my life. I don’t live like that. So I find some of this job really, really hard because I just want a quiet life. That’s what I’m most looking forward to — being out of the British media, having a different life and being in a situation where I only have to do this and games every six weeks.”Hayes will know it has been a slog for the women’s game to reach this point in the public consciousness. The sport has exploded over the past two years in particular and with the publicity has come scrutiny that Hayes probably felt underprepared for.As the face of the WSL and the sport’s loudest advocate, she has felt it more than most managers. Opposition fans grow weary at the focus on Hayes and Chelsea and the woman at the centre finds being used as a rent-a-quote burdensome, for all she understands the need to keep pushing for more. There is, though, no obvious heir to her role as a mouthpiece for the sport as a whole. Aston Villa’s Carla Ward is taking a career break for similar reasons to Hayes’ desire for a break. City’s Gareth Taylor feels too guarded, United’s Marc Skinner too emotional and Eidevall too explosive on the field. Someone shaping a club to the extent Hayes has feels less likely in the era where women’s teams continue to move in-house. Maybe they won’t make them like her anymore.Not that Hayes could be persuaded to stay. “I categorically cannot carry on,” Hayes said on Saturday. “I don’t have another drop to give, whatever it is. When you deal with people, I have such high standards for myself that maintaining that has become impossible. I can’t keep up with the demands from players on a daily basis in terms of their emotional needs, in terms of everything. I found that to be gruelling this year.”

The moment Chelsea were confirmed as WSL champions (Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images)

She detailed discussions with Chelsea’s sporting directors over improving player care and performance psychology. For those who want to find something deeper in Hayes’ departure, maybe there is a lesson here: after Chelsea’s 8-0 win over Bristol City on May 5, she had warned that female coaches would continue to leave the game if football did not appreciate their wellbeing. “If you’re a parent, forget about it,” she said. She would love to see a duo of two mothers or co-head coaches. “You have to give up a lot in this job,” she went on. “I don’t wish it on anyone.”In time, maybe the game will reflect that it failed one of its greatest managers; maybe this is just the reality of management, at this point in the WSL’s life. Maybe it just has to be that consuming. Maybe it’s different for women. In any case, the next generation will benefit from Hayes’ wisdom, even if Hayes has been burned out by it all.“Staying on top of emotion is something I’m really good at,” she said at her final press conference. “Sometimes, I really hate that. You have to do that a lot as a manager, which is probably one of the reasons I’m leaving this job. I miss Emma, and feeling like I don’t have to watch every word I say or worry about what my body language looks like in every situation because the camera’s on me.”Her final few weeks at Chelsea engendered a kind of ‘grieving’ among her family members who had taken the club to heart. Often, Hayes declined to talk about it with any finality “because I don’t want to cry because I have to do my job”. She had learned to “kick the emotions in the back of my head” but imagined “sobbing my heart out” at some point on Sunday, once it was all over and after she had hosted a barbeque for her son Harry’s birthday.

That has been the odd dichotomy of Hayes’ tenure: a winning machine but always with the disclaimers — maybe even anchors — that she is human, too. After exiting the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona in April, Hayes’ eyes brimmed with tears; her press officer mouthed: “You OK?” before they plunged into a short press conference where Hayes took only six questions. At the Football Writers’ Association dinner to honour Hayes, she teared up while thanking her late father, Sid, the one who had told her to go out and make the English game into what had been built in the United States. An underappreciated facet of this season is that Hayes has trundled through it all while grieving for her father. The menopause, Hayes has said on more than one occasion, has also presented unique challenges.

“Don’t think I’m not, like, feeling it,” she said after her final game at Kingsmeadow. “Today was really, really hard for me to coach. Really, really hard. There was a lot going on.”

Still, Chelsea did the job that night: fans ordered goals and Chelsea served them like they were waiting tables. Even when Guro Reiten managed a hat-trick on 77 minutes, Hayes was urging Chelsea back to the centre circle to rack up the goals that would put them in control on the final day. As the PA system reminded the crowd when the teams came back from the break that this would be the final 45 minutes at Kingsmeadow for Hayes, Kirby and Maren Mjelde, the evening bubbled with a sense of purpose, the mood music changed entirely after City’s 2-1 defeat by Arsenal in the earlier game.

The win put Chelsea in control of their own destiny, albeit not always convincingly, and half the time it was tricky to work out what Hayes was thinking. She conceded the title live on Sky, flanked by upcoming striker Aggie Beever-Jones, after a 4-3 defeat by Liverpool.

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She insisted later that the interview — which Sky pundit Karen Carney called “weird” — was not an attempt at a mind game. You half-believe Hayes, given the sincerity with which she later insisted she expected City to win, but initially, she conceded it was “the right tactic” for her to “take the pressure off” her own players before City played.

Over the past year, Hayes has pulled so many tricks that looking for the real meaning sometimes felt like untangling a cat’s cradle. At the least, she is adept at spinning situations to Chelsea’s advantage, and maybe all the strangeness served to take the spotlight from the players. She insisted it was her squad who spearheaded the title charge after City’s slip-up, but it’s hard to believe Hayes was truly willing to abandon all hope: “It all came from them. They never gave up that belief… I learned so much from them today. I really did. I learned a lot about the importance of belief.”

Hayes allowed herself some time to rest on Sunday, then will move to her new in-tray. She is exhausted, but the thought of going to an Olympics, she says, is “not tiring” and will re-energise her. She has USWNT player and staff calls on Monday, a call with U.S. leadership teams on Wednesday, a flight to New York and press obligations on Thursday in Denver, a meeting with staff on Friday, and a first meeting with the team on the following Monday.

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It is a full-circle moment given the call from Sid that started it all: when out in Atlanta and bowled over by the 1996 and 1999 U.S. teams, he told Hayes to get out there. When she finally does, it will be with the hope of a simpler life, and maybe a team already used to celebrity and fighting culture wars, with players who will be masters of the things that have most jaded Hayes in her final few years in England. Still, Hayes will likely prove unignorable: it is difficult to imagine how she will ever be less box office as long as she is herself.

It’s been equally difficult, over the past few weeks, to try to understand Hayes’ legacy. When she announced her departure, it was easy: an immeasurable impact on a sport and a club. May onwards made for a strange time to quantify it all given the events post-Continental Cup final, and the view among opposition fans that what happened there irreparably damaged her reputation. Hayes is no longer a universally-liked figure. Furthermore, she has never won the Champions League as a head coach, let alone built a European dynasty a la Lyon or Barcelona. To what extent those will exist as asterisks on her roll of honour might only become clear if an English team wins the Champions League in the coming years. Deeming a return to club management “unlikely”, Hayes seemed to pass up on ever doing so.

Emma Hayes: Victorious, elated, tired

You can’t believe it bothers her much. Knowing that she has nothing more to give is in itself closure. Hayes is simply too exhausted to summon regrets and what-ifs. Is she the greatest domestic manager the women’s game has known? Certainly in the WSL era; more broadly, her only rival is Vic Akers, Arsenal’s European Cup-winning manager for whom Hayes was assistant coach, and who pushed the game forward in a similarly visionary way. Hayes endured more scrutiny and greater competition at a more transformative time for the women’s game. It will take a while for anyone to catch up to seven league titles, five FA Cups and two League Cups.

Memory is a slippery thing. In five years, will anyone still read the footnotes at the bottom of title five? That they did it without Sam Kerr, that Arsenal and Stina Blackstenius half won the title for them, that the off-field sideshow threatened to consume it all?

More on Emma Hayes, the incoming USWNT head coach…

This has been a gruelling season for a club beset by injuries and it feels like they’ve made it over the line by constant reinvention and sheer force of will since losing Kerr and her replacement, Mia Fishel, to anterior cruciate ligament injuries at the start of the year. Had Chelsea won the FA Cup this year, it would have been their fourth in a row. That underlines the breadth of their dominance.

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The Manchester United manager, Skinner, mused afterwards that the days of clubs winning five titles in a row are “gone”. He said: “I’ve seen the growth from no teams, not professional, all the way to teams that have had the advantage because they professionalised quicker. In the era when it has been professional, Chelsea still managed to deliver that situation. It leaves a space and hopefully, we can fill that space going forward.”

His point was probably that Hayes’ departure and the relentlessness of her dominance leave the door open for others as Chelsea transition but it seemed muddied by his concession that even in the professional era Chelsea stayed ahead of the pack and found a new edge. That constant reinvention gave the illusion that Hayes and Chelsea could go on forever. Hayes has pulled back the curtain on it all to show a coach and players barely limping over the line, and one not always given to enjoyment.

Still, a video of Hayes and son Harry, in a hotel room, singing about winning five titles in a row did the rounds on Saturday night. As with Hayes, there is always a point, a message. That one: I will enjoy this, and I don’t care what anyone else thinks.

(Top photo: Naomi Baker – The FA via Getty Images)

5/17/24 EPL & Germany Final weekend, Indy 11 home Sat & Wed on winning streak, Full TV Game Schedule, EPL Scrapping VAR?, Brazil to host 27 World Cup

May 18, 2024 gatorbest bundesliga, epl, indy-11, premier-league, soccer, us-soccer, world-cup

The clear winner in MLS Soccer this week was Raccoon Messi at the Red Bulls vs Philly game see. Pulisic scores a Brace on Mom’s Day weekend and celebrates with his mom as he wear’s her maiden name on his back. Disappointing week as Tottenham blew their chances to knock off Man City at home when Son was smothered on this play by City’s backup goalie Ortega (love Pep’s response) – leaving the EPL race all but over to the Blues. Arsenal will fall just short again unless West Ham can upset Man City at City – fat chance. The only thing up for grabs is 6^th place and a Europa league place. The complete and utter lack of drama in the EPL final weekend proves once again why American sports are superior to Europe.

Man City has only beaten 2 of the top 10 teams this season – but have the best overall record by beating the crap teams. The US has playoffs. No offense but when a team wins the Super Bowl –they have to beat the best teams – same in the NBA, same in Hockey and at the end of the season when it counts – not some early or midseason – no one cares game. Championship games to win it all. While the European leagues have no one cares blasé games down the stretch except perhaps relegation – – imagine what even a top 4 playoff would look like in the EPL – the interest and excitement darn near challenging Champions League in popularity. But alas the Europeans know best. Enjoy this weekend’s games where the only real drama is will Germany’s Bayern Leverkusen extend Europe’s longest unbeaten streak EVER to 51 games by becoming the first German team to finish undefeated in a season?

Indy 11 host Hartford Sat & Detroit City Wed in US Open Cup

Indy Eleven won 3-1 at Miami FC Saturday night and is now unbeaten in six straight across all competitions, including four in USL Championship action. The four matches are the most since a stretch of six from August 9-Sept 2 last year. The win improves Indy to 4-4-2 in league action, and moves them up to 4th in the East. The Boys in Blue return to action Saturday when they host Hartford Athletic for Hometown Heroes Night. Action begins at 7 p.m. ET and will air locally on WNDY & ESPN+. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster. The 11 will host Detroit City Wed in US Open Cup Sweet 16 action at the Mike.

Games on TV

Sat, May 18 – Final Day Germany

9:30 am ESPN+ Dortmund vs Darmstadt

9:30 am EPSN+ Union Berlin (Aaronson, Pefok) vs Freiburg

9:30 pm ESPN+ Bayer Leverkusen vs Ausburg

9:30 am ESPN+ Stuttgart vs Mgladbach (Scalley)

12 noon CBSSN Lecce vs Atalanta ITALY

1:45 pm Fox Nashville SC vs Atlanta United

2:45 pm Para+ Torino vs AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah)

7 pm ESPN+, TV8 Indy 11 vs Hartford @ the Mike

7:30 pm CBS Galazo Tampa Bay Rowdies (Jordan Farr GK) vs FC Tulsa

7:30 pm Ion Washington Spirit (Rodman, Hatch, Sullivan) vs Angel City FC NWSL

9:30 pm Ion TV KC Current vs Racing Louisville (Demelo) NWSL

9:30 pm Univision America vs Guardlajara

Sun, May 19 Final Day EPL

11 am USA Arsenal vs Everton

11 am NBC Man City vs West Ham

11 am CNBC Brighton vs Man United

11 am Golf Channel Chelsea vs Bournemouth

11 am Peacock Shefield United (Trusty) vs Nottingham Forest (Reyna)

11 am Peacock Fulham (Jedi, Ream) vs Luton Town

11 am Peacock Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Aston Villa

12 noon Para+ Inter Milan vs Lazio

1 pm ESPN+ Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano

5 pm Para+ NY Gothem (Williams, Ohara, Mewis) vs Chicago

6 pm Para+ Orlando Pride vs Seattle Reign (Lavelle, Huerta, Cook) NWSL

Wed, May 22 Europa League Finals

3 pm Para+ Bayer Leverkusen vs Atalanta

Sat, May 25

3 pm ESPN+ FA Cup Final Man City vs Man United

Sat, June 1

3 pm CBS Champ League Final Real Madrid vs Dortmund

5 pm TBS US Women vs Korea

Tues, June 4

8 pm Tru TV, Max, PC US Women vs Korea

Sat, June 8

5:30 pm TNT, Tele US Men vs Colombia

Tues, June 11

8 pm ??? US Men U23 Olympic Team vs Japan

Wed, June 12

7 pm TNT, Tele US Men vs Brazil

Fri, June 14 Euro 2024 Begins

3 pm Fox Germany vs Scotland

Sat, June 15

9 am Hungary vs Switzerland

12 pm Fox Spain vs Croatia

3 pm Fox Italy vs Alabania

Sun, June 16

9 am FS1 Poland vs Netherlands

12 noon FS1 Slovenia vs Denmark

3 pm Fox Serbia vs England

Thur, June 20 COPA America Starts

8 pm Fox Argentina vs Canada COPA

Sat, June 22

6 pm Fox Ecuador vs Venezuela

9 pm Fox Mexico vs Jamaica COPA

Sun, June 23

6 pm Fox, Univision USMNT vs Bolivia COPA America

9 pm FS1 Uruguay vs Panama COPA

Thur, June 27

6 pm Fox USMNT vs Panama COPA

Mon, July 1

9 pm Fox, Univision USMNT vs Uraguay

Sat July 13

3 pm TNT, Tele US Women vs Mexico

Tues, July 16

7:30 pm TNT, Universo US Women vs Costa Rica

July 24 starts US U23 Men & US Women In Olympics

(American’s in Parenthesis)

How to Watch Indy Eleven USL Championship Action

USMNT Stock Watch: Christian Pulisic, Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson cap career seasons

Euro 2024 TV schedule

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US Men

Tim Howard inducted into U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame Field Level Media

The USMNT center of gravity is moving away from MLS. That’s fine — for now ESPN Noah Davis
PSV trigger permanent move for USMNT’s Tillman ESPN
What should Gio Reyna do next after failed Forest loan, and what’s the USMNT impact?

Sources: Dest back to Barca as PSV decline option Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens

Pulisic Life in Italy is good – Fox 4/29

EPL Final Weekend

Arteta: Arsenal’s title ‘dream is still alive’

Guardiola warns Man City: Title not won yet

No matter who finishes higher, it will feel like Chelsea have had a better season than Tottenham

‘He put us back on our perch’ — What Klopp means to Liverpool

Ange: City game my worst experience as manager

Source: Tuchel open to stay, wary of Utd snub

Premier League 2023-24 awards: MVP, goal of the season, best signing and most disappointing team

World

Juventus sack Allegri days after cup final antics

Barca coach Xavi set for sack – reports
Brazil to host FIFA Women’s World Cup nearly 50 years after repealing ban on women’s sport
Brazil to host 2027 Women’s World Cup, wins FIFA vote after USA-Mexico joint bid withdrawn

WSL title race ‘all comes down to this’

helsea’s Emma Hayes and the life behind a winning machine

Leverkusen 5-0: Bundesliga run hits fifty in rout

Reffing

How VAR decisions have affected every Premier League club in 2023-24

Wolves won’t get VAR scrapped, but can the Premier League learn lessons?
Jurgen Klopp: I would vote to scrap VAR
Juventus fires coach Massimiliano Allegri for his outburst toward the refs in the Italian Cup final

GK

Newcastle make £15m move for Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale

MLS

USMNT weekend viewing guide: Avoiding the drop

Seasons come to a close and teams are facing the relegation axe.

By jcksnftsn May 17, 2024, 9:34am PDT

1. FC Köln v 1. FC Union Berlin - Bundesliga

The last matchday of the 2023-24 season in the Bundesliga means things get started with a fury on Saturday morning with all 18 clubs kicking off simultaneously at 9:30a. Then on Sunday morning the Eredivise completes there season with kickoffs at 8:30a, the EPL kicks off at 11a, and in France they will be kicking off at 3p. La Liga and Serie A still have one more weekend left so will have games scattered across this weekend before wrapping up their season next week Sunday. There’s quite a bit of action including some significant situations still to be settled so let’s get to it.

Saturday

Union Berlin v Freiburg – 8:30a on ESPN+

Brenden Aaronson started last weekend and Union Berlin were leading 2-1 against 17th place Koln but two late goals would see Berlin drop three points and fall into the relegation playoff spot. Now Berlin, who started the season in the Champions League need a win on Saturday against 8th place Freiburg (who are still within striking distance of Europa Conference League) and a loss by Mainz to Wolfsburg or they will finish no better than the relegation playoff spot. If Berlin were to lose and Koln can win again, this time against Wolfsburg, while making up a three goal differential it would be a straight and stunning drop for Berlin to the 2 Bundesliga. Berlin have lost five of their last six and have just one win since mid-February. Rumors this week suggest that Aaronson will not be back in Berlin next season regardless of the outcome on Saturday but also that Leeds do not plan to keep him for next season so it seems as though he will be on the move this summer.

Wolfsburg v Mainz – 9:30a on ESPN+

Kevin Paredes has started two straight for Wolfsburg and will finish the season just under 1,500 minutes across all competitions for his club who head into the final weekend in 12th place. It’s been a solid, if not spectacular, season for Paredes as he builds on the 500 minutes he saw in the 2022-23 campaign. Wolfsburg are comfortably middle of the table in 12th place but can play spoiler to Mainz who are holding on to hopes of safety.

Hoffenheim v Bayern Munich – 9:30a on ESPN+

John Brooks has not appeared in three straight matches and has not started a game since he picked up a red card in early March and served a two match suspension. Hoffenheim are in seventh place, one point ahead of Freiburg for Europa Conference League qualifying and three points (and a three goal differential) behind Eintracht Frankfurt for sixth place and Europa League qualification. Hoffenheim’s opponent this weekend are Bayern Munich who’s fate has been settled in an unusual way as they are currently in second place, fifteen points behind first place Bayer Leverkusen (who will look to complete their unbeaten run through the Bundesliga when they face Augsburg).

Stuttgart v Borussia Monchengladbach – 9:30a on ESPN+

Joe Scally, Jordan Pefok and Borussia Monchengladbach go into the final weekend clear of relegation thanks to a draw against Frankfurt last weekend with Scally picking up the assist on Gladbach’s only goal. Scally has started all but a handful of matches for Gladbach this season and has racked up more Bundesliga minutes this season than any other American, still just 21 years old. Pefok did not appear last weekend and has not started a match since March, he has also been in a goal drought with his last goal coming in late February. Gladbach’s opponent this weekend is third place Stuttgart who technically don’t have much to play for this weekend but could pass Bayern in the standings with a win and a Bayern loss.

Heidenheim v Koln – 9:30a on ESPN+

The second leading minutes man for American’s in Germany is Lennard Maloney who returned from injury last weekend to see 24’ minutes off the bench in Heidenheim’s 1-1 draw with Freiburg. Maloney has missed five matches due to injury and came off the bench in two other matches immediately after his return from said injuries but has otherwise started every match for a Heidenheim side who came into the season as an odds on favorite to return to 2 Bundesliga but have had a solid season and are currently in 9th place, tied with Augsburg and Werder Bremen. Heidenheims opponent this weekend are Koln who need a win, a loss by Union Berlin, and to make up a three goal differential in order to crawl into the relegation playoff spot for one final chance to maintain their Bundesliga standing for next season.

Torino v AC Milan – 2:45p on Paramount+

Christian Pulisic had a pair of goals last weekend in AC Milan’s 5-1 romp over Cagliari to bring his season total to 12 goals and 7 assists in league plan and 15 goals and 9 assists across all competitions. It has been a fantastic individual year for Pulisic though without any team awards to show for his accomplishments as Inter Milan have won the league title going away. Yunus Musah also started and went the full 90’ last weekend in the win, returning from his one game yellow card suspension. It’s been a quieter year for Musah but he’s started the last four games he’s been eligible for and with two more strong appearances to close the season could finish with over 1,500 league minutes and 2,300 minutes across all competitions. Milan face tenth place Torino in their penultimate match with Milan having already sealed second place and Torino out of the European competition running.

Sunday

PSV Eindhoven v RKC Waalwijk – 8:30a on ESPN+

Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi close out their season with league champion PSV Eindhoven Sunday morning with a match against RKC Waalwijk who are tied with Excelsior for the relegation playoff spot. Tillman started and went the full 90’ last weekend in PSV’s draw with Fortuna Sittard while Pepi came on for the final 20’ but neither player made the scoresheet as the match finished 1-1.

Burnley v Nottingham Forest – 11a on Peacock

Gio Reyna was strikingly absent from the matchday squad for Forest last weekend as they fell to Chelsea 3-2 to remain three points ahead of Luton Town for the final relegation spot heading into the final matchday. It’s been a bust of a transfer for Reyna who will return to Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund this summer with an uncertain future ahead of him. It looks as though Matt Turner may also need a move this summer as he hasn’t appeared for Forest since late January, shortly after the team brought in Matz Sels, though frankly Sels has not preformed any better than Turner in his spell.

Chelsea v Bournemouth – 11a on Peacock

In a bit of more positive news Tyler Adams returned to the field for Bournemouth last weekend getting ten minutes off the bench in their 2-1 loss to Brentford. It was just Adams third appearance in what has been a lost season but it is good to see him back on the field heading into the Summer and the USMNT’s upcoming involvement in the Copa America. Bournemouth are solidly middle of the EPL table in eleventh place. They are facing a hot Chelsea side that have won four straight and are making a late push currently three points ahead of Newcastle United and Manchester United for Conference League play and looking to overtake Tottenham for Europa League qualification.

Crystal Palace v Aston Villa – 11a on Peacock

Chris Richards looks to have secured a spot with Crystal Palace moving forward. Richards made the starting lineup in December and hasn’t looked back, starting and going the full 90’ in all but three matches in which he was left out due to injury in early April. Richards will finish the season with over 2,000 minutes in EPL play and 2,500 minutes over all competitions. Palace enter the final week in twelfth place and are facing fourth place Aston Villa who can’t move up or down on the final weekend.

Luton Town v Fulham – 11a on Peacock

Tim Ream faces a more uncertain future though he recently signed an extension with Fulham. Ream signed a one year extension that would take him through the 2024-25 season but he hasn’t seen the field for Fulham since mid February. Antonee Robinson on the other hand has played nearly every minute for Fulham this year, missing one match due to muscular problems back in September and just an additional 58 minutes across the remainder of the season, he’ll finish with over 3,200 minutes in league play. Fulham are in fourteenth place, easily safe from relegation and face a Luton Town side that are all but mathematically eliminated. Luton would need a win, a Forest loss and to make up the 12 goal difference in order to avoid the drop.

Sheffield United v Tottenham Hotspur – 11a on Peacock

Sheffield’s disastrous EPL campaign comes to a merciful close this weekend with the only outstanding question being just how many goals will they allow in their record setting season. Sheffield have allowed 101 goals and will face a Tottenham side that need a result this weekend to ensure they hold off Chelsea for fifth place and Europa League qualification. Auston Trusty has started the past eight for Sheffield and looks set for a return to the Championship as he is signed with the club through the end of the 2026-27 season.

Real Betis v Real Sociedad – 1p on ESPN+

Real Betis pulled ahead of Real Sociedad last weekend with a win over Almeria but fell back to seventh place midweek when they settled for a draw with Las Palmas while Sociedad was beating Valencia. Sociedad now holds a one point lead for sixth place and Europa Conference League qualifying heading into their head-to-head matchup. Betis need at least a draw to keep their hopes alive as a win would seal sixth place for Sociedad. Johnny started again last week and has over 1,100 minutes since joining Betis in January.

Granada v Celta Vigo – 1p on ESPN+

Luca de la Torre was an unused substitute last weekend and hasn’t started a match since he was injured in early March. Celta Vigo have four wins over that time and with a five point lead over Cadiz a result of any kind this weekend against relegated Granada would guarantee they are safe heading into the final weekend.

Monaco v Nantes – 3p on beIN Sports

Folarin Balogun came off the bench late in the first half last weekend to replace the injured Breel Embolo and picked up an assist on the opening goal as Monaco would go on to win 2-0. With the result his side are guaranteed to finish in second place heading into the final weekend as they take on a Nantes side that are just guaranteed safety. The assist was Balogun’s second in three weeks and his seventh of the season giving him fifteen goal contributions across all competitions.

Monday

Bologna v Juventus – 2:45p on Paramount+

Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah lifted the Copa Italia trophy on Wednesday but saw their manager dismissed on Friday in what has been a turbulent week. McKennie started the match while Weah came on in the final minutes to put in a defensive effort and see out the 1-0 victory. Juventus have had a disappointing league season including a draw to last place Salernitana last weekend, though the point was enough to ensure that they will qualify for Champions League play next season. They face third place Bologna on Monday who are tied with Juventus on points and lead them in goal differential by +3.

USMNT’s core is moving away from MLS and that’s fine for now

Noah Davis, ESPNMay 11, 2024, 11:02 AM ET

In many respects, March 24, 2023 looked like just another game for the United States men’s national team. Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi tallied twice, Christian Pulisic added a goal and two assists, and the Americans beat Grenada 7-1 to move to the top of Group D in the Concacaf Nations League.

In one respect, however, the match was unlike any other in history. For the first time since Major League Soccer’s launch in 1996, the red, white, and blue game-day roster did not feature a single player from the U.S. first division. Atlanta United‘s Miles Robinson, the only MLS player to even make the training camp roster for those games, was left off the 23-man matchday squad because of injury and looking at where American players play, it’s unlikely this will be the last time such an occurrence happens.In a sense, the impact of current MLS players on the U.S. national team is waning. At the 1998 World Cup, 16 of the 22 players came from MLS. In 2002 and 2006, that number was 11 out of 23. In Qatar? Just nine of 26 players came from the first division, with only Nashville SC‘s Walker Zimmerman playing more than 45 minutes.Now, this isn’t to say that MLS (and USL Championship) aren’t having an effect on the senior national team. They clearly are, especially as the majority of those called up started their careers in MLS or the development academies. U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter pointed to the growth of the league as a key element in the development of the player pool.

EDITOR’S PICKS

Ranking the top 50 USMNT players on club form: ESPN’s Player Performance Index returns Ryan O’Hanlon

How USMNT’s McKennie emerged from Premier League disaster to be among Serie A’s best Bruce Schoenfeld

“MLS is a critical step in everything that we’re doing in U.S. Soccer,” Berhalter said in a November interview with Telemundo. “When you see the amount of investment that the owners have made in Major League Soccer, and actually soccer in America, it’s a great thing. The reason why we are where we are is because of the investment from MLS,””We don’t get hung up on where the players are coming from. We’re looking at how we grow this team, grow the player pool, and give experience to a broad selection of players.”Consider this: 17 of the 26 players on the 2022 World Cup roster played for an MLS NEXT academy, while 20 of the 21 men on the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup roster were, or had been, in an MLS academy. Additionally, 14 players with USL or League One experience made that U-20 roster including Joshua Wynder, who has since moved to Portuguese side Benfica in the USL’s first seven-figure transfer.It’s a strange spot for MLS and, to a lesser extent, USL. The league needs to move its best young players along to other clubs and reinvest the money in player development, a virtuous cycle that also means talented young Americans will end up playing overseas. While 2023 saw homegrown players set a record, with 174 playing 168,163 minutes across 2,829 games, three aging defenders — Matt Miazga, Tim Parker, and Zimmerman — were the only Americans on the Best XI team. The top three MVP candidates — FC Cincinnati playmaker Luciano Acosta, LAFC winger Dénis Bouanga and Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada — came from abroad, with no American winning the league’s MVP since Mike Magee in 2013.

An emerging league is, almost by definition, a place where the most talented young players leave and that is, for now at least, a feature not a bug.”All of the work that we do day to day is focused on giving opportunities for our players to reach their full potential, whether it’s in the academy or the first team, so that eventually some of them become high-level players in MLS,” Charles Altchek, president of MLS NEXT Pro, said in an interview with ESPN. “Whether they stay in MLS or end up moving around the world depends on where they are in their lifecycle as a player, what they want to achieve and where they want to be.”USL is adopting this same philosophy: they want to be a place where Americans start a career, not finish it.”I feel very strongly that the most valuable currency in soccer for player development is firstly in playing minutes, especially meaningful and competitive games in front of thousands of fans,” USL head of global football development and sporting director Oliver Wyss said during a phone call with ESPN.”Our clubs are ideally positioned to provide this environment and the full pathway that already has and will have an even bigger direct impact on developing the next generation of U.S. national team players and also allow the USL to become a bigger player in the global transfer market.””I encourage all of our teams to look at our top players as assets, and not as expenses. Ultimately, if these assets can be transferred to Europe, and you get a six- or seven-figure transfer amount plus a future sell-on percentage, the return of investment on these players is going to be significant for a club.”The growth of domestic leagues means there’s more opportunity than ever before for Americans to see the field, but there’s also more competition. The trend for MLS clubs seeking quality is to target players in their mid-20s. In other words, men in their prime who are also depreciating assets in a sport that prioritizes youth and potential.While this is good for the level of play, it’s not great for younger Americans trying to break through who can see opportunities to get on the field blocked by these expensive acquisitions. As a result, the percentage of minutes played by Americans in MLS has decreased even though available minutes have increased because of league expansion. One worthwhile comparison is Japan, a footballing country in a similar place to the U.S. in this regard.

Tom Byer, a man who has had a significant impact on the development of soccer in the Asian nation, offered an observation during an interview. “With Japan, the majority of the national team players play in Europe, but the gap between those best players in Europe and the players in the J.League is tiny,” he said. “Almost no Japanese player makes it over to Europe to play until they’ve played about 150 professional games in the J.League.”Closing the gap should, and is, a goal of MLS, and one that it’s slowly achieving. But the truth is, at the end of the day, it’s neither MLS nor the USL’s job to make the U.S. men’s national team better. They are three separate and distinct entities with their own goals and metrics for success. Still, there’s the reality that what’s good for one is good for the other — a strong tide raises all boats, or something like that — and there’s a World Cup not too far away across all of North America.”When the national team is successful, it’s good for soccer fans in this country and for MLS,” Altchek said. “That’s why we’ve worked really closely with the Federation for decades now on providing those opportunities for players and working with them on call-ups and releasing players for different competitions.””We want the U.S. to win the 2026 World Cup or at least go farther than they’ve ever gone before. Having the men’s national team there with a bunch of players who played or are playing in MLS will be icing on the cake.”

Europe’s top soccer leagues: Title fights, UCL, relegation

Dale Johnson, General Editor, ESPN FC May 14, 2024, 04:56 PM ET

The 2023-24 season is drawing to a close and the battles for the major honours, relegation and promotion are starting to become clearer.Here’s a quick roundup of what has been decided, and what’s still at stake, in the English Premier League, German Bundesliga, Spanish LaLiga, Italian Serie A and French Ligue 1.

Premier League – one full round to go
final day May 19

Title

1. Manchester City (37 games, 88 points)
2. Arsenal (37, 86)

Manchester City will seal the title with a victory at home to West Ham on Sunday. For Arsenal to win the title, they must win at home to Everton and Man City lose or draw. If Arsenal win and Man City draw, the Gunners would win the title on goal difference.

Premier League Table

	GP	GD	PTS
1 – Man City	37	+60	88
2 – Arsenal	37	+61	86
3 – Liverpool	37	+43	79
4 – Aston Villa	37	+20	68
5 – Tottenham	37	+10	63
6 – Newcastle	36	+22	57
7 – Chelsea	36	+12	57
8 – Man United	36	-4	54
1-4: UCL; 5: UEL; 6: UECL

Champions League (4)

All four places have now been sealed.

CONFIRMED

1. Arsenal
2. Man City
3. Liverpool (37, 79)
4. Aston Villa (37, 68)

Europa League (2)

As it stands, only fifth gets a Europa League place with the other slot, by right, going to the FA Cup winners.

Man United take on Man City in the FA Cup final on May 25 (stream live on ESPN+, U.S. only). If Erik ten Hag’s team lift the trophy then they will be in the Europa League (UEL). If Man City win the cup, then the UEL position transfers to the sixth place in the Premier League

IN CONTENTION

5. Tottenham Hotspur (37, 63)
6. Newcastle United (36, 57)
7. Chelsea (36, 57)
8. Manchester United (36, 54)

Despite poor results, Spurs are in a strong position to finish fifth with a six-point lead over Newcastle and Chelsea. Spurs still need a point away to Sheffield United on Sunday to be absolutely sure.

Spurs could also be confirmed in the Europa League on Wednesday if both Chelsea (go to Brighton) and Newcastle (visit Man United) drop points.

Man United can now finish no higher than sixth but, because of their vastly inferior goal difference, that will become seventh at best if they don’t beat Newcastle.

Europa Conference League (1)

Pending the FA Cup final, sixth will go into the Europa Conference League. Newcastle hold it, with Chelsea and Man United close behind. The UECL place will drop to seventh if Man City win the FA Cup or if Man United win the FA Cup and finish fifth or sixth. It would still be one of Man United, Newcastle and Chelsea — one of them will miss out on Europe completely. If Man United win the FA Cup and finish seventh or eighth, the UECL place goes to sixth.

Relegation (3)

RELEGATED

19. Burnley (37, 24)
20. Sheffield United (37, 16)

IN CONTENTION

17. Nottingham Forest (37, 29)
18. Luton Town (37, 26)

Luton are effectively relegated due to their vastly inferior goal difference to fourth-bottom Forest. On the final day, Luton would need to beat Fulham and Forest lose to Burnley with a goal difference swing of 12.

Leicester City and Ipswich Town have been automatically promoted to the Premier League. Leeds United, Southampton, West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City compete in the playoffs for one more place.

LaLiga – three rounds to go
final weekend May 25-26

Title

Real Madrid have been crowned champions.

Champions League (4)

CONFIRMED

1. Real Madrid (36, 93)
2. Barcelona (35, 76)
3. Girona (35, 75)

IN CONTENTION

4. Atlético Madrid (35, 70)
5. Athletic Club (35, 62).

Atletico are almost certain to take the fourth place, holding an eight-point lead over Athletic Club

It will be sealed on Wednesday if Atleti get a victory at Getafe, or if Athletic fail to win at Celta Vigo.

Real Madrid winning the Champions League cannot benefit another team in LaLiga. The team with the highest UEFA coefficient in UCL qualifying will be promoted direct to the group stage.

Europa League (2)

Athletic won the Copa del Rey and are almost certain to finish in the top six, so we can safely say the place for the cup moves over to the league — fifth and sixth will enter the UEL.

IN CONTENTION

4. Atlético Madrid (35, 70)
5. Athletic Club (35, 62)
6. Real Betis (35, 55)
7. Real Sociedad (35, 54)
8. Valencia (35, 48)
9. Villarreal (35, 48)

Either Atlético or Athletic will take one of the places, with Betis and Real Sociedad battling it out for the other.

Valencia and Villarreal have slim hope. Villarreal go to Genoa on Tuesday. Then on Thursday, Real Sociedad host Valencia (who really must win) and Betis are at Las Palmas.

Europa Conference League (1)

This will go to seventh in the league, probably between Real Sociedad and Real Betis, while Valencia and Villarreal require a mini-miracle from here.

Relegation (3)

CONFIRMED

19. Granada (35, 21)
20. Almería (35, 17)

IN CONTENTION

15. Mallorca (36, 36)
16. Rayo Vallecano (35, 35)
17. Celta Vigo (35, 34)
18. Cádiz (35, 29)

One relegation spot is to be decided, with Cádiz giving themselves hope by beating Getafe on Sunday. They still have a lot to do to catch Celta Vigo, Rayo Vallecano or Mallorca. On Wednesday, Cádiz are at Sevilla, Celta Vigo are at home to Athletic Club and Rayo Vallecano host Granada

Bundesliga – one round to go
final day May 18

Title

Bayer Leverkusen are still unbeaten and have already secured the first championship in their history.

Champions League (5)

The Bundesliga has sealed an extra place through the European Performance Spot, which sends the team in fifth to the UCL too.

CONFIRMED

1. Bayer Leverkusen (33, 87)
2. Bayern Munich (33, 72)
3. VfB Stuttgart (33, 70)
4. RB Leipzig (33, 64)
5. Borussia Dortmund (33, 60)

All five league slots are already confirmed, but there’s a possible twist.

WAITING ON DORTMUND

6. Eintracht Frankfurt (33, 46)
7. TSG Hoffenheim (33, 43)

Dortmund are in the UCL final, and if they win it a UCL place will be given to sixth in the Bundesliga. The European Performance Slot is a league benefit, so it will be an additional place to Dortmund’s as titleholders. Eintracht Frankfurt, who are guaranteed a place in the UECL at worst, are in sixth but could be overtaken by Hoffenheim on the final day. One of those two teams will be fully backing Dortmund against Real Madrid on June 1. Frankfurt need a point at home to RB Leipzig to secure sixth. If they lose, then Hoffenheim can climb above them with a victory at home to Bayern. A small goal difference swing of three is also required.

Europa League (2)

There are a few complicating factors to the UEL places, which right now go to sixth in the league (Frankfurt) and the winners of the DFB Pokal. The final of the DFB Pokal on May 25 (stream live on ESPN+, U.S. only) sees Leverkusen take on Kaiserslautern who, incredibly, could win the cup despite almost being relegated to the third division, as they sit four points above the 2. Bundesliga relegation zone with one game to be played. If Kaiserslautern pull off an almighty shock and do what no other team has done all season (beat Leverkusen), the league slots will be unaltered: sixth into the UEL and seventh into the UECL. If Leverkusen win the final, sixth and seventh will get a place in the UEL.

IN CONTENTION

6. Eintracht Frankfurt (33, 46)
7. TSG Hoffenheim (33, 43)
8. SC Freiburg (33, 42)

If Dortmund win the UCL, Germany would surrender the place in the UEL earned by Dortmund in the league. So, Dortmund would qualify as UCL titleholders in fifth, with sixth getting the European Performance position. The only way seventh can get a UEL place is if Leverkusen win the cup.

Europa Conference League (1)

If Kaiserslautern win the cup, then it will be Frankfurt, Hoffenheim or Freiburg who enter the UECL in seventh. If Leverkusen win the cup then eighth gets the UECL place, and it opens up.

IN CONTENTION

7. TSG Hoffenheim (33, 43)
8. SC Freiburg (33, 42)
9. Heidenheim (33, 39)
10. FC Augsburg (33, 39)
11. Werder Bremen (33, 39)

Hoffenheim will definitely finish in the top eight so, like with Frankfurt, it might just be a question of which competition they play in — UCL, UEL or UECL.Freiburg sit in eighth with a three-point gap to Heidenheim, Augsburg and Werder Bremen. On the last day, Freiburg travel to relegation-threatened Union Berlin knowing victory, if Hoffenheim draw or lose, could see them finish seventh; a draw would guarantee they finish eighth. But if they lose, they can be overtaken as they have worse goal difference than the three teams below them. Heidenheim are at home to Cologne, who have to win to have any chance of staying in the top flight, Augsburg travel to Leverkusen, who haven’t lost to anyone all season, and Bremen host Bochum, who could still be relegated.

Relegation (2+1)

Two teams are relegated, while third-bottom takes on third place in the 2. Bundesliga (Fortuna Düsseldorf) in a playoff for the right to play in the top flight.

RELEGATED

18. SV Darmstadt 98 (33, 17)

IN CONTENTION

14. VfL Bochum (33, 33)
15. Mainz (33, 32)
16. Union Berlin (33, 30)
17. FC Cologne (33, 27)

The best Cologne can hope for is 16th and the relegation playoff spot … by overtaking Union Berlin. To go up to the playoff place, Cologne must win at Heidenheim on Saturday, hope Union lose at home to Freiburg, and there be a goal difference swing of four. To avoid the playoff Union must win and, due to goal difference, hope Mainz lose at Wolfsburg or VfL Bochum are beaten at Bremen. St. Pauli and Holstein Kiel have been automatically promoted into the Bundesliga.

Serie A – two rounds to go, final day May 26

Title

Internazionale have wrapped up the Scudetto as runaway champions.

Champions League (5)

Like Germany, Italy has secured an extra place in next year’s competition through its clubs’ performance in Europe this season, meaning at least five clubs will qualify.

CONFIRMED

1. Internazionale (36, 92)
2. AC Milan (36, 74)
3. Bologna (36, 67)
4. Juventus (36, 67)

IN CONTENTION / WAITING ON ATALANTA

5. Atalanta (35, 63)
6. AS Roma (36, 60)
7. Lazio (36, 59)

There’s one place up for grabs, which is held by Atalanta in fifth and they have a game in hand and a three-point advantage so are in a very strong position. That extra match is against Fiorentina and both teams are in European finals; the only possible date to play the game is Sunday, June 2 — a week after the final round of Serie A games is played. Atalanta and Fiorentina will therefore go into the “extra” game in full knowledge of the final position a result will earn.

AS Roma and Lazio are still in contention, but it’s a big ask with two games remaining.

Atalanta, who can finish no lower than seventh so are guaranteed at least UEL football, can seal their place in the UCL if they better Roma’s result at the weekend and at least match Lazio’s. Atalanta go to Lecce on Saturday, and on Sunday it’s Roma vs. Genoa and Lazio are at Inter.

If Atalanta win the UEL (they face Leverkusen in the final on May 22) then Italy will have six clubs in the UCL — the top four, Atalanta as UEL titleholders and the European Performance Spot. If Atalanta finish fifth and win the UEL, sixth will play in the UCL too — meaning Roma and Lazio will be cheering on Atalanta when they face Leverkusen.

Europa League (2)

Atalanta face Juventus in the final of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday, so it’s certain that sixth and seventh will qualify for the UEL.

IN CONTENTION

5. Atalanta (35, 63)
6. AS Roma (36, 60)
7. Lazio (36, 59)
8. Fiorentina (35, 53)

Atalanta, Roma and Lazio are the main contenders, but there’s a small amount of hope for eighth-placed Fiorentina with that game in hand.

If Atalanta win the UEL to qualify for the UCL and finish fifth, sixth or seventh, Italy will surrender one place in the UEL for the league which Atalanta would have earned.

Europa Conference League (1)

IN CONTENTION

6. AS Roma (36, 60)
7. Lazio (36, 59)
8. Fiorentina (35, 53)
9. Napoli (36, 51)
10. Torino (36, 50)

Eighth place will enter the UECL, which is currently held by Fiorentina but the place could yet be filled Roma, Lazio, or more likely Napoli or Torino .

On Friday, Napoli are away to Fiorentina and must win that to give themselves a real chance of being in Europe next season. Torino face a tough game at home to AC Milan.

If Fiorentina win the UECL to qualify for the UEL and finish eighth, Italy will surrender its place in the UECL.

Relegation (3)

RELEGATED

20. Salernitana (35, 15)

IN CONTENTION

14. Hellas Verona (36, 34)
15. Udinese (36, 33)
16. Cagliari (36, 33)
17. Frosinone (36, 32)
18. Empoli (36, 32)
19. Sassuolo (36, 29)

It’s exceptionally tight, with Empoli level on points with Frosinone and within touching distance of Cagliari, Udinese and Hellas Verona.

Sassuolo are three points from safety and on Sunday host Cagliari in a big relegation showdown. They could pull Cagliari right into it, or be doomed.Also on Sunday, Udinese are at home to Empoli in another huge six-pointer, and Frosinone go to Monza. Then on Monday, Hellas Verona are at Salernitana.Parma and Cesc Fàbregas’ Como have been promoted to Serie A. Venezia. Cremonese, Catanzaro, Palermo, Sampdoria and Bresica take part in the playoffs.

MLS Power Rankings: Messi’s Miami stay top, Timbers struggle

Ryan Rosenblatt May 13, 2024, 12:28 PM

It’s Monday and another week of MLS action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings. Our Power Rankings are derived from a combination of key season statistics (points per game, goal differential, expected goal differential), recent performance, the Opta computer ratings and the observations of our writers.Who’s climbing the table? Who’s in free fall? We’ve ranked all 29 clubs in the league after Matchday 12. Let’s dive in.

1. Inter Miami CF

Previous ranking: 1

Inter fell behind 2-0 before roaring back to win in Montréal. It wasn’t Lionel Messi leading the way either. Matías Rojas was the man with the magical left foot, scoring a sublime free kick and feeding Benjamin Cremaschi for the winner as the Paraguayan made sure Miami left Canada with three points.

2. FC Cincinnati

Previous ranking: 3

In FCC’s biggest game of the young season, they had the best player and that made all the difference. Lucho Acosta was sensational against Columbus, setting up the first goal and scoring the second to paint Ohio blue and orange.

3. Real Salt Lake

Previous ranking: 2

RSL will be disappointed to have conceded a stoppage time equalizer to the Galaxy, but it’s not like they have much to complain about. They were the inferior team in L.A. and still walked away with a point, even with Zac MacMath having a rough one in goal. Take it and get back to Utah.

4. New York Red Bulls

Previous ranking: 4

The Red Bulls really needed to bounce back after getting smacked by Miami last week, and they did just that with a 4-2 win over New England.

5. LAFC

Previous ranking: 7

Cristian Olivera scored twice as LAFC trounced the Whitecaps 3-0. The Uruguayan has scored five goals in his past three matches across all competitions, and the Black and Gold are doing a better job turning their possessions into chances. This is the growth LAFC needed to show as this season has gone on, which is why they are moving closer to the league’s top teams.

6. Columbus Crew

Previous ranking: 5

Nobody is going to question this Crew team that has rolled into the Concacaf Champions Cup final, but losing to Cincy at home is going to sting anyway. The Crew have been treading water while they focus on continental competition all season, but treading water is about to get a lot more difficult as they embark on a five-match road trip.

6. Vancouver Whitecaps

Previous ranking: 6

The Caps got smoked by LAFC 3-0 despite some fine saves from Yohei Takaoka. Burn the tape and forget it ever happened.

7. Minnesota United

Previous ranking: 9

While every other team was working hard, and some even doubly so with U.S. Open Cup play midweek, the Loons were kicking it on a bye week.

8. LA Galaxy

Previous ranking: 10

Miguel Berry scoring a stoppage time equalizer? The Galaxy’s 2-2 draw with RSL might seem a little flukey because of the tying goal, but they were the better team for long stretches of this one. A point was the least they deserved.

9. Philadelphia Union

Previous ranking: 8

The unthinkable happened when Dan Gazdag missed a penalty for the first time in his MLS career. And to make matters worse, it would have been an equalizer on a night in which the Union celebrated him becoming their all-time leading goal scorer. Instead, Philly lost to Orlando 3-2.

10. D.C. United

Previous ranking: 14

It was Christian Benteke vs. Atlanta United and Christian Benteke won 3-2.

EDITOR’S PICKS

Inter Miami can’t keep relying on Messi or conceding first 2d Lizzy Becherano
Lionel Messi tracker: All goals, assists, key moments for Inter Miami in 2024 3d ESPN

11. New York City FC

Previous ranking: 13

The Pigeons beat Toronto 3-2 for their first away win of 2024, then they got into a postgame skirmish with the Reds. It was a bizarre scene and one that might cost Sean Johnson a game or two.

12. Atlanta United FC

Previous ranking: 11

The Five Stripes have not won a game since March and, for some of that stretch, they have been able to say, “We were the better team tonight, the ball just didn’t bounce our way.” That wasn’t the case against D.C., as they were soundly beaten at home, turning up the heat on manager Gonzalo Pineda’s seat to scorching.

13. Charlotte FC

Previous ranking: 16

The Crown have spent a lot of time trying to find a striker since they entered the league and they might have their answer in 23-year-old former first round pick Patrick Agyemang. He has been really good and added the lone goal in Charlotte’s 1-0 win over Nashville to his resume. If he keeps it up, he’s going to be the man in Charlotte for a long time.

14. Seattle Sounders

Previous ranking: 17

With the way Seattle’s season has gone, it wouldn’t have been shocking to see the team fold once it gave up an early goal to Portland. Brian Schmetzer teams don’t make a habit of folding, though, and Seattle stormed back for a win. Don’t look now, but the Sounders are starting to rack up points.

15. Colorado Rapids

Previous ranking: 12

Just when you want to believe in the Rapids, they blow a 2-0 lead and lose. At home. To the Earthquakes. Yikes.

NWSL Power Rankings: KC Current undefeated, Bay FC drop

Megan Swanick ESPNFC May 13, 2024, 03:20 PM

It’s Monday, and another week of NWSL action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.Our rankings are derived from a combination of key season statistics (points per game, goal differential, expected goal differential), recent performance, the Opta computer ratings and the observations of our writers.Who’s climbing the table? Who’s in free fall? Our writers and statistical models have ranked all 14 clubs in the league after matchday nine. Let’s dive in.

<img alt=”1. Kansas City Current

Previous ranking: 1

Next match: Saturday vs. Racing Louisville, 9:30 p.m. ET

The still-undefeated Kansas City Current took a nil-nil draw from Seattle Reign in the midweek (hammering out 19 shots in a game they controlled, though Lauren Ivory’s six saves stymied them), before overcoming North Carolina 1-0 at home Sunday night. With a wicked attack that should scare all opposition this year, Brazil‘s Debinha made her first start since returning from injury and clocked the difference-making goal to become the 12th goalscorer for the Current this season.

2. Portland Thorns

Previous ranking: 3

Next match: Friday at Houston Dash, 8 p.m. ET

Portland’s remarkable season turnaround continues to catch fire as the Thorns beat regional rivals Seattle Reign 4-0 at home Saturday night. Portland’s form is a club-wide accomplishment, but Sophia Smith has been immense in their five-match winning run. After notching one goal and three assists against Seattle, Smith leads both the NWSL goals and assists tallies with eight goals and six assists this season. And across Portland’s five-game unbeaten streak, Smith has accrued a record-setting 11 goal contributions, the most goal contributions in a five game span in NWSL history, per Opta.

3. Orlando Pride

Previous ranking: 2

Next match: Sunday at Seattle Reign FC, 6 p.m. ET

Alongside Kansas City, the Pride are one of just two teams still undefeated in 2024. Now sitting second in the standings, Kansas City reclaimed the top spot solely on goal differential this weekend. With a midweek 1-0 victory over Racing Louisville, the Pride handed Louisville their first loss of the year before taking another 1-0 victory from Bay FC Saturday evening. They came into the season humble but with a third of the year wrapped up and newly accrued Barbra Banda clocking her fourth goal in five games (the highest goals per 90 in NWSL) in the midweek, I think it’s safe to say the Pride are the real deal this season.

<img alt=”4. Washington Spirit

Previous ranking: 4

Next match: Saturday vs. Angel City FC, 7:30 p.m. ET

The Spirit recovered from a loss to ascendant Portland by handing Racing Louisville their second loss of the season. Friday’s 2-1 victory on the road started strong thanks to rookie sensation Croix Bethune‘s fourth goal of the year, which she sent to the back of the net with a cool strike in the fifth minute to capitalize on a corner, bringing her contribution tally to four goals and four assists in nine games for her debut season.

<img alt=”5. North Carolina Courage

Previous ranking: 5

Next match: Friday vs. Utah Royals FC, 8 p.m. ET

North Carolina picked up a worrying third loss in a row against league-leaders Kansas City Current this Sunday. The streak is concerning, though falling 1-0 to Kansas City isn’t the end of the world, especially considering they held among the league’s most formidable attacks to just one goal (though they have Casey Murphy‘s seven saves to thank for this). Still, they’ve struggled to produce sufficient quality chances in their recent form, scoring only one goal in their past three games and unfurling just seven shots and two on target against the Current.

6. NJ/NY Gotham FC

Previous ranking: 6

Next match: Sunday vs. Chicago Red Stars, 5 p.m. ET

Gotham picked up a 1-0 win over Houston Dash in the midweek as Lynn Williams equalled Sam Kerr‘s most goals all time record in NWSL in her sixth match of the year. Still recovering from early season injuries, Gotham then took a respectable 1-1 draw on the road against San Diego Wave Sunday evening. As we head into matchday 10, the reigning champs have picked up respectable wins on slim margins while significantly underperforming their xG, still looking like they have a lot left to give this season.

EDITOR’S PICKS

Ranking every NWSL stadium from worst to best, with photos: Where should you see a game?5dJeff Kassouf
The NWSL has more billionaire owners than ever. Is that enough to hit the next level?13dJeff Kassouf
NWSL MVP Tracker: Who are the best players in the league so far this season?19dJeff Kassouf

7. San Diego Wave FC

Previous ranking: 10

Next match: Friday at Bay FC, 10:30 p.m. ET

Sitting mid-table with a game in hand, San Diego are nursing a sizable number of knocks from their starting lineup. Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Gotham saw Alex Morgan, Naomi Girma, Abby Dahlkemper, Sofia Jakobsson, and Melanie Barcenas all sidelined with injury. Concerningly, 19-year-old phenom Jaedyn Shaw left the draw with a stoppage time injury as well. They look like a team still looking for their form, but first priority will be getting everybody healthy.

8. Chicago Red Stars

Previous ranking: 8

Next match: Sunday at NJ/NY Gotham FC, 5 p.m. ET

When it rains it pours. Soon to be US manager Emma Hayes may be looking across the sea with mounting concern, as the USWNT’s starting keeper Alyssa Naeher also left the pitch injured in Chicago’s 3-1 victory over bottom of the table Utah Royals. On the bright side for Chicago, the Red Stars continued their efficient goal scoring operation, as they accrued three goals with just 38% of possession, finishing the weekend as the fifth-highest scoring team in the league.

9. Racing Louisville FC

Previous ranking: 7

Next match: Saturday at Kansas City Current, 9:30 p.m. ET

Savannah DeMelo‘s freekick golazo to bring Louisville level wasn’t enough to overcome their visitors, Washington Spirit, as Racing picked up their second straight loss after starting the season unbeaten.

10. Seattle Reign FC

Previous ranking: 9

Next match: Sunday vs. Orlando Pride, 6 p.m. ET

After holding the league-leaders (Kansas City) to a respectable 0-0 draw in the midweek, Seattle took a beating in Portland as they fell 4-0 to their Cascadian rivals Saturday night. Holding Sophia Smith and company at bay is a tall order these days, but Seattle will head home to a tough match with unbeaten Orlando Pride next weekend while nursing their egos from this rivalry rout.

11. Angel City FC

Previous ranking: 11

Next match: Saturday at Washington Spirit, 7:30 p.m. ET

Despite Claire Emslie‘s five goals and serious talent in their attacking ranks, Angel City underwhelmed offensively again this weekend, as they produced just three shots on target with 58% of the ball in a 1-0 loss to Houston Dash.

<img alt=”12. Houston Dash

Previous ranking: 13

Next match: Friday vs. Portland Thorns, 8 p.m. ET

Houston picked up just their second win of the year with a 1-0 victory over Angel City FC on Sunday thanks to Paige Nielsen‘s goal in the eight minute of stoppage time. With that, the Dash have picked up five points from their past four games (one win, one loss, two draws), though they face a formidable five-match unbeaten Portland Thorns in Houston this Friday.

13. Bay FC

Previous ranking: 12

Next match: Friday vs. San Diego Wave FC, 10:30 p.m. ET

Nobody has allowed more goals than Bay FC this season, with 20 goals put past them at the close of week nine. Their 1-0 loss to unbeaten Orlando Pride on Friday required nine saves from Bay FC’s keeper Kateyln Rowland to keep the margin of loss to one goal. It’s hard to find optimism for Bay FC’s dynamic attack until they get their defensive lapses in line.

14. Utah Royals

Previous ranking: 14

Next match: Friday at North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. ET

Expansion side woes continue for Utah Royals, who’ve struggled in their first season back in NWSL. Still, moments of individual brilliance have broken through, including this weekend’s 81st minute strike from 24-year-old Utah-native Cameron Tucker to mark her first-ever NWSL goal. The lone goal came in Utah’s 3-1 loss to Chicago, their seventh of the season (tied with Bay FC for most in the league).

VAR explained: What is it? Why is it controversial? How might the Premier League ditch it?

A VAR check on the big screen during the Premier League match at Villa Park, Birmingham. Picture date: Monday May 13, 2024. (Photo by Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images)

By Greg O’Keeffe

May 17, 2024

Has the time come for VAR itself to be overturned?

The controversial technology faces a make-or-break vote from Premier League clubs next month which will determine its future in the English game.

Here The Athletic looks back at the history of its introduction in England, examines what it was supposed to achieve, why it has fallen so flat, and what would need to happen for it to be dropped.

Should Premier League clubs vote to scrap VAR? The case for and against the system

What is the VAR system?

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is an official, or team of officials, who help the referee during a game by using video footage and technology to review key incidents and provide advice on the correct decisions.

After watching replays, the VAR gives their opinion to the referee at the stadium via an earpiece worn by the on-field official. The referee will then signal as usual to confirm the original decision or make a rectangle shape with their hands either to indicate an on-field review or that the original decision has been changed.

Usually, the outcome is then shown on screens around the ground to inform supporters.

The VAR decision is shown to supporters at Stamford Bridge (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

IFAB (International Football Association Board), the independent body responsible for the laws of the game, states that VARs can only assist a match official in the event of a “clear and obvious error” or “serious missed incident”.

They can step in on decisions over goals, no goals, penalties, direct red cards or cases of mistaken identity.

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Where did this concept originate?

The process was first proposed by the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) in 2010, along with goal-line technology. The latter was adopted into the professional game two years later, but VAR took longer to be implemented.

The first live trial was conducted in a friendly match between Dutch clubs PSV and FC Eindhoven in July 2016. Australia’s A-League was the first top-flight league to adopt a VAR system in 2017 and was soon followed by Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States.

England’s Premier League was one of the last high-profile competitions to use the technology, adopting it for the 2019-20 campaign, after it had also been used in the Champions League from 2017-18, the 2018 World Cup in Russia and 2019’s Women’s World Cup in France.

The feeling at the Premier League was that spending two years monitoring VAR elsewhere would help it be more effective when it was embraced.

How was it first introduced into the Premier League?

After being given updates on various top-flight trials and reviews of its formal use in Carabao and FA Cup matches, a meeting of Premier League shareholders in November 2018 voted unanimously to introduce VAR for the 2019-20 campaign.

The clubs had voted to delay its implementation seven months previously following a debate over its use in some of those cup games, but smoother VAR performance during the 2018 World Cup allayed fears from some supporters and decision-makers.

English football was duly introduced to the VAR hub in Stockley Park, west London, and the concept of each Premier League game having a set of officials based in an office on an industrial estate just outside the capital as well as on the pitch.

The VAR hub at Stockley Park in the summer of 2019 (Chris Radburn/PA Images via Getty Images)

On the first weekend of VAR being introduced, the Premier League said around 70 incidents were VAR checked. Manchester City’s 5-0 win at West Ham saw seven checks and two decisions overturned. A Gabriel Jesus goal was ruled out, with provider Raheem Sterling’s shoulder deemed offside, and a Sergio Aguero penalty was retaken (and scored the second time around) after Declan Rice encroached into the area.

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The former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher called it a “great start” and said the overturned decisions “could not have been clear with the naked eye”.

Gallagher added: “It will get better, they will get faster and it will become more commonplace. People will grow into it.”

So why has it proved so controversial?

There was a steady flow of contentious decisions from the outset.

Each of the past four seasons has featured VAR controversies. In February 2021, the VAR invited the referee Mike Dean to consult the pitch-side monitor after West Ham’s Tomas Soucek accidentally made slight contact with the Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic with his elbow. Dean watched the footage on the pitchside monitor and then showed the Czech midfielder a red card — which was subsequently rescinded by a Football Association Independent Regulatory Commission.

A year later, in a game against Manchester City, Everton’s appeals for a penalty for a Rodri handball were dismissed. Despite TV replays showing that the City midfielder misjudged the bounce of the ball and used his upper arm to control it, VAR official Chris Kavanagh did not question Paul Tierney’s decision not to award a penalty.

Then Everton manager Frank Lampard called VAR official Kavanagh a “professional who cannot do his job right”, and the head of referees at the time, Mike Riley, later apologised to the Merseyside club.

Just looking at this season alone, VAR has been at the centre of multiple high-profile flashpoints.

Liverpool’s Luis Diaz saw a goal wrongly disallowed for offside against Tottenham Hotspur in September, while Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was angered by the decision to allow Anthony Gordon’s winning goal to stand — when it was unclear whether the ball went out of play before the goal — for Newcastle United against his team in November.

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Both the Merseyside and London clubs went on to make public statements criticising the decisions. Nottingham Forest have written letters of complaint to the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) and even considered suing.

Supporters have grown fed up, too. The long delays and lack of communication with fans in the stadium have chipped away at the spontaneity and joy of watching a game. Players, too, have admitted the emotion of celebrating a goal has been diminished in case it gets disallowed by VAR.

The VAR incidents that upset Premier League clubs and the big calls it got right

How has the vote to scrap it come about?

It was Wolverhampton Wanderers, one of the Premier League teams most heavily impacted by bad calls, who acted first and publicly called for VAR to be scrapped this summer. That triggered a vote which will take place when representatives of the 20 clubs assemble for their annual gathering in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, on June 6.

A Wolves statement said that “after five seasons of VAR in the Premier League, it is time for a constructive and critical debate on its future. Our position is that the price we are paying for a small increase in accuracy is at odds with the spirit of our game, and as a result we should remove it from the 2024-25 season onwards”.

They also listed a host of the repercussions, including:

Frustration and confusion inside stadiums due to lengthy VAR checks and poor communication
A more hostile atmosphere with protests, booing of the Premier League anthem and chants against VAR
Overreach of VAR’s original purpose to correct clear and obvious mistakes as it now overanalyses subjective decisions and compromises the game’s fluidity and integrity
Diminished accountability of on-field officials due to the safety net provided by VAR, leading to an erosion of authority on the pitch
Continued errors despite VAR, with fans unable to accept human error after multiple views and replays, damaging confidence in officiating standards

The Athletic’s own subscriber poll saw fans of 15 clubs vote in favour of the system being scrapped.

How many clubs want to get rid of it?

That is difficult to know with any certainty, at least until the vote next month, but there is a sense that opinion is split.

Some, with Wolves obviously among them, have had enough while others feel there is a risk that ending VAR would undermine the Premier League’s reputation.

At the same time, there is a sentiment at some clubs that one of the main issues remains one of perception: that the initial idea of a perfect system that eradicated any inaccurate decisions was never realistic.

Dean shows Soucek the red card in February 2021 after an on-field VAR check (Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)

What has to happen for it to be abolished?

For a motion to be passed, 14 Premier League clubs need to vote in favour of it.

So is there a chance that will happen?

Behind the scenes, there is scepticism among top-flight executives over whether that number will be reached, with a majority seeking improvements rather than simply washing their hands of VAR.

For their part, the top-flight’s board of directors believes removing VAR is not the correct path forward, suggesting that doing so would increase wrong calls and adversely impact the Premier League’s reputation among Europe’s leading divisions.

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It also thinks the void left, having removed VAR, would potentially place even greater criticism on on-field decisions made by match officials and, as a result, increase frustration for supporters.

The league points to innovations such as semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) — which was voted through unanimously in April — and in-stadium VAR announcements as evidence of the efforts being made to improve the system.

What is semi-automated offside technology and how does it work?

What do referees think of VAR?

The PGMOL remain an advocate of VAR and believes it is a tool that has helped reduce errors.

In December, referees chief Howard Webb said it would “be foolish to take away a tool that can remove clear errors from the game”. They are committed to making it better but will not bow to pressure to speed up decisions at the expense of accuracy. They believe delays are an inevitable part of the process, although they are keen to make improvements to its efficiency.

As well as automated offsides due to be adopted in the next 12 months, the PGMOL want to improve communication of in-stadium decisions when IFAB laws allow for it.

Webb, the chief refereeing officer for PGMOL, attends the women’s League Cup final in March (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

The PGMOL are working at establishing more dedicated VAR officials (rather than using referees who regularly officiate matches) and there is already an unofficial group who are regularly selected as VARs because of their consistency. Of those, Stuart Attwell and David Coote have been selected as VARs for this summer’s European Championships.

They believe the inevitable capacity for human error means VAR will never be perfect, but an independent panel’s assessment that 96 per cent of decisions over the last five years have been correct suggests that, overall, it works.

Webb, who regularly attends shareholders meetings to hear views of clubs, is expected to be at June’s meeting.

Does the Football Association have a view?

The FA is believed to remain behind VAR.

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What would getting rid of VAR mean for other refereeing technology in the Premier League?

Goal-line technology would likely remain but, when it comes to VAR, the understanding is that the top flight could not cherry-pick some elements and dispense with others. It either continues with all of it or without any of Stockley Park’s reviews.

Have any other countries scrapped the VAR system?

Last month, Sweden became the first country to reject implementing VAR after a fan backlash.

Supporters from clubs — where there must be a minimum of 51 per cent fan ownership — prompted the climbdown after the president of the Swedish Football Federation, Fredrik Reinfeldt, had previously backed the idea. Reinfeldt had approved trials later this year, but those will not now go ahead.

“Sweden is currently the only country among Europe’s 30 highest-ranked leagues that has not decided to introduce VAR,” said Johan Lindvall, general secretary of the Swedish Professional Football Leagues. “The fact that we have not done so is largely due to our democratic model.”

Reinfeldt, president of the Swedish Football Federation (Michael Campanella/Getty Images)

Is video technology equally controversial in other sports?

The replay review process in NFL games involves the ultimate team-oriented system. NFL officials conduct reviews — which, in 2022, lasted on average two minutes and 19 seconds — but not without the support of replay officials stationed in New York at the NFL’s Art McNally GameDay Central (AMGC).

Head coaches can use two game challenges during games (if successful on both challenges, they receive a third). But, in the final two minutes of each half, all challenges or play reviews are initiated only by the replay official.

The process itself has become pretty smooth. Once a challenge or play review is initiated, replay technicians at AMGC use technology to pinpoint the best camera angles for the game referee to review in consultation with replay officials.

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An ‘instant replay field operator’ then brings a Microsoft Surface tablet to the referee so he can review the play while consulting with the replay official stationed in New York. The final decision on the review (whether it should be overturned, or whether the on-field call should be upheld) is then made and the referee announces it.

Cricket’s Decision Review System (DRS) assesses a review for a leg before wicket (LBW) appeal (Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Like football, rugby union features split-second decisions and high levels of physical force, and no two challenges look the same.

For a video referee, the potential for inconsistency is high. Yet they have always been more accepted in rugby — even when introducing controversial new high-tackle laws or when making high-pressure calls in the sport’s biggest games.

Cricket’s version of VARs — the Decision Review System (DRS) — largely operates on a review basis. If a team disagrees with a decision, they can refer it to an off-field umpire to watch the incident back and use various forms of technology to determine whether the on-field umpire’s decision was correct.

If the team’s review is correct, they keep their review to possibly use later in the game; if wrong, they lose it.

What about the women’s game in England?

VAR was first rolled out at the Women’s World Cup in 2019. It was subsequently used at the European Championship in 2022 and a 19-strong video refereeing team — which included six women — were sent to Australia and New Zealand in the summer to cover the 2023 World Cup.

But even as VAR was being castigated in the opening months of this Premier League season, a different debate was taking place in the Women’s Super League (WSL).

In October, during Chelsea’s home match against Tottenham, officials failed to spot the ball had crossed the line when Guro Reiten looked to have put Chelsea 2-0 up. With no goal-line technology or VAR in the WSL, the goal was not given.

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes was incandescent, saying it is “ludicrous” and “embarrassing” that there is no VAR in women’s football.

Reiten celebrates, believing she has scored for Chelsea against Spurs (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

The previous month, Chelsea had run a VAR test at Kingsmeadow for their friendly against Roma — it was the first of its kind at a WSL ground. Baroness Sue Campbell, the director of women’s football for the FA, subsequently admitted that VAR “has to come in”.

It may not be long before VAR arrives in the English women’s game. NewCo, poised to take charge over the running of the WSL from the FA next season, intend to prioritise the improvement of officiating.

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“The better the refereeing, the better the product itself — it’s one of the priorities, for sure,” Nikki Doucet, the CEO of NewCo told reporters in January. “From a VAR perspective, it’s something we need to figure out. Is that the right thing for our game, based on what’s been done in the men’s game? Is there a new alternative?

“A lot of the stadiums themselves just aren’t ready for that (technology) and so it will require an amount of investment. As we go on this journey, it’s prioritising what has to be done first based on the resources and the investment that we have. It’s definitely something that’s a priority.”

Additional reporting: Phil Buckingham

(Top photo: Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images)

What did you think of this story?

AWESOME

Greg O’Keeffe is a senior writer for The Athletic covering US soccer players in the UK & Europe. Previously he spent a decade at the Liverpool Echo covering news and features before an eight-year stint as the paper’s Everton correspondent; giving readers the inside track on Goodison Park, a remit he later reprised at The Athletic. He has also worked as a news and sport journalist for the BBC and hosts a podcast in his spare time.

5/3/24 EPL Races tighten up, Champs League Final 4 wrap up Tues/Wed, Indy 11 host US Open Cup Wed at Butler, USWMT Kelley O’Hara to retire, US move to 2031 Bid for WWC

May 4, 2024May 4, 2024 gatorbest ac-milan, arsenal, carmel-fc, football, grand-park-soccer, indy-11, premier-league, reffing, soccer, usmnt, uswnt

Indy 11 host US Open Cup Game Wed 7 pm vs San Antonio @ Butler Bowl

The Boys in Blue return to action Saturday at Western Conference opponent Monterey Bay F.C. Sat at 10 pm on CBS Galazo Network. Indy is coming off a 2-1 home win over North Carolina FC to move to 2-4-2 on the season and sit at eighth in the Eastern Conference. The Indy 11 will host San Antonio in a huge midweek US Open Cup Sweet 16 game this Wed, May 8^th at 7 pm at the Butler Bowl. Tix are just $10 each and can be ordered here.

Columbus Crew on to Finals of CONCACAF Champions Cup

What a huge 3-1 win at Monterrey in the Semi-Final (5-2 Aggregate) for the Columbus Crew as they will advance on to the Finals where they will play Liga MX powerhouse Pachuca – winner over Club America 2-1. Probably the biggest win in Franchise history for the defending MLS Champs. They will play for the Championship Sat June 1 in Pachuca on FS1.

Champions League Semi’s Wrap up Tues/Wed 3 pm CBS

Lets start with Champions League – man the games since the knockout stages have just been fantastic – so great that CBS has shown games from the Sweet 16 on – this week Real Madrid @ Bayern Munich was fantastic – as Bayern with Harry Kane up front scored 2 goals at home but of course Real has this magical way in Champions League to find a way and they also scored 2 goals (highlights) – the 2^nd leg in Madrid promises to be a great one on Wed 3 pm on CBS. As a longtime Dortmund fan – because they are the German squad who had American’s – first Pulisic then Reyna – I couldn’t help but root for the team with the best stands (the big Yellow Wall) and their 1-0 win over PSG and Mbappe was impressive (highlights). PGS hosts the final Tues 3 pm at CBS – pregame starts at 2 pm.

News

Indiana Pacer Pascal Siakam from Cameroon has some mad soccer skills during his hoops pregame warm-ups before a recent home playoff game. Really cool story from ESPN about how Juve’s American midfielder, who some consider the best mid in Italy this season, McKinney below.

Huge news that USWNT long time right back Kelley Ohare has announced she will retire at the end of her NWSL Season. (Story below). Also in Women’s Soccer news – The US & Mexico officially dropped out of the bid to host the 2027 World Cup in favor of the 2031 one instead. (Story below and smart thinking). The biggest story in European Soccer: Bayern Levekusen has taken Germany by storm with an amazing 47 wins without a loss since the season 23-24 season started. Already securing the Bundesliga Championship over Bayern Munich by 7 pts – Javi Alonso’s squad look well on their way to a Europa League Championship as well after scoring 2 in Roma to take a commanding lead back home Thurs at 3 pm on Para+. I have watched them comeback 3 times now down in the 90^th minute to win or tie the game- simply amazing the belief they have. The play Sunday 11:30 am @ 6^th place Frankfort on ESPN+.

Congrats to the Carmel FC 2013 Girls Blue team for their Championship at the Mid Ohio Soccer Classic. That’s our CFCGKU member Hattie L in the middle!

Good luck to all our Carmel FC teams playing in State, President’s & Challenge Cup games this weekend at Grand Park. A reminder my CFC GK Training for U12 & below will move from Wed to Thurs at Badger 5:15 pm. The older group will be at 5:45 pm Wed at River Road still.

Good looking crew at the Girls Showcase at Grand Park last weekend. Shane Best, T Ray Phillips, Carla Baker and Mike Arrington.

GAMES ON TV

Sat, May 4

7:30 am USA Arsenal vs Bournmouth

10 am USA Shefield United (Trusty) vs Nottingham Forest (Reyna)

10 am Peacock Fulham (Jedi, Ream) vs Brentford

10 am Peacock New Castle vs Burnley (adams)

12:30 pm NBC Manchester City vs Wolbverhampton

3 pm Peacock Aston Villa vs Chelsea

3 pm ESPN+ Atletico Madrid vs Athletic Club Spain

7:30 pm Ion NY Gotham (Williams, Ohara, Mewis) vs NC Courage (Murphy, Fox) NWSL

10 pm CBS Galazo Net Indy 11 @ Monterey Bay Cal

10 pm Ion Portland Thorns (Smith) vs Washington Spirit (Rodman, Hatch, Sullivan) NWSL

Sun, Apr 28

9 am USA Brighton vs Aston Villa

11:30 am ESPN+ Frankfurt vs Bayer Leverkusen

11:30 am Tele/Peacock Liverpool vs Tottenham

12 noon Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Genoa

1 pm CBS Houston Dash (Campbell) vs KC Current NWSL

2:45 pm Para+ Roma vs Juventus (Weah, McKinney)

6:45 pm FS1 Seattle Sounders vs LA Galaxy

Tues, May7

3 pm CBS Dortmund 1 vs PSG 0 UCL

7 pm US Open Cup Games

Weds, May 8

3 pm CBS Bayern Munich 2 vs Real Madrid 2 UCL

7 pm USSoccer.com Indy 11 vs San Antonio @ Butler Field

Thurs, May 9

3 pm CBSSN Leverkusen 2 vs Roma 0 Europa

3 pm Para+ Marseille vs Atalanta

3 pm Para+ Aston Villa vs Olympiakos Pireaus

June 27 Copa America US Men Play Panama

July 24 starts US U23 Men & US Women In Olympics

(American’s in Parenthesis)

How to Watch Indy Eleven USL Championship Action

May viewing guide: Champions League final, title chases, relegation fights and more

Champions League & Europa League Semi’s

Terzic unsurprised as Sancho dazzles for Dortmund

Superstars often leave Dortmund, but BVB inch toward Champions League final anyway

Madrid showcase to Bayern their mythical Champions League status

Tuchel’s tactics give Bayern hope of ousting Real Madrid at Bernabéu

Vini raves about Kroos pass: ‘Makes things easy’

Roma 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen: Bundesliga champions in command of Europa League

Leverkusen in Charge after first leg

The battle for extra Champions League places: Germany, Italy clinch spots

USA

U.S. vet, WWC winner O’Hara retiring end of ’24 ESPN Jeff Kassouf

How USMNT’s McKennie emerged from Premier League disaster to be among Serie A’s best ESPN

Why Pulisic is a must starter at AC Milan

MLS

Crew take down Monterrey, advance to CCC final

MLS Power Rankings: Messi takes Miami to top, Chicago Fire languish

Messi wins MLS Player of the Month for first time

Messi teammate: Everyone plays Leo like a final

Sources: Austin finalizing plan to host ’25 MLS ASG

Messi stars with 2 goals before record Revs crowd

GK

The man with the 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 🧤🔒@jordanfarr0 of the @TampaBayRowdies has won the @Terminix Save of the Week! pic.twitter.com/qRBBoOagrU
— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) May 3, 2024

Champions League Great Saves QF

UCL Sweet 16 top saves

One of the Greatest Saves in FA Cup History David Seaman 39 YO Arsenal GK

Reffing

Wettest conditions field wise I have ever Reffed in – this pass week for CYO at Max Bahr Park with Mike Zanders – yes that’s a pond in the middle of the field. LOL – kids loved it though.

Shane with Mike Bertram & Matt Antisdel at the Girls Showcase at Grand Park Friday

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USMNT weekend viewing guide: Clinching time

Clinching titles, qualification, and safety.

Saturday

Arsenal v Bournemouth – 7:30a on USA Network

With three matches to play, Bournemouth still have a mathematical shot at a top six finish, though it would require a result with title-contending Arsenal this weekend and a collapse of beautiful proportions from Manchester United and Newcastle. With little to play for the rest of the way, it seems likely the team could shut down Tyler Adams for the remainder of the season and hope he’s able to return in the fall free from injury after what has been a lost 2023-24 season.

Birmingham City v Norwich City – 7:30a on ESPN+

Josh Sargent and Norwich City close out the regular season needing just a point to guarantee a spot in the promotion playoffs and facing a Birmingham City side that need a win to pull out of the relegation zone. Norwich could also advance with a loss if Hull City fail to win and make up a seven goal differential.

Wolfsburg v Darmstadt – 9:30a on ESPN+

Kevin Paredes was a halftime substitute last weekend as Wolfsburg overcame a one goal deficit to come back and defeat Freiburg 2-1. The win pulled Wolfsburg six points clear of the relegation zone, nearly guaranteeing their safety with three matches to play. This weekend, they will face a Darmstadt side who are sitting dead last and will be headed back to the 2. Bundesliga next season.

Werder Bremen v Borussia Mönchengladbach – 9:30a on ESPN+

Joe Scally started on the left side and played 90 minutes last weekend and Jordan Pefok came on in the final minutes as Borussia Mönchengladbach played Brenden Aaronson and Union Berlin to a scoreless draw last weekend. The point left ‘Gladbach four points out of the relegation positions with two additional teams cushioning them as they sit in 13th place. Their opponent this weekend is Werder Bremen, who are two spots and five points ahead of them in the table.

Brentford v Fulham – 10a on Peacock

Antonee Robinson continues to start, but Tim Ream hasn’t seen the field in over two months for Fulham. The team is coming off a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace and currently sit squarely in the middle of the EPL pack heading into their match with Brentford.

Sheffield United v Nottingham Forest – 10a on USA Network

Nottingham Forest will look to fend off relegation when they take on already-relegated Sheffield United Saturday morning. Gio Reyna saw just 16 minutes off the bench last weekend in Forest’s 2-0 lost to Manchester City after having started their two previous matches. They face Sheffield United and Auston Trusty, who played every minute of last weekends 5-1 loss to Newcastle. Sheffield’s relegation has been guaranteed and they have already given up more goals than any side in a 38 match season. They are just three goals away from the 100 goals conceded record, which was set by Swindon Town in a 42 match season, with three matches to play.

Monaco v Clermont – 11a on beIN Sports

Folarin Balogun picked up an assist in the first minute, but was pulled at the half with Monaco down 2-1 in what would be an eventual 3-2 loss to Lyon. Despite the loss, Monaco remain in second place with three matches to play and a three point advantage over fourth place Lille for Champions League qualification. Monaco’s opponent this weekend is last place Clermont, who are dead last in the Ligue 1 table.

Sunday

PSV v Sparta Rotterdam – 6:15a on ESPN+

Sergiño Dest’s ACL tear has been confirmed and he will be out for the remainder of the year, but Malik Tillman continues to start and was named to the Eredivisie Team of the Month in April. Tillman had a goal and two assists last weekend in the opening 12 minutes of the win over Heerenveen. Ricardo Pepi saw 12 minutes off the bench last weekend, but was not credited with a goal contribution on any of the eight goals that were scored in the match (he came on with the team up 7-0). With a nine point advantage and three matches to play, PSV can officially clinch the Eredivisie title this weekend when they face eighth place Sparta Rotterdam.

Osasuna v Real Betis – 8a on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+

Johnny played 90 minutes last weekend as Real Betis and Sevilla played to a draw. Betis pulled within two points of Real Sociedad, who fell to Real Madrid. If Betis can close the two point gap on Sociedad over the final five matches, they will earn the Europa Conference League qualifying position. Betis face 11th place Osasuna this weekend who are comfortably middle of the pack.

Union Berlin v Bochum – 9:30a on ESPN+

Brenden Aaronson started and played 74 minutes last weekend as Union Berlin were held to a scoreless draw with Borussia Mönchengladbach to remain just two points out of the relegation playoff position. They are tied with this weekend’s opponent, Bochum, on 30 points and a win by either side would help them to draw clear of the relegation zone with three matches to play.

Celta Vigo v Villarreal – 10:15a on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+

Celta Vigo fell to Deportivo Alaves 3-0 last weekend with Luca de la Torre coming on for the final 36 minutes with his team already down 2-0. Celta are five points out of the relegation positions with five matches to play heading into their match with ninth place Villarreal.

AC Milan v Genoa – Noon on Paramount+

Christian Pulisic started yet again and Yunus Musah also got the starting nod, this time at right back, as AC Milan played Juventus to a scoreless draw last weekend. Milan remain solidly in second place heading into their match against Genoa and with four matches yet to play this season.

Roma v Juventus – 2:45p on Paramount+

Tim Weah started as the right wingback (and put the clamps on Rafael Leao) with Weston McKennie coming on as his replacement with 20 minutes to play last weekend for Juventus. The team will play a Coppa Italia final against Atalanta on Wednesday, so we may see a rotated side again this weekend for Juventus, who are looking like a look to qualify for Champions League play with a eight point advantage and four matches to play.

After Leeds disaster, USMNT’s McKennie is back to his best at Juventus

Bruce Schoenfeld

May 2, 2024, 08:41 AM ET

TURIN, Italy — One recent afternoon, Weston McKennie walked into a pizza parlor.In this part of the world, where he has emerged as one of the top midfielders in Serie A and perhaps Juventus‘ most consistent player, McKennie can rarely go out in public. La Lampara, a restaurant run by the cousin of his personal chef, is a safe haven. He even stores a bottle of Hidden Valley ranch dressing, his favorite condiment, in the refrigerator to swirl on his pizza. But in Leeds, where McKennie was chastised by fans for looking overweight, it all sounds like the start of a bad joke. McKennie spent the second half of last season on loan at Leeds United with the expectation of staying longer. Instead, his introduction to the Premier League was a disaster, marred by accusations by fans that he wasn’t fit and wasn’t making an effort. Suddenly, ranch dressing was no longer just a personality quirk. It was a symptom of the problem that was dragging down the club. “I feel like I let people down,” he says now. At the time, Leeds appeared to be building America’s Team. The investment arm of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers was set to complete a purchase of the historic club and market it across the Atlantic. Manager Jesse Marsch — of Racine, Wisconsin, and D.C. United — had signed two of McKennie’s U.S. teammates, Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson. (They joined Englishman Jack Harrison, who attended high school in Massachusetts and played college soccer at Wake Forest.)

McKennie, who started his career at Schalke 04 and moved to Juventus in 2020, was seen as the missing piece, a tireless box-to-box midfielder who would provide a touch of Champions League quality.

Except … none of it happened. Marsch was fired in February 2023, after McKennie had played one game for him. The sale was postponed, though the 49ers eventually acquired the team at a reduced price. After three seasons in the Premier League, Leeds was relegated. “Because they signed half the U.S. national team, who weren’t very good,” Darragh MacAnthony, the owner of Peterborough, said in a radio interview.

Fairly or not, McKennie bore much of the blame. A player who prides himself on his work rate, he appeared sluggish. In more than 1,400 minutes over 20 games, he managed just one assist. He had broken a foot the previous February. That healed, but his form hadn’t recovered. “He wasn’t playing like himself,” Aaronson says. “He had a lot of expectations coming in, and that just took its toll on the pitch.”

When McKennie was substituted out an hour into the season’s final game, a 4-1 loss to Spurs at Elland Road that sealed the club’s return to the second division Championship, the home fans chanted at him, “You fat bastard!” Leeds’ option to make McKennie’s transfer permanent for a $38 million fee had seemed like a bargain in January 2023. Not surprisingly, the club declined to activate it. “I felt like it was the first time that I had failed,” McKennie says now. “It knocked me down completely. It put me in the situation of having to prove myself all over again.” Then, McKennie returned to Turin in July and discovered that Juventus didn’t seem to want him back. “The situation that he described to me was horrible,” USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter says. “He went from a bad situation at Leeds to going back to Juventus, and all of a sudden you don’t have a parking spot or a locker.” At 25, McKennie’s future as an elite player was far from certain. Now, somehow, he is finishing one of the finest seasons of any American in Europe. A playmaker who can score goals, he’s also a ball-winner who is rarely dispossessed. If he maintains his form, he will greatly enhance the U.S. team’s chances of winning the Copa América this summer in its only meaningful games before the 2026 World Cup. “He’s a difference-maker in the final third, and he can also be a difference-maker in the middle third,” Adams says. “He can do so many things that other players can’t do. I think people are only beginning to see what a difference he can make when he’s playing at his best.” They’re seeing it now in Turin, where he ranks among Juventus’s most popular players. He sits in a private room at La Lampara, waiting for his pizza, both literally and figuratively in a place where not many people thought he’d be. “It was difficult for me, honestly,” he says. “But I did it to myself. And my time at Leeds, as bad as it did go, was very important. It was a big moment in my career as far as my development. I am where I am today because of everything I’ve been through. And I’m happy about it. I wouldn’t change any of it.”

During the mostly turgid “Juventus: All or Nothing” documentary series released in 2021, one of the few entertaining scenes shows McKennie with two of his teammates, club legends Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon, discussing food over lunch at the club’s training ground. “If I don’t eat well, it’s impossible to play,” Chiellini says, in what is probably the most Italian comment ever. McKennie urges Chiellini to consider smothering his pizza in ranch, that uniquely American, buttermilk-based invention. “What are you saying to me?” Chiellini responds in mock horror. He then asks about McKennie’s taste in coffee. McKennie makes a face and reveals, in graphic terms, that espresso sends him directly to the bathroom. Laughter ensues. Hanging out with these guys seems like fun.

McKennie’s appealingly quirky personality makes him a popular teammate everywhere he goes. “Relaxed, bubbly good vibes,” is how Glasgow Rangers’ Rabbi Matondo, who played with him at Schalke 04, describes him. “He’s just in his own world, doing his own thing.” McKennie’s father, a U.S. Air Force officer, moved his family from one base to another. McKennie learned to make friends easily. “I make myself so open and — I don’t know — goofy because I want people to feel comfortable to come talk to me,” he says. At Schalke, he spent hours mastering magic tricks he found on YouTube so he could entertain his teammates. He also tried to initiate Matondo into the Cult of Ranch. “Have you been in America?” he asked Matondo, who grew up in Wales. When Matondo told him he had, McKennie’s eyes lit up. “Did you try ranch?”McKennie also plays Fortnite relentlessly. He has a Harry Potter fascination that has led to a goal celebration in which he appears to wave a magic wand and, lately, a deal to promote the video game. “I dabble in different things,” McKennie says. “I’m just the guy who loves to be free and do what he wants.”

Even in the changing room before games, McKennie seems carefree — so much so that teammates sometimes wonder if he’s properly focused. “Then he crosses the white line [onto the pitch] and he becomes a different animal,” Matondo says. “And you see him running and running and going after the ball everywhere. It’s amazing to me.””He’s like a child,” says Adams. “Both on and off the field. And that’s what makes him great.”But McKennie’s antics mask a vulnerability. “He has so much feeling inside of him,” says Berhalter. “That’s who he is. And being receptive to that is part of getting the best out of him.”At a USMNT training camp in Orlando, Florida, in 2019, Berhalter found McKennie to be distracted. “He could tell that my head wasn’t there,” said McKennie, who was 21 at the time. “That I was a little bit off. Maybe not my happy self.” It turned out that he was having issues with his girlfriend. “I was young, I was in love,” he says. “I just went to Gregg and talked with him — not at all about soccer, but just about life. I legit cried in front of him. I sat there and cried and he hugged me, like a father who’s not a father.”

McKennie has also had to spend stretches of his career striving to gain acceptance as an elite player. “My whole career has kind of been that path where people have doubted me, labeled me as an underdog,” he says. As a teenager, he was chosen for a U17 national team residency in Florida, which set him on the path to becoming a professional. But in 2015, he was cut from the team. That motivated him to not only succeed in American soccer, but to go up against the world’s best players in Europe, where he’d been introduced to the game while his father was stationed in Germany. He turned down a scholarship offer at the University of Virginia, then declined an offer to play in MLS for FC Dallas, his hometown team. Not yet 18, he went to Schalke, where he set out to show the skeptics that an unknown young American could be a Bundesliga standout.”Weston is at his best when people count him out,” says Berhalter. His evolution came in fits and starts. At times, he questioned his decision. “Somewhere deep down, though, I knew I had the potential,” he says.In November, 2017, McKennie scored against Portugal in his USMNT debut. When Berhalter became the U.S. coach a year later, he established a leadership council, consisting of six or seven players who rotate into the traditional positions of captain and vice captain. From the beginning, McKennie was a fixture. Yet he felt uncomfortable as a role model. “I’m too free-spirited,” he says.

Given the armband for the first time at Chicago’s Soldier Field in the Concacaf Gold Cup final against Mexico in 2019, he suffered through one of his worst games as a U.S. international. Then, though the responsibilities of the captain include representing the team with the media, McKennie refused to give an interview. He still spurns official titles, but if you were a fly on the wall, he says now, you’d be surprised to see how far he has come. Invariably, he’s the USMNT member who welcomes new arrivals. If a group of established players are headed out somewhere, Aaronson says, “he’s always the one to text the new guys and make sure they know about it. I’ve seen him do it again and again. I’m really impressed by that.”McKennie also lets his U.S. teammates know that they can come to him with insecurities, competitive issues or other problems. “Maybe you’re going through the same thing that I went through,” he says, “because I’ve had my share of hiccups.” That includes getting sent home from the final round of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup for spending one night outside the club’s COVID-19 bubble at a Nashville hotel and bringing an unauthorized visitor into his hotel room during another, which earned him the disgust of former USMNT standout Landon Donovan.” And I remember the times when maybe I thought I didn’t belong,” McKennie says. “So I try to tell the players, ‘You belong. You’re here. Trust yourself. Believe in yourself.'”And then, last summer, McKennie had to convince himself of the same.

Nobody would have questioned McKennie in August if he had asked to get a fresh start somewhere else, especially when it became clear he wasn’t in Juventus’s plans. “A lot of players would have said, ‘I’m done here. I’m leaving'” Berhalter says. “And he did just the opposite. He said, ‘I’m going to prove them all wrong.'”He was included on Juventus’s preseason tour to California and Florida, both to showcase him and to provide a marquee name for American fans. Still, his determination impressed manager Max Allegri, who saw utility in a player who competed each time he stepped on the field. “Weston has this mentality that he’s able to brush things aside,” Aaronson says. “He went back to Juventus and did what he did because he’s not focused on things like other people are. It’s a source of strength for him.”

Start running now and don’t stop until the end of the season, Allegri told him, and McKennie is still running. He began the season as a substitute at right-back, then stepped in when Tim Weah strained a thigh and couldn’t play. Soon enough, he was back in the midfield, using his skill as a distributor to get the ball forward to Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa.

McKennie has operated from both the right side and in the middle, depending on Allegri’s needs. He hurt a knee in January, which necessitated a trip to see a specialist in France, then separated a shoulder in a collision with a Frosinone player in late February. Yet he still ranks among Serie A leaders this season in clearances, progressive passes and assists, an unusual trifecta that illustrates his varied skills.In late December, when the well-regarded Italian daily Tuttosport published its compilation of Juventus player ratings for the season’s first half, McKennie led the team. “Right now,” Weah says, “he’s top-tier. He’s one of the best midfielders in the world.”

Against Frosinone in February, he played one of the better games in memory by an American in Europe before hurting his shoulder in the 82nd minute. He created Juventus’ first goal by making a run down the right side without the ball, then receiving a pass he controlled with a single touch and sending the ball into the box for Vlahovic, who poked it home. Half an hour later he fed Vlahovic again, a pinpoint delivery from a step inside the box, for a second goal. Later, he moved from the right wing to a role as an inside midfielder, from which he was controlling play. Until he collided awkwardly with Kaio Jorge and was taken off, he was clearly the best player on the field. The next day, Tuttosport dubbed him the “King of Assists.”Within days, the local newspaper in Leeds, the Yorkshire Evening Post, would run a story about the interest McKennie was suddenly generating among England’s biggest clubs. The headline: “Leeds United Flop Linked with Manchester United and Arsenal.”

Unlike the vast majority of football professionals, McKennie professes to have no interest in a game unless he’s playing in it. He can’t remember the last time he watched one on television, start to finish. In fact, he may never have done it.”I used to ask him, ‘How do you play football the way you do and have no knowledge of anything going on in the sport?” Matondo says.In summer 2018, while in preseason camp with Schalke 04, McKennie went to Christian Pulisic‘s house in Dortmund with a bunch of other players to see the France-Croatia World Cup final. Except, McKennie didn’t actually see it. “Everyone was on the couch watching the game,” he says. “There were a whole bunch of TVs.” One of them was right in front of McKennie, but he had his head down playing Fortnite.

“They all just laughed at me,” he says. “Like, ‘how can you be playing that right now? This game is so good.’ And I would look up every once in a while. But it just doesn’t interest me. I’ll play soccer and give it everything I have. But that mentality when I’m not playing, I need to switch it off.”

LIVE ON ESPN+ (SELECTED GAMES)

SATURDAY, MAY 4 (all times ET)
• Stuttgart vs. Bayern Munich (9:20 a.m.)
• BVB Dortmund vs. Augsburg (9:20 a.m.)
• Real Madrid vs. Cadiz (10 a.m.)
• Girona vs. Barcelona (12:20 p.m.)
• Mallorca vs. Atletico Madrid (3 p.m.)
• North Carolina FC vs. Rhode Island (7 p.m.)
• Las Vegas Lights vs. New Mexico (10 p.m.)

SUNDAY, MAY 5 (all times ET)
• PSV vs. Sparta Rotterdam (6 a.m.)
• Osasuna vs. Real Betis (7:50 a.m.)
• Celta Vigo vs. Villarreal (10 a.m.)
• Eintracht vs. Bayer Leverkusen (11 a.m.)
• Feyenoord vs. PEC Zwolle (2 p.m.)

McKennie is deeply involved in fashion and music. He has a real estate business with his brother in Dallas. When his career ends, he says, he could imagine doing something in one of those areas, or maybe becoming an agent, or even a broadcaster, though in that case he’d probably have to watch games. “I enjoy playing football. I want to go as far as I can,” he says. “But honestly, if my career ended tomorrow, I would be happy. And I wouldn’t have regrets for anything that I’ve done.”

At 25, McKennie believes he has plenty of football ahead of him. First comes this summer’s Copa América, which he believes the U.S. can win. “Maybe people don’t look at us against Argentina or Brazil and say, ‘Wow, look at the USA,'” he says. “But that’s why Gregg is so important. Because, yeah, a team can have a lot of individual talent, but when you have a team that has quality and potential and will sacrifice everything for each other, that will make a difference.”

He even fantasizes about that happening at the next level. “Do I believe that we can win the World Cup? Very slim chances,” he admits. “But it’s, what, eight games? If you can catch fire for those eight games, it can happen. The grit, the desire, a little bit of luck as well — that’s what it takes in a football game. That’s the beauty about it. Anybody can be beaten on any given day.”

McKennie’s contract with Juventus is up after next season. Negotiations are ongoing, but his constant yearning for the next challenge may lead him to agree to a transfer, especially if it involves the unfinished business of proving himself in the Premier League. At the same time, he’s more than content in Turin. He lives in a house on a hill outside the city that he rents from a wealthy doctor. He eats at La Lampara, where they nod when he covers his pizza with creamy dressing. And inside and outside the club, his stock keeps rising. The food has just arrived when a young woman approaches his table and begs for a picture. Peeking out from behind her is the manager, Fabrizio. He has a guilty look, as if he knows he should be letting McKennie eat in peace. But what can he do? She won’t be denied. Fabrizio shrugs. “Her favorite player,” he says.

USWNT two-time World Cup winner Kelley O’Hara set to retire at the end of 2024 NWSL season

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 01: Kelley O'Hara #5 of the United States reacts before the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group E match between Portugal and USA at Eden Park on August 01, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/USSF/Getty Images )

By Meg Linehan May 2, 2024 THe Athletic

U.S. women’s national team and Gotham FC defender Kelley O’Hara announced she plans to retire from soccer following the conclusion of the 2024 NWSL season. A stalwart for more than a decade, O’Hara played in four World Cups (winning two in 2015 and 2019) and three Olympics with the national team, as well as adding a WPS championship and two NWSL championships in her professional career.She announced the decision in a video created for Just Women’s Sports as part of her series Kelley on the Street.

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O’Hara has played limited minutes for Gotham FC so far this season and has struggled with ankle and knee injuries. “To get injured and come back, and get injured and come back, and just keep doing it, it really takes a toll on you,” she told Claire Watkins in an interview for JWS.

O’Hara’s first cap for the USWNT came in March 2010, and, while she was named to the 2011 World Cup roster, broke out for the USWNT during the team’s gold medal run in the 2012 London Olympics, playing every minute as an outside back. She previously won the 2009 MAC Hermann Trophy as a forward at Stanford (scoring 26 goals and adding 13 assists), but it was the conversion to outside back that cemented her place on the national team for years.

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(Notably, the 2012 Olympics were also the source of one of the greatest pieces of old-school USWNT content featuring O’Hara — in which she reports she “got sniped” after wiping out in the grass at a Scottish castle pretending to ride brooms).

O’Hara’s final match for the national team was against Sweden during the team’s exit from last summer’s World Cup in the round of 16. Due to injury concerns, there were doubts that O’Hara would be named to the final 23-player roster for the tournament, and when she received the call from former head coach Vlatko Andonovski, the emotions were clear.

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She played over 10,000 minutes for the national team, sitting at 160 appearances, three goals and 21 assists. One of her most famous USWNT goals was the one she scored against Germany during the 2015 World Cup semifinal. It was also her first international goal.

O’Hara’s club career was also successful, starting with her rookie season in WPS with FC Gold Pride, winning the 2010 championship. When FC Gold Pride folded, O’Hara was signed by the Boston Breakers. She intended to play for the Atlanta Beat, her hometown WPS team, but the league folded. O’Hara has been with the NWSL since the beginning, starting her NWSL career with Sky Blue FC, before a stint with the first version of Utah Royals FC, then heading to the Washington Spirit — where she finally won her first NWSL championship in 2021. In January 2023, she signed with Gotham, who won last year’s final.

“It has been one of the greatest joys to represent my country and to wear the U.S. Soccer crest,” O’Hara said in the USWNT press release on Thursday. “As I close this chapter of my life, I am filled with gratitude. Looking back on my career I am so thankful for all the things I was able to accomplish but most importantly the people I was able to accomplish them with.”

As of now, neither U.S. Soccer nor Gotham has shared any intended plans to celebrate O’Hara ahead of her retirement before the end of the 2024 season, though U.S. Soccer could choose to take advantage of their July match at Red Bull Arena for a send-off. (Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Women’s World Cup: Why U.S./Mexico pivoted from 2027 to ‘record-breaking’ bid for 2031

By Adam Crafton May 2, 2024

In February, executives from the United States Soccer Federation and their Mexican counterparts welcomed FIFA delegates to Atlanta as official inspections began before the vote this month to decide who will host the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

The U.S. and Mexico submitted their joint bid in December, rivalling a proposal from Brazil and a combined European bid from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. The U.S. has hosted the tournament twice before — in 1999 and 2003 — but it would have been a first for Mexico.

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“We are a very strong and compelling proposition,” said Juan Carlos Rodriguez, president of the Mexican Football Federation, in late February. “We are gonna make a good run of it.”

Behind the scenes, however, doubts had already surfaced. Was 2027 the right time for the U.S. and Mexico to host a World Cup? Would it suit football’s world governing body FIFA to take the tournament elsewhere?

The bid team had previously discussed pivoting to 2031 and, on Monday evening, a statement landed to formalise the U.S. and Mexico’s decision to do just that — only three weeks before the vote was scheduled to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, at the FIFA Congress.

“The revised bid will allow us to build on the learnings and success of the 2026 World Cup (in the U.S., Mexico and Canada), better support our host cities, expand our partnerships and media deals, and further engage with our fans so we can host a record-breaking tournament in 2031,” a joint statement read.

So why the change of heart?

How to follow the Copa America on The Athletic…

A pledge for equal investment

The U.S./Mexico revised World Cup bid has called for “equal investment” with the men’s tournament, “eliminating investment disparities to fully maximize the commercial potential of the women’s tournament”.

The bid is seeking to bring the organisation, promotion and funding for the Women’s World Cup fully in line with its male counterparts.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino claimed that the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand had broken even, generating more than $570million in revenue, even with the prize pool being 10 times higher than the 2015 edition. The 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar, however, generated $686million in ticket sales and $243million through hospitality rights alone, with global TV rights from 2019-22 — the bulk of which was for the 2022 tournament — bringing in $3.4billion according to FIFA. The $440million prize pot for the men’s 2022 World Cup was also far more than the $152million shared by women last year.

Aitana Bonmati celebrates winning the 2023 World Cup with Spain (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Infantino has already provided his answer to those who question the disparity, saying: “I say to all the women, you have the power to change. Pick the right battles. Pick the right fights.”

The U.S./Mexico bid for 2031, though, would like FIFA to set out a timeline towards equal prize money and its vision is set out in the bid book submitted to FIFA for 2027.

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The hope is not that FIFA should simply pluck the money out of is reserves but rather that genuine investment into the development, promotion and organisation of the tournament will bring about the revenue which may enable the governing body to eventually level up the prize money.

Now the bid has been pushed back, FIFA has four more years to bridge the gap.

Thanks Gianni, now we know – all we had to do was ‘pick the right fights’

Increase the golden period for international soccer in the U.S.

The 2027 bid book was, in many ways, a copied and pasted version of the men’s edition in 2026. The U.S. submitted the same host cities, while Mexico added a few additional options to Guadalajara, Monterrey and Mexico City.

The 2027 bid wanted to use 2026 as an asset; in essence replicating the relationships between cities, local government, security, transportation infrastructure and stadiums to create a back-to-back bonanza of premium international football that would then roll over into an Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, cementing the United States as the global hub for major sporting events over three years. In bid talk, this was described as “leveraging the efficiencies” of 2026, and big promises were made.

The U.S./Mexico bid claimed the commercial possibilities in the two countries “will accelerate the growth of women’s football unlike any tournament before”. They pledged to bring 4.5million fans into the stadium, capture the highest TV audience for any sporting event in history and generate more than $3 billion in total revenue. For FIFA, which has established offices in Miami and is also launching a revamped men’s Club World Cup in the U.S. in 2025, the temptation was obvious.

And yet, as conversations developed, it became clear that this idea did not make much sense for anyone.

From a FIFA perspective, the imagined boom for soccer in the U.S. is better served by a six-year run-up, stretching from the Club World Cup in 2025 (there may also be a women’s edition in 2026) through to the men’s World Cup in 2026, football within the Olympic Games in 2028 and then capped off with a Women’s World Cup in 2031. This provides more space for soccer to gain further popularity and, in turn, drive up demand and revenue for the competition.

Infantino announces the venues for the 2026 men’s World Cup (Brennan Asplen – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

And while the idea of back-to-back World Cups is tantalising, there were plenty of sectors that were not overly enamoured with the idea. For some host cities and stadiums, it would have meant three consecutive years satisfying FIFA’s very specific criteria for hosting soccer matches and revenue-sharing. Concerns also developed that the potential to maximise the Women’s World Cup commercially, both among broadcasters and sponsors, would be limited by sandwiching the tournament between a men’s World Cup and the Olympic Games.

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FIFA is also seeking to drive sponsorship agreements for its expanded men’s Club World Cup — launching across the east coast of the U.S. in the summer of 2025 — but the tournament is struggling to hit the hugely ambitious targets set out by Infantino when the concept was devised. As such, freeing up commercial space for soccer in a saturated market within the next few years may be useful for everyone involved.

FIFA does not comment on commercially-sensitive matters but would point to a recent lucrative partnership with Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company Aramco as evidence of its ability to strike deals.

Why are Napoli – and other teams – now so keen to qualify for the men’s Club World Cup?

Put U.S./Mexico in the driving seat for 2031

There is another reality to bidding processes that is usually not said aloud: sometimes, you only say you are bidding to put yourself in pole position before the next tournament — and that, increasingly, appears to be an element of the strategy here.

Brazil is a case in point, having lost out on the 2023 tournament but now primed for a coronation in Thailand in mid-May. The European bid remains on the table but multiple sources, spoken to by The Athletic this week on condition of anonymity to protect their roles, have presented Brazil’s success as a fait accompli.

For FIFA, there are plenty of reasons to run with Brazil in 2027. The planet’s most famous soccer nation has never hosted a Women’s World Cup and FIFA is obliged grow football internationally.

It has become anachronistic to think about World Cup bidding processes as a traditional vote where nations submit their bids and every member weighs up the pros and the cons before casting their votes. This is how it is supposed to work but the pattern more recently is to see a contest, a reasonable amount of lobbying, and then everyone appears to agree that bid X is most-suited and bid Y may get something else as consolation, or be rewarded down the line.

This is what happened for the 2030 men’s World Cup selection. FIFA found a way to just about please everybody by awarding it to six countries in one go.

Why 2030 World Cup is split across six countries – and all roads lead to Saudi Arabia 2034

FIFA president Infantino confirmed the opening game would be played at Estadio Centenario in Uruguay, while Argentina and Paraguay would each host a game before the tournament and then move to Morocco, Spain and Portugal. This left Saudi Arabia out in the cold — except, not really, because FIFA has something called the “confederation rotation principle” and by grouping three confederations together in 2030 — Africa, Europe and South America — it left the path clear for Asia and Oceania to host the 2034 tournament.

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Once Australia’s executives dropped their interest in the 2030 World Cup, Saudi Arabia was the only bidder. They have already been congratulated by Infantino on Instagram, although FIFA insists the Saudis are undergoing a very intensive bid process — albeit one in which they are the only competitors.

What’s this all got to do with 2027? Well, FIFA would say nothing at all and every bid is considered on its merits, but there is a school of thought that CONMEBOL felt a little short-changed by the 2030 palaver. It had also been particularly kind to FIFA when Argentina stepped in to host the Under-20 World Cup in 2023 at short notice. A first Women’s World Cup for CONMEBOL would be a useful reconciliation.

None of this is to say that everyone was pretending all along for 2027. Nor is it inevitable that the US/Mexico bid will win next year.

Yet by 2031, it will have been 16 years since a Women’s World Cup in a CONCACAF country (when Canada hosted the tournament in 2015) and UEFA nation France hosted the tournament more recently in 2019. England, which had already been looking at 2035 and 2039 as options, as well as a possible joint bid with the other Home Nations, may pivot away from 2031.

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Later, bigger and better?

Should the U.S. and Mexico be awarded the 2031 tournament, ambitious plans will take shape. The bid wants fan festivals of equivalent size to the men’s World Cup, promising beach football tournaments on the shores of Miami and Cancun, and watchalong parties in New York City’s Times Square. Most boldly, within the U.S., the bid wants to solely use multi-purpose NFL stadiums with at least 65,000 seats, rather than be more cautious with smaller soccer-specific stadiums.

Expect this to become part of the conversation, too: should the Women’s World Cup mirror the men’s by expanding to a 48-team edition? The 2023 World Cup features 32 teams instead of 24 and the competitive balance did not suffer in a way some had worried beforehand. A six-year runway between the announcement of a potential 48-team tournament and the competition itself would allow time for more nations to invest resources into their women’s games and enter the fray in 2031.

As for broadcasters, there is quiet relief at FIFA and in the U.S./Mexico bid because we are now only three years out from the 2027 tournament and FIFA would have been behind in maximising its true broadcasting potential. Some breathing space from the men’s World Cup and Olympics, it is hoped, will further free up the necessary dollars for the 2031 tournament to hit record numbers.

The US-Mexican bid may have said ‘goodbye’ to 2027, but it is ‘see you soon’ for 2031.

(Top photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Bayern Munich 2 Real Madrid 2: Advantage Ancelotti – and Kroos for Ballon d’Or?

MUNICH, GERMANY - APRIL 30: Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg match between FC Bayern München and Real Madrid at Allianz Arena on April 30, 2024 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)

By Dermot Corrigan, John Muller and more

Apr 30, 2024

A bout between two of Europe’s genuine heavyweights in a Champions League semi-final was never likely to disappoint – and so it proved.

Bayern Munich and Real Madrid played out an enthralling first leg in Bavaria, with the teams locked at 2-2 thanks to Vincius Junior’s late penalty ahead of next week’s second leg in Spain.

Our experts analyse the talking points.

How do Real Madrid do it?

This was another European knockout tie that appeared to be teetering on the brink of disaster for Real Madrid before they delivered another of their trademark comebacks.

When Bayern’s quickfire brace of second-half goals had swung this game in their favour, Madrid had to take stock. For a while, it seemed that 2-1 was not such a bad result ahead of the second leg at the Bernabeu.

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Ancelotti’s tactical switch to 4-3-3 helped provide more cover, especially for stand-in right-back Lucas Vazquez, who was suffering badly against an inspired Jamal Musiala, and also gave his team another chance to take a breath.

The element of phoney war ended when Madrid went for a last push, with substitutes Luka Modric and Brahim Diaz adding energy and ideas. Vinicius Jr’s flick to Rodrygo then tempted Kim Min-jae into a foolish penalty concession and Vinicius Jr again showed his big-game mentality to convert from the spot.

Ancelotti’s changes worked and, as so often in recent years, Madrid had rode out the storm and found a way to turn things to their advantage. At 2-2, with the return at a fired-up Bernabeu, Los Blancos will be confident of making yet another Champions League final.

But neither of these teams are perfect and both have mixed real power with dodgy moments through the competition this season. It is all set up tantalisingly for the second leg next Wednesday.

Dermot Corrigan

What these two pictures tell us about Jude Bellingham’s attitude to football

How did Sane wreak havoc?

Leroy Sane was a doubt for tonight’s game due to a pubic bone injury and when the German international was named in the starting line-up, the anticipation was that he would be on the right flank — as he has been for the majority of the season.

However, injuries elsewhere meant Thomas Tuchel shuffled the pack slightly, placing Sane on the left and Jamal Musiala on the right, with Thomas Muller playing alongside Harry Kane in a 4-2-2-2.

For long periods of the first half, the plan looked effective. Sane was put through in a one-on-one within the first minute and was regularly looking to stretch the Madrid back line with runs to receive first-time on his natural left foot.

Sane and Musiala would frequently roll inside into the respective half spaces and leave Bayern’s full-backs to keep the width. In the second half, as Bayern switched more to a 4-2-3-1, Sane assumed his typical position on the right flank and restored parity within 10 minutes.

A driving run, drop of the shoulder and a thundered finish at the near post reignited the clash — his first goal since October 28.

Sane fires in Bayern’s equaliser (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

It was a superb performance and a reminder of Sane’s versatility to play on either flank on the biggest European stage.

Mark Carey

Is Kroos a Ballon d’Or contender?

Madrid were struggling a quarter of an hour into the game as Bayern had six shots while no visiting player had come anywhere close to a chance.

Toni Kroos decided something had to be done, first with a super aggressive challenge on his old team-mate Thomas Muller, which was more about showing an example to his team-mates than actually winning the ball back.

Kroos began to get on the ball, move it around, giving his team-mates time and space to regain their composure. Then came his phenomenal assist for the opening goal, splitting the Bayern defence open completely, giving Vinicius Jr the chance to finish first time.

Kroos sees Vinicius Jr starting to make his run…

… and angles a pass between the two Bayern players in front of him…

… leaving Vinicius Jr free to break clear…

(TNT Sport)

… and score with ease.

Replays showed how he conceived the goal in his head in advance, pointing with his finger for Vinicius Jr to run behind Bayern’s out-of-position centre-back Kim Min-jae, then delaying the pass to allow the Brazilian to sprint into the space before perfectly timing and weighting the assist.

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From being under the cosh due to Bayern’s fast start, Madrid were suddenly in full control of the tie. Confidence flowed through the visiting players, while belief seemed to ebb from the home side. Few individual performances have had such an effect on such a huge game.

Kroos completed all 36 of the passes he played in the first 30 minutes, making it a pretty special return to his old club, who must so rue letting him leave for Madrid on a cut-price €25m deal back in 2014. A decade later, the 34-year-old is out of contract in June but will surely renew with Madrid.

He has also recently returned to the Germany national squad in time for the Euros in his home country. Many more performances like this – he also saw a curling shot saved in the second half – and he’ll be a leading Ballon D’Or candidate. And a hugely deserving one.

Dermot Corrigan

How was Kane subdued… but still a scorer?

For a minute there, early on, it looked like tonight might be all about Harry Kane.

Just seconds into the match, Bayern ran a simple little pattern down the left-hand side that ended with Kane pulling toward the ball and redirecting it into the channel to put Leroy Sane in on goal. It was a perfect illustration of his gifts as not only Europe’s leading goalscorer but also perhaps its most creative striker.

A few minutes later, Kane did it again, this time from deeper: he received the ball in midfield and played another perfectly weighted through ball that Sane couldn’t quite figure out how to turn into a goal. Kane’s constant movement posed a problem for Real Madrid’s right centre-back, Antonio Rudiger: how far could he track the dropping striker without letting Sane slip behind him?

Yet for most of the rest of the match, Kane went strangely quiet. Lucas Vazquez stayed deep as Madrid’s right-back to help Rudiger in the Kane-Sane dilemma and Kane started drifting into other channels to look for service. When he finally got through on goal himself, in the 66th minute, Rudiger was there to knock him down with a powerful and well-timed shoulder.

Kane slams home his penalty (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

In the end, Kane turned out to be almost a non-factor, managing just two shots on target from open play and not much creativity after those opening minutes. Chalk up another victory for Rudiger, who had shut down Erling Haaland in the previous round.

But when Jamal Musiala went down for a penalty in the second half, it was Kane who stepped up to the spot, broadcast his chosen side with a deliberate glance that made Andre Lunin second-guess himself, and rolled a simple shot home for Bayern’s first goal of the tie. Even when Kane stumbles — as he did on his way to celebrate the penalty — he’s still the surest thing in Europe.

John Muller

Should Ancelotti send for Courtois?

Andriy Lunin has made some unexpected leaps forward since Madrid’s No 1 goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois sustained anterior cruciate ligament damage in training in August.

He first overcame the challenge of Kepa Arrizabalaga to become first choice and was then a hero of the penalty shootout win over Manchester City in the quarter-final.

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However, Lunin has not always looked like a top-class goalkeeper. He was caught out by Bernardo Silva’s long-range free kick in the first leg against City and suffered when targeted with inswinging corners by Barcelona in the recent Clasico.

It might be harsh to blame the Ukrainian for Sane’s goal given both Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo should have got closer, the shot was unexpected, and it was hit with superb power and precision, but there is a rule that goalkeepers should not be beaten at their near post and it was a huge moment in the tie.

Courtois was a welcome presence on the Real bench (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Courtois had a setback in mid-March but has been back training with the team for a few weeks. Ancelotti has already said he will start Saturday’s La Liga game at home to Cadiz at the Bernabeu, a 90-minute test to see how his knee has recovered.

All being well, there will be a heavy temptation to bring Courtois back in for next Wednesday’s second leg against Bayern given how important the Belgian has been for Madrid in the Champions League in the past.

Dermot Corrigan

What happened to Kim Min-jae?

How did Bayern’s defence leave Vinicius Jr that open for Real Madrid’s first-half goal?

The most obvious culprit was Kim Min-Jae, who bit too hard on a double move and left an ocean of space behind him. When Vinicius Jr abruptly switched gears and sprinted for goal, Kim just didn’t have the wheels to catch up.

Speaking of a lack of speed, it didn’t help Kim’s cause that his centre-back partner was Eric Dier, who had wandered too far from goal to keep an eye on Jude Bellingham and made only a half-hearted, plodding recovery run to try to cover for Kim when he saw he was beaten.

Nor was Manuel Neuer particularly quick off his line to block the shot, but these sorts of things happen when you’re 38 years old and still starting Champions League semi-finals.

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The real mystery is how, with so many players lacking pace at the back, Bayern allowed Kroos enough time in possession to not only pick his pass behind their back line but to point out to Vinicius where to go and then wait for the run to materialise. What happened to a team that used to have one of Europe’s most fierce high presses?

Bayern were oddly passive here, allowing Real Madrid to complete 90 per cent of their passes in the first half at the Allianz, and when you give Kroos and Vinicius Jr an inch, they’ll take a mile.

Sadly for Kim, his suffering did not end there. He was caught out by another swift Real Madrid passing exchange in the second half, only for Neuer to save well from Vinicius Jr’s shot, but had no safety net when he hauled down Rodrygo for a penalty in the 83rd minute. A night to forget.

John Muller

UK readers can view Real Madrid’s first goal here:

US readers can view Real’s first goal here:

The Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid match dashboard, showing the threat timeline, territory, match stats, shot maps and pass networks

What was said afterwards?

Harry Kane was frustrated at Bayern’s inability to hold on to their 2-1 lead after coming back strongly in the second half.

“Once we got 2-1 ahead, we had two or three good chances,” he told TNT Sport. “This is the Champions League semi-final. We expected a tough game. Real are one of the best teams in Europe who can punish you.

“We started on the front foot and their goal came against the run of play. Second half we played with a higher intensity. We deserved our two goals and it’s a shame we couldn’t get a third.”

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Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti – who said he had taken off Jude Bellingham as the midfielder was suffering with cramp – was satisfied with his side’s fightback but acknowledged there was scope for improvement.

“We could play better,” he said. “We had problems in the first half with a low block, too deep. We started to put pressure and it was much better. We tried to change something in the second half. We started really well and conceded two goals when our moment was good.”

Borussia Dortmund 1 Paris Saint-Germain 0: Sancho’s starring role, in-form Fullkrug, wasteful Dembele

By Sebastian Stafford-Bloor and more May 1, 2024

This was meant to be Kylian Mbappe’s stage. Instead it was journeyman striker Niclas Fullkrug who proved the difference to give Borussia Dortmund a slender advantage in their semi-final with Paris Saint-Germain.

The 31-year-old is in the form of his life after spending the majority of it in the second tier in Germany and is now a regular scorer for the national team.

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After Bayern Munich’s thrilling 2-2 draw with Real Madrid on Tuesday night, this was a much tighter first leg, particularly in the first period. That was until Dortmund went direct to Fullkrug, who produced a brilliant first touch before firing low beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 36th minute.

PSG improved after the break, with Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi hitting the post within the space of 10 seconds and Ousmane Dembele blazing over in the final 10 minutes. Fullkrug should have added a second too but it is Dortmund who will head to Paris with a vital goal.

The Athletic’s Peter Rutzler, Seb Stafford-Bloor, Thom Harris and Elias Burke analyse the action.

Functional Fullkrug is flying in Champions League

Just under two years ago, Niclas Fullkrug poked home his 19th goal of the season to spark wild celebrations in Bremen. It sealed a crucial final-day win, and moved the 29-year-old up to fourth place in the goalscoring standings — in the German second tier.

He has always been a proficient striker through the divisions, a functional target man and battering ram at the top of five different teams. But since Fullkrug has turned 30, he has won a Bundesliga Golden Boot, made his international debut, scored 11 international goals — including two at the World Cup — and put his new side in the driving seat for a Champions League semi-final.

Fullkrug hammers home the opening goal (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)

Fullkrug is unfashionable, but undoubtedly effective. He can sometimes struggle to get into games — he touched the ball just nine times in a cagey opening half an hour here — but his emphatic ability to smash the ball on either foot can blow games apart. It was a crisp left-footed strike to open the scoring, but as his shot map below illustrates, he is a striker who can make the most of any penalty-box situation.

He should have added a second after the break but it was heartening to see a distinctly normal footballer take centre stage.

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Thom Harris

Why do PSG struggle with long balls?

Across both legs of PSG’s quarter-final victory over Barcelona, they struggled with the long ball. PSG are one of the most aggressive pressers in this year’s Champions League — no team has regained the ball quicker (judged by the opposition passes per defensive action) — but that can leave space in behind if their first press, from those forward line, is not sharp or precise.

Xavi recognised this and used Robert Lewandowski as his out ball. Marc-Andre ter Stegen, the Barcelona goalkeeper, played the majority of his passes up the field to the Poland striker, and he in turn was able to bring his wide players into play. PSG defender Lucas Beraldo had a particularly difficult game, losing five duels.

Dortmund clearly learned from those matches. Edin Terzic, the Dortmund coach, was able to use Fullkrug in a similar manner. There were early warning signs; Marcel Sabitzer made a curved run from the right to reach a long pass from Ian Maatsen, but the pass was misplaced.

Dortmund were not as precise as Barcelona in the opening stages, often wayward in their attempts to pick out Fullkrug, who in turn could not contest the aerial duel against the PSG defence. But then, Dortmund got one right. Nico Schlotterbeck sold Mbappe a dummy, and used that extra second of space to arrow a ball over the top of the PSG back line.

It was an incredibly simple goal to concede but one that proves PSG are vulnerable. They struggled with their first pressure, allowing Dortmund to play out through Julian Ryerson or allowing the time to arrow a direct pass accurately, which is exactly what happened with the opening goal.

The back line switched off and were caught flat-footed; they were not set to deal with a run in behind, expecting a pass to instead be played onto Fullkrug’s head — normally his main strength. PSG may be better pressers, but simple mistakes are still undermining that.

Peter Rutzler

Is Sancho back to his best?

Sancho’s performance was a reminder of how important environment is for footballers. He has not blazed through the Bundesliga since returning but he has seemed far less inhibited in Germany. Far away from the stifling commentary surrounding his Manchester United career, the expression has returned to his game and the timing and smart decisions that once accented his talent have returned.

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They were prominent again. At his best, there is a waspishness to Sancho’s attacking play, which sees him flutter in and out of the attack and influence the game with little touches and tricks across the width of the pitch.

In the first half, he touched the ball more than any other Dortmund player, which described his appetite for the occasion and how difficult PSG found it to keep hold of him.

Sancho’s dribbling came to the fore in the first period (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)

He completed seven dribbles in the first 45 minutes, too. More than any player in any Champions League game this season. More than he managed in any Manchester United game he took part in.

But on a night when Dortmund needed their crowd, the Westfalenstadion responded to his confidence and his little moments of flare. This was Sancho at his very best. It was him as a spectacle again and after what seems like a very long time, it’s nice to be able to write that again.

Seb Stafford-Bloor

How costly will PSG’s misses prove?

When Mbappe faced up his full-back a few minutes into the second half, it looked as though he would put PSG back on level terms from an acute angle.

As it transpired, his right-footed curling effort towards Gregor Kobel’s left-hand post did not curl enough and hit the post. Minutes later, Marquinhos curled a cross that dropped perfectly between Kobel and the Dortmund defensive line, with Marco Fabian ghosting in. Six yards from goal, it seemed certain he would head in from close range and put PSG on level terms. Somehow, he missed. And missed chances proved to be the story of PSG’s second half.

Mbappe was involved again in the 70th minute, receiving the ball in the same top right-hand corner of the Dortmund box that he almost scored from 20 minutes earlier. This time, he slipped in Dembele, whose tame effort was saved by Kobel. Ten minutes later, he would have the chance to redeem himself after Achraf Hakimi spotted his deep run into the box and played a pass across the box, but his right-footed shot ballooned over the crossbar.

Dembele after his miss (Oliver Hardt – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

“How the French haven’t scored, I can’t believe, frankly,” said Ally McCoist, the co-commentator for TNT Sports, the UK broadcaster of the Champions League.

Fortunately for Luis Enrique, Dortmund could not make the most of several excellent second-half goalscoring opportunities. Shooting practice will surely be on the agenda ahead of next week’s second leg.

Elias Burke

Did hard-working Adeyemi silence critics?

Of all the factors expected to influence this game, Karim Adeyemi’s work without the ball was not among them. Adeyemi has suffered a bad month. From the high of his goal against Bayern Munich in March, his form has plateaued. A silly red card against Borussia Monchengladbach rightly provoked criticism and drew mutterings about his attitude. His stock has not been high.

But what a response this was. Adeyemi’s speed is typically an asset in attack. This evening it was virtue in defence, as he worked as hard as he probably ever has in Dortmund yellow to protect Ian Maatsen, his full-back, from the menacing Dembele-Hakimi threat down the PSG right.

Adeyemi was effective in defence as well as attack (ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)

The 70 yards he ran in the first half to chase down Hakimi and end a counter-attack was particularly stirring. He did exactly the same thing in the second half and that was typical of Adeyemi’s night. It was also emblematic of an astute and tactically aware performance in which he gave absolutely everything to prevent Dortmund’s cracks from showing.

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Praise is due for Terzic, too. Adeyemi was part of a gameplan in that part of the pitch that worked really well.

Sebastian Stafford-Bloor

What did Terzic say?

“It was a well-deserved win, a good team performance,” he told DAZN. “We could have scored more goals, but so could they. That’s why the result is OK from my point of view.

“We ran a lot, but that’s necessary in a game like this. You have to earn your way to Wembley. All we need now is a draw in the second leg, but we also want to win next week. We have a small lead and a good opportunity. We don’t have fear. We know the quality of Paris.

“Sancho was extraordinary but we have seen it often training. He translates it onto the pitch. He has quality, we know his quality. It wasn’t just him, and it was important for a good match.”

What did Luis Enrique say?

“Everybody knew that this wasn’t going to be easy. This is the semi-final of the Champions League. The dressing room is a bit down, especially after hitting the post twice. But we had our supporters pushing us on throughout the match. We must recognise that this is an exceptional stadium, with fans who know how to support their team.

“We lacked incision in the final third. We didn’t create a lot more than the opponent, we looked for transitions and counter attacks. The mindset was better in the second half. It’s an opponent at a very good level and we created good chances.

“Both teams created a lot of opportunities. But they scored, and we didn’t. The result reflects how close the game was. It’s a new situation for both teams. In the last two rounds, they had the home game as their second game, whereas it was the other way round for us. We’ll now have the crowd on our side in the second leg. We’ll have to be more effective there.”

Real Madrid’s Andriy Lunin: The shy goalkeeper who seized his moment – and surprised everyone

Mario Cortegana May 2, 2024

A year ago, decision-makers at Real Madrid explored the possibility of Andriy Lunin’s departure as they searched for a reinforcement in goal.The club considered signing David Soria from Getafe in June, although they preferred not to make a permanent investment in that position. When Thibaut Courtois picked up an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in August, they did not hesitate in bringing in Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan without an option to buy from Chelsea.

But Arrizabalaga failed to impress after returning from an injury he suffered in November, while Lunin has emerged one of the heroes of the season. The 25-year-old produced a fine performance in the second leg of Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City, keeping Pep Guardiola’s side at bay in normal time before saving two penalties in the subsequent shootout.

Nobody would have expected that when Lunin started the campaign behind Arrizabalaga, knowing he could find himself as third choice when Courtois returned. He went out on three separate loans after joining Madrid in 2018 but is now close to agreeing a new deal until 2028, as reported by The Athletic on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian barely smiled in his post-match interviews after that performance against City, which gave an indication of his steely personality.So, who is Lunin? And what does the future hold for him, after stepping in so brilliantly for Courtois?

Born to a father in banking and a mother who worked as a civil servant, Lunin grew up in Krasnohrad, a town of around 20,000 inhabitants in eastern Ukraine.He started out playing futsal and excelled as a striker. His first shirt was that of Real Madrid icon Cristiano Ronaldo and it was only aged eight that he began to play as a seven-a-side goalkeeper in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city in the country’s northeast. Iker Casillas was his new idol.Lunin had trials with three different teams — Ukrainian sides Shakhtar Donetsk and Metalist Kharkiv, along with a football school in Kharkiv. He chose Metalist as his destination, living and studying at their academy from under-12 to under-18 level.

Lunin was Madrid’s hero against City (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

From there, Lunin moved to Dnipro in 2016 and Zorya Luhansk a year later. Then, in 2018, he learned that Madrid wanted to sign him one day after training. Those close to him — who, like all those cited in this article, asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships — say he felt a mixture of happiness and vertigo. He knew the scale of the challenge ahead.

He received interest from other teams but told his club he only wanted to join Madrid. The deal was done quickly, for around €8.5million ($9.1m; £7.3m at current exchange rates) plus about €4m in variables, with Lunin signing a contract until 2024.

Lunin’s arrival, like those of many other youngsters at Madrid, bore the stamp of their chief scout Juni Calafat and his staff. Calafat, who is a Brazilian-Spanish national, has helped Madrid sign South American talents including Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde in recent years. He has been one of Lunin’s key backers, too. He has always had confidence in the Ukrainian’s potential and believed he deserved a chance as No 1 after Courtois’ injury in August.

Vinicius, Rodrygo and a man called Juni: How Real Madrid rule at recruiting in Brazil

Lunin got the chance to meet Madrid president Florentino Perez on his first visit to the Spanish capital in 2018. Those close to the goalkeeper say he was impressed by Perez, who made him feel like a son.

Those sources describe Lunin as a quiet individual who rarely smiles. But, at Madrid’s Valdebebas headquarters, they have always said he is humble, polite, hard-working and methodical — sometimes even too much so.

An early example of that was when he decided to speak in Spanish at his Madrid presentation in July 2018, despite not knowing the language. He spent hours rehearsing a speech from memory, in which he thanked Madrid for “giving me the opportunity to fulfil a dream” and said he was signing for “the best club in the world”.

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But his path to the starting XI was unclear. When Lunin joined, Keylor Navas was Zinedine Zidane’s first-choice goalkeeper after helping Real Madrid win three Champions League titles in a row. Courtois had also arrived from Chelsea that summer, having been named the best goalkeeper of the 2018 World Cup with Belgium.

Madrid sent Lunin on loan to Leganes, a club on the outskirts of the city who were then in La Liga. He was second-choice there and returned to the Bernabeu in the summer of 2019, expecting Navas to leave. But the Costa Rican stayed put until September, when he joined Paris Saint-Germain and Alphonse Areola went the other way on loan as a backup for Courtois. By then, Lunin had already joined another La Liga side, Real Valladolid.

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That spell did not go to plan either: he was a backup to Jordi Masip and the loan was cut short in January after just two appearances in the Copa del Rey. A spell at second-division Real Oviedo in the second half of that season proved more fruitful, as he helped the team stay up in 15th place with six clean sheets.

Even so, Lunin has happy memories from Valladolid’s Estadio Jose Zorrilla — it was where he proposed to his then-girlfriend Anastasia in 2019. The couple married in March 2021. Some were struck by the comparatively low-key ceremony.https://www.instagram.com/p/CMmXWiRJ-wn/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=540&rd=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com&rp=%2F5463727%2F2024%2F05%2F02%2Freal-madrid-andriy-lunin-keeper%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A2076.5999999046326%2C%22ls%22%3A266.59999990463257%2C%22le%22%3A584.3999999761581%7D

Anastasia has often made the headlines in Spain. On several occasions, she has posted on social media or conducted interviews to warn that Lunin would look for another destination if he continued on Madrid’s bench. In February, she told a YouTube show that it would be “difficult for Courtois to return from injury and take the top spot” if her husband continued to play.

Lunin has always stayed patient and insisted on staying at Madrid even when he wasn’t trusted in goal. His contract was extended for a further season that summer until 2025 — but this was not announced publicly and only came to light in 2024. Meanwhile, he also became part of Jorge Mendes’ Gestifute agency. His father had been his agent.

Lunin believes those three loans away improved him and made him mentally stronger, which was key to his return to Madrid. He also had the support of Ukraine coach and legendary forward Andriy Shevchenko during this time, who called him up for 29 games from 2017-2020, giving him six appearances.

Ukraine qualify for Euro 2024: ‘The world is going to watch and see we never give up’

In July 2020, Madrid told Lunin he would be part of the squad for the following season as a reserve option, as they did not want to bring in Areola on loan again or sign another ‘keeper. But he fell out of favour with Ukraine, with Shevchenko’s successor, Oleksandr Petrakov, not selecting him from 2021-2022.

Lunin has been active in public and private in showing his support for his home country since the Russian invasion in February 2022. He has kept himself informed of the situation, donated money to the war effort and participated in initiatives to collect and send food and supplies there.

Madrid have also helped him during the conflict, giving him moral and logistical support to assist his relatives still in Ukraine. On the first day of the war, Perez went to see him in person at the club’s Valdebebas training ground to speak with him.

Lunin helped Ukraine qualify for this summer’s Euros (Mateusz Slodkowski/Getty Images)

Lunin helped Ukraine qualify for this summer’s European Championship and he started in their play-off semi-final and final against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Iceland in March — his 10th and 11th caps for the national team.

“The only difficulty is the war in my country,” he said after Madrid’s penalty win against City. “It’s not easy to go to training every day when the worst news is coming out. There is my family, my friends, all my people, my city, my school. I try to help.”

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He has barely put a foot wrong this season, playing 29 times — more than the sum of his three full campaigns at Madrid before this term. But at first, he was left frustrated with Carlo Ancelotti’s rotation between him and Arrizabalaga. He felt there was a lack of communication from the coaching staff and he and the Spaniard often found out who Ancelotti had selected through what he told the press.

Real Madrid loan has not worked as hoped for Kepa – but he’s still committed

Errors from Arrizabalaga in the games he started allowed Lunin to take advantage and become Madrid’s undisputed first choice from mid-January. He has conceded 27 goals in 29 games and kept 12 clean sheets. The club opened talks with his agent in March over his renewal.

Ancelotti still believes Lunin has plenty of room for improvement, especially in terms of his aerial presence and footwork. But both he and his staff value the goalkeeper’s professionalism, resilience and growth, which they put down to being released from the pressure of living in Courtois’ shadow. In the dressing room, he is closest to young players such as Brahim Diaz, Valverde and summer signing Fran Gracia.

Despite his improvement, everyone at Valdebebas expects Courtois to return as Madrid’s first-choice ‘keeper once he is fully recovered. The Belgian was on the bench for the Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich on Tuesday after a separate meniscus injury suffered during his ACL recovery. He could play in Madrid’s potentially decisive La Liga game against Cadiz on Saturday, although a final choice will be made today or tomorrow.

But, for now, Lunin is the man of the moment — to the surprise of almost everyone.

(Top photo: Maria de Gracias Jimenez/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

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4/26/24 EPL Race tightens, Indy pitch MLS? Coventry robbed, Wrexham moving up, American’s Abroad, Champs League Tue/Wed

April 26, 2024 gatorbest carmel-fc, football, indy-11, indy-soccer, premier-league, soccer, soccer-refs, usmnt, uswnt

Indy Mayor Pitches MLS and appears to cut out Indy 11 in the process. Interesting press conference by the Mayor. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2024/04/25/indianapolis-plans-to-bid-for-mls-expansion-team/73458916007/ No idea what this means for Indy 11 Park and the downtown stadium? Is there a mystery potential new owner for an Indy MLS team – Confusion sets in ? I have long said the Indy 11 owner does not have MLS money and I am not sure we have the corporate support to field an MLS team along with NFL and NBA teams.

FA Cup Semi-Final leaves American offsides

Got a chance to watch the FA Cup Semi’s this weekend while in Cincy for a tourney – and man did Coventry City get robbed in their PK loss to Man United. American winger Haji Wright was dangerous all day and was (Not offsides) on the would be winning goal in ET – at Wembley Sunday. Man U won in PKs though US #9 Wright did score his PK. It will be Man U vs Man City in the FA Cup Finals again in May. Meanwhile Liverpool and Arsenal both lost last weekend leaving the door open for Man City to win the EPL again – games continue this weekend as just 1 pt separates Arsenal & Man City.

MLS – Big Win for Columbus + Big News for LAFC

The Columbus Crew took a huge home 2-1 win over Liga MX power Monterrey for the first leg in the Champions Cup. The return round is Tues night on FS1 10:15 pm on FS1. Big news for LAFC as they announced that French & AC Milan forward Olivier Giroud will be coming to LAFC after the Serie A season ends. Giroud, 37, has scored 13 goals and 8 assist this season while often starting for AC Milan.

Big Games on TV

Of course Champions League is back next week with no English teams left as Germany’s Bayern Munich will host Real Madrid Tuesday on CBS at 3 pm, while Dortmund will host PSG and Mbappe on Wed 3 pm on CBS. Sat gives us some battles of American’s with Fulham and Jedi Robinson hosting Crystal Palace and Centerback Chris Richards at 10 am on Peacock, followed by Juventus (Weah, McKinney) hosting AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) at 12 noon on Para+. (Man this game on CBS would be cool). Sunday at 12:30 Bayern Leverkusen (German Champ) continues its quest for an unbeaten season as they host top 5 foe Stuttgart on ESPN+. (I watched their amazing comeback in stoppage time at Dortmund last Sunday). Tues night on FS 1 at 10 pm the Columbus Crew carry a 2-1 lead to Monterrey as they look to advance to the finals of the CONCACAF Championship.

Carmel FC 2010 Boys Gold Wins Kolping Cup Championship last weekend in Cincy, Ohio with a 3-0-1 mark. Head Coach Mark Stumpf (left) and Asst Shane Best (right).

Reffing done Right – always a pleasure to ref for ref assignor Nate Sinders & Dave – especially on a Bar BQ Weekend – like the Boys Showcase last weekend and Girls Showcase this weekend. Nate makes some of the best Beef Brisket in the state of Indiana. Good Eatin — thanks Nate !!

GAMES ON TV

Fri, 4/26

3 pm ESPN+ Real Sociadad vs Real Madrid

3 pm ESPN+ QPR vs Leeds United Championship

10 pm Amazon Prime Angel City vs KC Current NWSL

Sat, Apr 27

7:30 am USA West Ham vs Liverpool

9:30 am EPSN+ Bayern Munich vs Frankfurt

10 am USA Wolverhampton vs Luton Town

10 am Peacock Fulham (Jedi, Ream) vs Crystal Palace (Richards)

10 am Peacock Man United vs Burnley (adams)

10 am ESPN+ Blackburn vs Coventry City (HAji Wright) Championship

12 noon Para+ Juventus (Weah, McKinney) vs AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah)

12:30 pm NBC Everton vs Brentford

12:30 pm ESPN+ Leverkusen vs Stuttgart

1:45 pm Fox Austin vs LA Galaxy MLS

3 pm Peacock Aston Villa vs Chelsea

3 pm ESPN+ Atletico Madrid vs Athletic Club Spain

7:30 pm Ion Chicago Starts vs Portland Thorns NWSL

7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 vs North Carolina

7:30 pm CBSSN Tampa Bay Rowdies (Jordan Farr) vs NM United USL

Sun, Apr 28

9 am USA Tottenham vs Arsenal

11:30 am USA Nottingham Forest (Reyna, Turner) vs Man City

12 noon Para+ Napoli vs Roma

Tues, Apr 30

3 pm CBS Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid UCL

Weds, May 1 Champions League

3 pm CBS Dortmund vs PSG

10:15 pm FS1 Monterrey 1 vs Columbus Crew 2 CONCACAF Champs Cup

10 pm CBSSN Bay FC vs Portland Thorns (Smith) NWSL

Thurs, May 2 Europa

3 pm CBSSN Roma vs Leverkusen Europa

3 pm Para+ Marseille vs Atalanta

3 pm Para+ Aston Villa vs Olympiakos Pireaus

June 27 Copa America US Men Play Panama

July 24 starts US U23 Men & US Women In Olympics

(American’s in Parenthesis)

How to Watch Indy Eleven USL Championship Action

USMNT has no proven replacement for Dest, says Lalas

US Men

No Serg, big problem? Assessing the USMNT’s right back options with Dest out

Pulisic admits he’s been surprised by Serie A difficulty

Late Weah assist sends Juventus to Coppa Italia final at Lazio’s expense

Pulisic includes McKennie when building dream player — for his banter, of course

Report: McKennie has Saudi Arabia, MLS offers as Juventus contract talks continue

Is Weston McKennie dating an Inter player’s sister?

PSV boss Bosz wants to sign Dest permanently despite serious injury
Tebas: LaLiga could play in U.S. as soon as ’25 Sam Marsden

Weah lifts Juve – Adams Still out & American’s Update

US Women

USWNT star Horan named player of the season finalist in France

Lavelle: USWNT will enter Olympics with chip on shoulder after World Cup failure

Press on comeback: The only promise I’ll make is that I’ll try

USWNT learns Zambia will be final Olympic group stage opponent

USWNT player ratings: Smith, Naeher decisive in SheBelieves Cup triumph over Canada

EPL

‘With title prize in sight, Man City rarely show any weakness’
Kevin De Bruyne is still the Premier League’s true Grandmaster
Why so many goals in this season’s Premier League?
Premier League Picks: PST’s predictions for Week 35 of 2023-24 season
Who is Arne Slot? Feyenoord boss acknowledges he wants Liverpool job
Everton have miles to go despite derby win – Dyche

WORLD

Barcelona president confirms Xavi will stay on as manager in press conference
Why Inzaghi deserves some love after Inter Milan cruise to Serie A title Gabriele Marcotti

Mbappe, Dembele leave PSG poised to celebrate Ligue 1 title
Season finale a ‘celebration’ for Wrexham & Stockport – Parkinson
Wrexham to play Premier League pair on tour

The state of Barcelona’s finances: How bad are they? Can they be fixed?
Tebas: LaLiga could play in U.S. as soon as ’25 Sam Marsden

Wrexham Wins League 2 and will move up to League 1 next season – TV Show continues on FX

MLS

French forward Olivier Giroud set for Los Angeles FC move
Columbus Crew take crucial 2-1 advantage over CF Monterrey in Champions Cup: 2 takeaways
Crew’s Championship Cup win will reverberate well beyond Columbus and Monterrey: Arace
MLS Power Rankings: Whitecaps continue strong start, Revs remain dismal Ryan Rosenblatt

Lionel Messi tracker: All goals, assists, key moments for Inter Miami in 2024 ESPN

Goalkeeping

How former Carmel FC GK Coach & Indy 11 GK became the #1 at Tampa Bay
Courtois can return next week: Madrid coach Ancelotti

Soccer world reacts as Alyssa Naeher proves she is the One True Penalty God

USL Saves of the Week – Jordan Farr for Tampa Bay Rowdies

How to Throw the Ball Properly

6 exercises to protect your Ankles

Reffing

American Haji Wright was not offsides

Did Reyna get fouled on this play?

Happy to be back on the Tourney fields – for Boys Showcase – Mike Arrington, Mike Von Duhn and Shane Best

Shane, Daekh Seyid and Matt Von Duhn Friday at the Showcase at Grand Park

USMNT Player Tracker: Dest disaster, Wright’s toenail and Richards thriving

By Greg O’KeeffeApr 22, 2024

Heartache for Sergino Dest, Haji Wright’s Wembley star turn and Chris Richards’ happy comeback play a part in this week’s USMNT player tracker.

Each Monday, we update you on how American players in leagues around Europe fared over the weekend.

With a Copa America to host this year and the 2026 World Cup, also partially on home soil, looming ever larger on the horizon, we are keeping tabs on how they are performing.

How to follow the Copa America on The Athletic…

Issue of the weekend

Dest will almost certainly endure a deeply disappointing end to a wonderful season.

His misfortune on Saturday morning, suffering a knee injury that may sideline him until next year, could barely have come at a worse time.

The USMNT defender had become a mainstay of the national team while enjoying one of the best campaigns of his club career at PSV Eindhoven on loan from Barcelona.

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Now he will be forced to watch from the stands as what he helped create — an almost unbeaten league season, with PSV on course to become champions in May — unfolds without one of its main protagonists.

But even worse for the 23-year-old will be missing out on his second major tournament for the national team.

Dest has been a key performer in PSV’s outstanding campaign (ANP via Getty Images)

Dest played in each of the USMNT’s four games at the Qatar 2022 World Cup and was likely to remain one of the first names on Gregg Berhalter’s team sheet at this summer’s Copa America. Now the USMNT manager has some thinking to do.

Joe Scally, the team’s other bespoke right-back, has put together a decent season at Borussia Monchengladbach. He is 21 and, although his starting place has looked less certain in recent weeks, Scally has been in the starting XI for the Bundesliga outfit on 22 occasions, garnering big-game experience. On Saturday, he was named on the bench but contributed an assist during his 21 minutes on the pitch during Gladbach’s 4-3 defeat at Hoffenheim.

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He will be in the mix to step into Dest’s boots this summer, but if Berhalter wants to try to emulate the attacking threat Dest brings, he might need to get creative — perhaps using Juventus’ Timothy Weah as a wing-back or even his club team-mate Weston McKennie.

AC Milan’s Yunus Musah could perform there and Westerlo’s 22-year-old full-back Bryan Reynolds offers another solution if Berhalter does not want to diminish his central midfield options by dragging a key man out wide.

Whatever the fix, it is a headache the national team coach could do without.

Dest competes with Mexico’s Gerardo Arteaga during the CONCACAF Nations League final in March (Stephen Nadler/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Player of the weekend

Ever the man for the big stage, Sunday brought another show-stopping moment Haji Wright will never forget.

In late 2022, he scored for the USMNT against the Netherlands in Qatar, and this weekend saw him almost help create one of the FA Cup’s great fairy tales. Wright’s penalty meant Coventry City, from England’s second tier, recovered from 3-0 down to force Manchester United into extra time in a thrilling semi-final at Wembley.

Wright scores from the spot (Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)

City pushed the Premier League giants to the brink and almost made it to the final, only for Victor Torp’s stoppage-time strike to be ruled out for a negligible VAR offside call, made against Wright.

In the end, a penalty shootout decided the pulsating tie and Wright confidently netted his side’s first after United’s Casemiro saw his effort saved.

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Yet it was not to be for the Californian and his plucky team-mates as United eventually prevailed and reached the final next month against rivals Manchester City.

Wright has been a goalscoring threat for Coventry all season, as can be seen from the variety of his shot map below.

“We get the equaliser from the penalty spot and it’s brilliantly dispatched from Wright,” said proud manager Mark Robins afterwards. “(Then) we’re back in it and, 20 seconds from the end of extra time, we get what feels like to be the winner, but it’s a toenail offside. I don’t know how unlucky we can be.

“They’ve written themselves into the history of this football club with the way they’ve come back in this football game, they have to be proud of themselves. It’s just really sad we couldn’t see it through.”

Coventry’s nervous support wait for Wright to find the back of the net (Nigel French/PA Images via Getty Images)

Quote of the weekend

Dest’s immediate future may be shrouded in doubt, but he can take solace that PSV remain keen to keep him permanently.

His Barcelona contract runs until June 2025, but with uncertainty over whether the wing-back will be part of the club’s plans next season, PSV president Marcel Brands has made it clear the Dutch club want to sign him regardless of his injury.

“We were in negotiations with him (Dest) and his agent last week,” Brands told Voetbal International. “Yes, that’s going in the right direction. We have to wait and see how or what, but we believe in Sergino and he will get fit again. We would love to keep him with PSV.

“’We had to convince him, but he became more and more enthusiastic and is having a good time. That’s why he wanted to talk to PSV about staying longer.”

Dest, Tillman, Pepi interview: The quest to become ‘invincible’ at PSV and hopes for World Cup

How did other U.S. players get on?

Name: Zyen Jones
Club: Kosice
Position: Right midfield
Appearances (all competitions): 11
Goals: Two

The 23-year-old created his side’s winning goal in a key fixture of the Slovakian top flight’s relegation battle on Friday. Kosice are three points clear of the drop and Jones, who joined in January, has one goal and two assists in six league appearances.

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Name: Josh Sargent
Club: Norwich City
Position: Striker
Appearances: 26
Goals: 15

Sargent was the provider for team-mate Borja Sainz on Saturday as Norwich drew 1-1 with Bristol City to retain their position in the Championship’s final play-off place with two games remaining.

Sainz and Sargent celebrate Norwich’s equaliser (MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Name: Gianluca Busio
Club: Venezia
Position: Midfield
Appearances: 34
Goals: Seven

The 21-year-old was the star man with his side’s second goal in their 2-1 win at Leco on Saturday, a result that kept Venezia third in Serie B and in contention for promotion. It was his seventh goal of the season.

Name: Chris Richards
Club: Defender
Position: Crystal Palace
Appearances: 26
Goals: One

It was a hugely successful return from injury for the USMNT international as he completed the 90 minutes of Palace’s emphatic 5-2 win against West Ham United, playing a significant role in winning back the ball in the build-up to the hosts’ second goal.

Richards had missed his side’s previous three games with a hamstring problem but slotted back into Oliver Glasner’s three-man defence as Palace edged further clear of trouble.

The Athletic FC: ‘Last Dance’ over for Klopp at Liverpool? Plus: Outrageous Mbappe nutmeg

By Phil Hay The Athletic Apr 25, 2024

The Athletic FC ⚽ This is The Athletic’s daily football/soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive it directly in your inbox.

Hello! You know what they say. Don’t cry because it’s ending. Smile because it happened.

On the way today:

😔 Liverpool and Klopp. Game over?

👀 Mbappe ending careers before they begin

💰 Who lives in an £800m ($1bn) home like this? NYCFC…

🏡 Xavi staying at Barcelona

Klopp’s ‘Last Dance’ looking unlikely at Liverpool

All good things are destined to end. Like Jurgen Klopp’s record at Goodison Park. Like Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.

True, Liverpool aren’t finished. Not mathematically. It’s three points to the top of the Premier League table, or four if we factor in Arsenal’s goal difference.

But losing away at Everton — their Merseyside rivals who took a step closer to survival — last night, the derby Klopp had never lost at Goodison in all his time, is probably the end for him. He knows it, and so do Liverpool.

Klopp consoles Diaz (Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

Were the title a two-horse race, he could pray for salvation. But Arsenal and Manchester City — who are a point behind Klopp’s side with two games in hand — both imploding in the few games that are left? We’re somewhere between no chance and none.

How quickly this turned — from a near-flawless run of results to a chaotic FA Cup defeat to Manchester United in mid-March which provoked a chain of negative reactions.

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Klopp said he was resigning because he was weary. Liverpool, in tandem and as a project, have begun to look weary too. And suddenly in need of the reset that’s coming their way.

Do players ‘really want to win the league’?

Two post-match comments at Goodison jumped out at me. The first was Klopp describing Liverpool’s counter-pressing as “horrible”. That’s an indictment of one of their biggest strengths under him.

The second was Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk questioning whether they “really want to win the league”. Which was him on the verge of saying no — and conceding that they won’t.

From the moment Klopp announced he would resign at the end of the season, this became his version of ‘The Last Dance’, that immense documentary about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. The month behind Klopp has been more like Netflix’s Tour De France series: an elite rider broken by a Hors Categorie climb.

Klopp’s record as he prepares to bow out: seven major trophies in just under nine years, including a Premier League and a Champions League. Understanding him as we do, he’d have wanted more.

But he had the misfortune of coming up against a Manchester City team beyond compare and despite that, he took Liverpool back to the top table. Anfield’s love has been well-earned.

Klopp and Van Dijk (Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)

How to Slot in?

Perhaps there is an upside to Liverpool’s downturn.

Klopp no longer looks like an impossible void to fill. Liverpool no longer look like they are losing a coach at his absolute peak. His expressions of fatigue sound honest, and are reflected in his body language.

Perhaps, on reflection, a new broom is just the ticket.

Liverpool are fishing for Feyenoord’s Arne Slot. They got nowhere with a first offer of just under £8million ($10m) but last night’s defeat will only deepen their resolve in negotiations.

Until very recently, replacing Klopp resembled a hospital pass. As it is, and as James Pearce writes, a rebuild is now much easier to embrace. It’s been some ride for Liverpool. But nothing lasts forever.

WATCH: Brighton and Hove Albion vs Manchester City, 3pm ET / 8pm UK. Premier League. USA Network, Sky Sports

Mbappe’s masterful ‘megs + assist

Thoughts and prayers with Nathaniel Adjei. There he was, minding his own business with Lorient in France, when Kylian Mbappe made his name go viral.

You might remember the piece we did recently on the Chigwada spin: a mad bit of skill by Manchester City youngster David Chigwada. Watch it 10 times and you still won’t be sure exactly how he pulled it off.

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Mbappe does tricks like that in his sleep and here he is destroying Adjei with a brutal nutmeg (more on the art of the nutmeg here) in Paris Saint-Germain’s 4-1 away win last night. I hate to say it but Adjei, who’s only 21, might just have experienced the most high-profile moment of his career.

(Video is here for readers in U.S)

Xavi U-turn

From the vaults of the unexpected — Xavi is staying on as Barcelona manager next season.

Why unexpected? Because he announced that he was quitting a while back and has given the impression of being thoroughly sick of life at Camp Nou, calling it a ‘cruel job’. Ever heard of the Barca entorno?

Not only that, in the past week Barca have dropped out of the running in La Liga and the Champions League. But an emergency meeting with president Joan Laporta turned everything on its head. We’re expecting a formal announcement today.

This got me thinking. If U-turns are in vogue, any chance that Bayern Munich go into reverse gear with Thomas Tuchel?

How the USMNT could replace Sergiño Dest for the Copa America

By Jeff Rueter

Sergiño Dest put together the best season of his young career in 2023-24.

On loan at PSV Eindhoven from Barcelona, he eclipsed 2,000 league minutes — a clear breakthrough after a few nomadic seasons in Spain and on another loan to AC Milan. He was a fixture of PSV’s ongoing quest for an Eredivisie title, starting in all 25 of his league appearances while making another 12 appearances (11 starts) in the UEFA Champions League and the KNVB Beker.

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Monday brought sobering news: The full back had suffered a knee injury in training on Saturday, with an early prognosis ruling him out for up to nine months.

That’s a big loss for PSV’s final four games, and arguably an even bigger one for the USMNT as it seeks to make a run in this summer’s Copa America. Ever since 2022 World Cup qualifying, he’s owned the right back position like few others have in any role under Gregg Berhalter.

USMNT Player Tracker: Dest disaster, Wright’s toenail and Richards thriving

Of course, time only moves forward. The Copa América will kick off on June 20, with the USMNT first taking the field on June 23 against Bolivia. Only two months remain for players to firm up their cases for inclusion — and, in the wake of Dest’s injury, for someone else to step up as the team’s first-choice right back.

Whoever steps up, though, the U.S. won’t find another player like Dest. His commitment to ball progression, chance creation (‘SCA’ in the table below means ‘shot-creating actions’) and the audacity to set up his shot comprise a rare blend for a fullback. Add in Dest’s press-resistant dribbling, and the USMNT has a way to break lines even when opponents are adequately stifling primary passing lanes.

How to follow the Copa America on The Athletic…

The U.S. pool simply doesn’t offer a like-for-like replacement. As such, most viable alternatives will require reconfiguring how the U.S. center backs and midfielders patrol space in all phases of play.

Among those alternatives, one option immediately figures to have an inside track on the role.

Joe Scally

A member of Berhalter’s squad for the 2022 World Cup, Scally has now cemented himself as a fixture of Borussia Mönchengladbach’s defense in the German Bundesliga. Although Gladbach’s season hasn’t gone as hoped, sitting 12th in the Bundesliga and four points above the relegation playoff place, Scally has now started 20+ games for them in three consecutive campaigns.

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On the same day that Dest injured his knee, Scally came off the bench away at Hoffenheim. He provided an assist — his third of the year, a new career high — but was unable to catalyze a full comeback as Mönchengladbach lost 4-3.

Regardless of the results, though, Scally cuts an entirely different figure as a defender than Dest.

The Bundesliga’s playstyle is generally less free-flowing than the Eredivisie, which does cut into his ability to progress the ball to some extent. So too does Scally’s versatility – he is occasionally used as a left back, right midfielder and even center back.

Still, Scally doesn’t carry that same upfield compass that guides Dest’s every decision. Instead, he’s a more traditional full back. USMNT fans of a certain vintage might compare him to Steve Cherundolo: prone to slinging effective short passes and prioritizing his defensive responsibilities over the attacking stuff.

All said, his regular involvement in a league that is among the world’s best sets him apart from the rest of the pool.

The rest of the pool

Scally and Dest were two of four right backs to make Berhalter’s 26-man roster for the World Cup in Qatar. In the ensuing year and a half, however, both Shaq Moore and DeAndre Yedlin have faded from consideration for a full-strength USMNT compared to Dest and Scally.

Moore has had a rough start to the 2024 MLS season, although the same can be said for the entire team around him. Nashville’s system utilizes his long distribution frequently, but this season he’s performed just below league average in terms of tackling and allowing opposing dribblers to bypass him. Still, he’s a known entity in Berhalter’s planning and could allow for steady progress with his passing.

Yedlin has benefited greatly since being traded to FC Cincinnati from Inter Miami in March. The move from one of MLS’s most porous defenses to one of its best has allowed him to be a bit more aggressive with peace of mind that his teammates will be up to bail out any miscue. Although he’ll turn 31 in July, he’s also displayed an uptick in his upfield carrying volume, albeit not quite at the same rapid rate as when he broke out a decade ago. His crossing isn’t quite up to positional standard, but the 81-cap veteran could be a viable alternative to Scally in big games.

MLS Takeaways: Vancouver Whitecaps early dominance; Inter Miami’s squad depth support

Reggie Cannon has been a steady on-ball defender since joining Queens Park Rangers this September. In his first season in the EFL Championship, he’s let opponents dribble past him just 15.2% of the time – one of the best marks in the league. The problem? Despite this strong run of form, manager Martí Cifuentes (appointed a month after Cannon signed) dropped the former FC Dallas defender from his lineup in February, opting to start center back Jimmy Dunne in a wide role. That lack of minutes could cost Cannon a chance at the Copa América roster, as he’ll struggle to return to peak form in time for the tournament.

The final pair of right backs who may be in contention seemed destined to make the Olympic roster before Dest’s injury. Bryan Reynolds has been a fixture of the U-23 side throughout its preparations, benefitting from earning regular starts in the Belgian Pro League with Westerlo.

Reynolds also started regularly at last summer’s Gold Cup under interim B.J. Callaghan, which could give him a leg up over Nathan Harriel. The Philadelphia Union homegrown is untested at the senior international level but is among MLS’s best one-on-one defenders. If either is picked for the Copa América, it could open the door for Jake Davis (another strong tackler who developed in central midfield) to crack the Olympic roster.

Tim Weah has been used as a right wingback with Juventus (Click Thompson/Getty Images)

The curveballs

If one of the above options doesn’t cut it for Gregg Berhalter, he may be able to find a solution by moving a versatile starter to the back four. Each has viable alternatives who could fill their place if they need to be relocated for the good of their country.

Tyler Adams’ return from a lengthy injury layoff was a sight for sore eyes at the Nations League. The Bournemouth midfielder has played just 211 minutes for club and country since his hamstring tear in March 2023, but he looked like his typically vital self during his two Nations League appearances last month. There’s some precedent for Adams at right back – he played there for the U.S. occasionally in the 2022 World Cup cycle. However, it’s a physically demanding role, and his recent injury history might not allow for it.

Weston McKennie’s best shift at the 2022 World Cup came as something of a right wingback. Against England, the midfielder lived in the right half-space to create a numerical overload that helped the United States in possession and frustrated the Three Lions’ build-up when the ball changed hands. However, he’s had a truly resurgent season for Juventus as a box-to-box midfielder, doing his usual all-around stuff while adding better pass selection and creativity in the heart of the park. While Luca de la Torre (or Gio Reyna, if he isn’t used on the wing) could take his place were he to move to right back, it may create more midfield imbalance than ideal.

Instead, the best bet among projected USMNT starters may be a few lockers down in the Juventus dressing room. This year, Massimiliano Allegri has utilized Tim Weah as a right wingback. The gambit worked wonders until recent weeks, where a poor run of form has Allegri shuffling his lineup on a weekly basis in hopes of keeping his job. At the club’s heights this fall and winter, however, Weah brought his usual direct speed into the role with great success, also showcasing impressive tackling acumen for a career forward.

Although he plays slightly more advanced for his club than he would for the U.S., his movement patterns are closer to Dest’s than a lot of the aforementioned alternatives. Weah has had a full season to get used to making downhill runs against more congested defenses than he finds on the wing, which would cut down on his learning curve tremendously. He would also benefit from having McKennie play in a similar spot as he does for Juventus, allowing for second-nature interplay between the pair as Weah builds a rapport with the center backs.

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Moving Weah off of the right wing would also open that role up for Christian Pulisic. The USMNT star has been among the best wide attackers in Europe, enjoying an emphatic bounce-back campaign with AC Milan after some lean years at Chelsea. That uptick has coincided with a shift from his previous role on the left to playing on the right – the same role he played during his breakout with Borussia Dortmund.

The 25-year-old has more than held his own while sharing a forward line with Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud, with 13 goals and 8 assists across 3,169 minutes in all competitions.

Compared to his form with Milan, Pulisic seemed to play less freely in the Nations League. At times against Jamaica and Mexico, he was caught in two minds as he navigated the final third in a role that has never quite brought out his best.

If Pulisic were to shift, the left wing has capable alternatives: Reyna for a creative spark and Haji Wright as an in-form wide forward, to name two.

If there’s a silver lining to be found around Dest’s injury, perhaps it’s the potential for a shake-up that keeps the USMNT from replicating the worryingly stale first 90 minutes against Jamaica. Not only would it put the team’s best player into his best role, but it would also make the USMNT harder to gameplan for due to a lack of previous utilization. Sometimes, those tweaks can make a major difference in a knockout format.

(Top photos: David Jensen/Getty Images; John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

USWNT Olympic roster prediction 2.0: How things look after the SheBelieves Cup

COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 9: USWNT waiting patiently during penalty kicks round during the SheBelieves Cup Final between Canada and USWNT at Lower.com Field on April 9, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

By Meg Linehan, Steph Yang, and Jeff Rueter THe Athletic Apr 20, 2024

As the interim head coach era of the U.S. women’s national team comes to a close, it’s time for a fresh round of evaluating who’s in and who’s out of Olympic roster contention. In less than four months, new head coach Emma Hayes will have to select just 18 players to take to France. Former USWNT midfielder Sam Mewis recently described the math equation she used when she was trying to figure out if she was in contention for a roster. Mewis would make her own depth chart, writing out the defenders, midfielders, and forwards in her hotel room. It’s likely the current U.S. group is doing the math now after two SheBelieves games, with both requiring comeback victories and the team needing penalties – again – to dispatch Canada.In Columbus, defender Tierna Davidson hinted at balancing the anxiety that leads to hotel room math with every athlete’s mantra about controlling the controllable. “I think for all of us, it’s just taking everything with a grain of salt and to just give everybody a little bit of space to be making the decision that they’re making, and to see different pictures on the field,” Davidson said. “We all know that nothing is guaranteed as a new coach comes in. So I think everyone (is) trying to put their best foot forward but also understanding that it is an unorthodox time for both us as players and the coaching staff, the technical staff as a whole.”As we guess at our Olympic roster 2.0 (see our first edition here), interim head coach Twila Kilgore’s summary of any roster construction provides good context.

“It’s not about young or old or less experienced or more experienced. It’s about getting the right combinations of players with the right amount of experience and different strengths and weaknesses where they can cover each other in different areas and also have some chemistry and make sure that they’re all able to highlight their strengths,” she said.

Now that SheBelieves is over, and Zambia has officially completed the USWNT’s Olympic group, it’s up to Hayes to determine the final roster — with just two international windows to do so.

The Athletic’s Olympic squad right now:

Goalkeepers (2): Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars), Casey Murphy (NC Courage)

Defenders (6): Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave), Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC), Abby Dahlkemper (SD Wave), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Crystal Dunn (Gotham FC), Jenna Nighswonger (Gotham FC),

Midfielders (5): Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC), Lindsey Horan (Lyon), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Catarina Macario (Chelsea), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC)

Forwards (5): Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars), Alex Morgan (SD Wave), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (SD Wave)

Goalkeepers

Meg: I don’t think this combo will surprise anyone. Alyssa Naeher should have done a bit better on that super-quick Japan goal in Atlanta, but it was Canada’s opening goal that’s more troublesome when you’re thinking about your starting goalkeeper. Her form so far this year has been very solid — vintage, in many ways — and she reminded everyone to settle down with another absurd penalty shootout performance against Canada: three saves and a converted spot kick.

Jeff: I think we’ve all shared similar concerns about Naeher’s agility when converging on an open ball or reacting to a powerful shot. The former scenario played out Tuesday night and it cost the U.S. the opening goal. Unfortunately, there’s been very little rotation in net since the CONCACAF W Gold Cup group stage, and any alternative would need to start at least twice in June’s friendlies against South Korea to have any familiarity with the defenders. This is one area where Kilgore could have better prepared some viable alternatives in 2024.It’s also worth stressing that the chance for a player to parlay a really strong stretch with their club into a backup role — “pulling an Aubrey Kingsbury,” if you will — is lessened when the team will only bring two goalkeepers instead of three. Casey Murphy has been Naeher’s main alternative for the better part of four years, and I’d expect that to remain the case unless Hayes rates someone else.

Defenders

Here’s where we had the most debate this time around: do you bring three center backs and three outside backs? Two straight-up center backs and then maybe a defender who can slot centrally if you need them in a pinch? On the outside back front, do we need one of each, or better to have someone who can half-credibly cover both? Is it better to prioritize pure defense on these depth picks, or someone who can slot into the U.S.’s attacking patterns?

Girma is one of the few defenders from the USWNT’s World Cup roster who is still receiving regular starts. (Photo by Brad Smith, Getty Images for USSF)

Center backs

Meg: Everyone watching the opening SheBelieves Cup match was both praying and believing in the healthiest possible vibes for Naomi Girma after she was forced to exit the match in the 18th minute with what turned out to be a day-to-day thigh injury. It seems like the team is being super precautionary and not pushing it. As we discussed last time, Girma is name number one on the S-Tier mission-critical players for the Olympics. Davidson has inched closer to being that primary partner for her, but she might have some rough video review after this tournament going over two of the goals allowed.

Here’s our one shift of this Olympic roster as we move from 1.0 to 2.0: we’ve opted to add Abby Dahlkemper to the mix.

Steph: I think SheBelieves illustrated pretty neatly that you need a third center back as opposed to someone who can shift inside in a pinch. A dedicated center back is perhaps the one area where you don’t want versatility. You want a specialist who can do a few other things but is devoted primarily to being a center back. As we saw against Canada at SheBelieves, you lose a lot with Girma if you’re facing a team trying to play over your backline. Girma is exceptional in her ability to cover the long ball and to control the space to deny runners the ability to look at goal in the first place.

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Jeff: Another factor playing in Dahlkemper’s favor is her familiarity with the two other center backs. Tuesday marked the 15th time that she’s partnered with Davidson, albeit the first in nearly three years. She also plays alongside Girma for San Diego, ensuring that any pairing from that trio will have established familiarity at a time when so much of the squad will be acclimating on the fly.

Meg: There is still a chance for Alana Cook to sneak in for one final look, finally returning to the Reign as a sub in an NWSL match last month, but that feels more like a chance than a definite right now.

Nighswonger earned her first USWNT cap in December 2023 (Photo by Andrea Vilchez, Getty Images for USSF)

Outside backs

Steph: Jenna Nighswonger has moved up to at least A-Tier for me, which we described last time as someone around whom to build the roster. I think Nighswonger has shown she’s a big piece of the USWNT’s ability to press, especially enabling Mal Swanson to go full Mal Swanson in their left-side progression.

Jeff: Nighswonger has provided width that was sorely lacking during the Vlatko Andonovski era, where both fullbacks tucked into the midfield rather than running the flank. While Fox is still doing that inverted wingback work on the right, having Nighswonger offer width and progression on the left gives a different element in the build-up — the U.S. sorely missed this in the first half against Canada, and moving upfield along the left was a slog.

Do we think Crystal Dunn knows what her role is moving forward? I wouldn’t be surprised if she is preferred to Nighswonger in the short term, but I still want to know if Hayes will keep her at left back or finally, mercifully, unleash her in midfield.

Meg: I really rate Casey Krueger, and think she should be on the USWNT. This 18-player roster is a killer.

Jeff: Kilgore did opt to bring Krueger in to replace Dunn on Tuesday rather than Nighswonger. It may have just been minute management at Gotham’s request, but we’ve also seen Krueger play right, center, and left in the past few months. If we’re highlighting versatility within the pool, she’s checked all the boxes.

Midfielders

Meg: Somehow, the one from the midfield I’m most on the fence about right now is Rose Lavelle, which isn’t anything Lavelle has done. She missed out on this camp due to injury. Assuming she’s healthy this summer (which, to be fair, sometimes is a greater assumption than anyone would prefer), she still has to make the trip. The USWNT has some different looks at the No. 10 now though, with Jaedyn Shaw getting the nod against Brazil. Catarina Macario could also slot there (or, as always: Dunn).

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Steph: I think Olivia Moultrie is a little extraneous if a roster has to get trimmed to 18, and I say that only in the context of that trimming and not at all as a referendum on her talent or ability to play at this level. It’s just that with Macario and Shaw in the mix, and especially if Lavelle gets healthy in time, I think it pushes her down the list a bit. Even though I think she’s on track to eventually work her way deeper into this team.

Lavelle was left off the SheBelieves roster due to injury. (Photo by Omar Vega, Getty Images)

Jeff: If you were listing the 18 most talented players in the pool, or the 18 most important, I wouldn’t spare a thought at listing all three of Lavelle, Macario and Shaw before I even get to the difficult decisions. But with so many high-caliber forwards and wingers, and Horan being a two-way threat, can you afford to take three attacking midfielders and punt on depth elsewhere?

If there’s one thing I’m confident about, it’s that the roster’s biggest snub will either be an attacking midfielder (Lavelle seems most tenuous given her struggles to stay healthy since 2022) or a winger.

Meg: It feels safe enough to note that we know what we’re getting with Horan in this midfield, so let’s move to the No. 6. Sam Coffey has had a very strong start to her 2024. At this point, do we think she’s done enough to cement not just a spot on the 18-player roster for France, but as the team’s starting defensive midfielder?

Jeff: I think so. I’m not an NWSL awards voter, but I would’ve had Coffey as my MVP last season for her work with Portland. She plays with a willingness to advance into the final third only when necessary, which keeps a midfield safety net to stifle a counterattack if the U.S. turns the ball over. Her long distribution can also help unlock the team’s wingers in all phases, and she’s looked the part against high-caliber opponents.

We’ve already rattled off a lot of names we’d want to bring, but we should probably address what the past couple of weeks could mean for Korbin Albert’s hopes of inclusion. The midfield is incredibly crowded right now; we haven’t even brought up World Cup call-ups like Savannah DeMelo, Ashley Sanchez or Andi Sullivan, or the long-awaited inclusion of Jaelin Howell. Hayes’ Chelsea often plays with two midfield pivots in front of the back line, so there could be room for a non-attacking inclusion at the expense of a playmaker.

Still, Albert’s overcommitment against Brazil made her easy to bypass in the Gold Cup final, and the very real locker room chemistry concerns could make this a tournament roster too soon.

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Meg: We’re not in that locker room, but those concerns are definitely heightened for an 18-player roster. I think the federation is largely satisfied with her public apology over her social media activity, but I also think that the USWNT technical staff have better options right now for soccer reasons, too.

Morgan has adapted to a new role with the young USWNT. (Photo by Carmen Mandato, Getty Images for USSF)

Forwards

Jeff: This is another area where the only real change from a month ago is an unfortunate injury. Midge Purce was at the top of my “tough omission” list after the Gold Cup, but an ACL tear has ruled her out for the Olympics and all of 2024. A player like Macario or Lavelle could be moved into a new role under Hayes and play as more of a winger, but beyond that, we’re likely talking about the same group of players with similar feelings about each.

Meg: For all the discourse on Alex Morgan, I think she’s going — and it feels like the players agree, based on this quote from Trinity Rodman in Columbus: “Alex is just a voice that we need with the experience. Being in the center, being the person that’s initiating press and attack, I think to have that voice, have that experience, have that veteran status is really good for us to build off of. And also just energy-wise, I think she sets the tone really well.” For as much as we talked about all those options at the No. 10, this team also has plenty at striker, but Morgan’s once again pulled off the return to the USWNT.

Steph: The forward group has been a historically delightful problem for coaches to solve. This team has never lacked scoring talent.

(Photo: Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

U.S. Soccer took a gamble waiting for Emma Hayes, leaving USWNT’s style of play in limbo

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 06: Alyssa Naeher #1 of the United States watches as Fuka Nagano #10 of Japan strikes the ball during the first half in the 2024 SheBelieves Cup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on April 06, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

By Jeff Rueter The Athletic – Apr 12, 2024

In November, U.S. Soccer gambled that it was worth sacrificing a year of continuous preparation under a permanent manager to hire Emma Hayes. For eight months following the 2023 World Cup, interim management has overseen the U.S. women’s national team. To her credit, Twila Kilgore’s tenure as placeholder helped turn over the player pool and saw her team win a pair of tune-up competitions this spring.Still, it’s been a lost year for the program at a time when it was in sore need of a clear new vision. Hayes’ first games as USWNT manager in June are still two months away, bringing the post-World Cup interlude to 10 months — and a full seven months from her appointment in November.With the CONCACAF W Gold Cup and SheBelieves Cup in the rearview, it’s time to take stock. Is the program any better prepared to contend at the Paris Olympics than it was when Sweden knocked it out of the World Cup?

The 2023 World Cup cycle (and, by association, the Vlatko Andonovski era) stands out as the low point for the USWNT on the field.The belated 2020 Olympics was a warning sign, as an aging core entered with varying levels of fitness amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team played every game in empty stadia, a far cry from the raucous support it so often enjoys in major tournaments, and the team was ultimately eliminated by Canada in the semifinal.Rather than heeding lessons from that tournament, Andonovski largely ran it back for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The team’s style of play often looked languid as it failed to breach the final third. Multiple players failed to see the field for a single minute as the U.S. advanced from its group thanks in part to a friendly goalpost against Portugal. The relief was short-lived as the U.S. fell to another longtime rival, Sweden, in a round of 16 penalty shootout.Advanced metrics show that the U.S. did do some good things in its four games at the tournament. No team allowed fewer shots per 90 than the squad’s 4.6, and its average xG per 90 advantage of 2.14-0.32 certainly screams “contender” in isolation. However, the issues with build-up and chance creation were clear.The team progressed up the field quickly enough, ranking 11th in the tournament field with a direct speed of 1.71 meters advanced upfield per second of possession.

Speed isn’t everything. Tournaments are notorious for eliciting small sample size judgments, and the trendline is far from definitive. Nevertheless, none of the 10 teams that ranked higher in direct speed advanced any further in the tournament than the round of 16.Progressing the ball upfield with pace is a helpful tool in transition, but the USWNT seemed devoid of ideas once it met the opposing defense in the final third. All four teams that had a more rapid direct speed also bowed out in the round of 16. Unsurprisingly, all five teams that averaged fewer goals per 90 than the U.S. also failed to reach the quarterfinal or further.Playing direct and sharp final third decision-making shouldn’t be treated as a mutually exclusive proposition, mind you. Given the talent at the USWNT’s disposal, there’s the potential to create a near unstoppable balance in attack. With the benefit of hindsight, the federation wanted to ensure the team was better equipped to make smart decisions to score with dependability.

“There was definitely a sense that we need to be better with the ball and have more solutions,” U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker said in September. The federation polled players during the coaching search and much of the focus from the tactical feedback involved building the attack, playing through the midfield and having “creative solutions in tight spaces, having the players and the tactics to beat the low block.”After spending an entire cycle moving the ball despite its midfield — the Prayer Circle Formation, as Kim McCauley so brilliantly branded it — they wanted to make use of their engine room.Enter Hayes, a tactical chameleon who’s well-versed in the art of breaking down low blocks at the helm of her Chelsea juggernaut. She plans for the opponent rather than coaching from dogmatic principles. Each game’s instructions are curated with one aim in mind: winning, above all else.You can see the appeal at surface level, hiring a coach who habitually works to overcome the type of cynical tactics that sunk the team last summer. The catch: the team would have to wait while Hayes admitted her “full focus and attention is on what I do for Chelsea” until that season’s end.

If there’s a highlight performance over the last 10 months, it came in the Gold Cup quarterfinal against Colombia. In the preceding group stage, the USWNT was frustrated by opponents like Argentina and Mexico sitting in a low block as Kilgore maintained a possession-oriented structure perhaps too closely akin to Andonovski’s. Patterns of ball circulation slowed the team’s build-up, giving all too much time for defensive-minded opponents to get into their ideal placements.Colombia was a World Cup quarterfinalist last summer, blessed with one of the world’s great young attackers, Linda Caicedo, and a team that suited her skillset on the break. Kilgore strove to exploit those tendencies by letting her team play direct. It achieved two things: greater attacking intensity going forward, and fewer turnovers in the defensive half that would cater to Colombia’s strengths. A 3-0 win was a statement that the USWNT was back with a point to prove.

Direct again: How USWNT’s new old approach lends flexibility going forward

Taking a similar scoring initiative was impossible in a rain-soaked semifinal slog against Canada, and the team opted for a more controlled style of play in the final against Brazil, winning 1-0. It got results, ensuring the team won the inaugural Gold Cup.Still, the team wasn’t showcasing the type of consistent goalscoring necessary to be better prepared for the Olympics than it was in the World Cup. Fortunately, SheBelieves was right around the corner, providing another pair of games against high-level opponents to showcase Crocker’s desired “creative solutions in tight spaces.”Japan had other ideas. Kiko Seike became the first player to score against the USWNT in a game’s opening minute since 2003, putting the hosts at an early 1-0 deficit. With some savvy high-pressing the U.S. equalized 20 minutes later before a 77th-minute penalty kick sealed a 2-1 win for the U.S. It was a professional result, but not a showcase of the principles U.S. Soccer strove to install.Up next came Canada, which saw Kilgore drop one of her usual four attacking players for a second pivot at the base of midfield. Intentional or otherwise, this saw the team revert to their Prayer Circle tendencies.“Our attack is not built around one individual player and that is by design,” Kilgore said ahead of the final. “It’s important that we have the ability to score goals from a variety of different ways. And even though we have these predictable moments for us that we’re looking for, it’s important that different people are filling different roles and able to recognize when they’re the one that needs to maybe make an early run or get out ahead of the opponent for a cross.”Just over five minutes into the final against Canada, the USWNT seemed to look through its variety of chance-creation methods after a Lindsey Horan tackle sprung Sophia Smith on the counter.

Huh, that’s a let-off for Canada. Time to set up for another wave of attack.

Oh no, not the Prayer Circle.

No, no, no , no, no, no —

Over half an hour later, Canada opened the scoring after a miscommunication between goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and her defense. Once again, the United States was forced to react to the game after allowing the opponent to establish its terms.

Ultimately, a fresh batch of Naeher shootout heroics saw the USWNT become SheBelieves champions again. The two conceded goals could be chalked up to individual errors.

https://68d9e4a18cf6673b7b5917fd9e5a2e1f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

Then again, the same could be said for the USWNT’s showing last summer: a team largely in control of games, but not showing enough bite to convert ball retention into goals — all while being prone to gaffes.

Is this team really better equipped to contend at these Olympics than it was last year?

If we’re looking for evidence of progress since August, we’ll need to start by looking at individual players. Alex Morgan struggled in the World Cup, but her gritty line-leading work was vital to the proactive success against Colombia. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario returned from injuries that limited their 2023 involvement and largely kept pace with the game around them.

The aftermath of the World Cup was always bound to see some program mainstays give way to the next generation. Julie Ertz and Megan Rapinoe both had send-off games, while captain Becky Sauerbrunn has faded from involvement. Horan has stepped up as a team leader, while Naomi Girma is already similarly impactful despite being just 23.

Young players benefited from Kilgore’s call-ups. Jenna Nighswonger has been a breath of fresh air at left back, providing sorely needed width in the build-up in a role that was previously instructed to tuck into midfield under Andonovski. Jaedyn Shaw is the latest attacking revelation, showing precocious decision-making in transition while being a capable first-time finisher. Sam Coffey seems poised to be the team’s defensive midfielder of the future, and Korbin Albert’s all-around game makes her seem like a possible successor to Horan in midfield (pending the off-field issues that could impact her locker room standing).

Having promising young players step up is essential to overcoming a bad four-year spell. But how many players like Nighswonger, Shaw and Coffey will need to reassert their readiness once Hayes comes in? It’s remained an open question just how closely Hayes is watching and assessing her upcoming pool of players. If that answer is less than “with a keen eye,” they’ll need to ace their second first impression to stay ahead of more veteran alternatives.

Ultimately, no matter who makes the 18-player Olympic roster, we don’t know how they’ll look to play in Paris. The questions that hung over the program still don’t have definitive answers.

USWNT Olympic roster prediction after the SheBelieves Cup

In appointing a coach who couldn’t start her job for over half a year, the USSF gambled that her quality is so much more irresistible than any alternatives that it was worth spending half a year in purgatory.

The summer’s trio of friendlies come against South Korea and Mexico, both of which won’t partake in the Olympics, but will no doubt want to claim a win over one of the world’s most celebrated teams of any sport. They’ll provide tests at a time when Hayes will still be studying for answers.

https://68d9e4a18cf6673b7b5917fd9e5a2e1f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

Tuesday also saw the final member of the USWNT’s Olympic group qualify. Zambia joined the U.S., Germany and Australia in Group B. Australia was a semifinalist last summer. Germany has its point to prove after failing to advance from its group, while Zambia is riding high on the back of its first World Cup appearance. It won’t be a given that the U.S. will advance to the knockouts, to say nothing of its medal-winning ambitions.

It will be easy to spin a poor showing in Paris as a short-term sacrifice with a focus on the 2027 World Cup, which could potentially be played on home soil. That said, this isn’t a program that has ever treated any major tournament as a developmental tool. When the United States competes in a women’s soccer tournament, it’s there to win. That’s the benchmark that has been established for generations of players and one that the fans hold to account.

This summer, the players’ every performance will be scrutinized, and their future selections will hang in the balance more than Hayes’ job will (or should). If the program’s decision to spend so many months under interim leadership backfires, the blame will fall on them — and unfairly so.

(Photo: Brad Smith/Getty Images for USSF)

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4/19/24 US Ladies Beat Canada in ET, El Classico Madrid/Barcelona Sun 3, German top 5 battle Sun 11:30, FA Cup Sat/Sun

April 17, 2024April 20, 2024 gatorbest alex-morgan, american-outlaws, champions-league, europa-league, soccer, the-ole-ballcoach, us-women, usmnt, uswnt

Huge Weekend Games

El Classico this Sunday 3 pm on ESPN+ and ESPN Desportes. The last thing for Barcelona to play for as they travel to Real Madrid just 8 pts behind in the table with 4 games to go. In Germany Leverkusen has won the league but is looking to be the only team undefeated in league play in the top 5 leagues as they travel to Dortmund who needs to win to stay in the top 5 Champions League slots – that game is 11:30 am on ESPN2 Sunday. The EPL has Liverpool traveling to Fulham America to face American Jedi Robinson at 11:30 am Sunday on USA – as Liverpool must win to keep their title hopes alive. Arsenal travels to Wolverhampton Sat 2:30 pm on USA before hosting Chelsea on Tues at 3 pm on USA. Chelsea of course will face Man City in the FA Cup on ESPN+ Sat 12:15 pm from Wembley.

US Ladies Shootout Win over Canada

Wow what a special time to be on hand to see the USWNT hoist another trophy – this time the She Believe’s Cup Trophy at Columbus Crew Stadium. My daughter and I were lucky to be in the American Outlaws section behind the goal where US GK Alyssa Naeher refused to lose as she saved 3 and scored a goal of her own in leading the US ladies to a 2-2 (3-2) win over a solid Canadian Side. Sophia Smith struck this wonder goal just 5 into the 2^nd half before moving to the 9 spot as subs Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson added life in the 2^nd half on the wings as the young combo eventually fed Smith for the go ahead goal. (full highlights). I thought the reffing was horrific as the Concacaf crew was obviously not used to doing high level women’s games. Crystal Dunn’s penalty was mighty questionable to give Canada the tying goal with under 5 to play. The US certainly did miss Girma as Davidson and Dahlkemper struggled to hold Canada out of the US box – and Davidson especially looked horrific at times trying to work it out of play. All in all the US outplayed Canada and deserved to win the game.

It was great to see and be amongst the sold out crowd in Columbus following the sold out crowd (over 50K) in Atlanta over the weekend. We had an absolute blast watching from the American Outlaws Section – especially when all the players came up our aisle to receive their medals – European FA Cup Style. I was especially happy to see so very many youngsters in the stands – there were a ton of young girl soccer players there – speaks well to our future!! Here’s some quick pics and videos from the game. https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10161587182779104&id=501829103&mibextid=WC7FNe&rdid=hyLM9rF5RakR2VlM

Must See TV – Champions League Action is Unbelievable CBS 3 pm Wed

So sorry I didn’t get this out over the weekend or at least before today’s Champions League action – today’s Dortmund comeback to beat my Atletico and Barcelona’s choke job vs PSG was pure drama all game as multiple goals were scored and the game results were in question until the very end. Now I won’t use this space to talk about how ridiculous Europeans are to not have these games NOT Being played at the same exact time (but lets be real just because they invented the sport does not mean they know how to market it (idiots). Anyway Tuesday’s quarterfinals final legs were spectacular and Wed promises the same as Man City host Real Madrid tied at 2 @ 3 pm on CBS, while Bayern Munich host Arsenal also tied at 2 on Paramount +. The pregame and postgame action is on CBSSN so make plans now to cozy up to the bar or some TV or your phone tomorrow at work. Or at least tape the CBS game and watch the replay of Bayern vs Arsenal on CBSSN at 5 pm.

Europa League Thurs with Milan & Pulisic on CBSSN 3 pm, Liverpool, West Ham, Aston Villa

Europa League action wraps up with AC Milan and Pulisic & Musah tied at 1 traveling to Roma at 3 pm on CBSSN, while Liverpool is down 3 goals at Atalanta on Para+, and West Ham host the hottest team in the world Bayer Leverkusen down (1-3). Aston Villa travels to Lille at 12:45 pm Paramount plus. Oh and El Classico this Sunday 3 pm on ESPN+ and ESPN Desportes.

The ole ballcoach and daughter Courtney in the Outlaws Section !!

Full house in KC to see Messi and Miami take down Sporting KC – too bad the game wasn’t on TV! Stupid MLS !

Games on TV

Weds, Apr 17

3 pm CBS Bayern Munich 2 vs Arsenal 2 UCL

3 pm Para+, Tele Man City 2 vs Real Madrid 2 UCL

8 pm mls.com Indy 11 @ Chicago Fire US Open Cup

Thurs, Apr 18

12:45 Para+ Lille (france) vs Aston Villa

3 pm CBSSN Roma vs AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) Europa

3 pm Para+ Atalanta vs Liverpool

3 pm Para+ Leverkusen vs West Ham United

Sat, Apr 20

12”15 ESPN+ Man City vs Chelsea

12:30 pm ESPN+ Union Berlin ( ) vs Bayern Munich

1 pm CBS Washington Spirit vs NY/NJ Gotham FC NWSL

2:30 pm USA Wolverhampton vs Arsenal

7:30 pm Ion KC vs Bay FC NWSL

8 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Colorado Springs

10 pm ion Portland Thorns vs Houston Dash NWSL

10:30 pm ESPN+ Phoenix Rising vs Pittsburgh (Eric Dick GK)

Sun, Apr 21

8:30 am USA Everton vs Nottingham Forest

11:30 am USA Fulham (Jedi) vs Liverpool

11:30 pm ESPN2 Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen

3 pm ESPN+, des Real Madrid vs Barcelona El Classico

6 pm Fox Sport 1 Charlotte vs Min United

7:30 pm CBSSN Angel City vs NC Courage

8:15 pm FS1 LA Galaxy vs San Jose

June 27 Copa America US Men Play Panama

July 24 starts US U23 Men & US Women In Olympics

(American’s in Parenthesis)

How to Watch Indy Eleven USL Championship Action

Emma Hayes inherits a reinvigorated USWNT. But she faces new headaches

USWNT

USWNT player ratings: Smith, Naeher decisive in SheBelieves Cup triumph over Canada

Three thoughts as USWNT lifts SheBelieves Cup with shootout win over Canada

USWNT beats Canada for SheBelieves Cup win

SheBelieves Cup 2024 – USA 2(5)-2(4) Canada: A wild comeback win sees the Americans lift the trophy

SSFC Spotlight: Eva Gaetino receives first USWNT call-up By Brendan Joseph

Sophia Smith Scored both Goals from the Field for the US vs Canada

US Men

USMNT Midweek Viewers Guide – Europa League

Champions League

Man City’s ‘double-treble’ dream is over, but ‘worst week of season’ is not ESPN Rob Dawson

Bayern give inexperienced Arsenal a painful Champions League lesson

Arteta: Beating Bayern would transform Arsenal

Bellingham has chance to show why choosing Real Madrid over Man City was right decision

Kane: Bayern’s season a failure without UCL title

City boss Pep Guardiola ‘doesn’t fear’ Madrid

Mbappé seals PSG comeback to eliminate Barça

Mbappe: Matter of ‘pride’ to win UCL with PSG

Dortmund dump Atleti in 2nd leg to reach semis

‘Rollercoaster’ win ends ‘great day’ for Dortmund

Barça’s UCL exit sends Atletico to Club World Cup

Should Harry Kane have been sent-off against Arsenal? The Independent sports team have their say

Real Madrid’s comeback draw ‘felt like defeat’ despite Federico Valverde’s late leveller
Barcelona beat PSG in thriller to seize edge in Champions League tie
Kylian Mbappe anonymous as Barcelona edge PSG in Champions League thriller
Paris St-Germain 2-3 Barcelona: Raphinha outshines Kylian Mbappe as youngsters break records
Xavi hails ‘great victory’ as Barcelona grab advantage against PSG
Raphinha outshines Kylian Mbappe as Barcelona earn advantage over PSG in five-goal thriller
Paris St-Germain 2-3 Barcelona: Andreas Christensen hits winner in Champions League quarter-final first leg
Atletico will have to suffer at Dortmund: Griezmann
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Borussia Dortmund: Hosts edge first leg of Champions League quarter-final tie
Atletico hold on to keep narrow advantage on ‘nervous’ Dortmund

Liverpool ratings: Salah gets 6/10 but not enough as Atalanta eliminate Reds

Reffing

Xavi: ‘Disaster’ referee killed Barca’s UCL hopes

Controversy caps off wild Champions League night

Bayern Munich furious as ‘crazy’ Arsenal handball missed in 2-2 UCL tie

Goalkeeping

USMNT weekend viewing guide: Playing with the big boys now

Coventry gets their shot. By jcksnftsn Apr 19, 2024, 10:52am PDT

Southampton FC v Coventry City - Sky Bet Championship

There’s an exciting addition to our usual rundown this weekend with Haji Wright and Coventry City looking to play spoiler and continue their unlikely run in the FA Cup. That match will be on Sunday so first let’s take a look at the USMNT club matches we can watch on Friday and Saturday.

Friday

Caligari v Juventus – 2:45p on Paramount+

Timothy Weah has not made it off the bench in the past two matches though Weston McKennie continues to start for Juventus who have really trailed off in the back half of the Serie A season with just two wins in their last eleven league matches. They face Lazio on Tuesday in the second leg of their Copa Italia semi-final matchup so there may be a bit of squad rotation this weekend against fourteenth place Caligari. Juve do hold a twelve point lead for the final Champions League qualifying spot though Atalanta have a game in hand and if Juventus can’t get some wins they could actually make a run.

Saturday

Celta Vigo v Las Palmas – 8a on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+

Luca de la Torre has missed three straight matches due to injury but has been included in the matchday squad for Celta Vigo as they look to continue to hold off relegation this weekend. With seven matches remaining Celta are just three points out of the relegation positions in La Liga heading into their matchup with 12th place Las Palmas

Wolfsburg v Bochum – 9:30a on ESPN+

Kevin Paredes was back on the bench last weekend but did not play a week after missing due to injury. Prior to the injury Paredes had started nine straight matches. Wolfsburg have just one win in their last fourteen matches and currently sit just two points out of the relegation spot and one points ahead of this weekends opponent, Bochum.

Hoffenheim v Borussia Monchengladbach – 9:30a on ESPN+

Joe Scally did not make the field last weekend while Jordan Pefok came on as a substitute but had to come off ten minutes later due to an injury in Borussia Monchengladbach’s 2-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund. Gladbach’s opponent this weekend is Hoffenheim who are coming off a 4-1 loss to relegation threatened Mainz with John Brooks coming on in the 60th minute.

Heidenheim v RB Leipzig – 9:30a on ESPN+

Lennard Maloney has reclaimed his starting role for Heidenheim after returning from injury and played the full 90 minutes again last weekend in his team’s 1-1 draw with Bochum. Heidenheim sit in 10th place heading into their matchup with Leipzig this weekend with Leipzig looking to hold off Borussia Dortmund for fourth place and the final Champions League qualifying spot.

Union Berlin v Bayern Munich – 12:30p on ESPN+

Brenden Aaronson started his fourth straight match for Union Berlin last weekend but the team fell to Augsburg 2-0 and remain three points out of the relegation playoff spot just a year removed from Champions League qualification. They face a Bayern Munich side who have had their 11 year reign as Bundesliga champions come to an end as of last week but who also dismissed Arsenal from Champions League play mid-week.

Valencia v Real Betis – 12:30p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+

Johnny Cardoso started and went the full 90 for Real Betis last weekend as they snapped a four match losing streak by defeating Celta Vigo 2-1 last weekend. The result drew them within five points of Real Sociedad for sixth place and European competition qualification and they are currently two points back of this weekend’s opponent Valencia who are in seventh and have won two straight matches 1-0.

Sunday

Everton v Nottingham Forest – 8:30a on USA Network

Gio Reyna received his first start since joining Nottingham Forest last weekend and picked up an assist off a corner as Forest drew with Wolves to gain a point on Luton Town for the final relegation spot. This weekend’s match will be a key one for Forest as they take on an Everton side who are a point ahead of them in the standings with a game in hand and coming off a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea.

Aston Villa v Bournemouth – 10a on Peacock

Tyler Adams was held out again last weekend due to injury as Bournemouth drew with Manchester United 2-2. It’s a rough turn of events for Adams who had played in just two matches for Bournemouth before returning to the injury list. Bournemouth are squarely in the middle of the table from a points perspective while Aston Villa are currently holding on to fourth place, three points ahead of Tottenham.

Crystal Palace v West Ham – 10a on Peacock

Chris Richards has missed three straight due to injury but did return to training late this week for Crystal Palace who are coming off a shock 1-0 win over title contending Liverpool. With the win Palace pulled eight points out of the relegation scrap.

Coventry City v Manchester United – 10:30a on ESPN+

Haji Wright and Coventry City will look to continue their FA Cup run as they face Manchester United in the semifinals on Sunday. Coventry have seen their promotion hopes fade, falling eight points back of the playoff positions in the Championship but they can still make a splash this season. Coventry defeated Wolverhampton 3-2 in the quarterfinals after remarkably scoring a goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time followed by Wright’s game winner with the last kick of the match in the tenth minute of stoppage.

Brest v Monaco – 11:05a on beIN Sports

Folarin Balogun and third place Monaco face second place Brest on Sunday morning in Ligue One action. PSG have a solid grip on the league lead but with just three Champions League spots from Ligue One and Lille only three points back of Monaco (who trail Brest by a point) both teams have a lot to play for yet this season. Fulham v Liverpool – 11:30a on USA Network

Tim Ream was not included in the matchday squad last weekend but Antonee Robinson started yet again, he’s started all but one match this season, as Fulham defeated West Ham to move into twelfth place. They will take on a Liverpool side that is licking it’s wounds coming off being bounced from the Champions League quarterfinals by Atlanta and suffering a huge blow to their title hopes in a loss to Crystal Place last weekend that saw Manchester City take a two point advantage in the title race with six matches to play.

Arsenal, Liverpool’s moment of truth in Premier League title race

Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FCApr 19, 2024, 04:00 AM ET

Arsenal and Liverpool have their own problems right now as they attempt to reignite their Premier League title hopes. But the aching bodies, tired minds and damaged morale that managers Mikel Arteta and Jürgen Klopp must overcome are suddenly threatening to halt Manchester City and Pep Guardiola, too.If the Premier League trophy is to end the season decked in red ribbons rather than blue, this weekend is the final chance for both Arsenal and Liverpool to turn the screw on City and capitalise on their moment of weakness. By the time City return to Premier League action, at Brighton & Hove Albion next Thursday, Arsenal and Liverpool could be four points clear of Guardiola’s team. If that turns out to be the case, don’t underestimate the scale of the task facing the reigning champions.The sight of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne limping out of City’s Champions League quarterfinal defeat against Real Madrid on Wednesday, combined with the looks of exhaustion and failure on the faces of Guardiola and his players, has raised question marks over City’s ability to bounce back and win a fourth successive title. Who knows how significant a blow it will be to City to have their treble hopes extinguished by a penalty shootout defeat? But having gone 27 games without walking off the pitch in defeat — yes, they technically drew over 120 minutes against Madrid, but try telling Guardiola and his players they didn’t lose the game — City have now lost the air of invincibility that they have developed since their 1-0 loss at Aston Villa in December.

EDITOR’S PICKS

Liverpool ratings: Salah gets 6/10 but not enough as Atalanta eliminate Reds20hAdam Brown
Bayern give inexperienced Arsenal a painful Champions League lesson2dJames Olley
Man City’s ‘double-treble’ dream is over, but ‘worst week of season’ is not12hRob Dawson

Some title races are defined by teams that really hit their stride as they approach the finish line. They deal with injuries, fatigue and opposition “mind games” as though they don’t exist. Leicester City’s fairy-tale triumph in 2016 and City’s hat trick of titles over the past three years are examples of sides blanking out all distractions to clinch the championship. But sometimes the teams at the top wobble, and their physical and mental strength are tested to the limit. In 2012, when Sergio Agüero’s 93rd-minute winner against Queen’s Park Rangers sealed the title for City in the final game of the season, both they and nearest rivals Manchester United built and lost significant leads — United were eight points clear with six games to play — during the run-in.

This season’s title race will be shaped by what happens this weekend. City’s FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea on Saturday (stream LIVE at 12:15 p.m. ET on ESPN+) gives their title rivals the chance to dislodge Guardiola’s side from top spot, with Arsenal away to Wolves on Saturday evening and Liverpool travelling to Fulham on Sunday. But although City’s confidence will have been dented by the Real defeat, Arsenal and Liverpool must also haul themselves off the floor.

Arsenal face Wolverhampton Wanderers having lost their past two games without scoring, against Aston Villa in the league and Bayern Munich in the Champions League, while a run of one point from Liverpool’s past two Premier League games has damaged their own title challenge. The 3-0 Europa League defeat at home to Atalanta between those dropped points against United and Crystal Palace inflicted drained belief at Anfield, too. But although both teams now trail City by two points at the top of the Premier League, momentum can shift quickly, and Arsenal and Liverpool simply have to win this weekend to keep their hopes alive.Arsenal need to buck their recent trend of faltering in the final weeks of a season if they are to win the title. Last season, the Gunners won just four of their last 10 league matches, while in 2021-22 they won five and lost five of their final 10 games. This time, they realistically need to win all six of their remaining games, but if they can claim all three points at Molineux and then beat Chelsea at the Emirates on Tuesday, a four-point lead (and a significantly healthier goal difference over City) would put Arteta’s team firmly back in the hunt for the title.Liverpool have a track record of finishing strongly in the league, so their recent dropped points are out of character for Klopp’s side. Last season, seven wins and three draws from their final 10 games were almost enough to clinch a top-four finish, while eight wins and two draws during the 2021-22 run-in left them just a point adrift of eventual champions City.Next up is Sunday’s trip to Fulham which, following Thursday’s Europa League elimination despite winning the second leg against Atalanta 1-0 in Italy, is crucial for Liverpool’s title ambitions. Although Liverpool haven’t lost at Craven Cottage since December 2011, they have drawn on their past two league visits to the stadium — a result they can ill afford this weekend. But a win at Fulham, coupled with another victory in the Merseyside derby at Everton o Wednesday, would lift them four points clear of City, who would have played two games fewer than Liverpool and Arsenal by the time they reemerge on league duty at Brighton.There are plenty of ifs and buts surrounding Arsenal and Liverpool, but one thing is absolutely clear: they both have to win this weekend to retain any realistic hope of winning the title. Yet if one or both of them can do the job this weekend and back it up with another win in midweek, a four-point deficit even with two games in hand would be a challenge for City to meet. History suggests Guardiola and his players will deal with that challenge, but the title race isn’t over yet.Real Madrid have shown that City can be overcome, so Arsenal and Liverpool must apply the pressure to make it happen in the Premier League.

Alyssa Naeher heroics, boos for Korbin Albert as USWNT wins SheBelieves Cup on penalties

COLUMBUS, OHIO - APRIL 09: Alyssa Naeher #1 of the United States makes a save during the penalty kick shootout against Canada in the 2024 SheBelieves Cup final match at Lower.com Field on April 09, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

By Steph Yang, Meg Linehan, and Jeff Rueter Apr 9, 2024 The Athletic

The USWNT needed penalty kicks and another ridiculous shootout performance from goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, but Emily Fox slotted the winning penalty kick to defeat Canada for the SheBelieves Cup trophy on Tuesday night. Despite misses from Trinity Rodman and Emily Sonnett during the shootout, Naeher once again played hero as she made three saves during the shootout and, as is her new standard, converted her own shot. It’s the seventh SheBelieves Cup trophy for the USWNT.Sophia Smith provided both of the USWNT’s goals during the second half, after Canada went up late in the first. Canada would get an equalizer of their own late in the match after Crystal Dunn was judged to have brought down forward Adriana Leon in the box, with Leon converting the penalty to make it 2-2. Canadian center back Kadeisha Buchanen nearly provided the game-winning goal via her head, but the U.S. was saved by the crossbar on the final, notable chance of the match.

Earlier in the night, Brazil and Japan also went to penalties to decide the third-place team. Brazil ended up with that honor, as Japan struggled to convert any attempts in the shootout.

With decent weather and no torrential rain, we finally got a real look at what a true soccer game between the U.S. and Canada looks like right now — though somehow we ended up in the exact same place of needing penalties to decide a winner, while many U.S. fans made their displeasure with Korbin Albert known repeatedly throughout the night. Here are the takeaways from this edition of this matchup.

The USWNT celebrates after beating Canada. (Carmen Mandato/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Naeher redemption

Even at her heights during the 2019 World Cup cycle, few would mistake Alyssa Naeher for being a sweeper-keeper. The Chicago Red Stars netminder is an exceptional shot-stopper on her day and a capable defensive orchestrator, providing a level-headed approach that has kept games from going off the rails. Nevertheless, she’s not the type who will converge onto a ball before an attacker sets up their shot, and is more of a traditional stay-near-the-net shot-stopper.

Canada’s opening goal exposed that fact, one that has only gotten more apparent with each passing year.

Even without the “Naeher won’t beat Ashley Lawrence in a footrace” factor, Naeher decided to close the angle far too late into Canada’s counter. Any split-second of indecision works against a goalkeeper who needs to time that challenge, and it was likely the difference between a last-gasp clearance and the actual result, which was an attempted clearance off of Lawrence’s shin right to Deanne Rose. The indecision also cost the USWNT time to adjust its defensive shape, leaving Rose with an easy pass to Adriana Leon for an empty-net finish.Of course, the resolution of the game — another tournament that ends with Naeher saving at least one penalty in a shootout — does reinforce her bona fides in the big moment. She remains one of the world’s best, if not its standard-bearer, in terms of handling spot-kick responsibilities in a big moment. Her resolve helped the U.S. bounce back from Rodman having the first penalty of the shootout saved. Naeher took control of the moment by making a save of her own, then immediately stepping up to take the U.S.’s third shot, then turning around and making two more saves. It was complete domination.

That said, and it goes without saying: a team only gets to penalties if it fails to win in the 90 or 120 minutes preceding it. When a team concedes goals like the one that opened the scoring tonight, coming up big in a shootout is a mandatory recompense.

If the team is determined to play a possession-based game that invites opponents to threaten on the counter, Naeher’s decision-making in similar situations could make or break the USWNT’s quest to earn a gold medal.

The U.S. fan base is still largely unhappy with Albert

Korbin Albert was a substitute in both games, and in both games she received boos when entering the field, though they were clearly audible even on Tuesday night’s television broadcast. In Columbus, where the in-stadium announcer had to re-do the substitution announcement when Albert came on for Shaw, Albert was booed both times, and yet again after the game when her name was read during the trophy ceremony.

Leaving aside that the team did look worse when Albert came on — who wouldn’t look worse with Shaw substituting off from the No. 10? — it’s clear that some fans are left unsatisfied by Albert’s apology and subsequent statements from USWNT leadership that, while they condemn anti-LGBTQ behavior, they are handling the issue privately.

Make it a double for Smith

Listen, it’s absolutely clutch for the USWNT to get Sophia Smith back in this goal-scoring form, but both of her goals help illustrate the sort of success this team can see when they move the ball with purpose and nail their first touch or one-time passing.

We’ve seen how playing a more direct approach has worked this year during the Gold Cup against Colombia, and when you think about the attacking talent (and depth of that talent) on this team, the direct approach is actually providing more options. Smith will get the credit for Tuesday’s two goals, but it was the introduction of Swanson and shifting Shaw back to the No. 10 that unlocked a more successful interplay between the forward line — and as we noted above, Shaw was involved on both goals in the build-up.Her decision to simply lay it off for Smith on the equalizer, in particular, was the perfect example of what happens when you make the simple, quick decision and trust the player on the other side of that call.

The double pivot is back…ish

Against Canada, the United States opted for a more defensive setup with Sam Coffey and Emily Sonnett in a double pivot. But playing Coffey and Sonnett together there — and keeping Lindsey Horan in the midfield, as well — obliges you to shift Jaedyn Shaw out of the midfield, which is what happened as Shaw moved to the left wing. The 19-year-old Shaw looked a little discombobulated to start; it would’ve been really interesting to see her start at the No. 10 two games in a row, instead of asking her to adjust positionally. With more experience, that’s the kind of switch that Shaw will no doubt make more seamlessly, but in this game, it left the U.S. hunting around for some kind of outlet to penetrate Canada’s box.

The U.S. shifted tactics a bit in the second half, returning Shaw to the No. 10 by substituting Coffey for Mal Swanson. With Shaw closer to Smith, it enabled Smith to drop into the pocket in the half space instead of staying wide and having to fight past a defender, helping to create the equalizing goal in the second half. Shaw also helped create the second goal by picking out Rodman on a nicely weighted pass.

Having looked at both setups across the halves, it feels hard to argue for the more stultifying double-pivot, although that may have been affected by players adjusting positions between games and the loss of Naomi Girma to injury. It also suffered from some baffling usage of Dunn, who sat out on the touchline in space by herself for long minutes without ever getting the ball.

Of course, there’s no rule that the U.S. has to use one formation forever, and against Canada in a friendly, why not examine a more defensive setup and see if you can score out of it? The team’s willingness to make adjustments in the second half paid off in the end, and that’s really what matters.

(Top photo: Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Stars vs. balance: USWNT overcomes perpetual problem to lift SheBelieves Cup

Jeff Kassouf ESPN FC

Apr 9, 2024, 09:55 PM ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Another game United States–Canada matchup, another victorious penalty shootout for the Americans.

The USWNT defeated Canada in a shootout on Tuesday for the second time in 34 days, again after Canada equalized late in a match for a 2-2 draw. The win brought a seventh SheBelieves Cup title in nine editions of the tournament for the USWNT. While a trophy is nice, the most important aspect of the night was what did and did not work tactically as the Americans continue through this transition phase three months ahead of the Olympics.

On Tuesday, USWNT interim coach Twila Kilgore made four changes to the lineup that defeated Japan 2-1 three days earlier. The “who” of the changes was far less important than the “how,” and they captured the essence of one of the biggest questions impending head coach Emma Hayes must address upon her arrival next month: Does she try to get her most talented 11 players on the field, or will she make necessary sacrifices to find her most cohesive squad?

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

The pitfalls of the former approach were on display Tuesday and stood in stark contrast to a dominant USWNT performance against Japan. On Tuesday, Jaedyn Shaw moved back to a winger role after thriving in the No. 10 position against Japan. She flanked striker Alex Morgan on the left, with Sophia Smith lining up on the right. Lindsey Horan pushed higher into the No. 10 role, but the net result was a familiar problem for USWNT: several players who prefer to occupy central spaces are tasked with providing width.

Horan tended to drift toward the right side alongside Smith in the first half, presumably to allow Shaw the freedom to tuck inside. The net result, however, was that the US was left without a central passing option in the space a No. 10 would traditionally occupy. At one point late in the first half, Shaw drifted all the way to the right touchline alongside Smith to find the ball.

EDITOR’S PICKS

USWNT coach on Shaw: ‘Be patient, there’s more’8dJeff Kassouf
USWNT’s Albert can play amid flak for social posts11dJeff Carlisle

“The first half, I felt their midfielders were going places they didn’t want to go because I think we did shut off the middle of the pitch,” Canada coach Bev Priestman said.

The problem was clear enough to require a change coming out of half-time: Mallory Swanson — likely on minutes restrictions as she returns from injury — replaced Sam Coffey, which shifted Horan deeper into midfield and Shaw inside to formally take over the No. 10 role. The changes paid off almost immediately: Smith equalized five minutes after half-time on an assist from Shaw. Eighteen minutes later, Shaw was the central playmaker again, finding second-half substitute Trinity Rodman, who fed a through ball to Smith for a second goal.

“I thought once we sorted out right after half-time where our pocket players were and making sure that we consistently had players in the pocket, the game changed for us,” Kilgore said. “That just comes down to basically creating our shape and getting into our shape as quickly as possible, and then being dynamic in it. I think the team has really bought in on that and it’s definitely something that we’ll carry forward with us.”

Shaw was a catalyst of the USWNT’s attack on Saturday in a convincing team performance against Japan. Swanson and Rodman ran the wings on each side of Morgan in that game, meaning the USWNT’s front four were all in their preferred and most natural positions. The USWNT looked out of sorts on Tuesday with those players shuffled, but balance was restored as soon as the half-time changes were made.

There lies the issue for Hayes — and it is a good problem to have.

If Shaw’s performances continue to command the starting No. 10 role — she certainly made that case against Japan and in the second half against Canada — and Horan shifts deeper into a No. 8 or double pivot role, what does that mean for a healthy Rose Lavelle or Catarina Macario?

And with Swanson and Rodman most comfortable in the winger roles, and Morgan continues to reassert her claim as the team’s central target, what happens to the uber talented Smith, recent NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner? Smith is dominant in the NWSL for the Portland Thorns but has struggled to grasp hold of an exact role at the international level, in part because of this positional dilemma. It is no coincidence she scored both goals in the second half, including her second tally right after she moved to the No. 9 role.

“I think we just had a really good, fluid movement among the front three,” Smith said about the second half. “At any given time, I could find myself at any position and same with the other two players up front. We’re not shy of movement and interchanging, and I think that just works out really well for us. It keeps the defense on their toes and just presents different challenges for the other team.”

None of these issues are new, but a different coach will now be tasked with solving them. Hayes must figure out how to optimize a talented squad.

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Last year’s tepid Women’s World Cup showing from the USWNT was a product of individualistic play and a team that lacked chemistry, in part because it couldn’t figure out its identity. Smith shoehorned into a wide role with Morgan as the striker, and the U.S. rotated its midfield in search of answers for a recovering and then injured Lavelle. Those solutions came too late, and the USWNT was bounced by Sweden in a penalty shootout in the round of 16.

Hayes previously criticized the USWNT for its lack of technical players, so the evolution of Shaw into a star before her eyes before she even arrives on the sideline is a fruitful development.Tuesday’s match reiterated that how the USWNT lines up is as important as who is on the field. There is not and never was, even through the struggles of recent years, a shortage of talent in the American player pool; there was a shortage of ideas and viable solutions — from coaches and players alike.Hayes was hired — and worth the wait as she finishes her time at Chelsea — because U.S. Soccer feels like she is the best coach to solve those issues. She will have only a few months to do so ahead of the Olympics, but the signs of what is and is not working were on display again on Tuesday in a tale of two halves.

Why Barcelona can only blame themselves after imploding vs. PSG

Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondentApr 16, 2024, 05:52 PM ET

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Barcelona‘s wait for a first Champions League semifinal appearance since 2019 goes on after Xavi Hernández’s side imploded against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday following Ronald Araújo‘s first half sending off at the Olympic Stadium.

Barça were leading 1-0 on the night, 4-2 on aggregate after last week’s first leg win in Paris, when Araujo lightly bundled Bradley Barcola down just outside the area in the 29th minute. The referee quickly branded a red card, and with it Barça’s hopes of reaching the last four disappeared as quickly as Barcola had dropped to the deck, with the game ending 6-4 on aggregate.

PSG’s comeback was led by Ousmane Dembélé on his return to Barcelona. He left Barça for France last summer in a transfer worth €50 million and fierce whistles greeted his every touch. He could afford a smile when he equalized just before half-time, converting Barcola’s cross to get his side back in the tie. It was just the third goal he has scored this season — two of them have come against Barça in the last week.

– Stream on ESPN+: NWSL, LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Barça may pin their collapse on being down to 10 men, but the truth is they made PSG’s route back into the game easy. Vitinha was left unmarked on the edge of the box from a corner in the 54th minute. He duly smashed in to the bottom corner and then, just after the hour mark, João Cancelo clattered into Dembéle inside the box. Kylian Mbappé, anonymous in the first leg, dispatched the resulting penalty to give PSG the lead in the tie.

The home side did have chances to level, but they came and went, with Mbappé adding his second goal on the counter-attack in the 89th minute to seal PSG’s passage into the semifinal as flares were set off in the away end in the second tier behind the goal where he had just scored.

Echegaray expects PSG to reach the UCL final

Luis Miguel Echegaray explains why he’s backing PSG to overcome Barcelona and go on to reach the Champions League final.

If that was the end to this frenetic tie, it is unlikely to be the end to the developing rivalry between the two clubs. Manager Luis Enrique was in the Barça dugout in 2017 when they beat PSG 6-1 to overcome a 4-0 first leg deficit. Now he has helped PSG overturn a first leg defeat in the competition for the first ever time. Before the game, he had said he was convinced that would be the case.

In between those two comebacks, PSG have taken Neymar, Lionel Messi and Dembéle from Barça, while they also hammered the Catalans at Camp Nou when the two sides met in 2021 in the last 16, Mbappé netting a hat trick on that occasion. All of those factors have added an edge to this fixture and it was apparent here, with the extra police presence palpable and supporters chanting their dislike for each other throughout the day in the city all the way up to the stadium in Montjuic.

When 16-year-old Lamine Yamal roasted Nuno Mendes in the 12th minute to set up Raphinha, it looked like the travelling supporters would finally be silenced. Barça were unbeaten in 13 games coming into this match, dating back to Xavi’s January announcement that he will step down when the season ends. They have kept six clean sheets in a row in LaLiga. With a two goal advantage, it looked like tie over.

Robert Lewandowski blazed a chance to add another goal for Barça over the bar before the game swung definitively just before the half hour mark. Araujo was adamant he had not fouled Barcola. The touch was light, but it existed and it is not the sort of decision VAR often intervenes in.

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How Barça reacted to losing a man is what will haunt them. Iñigo Martínez came on for Yamal, limiting their counter attack ability, and PSG set up camp in the final third.

Xavi said about going a man down: “We are annoyed. The red card has marked the tie. We were well-organised 11 v 11. The referee was really bad. I told him, he was a disaster. He killed the tie. I don’t like speaking about refs but it has to be said. I don’t understand it.”

Dembélé’s goal just before the break bred confidence and PSG poured forward at the start of the second half. Marc-André ter Stegen was almost caught out by a skidding effort from Achraf Hakimi, Fabián Ruiz shot wide and then, finally, Vitinha made it 2-1 on the night and 4-4 on aggregate. The penalty soon followed as Barça, who conceded two goals in three minutes in the first leg, once again lost their bearings.

Once behind, they did rally. There was a penalty shout turned down on Ilkay Gündogan, which led to a fuming Xavi being sent off for protesting and kicking a barrier on the sideline, before goalkeeper coach José Ramón de la Fuente also received his marching orders. The anger felt as much about a loss of control of the match as it did the decisions on the pitch.

Still, Gianluigi Donnarumma had to save from Lewandowski, with Marquinhos preventing Ferran Torres from tapping in the rebound, and then Raphinha dragged a cross-shot just wide as Barça’s European campaign faded out.

In the 88th minute, Dembélé was whistled off, and a minute later, Mbappé sealed PSG’s passage to the semifinal. The French side will meet Borussia Dortmund in the last four as they continue their bid to win a maiden Champions League trophy.

Barça, meanwhile, head to Real Madrid for El Clásico on Sunday. With Madrid eight points clear at the top of LaLiga, anything but a win would now effectively end their hopes of silverware this season.

‘Special’ Sophia Smith leads USWNT to SheBelieves Cup title

Jeff Kassouf

Apr 9, 2024, 11:23 PM ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Scoring exceptional goals is nothing new for Sophia Smith, but she’s making a habit of finishing them against Canada.

Smith scored twice Tuesday at Lower.com Field as the United States defeated Canada 5-4 in a penalty shootout to lift the SheBelieves Cup for the seventh time in nine editions of the tournament.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

It was the USWNT’s second penalty shootout victory over Canada in 34 days after prevailing in a Gold Cup semifinal, and Smith’s individual play was another example of the 23-year-old forward “being a special player in a special moment within our team concept,” USWNT interim coach Twila Kilgore said.

Smith scored an equalizer from outside the box five minutes after halftime and the go-ahead goal 18 minutes later, when she got on a through ball from second-half substitute Trinity Rodman.

“The first goal was just class,” Kilgore said. “Sometimes individuals just do special things. It was a left-footed finish for Soph in a crowded box, just an exceptional moment, but also there’s a big team concept there.”

EDITOR’S PICKS

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Smith started the game on the right wing, a position she has been asked to play often in her blooming USWNT career but not her preferred No. 9 position, which she plays for the Portland Thorns. She won National Women’s Soccer League MVP and a league title in 2022 and the Golden Boot in 2023. Portland recently rewarded Smith with the largest annual contract in NWSL history.

Four minutes after Smith moved to her preferred No. 9 role Tuesday, she tallied her second goal. Jaedyn Shaw found the ball centrally after moving into the attacking midfield role, then Shaw turned and played a vertical ball to Rodman, who found a streaking Smith in behind.

Smith acknowledged that it is good to be versatile when the Olympic roster is only 18 players deep.

“I just try to do my job when I’m told I need to step up,” Smith said with her tournament MVP trophy beside her in the stadium tunnel Tuesday. “I don’t think anything of that. I try to lead this team in any way I can and if that’s putting the ball in the back of the net for the PKs or in the game, that’s what I pride myself in and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

The USWNT nearly wasted Smith’s efforts. Crystal Dunn conceded a penalty kick late when she fouled Canada forward Adriana Leon, and Leon stepped up to bury a late equalizer from the spot — just as she had 34 days earlier in the 127th minute of the Gold Cup semifinal.

Tuesday’s match went straight to a shootout, and it played out much like the previous meeting. USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher put in another dazzling shootout performance, saving three penalty kicks and burying one of her own to lift her team to victory.”I think it’s just something that we put the time into in training,” Naeher said of her focus in shootouts. “It’s just part of the game. Even on the men’s or women’s side, the champion of a World Cup or different tournament has statistically some very high number has had to go through at least one shootout within the tournament, so it’s something that we just put a lot of preparation into. The more you do it, the more confident [you are]. I think we’ve got 23 players that can step up and be comfortable taking a shot at any moment.”

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Next up for the USWNT is the long-awaited arrival of head coach Emma Hayes at the end of May. Hayes was announced as the team’s next coach in November, but she stayed with Chelsea throughout the European season to finish her decade with the club.

In the interim, Kilgore has been working with Hayes to implement her plans ahead of her arrival. That process has been successful of late despite a concerning group-stage loss to Mexico at the Gold Cup. Since then, the U.S. has won or advanced in five straight games, picking up two trophies in just over a month.

“Now we’re just at a point where we are tried, true, battle-tested,” Kilgore said. “This is five games back-to-back against teams that have qualified for the Olympics. There’s only one more game that puts you into a final, for context.”

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4/5/24 US Ladies ready for She Believes Cup Sat 12:30 TNT, Tues in Columbus, Indy 11 Sat at Louisville on CBS at 4 pm, Champions & Europa League Tues/Wed/Thurs, US Men up to #11

April 5, 2024April 5, 2024 gatorbest alex-morgan, indy-11, megan-rapinoe, soccer, sports, us-soccer, uswnt, womens-soccer

USWNT in She Believes Cup Sat vs Japan 12:30 TNT & Tues 4/9 in Columbus Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario will make their returns to the USWNT Sat as part of the 23-player roster for the She Believes Cup, U.S. Soccer. Two new names are also joining the roster and earning their first senior national team call-ups, both playing for European clubs: 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender Eva Gaetino and 16-year-old Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes. The question is do Mallory and Macario start or come off the bench vs Japan (presumably the weeker of the 2 games)? These will be the final two matches for Twila Kilgore as USWNT interim coach. Permanent head coach Emma Hayes will take over beginning with the June window, with Kilgore remaining on the staff as an assistant. The USWNT will play in a reformatted She Believes Cup that has a semifinals and final as opposed to a round robin tournament. They will play Japan in the semifinals in Atlanta on Sat April 6th at 12:30 pm on TNT, and then will face either Brazil or Canada in either the 3rd place match at 5 pm or the final at 7 pm on April 9th in Columbus, Ohio ( tix still available- the OBC is going over) on TBS.

USWNT She Believes Cup roster Goalkeepers (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) Defenders (8): Abby Dahlkemper (San Diego Wave FC), Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Tierna Davidson (NY/NJ Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Eva Gaetino (PSG), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NY/NJ Gotham FC) Midfielders (6): Korbin Albert (PSG), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Lyon), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Lily Yohannes (Ajax) Forwards (6): Catarina Macario (Chelsea), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars)

Indy 11 vs Louisville Sat 4 pm on CBS
The Boys in Blue head south Saturday for the first installment of the LIPAFC rivalry in 2024 live on CBS at 4 pm. Indy is coming off a 2-1 loss to Detroit City FC to fall to 1-2-1 on the season, while Louisville defeated Birmingham Legion FC 5-0 to sit perfect atop the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference standings at 3-0-0.

LIPAFC
The Louisville-Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest dates back to 2015 with Louisville holding the 10-5-6 advantage. Nineteen of the 21 matches have taken place since Indy joined the USL Championship in 2018 (2 playoff), with Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches in 2015 and 2016 making up the remaining two. The Boys in Blue were 1-1 in those match-ups. Indy is looking for its first road win since a 2-1 victory on May 29, 2021. Saturday marks the 22nd overall meeting between the sides all-time, with Louisville leading 10-5-6.

Champions League Elite 8 — starts April 9th & 10th on CBS

GAMES ON TV

Sat, April 6

7:30 am USA Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Man City
7:30 am ESPN+ Norwich City (Stewart) vs Ipswich Town (Champ)
9 am CBSSN AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Lecce
9:30 am ESPN+ Union Berlin vs Bayer Leverkusen
10 am USA Aston Villa vs Burnley
10 am Peacock Fulham (Robinson, Ream) vs New Castle United
12:30 pm TNT, Max, Telemundo USA Women vs Japan
1 pm para+ Lazio vs Juventus (Weah, McKinney)
7:30 pm Fox LAFC vs LA Galaxy
7 pm CBS Indy 11 @ Louisville
Sun, Apr 7
10:30 am NBC Man United vs Liverpool
11:30 am NBC Sheffield United (Trusty) vs Chelsea
11:30 am ESPN+ Wolfsburg vs Mgladbach (Scalley)
1 pm USA Tottenham vs Notthingham Forest (Reyna)
2:30 pm ESPN+ Bayer Levekusen vs Wolfsburg
4 pm Fox Atlanta United vs Chicago Fire

Tues, Apr 9
3 pm CBS, Arsenal vs Bayern Munich UCL
3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Man City UCL

5 or 7 pm TBS, Universo, Peacock USWNT vs Brazil/Can winner Columbus, OH
8:45 pm Fox Sport 1 Columbus Crew vs Tigres CCL
10:30 pm FS1 New England vs America CCL
Weds, Apr10
3 pm CBS PSG vs Barcelona UCL
3 pm Para+ Atletico Madrid vs Dortmund UCL
10:30 pm Fox Sport 1 Monterrey vs Inter Miami (Messi) CCL
8:15 pm FS1 Heredino vs Pachuca CCL
Thurs, Apr 11
3 pm CBSSN AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Roma Europa
3 pm Para+ Liverpool vs Atalanta
3 pm Para+ Leverkusen vs West Ham United
7 pm ESPN+ Miami FV vs Tampa Bay Rowdies (Jordan Farr)

June 27 Copa America US Men Play Panama

July 24 starts US U23 Men & US Women In Olympics

(American’s in Parenthesis)

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US Ladies

USWNT’s Albert can play amid flak for social posts ESPN Jeff Carlisle

Sophia Smith excited about new USWNT phase ESPN
The USWNT’s new normal? The threat of losing almost any game ESPN Jeff Kassouf

Who should the USWNT call up? Ranking the NWSL players who deserve a look ESPN Jeff Kassouf

USWNT vs. Japan: How to watch SheBelieves Cup, TV channel, live stream

Macario talks ’emotional’ USWNT return alongside Swanson

NWSL Power Rankings: KC looks unplayable as Utah hits bottom

US Men

AC Milan boss Pioli: Pulisic could play No. 10 role vs. Lecce

Champions league

Pep hails Bellingham’s ‘massive’ impact on Madrid

Xavi: PSG favourites for Barça’s UCL quarterfinal

The battle for extra Champions League places is tight between Italy, Germany and England

Indy 11

Recap – MEM 1:2 IND

Blake, Stanley Earn USL Team of the Week Honors

Know before you Go – The Mike

Indy Eleven Announces 2024 Promotional Schedule – Tickets on Sale NOW!

Reffing

What’s the Call – Hand Ball Decisions –

Become a Licensed Ref with Indiana Soccer – must be over 13

The USWNT has long been ‘bigger than just the game,’ SheBelieves Cup will be a test of that

FRISCO, TX - FEBRUARY 23: The USWNT celebrate winning the SheBelieves Cup after a game between Iceland and USWNT at Toyota Stadium on February 23, 2022 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

By Jeff Rueter and Steph Yang r 2, 2024 The Athletic – Steph Yang & Jeff Rueter

U.S. women’s national team midfielder Korbin Albert’s social media activity will soon be under the microscope – perhaps even more than it was last week, when her reposting of anti-LGBTQ content was resurfaced online and addressed by former USWNT star Megan Rapinoe.

This weekend, the USWNT opens SheBelieves Cup against Japan in the annual invitational tournament played between the U.S. and select international teams.

For the past two years, the USWNT has advocated for trans rights at the tournament – a track record of advocacy that feels especially important in light of transphobic and homophobic sentiments that continue to permeate American society, and after Albert’s social media activity. It’s a jarring contradiction to the way the USWNT has historically spoken out to advance reforms or to advocate for equal rights.

At the center of this discussion are videos Albert reposted to her TikTok account, including one of a sermon given in a Christian worship space talking about how being gay and “feeling transgender” is wrong. Among the posts on her TikTok profile was one from 2023, showing her family taking turns stating that “their pronouns are U.S.A.,” with Albert participating in the video. The post no longer appears on her profile as of Tuesday.

Albert also liked a meme on Instagram of an airplane landing with a caption reading “God taking time off performing miracles to make sure Megan Rapinoe sprains her ankle in her final ever game.”

Rapinoe has been an outspoken advocate of LGBTQ+ rights and trans rights in particular. She responded to Albert via her Instagram story, asking, “Are you making any type of space safer, more inclusive, more whole, any semblance of better, bringing the best out of anyone?” She later stressed to The Athletic that while Albert’s activity inspired the post, her focus is on the queer lives at stake, whether they be at risk through anti-trans commentary online or targeted legislation.

Rapinoe signed off her message with “Yours Truly, #15.” Albert wears the No. 15 shirt for the USWNT, a number made available after Rapinoe’s retirement last fall.

USWNT Albert wears No 15 against Brazil in March (John Todd/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Queer and trans youth remain at higher risk of bullying, facing legislative hurdles and attempting self-harm. The Trevor Project’s 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People found that 41 percent of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including roughly half of transgender and nonbinary youth. Additionally, the Trevor Project found that transgender and nonbinary youth were 2 to 2 1/2 times as likely to experience depressive symptoms, seriously consider suicide and attempt suicide compared to their cisgender LGBQ peers.

Albert later apologized on Instagram, saying, “I truly believe that everyone should feel safe and respected everywhere and on all playing fields.”

The 20-year-old midfielder is not the only player on the team or in women’s soccer to hold conservative views. As noted by a former USWNT player in 2018 after Jaelene Hinkle’s public refusal to wear the team-issued rainbow pride jerseys, there have always been people in the locker room “that are not okay, or in agreement with, the (gay) lifestyle.” The difference with Albert, as it was in 2018 with Hinkle, was that other conservative players had kept their anti-LGBTQ opinions to themselves and the team managed to go out and play together.

Now, that dynamic may be challenged as SheBelieves opens in Georgia, a state where anti-trans rhetoric from high-level leadership is pertinent and playing out in real time.

Last Tuesday, the state senate passed House Bill 1104, originally intended to provide mental health resources for young student-athletes, but which now includes language that bans transgender girls from competing on girls’ public school teams and bans them from locker rooms that match their gender identity.

In past similar situations, the USWNT has been a direct advocate for the queer and trans community, many of whom make up a passionate part of their fan base. The 2022 SheBelieves Cup took place in Frisco, Texas. During the tournament, Texas governor Greg Abbott issued guidance to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services asking employees to report trans children and their parents to state authorities, referring to gender-affirming care as a form of “child abuse.”

On the night that letter was sent, several USWNT players wore athletic tape around their wrists with the message “Protect Trans Kids.” After the game, midfielder Catarina Macario (who displayed her wristband after scoring in the first half) said it was an idea prompted by Rapinoe — and one that she and others were determined to amplify.

Macario shows her wristband after scoring against Iceland in February 2022 (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

“With the platform we have, we really wanted to show why this team is different and why we do things that are much bigger than just the game,” Macario said. “It was just a way to show awareness, especially because we were playing in Texas.”

The U.S. opened the following SheBelieves Cup in Florida, another state that had enacted anti-trans legislation. The players wore tape on their wrists again, this time with the words “Defend Trans Joy.”

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Those games were played as the Missouri state legislature was reviewing a wave of proposed legislation along similar lines as Florida and Texas. Becky Sauerbrunn, a Missouri native and the team’s captain, wrote an op-ed piece for the Springfield News-Leader that left no questions about why she felt strongly opposed to the motions, stating that the proposals “don’t consider any of the actual challenges to women and girls in sport.”

“I have been championing gender equity in sport for a long time,” Sauerbrunn wrote in part, “and I am done seeing transgender youth being cruelly targeted to score political points. Transgender people are exactly that, people — not tools to be wielded in a climb up the political ladder.”

This wasn’t the case of a team’s captain championing a cause in isolation. The piece resonated within the locker room.

“I did read what Becky said, and she is a true leader,” Alex Morgan said at the time. “Not only within our team, but standing up for trans kids and being an ally and advocate for a lot of groups who are targeted.”

The USWNT’s advocacy has not been limited to SheBelieves Cup and trans rights. Albert has only just begun to be introduced to a team with a years-long history of taking visible stances on an array of political and societal issues. Sauerbrunn said it was a crucial part of representing the United States on its national team, and Morgan agreed.

“When I represent this country, it’s knowing that it is a great country, but it’s also a country that has a lot to work on,” Morgan told Time ahead of the 2019 World Cup. “But I’m willing to be a part of that, to put the work in, to make it as good as it can be.”

The USWNT has been a political body almost by virtue of its very existence, as women’s sports are inherently political.

Megan Rapinoe USWNT players such as Rapinoe have used their platform for advocacy (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

In the United States, women were denied the ability to play organized sports until the landmark Title IX legislation passed in 1972, protecting people from discrimination based on “sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.” It took 13 more years for the first version of the USWNT to form, and nearly a full 20 before it played in the first Women’s World Cup.

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With that context in mind, it’s inherent that today’s USWNT players are not just athletes, but also symbols of societal progress – whether they desire that label or not. Yet USWNT players tend to be highly aware that to represent one of the world’s most diverse nations in this particular arena — especially given the on-field prominence of the team — is a rare platform for advocacy.

Individually and as a group, USWNT figures have spoken out about racial justice in the weeks following the murder of George Floyd and the death of Breonna Taylor. They’ve fought for equal pay in their own labor deal with U.S. Soccer, even as the federation’s lawyers argued that they deserved less because the “overall soccer playing ability” for the men’s national team is “materially influenced by the level of certain physical attributes, such as speed and strength, required for the job.” After striking that deal, they’ve advocated to improve working conditions for other national teams, including Spain, Canada and Jamaica.

Publicly, all of this opened the USWNT up to a wave of criticism from detractors who felt their full focus should be on kicking a ball.

With Rapinoe’s retirement and veteran captain Sauerbrunn not rostered, the USWNT will enter this year’s SheBelieves with a group dynamic that is still in flux, playing under an interim coach until the arrival of Emma Hayes in May.

The next generation of players is already putting its stamp on the team’s on-field identity. In light of Albert’s social media behavior, this year’s SheBelieves may show us how that generation intends to shape its off-field identity as well.

(Top photo: Robin Alam/Getty Images)

Catarina Macario, Mallory Swanson discuss USWNT returns: ‘You can’t take your health for granted’

By Steph Yang 3, 2024

Two players that the United States desperately missed during the 2023 Women’s World Cup are back in national team camp, with Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario both returning for the SheBelieves Cup after long injury recoveries.Swanson suffered a torn patellar tendon on April 8, 2023 in a national team game against the Republic of Ireland in Austin, Texas. Macario tore her ACL on June 1, 2022 while playing for her now-former club, Lyon. Macario’s last appearance for the USWNT was in a friendly against Uzbekistan on April 12, 2022 in Chester, Pennsylvania.“I think the first thing that comes to my mind is just being grateful,” Swanson said about her return. “One thing that I learned throughout my injury was that you can’t ever take life for granted. You can’t take your health for granted.”Both players ended up missing the World Cup. Their absences were a huge blow to the USWNT’s chances as they both played critical roles in the starting XI, and their return could be key for the USWNT’s Olympic hopes.Swanson said that there was a moment after her first surgery that she thought she might still make it back in time for the World Cup. “I remember texting my surgeon and being like ‘How long is this recovery,’ and he was like ‘Six months,’ and I was like ‘Oh, I can make it four. I’m gonna do it,’” she said.

But, as she revealed on The Women’s Game podcast in February, she suffered a septic infection in her knee after the first surgery and had to have a second surgery to remove the infection.“And I think that was the point that really slowed me down,” she said. “And looking back at it, I’m very thankful for how everything worked out because ultimately I learned a lot about life. I’ve never gone through something like what I went through and I think it gave me some time to evaluate myself, evaluate my life, and also take a step back and enjoy, honestly, being with my husband in Chicago.”Meanwhile, Macario was rehabbing in London during the World Cup and said it was difficult to watch the tournament. But it was also a sunny summer in the city, which helped.“(The sun) helped a lot to feel like I was a little bit back home in San Diego or Brazil,” she said. “I just tried to focus on the little things that I could control, and obviously it did take a lot longer than I expected, which was devastating. But the most important thing is that now I’m back and I hope that I can contribute to the team as much as possible leading up to the Olympics and this tournament as well. I just feel like I’ve been very, very blessed with all the people around me showing so much support and love and not feeling rushed to come back.

“Even though I could have had two children by now,” Macario added, laughing.

The USWNT will face Japan on Saturday, April 6 in the first of two games for the nation in the truncated SheBelieves Cup. Before joining the USWNT in training, Swanson and Macario returned to play for their respective clubs and have looked in good form. Swanson played a full 90 minutes for the Chicago Red Stars last weekend, scoring a goal against the Orlando Pride. Macario has been building her minutes for Chelsea since her return to play on March 3 as a substitute against Leicester City, a game in which she also scored a goal.Being able to get back into the rhythm of games with their clubs has been a matter of communication between themselves, their clubs, and U.S. Soccer, and some good timing. Macario, of course, can go directly to future U.S. head coach Emma Hayes at Chelsea for feedback, but said she ultimately left the loading to the experts.“I know that Chelsea and U.S. Soccer, they’re basically having meetings all the time and just try and figure out the right way to manage me in order to allow me to be in this environment for as long as possible,” she said. “Considering that I’ve been out for so long, we do have to take certain things into consideration.”wanson, who also played 80-plus minutes in two NWSL games before that last weekend, didn’t hide that it was a grueling transition.

“I was just like, ‘Welcome back!’ I forgot how hard (playing 90 minutes) is,” she said. “I think with U.S. Soccer and then with the Red Stars and talking to (head coach) Lorne (Donaldson), I think the timing actually worked out pretty well being able to use preseason and those preseason games as games that I can build minutes in.”

SheBelieves will be the last games under interim head coach Twila Kilgore. Emma Hayes will arrive in June for two friendlies against South Korea, which is a short window for both Swanson and Macario to get back up to speed with the national team as well as to adjust to newer and younger teammates who have joined the pool, including Jenna Nighswonger, Olivia Moultrie, and Jaedyn Shaw. There are also newcomers like Eva Gaetino and Lily Yohannes, whom Macario got a chance to see up close when Chelsea faced Ajax in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal.

At 16, USWNT midfielder Lily Yohannes is right on time

“She’s a tremendous player. Really sweet girl. I honestly cannot believe that she’s 16,” said Macario. “She just reads the game so well and you can really see that. Ajax, they had a tremendous run in the Champions League and I do feel like that was a lot thanks to her.

“I remember joking around with her after the first game, I was like, ‘Oh, you’re American, right? You’re gonna join us?’ or something like that. And then I find out a few days later that she was called into camp. So that was really sweet.”Both Swanson and Macario were clearly in good spirits, laughing as they answered questions and ruminated on returning to play together after long recoveries.

“I feel like it’s always once something’s taken away from you, you always have a new perspective on it,” said Swanson. “I’m very just grateful to be back in this environment, back with this team and wearing the crest because it means so much.”

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Macario described how it felt to step back on the field when she substituted in for Chelsea against Leicester. She said it felt the same being back in USWNT camp.

“It just really felt like a dream, just felt surreal,” she said. “It almost, looking back in the 641 days that it took, it just kind of all happened in the blink of an eye.

“I felt like crying but at the same time not because well, first of all, I’m in public and I hate crying in public. … I think probably the biggest thing was just getting over that mental hurdle that was like, ‘OK, I’m safe, I’m good to play again. I got this.”

(Top photo: Getty Images)

Alex Morgan, Lindsey Horan on Korbin Albert social media activity: ‘Disappointing and extremely, extremely sad’

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 02: Alex Morgan #13 of the U.S. Women's National Team speaks to the media prior to a training session at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground on April 02, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

By Meg LinehanApr 3, 2024 The Atletic

On Wednesday, USWNT captain Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan delivered a prepared statement to reporters addressing last week’s resurfacing of USWNT midfielder Korbin Albert’s social media activity.

“We just want to address the disappointing situation regarding Korbin that has unfolded over this past week. We’ve worked extremely hard to uphold the integrity of this national team through all of the generations, and we are extremely, extremely sad that this standard was not upheld,” Horan began. “Our fans and our supporters feel like this is a team that they can rally behind, and it’s so important that they feel and continue to feel undeniably heard and seen.”

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Albert had engaged with content on TikTok that runs counter to the U.S. team’s long-running and public support of LGBTQ+ rights. Her activity included reposting videos — one of which included a sermon given in a Christian worship space talking about how being gay and “feeling transgender” is wrong. She also liked content about Rapinoe being injured in her final game.

USWNT’s Korbin Albert apologizes for social media posts after Megan Rapinoe’s criticism

“We stand by maintaining a safe and respectful space, especially as allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community,” Morgan continued in the statement. “This platform has given us an opportunity to highlight causes that matter to us, something that we never take for granted.”

Morgan stated that the team has also had internal discussions over Albert’s social media activity, and those discussions “will stay within the team.”

Mal Swanson and Catarina Macario were the two players originally scheduled for the virtual media availability, and Swanson declined to get into any specifics about those conversations when asked.

“We’ve had internal conversations and ultimately, those just stay internal,” Swanson said.

The USWNT has long been ‘bigger than just the game,’ SheBelieves Cup will be a test of that

Morgan stressed at the end of the prepared statement that such an internal discussion would not be avoided, even if unpleasant. “One thing to also to know is that we have never shied away from hard conversations within this team,” she said.

In Albert’s apology, posted on March 28, she wrote in part, “I’m really disappointed in myself and am deeply sorry for the hurt that I have caused to my teammates, other players, fans, friends and anyone who was offended. I truly believe that everyone should feel safe and respected everywhere and on all playing fields. I know my actions have not lived up to that and for that I sincerely apologize. It’s an honor and a privilege to play this sport on the world stage and I promise to do better.”

UPDATE (4/5): On Friday, USWNT interim head coach Twila Kilgore followed up on Horan and Morgan’s comments by saying, “It is disappointing when somebody falls short of the very high standards that we set within this team. This team has always been a beacon of respect, inclusion and demonstrated great allyship through actions for underrepresented and marginalized groups, including the LGBTQ+ community. And we will continue to do so.

“As Lindsay and Alex mentioned, this team has never shied away from hard conversations and today we’re here continuing to work on getting better, continuing to work on preparing ourselves to make ourselves proud, make our fans proud and put ourselves in the best position to continue to look towards success as we start this tournament.”

Kilgore added that Albert is available to play in the SheBelieves Cup. The U.S. will face Japan in their opening match on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET.

USMNT up to 11th in latest FIFA men’s world rankings, England down to fourth

By Nnamdi Onyeagwarar 4, 2024

The USMNT have climbed up to 11th in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, while England have dropped to fourth.Following their CONCACAF Nations League victories over Jamaica and Mexico in March, Gregg Berhalter’s U.S. side have moved up two places to 11th, just behind Croatia who complete the top 10.Gareth Southgate’s England, though, have failed to secure a victory in their last three games, drawing with Belgium and losing to Brazil during the March international break, having drawn with North Macedonia in their final European Championship qualifier in November.

How to follow the Copa America on The Athletic…

Germany, who host the European Championship this summer, remain 16th.

Argentina, who won the World Cup in 2022 and have only lost one of their last 12 games since the competition, are still ranked as the world’s No 1 side.

France remain in second while Belgium, who are unbeaten in their last 13 games, move up to third from fourth place.

Indonesia are the biggest climbest in the most recent rankings, moving up eight places to 134th, while Vietnam suffered the biggest drop, going down ten places to 115th.

An England summer exit or target the World Cup – what next for Gareth Southgate?

England lost to Brazil at Wembley Stadium last month and have not won since beating Malta 2-0 in November (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

FIFA Men’s World Rankings Top 15:

Argentina
France
Belgium
England
Brazil
Portugal
Netherlands
Spain
Italy
Croatia
USMNT
Colombia
Morocco
Mexico
Uruguay

USMNT weekend viewing guide: Firming things up

Races are heating up

By jcksnftsn Apr 5, 2024, 9:05am PDT

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Celtic FC v Dundee FC - Cinch Scottish Premiership

It’s really getting to crunch time and despite La Liga taking a break this weekend for the Copa del Ray final there is a lot of action to watch as the Old Firm derby and some key Championship matches add themselves to the mix. Here’s what we’re watching:

Friday

Eintracht Frankfurt v Werder Bremen – 2:30p on ESPN+

Timothy Chandler has appeared in three straight matches and four of the past five for Eintracht Frankfurt though all four appearances have been with under five minutes remaining in the match. Frankfurt drew with Union Berlin last weekend and remain in sixth place on a little tier by themselves; they are nine points back of fifth place RB Leipzig and five points ahead of seventh place Augsburg.

Saturday

Norwich City v Ipswich Town – 7:30a on ESPN+

We’re keeping an eye on the English Championship as well this weekend where Josh Sargent and Norwich City take on league leading Ipswich Town. There are a couple of tight races in the promotion hunt with three teams, including Ipswich Town separated by just two points and battling for the top two spots and automatic promotion. Sargent and Norwich city are involved in the second race which is for sixth place and the final promotion playoff position. Currently Norwich hold the position by four points over Haji Wright’s Coventry City but Coventry have a game in hand so it’s still a wide open race with six matches to play and there are three other teams just two points removed from Coventry as well that will be looking to sneak in.

Crystal Palace v Manchester City – 7:30a on USA Network

Chris Richards picked up a knock last weekend against Nottingham Forest and is expected to miss a couple of weeks for Crystal Palace who take on Manchester City on Saturday morning. Palace are coming off a 1-0 loss to Bournemouth and their recent run of form has included draws to relegation candidates Forest and Luton Town but they remain eight points out of the relegation scrap heading into a brutal final stretch of the season that will see them play five of their seven matches against top eight opponents including City and league leading Liverpool.

AC Milan v Lecce – 9a on CBSSN

Coming off of International break Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah were both substitutes last weekend, typical for Musah but an extra rest for Pulisic after long travel. Milan defeated Fiorentina 2-1 and hold a six point advantage over Juventus for second place in Serie A. This weekend’s opponent is Lecce who are five spots, but just four points, removed from relegation in what is a tight lower third of the Serie A table.

Union Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen – 9:30a on ESPN+

Brenden Aaronson saw a second straight start last weekend as Union Berlin played Eintracht Frankfurt to a scoreless draw. After their incredibly rough start to the season Berlin have straightened things out a bit and are now nine points clear of relegation but things will be quite challenging this weekend as they face a Bayer Leverkusen side that is running away with the Bundesliga title and undefeated in 40 straight matches.

Heidenheim v Bayern Munich – 9:30a on ESPN+

Lennard Maloney returned from injury last weekend and saw a minute off the bench in Heidenheim’s 3-3 draw with Stuttgart after missing the past three matches due to injury. Heidenheim have avoided the relegation scrap in their first year following promotion but are winless in their past six matches heading into their fixture against Bayern Munich who are having a down year but handled Heidenheim 4-2 in the first meeting between the clubs this season.

Fulham v Newcastle United – 10a on Peacock

Tim Ream has not been seeing minutes recently but Antonee Robinson continues to play nearly every minute for the EPL side, he’s over 3,100 minutes for the club across all competitions this season with seven matches (and 630 minutes) still remaining to play. Fulham are coming off a bad loss to Nottingham Forest but remain in thirteenth place, five points behind their opponent this weekend Newcastle, who are in eighth.

Luton Town v Bournemouth – 10a on Peacock

Tyler Adams was back in a big way last weekend, picking up man of the match honors while going the full 90’ in Bournemouth’s 2-1 win over Everton. Adams received an understandable break mid-week given that he’s just returned from injury as Bournemouth defeated Crystal Palace 1-0. Bournemouth have won three straight and the nine points has they well clear of the relegation zone and in the middle of the table as they take on a Luton Town side that currently sit in the relegation zone, three points from safety and are looking for their first win in twelve matches.

PSV Eindhoven v AZ Alkmaar – 12:45p on ESPN+

Sergino Dest, Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, and PSV saw their undefeated Eredivisie campaign come to an end last weekend with a 3-1 loss to NEC Nijmegen but bounced back midweek with a 2-0 win over Excelsior. PSV still hold a nine point lead for the league title with six matches remaining. They take on fourth place AZ Alkmaar who they defeated 4-0 in December which included Malik Tillman assisting on a Sergino Dest goal.

LAFC v LA Galaxy – 7:30p on Fox

Timothy Tillman and Aaron Long will start for LAFC as they take on the LA Galaxy in the most recent edition of el Traffico. The Galaxy are currently leading the Western Conference while last years champions, LAFC, are off to a slower start, currently in 9th place.

Sunday

Rangers v Celtic – 7a on CBSSN

Cameron Carter-Vickers and Celtic have a one point lead over Rangers who have a game in hand as they head to Ibrox Stadium for the latest edition of the Old Firm Derby with huge title implications. Carter-Vickers has dealt with some injury issues this season but has started four straight for Celtic including wearing the captains armband in the last three.

Hoffenheim v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN+

John Brooks has returned from his red card suspension and will be available for Hoffenheim as they take on Augsburg who are three points ahead of them in the table, with both teams looking unlikely to threaten for European qualification nor be threatened by relegation. It remains to be seen whether Brooks will return immediately to the starting lineup, he has been in and out of the lineup a bit this season and cards have been a bit of an issue recently; in addition to his early red card that led to his suspension Brooks has received a yellow card in three of his previous four matches.

Monaco v Rennes – 11:05a on beIN Sports

Folarin Balogun didn’t get the start last weekend but came on as a sub and netted two goals in Monaco’s 5-2 win over Metz last weekend. With the win Monaco remained within a point of second place and three points ahead of Lille in the race for the final Champions League spot.

Wolfsburg v Borussia Monchengladbach – 11:30a on ESPN+

Wolfsburg snapped an eleven match winless streak last weekend as they defeated Werder Bremen 2-0 with Kevin Paredes starting yet again. The win gives Wolfsburg an eight point cushion over Mainz for relegation and leaves them tied with Joe Scally, Jordan Pefok, and Borussia Monchengladbach who fell to Freiburg 3-0 last weekend.

Sheffield United v Chelsea – 12:30p on NBC

Auston Trusty started at left-wingback for Sheffield United on Thursday in the team’s 3-1 loss to league leading Liverpool. The loss leaves Sheffield on track for both relegation and a historic goals-allowed number. On Sunday they face Chelsea who broke back into the top ten with a 4-3 win over Manchester United on Thursday.

Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest – 1p on USA Network

Matt Turner wasn’t on the field but he did make it into the refs book on Tuesday as he picked up a yellow card for kicking a ball onto the field to delay a Fulham restart as Nottingham Forest needed a full team effort to pull off the 3-1 win. Giovanni Reyna saw minutes as a substitute for the second straight match, coming on in relief of Morgan Gibbs-White who had already picked up a goal and an assist in the match.

Juventus v Fiorentina – 2:45p on Paramount+

Weston McKennie was also given a bit of a rest coming out of the international break and was brought on as a halftime substitute in Juventus’ 1-0 loss to Lazio in league play. Midweek Juventus bounced back to win the first leg of their Copa Italia semi-final matchup, also against Lazio, 2-0. Timothy Weah came on as a late substitute in both matches and picked up a yellow card in each one as well. On Sunday Juventus will take on tenth place Fiorentina who are also coming off a midweek Copa Italia win, 1-0 over Atalanta.

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3/29/24 US Men Win 3rd Nations League Title, US Ladies ready for She Believes Cup 4/6-4/9, Indy 11 home Sat 7 pm vs Detroit, Big Game Weekend

March 29, 2024March 30, 2024 gatorbest carmel-fc, football, indy11, soccer, sports, usmnt, uswnt

Wow Dos a Cero again !! The US Men dominated Mexico from start to finish leaving little doubt who the top team in CONCACAF is as the US has now won this competition for the 3^rd straight time and it gets worse for Mexico each time. The US men were got fantastic goals from Tyler Adams in his return to play for his nation in over a year – this blast from distance. (Proper Spanish) Then Pulisic worked his magic and Gio Reyna finished on the rebound making it Dos a Cero. (Full Highlights) The US has better players and they are simply playing better. After obviously looking ahead against Jamaica needing a 95^th minute goal to take it to ET and win easily 2-0 It was Gio Reyna who again was darn near the man of the Match for a second straight game for the US. You could argue he’s locked down the #10 slot no matter what is happening with his club Nottingham Forest (idiots). I for one am sick and tired of hearing the Gregg Berhalter bashing – this team seems to love him, plays for him – and excels for him. Do I love GB – no but lets see how he does in Copa America this summer before making further judgement. Certainly a final 4 birth should be expected at least this summer but we’ll see. (lots of stories below)

USWNT in She Believes Cup Next Sat 4/6 vs Japan 12:30 TNT & Tues 4/9 in Columbus Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario will make their returns to the USWNT next week as part of the 23-player roster for the She Believes Cup, U.S. Soccer announced on Tuesday. Two new names are also joining the roster and earning their first senior national team call-ups, both playing for European clubs: 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender Eva Gaetino and 16-year-old Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes. These will be the final two matches for Twila Kilgore as USWNT interim coach. Permanent head coach Emma Hayes will take over beginning with the June window, with Kilgore remaining on the staff as an assistant. The USWNT will play in a reformatted She Believes Cup that has a semifinals and final as opposed to a round robin tournament. They will play Japan in the semifinals in Atlanta on Sat April 6th at 12:30 pm on TNT, and then will face either Brazil or Canada in either the 3rd place match at 5 pm or the final at 7 pm on April 9th in Columbus, Ohio ( tix still available- the OBC is going over) on TBS. The USWNT defeated Canada and Brazil in the knockout stage on their way to claiming the inaugural W Gold Cup title.

Indy 11 face Detroit City Sat night 7 pm at the Mike

The Boys in Blue continue their homestand Saturday, hosting the first Eastern Conference foe of the season in Detroit City FC. Kick is slated for 7 p.m. ET and will air locally on WNDY, while streaming on ESPN+. Single-game tickets are available now for all matches via Ticketmaster. Season Ticket Packages can also be purchased, as well as tickets for groups and hospitality areas. For more information on these options click here.

Huge Game Weekend

Some huge games this weekend as Germany has Bayern Munich vs Dortmund on ESPN Saturday at 1:30 pm and Sunday gives us a massive EPL battle for 1st as Man City hosts Arsenal on Peacock of course at 11:30 am. Too bad NBC doesn’t give Crap about soccer in the US – that game on USA or NBC would really grab a nice viewership on Sunday. Great to see NWSL on ESPN at 3:30 pm KC vs Angel City right after the Bayern game. Fox gives us MLS Sunday Atlanta United vs Chicago Fire at 4 pm. So hard to watch MLS these days. Of course FS has the CCL Cup games Tues/Wed night. (See schedule below). Oh and Indy 11 @ Louisville City next Sat on CBS, with Champions League next Tues/Wed on CBS as well.

**Champions League Elite 8 — starts April 9th & 10th on CBS**

GAMES ON TV

Sat, MAr 30

7:30 am USA New Castle United vs West Ham

10:30 am ESPN+ Borrusia Mgladbach (Scally, ) vs Frieburg

11 am USA Nottingham Forest (Turner, Gio) vs Crystal Palace (Richards)

11 am Peacock_ Bournemouth (adams) vs Everton

11 am Peacock Sheffield United (Trusty) vs Fulham (Robinson, Ream)

1 pm para+ Lazio vs Juventus (Weah, McKinney)

1:30 pm ESPN Bayern Munich vs Dortmund

1:30 pm NBC Aston Villa vs Wolverhampton

3:30 pm ESPN KC Current vs Angel FC FC NWSL

3:45 pm Para+ Fiorentina vs AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah)

6:30 pm Ion Portland Thorns vs Racing Louisville NWSL

7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 vs Detroit

Sun, Apr 1

9 am USA Liverpool vs Brighton

11:30 am Peacock Man City vs Arsenal

3 pm ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Atletic Club

2:30 pm ESPN+ Bayer Levekusen vs Wolfsburg

4 pm Fox Atlanta United vs Chicago Fire

Tues, Apr 2

2:30 pm USA New Castle United vs Everton

2:30 pm Peacock Notthingham Forest vs Fulham (Robinson, Ream)

3 pm Para+, CBSSN? Juventus (Weah, McKinney) vs Lazio

7 pm Fox Sport 1 Columbus Crew vs Tigres CCL

9 pm FS1 New England vs America CCL

Weds, Apr 3

2:30 pm USA Arsenal vs Luton Town

3:15 pm Peacock Man Vity vs Aston Villa

3 pm CBSSN? Forentina vs Atalanta

8 pm Fox Sport 1 Inter Miami (Messi) vs Monterrey CCL

10 pm FS1 Heredino vs Pachuca CCL

Thurs, Apr 4

2:30 pm USA Liverpool vs Sheffield United

3:15 pm Peacock Chelsea vs Man United

Sat, April 6

12:30 pm TNT, Max, Telemundo USA Women vs Japan

Tues, Apr 9

3 pm CBS Champions League

5 or 7 pm TBS, Universo, Peacock USWNT vs Brazil/Can winner Columbus, OH

June 27 Copa America US Men Play Panama

July 24 starts US U23 Men & US Women In Olympics

(American’s in Parenthesis)

How to Watch Indy Eleven USL Championship Action

Kings of Concacaf, USA lift Nations League trophy for third time

US Men

USMNT’s Concacaf dominance over Mexico eases pressure ESPN Jeff Carlisle

USA vs. Mexico, 2024 Concacaf Nations League Final: Man of the Match

Thoughts & Ratings: defensively prepared USMNT wears down Mexico in a Dos a Cero win ASN

https://ussoccerplayers.com/2024/03/cnl-24-takeaways-for-usmnt.html

https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/usmnts-latest-nations-league-triumph-vindicates-coach-gregg-berhalter-for-now Doug Mcintyre

US Soccer Vibe Check – This is an exciting chance for the USMNT to be overflowing with abundance
Opinion: The Conversation About Berhalter is Exhausting

After completing one-time switch and lifting U.S. U-19s past England, Campbell eyes bright American future

https://ussoccerplayers.com/usmnt-players-abroad

US Ladies

Purce out for Olympics, NWSL season with ACL Jeff Kassouf

Who should the USWNT call up? Ranking the NWSL players who deserve a look Jeff Kassouf

USWNT’s Smith signs record NWSL contract

USWNT to play Mexico in July friendly to celebrate 1999 Women’s World Cup team

champions league

Pep hails Bellingham’s ‘massive’ impact on Madrid

Xavi: PSG favourites for Barça’s UCL quarterfinal

The battle for extra Champions League places is tight between Italy, Germany and England

Indy 11

Preview Indy vs Detroit

Recap – MEM 1:2 IND

Blake, Stanley Earn USL Team of the Week Honors

Know before you Go – The Mike

Indy Eleven Announces 2024 Promotional Schedule – Tickets on Sale NOW!

Reffing

What’s the Call – Hand Ball Decisions –
MLS referee lockout officially ends: League agrees to seven-year CBA with PRO and PRSA, lasting through 2030
MLS Referee Lockout Ends But Anti-Union Approach …

MLS Ends Refs Lockout With Record Seven-Year Labor Deal

Become a Licensed Ref with Indiana Soccer – must be over 13

GoalKeeping

Great saves: Champs League -Round of 16, 2nd legs | Flying Saves

USL Saves of the Week – Week 3

USMNT’s Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna went from fitness doubts to Nations League game-winners

ARLINGTON, TX - MARCH 24: Tyler Adams #4 of United States celebrates his goal during the CONCACAF Nations League Final match against Mexico at AT&T Stadium on March 24, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. The United States won the match 2-0 (Photo by Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

By Jon Arnold Mar 25, 2024 The Athletic

When Tyler Adams lined up a shot from nearly 30 yards out, both United States center backs, up for a corner kick, had the same thought: “Time to run back and defend.”“Usually, when Tyler shoots, you go ahead and get back into your position,” Chris Richards said.“Row Z,” added Tim Ream. “I thought, ‘OK, there’s a goal kick coming.’”Instead, the center backs’ runs were towards Adams, celebrating a goal unlike any he had scored before in a mob with a full group of jubilant teammates. The midfielder made his first start for the U.S. since the 2022 World Cup in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League final following almost a whole year out through injury, as the USMNT captured the competition’s title for the third time in a row.

Adams had never scored a goal from outside the box in his professional career and rarely even shoots from distance, but felt the time was right to change that.“When the ball came to me and I felt like I had time on the ball, it was a no-brainer,” Adams said.Adams came off at halftime due to a minutes restriction agreed between the USMNT and Bournemouth, the Premier League club that was surely hoping Adams would return to England following this international break a bit fitter and much more confident.“Now I feel like I can shoot whenever I feel like,” Adams said, sporting his medal after the match. “I’ve been practicing that in my rehab recently. It was a good feeling scoring that one.”Adams and Gio Reyna both came into the game with rust: Adams having played 20 league minutes this season and Reyna 309 between Borussia Dortmund and Nottingham Forest. They were the two core pieces of the U.S. team that had the most question marks around their match fitness. Coach Gregg Berhalter opted to start both on Sunday and enjoyed the rewards, with Reyna adding the second goal.Once Ream got over the shock of seeing Adams’ long-range effort beat goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, he was able to reflect more deeply on Adams’ return to the field, coming back from a pair of hamstring injuries that required surgery and putting in a solid shift in the first half of a final.“To see him rewarded after the amount of work he’s had to put in to get back to where he is, I think that’s the most impressive part,” the defender said.

Adams was mobbed after his goal (Darren Carroll/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

That Adams and Reyna scored the goals and had a huge influence on proceedings may be a return to normal instead of a big shock for the U.S. side. The 25-year-old Adams and 21-year-old Reyna have long been seen as some of the brightest stars of a promising generation of U.S. players who have raised expectations around this squad.The surprise may be just how much they contributed — and that they did so from the opening whistle.Mexico coach Jaime Lozano said after the match he and his coaching staff expected to see Reyna from the beginning but perhaps not Adams after the midfielder’s long night against Jamaica, in which he was brought on in the second half of Thursday’s semifinal, only to be taken off again in extra time due to that minutes restriction.Still, he said, they’ve watched Adams since he was a young player and are well aware of his skills.“Today, he had a great goal, which I think changed the course of the game,” Lozano said. “We know, despite the fact that they came in (out of rhythm), that they’re totally international-quality players.”

Reyna, meanwhile, was named player of the tournament after assisting two goals in extra time in the semifinal to go with Sunday night’s insurance score. His performances merited it, but after the drama that surrounded Reyna, his family and Berhalter following the 2022 World Cup, seeing the coach run down the touchline to celebrate the title-clinching goal with Reyna last night wasn’t what many might have imagined in the aftermath of that fiasco.Other national teams might have frozen Reyna out, but since returning as U.S. manager in June 2023 after a brief hiatus following that World Cup, Berhalter has worked slowly to reintegrate Reyna into the team.“I think when I took over the team again, I talked about needing time,” Berhalter said. “The more that we worked together and the more that he believed that intentions were true and our whole staff has his best interest in mind, I think we started to gain trust.”“If we didn’t put it in the past, it would’ve been affecting the team, and I think that was most important for both of us: to put it in the past and focus on the team,” Reyna said. “I think the last few camps since we’ve been back together, they’ve been pretty successful camps.”

Reyna was named player of the tournament (Darren Carroll/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Increasingly, it feels that when it’s a successful camp for Reyna, it’s a successful camp for the U.S. and vice versa. After a stingy Jamaica nearly denied the U.S. any scoring opportunities in 95 minutes of the semifinal, Reyna unlocked the Reggae Boyz and lifted the U.S. into the final.On Sunday, Reyna was there to finish a move just after the hour mark, surging into the box to apply a strong finish to an attempted clearance. His hit on the half-volley beat Ochoa to the near post and doubled the lead Adams had given the U.S.“I think both of us came in ready to perform,” Reyna said. “I don’t think the outside noise of maybe not getting enough minutes really affects us. The body of work we’ve shown in the first few days of training here, and the preparation, really shows what we’ve done and I’m just super-happy for him and also pumped up for me, to be honest.”

The hope for the U.S. now is that both players not only excel upon their return to their clubs in England but that they stay healthy and gather strength. While Berhalter was thrilled to have 45 minutes from Adams and 78 from Reyna last night, he’ll hope to soon have 90 from both.That will be especially important in the Copa America on home turf this summer, which the U.S. begins June 23 against Bolivia. The matches only get more difficult from there and Berhalter must have Reyna creating and Adams patrolling the midfield

USMNT’s Nations League win over Mexico was expected – that’s what made it important

ARLINGTON, TX - MARCH 24: The United States celebrates their victory and trophy during the CONCACAF Nations League Final match between United States and Mexico at AT&T Stadium on March 24, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. The United States won the match 2-0 (Photo by Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

By Paul Tenorio Mar 25, 2024 The Athletic

That the opening goal of the CONCACAF Nations League final happened the way it did — a blistering shot uncorked 30 yards out — felt fitting for the environment around this U.S. men’s national team this week. The pressure had been building up in the days ahead of Sunday’s game and was bound to explode — positively or negatively.The U.S. was coming off of a less-than-decisive 3-1 win over Jamaica in the semifinal on Thursday that required a last-gasp own goal to take it to extra time — a performance significantly below expectations for a U.S. team that’s believed to be capable of more than any that came before, and with a U.S.-hosted Copa America just months away. U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter chuckled to himself on Saturday when asked by a media member whether it was true that they had more pressure on them than Mexico ahead of the big occasion. Berhalter tried to deflect, pointing out that Mexico was coming off of a dominant semifinal win (3-0 against Panama) and would be expected to continue that against their bigger rival. But Berhalter’s smile was also an acknowledgment of the truth: the U.S. — and Berhalter — had more to lose. Nothing but a win on Sunday would have been enough, and Tyler Adams’ goal late in the first half brke the pressure of expectation in the U.S.’s 2-0 win. “There’s always going to be talk,” said Gio Reyna, who scored the second goal on 63 minutes and was named player of the tournament. “And I think looking into Jamaica was a bit much. It obviously wasn’t our best performance, but it’s one game. Not every team can play well every game and we responded really well tonight.”While neither team dominated the final, the U.S. never looked overwhelmed, circulating the ball and probing Mexico for weak points. They gave up very little defensively. Mexico had to chase the result in the last half-hour after Reyna doubled the lead. While El Tri had some half-chances, they never truly threatened the U.S.he postgame press conference for Mexico coach Jaime Lozano had a clear tilt to it: El Tri were chasing the U.S. now. How could they catch their biggest rivals? There was no doubt which team was favored — a sign of how far the U.S. has come since Berhalter first took over.The U.S. was smashed by Mexico in September 2019, a 3-0 loss in Berhalter’s first year that altered the course for this group. After that loss, the U.S. became a more transitional, high-pressing and physical team. They learned the intensity it would take to win those big games against their rival. That result, six meetings ago now, is the last time Mexico beat the U.S.

The U.S. was able to limit Mexico’s chances throughout the final (Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

But while Sunday’s win was a requirement, it will bring little relief ahead of the Copa America. If anything, a third straight regional crown will only ramp up the hopes that the U.S. can do something special against bigger opponents in a tournament that will include the likes of Lionel Messi’s World Cup champions Argentina and world power Brazil.“I would say that, as a federation, those teams (such as Argentina and Brazil) have proven something already; they’ve won everything there is to win,” Adams said. “That’s kind of the role model, so to speak, of what the U.S. wants to become and kind of: ‘How do we get there?’.“I would say that we’re making the right steps in order to get there. Obviously, people want us to be there tomorrow and win a World Cup, but that’s not an ideal situation. We need to go through a lot of ups and downs before we get there. But steps like this tonight, playing in finals, getting that experience now, winning three in a row, this means something… We’re learning how to win in pressure situations.”The Nations League tournaments have served as markers for this group.The first win, in June 2021, was crucial in that it was a validating moment for a young team asserting itself in the region. That they battled back twice from deficits to win, 3-2 after extra time, showed the character of a group that has shined through since on multiple stages, including at the following year’s World Cup in Qatar.Last year’s dominant 3-0 semifinal win over Mexico only reinforced the U.S.’s position atop CONCACAF but, more importantly, it showed off the growth of Reyna playing in a central role. After the off-field issues in and after Qatar, Reyna came back into the group in 2023 looking to show he could be the influential playmaker the U.S. fans hoped he would be, and he then assisted on both goals in a 2-0 win over Canada in the final before being substituted for the second half due to a leg injury.

Adams celebrates his long-range goal (Omar Vega/Getty Images)

Reyna continued that impact into this year’s tournament, setting up both goals in extra time against Jamaica and then scoring in Sunday’s final. He went through the mixed zone still holding his trophy as player of the tournament.This Nations League final was never going to be the same type of marker for this group — not with the Copa America just around the corner. Instead, it served as almost a checkpoint. The U.S. was supposed to win this game. And that, in itself, spoke to the difference of this cycle.The U.S. isn’t going to be considered a young team anymore. They are expected to get results. “I think it’s something that we do respond to,” Berhalter said. “When the guys feel like we’re pressured, then we come out and we play really good performances. In the last World Cup, as soon as they got to camp, it was like, focus, focus, focus, they were on it. And the same thing in this camp as the camp went on. So I know they’re focused.“For me, it’s about really taking advantage of every single opportunity we have because, before we know it, ’26 (the World Cup being co-hosted with Canada and Mexico) is gonna be here.”(Top photo: Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

UNITED STATES

Gio Reyna has been ‘killing it’ for the USMNT. Can he now do it at the club level?

Published Mar. 25, 2024 3:52 p.m. ET

ARLINGTON, Texas — The look on Gregg Berhalter’s face was the epitome of glee. In the 63rd minute of the Concacaf Nations League final, Gio Reyna perfectly positioned his body over a bouncing ball at the top of the penalty box and struck a low volley past Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. It was a spectacular and technical goal that gave the United States men’s national team a 2-0 lead over their rival.The score went unchanged for the remainder of the match, and the U.S. fought against a feisty and physical opponent to hold on and win its third straight CNL title.After Reyna scored — his second goal of the tournament — he ran to the right corner flag while pointing at the U.S. crest on his chest. His teammates — those on the field and on the bench — joined him in a jumping-up-and-down-in-a-circle celebration. Berhalter sprinted down the touchline to join the group with a joyous smile that took up his whole face. Despite playing outside of Dallas, the crowd was pro-Mexico and the opposing fans roared with boos after Reyna’s goal. As the American players celebrated, nearby fans threw cups of beer at them. Seeing this happen in real time, Berhalter made his way to Reyna and tried to shield him from any other flying objects.A little while later, Reyna was subbed off in the 75th minute. He was on a minutes restriction, was starting to cramp up, and the USMNT had the lead in hand, so it made sense. When he stepped off the pitch, Berhalter put his arms around the player for a second. They both seemed happy.

“[He said] something along the lines that he was proud of me,” Reyna, who was named the tournament’s best player, said after the match.

“It was a long night, a lot’s been happening since the game,” Reyna said smiling, a nod to the beer and goggles celebration the players had in the locker room after the win, “and I just couldn’t tell you word for word. But it was just something nice. It wasn’t anything too special, but it was nice.”This is all a testament to how far both Berhalter and Reyna have come since the drama that ensnared their relationship at the 2022 World Cup. After the Americans were eliminated in the round of 16 of that tournament 15 months ago, Berhalter revealed that he nearly sent an unnamed player home due to a poor attitude in training. It was eventually discovered that the player was Reyna. His parents – former USMNT captain Claudio Reyna and former USWNT player Danielle Egan – retaliated by bringing up a decades-old domestic violence incident between Berhalter and his now-wife to U.S. Soccer. Berhalter’s contract expired shortly thereafter, though he was re-hired a few months later.In the aftermath, there was a lot of interest in the relationship between Berhalter and Reyna. Would Reyna be called into camp? Would he start? How would the vibes be? How would it affect the team? Etc, etc.

Reyna was recalled to the USMNT last October, and started the final four matches of 2023. In the USMNT’s semifinal win over Jamaica on Thursday, he had two beautiful assists in extra time that helped the squad to a 3-1 win. Following that game, Reyna spoke with reporters for the first time since everything transpired after the World Cup.

“Obviously, what happened, happened,” Reyna said. “But I think both of us are so far past it, and just so focused on the group that it’s not even an issue at all anymore. We’re just so far past it.”

He essentially repeated those sentiments late Sunday night, adding that he felt like this was all water under the bridge after their first camp back together last year.

“If we didn’t put it in the past, it would have been affecting the team and I think that was most important for the both of us,” Reyna explained. “I think the last few camps that he’s been here and we’ve been back together, it’s been pretty successful. So yeah, like I said, it’s in the past. It’s pretty simple.”

Time heals. Even if it didn’t, there’s no way Berhalter could avoid Reyna, who, at just 21 years old, is establishing himself as one of the most valuable players in the team.

“The kid’s unbelievable, honestly,” said Tyler Adams, who also scored a banger of a goal to put the USMNT up 1-0 right before halftime. “So many people talk about the noise that surrounded him and everything that he went through. But at 21 years old, every single one of the players on our team has gone through a situation like that. Maybe not as extreme, of course, because it was surrounding a World Cup and we didn’t play in a World Cup at 21.

“He’s got that grit, he’s got that intensity, and when he plays like that every night, he’s gonna be playing at a big club very soon.”

Last month, Reyna joined Nottingham Forest on loan from Borussia Dortmund for the remainder of the season. Minutes have been sparse for Reyna, and there were questions about his fitness entering this camp. He played 75 minutes against Jamaica, coming on at halftime and playing through extra time; then 75 more in the final against Mexico.

“He was determined to grind through it and power through it and I thought he was doing really well,” Berhalter said.

Berhalter, who said he and Reyna “started to gain trust” and were patient in rebuilding their relationship after the World Cup fallout, gushed about the young player’s talent.

“He can unlock defenses and he just has these qualities that are really good,” Berhalter said. “I also believe, and I’ve said this before, that he can be a midfielder. I think that’s the next evolution for him because he can control the tempo so well and he can make final passes when he gets the ball in pockets in transition and he’s a good finisher.”

Berhalter and Reyna both hope that Reyna can use this momentum as a springboard to get more minutes with his club. And for the USMNT, it’s especially heartening to see a confident and healthy Reyna in form with Copa America looming this summer.

“He’s killing it here,” defender Chris Richards said of his teammate. “Hopefully he continues that form.”

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.

USMNT late week viewing guide: Back to the grind

Haji Wright, perhaps Josh Sargent, and others re-start club season on Friday

Friday

Huddersfield vs Coventry, 11a: Haji Wright and Coventry (8th) meet relegation-zone Huddersfield (22nd of 24 in the Championship).
Norwich City vs Plymouth Argyle, 11a on ESPN+ (free trial): Josh Sargent and sixth-place Norwich look to maintain promotion playoff position against Plymouth (18th).
América vs San Luis, 10p: Alejandro Zendejas and América are second in the Liga MX Clausura with 12 games played; San Luis are 13th of 18.

Ukraine qualify for Euro 2024: ‘The world is going to watch and see we never give up’

Ukrainian fans attend the UEFA's EURO 2024 qualification final play off football match between Ukraine and Iceland, in Wroclaw, Poland, on March 26, 2024. (Photo by Sergei GAPON / AFP)

By Jordan CampbellMar 27, 2024

More than 40 members of Ukraine’s national-team party were spread around the centre circle of Wroclaw’s Tarczynski Arena.Players, coaches and backroom staff locked their gaze on the 30,000 spectators sporting blue and yellow as they revved up their version of the Viking thunderclap. Iceland, the architects of that celebration during the 2016 European Championship, could only listen in despair having lost this Euro 2024 play-off final to a late strike from Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk.Strangers embraced. Families posed for photographs draped in Ukraine flags. Others video-called, possibly home to war-torn Ukraine, sharing the moment with others unable to experience first-hand this release of emotion around 600 miles (1,000km) away in south-west Poland.kraine had done it.Ukraine’s players address the crowd (Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images)

Despite enduring over two years of Russian invasion and indiscriminate bombing with millions of its citizens displaced, a weakened domestic league and home advantage for matches long since diluted, Serhiy Rebrov’s side had come through two tense play-off matches to qualify for this summer’s Euros — a mountain they had failed to climb two years ago when pursuing a World Cup spot, losing to Wales at this final stage.

As Oleksandr Zinchenko, the captain, led his team around the pitch to celebrate a second comeback victory in five days, the 2-1 win over Iceland following a similar late success by the same scoreline away against Bosnia & Herzegovina, a guttural chant reverberated around the arena.

“Z-S-U! Z-S-U! Z-S-U!”

The acronym stands for ‘Zbronyi Syly Ukrainy’ — the Armed Forces of Ukraine. These Ukrainian supporters — almost all draped in the nation’s blue and yellow flag — were reminding the world of why this victory was not just a footballing triumph.

This was not so much a lap of honour as a vignette of how conflicting it is to be Ukrainian today; jubilant at a second major finals qualification via play-offs from seven attempts, yet acutely aware of how small sport seems in the shadow of war. United in a foreign city, but separated from loved ones across the border; grateful for international support, yet fearing that their struggle is fading from the public consciousness.

“I’m all emotioned out — it’s one of the most important, if not the most important, win for Ukraine in its history,” says British-Ukrainian journalist Andrew Todos, founder of Ukrainian football website Zorya Londonsk.

“It is the context of having to make the tournament to give the country a massive important platform. People are going to see the country and hear about the war carrying on during the build-up and the weeks that they are in the tournament.”

English-born drummer Andriy Buniak (bottom) of Ukrainian folk band Cov Kozaks with Andrew Todos (third right) and Myron Huzan (right) (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)

The Ukraine FA, drawn as the hosts, chose Wroclaw for this play-off final because they knew it would be their best chance of approximating a home advantage. The 1-1 group-phase draw with England here in September attracted a crowd of 39,000 and Wroclaw has been one of the main cities to which Ukrainians have fled over the past two years.In 2018, there were already suggestions that one in every 10 Wroclaw residents was Ukrainian. The city’s university status means family reunions have driven that number up to around a third of the population. It would have been slightly higher again on Tuesday, with the city transformed into a ‘Little Kyiv’.

‘When I call home, I hear drone attacks in the background’: Andriy Kravchuk, the Ukrainian footballer given refuge by Manchester City

Drummers dressed in traditional attire beat a rhythm for jolly sing-alongs and heartfelt rallies in the market square. Every act of joy from the Ukrainian contingent quickly felt like an expression of defiance.

The constant was a sense of unity, captured by the charity match played earlier in the day between a team of former players and the ‘potato soldiers’, a nickname coined by organiser Mykola Vasylkov for the amount of food his team have delivered to the front line thanks to fundraising assistance from national-team players.

“‘No Football Euro without Ukraine’ has been our message — now we’ve done it, ” says Vasylkov, who was part of Andriy Shevchenko’s setup during his five years as Ukraine manager.

Vasylkov helped then manager Shevchenko in the Ukraine setup (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)

The majority of the Ukrainians in attendance at last night’s play-off had lived elsewhere in Europe for some years before the conflict. Unless they receive special dispensation, males between the ages of 18 and 60 are banned from leaving the country.

Unable to fight for the cause in the conventional sense, this was the day when the diaspora played their part. Goalscorers Viktor Tsygankov and Mudryk, who play for clubs in Spain and England, and an eclectic fanbase combined to put their country on the map at this summer’s tournament in Germany.

“There were amazing emotions and atmosphere in the dressing room — these days wearing the Ukrainian badge on our chest is something special,” says Zinchenko. “The feelings inside are so hard to describe as, today, every Ukrainian was watching our game.

“All the video messages we received before the game from Ukrainians, in the country and abroad, from the military who are staying on the front line fighting for our independence and freedom… they were all supporting us. It was extra motivation for us.”

Zinchenko applauds the fans after Ukraine’s win (Andrzej Iwanczuk/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

It was only last summer that Zinchenko used Arsenal’s pre-season tour in the United States to call for American F-15 fighter jets to be given to Ukrainian forces. He did not want the world to become fatigued and forget his compatriots’ suffering.“It (Euro 2024) will be so important,” he says. “We all understand that. All the world is going to watch this competition as it’s one of the biggest in the sport. It’s an unreal opportunity to show how good we are as a team and how good it is to be Ukrainian.“Our people are about never giving up and fighting until the end.”

Iceland’s population of 375,000 is dwarfed by Ukraine’s estimated 34million and their FIFA ranking of 73rd is well below their opponents’ 24th, so Zinchenko and his team-mates were hardly underdogs last night — but Ukraine’s players still have to cope with the mental toil of having family members enduring life in a war zone.

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When Ukraine missed out on a place at the most recent World Cup in its June 2022 play-offs, winning 3-1 away to Scotland in their semi-final but then being beaten 1-0 in Cardiff by a Gareth Bale shot that took a big deflection, their domestic-based players had only been able to feature in friendlies against club sides for the previous seven months. That was not the case this time, but four of the starting XI and 11 of the 23-man squad are based in Ukraine.

The domestic league resumed in that summer of 2022 but it has dropped in quality as most of its top foreign players have left, and only in the last month have small crowds been allowed into top-flight games again. They are only able to do so with the provision of air-raid sirens, and with bunkers to shelter in readily available.

Ukrainian fans celebrate qualification (Andrzej Iwanczuk/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

During that play-off final, footage appeared of Ukrainian soldiers in the trenches watching the match on their phones. That connection to home was strong in Wrocław on Tuesday.

“I work in the army and brought a flag that Ukrainian soldiers signed,” says Artem Genne, a London-based fan, holding up the message “Keep up the good work for peace and prosperity in Ukraine”, sporting the signatures of different regiments. “We went to visit the team the day before the game and we got a picture of them with the flag to send back to the troops and boost morale.

“Some family members live near some military facilities and they have been witnessing lots of attacks. Many of my friends live in Kyiv (the capital) and they were sending me footage from their balconies of windows being smashed. It goes on every day and, even though we are not there, it still affects you knowing your friends are in underground shelters.”

Artem Genne and a friend hold up their flag signed by Ukrainian soldiers (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)

Roman Labunski travelled from Berlin in West Germany, over 200 miles, with his wife and two sons to be at the game.

His eldest son Nathan, 13, has only ever been to Ukraine twice, but was on his father’s shoulders during the 2014 Maidan revolution. He witnessed something en route to the stadium that served as a wake-up call.

“We saw lorries carrying tanks to the border,” Roman says. “It reminded us that we’re still able to do something safe and fun. I sometimes feel guilty that I am not living it, as my cousins came to stay with us after the invasion but went back after they thought it was safe. Now they are facing rockets again.

“It is not just football that we wanted to win for, and the team know that. It is no longer that they are up here and the fans are down there. We feel together with them now. The Euros will bring everyone back home some hope and happiness.”

Aron, Natan and Roman Lanunski travelled to Wroclaw from Berlin (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)

Although most at the game had moved away from Ukraine years earlier, there are those who only narrowly avoided life on the front line.

Serhii was a 16-year-old living in a village 5km from Kyiv when a column of Russian tanks started moving towards the capital.

“It was the last town not to be occupied. If that had happened, it would have been a big problem for Kyiv,” he says. “Once the war started, I moved west; then to Germany for seven months before going home.

“Now I have been living in Chelm (just over the border from Ukraine in eastern Poland).”

Fedir (centre) and Serhii (right) in Wroclaw’s market square (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)

His friend Fedir is from Vinnytsia, a city south-west of Kyiv.

“The Polish people have been very kind and welcoming to us,” Fedir says. “We appreciate this support from them, but it is lower than it was two years ago. This war is making everyone tired. Ukrainians, Polish. People are starting to forget about it. We are not.”

Vitaliy is part of the select group of fighting age who has permission to cross the border, due to his work in Denmark dating back to 2010.

“I grew up with the stories of my grandparents not being able to read Ukrainian books, so it was not a surprise to me when war came,” he says.

Vitaliy (left) with his family outside the stadium (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)

“They try to tell us that western Ukraine is not the same as the east — whether it’s language, culture, history.

“That is why football is so important. Since we got independence, we are more able, as a people, to resist and see things for ourselves. We have our own identity and this summer is our chance to show that to the world.”

(Top photo: Sergei Gapon/AFP)

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Earn Your College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane

3/24/24 US Men face Mexico tonight in Nations League Finals 9 pm on Para+, Univision, Indy 11 tie home opener, NWSL Season Preview, Euro games this week (updated Sun)

March 21, 2024March 25, 2024 gatorbest indy-11, nwsl, soccer, usmnt, uswnt

US Men Defend Nations League Title vs Mexico Sun 9:15pm on Para+, Univision

The US Men look to defend their 2 Time Nations League Crown tonight as they face Mexico at 9:15 pm. The US needed a miracle goal in the 95th minute to take the game to ET where they pulled off the 3-1 win on two goals by Haji Wright off beautiful passes by Gio Reyna. Reyna certainly proved he belongs as he unlocked the tight Jamaican D over and over again. Jamaica scored 40 seconds in and parked the buss with 10 players behind the ball and in the box. The US struggled to unlock things until Reyna came in with Haji Wright. Obviously Dest will be back in at right back as Joe Scally had a tough game coming off at half time as the US looked for more attack. Otherwise not sure what changes GB might pull. I still kind of like Gio coming in at half time -but we will see. This game should be more wide open which should help the US as honestly we are a better fast break team rather than 75% possession team.

USMNT projected lineup vs Jamaica

— Turner —

— Dest — Richards — M. Robinson — A. Robinson —

— Musah — Cardoso — McKennie —

— Weah — Balogun/Wright — Pulisic —

The 23-player USMNT roster:

GOALKEEPERS (3): 22-Drake Callender (Inter Miami), 18-Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City), 1-Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest)

DEFENDERS (8): 2-Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), 23-Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), 16-Mark McKenzie (Genk), 13-Tim Ream (Fulham FC), 3-Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), 5-Antonee Robinson (Fulham FC), 12-Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), 19-Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)

MIDFIELDERS (5): 4-Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), 15-Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), 8-Weston McKennie (Juventus FC), 6-Yunus Musah (AC Milan), 7-Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest)

FORWARDS (6): 11-Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin), 20-Folarin Balogun (Monaco), 17-Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven), 9-Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), 10-Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), 21-Tim Weah (Juventus FC), 14-Haji Wright (Coventry City) – in for injured Sergent.

Berhalter: U.S. ‘can create a legacy’ in CNL final ESPN Jeff Carlisle

USMNT rides its luck, but can’t do the same against Mexico2dJeff Carlisle

Three thoughts as USMNT survives Jamaica in miraculous Nations League win

U.S. savior Reyna ‘so far past’ Berhalter feud

Opinion: The Conversation About Berhalter is Exhausting By Adnan Ilyas

CONCACAF Nations League Finals: Scouting Mexico By Brendan Joseph

USA vs. Mexico, Concacaf Nations League Final: What to watch for By Donald Wine II

USA vs. Jamaica, 2024 Concacaf Nations League Semifinals: Man of the Match

Poll results: USMNT lineup vs Mexico By Justin Moran

USMNT player ratings: Reyna, Wright save the day in Jamaica win

Did Berhalter take a shot at Marsch after USMNT-Jamaica game?

**Great to see Tyler Adams back on the field and healthy for the US Men !**

Indy 11 tie Home Opener Sat night 7 pm at the Mike

Indy Eleven and Sacramento Republic FC played to a 1-1 draw in the Boys in Blue’s home opener on Saturday night at Carroll Stadium. The Eleven found themselves on the wrong side of an own goal in the 31st minute, but answered back almost immediately when Augi Williams found the back of the net for the first time this season off and assist from Max Schneider. The Boys in Blue continue their homestand next Saturday, hosting the first Eastern Conference foe of the season in Detroit City FC. Kick is slated for 7 p.m. ET and will air locally on WNDY, while streaming on ESPN+. Single-game tickets are available now for all matches via Ticketmaster. Season Ticket Packages can also be purchased, as well as tickets for groups and hospitality areas. For more information on these options click here.

Former Carmel FC Players Doing Well

Congrats to former Carmel FC player Rosie Martin daughter of former Carmel FC coach Andy Martin and Lisa Martin has signed with University of Illinois Chicago to play D1 soccer.

Congrats to former Carmel FC player, Sophomore Maverick McCoy son of former FC coach Wade McCoy as they won the 20U Academy Cup last weekend. Center back Maverick also got to join the Indy 11 in some preseason friendlies and was on the bench last night for the home opener !!

Maverick was on the bench last night for the Indy 11 home opener !! Here with his dad Wade – Congrats !

The New US kits for Copa American & The Olympics have dropped – what do you think?

Champions League Quarterfinals – Draw -A who’s who of Euro soccer – Real Madrid vs Man City – wow.

GAMES ON TV

Thurs, Mar 21

3:45 pm Fox Sports 2 Wales vs Finland Euro Qualifying

7 pm FS1 US Men vs Jamaica — Nations League Semis

9 pm FS1? Mexico vs Canada – Nations League Semis

Friday, Mar 22

1 pm FS2 Norway vs Czech Republic

3:45 pm FS2 Netherlands vs Scotland

8 pm Amazon Prime Orlando Pride vs Angel City NWSL

Sat, Mar 23

1 pm FS2 Ireland vs Belgium

2 pm Apple MLS NY Red Bulls vs Miami (Messi)

3 pm FOX England vs Brazil

4 pm CBSSN Canada vs T&T Copa Qualifier

7 pm TV 8? Indy 11 vs Sacramento

7:30 pm Apple MLS Cincy vs NYCFC

7:30 pm Ion Washington Spirit vs Bay FC NWSL

10 pm San Diego Wave (Morgan) vs KC Current NWSL

Sun, March 24

6 pm Para+ TUDN Concacaf 3rd place game

7 pm ESPN2 Portland Thorns vs NY/NJ Gothem NWSL

9 pm Para+ TUDN CONCACAF Finals – USA vs Mexico

Mon, Mar 25

4 pm Golazo US Men U23s vs France U23s

Tues, Mar 26th

3:45 pm FS2 Germany vs Netherlands

10:50 pm CBSSN Argentina vs Costa Rica

Sat, April 6

12:30 pm TNT, Max, Telemundo USA Women vs Japan

Tues, Apr 9

5 or 7 pm TBS, Universo, Peacock USWNT vs Brazil/Can winner Columbus, OH

July 24 starts US U23 Men & US Women In Olympics

(American’s in Parenthesis)

How to Watch Indy Eleven USL Championship Action

USMNT on ‘higher alert’ against depleted Jamaica

US Men

USA vs. Jamaica, Concacaf Nations League Semifinals: What to watch for

2024 Nations League Finals: Scouting Jamaica
Nations League is inhibiting USMNT’s prep for 2026 World Cup 16hJeff Carlisle

US Roster for Nations League – ASN

Olympic soccer tournament groups revealed
When will the US produce a soccer coach who can win respect in England?

NWSL

2024 NWSL season team-by-team preview: How are teams spending all that money coming in?

NWSL Power Rankings: North Carolina Courage put the rest of the league on notice 2dMegan Swanick

NWSL, Liga MX F announce Summer Cup tourney 12hJeff Kassouf

K.C. opens ‘game-changing’ stadium with 5-4 win

Late Morgan header grabs S.D. Challenge Cup win

NWSL ambition rankings: Which teams are raising standards, which aren’t trying enough?

Ranking all 28 new NWSL team jerseys, with photos: Argyle, sunsets and fruit make a bold slate

US Ladies

USA and Spain handed tough draws in women’s Olympic tournament
USWNT get Germany, Australia in group stage at Paris Olympics; US men get host France

World

Euro 2024 play-offs: ‘Relaxed’ Wales braced for crunch Finland semi-final
Hosts France get kind Olympic draw as Mbappe uncertainty lingers
England vs Brazil: When is the match, what time does it start and what channel is it on?
Gomez feels England recall ‘closes chapter’ on injury torment

Indy 11

Recap – MEM 1:2 IND

Blake, Stanley Earn USL Team of the Week Honors

Indy Eleven Falls in Season Opener at Oakland

Boys in Blue Add Undrafted Program Product Jay Klein

United Soccer League to Field 47 Clubs in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

Indy Eleven Announces 2024 Promotional Schedule – Tickets on Sale NOW!

Reffing

Howard Webb: VAR right to stay out of Liverpool-Man City penalty decision says referees’ chief

Become a Licensed Ref with Indiana Soccer – must be over 13

GoalKeeping

Great saves: Champs League -Round of 16, 2nd legs | Flying Saves

USL Saves of the Week 2

Cool segment on former Indy 11 GK and Carmel FC GK Coach Jordan Farr
Thibaut Courtois: Real Madrid goalkeeper has surgery after another knee injury

Gomez: Berhalter not the right coach for USMNT

Seth Vertelney followMarch 23, 2024 2:58 pm ET

Former U.S. men’s national team forward Herculez Gomez has said Gregg Berhalter isn’t the right coach to lead the USMNT to the 2026 World Cup.Gomez made his comments in the aftermath of the USMNT’s wild 3-1 extra-time win over Jamaica in the Nations League semifinal.The U.S. was just seconds away from a stunning defeat, but a Jamaica own goal with the last kick of the match sent the game into extra time. From there, Gio Reyna assisted Haji Wright for two goals to seal a spot in the final.Ahead of the USMNT’s match against Mexico on Sunday, Gomez voiced his concerns over Berhalter. “There are going to be many people out here who say, ‘Well, they made it to the final.’ Gregg Berhalter was two seconds away, was a play away from everybody calling for his head, from everybody saying this isn’t the man to lead this team,” Gomez said on ESPN’s “Futbol Americas.”“And I don’t think I feel too much differently today after this game as I did before it. Gregg Berhalter may be a good coach at a certain level. He’s not the coach for the U.S. men’s national team at this level, not the coach to lead the U.S. men’s national team to the World Cup in 2026.”

Berhalter led the USMNT to Gold Cup and Nations League titles, and a World Cup knockout round spot in his first stint as head coach, but his second go-round hasn’t been convincing as of yet. The coach returned to his position after last summer’s Gold Cup, producing expected wins against the likes of Oman, Uzbekistan and Ghana. Meanwhile, the USMNT has underwhelmed in defeats against Germany and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as during Thursday’s win over the Reggae Boyz.The pressure will be ramped up ahead of Sunday’s final against Mexico, and especially heading into this summer’s Copa América on home soil.

Did Berhalter take a shot at Marsch after USMNT-Jamaica game?

USMNT player ratings: Reyna, Wright save the day in Jamaica win

Three thoughts as USMNT survives Jamaica in miraculous Nations League win

The USMNT needed an answered prayer to beat Jamaica. What was the problem?

ARLINGTON, TX - MARCH 21: The United States celebrates the late own goal during the CONCACAF Nations League Semifinal match between United States and Jamaica at AT&T Stadium on March 21, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. The United States won the match 3-1 in extra time (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images)

By Jon Arnold Mar 22, 2024

When the goalkeeper ran into the opposing penalty area and the tactics had become unimportant, Gregg Berhalter did the last thing he possibly could.“You prepare, you work hard, you move everybody up in the penalty box and you pray,” the United States manager said Thursday night. Where set pieces and schemes didn’t work, petitioning a higher power did: The U.S. equalized Jamaica in the final moment of regulation on a flukey own goal and sent their CONCACAF Nations League semifinal to extra time.Given the gift of an extra 30 minutes to set things right, the U.S. took advantage. A double by Haji Wright in the added period propelled the Americans to the victory, but it was clear that the 3-1 final score was makeup on the pig of an ugly performance, one that required a stunning late own goal Berhalter called ‘miraculous’.How did the U.S. get to this point? The Jamaica team that gave it so much trouble was depleted by injuries and suspensions, most notably keeping the likes of Premier Leaguers Leon Bailey and Michail Antonio off the pitch. The U.S. still needed desperate prayer answered in the form of a goal off the head of its center back and then an opposing forward.The team conceded a goal it shouldn’t have conceded after just 34 seconds, forgot the attitude it needed to have in a region where every match promises to be feisty and needed a boost from reinforcements like Gio Reyna and Tyler Adams, who weren’t able to put in a full 90-minute shift Thursday.Jamaica always intended to come out in a defensive posture, and the early goal played right into the plan. “We have to improve – especially against a 5-4-1,” Berhalter said. “To me, it’s about speed of ball movement, combinations particularly in wide areas to get behind them and hurt the defense. We didn’t do that enough. When we did, we created chances. I think the expected goals was 2.6, so we had enough there but it wasn’t consistent enough.“You can see this team hasn’t played together for four months. It’s clear.”

Berhalter made numerous adjustments in the second half (Stephen Nadler/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

After allowing that first-minute goal to fullback Gregory Leigh, who popped up at the back post without a defender anywhere near and headed in a cross from Bobby De Cordova-Reid, the U.S. had to make immediate adjustments. Jamaica was able to rely on its strengths, snuffing out potential opportunities for the U.S. to break in transition and muscling players off the ball often when the U.S. did make forays into its attacking third.“You can’t give up the first goal in 45 seconds. That can’t happen,” Berhalter said. “Then it’s patience, perseverance. We had 940 passes in the game, so we had enough but to me it’s all about what you’re doing in the wide areas. You’ve got to draw them out of position…It’s all stuff we need to keep learning from.”

The late goal wasn’t the United States’ only bit of fortune – it was lucky to not be down by more than a goal as it chased the game. While Jamaica was happy to defend its lead and let the U.S. dominate possession of the ball, it had a few scoring chances it should have finished. None will be more frustrating for Jamaica than the chance just after the hour mark when forward Renaldo Cephas was alone in front of Matt Turner, only to send a weak effort into the U.S. goalkeeper’s arms.“We should’ve killed the game off in these 90 minutes, but it really, really hurts and I feel for the guys doing so well in the 90 minutes and then conceding a goal with the last touch of the game,” Jamaica manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said. “Psychologically, it was a blow to concede this goal at the end. You kind of saw it mentally and physically in (extra time) that we were missing the power we had in the 95 minutes.”Cephas got the starting nod Thursday as the Reggae Boyz dealt with a number of key absences. Aston Villa star Bailey was kept out of the camp because of disciplinary reasons, and West Ham United forward Antonio was a late scratch with a shoulder injury. Fellow attackers Demarai Gray and Shamar Nicholson missed the contest with suspensions.

Haji Wright scored both of the United States’ extra-time goals (Shaun Clark/Getty Images)

With all those absences, Berhalter felt his U.S. team forgot an important lesson about playing in this part of the world: The opponent will be open to muddying things up and giving one of the region’s traditional powers everything they can handle.“The pregame talk is the normal CONCACAF speech: It’s not going to be easy, guys. It’s going to be a very difficult game,” the manager said. “I think somewhere along the line it goes in one of their ears and out the other. They don’t really understand it. Because this was a typical CONCACAF game. We’ve all been a part of a ton of these games”Though typical in some ways, the Jamaican game plan was not without its quirks. Among the most impactful to the U.S. was the usage of Philadelphia Union center back Damion Lowe as a roaming destroyer in the midfield, which made it tough for the U.S. to pursue their best lines of attack. The team slogged through the first half, looking for a response to the first-minute goal that never truly came.“Obviously not our best day. Obviously not my best day,” U.S. winger Christian Pulisic said after. “But on days like that when you find a way to win, it says something about the team spirit. We just kept pushing and pushing and it came right at the end.”

That continued push in the second half came in part thanks to Berhalter’s addition of Reyna to the attack and Adams’ return to the midfield after more than a year away from the national team with a hamstring injury. Both players were on minutes restrictions and will have their fitness monitored ahead of Sunday’s title decider, Berhalter said.Reyna said he was looking to “just affect the game. It was pretty simple. Not our best performance today, and I just try to bring a bit of life to the team and luckily was able to do that.”Adams showed frustration coming out of the contest, which Berhalter attempted to assuage as best he could, with a hint of amusement. After subbing on the midfielder in the 63rd minute, Berhalter took him off in the 100th. Beyond the minutes cap, the motive was clear: The U.S. now has a final to prepare for and lots of work to do.

Against Mexico in that final, they may not be as lucky, but they may need it more.

Is Gregg Berhalter a good coach for the USMNT?

Ryan O’Hanlon Jeff Carlisle ESPN+ mar 18, 2024, 09:35 AM

Gregg Berhalter’s tenure as manager of the U.S. men’s national team has divided opinion from the start.

Yes, he’d helped the Columbus Crew punch above its weight as the Designated Player era in MLS entered its second decade. But he was hired while his brother was the chief commercial officer at the U.S. Soccer Federation, raising questions about a potential conflict of interest.

On top of that, his hiring seemed to some like a retrenchment back to the relatively small and insular community of U.S. Soccer. After the disastrous reign of Jurgen Klinsmann — the ultimate outsider and a critic of U.S. Soccer — no more outsiders would be leading the way.

Despite such concerns, Berhalter then went on to lead the U.S. through a successful 2022 World Cup qualification campaign, which helped erase memories of the USMNT crashing out four years earlier thanks to a hole Klinsmann dug early on in qualifiers. Once in Qatar, the Americans under Berhalter reached the round of 16, which was neither a high nor low mark for the USMNT. Some felt Berhalter met expectations at the World Cup, but others questioned whether the team should’ve done better with a group of players widely viewed as the best U.S. generation ever.

Just over five years since Berhalter was first hired, opinion remains divided among players, coaches and fans: Is Berhalter actually a good coach?

ESPN analyst Ryan O’Hanlon will delve into the numbers to see how Berhalter stacks against his USMNT predecessors. Has there been discernible progress on the field? Is the team winning more often than it used to? Has Berhalter been able to institute the kind of cohesive attacking style that USMNT fans have been calling out for? And most importantly, does he have the team performing at, above, or below the level of its talent?

But there are also aspects beyond the numbers to consider. Can Berhalter manage the egos of these players and get them pointed in the same direction? Do the players in the USMNT locker room trust him? And is his tactics-heavy approach the right fit at the international level? ESPN national reporter Jeff Carlisle spoke to former players and colleagues to get answers.

“I thought he was an excellent coach — very, very good tactically,” former Columbus Crew and U.S. international defender Michael Parkhurst told ESPN. “And just understanding the game, no detail went unnoticed.”

Former U.S. international forward and “Fútbol Americas” host Herculez Gomez takes a different view: “I don’t think he’s the best coach for the U.S. men’s national team. That doesn’t mean he can’t be a good coach. I just think he’s a very inexperienced coach.”

Trust between player and USMNT coach must be “unbreakable”

Part of what makes answering some of these questions difficult is that Berhalter does some of these things well for the most part, only to get tripped up enough to cast some doubt. Man-management is a primary example for his critics.

It was an unforced error for Berhalter to tell a room full of people after the World Cup that he almost sent an unknown player home, when it was clear that he was referring to Gio Reyna. The event created the animosity that snowballed into Reyna’s parents disclosing a 30-year-old domestic violence incident between Berhalter and his wife, which prompted an investigation that cleared the way for Berhalter to keep coaching the USMNT. Berhalter could’ve never anticipated the Reyna family’s reactions, but he needed to show better judgement.

Gomez feels there are other times when Berhalter has broken trust with some players, like when he left Zack Steffen off the World Cup roster.

“If I’m a player and I see what he did to Steffen, I think that could happen to me,” he said. “Steffen was one of his guys. There are things that you don’t do as a coach to break trust for the player. And I think he’s done a few of those things.”

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Steffen, who played under Berhalter in Columbus, said Berhalter hadn’t communicated his plan going into the World Cup, which the coach later said was focused on having an undisputed No. 1 in goal rather than goalkeepers battling for position. “I didn’t hear about that until a couple of months later,” Steffen told ESPN last year. “I heard someone say that, but I thought it was a rumor. He and I have a long history and, yeah, I thought it was a little bit different than it was.”

When a team is going through difficult periods, Gomez added, trust with players is all a coach has, and “that should be unbreakable.”

There have also been moments when Berhalter has shown a deft hand in managing players. The incident in World Cup qualifying when midfielder Weston McKennie was sent home for violating COVID-19 protocols was a delicate moment for the team. But Berhalter was firm in his discipline, gradually brought McKennie back into the fold, and the player was a key contributor during qualifying and at the World Cup.

Tim Ream was largely on the outside of the U.S. national team during World Cup qualifying, but Berhalter maintained communication with the Fulham defender, and when injury struck the likes of Miles Robinson and Chris Richards, he reached out to Ream from a position of strength rather than desperation.

Berhalter also seeks to connect with his players beyond what happens on the field, and his ability to recruit dual nationals such as Sergiño Dest and Yunus Musah has been impressive.

“I just think he’s someone who lives, sleeps, dreams… I mean, everything about the game is what Gregg cares about, but he also cares about people,” said current Minnesota United midfielder Wil Trapp, who played for Berhalter both with Columbus and the USMNT. “And I think that’s something that sometimes maybe isn’t always seen from the outside. But being on the inside, and knowing him for as long as I’ve known him, I mean, he cares deeply about his players, about their families, about them just beyond the soccer players.”

Former U.S. assistant coach Luchi Gonzalez lauded Berhalter’s ability to give honest feedback. The strain on Berhalter’s relationship with Reyna was due in part of just such an exchange when the manager informed the player of what his role would be prior to the World Cup — although Gonzalez admitted “no one’s perfect,” he’s convinced that in most situations, Berhalter has navigated communicating with players well.

“Berhalter was the best that I’ve ever experienced in terms of just honesty,” Gonzalez said. “Like feedback, critical, demanding, simple, concise, but yet supportive. Like, ‘Hey, you have the opportunity to respond and improve the situation or, or continue the situation.’ But with the staff and players, he was just always honest. And I think people, whether they liked what they heard or not, they respected it, and they wanted to respond to it.”

De la Torre: Doing ‘everything I can’ for a USMNT spot

Celta Vigo’s American midfielder Luca de la Torre discusses his hopes of securing a USMNT spot in the future.

That approach appeared to carry the day during the last World Cup cycle. The USMNT looked bought-in during the tournament, and that vibe has continued as Berhalter has continued this cycle. “The relationship is good,” said U.S. midfielder Luca de la Torre during an appearance on Fútbol Americas. “I think what I like about Gregg is that he’s a coach who players can be honest with, and he doesn’t seem to hold it against them.”

The team’s top player and captain, Christian Pulisic, is firmly in Berhalter’s camp as well, and he voiced support for Berhalter to continue as USMNT manager after the World Cup.

“Berhalter is someone who has grown on me a lot over the years. I’ve learned a lot from him and have grown so much as a player,” Pulisic said during a 2023 interview with ESPN. “It’s underappreciated what he’s done to create that environment, which was so special within that [World Cup] team. He’s helped a lot of players improve in a lot of ways.”

How tactical is too tactical for the international game?

Berhalter’s reputation is that of a tactics obsessive. His Columbus teams were heavy on possession, and this required countless hours spent on the practice field in a bid to fine-tune his system. He carried that approach with him to the USMNT. No detail was too small there, either.

Trapp recalled how Berhalter would stop training if a player strayed two to three meters out of position. “He’s showing you, ‘No, I can’t have you doing that and here’s why,'” Trapp said.

There is near universal agreement, even among Berhalter’s admirers, that the approach isn’t for everyone. There comes a point where the tactical detail morphs into information overload.

“For some players, they eat every ounce of it up and they love it,” said current Houston Dynamo general manager Pat Onstad, who was on Berhalter’s staff in Columbus. “And then for other players, after 30 seconds, they zone out and they’re off on their own. But that doesn’t mean, as a coach, that you sit there and say, ‘OK, well I’ll just cater to the 32nd guy, and that’s it.’ I think his passion and eye for detail, and the organizational part of it is infectious within the group.”

But can a system that requires so much repetition work at an international level, where time on the training field can be limited? Trapp, who made the bulk of his 20 international appearances under Berhalter, recalled how the manager would send video clips out to players in advance in a bid to spoon-feed them information, which would help players hit the ground running once camp begins.

Berhalter has admitted that he has at times simplified his approach. Following the last international window before the World Cup — which included a blowout loss to Japan — Berhalter stated that he piled on too much information to a group that he hadn’t seen in three months.

Joe Scally, during the six-month period in 2023 where it was uncertain Berhalter would return as manager, made it clear he wasn’t a fan of the approach, calling Berhalter’s tactics “confusing,” adding that the U.S. needed a manager “that definitely understands we’re not a club team. We need to just understand simple tactics, simple system that we can all apply that brings out the best in all the players. Not something to where it’s too complicated and you’re overthinking on the field.”

That said, Scally did feel the U.S. played well during the World Cup, though even there Berhalter’s system had its drawbacks. “As a player, when you’re on the field and you’re overthinking things it leads to silly mistakes and silly things where you’re not yourself and you can’t express yourself,” he said. “I think that was one of the things that didn’t work out.”

But Berhalter is now five years into his tenure. The tactical foundation has been — or at least should be — established. “Now that the team’s been together for a while and things are expected, I think it’s a little bit easier — it should be this time versus the first go around,” Parkhurst said.

Berhalter, the idealist vs. Berhalter, the pragmatist

There have been times during Berhalter’s tenure with the USMNT when he has stubbornly clung to his approach, sometimes to the team’s detriment.

During his first 20 months, Berhalter was adamant that the U.S. play out of the back. in September 2019, the USMNT hit its nadir in a 3-0 defeat to Mexico, a match in which El Tri pressed the U.S. into oblivion. What followed was an evolution in which the U.S. mixed in more direct play with possession and the USMNT defense stabilized as a result — but it also left many wondering what took Berhalter so long?

That stubborn streak showed itself at club level, too. Parkhurst, who indicated he loved playing under Berhalter’s intricate system, said that if he had one critique of Berhalter, it would be “understanding when to adapt.”

There have, however, been moments when he would relent. Parkhurst recalls conversations during the run-up to the 2015 MLS Cup final about how to handle the New York Red Bulls‘ high-press. The Crew’s tendency to play out of the back played right into the Red Bulls’ hands, so when the Eastern Conference final came around, Berhalter at last decided to take a more direct approach, using the aerial skills of Kei Kamara.

“That was the first time in two years that we were like, ‘Hey, forget it. Let’s just kick the ball long and play for seconds up there. We’re the better soccer team, and we can win as long as we don’t turn the ball over 20 yards from our goal,'” said Parkhurst.

The move paid off as Columbus prevailed 2-1 over two legs to reach that year’s MLS Cup final.

How Berhalter is hoping to build the USMNT towards the 2026 World Cup

Gregg Berhalter explains how the USMNT are working towards the 2026 World Cup in North America.

That is by no means the last battle between Berhalter, the idealist, and Berhalter, the pragmatist. Onstad recalls that following another encounter with the Red Bulls, one in which Columbus again prevailed by being more direct, Berhalter said, “We’re never doing that again. That’s not who we are.”

Throughout World Cup qualifying, Berhalter the pragmatist had the edge. This was especially evident in the road win at Honduras, when a trio of halftime substitutions sparked a come-from-behind, 4-1 win.

The push and pull of Berhalter’s instincts was evident at the World Cup as well. The Americans’ inability to deal with and adapt to Wales‘ insertion of target forward Kieffer Moore cost the team two points in a disappointing 1-1 draw. The U.S. played more within itself in the 0-0 draw with England, but in the round of 16, Berhalter appeared to play right into the tactical hands of Dutch counterpart Louis van Gaal, having the U.S. push forward and leaving far too much room on the counter.

“He sticks to it, and you think your team can do it,” said Parkhurst. “On the one hand, he’s got good confidence in guys. But I do think there’s times to mix it up a little bit. Otherwise it just becomes too easy sometimes.”

Do the stats say the USMNT is doing better under Berhalter?

To answer the question of “Is Gregg Berhalter actually a good coach?” we have to ask ourselves two smaller questions.

The first: “How good has the USMNT been with Gregg Berhalter as the manager?” Although that gets conflated with the question of whether or not Berhalter is a good coach, it’s a different question focused purely on the USMNT’s results. And in short, the answer is, the USMNT has done pretty damn good.

Across the history of the USMNT, 10 men have coached the team for at least 15 games. Here’s how their longevity stacks up:

Given that soccer wasn’t truly professionalized in the United States until the early 1990s, we just don’t have the same kind of historical record for the national team that, say, England or Brazil might have. Fourteen different men have managed at least 15 games for England, while 17 have done so for Brazil.

Bruce Arena, then, sort of brought the USMNT into the modern era. He also brought the USMNT further than they’ve ever gone in a modern World Cup: to the quarterfinals, where they lost 1-0 to eventual runners-up Germany. And the USMNT really outplayed Germany in a number of ways: more touches in the penalty area, controlling nearly two-thirds of final third possession, and creating more chances.

The bigger the circle, the higher the expected-goal value of the attempt:

Across his tenure, Arena’s team scored 1.64 goals per game and conceded 0.75 — respectively the fourth- and second-best marks among the 10 qualifying USMNT coaches. However, another coach ranks first in both goals scored (2.02) and goals conceded (0.65) per game.

It’s Gregg Berhalter:

Now, this doesn’t adjust for the quality of the opponent or the type of match. And the tricky thing about assessing international managers is that they don’t coach many games that matter. Friendlies are games where neither team is trying to optimize to win the match: Both sides want to win, but the personnel decisions both before and during the match aren’t totally aligned with getting three points. Plus, it’s never clear how hard the players themselves are playing in friendlies.

So, then, performances in friendlies don’t really matter all that much. But then when you eliminate friendlies, you’re left with the Gold Cup, World Cup qualifying, the World Cup, and possibly the Copa America and/or Confederations Cup. That’s maybe 20 games, total.

In other words, no two USMNT managers manage against the same schedules of opponents, and they all manage too few competitive matches to really put too much weight into those games, either. To start to get around that, though, we can look at the Elo rating of the team.

Initially developed for chess, the Elo system adjusts a competitor’s rating after every match. If you win, your rating goes up; lose, and it goes down. As the World Football Elo Ratings describe their own methodology, they apply “the Elo rating system to international football, by adding a weighting for the kind of match, an adjustment for the home team advantage, and an adjustment for goal difference in the match result.”

Since the system is based only on results, and results are quite random over a short sample, we’re only going to look at the USMNT managerial stints that have lasted for 50 games or more. Here’s how they stack up, based on where the team’s Elo rating was at the start of the tenure and where it was by the end:

• Bora Milutinovic (April 1, 1991-April 14, 1995): 1601 to 1619, up 18 points
• Steve Sampson (Aug. 1, 1995-July 30, 1998): 1708 to 1697, down 11 points
• Bruce Arena (Oct. 1, 1998-July 31, 2006): 1696 to 1775, up 79 points
• Bob Bradley (Dec. 1, 2006-July 31, 2011): 1775 to 1738, down 37 points
• Jurgen Klinsmann (July 29, 2011-Nov. 21, 2016): 1738 to 1735, down 3 points
• Gregg Berhalter (Dec. 2, 2018-Dec. 31, 2022): 1743 to 1819, up 76 points

Despite experiencing the biggest start-to-finish decline, Bradley’s team also reached the high-water Elo mark for the program after their victory against Spain in the semifinals of the 2009 Confederations Cup. But Bradley’s tenure aside, these ratings check out: Milutinovic stabilized the program for the 1994 World Cup, Sampson was a disaster, Arena guided the team to a new level, and Klinsmann was supposed to “Europeanize” Bradley’s squad, but ultimately made it worse.

With Berhalter, though, what we’re left with is a coach whose team scores more goals than any U.S. manager ever, concedes fewer goals than any U.S. manager ever, and improved by a good degree over his first four-year stretch as coach.

If you’re wondering why the team’s rating jumped so much under Berhalter: The two cup-final wins over Mexico were worth massive points, and then the World Cup was an overall success, too. In Qatar, the rating dipped by a point after a draw with slightly lower-ranked Wales. It jumped by 13 with the draw with England, then a further 30 with the win over similarly ranked Iran, before dipping by 20 after the 3-1 loss to the Netherlands, who were ranked third in the world at the time. All in all, these World Cup performances bumped the USMNT’s rating up by 22 points.

How much of the USMNT’s success can be attributed to Berhalter?

All of that now brings us to the second question: “How much of this is due to Gregg Berhalter vs. the players he has?”

To his credit, Berhalter has changed the way the team plays. TruMedia doesn’t have advanced data for every USMNT manager, so unfortunately we can only compare him to Klinsmann’s full tenure and Arena’s second tenure. In competitive matches under those two, the team averaged about 3.1 possessions won in the attacking third per game, and they moved upfield at about 1.8 meters per second.

Under Berhalter, the pressing has increased — massively. The number of possessions won in the attacking third per game has leapt up to 5.8. And that’s been paired with a much more measured approach in possession — the ball has moved upfield at a rate of 1.4 meters per second under Berhalter. The current USMNT coach is clearly attuned to the tactical ideas at the highest levels of the game, and we’ve seen this show up in how his team plays. He deserves credit for implementing some kind of stylistic shift in the international game, where stylistic shifts are quite difficult because of how little game and practice time a national team coach gets with his players.

At the same time, wouldn’t we just expect some of this to happen naturally since the majority of the USMNT roster is made up of players who are playing their club ball at the highest levels of the game? These are players who are exposed to advanced pressing and possession approaches, day in and day out under their club coaches.

While it’s difficult to compare the quality of USMNT talent across eras in any kind of objective way, there’s seemingly a new stat about record contributions from Americans in the Champions League every week at this point. Previous USMNT managers weren’t as fortunate, and in fact Klinsmann frequently butted heads with the commissioner of MLS over his very public criticism of the U.S.-based league and his expectation that Americans challenge themselves in Europe. Klinsmann, for all his pushing — which included creating a Europe-based technical advisor position to scout and recruit players abroad — never enjoyed the European-based player pool that Berhalter has.

Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Sergiño Dest and Gio Reyna have already been key contributors for better teams than any other preceding American has ever consistently played for. Then there’s a whole different group of players who are either starting for mid-tier European teams or coming off the bench for bigger clubs: Antonee Robinson, Tim Weah, Yunus Musah, Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, Luca De La Torre, Chris Richards, Johnny Cardoso, Folarin Balogun and Joe Scally. It used to be that the USMNT would just have two or three players like this. Now that number is closer to 20.

So, of course the team is better — the players are better!

It may be that 2023 was a wasted year by the program and one where Elo ratings don’t provide much value, but at the end of 2022, the USMNT was the 23rd-best team in the world, per the Elo ratings. That might seem like a disappointment relative to the talent level, but in 2022, it’s not like American soccer players were tearing it up across Europe. They were in Europe, but most of the USMNT’s best players had the worst seasons of their careers in the 2022-23 season. On top of that, the U.S. had the youngest team at the World Cup weighted by minutes played.

Per the transfer-value estimates from the site Transfermarkt, the USMNT has roughly the 21st most-valuable squad in the world — and that’s right around the level they’ve played at under Berhalter. He hasn’t made the team better, and he hasn’t made the team worse.

A ringing endorsement, huh?

Yes, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp would do a better job managing the USMNT than Berhalter has. But they’re not going to manage the USMNT any time soon. The reality is that most of the top managers in the world do not want to manage national teams for an extended period of time. The quality of play is nowhere near as high as the club game, the pay isn’t as good, there’s barely any time to train, and you don’t really get to pick your players. Despite every big-name unemployed manager getting linked with the team, the USMNT just isn’t choosing from the same coaching pool as Premier League teams.

A couple weeks ago, I proposed a theory of managerial value to someone who used to work for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. In short: There are a couple managers who are guaranteed to make your team better, a ton of managers whose long-term impact will be indistinguishable from each other, and then a couple managers who will actively make your team worse.

This person agreed with the first two parts but then corrected that final categorization. No, they said, there are a ton of coaches out there who will make your team worse, too.

And so, the USMNT really does seem to have a coach who will get the American players to play roughly to the level of their collective talent. That level of talent is somewhere within the range of No. 15 to No. 30 among all national teams, which means that with a favorable draw, some luck, and perhaps some home-field advantage, it’s plausible the U.S. men can make a run at the next World Cup.

The U.S. Soccer Federation could take a swing for that tiny first group of coaches who will make the USMNT better, despite an even tinier number being available for national-team employment. What’s the harm in taking a shot to vault away from that second group of coaches who don’t make much of a difference?

Well, there’s always a chance you end up with someone from the third group: a coach who actively makes the team worse. Remember what happened before the 2018 World Cup? The USMNT didn’t even qualify.

Awaiting a signature USMNT win

There is a school of thought that the experienced crop of USMNT players has outgrown Berhalter as a manager. The U.S. player pool is at a point where you don’t have to look hard to find Americans in the top five leagues of Europe.

“I think we talk about this generation and how young they are and how green they are, coming into their own,” said Gomez. “We’re talking about this team being green and these players getting minutes at Juventus, at Chelsea, at Milan, at Leipzig, etcetera. Well, our coach is probably the greenest one in this program then, because he had Hammarby [in Sweden] and had the Columbus Crew. So, I just don’t think he is at the level of the pool.”

There is also a bit of a fantasy that the likes of Guardiola, Klopp or Jose Mourinho will be intrigued enough by what the U.S. has to offer as a country that they might be willing to take the plunge with the USMNT. That ignores some economic realities. Coaches like that are well outside of the U.S. Soccer Federation’s price range, yet the dream of hiring a foreign coach exists.

Part of the reason why those dreams persist is that Berhalter’s record works against him here. According to ESPN Stats & Information, his record against teams above the U.S. in FIFA’s rankings is 3-4-6. All three of those wins have come against a Mexico side that is widely regarded as the worst El Tri side in a generation.

Granted, when the U.S. beat Mexico in extra time at the 2021 Concacaf Nations League, it initially was counted as a signature win given that it was the first U.S. victory over their fierce rivals in a competitive fixture since qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. It was a big step forward for this generation of players.

But now, the stakes have been raised. It is no longer enough just to beat Mexico. There needs to be a win — preferably more than one — against a top side. The 3-1 defeat against Germany last October was sobering to say the least. How much of that is on the players is another one of those endless debates.

“I do understand that we have a super talented team that are playing in big games over in Europe, so it’s just fantastic,” said Parkhurst. “But shoot, we’re still far away from the top, top teams in the world.”

Berhalter is on record as wanting to change how the USMNT is perceived. In that sense, this summer’s Copa America will be revealing, especially as it relates to the question of whether Gregg Berhalter is a good coach.

Picking the USMNT’s 23-man roster 100 days out from the 2024 Copa America

By The Athletic StaffMar 13, 2024

Should USMNT call up a Burnley winger to stop him from representing Italy, Canada or Nigeria?How much should the Olympics be a factor in who Gregg Berhalter picks for the Copa America?Does Mark McKenzie deserve a call-up after his impressive season at Genk?The Copa America is just 100 days away, so six of our writers have done the hard work for Berhalter and chosen the 23 players they would pick for this summer’s tournament on home soil…

How to follow the Copa America on The Athletic…

Paul Tenorio’s USMNT squad for Copa America

My split looks odd because of the small number of “forwards” listed here, but dropping from a 26-man to a roster of 23 means versatility is going to be crucial in how Berhalter thinks about his squad. There are multiple players here who provide that sort of positional flexibility and protection.

Kevin Paredes is listed as a defender because that’s how he was registered on the USMNT’s 60-man preliminary roster for the Nations League, but he is capable — and has mostly played — as a left winger for his country. Joe Scally can play as both a left and right back, as can Sergiño Dest. Gio Reyna and Malik Tillman are both listed here as midfielders, but both can play as a winger and have for the USMNT in the past.

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Realistically for a 23-man roster, it isn’t sensible to bring three No. 9s, but I’m not sure there’s a winger who deserves a roster spot over any of the three strikers. If Berhalter opts to take just two strikers, it makes the most sense to play Ricardo Pepi or Folarin Balogun in the Olympics because they’re age-eligible (The Olympics are a U-23 tournament on the men’s side). Neither striker has lit up their respective leagues (the Eredivisie in the Netherlands and Ligue 1 in France), while Josh Sargent has been very good for Norwich City in England’s second tier since returning from injury in December. Pepi was the final cut from the 2022 World Cup roster and that was a mistake. You wonder whether that decision will weigh into the Copa choices, as well.

For now, I’ll cop out by bringing all three strikers and one fewer winger because Paredes, Reyna and Tillman give plenty of cover.

(Broer van den Boom/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

The rest of the squad essentially picks itself. I took Drake Callender over Patrick Schulte as the third goalkeeper, Paredes over Kristoffer Lund due to his ability to play on the wing and Luca de la Torre over Brenden Aaronson due to form and function.

Jeff Rueter’s USMNT squad for Copa America

Generally, this roster is built to have minimal overlap with the Olympic squad playing later in the summer — if any at all.

These are the three most in-form goalkeepers, with Patrick Schulte being better in line for the Olympics.

Mark McKenzie is quietly putting together a very strong season with Genk in Belgium, and could offer a more mobile and long-range passing alternative at the back.

I’m using two roster slots on midfield cover given Tyler Adams’ lack of playing time over the past year; Johnny Cardoso has played himself into must-select status with Spain’s Real Betis, while Lennard Maloney has been dependable for German club Heidenheim. Malik Tillman could factor for minutes along the forward line, while Reyna (who I almost talked myself into making the Olympic roster headliner) could tuck into an advanced midfield role.

(Howard Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Players I left off with an eye on the latter tournament include Pepi, Taylor Booth, Diego Luna, Schulte, Paredes, and Jordan Morris, who I’d tap for an over-age slot.

John Muller’s USMNT squad for Copa America

For the first time in the Berhalter era, the USMNT squad feels set — we pretty much know who’s in, who’s out and who’s a starter when fit. So let’s have a little fun with the depth spots, yeah?

Luca Koleosho is not a USMNT player, but he’s also not yet cap-tied to Italy, Canada or Nigeria, all of which would very much like to have the gifted young Burnley winger. Berhalter has been talking to Koleosho for a while about bringing him into the fold and a Copa America invite is the best recruiting tool he’s got.

(James Gill/Getty Images)

Same deal with the highly touted 17-year-old Barcelona goalkeeper Diego Kochen, who’s being courted by several countries. Callender hasn’t shown many signs that he is America’s goalkeeper of the future. Schulte can start in the Olympics. Berhalter should use the third goalkeeper spot at the Copa — which never really matters anyway — to make Kochen an offer he can’t refuse.

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Of the other picks here, only Jesus Ferreira is controversial. He shouldn’t be. The USMNT’s 13th-highest goalscorer of all time remains weirdly underappreciated despite years of being one of the most consistent strikers in MLS and for the national team. He’s also got a different profile than Balogun, which gives Berhalter the flexibility to switch up his striker tactics or even play both guys together.

Elias Burke’s USMNT squad for Copa America

It will be interesting to see who Berhalter opts for in goal against Jamaica this month, given Matt Turner’s loss of form at Nottingham Forest of the Premier League and Ethan Horvath’s strong displays for Cardiff City since joining the Championship club on loan in January. Cardiff is on a four-match winning streak at the time of writing, with Horvath a significant contributor. Could he displace the previously undisputed No. 1 between now and the start of the tournament? Probably not, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.

Six of the eight defenders pick themselves, but I’ve gone with Auston Trusty and Paredes to round out the selection. Trusty can play as an outside center back and Paredes is comfortable at wingback, giving Berhalter the option to play five in defense against more formidable opponents.

Of the seven midfielders selected, only four may expect to start. You’d imagine Berhalter to be pragmatic with an Adams-Yunus Musah-Weston McKennie trio for the final group game against Uruguay, but Reyna’s creativity may be called upon for games against Bolivia and Panama, in which the USMNT is favored. Watch out for Cardoso, who has adapted to life in La Liga with Real Betis well and can play as a No. 6 or further forward, and could deputize for Adams if his fitness struggles continue. His excellent side-footed finish from outside the box in a 3-1 win over Athletic Bilbao last month exemplifies his quality.

(DAX Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

In attack, you’d expect Tim Weah and Christian Pulisic to flank one of Balogun, Pepi and Sargent, who all have decent claims to the starting role. Pepi has fared best in a USMNT shirt of late, and Balogun has the most pedigree, but Sargent is in the best form with 12 goals in 17 appearances in this season’s Championship. Malik Tillman and Reyna can cover in wide positions if Weah and Pulisic struggle.

Tom Bogert’s USMNT squad for Copa America

With the Olympics on the back of Copa, many younger players who could challenge for bottom of the roster squad spots should prioritize playing time in Paris. The likes of John Tolkin, Gabriel Slonina, Diego Luna, Chris Brady, Cade Cowell and others come to mind as players who maybe could make the squad but wouldn’t get much game time.

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It probably would make the most sense to suggest Pepi is better served playing every minute at the Olympics instead of being maybe third-choice at the Copa America, but that would take convincing both Pepi to skip the Copa and also PSV Eindhoven to release the forward for the Olympics, with the tournament ending on the same August the new Dutch league season starts. I don’t think that will happen.

One of the forwards who miss out on Copa (likely one of Brandon Vazquez and Haji Wright) should be an over-age addition to the Olympic squad.

The toughest overage omissions from this group are Cameron Carter-Vickers, Trusty and Brenden Aaronson. Berhalter has almost seemed to prefer Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman when available, hence my lean there.

Greg O’Keeffe’s USMNT squad for Copa America

The first two goalkeepers pick themselves but it was tough deciding between Slonina, who has been building hard experience at KAS Eupen in Belgium, and Callender. Ultimately the latter gets the nod because of his performances and the level of training he’ll have been experiencing with the Lionel Messi/Luis Suarez super-charged Inter Miami.

My defense leans on Premier League performers but Bundesliga duo Scally and Paredes, who has performed well since winning the USMNT young player of the year for 2023, offer versatility. In midfield, I wanted to find room for Maloney but in the end de la Torre’s extra creativity pushed me his way, with the more defensive roles well covered.

The attacking options are solid. Pepi can be a real game-changer from the bench, and Sargent’s injury-truncated season may be peaking by July. Pulisic walks into the team and can provide mastery out wide, Weah’s impact is clear and it’s the gifted Balogun who surprisingly has the most to prove in order to get more minutes than Sargent or Pepi.

(Top photos: Getty Images)

Tyler Adams returns for Bournemouth just in time for USMNT: ‘It felt natural’

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Tyler Adams of Bournemouth during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Luton Town at Vitality Stadium on March 13, 2024 in Bournemouth, England. This fixture was re-scheduled after the initial match was abandoned due to Luton Town's captain Tom Lockyer suffering a cardiac arrest after 58 minutes with the score at 1-1. (Photo by Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)

By Elias Burke and Greg O’Keeffe Mar 14, 202418

One long year and two long days after his last Premier League match, Tyler Adams is finally back where he belongs.The 25-year-old came on from the substitutes’ bench on Wednesday evening as Bournemouth fought back from three goals down at the Vitality Stadium to beat Luton Town 4-3. Though it took head coach Andoni Iraola 71 minutes to call his number, he was in game mode well before kick-off.“It felt natural,” Adams told The Athletic. “I’ve had an amazing rehab process. I played a reserve game last week and only played 30 minutes but still, just to get in the chaos of the game, look around, check your shoulder, know where you are on the field, and adapt to new team-mates; it’s been really good and it was easy to come into that game with the boys flying as soon as we got those three goals back.“You could see the confidence in the team. I was so excited to be out there.”While his team-mates conducted their pre-match warm-ups in puffer coats and jogging bottoms, Adams braved the nine-degree (48 degrees Fahrenheit) cold in a light zip-up top and shorts. As the other substitutes watched their side close the deficit from the bench, Adams ran intensely on the sideline and gestured for every foul. Though he had never played a Premier League minute as a Bournemouth player, he looked every inch a leading figure.He entered the field with the scores level and slotted into the No 6 midfield position just ahead of the defence. His first touch was calm and assured, as was almost every touch after. He completed 10 of 13 passes, a 77 per cent success rate.

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Twelve minutes later, Antoine Semenyo scored the winning goal. It was only the third time in Premier League history a team had come back to win after trailing by three goals at half-time.Once Bournemouth went ahead, he provided a calming influence. He took the responsibility of talking his midfield partners through the game and gesturing with a pointed finger to his head that his team-mates remain focused.“It’s just instinct,” Adams said. “I’ve been a leader my entire life. It’s a role I don’t shy away from taking, especially on this team where there is a lot of chaos in the game. I just wanted to try to come in and have a calming presence in the game.“You can see immediately — once you start communicating, it makes everything around you go dull. We wanted to slow the game down when we had the opportunity to.”While it was all smiles from Adams post-match, he has had to draw on his reserves of resilience over a difficult year in England.

LEEDS, ENGLAND - MARCH 11: Tyler Adams of Leeds United looks on during the Premier League match between Leeds United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Elland Road on March 11, 2023 in Leeds, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images) Adams last saw Premier League action last season with Leeds United (George Wood/Getty Images)

The initial hamstring injury he suffered a year ago was one of the many factors in Leeds’ eventual fall to the Championship last season and may ultimately have damaged his prospects of a move to Chelsea last summer.It did not deter several suitors from trying to prise him away from Elland Road, with Leeds battling to keep a player they viewed as a strong leader, quality midfielder and a potentially positive influence on a dressing room trying to win promotion.But before a key summer for the USMNT, he wanted to play in one of Europe’s top leagues and when a move to Stamford Bridge fizzled out, Bournemouth’s interest was a chance to do that.

Tyler Adams: A Chelsea collapse, legal drama with Leeds and a move to Bournemouth

Bournemouth did not share what Leeds perceived as Chelsea’s doubts over the timeframe of his recovery and were keen to activate his relegation release clause before it ran out last August, allowing them to get on with a complicated medical for a player who, back then, had already been absent from full training for more than four months.

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Bournemouth’s California-based owner Bill Foley is trying to ramp up the club’s commercial performance, widen its fanbase and replicate elements of the success he has achieved in ice hockey’s NHL with the Vegas Golden Knights. In Adams, he was landing the USMNT’s captain, one of the pin-ups of soccer in the States.

So it was with high hopes that he headed to the Vitality Stadium, hoping to become an integral part of an upwardly mobile club, stabilised in the top flight and with owners who appreciate his worth in every sense.

Bournemouth have remained true to that criteria but much to Adams’ frustration up to now, he has been unable to play his part — on the pitch at least.

A return of the hamstring problem that plagued his time in Yorkshire meant that until Wednesday, he had appeared just once: as a 70th-minute substitute in a Carabao Cup win against Stoke City in September.

Adams’ attitude, despite his disappointment and frustration, has been exemplary.

He was understandably down when he had to start over again but recovered to become an upbeat presence around the club, settling in quickly despite being injured. He has been out running on the grass, although not always with the team as his return was carefully managed, for a while now.It helped Adams’ recovery that he had a friend in fellow midfielder Alex Scott, who was also in similarly trying circumstances.

Adams has become close with Scott, who also joined in the middle of a rehab process after sustaining a serious knee problem at former club Bristol City.

It also helped that Adams has also been made to feel part of the club, featuring regularly in club content despite not being as involved on the pitch.

After his low-key return to the pitch for the club’s development squad last week, under-21s manager Alan Connell was glowing in his appraisal

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“Tyler is a lovely lad,” Connell told the club website afterwards. “Just from seeing him around the building every day, he’s very humble and very hard-working.“Obviously, he was probably our marquee signing last summer, so it was great to have him train with us and you could just tell straight away he wanted to train well, get back and play some competitive football.”The New Yorker was then on the bench for the senior squad and even if he didn’t make it onto the pitch for the 2-2 draw with Sheffield United, it was another psychological step forward.

Adams’ last appearance for the U.S. was at the 2022 World Cup (Danielle Parhizkaran/USA TODAY Sports)

After returning to action in the Premier League, Adams now turns his attention to international duty.

Despite remaining a key player, he has not represented the USMNT since the World Cup. Understandably, U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter is eager to get him back in the squad with this summer’s Copa America on the horizon.“Once we heard (he was fit enough to play), we jumped at the idea (of recalling him) because he means so much to the team both on and off the field,” Berhalter said after announcing his squad for the Nations League match against Jamaica. “It’ll be nice to get him back.“

It’s hard to imagine there’s anybody on the roster who will be looking forward to the international break more than Adams, who wears the armband with pride. Still, while his return was a goal short of a fairytale, he will not get ahead of himself. Between now and Copa America, it is about playing as much as possible to ensure his place at the base of Berhalter’s midfield.“It’s exciting, man. Really, really exciting,” Adams said. “The past year has been really difficult, but those are some of my closest friends on that team.“You can’t rush the process. I figured that out the hard way through being injured a bunch of times. (USMNT) has a good run of games and a lot of good competition, and I want to have a big role within the team. Obviously, Copa America is something to look forward to. It’s another big opportunity to play in a tournament.

“It’s one that we want to pursue and possibly win on home soil. One hundred per cent.”

(Top photo: Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)

USMNT Olympics draw: U-23 team will play host nation France in opening game

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 17: Gianluca Busio #6 of the United States U-23 men's team advances the ball against the Japan U-23 men's team during the second half at Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex on October 17, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

By Jeff Rueter and The Athletic Staff Mar 20, 2024

The U.S. men’s under-23 national team was drawn into Group A in the 2024 Olympics, where it will face the host nation France, New Zealand and the winner of an intercontinental playoff between a team from the Asian Football Confederation and Guinea in the group stage.The draw offers the U.S. a marquee occasion with a place in the opening game of the tournament, where it will meet a familiar face on the sideline. Legendary striker Thierry Henry, who played and coached in MLS after a successful European career, will lead France’s team as head coach at the tournament. Henry also appears on CBS Sports’ coverage of the UEFA Champions League.Unlike the FIFA World Cup, the men’s Olympic soccer tournament functions as a U-23 competition, through three over-age players are allowed on each 18-man squad.The U.S. appearance in the men’s soccer tournament at the Olympics will be its first since 2008.

How was the draw done?

Rather than using FIFA’s rankings as is tradition in World Cups and continental tournaments, the pots used for the Olympic draw were determined by nations’ past performances in the Games. The ranking system is based on the total number of points obtained in the last five editions of the men’s Olympic football tournament (three points for a win, one point for a draw, no points for a loss) covering the 2020, 2016, 2012, 2008 and 2004 Olympics. As a result, the United States’ fourth-place finish in 2000 — the best in program history — had no impact on where the team fell in the ranking.

The United States was in Pot 3 for the draw, alongside Egypt, Mali, and the third-ranked qualifier from Asia (to be determined in May). The draw presented some potentially tricky opponents: namely, France and Argentina in Pot 1, and Spain and Morocco (won CAF) in Pot 2.As the draw for Pot 3 began, the United States caught a break when the first-drawn side, an as-yet undetermined third-place finisher in AFC’s qualifying, was unable to be drawn into Group A. As a result, that team was assigned to Group B — the strongest group through the first two rounds boasting Argentina and Morocco. Rather than facing a pair of programs coming off of top-four finishes at the 2022 World Cup, the USA was drawn into Group A. Along with host nation France, the United States joined New Zealand — which reached the quarterfinal in the Tokyo Olympics — and whichever side wins an intercontinental playoff between Guinea and the fourth-place finisher in AFC qualifying.

Who are the USMNT’s opponents?

New Zealand breezed through Oceania qualifying in August and September. They won their opener over Papua New Guinea after their opponent forfeited, then beat Fiji, Vanuatu, and Fiji (a second time) by a combined 20-1 margin. Many players on their roster play in their domestic league, although 21-year-old forward Jesse Randall lines up for USL Championship side Charleston Battery.

France boasts one of the best youth development pipelines in the world these days, and should field plenty of promising players under Henry’s management. Among them are Nice midfielder Khéphren Thuram, Lyon forward Rayan Cherki, PSG forward Bradley Barcola and Chelsea wing back Malo Gusto.

The United States has a pool of players playing regular minutes for senior clubs, both in MLS and abroad. Among the most likely players to be included are former FC Dallas homegrown Bryan Reynolds, New York Red Bulls defender John Tolkin, Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Paxten Aaronson (on loan with Vitesse), and Real Salt Lake playmaker Diego Luna.

Full Olympic men’s tournament draw results:

Group A

France
USA
ICP AFC-CAF
New Zealand (pot 2)

Group B

Argentina
Morocco
AFC 3
Ukraine

Group C

AFC 2
Spain
Egypt
Dominican Republic

Group D

AFC 1
Paraguay
Mali
Israel

This story will be updated.

USWNT drops to a record low in FIFA rankings: What it means and why it happened

CARSON, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 26: Rebeca Bernal #4 of Mexico celebrates a Mexico goal as Alex Morgan #7 of the United States reacts during second half stoppage time during the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup Group A match at Dignity Health Sports Park on February 26, 2024 in Carson, California. (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

By Meg Linehan Mar 15, 2024 87

The USWNT has dropped to No. 4 in the latest FIFA rankings released on Friday, marking the first time the program has fallen out of the top three since the establishment of the rankings in 2003.

In its announcement, FIFA said the USWNT drop is thanks to the team’s 2-0 loss to Mexico in the group stage of the CONCACAF W Gold Cup, though the team later went on to win the tournament.

Spain retained the top spot in the rankings, with England moving up two spots to No. 2, France staying at No. 3, and the U.S. dropping two spots to fourth.

How did recent results impact rankings?

The formula used to compute FIFA rankings is weighted to bias recent results, and the impact of that formula can be seen throughout the top spots.

Spain benefited from their UEFA Nations League win over France in February. France, on the other side of that final, did not lose any ground despite the loss to Spain. England’s 5-1 win over Italy and 7-2 victory over Austria in February provided the momentum to send the Lionesses to second place on the rankings for this edition.

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The USWNT had never dropped below third place on the FIFA rankings in the team’s history, which in itself was a new low following the 2023 World Cup. Since the establishment of the women’s rankings in 2003 and until August 2023, the U.S. had never been outside of the top two.

While the loss to Mexico may have been costly on the rankings, ultimately it may have served as a necessary gut punch for the USWNT as it entered the knockout stages of the Gold Cup, defeating Colombia, Canada and Brazil en route to the trophy.

Why do these rankings matter?

The FIFA rankings are often used to determine seeding or pots for international events. Notably, this includes the Olympics, which the USWNT will participate in this summer.

Still, the U.S. drop may not have much of an effect on the upcoming 2024 draw — England/Great Britain did not qualify for the tournament, and France will be serving as host, so the USWNT’s drop to fourth may not actually have too much impact.

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MARCH 16: Haji Wright of Coventry City celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's third goal during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City at Molineux on March 16, 2024 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

USMNT forward Haji Wright settled a cup classic – like Coventry City, he is on the up

Jack LangMar 16, 2024

Perhaps the biggest compliment you could pay to Coventry City in the wake of their FA Cup quarter-final success against Wolverhampton Wanderers is that it did not feel like a shock.Sure, this was a Premier League side getting knocked out by one from the division below. The nature of the 3-2 victory — Coventry were behind after 90 minutes but scored two stoppage-time goals — also conferred smash-and-grab credentials. But no one who has watched City this season, whether quietly clawing their way up the Championship standings or racking up the goals in earlier rounds of this competition, will have had them pegged as no-hopers before kick-off.

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No one who has been listening to the mood music coming from the club, either.

Exhibit A: “The club feels in such a good place. It’s ready to take off.”

Exhibit B: “We’re on the cusp of doing something great. It’s close.”

These quotes were given some eight months apart. The first was manager Mark Robins’ assessment of the mood at the club in May 2023, before the Championship play-off final against Luton. The second dates back to the start of February, when a 12-game unbeaten streak in all competitions had filled record signing Haji Wright with optimism.

Wright celebrates his last-gasp winner (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Both referred primarily to Coventry’s hopes of returning to the Premier League — painfully thwarted last season but now very much alive again. The FA Cup was a fun diversion, a little extra-curricular adventure — at least, it was until Saturday lunchtime, when it became part of the A-plot, simultaneously a gift to the fans and proof of concept.

“The players will take that confidence into the rest of the season,” said Robins at Molineux. “There’s a Wembley trip for everyone to get excited about. This is just another reward for all the hard work that they do.”

To say that it has been a long journey to this point would be to undersell it by an order of magnitude. After being relegated from the Premier League in 2001, Coventry stumbled into football’s shadowlands. They became a middling second-division team, then a struggling one. In 2012, they sunk to League One; five years later came the ignominy of demotion to League Two. This would have been grim for any club — for one that had spent 34 consecutive years in the top flight from 1967, it was hell.

When Robins took over as manager in March 2017, he found a club on its knees. The fans were alienated, morale among players and staff was non-existent. “It was done,” Robins said last year. “It was done. You could that feel everybody had given up. It was as bad as any club I’d ever worked at. Terrible.”

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Robins, low-key to the point of grumpiness, steadied the ship. Coventry dragged themselves back to League One at the first time of asking, then into the Championship two seasons later. Throughout, drama off the field — they had to play home games in Birmingham, after an earlier spell at Northampton, between 2019 and 2021 due to a rent dispute, then started the 2022-23 season with a spate of away fixtures because the pitch at the CBS Arena had been cut up by rugby sevens matches — has been tempered with patience and equanimity on it.

The way they reset after last year’s play-off disappointment was typical. Coventry sold their two best players, Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer, but used the income smartly. In came a host of capable — and cheap — defenders, plus Japan winger Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Everton striker Ellis Simms and Wright, a seven-cap United States international signed from Turkish club Antalyaspor for £7.7million ($10m at today’s rates).

That was a sizeable investment but one that is paying off handsomely: the 25-year-old’s winner against Wolves, guided delicately into the far corner, was his 15th goal of the season in all competitions. Continued form like this has put him back in Gregg Berhalter’s thinking – he was overlooked for the recent Nations League squad but has now joined as an injury replacement for Norwich City striker Josh Sargent.

Wright enters the Nations League window with more World Cup appearances (four) than senior U.S. appearances of any other type (three).

USMNT Wright played four times in the World Cup in Qatar (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Five of the players who started on Saturday arrived in the summer — it would likely have been six were Sakamoto not injured — and it was perhaps inevitable that all of the new faces would take time to gel. As recently as November, Coventry were in the Championship relegation zone. Instead of panicking, however, they just knuckled down, confident in the methods that had dragged them back from the brink.

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Some credit is due to Doug King, the local businessman who completed a full takeover of City in January 2023, ending the club’s association with the deeply divisive Sisu Capital. The deal he signed to keep Coventry at the CBS Arena — their on-off home since 2005, formerly known as the Ricoh Arena — for five seasons was a popular move, as was the restoration of the company name to Coventry City Football Club Limited. Under SISA, they had been operating under the crushingly corporate Otium Entertainment Group Limited.

But the star of this story is, of course, Robins. There is real intensity behind the unassuming exterior, which might explain his knack for unlocking untapped potential and his apology for celebrating in front of a ballboy at Molineux.

Witness the form of Kasey Palmer, who has blossomed since arriving from Bristol City two years ago, or that of Callum O’Hare, a kind of hall-of-mirrors Jack Grealish, now one of the Championship’s most watchable players.

Coventry are cooking again – they will have big say in Championship promotion race

Simms, the two-goal hero against Wolves, could also be put in that category, as could Wright, who cited Robins’ faith as a major factor in his and Simms’ recent uptick in form.

“Ellis and I didn’t have amazing starts here but he believed in us,” Wright said after his winner. “Now we are in a spot where we can show ourselves.”

The same is true of the club as a whole. Coventry are through to their first FA Cup semi-final since 1987, when they went on to win it. It will be a tough ask to repeat that feat, but it is impossible to ignore the momentum building behind Robins and his men. It could take them further in this competition — and, who knows, all the way back to the Premier League.

FINAL STATS

Memphis, Tenn. (Saturday, March 16, 2024) – Indy Eleven leaves Memphis victorious, 2-1, against Western Conference opponent Memphis 901 FC in the second game of the season-opening road swing. The Boys in Blue improve to 1-1-0 in 2024 and Memphis 901 FC drops to 1-1-0.

Preseason hero Jack Blake drew a well-earned penalty and converted that penalty into an early 1-0 lead in the 26^th minute. Later, a cross from Aedan Stanley would lead to chaos in front of the net where Douglas Martinez would rainbow the ball over the keeper and head the ball into the back of the net, doubling the lead for Indy in the 42^nd minute. The Boys in Blue looked stout on defense in the first half keeping Memphis to zero shots on goal. In the 46^th minute, Memphis 901 FC defender Oscar Jiménez was awarded his second yellow of the day leaving his team a man down for the rest of the match. The second half began less eventful for both squads, with both teams making a handful of subs and lots of back-and-forth soccer. Finally, in the 91^st minute, Memphis cut the lead in half as defender Abdoulaye Cissoko scored off a bicycle kick. The goal increased pressure on the Boys in Blue in the final minutes but they ultimately held strong to win the match 2-1.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=-8Xyca2arxY%3Fversion%3D3%26rel%3D1%26showsearch%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26iv_load_policy%3D1%26fs%3D1%26hl%3Den-US%26autohide%3D2%26wmode%3Dtransparent

USL Championship Regular Season
Memphis 901 FC 1:2 Indy Eleven
Saturday, March 16, 2024 – 4 p.m. ET 
AutoZone Park – Memphis, Tenn.

2024 USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 1-1-0 (+1)
Memphis 901 FC: 1-1-0 (-1)

Scoring Summary
IND – Jack Blake 26’
IND – Douglas Martinez (Aedan Stanley) 42’
MEM – Abdoulaye Cissoko 91’

Discipline Summary
IND – Callum Chapman-Page (caution) 8’
MEM – Oscar Jiménez (caution) 15’
MEM – Tulu (caution) 25’
IND – Daniel Barbir (caution) 35’
MEM – Oscar Jiménez (Second Yellow, election) 46
IND – Douglas Martinez (caution) 57’
IND – Ethan O’Brien (caution) 90 +3’
MEM – Abdoulaye Cissoko (caution) 90 + 4’
MEM – Akeem Ward (ejection) 90 + 7’

Indy Eleven line-up (4-3-3): Yannik Oettl, Aedan Stanley, Danny Barbir, Callum Chapman-Page (Macca King 72’), Josh O’Brien, Tyler Gibson (Captain) (Ethan O’Brien 90+3’), Cam Lindley, Jack Blake, Sebastián Guenzatti (Elliot Collier 72’), Augustine Williams, Douglas Martinez (Karsen Henderlong 63’)

Indy Subs: Jay Klein, Roberto Molina, Hunter Sulte

Memphis 901 FC line-up: Tyler Deric, Akeem Ward, Carson Vom Steeg, Tulu, Oscar Jiménez, Emerson Hyndman (Lucas Turci 45’), Zach Duncan, Samuel Careaga, Bruno Lapa (Dylan Borczak 72’), Luiz Fernando (Marlon 45’), Nighte Pickering (Neco Brett 72’)

How can NWSL fans watch every match this season? What to know about broadcast, schedule changes

By The Athletic Soccer staffMar 15, 2024

By Jeff Rueter, Meg Linehan, Melanie Anzidei and Steph Yang

Welcome to the 2024 season of the National Women’s Soccer League. This season, which kicks off with four matches on Saturday, is different from its predecessors in a few ways — primarily with the addition of two expansion teams, and the league’s biggest broadcast deal to date. The Olympics are also happening, which has prompted the league to take a midseason break and host an international club tournament while the U.S. women’s national team competes in Paris.

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How you can watch the NWSL is changing in a major way this season, too. So we’ve put together this preview with everything you’ll need ahead of the regular season kickoff (and Friday night’s Challenge Cup match) from how to watch to major storylines, plus the USWNT and international connections across the 14 teams.

To keep following The Athletic’s NWSL coverage, don’t forget to follow the league and your team(s) of choice by managing your feed. And to make sure you don’t miss any of our coverage, subscribe to our women’s soccer newsletter Full Time. It’s our biggest stories paired with Full Time exclusive insights delivered straight to your inbox every week. With the season starting, we’ll be sending out each edition on Monday to make sure you’re all caught up from every NWSL weekend.

How to watch

121 of the 189 total NWSL regular season games this year have been spread out across four different partners as part of its new four-year broadcast deal: CBS, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, and Scripps’ ION (Fun fact: ION was originally launched as PAX TV, which was the original TV network for WUSA broadcasts). Each partner has their own slate of games, and the remainder of the games will stream on the league’s NWSL+ service.

We’ve laid out what you need to know to watch all the games below if you are a viewer in the United States; we’re still waiting on international broadcast information.

Prime Video

Amazon will broadcast Friday night matches.

You do not need an Amazon Prime membership to use Prime Video, although Amazon clearly wants you to get a full Prime subscription based on how difficult it is to only subscribe to Prime Video or even dig up the information that you can subscribe to Prime Video on its own.

If you do not have an Amazon Prime account, you can currently still sign up for Prime Video on its own as a regular Amazon member. If you do have Amazon Prime, then Prime Video should be included as a service, although going ad free will cost an additional $2.99/month.

Cost: $8.99 per month

To watch, log in to your Amazon account, open the drop down menu that lists all of Amazon’s services, look under “Digital Content & Devices,” and choose Prime Video. Once on the Prime Video page, under the “Home” drop down tab, and choose “Sports.”

Prime Video tabs its 2024 NWSL broadcast team

ION

ION will air Saturday night doubleheader games at 7:30 and 10:30 PM ET.

You can either check to see if ION is on linear television in your area, or you can sign in with select existing streaming services.

Cost: If you use a TV antenna and can find ION’s broadcast signal in your area, you can watch for free.

CBS

CBS will air games on the CBS television channel or CBS Sports Network. CBS games will also stream on Paramount+, but CBSSN games will not.

Cost: $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year for the basic Paramount+ Essential plan.

ESPN

Games will be spread across ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN2, while also streaming on ESPN+. Crucially, if the game is on an ESPN channel, it will also stream on ESPN+, which isn’t the case for CBS Sports Network and Paramount+.

There are a lot of options for watching ESPN, such as logging in with your existing service provider or by bundling ESPN+ with a Disney+ subscription.

Cost: $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year for an ESPN+ subscription.

NWSL+

The league will stream the remainder of their games on NWSL+. The app can be used on iOS and Android devices, and can be added to Apple TV, Fire TV, and Roku.

Cost: Free

What’s at stake this season

Challenge Cup

The season kicks off with the Challenge Cup, which has been reformatted from a season-long tournament to a one-off game between the 2023 champions, Gotham FC, and the 2023 shield winners, San Diego Wave. It’s a smart move to decongest the schedule and create a more meaningful game for players and fans, as well as to hopefully set the tone for the rest of the season by beginning with a bang.

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NWSL shield

For the rest of the season, everything will obviously be influenced by having two new expansion teams. They have historically done poorly in the NWSL by virtue of being so new and needing to work out the kinks. There are exceptions of course; the aforementioned shield winners, the Wave, played their way to the semifinals in their inaugural season and came third overall in the regular season under the stellar coaching of Casey Stoney. And with several teams having retooled themselves under new ownership, there’s a lot of hunger out there to see what they can be with a clean slate. Whether it’s the Portland Thorns, who were just one win shy of the shield, or the dead-last Chicago Red Stars, there are exciting storylines anywhere you look up and down the table.

Mid-summer Olympic tournament

The NWSL announced that they will host an international club tournament while the league takes a break from July 15 to August 18 for the Olympics. There’s no word yet on which clubs might be involved, although based on other tournaments like the International Champions’ Cup and The Women’s Cup, it’s a strong bet that the NWSL will look to clubs from England, France, and Germany. Some NWSL teams also have relationships with Liga MX Femenil clubs, potentially bringing Mexico into the running, too.

Expanded postseason

With two more teams entering the fold this season, the NWSL Playoffs will have an additional two qualifiers. The top eight teams from the regular season will advance to the postseason, playing a single-elimination knockout bracket from November 9 to November 23. In recent seasons, the top two teams enjoyed a first-round bye, but there will be no earned respite in the new format. This makes for a cleaner bracket and an increased chance for the kind of chaotic upsets we’ve all come to love.

Championship

Of course, there is a championship trophy (a very nice, upgraded one, in fact) ultimately on the line. Defending champs Gotham FC don’t have a worst-in-the-league chip on their shoulder to motivate them anymore, while heavy hitters in the Wave and Portland Thorns will be seeking dominance again. There’s also the North Carolina Courage, who seemed to be just on the cusp of becoming that team to be feared when they got knocked out of playoffs.

Big storylines

Gotham FC superteam

The reigning NWSL champions had a busy offseason. In a span of five days, and after weeks of reports, Gotham FC announced a flurry of blockbuster signings that brought national team stars Crystal Dunn, Tierna Davidson, Emily Sonnett and Rose Lavelle to NJ/NY. The USWNT regulars joined an already-stacked roster that included Lynn Williams, Midge Purce, Kelley O’Hara and World Cup winner Esther Gonzalez. Rightfully, many are calling Gotham FC the NWSL’s newest “super team” — and it’s a title the franchise is ready to defend. In a crowded room welcoming the Class of ‘24, GM Yael Averbuch West told reporters: “We enjoy that type of pressure. I think it’s a more enjoyable pressure than trying to climb from the bottom to the top.”

But stacking your roster with high-demand internationals is a gamble in an Olympic year. Already we’re seeing the double-edged sword: head coach Juan Carlos Amorós told media during the team’s preseason tournament in Colombia, “It’s no secret. We’ve got a lot of players that are not here. At the moment, we have 12 (out of) 30 players available for the team. We’ve completed the team with 10 trialists and that’s how we are operating, so we know we are doing the best we can. And I’m very, very proud and I’m very happy with how the team is developing (and) doing, despite only 50% of the player base over here.”

Expansion team performance

Two years after Angel City and San Diego furthered the NWSL’s westward expansion, the league’s geographic reach continues to grow with the debuts of Bay FC and Utah Royals FC. Both sides are beginning a coach who is untested at this level: Albertin Montoya for Bay and former USWNT forward Amy Rodriguez for Utah. Given Bay’s extreme spending on the top of its roster (more on that below), Utah following previous conventional wisdom of building around players made available by NWSL rivals and top draft selections feels modest by comparison. The NWSL is hard to predict at the start of a year, of course, and Utah will hope the lack of acclimation needed for its players can allow them to start the year strong.

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NWSL competing in the global market

There have been some huge international signings this offseason. The Orlando Pride have brought in Barbra Banda and Luana and the Portland Thorns landed Jessie Fleming, Louisville added Linda Motlhalo, and the Seattle Reign brought Angharad James over from Tottenham. Bay FC alone has signed Racheal Kundananji (for a world record fee), Asisat Oshoala, and Deyna Castellanos. The Washington Spirit also went big in hiring former Barcelona coach Jonatan Giráldez.

There’s been some hand-wringing about the NWSL’s ability to keep up with the Joneses in the global market, but this flurry of offseason deals is strong evidence for the continuing ambition to keep the NWSL entertaining and competitive, as well as a signal about (some) clubs’ willingness to spend — especially with the coming salary cap increase and the ongoing injection of cash from wealthier and wealthier investors. Of course there’s an entire season to see if these clubs can turn ambition into on-field results, but if any of them manage to find the right formula of personnel, coaches, and tactics with their marquee names, it’ll push other teams across the board to keep searching for competitive advantages.

New owners, new ambitions

In addition to expansion teams, two teams will also enter the 2024 season under new ownership: Portland Thorns FC and the Chicago Red Stars. For both of these teams, it’s the long-awaited fresh start following the abuse scandal that came to light in 2021, with Merritt Paulson and Arnim Whisler first stepping back, then eventually selling their respective clubs.

In Portland, Lisa Bhathal Merage leads the new ownership group (one that also owns the NBA’s Sacramento Kings), which has promised to keep the Thorns in Portland and build a new training facility. In Chicago, Laura Ricketts’ takeover got over the line before the close of the 2023 season, but following her first offseason in charge and with new head coach Lorne Donaldson and a healthy Mal Swanson, righting the Red Stars ship is a project that is finally, truly underway.

USWNT & international connections

The majority of the USWNT plays in the NWSL — and as mentioned above, Gotham FC is now the team stacked with a ton of both U.S. national team talent and some big international names too. While this isn’t a complete list by any stretch, watching the NWSL is essential to understanding the USWNT.

Plenty of teams carry both veteran and youth talent — just look at the San Diego Wave, with Alex Morgan leading the front line, joined by center back Naomi Girma (expected to be the heart of the USWNT’s defense for the next few cycles) and Jaedyn Shaw (who impressed at the W Gold Cup and can’t stop scoring).

Expect plenty of focus on Mal Swanson’s return to the field in Chicago, but Alyssa Naeher’s performance in goal for the Red Stars could be instrumental in her bid to stay the No. 1 option for the U.S. Over at North Carolina, Casey Murphy will be getting her own reps in goal, and Ashley Sanchez gets a fresh start with the Courage after a surprise trade from the Washington Spirit.

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If you want to keep an eye on players fighting for spots for the 18-player roster for the Olympics, the Portland Thorns might be one of your better options. Sophia Smith is part of a deep forward pool, but it’s midfielders Sam Coffey and Olivia Moultrie who are still building their cases ahead of Emma Hayes’ USWNT arrival later this spring.

The NWSL is also home to some of the most notable stars in women’s soccer globally, like Brazilian icon Marta and Canada’s longtime captain Christine Sinclair, who both recently retired from the international stage. There’s a high chance this coming season could be their last at the club level too, paving the way for some emotional farewells.

In addition to the record-breaking international signings already mentioned, other players who shined on last summer’s world stage also recently found their way to the NWSL — like South Korea’s Casey Phair, who, at 16, became the youngest player to ever play in a World Cup and recently signed with Angel City, and Gotham FC’s Esther, who was part of Spain’s World Cup-winning team. A record 16 World Cup teams featured talent from the NWSL player pool, according to the league.

There’s also Mexican forward María Sánchez, who for a couple of weeks was considered the highest-paid player in the NWSL, after inking a $1.5 million deal with the Houston Dash. (That title now potentially belongs to Mallory Swanson.) Sánchez got her start in La Liga MX, like Argentina’s Sophie Braun, who recently signed with the Kansas City Current.

Other notable internationals in NWSL: Ji So-Yun (South Korea, Seattle Reign); Hannah Stambaugh (Japan, Angel City); Jen Beattie (Scotland, Bay FC); Jessie Fleming (Canada, Portland Thorns); Quinn (Canada, Reign FC); Jordyn Huitema (Canada, Seattle Reign FC); Jess Fishlock (Wales, Seattle Reign FC); Sofia Jakobsson (Sweden, San Diego Wave FC); Bruninha (Brazil, Gotham FC); Maitane López (Spain, Gotham FC); Sinead Farrelly (Ireland, Gotham FC); Emily Van Egmond (Australia, San Diego Wave FC); Adriana (Brazil, Orlando Pride); Debinha (Brazil, Kansas City Current); Mariana Larroquette (Argentina, Orlando Pride); Kailen Sheridan (Canada; San Diego Wave FC); Jun Endō (Japan, Angel City FC); Ali Riley (New Zealand, Angel City FC); Ifeoma Onumonu (Nigeria, Gotham FC)

(Top photo: Robyn Beck and Ulrik Pedersen, Getty Images; Design Eammon Dalton)

MLS Power Rankings: Suárez boosts Inter Miami, LAFC fall off

Ryan Rosenblatt

Mar 18, 2024, 02:38 PM ETShareLikeOpen Extended Reactions

It’s Monday, another week of MLS action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Our Power Rankings are derived from a combination of key season statistics (points per game, goal differential, expected goal (xG) differential), recent performance, the Opta computer ratings, and the observations of our writers.

So, who’s climbing the table? Who’s in free fall? We’ve ranked all 29 clubs in the league after Matchday 4. Let’s dive in.

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1. Columbus Crew

Previous ranking: 1

The Crew were free flowing, gorgeous every time they went forward and Cucho Hernández was cooking. Basically, it was a pretty normal game for Columbus as they made the vaunted RBNY press look pedestrian en route to a 3-0 win.<img alt=”

2. Inter Miami CF

Previous ranking: 2

It’s easy to say that Inter is Team Lionel Messi, and when the greatest player of all time is on the pitch Miami will rightly be Messi-centric, but they fared pretty well without him in the second half of last season. Their first match without their maestro this season went well too, as Luis Suárez scored twice to win 3-1, in D.C. There’s more to this team than Messi, still.

<img alt=”

3. FC Cincinnati

Previous ranking: 4

Cincy didn’t look so hot in the first half, but they got Lucho Acosta on at halftime and suddenly, they were well on their way to a 2-1 win in New England. Shockingly, playing the MVP makes a big difference.<img alt=”

4. Atlanta United FC

Previous ranking: 4

Everyone knows Giorgos Giakoumakis is a heck of a goal scorer, but he flashed his creativity with a great pass to set up Saba Lobjanidze‘s goal as Atlanta rolled to a 2-0 win over Orlando.

EDITOR’S PICKS

Is the USMNT’s Gregg Berhalter a good coach? What stats, players and ex-colleagues say3dRyan O’Hanlon and Jeff Carlisle
Rating every new Nike kit: From United States to England3dChris Wright
Lionel Messi tracker: All goals, assists, key moments for Inter Miami in 20247dESPN

<img alt=”

5. Real Salt Lake

Previous ranking: 9

RSL’s bye week was well-timed as the Utah Royals got the local spotlight in their return to NWSL.<img alt=”

6. New York Red Bulls

Previous ranking: 5

RBNY’s typically excellent press was ripped apart by the Crew in a 3-0 loss. The Red Bulls have looked good this season, but there’s still a gap between them and the league’s top teams.<img alt=”

7. Philadelphia Union

Previous ranking: 7

There’s nothing more reliable than Dániel Gazdag from the penalty spot. He’s converted every spot kick he’s taken for the Union, but his latest wasn’t enough to deliver victory as Philly had to settle for a 2-2 draw in Austin. Minnesota United logo

8. Minnesota United

Previous ranking: 15

Eric Ramsey made a good first impression in Minnesota with a 2-0 win over LAFC. It’s too early to get a read on the Loons’ new boss, but he has so much talent at his disposal and Emanuel Reynoso made his return from injury over the weekend. With him in the fold, Minnesota has every reason to believe the MLS Cup could head north.

Minnesota United take down LAFC 2-0 at home

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9. LA Galaxy

Previous ranking: 8

Joseph Paintsil has only played four MLS matches, but he’s already making his case as one of the best players in the league. If the rest of the Galaxy could give him a little more help, they wouldn’t be settling for a 3-3 draw against St. Louis when they should have eased to victory. CF Montreal logo

10. CF Montréal

Previous ranking: 12

Laurent Courtois will spend a lot of time in the video room figuring out how to tighten up the CFM defense, but there’s nothing anyone could have done about the Fire’s windswept 99th-minute winner that beat Montréal 4-3.

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2/19 Champs League Tue/Wed 3 pm CBS, USWNT Gold Cup Play Tues night 10:15 pm, MLS season starts this week, Indy 11 win again, CFC GK

February 20, 2024February 22, 2024 gatorbest champions-league, indy-11, indy-soccer, pulisic, soccer, soccer-refs, us-women, usmnt, uswnt

A young group of US Ladies is set to take the field Tuesday night at the US Women usher in the youngsters for the Women’s Gold Cup defense on ESPN + and Paramount+ at 10:15 pm. The US should have no issues in the first game until facing Argentina in the 2nd game of the group stage this Friday 10:15 pm. With the games all taking place in LA – it will be late night games for the US on all 3 set of Group stage matchups. (Games included in the TV Game schedule below). I am looking forward to seeing Mia Mishel and Jaedyn Shaw up top along with Trinity Rodman in the all under 23 forward line-up with Alex Morgan not called up – who can put the ball in the net? The midfield figures to be the same with Horan and Lavelle holding down the fort I presume – but Albert from PSG will be fun to watch. I suspect the backline will feature stalwarts Girma, Emily Fox and Davidson – who slides in beside Girma will be the question? I assume someone other than Naeher will get the net duties – probably Casey Murphy. I see the US winning this first warmup game 3-0.

Here’s the full Gold Cup roster:

GOALKEEPERS: Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars).

DEFENDERS: Abby Dahlkemper (San Diego Wave FC), Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NY/NJ Gotham FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns)

MIDFIELDERS: Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC)

FORWARDS: Mia Fishel (Chelsea FC), Midge Purce (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC)

Indy 11 Beat Columbus Crew II

Jack Blake scored three first-half goals to help lead Indy Eleven to a 7-1 victory over Columbus Crew 2 on Sunday afternoon at Grand Park. Blake now has a team-leading six goals through four matches of the 2024 preseason. The midfielder scored three in 30 matches last season. The Boys in Blue also picked up goals in the first 45 from Sebastian Guenzatti and Douglas Martinez. Cam Lindley dealt out a pair of assists, giving him three this preseason, while Augi Williams chipped in one. The second half saw Martinez score his second of the match off Lindley’s second assist, while Augi Williams connected from the penalty spot to increase the lead and close out the scoring for the day. Preseason action continues Saturday at Lexington SC. The match is closed to the public.

Complete Preseason Schedule
Tuesday, Feb. 6 at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | D, 0-0
Saturday, Feb. 10 vs Chicago Fire FC II | W, 2-0
Tuesday, Feb. 13 vs. Indiana Wesleyan University | W, 5-0
Sunday, Feb. 18 vs. Columbus Crew 2 | W, 7-1
Saturday, Feb. 24 at Lexington SC | Closed to the public
Thursday, Feb. 29 vs. Detroit City FC | Closed to the public
Friday, March 1 vs. Forward Madison FC | Closed to the public

Indy opens the 2024 slate on a two-match road swing beginning at non-conference foe Oakland Roots SC on March 9 before returning home to host 2023 Western Conference Champion Sacramento Republic FC at Michael A. Carroll Stadium on March 23. Single-game tickets are available now for all matches via Ticketmaster. Season Ticket Packages can also be purchased, as well as tickets for groups and hospitality areas. For more information on these options click here. The Defending USL WLeague Champion Indy 11 Women announced their summer schedule this week with 5 matches at Grand Park.

Games on TV –

Concacaf Champions Cup for MLS, the best teams in Mexico and the top teams from Central American, and is back – full schedule. Europa League Round of 32 on Thursday gives us American’s Pulisic & Musah and AC Milan traveling to French club Rennes at 3 pm up 3-0 on CBSSN & TUDN, & Unimas. While also at 3 pm American Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis travel to Zagreb on Paramount+. Pregame show starts at 2 pm. (see full Europa League schedule below) Pulisic finally got back on the board this weekend with a goal and assist for AC Milan – albeit in a shocking loss 4-2 loss on the road.

Tues, Feb 20: Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid, PSV Eindhoven (Dest, Pepi, Tillman) vs Borussia Dortmund (return legs: Wednesday, March 13).
Wed, Feb 21: Napoli vs Barcelona CBS 3 pm, Porto vs Arsenal TUDN Para+ (return legs: Tuesday, March 12).

Huge Congrats to our Carmel FC Goalkeepers who traveled to Memphis this past weekend to represent Indiana @ the ODP Tourney. CFC GKU!!

working of pictures of our other 2 GKs who participated – PS – GK Training Thur 5 pm & 5:45 pm Badger Field House

GAMES ON TV

Tues, Feb 20

2:45 pm CBS Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid

3 pm para+, TUDN, Unimas Dortmund vs PSV Eindhoven (Dest, Pepi, Tillman)

7:30 pm ESPN+, PAra+ Argentina vs Mexico Women’s Gold Cup

8 pm FS2 St Louis City vs Houston Dynamo Cup

10 pm FS2 Deportivo Saprissa vs Philly Union

10:15 pm ESPN+. Para+ USWNT vs Domican Republic Women GC

Weds, Feb 21

2:30 pm USA Liverpool vs Luton Town

3 pm CBS Napoli vs Barcelona

3 pm Para+ TUDN Porto vs Arsenal

8 pm Fox Sport 2, TUDN Independiente vs New England CONCACAF

10 :pm FS2 Cavalry vs Orlando City SC CONCACAF

Thursday, Feb 22 , Europa League Round of 32

12:45 pm CBSSN AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Rennes

3pm CBSSN Roma vs Feyenoord

7 pm FS2 Moca vs Nashville CONCACAF

8:30 pm ESPN+, Para+ Canada women vs El Salvador WGold Cup

9 pm FS2 Cavelier vs Cincy CONCACAF

Fri, Feb 23

7:30 pm ESPN+ Dom Republic vs Mexico WGold Cup

10:15 pm ESPN+, Para+ Argentina vs USWNT WGold Cup

Sat, Feb 24

10 am USA Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest (Reyna & Turner)

10 am PEacock Man United vs Fulham (Ream, Jedi)

12:30 pm NBC Man City vs AFC Bournmouth

1230 pm ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs RB Leipzig
3 pm PEacock Arsenal vs Newcastle United

4:30 pm Fox LAFC vs Seattle Sounders MLS

7:30 pm MLS Openers on Apple TV

Sun, Feb 25

6:30 am Para+ Juventus (Mckinney) vs Frosinone

8:30 am USA Wolverhampton vs Sheffield United (Trusty)

10 am ESPN+ Chelsea vs Liverpool (League Cup)

2:30 pm Apple TV Cincy vs Toronto FC

2:45 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Atalanta

3 pm ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Sevilla

5 pm ESPN+, Para+ Paraguay vs Canada WGold Cup

8:30 pm Apple TV LA Galaxy vs Inter Miami

Mon, Feb 26

10:15 pm ESPN+, Para+ Mexico vs USWNT

Full Gold Cup TV Schedule on ESPN+ & Paramount Plus

Concacaf Nations League Finals, March 21 – 24

2024 Copa America, June 20 – July 10

2024 Summer Olympics – Men & Women, July 24 – August 10

USA Women

USA vs. Dominican Republic, 2024 W Gold Cup: What to watch for S&S

2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup: Scouting the Dominican Republic S&S

2024 W Gold Cup: Group A Preview S&S By Donald Wine II

2024 W Gold Cup: Group B Preview By Brendan Joseph

2024 W Gold Cup: Group C Preview By Brendan Joseph

Full Gold Cup TV Schedule on ESPN+ & Paramount Plus

US Men

Christian Pulisic tracker: Goal, assist for AC Milan’s USMNT star vs Monza — Updates, video highlights
Christian Pulisic, Johnny Cardoso, and the PSV trio — A USMNT in Europe progress report

MLS

MLS Season Preview

Concacaf Champions Cup Preview – Can an MLS Team Win It? ESPN

Champions League Stories

Why is the Champions League so hard to retain?

Napoli fire coach 2 days before Barcelona UCL tie

Bayern woes mount with 1st-leg loss at Lazio

Man City dominant yet again in the Champions League: Can anyone stop them?

Mbappé on target as PSG beat Real Sociedad

UEFA reveals London-inspired Champions League ball Chris Wright

Indy 11

Indy 11 Women Schedule Announced

Indy Eleven Announces 2024 Promotional Schedule – Tickets on Sale NOW!

Boys in Blue Announce Signing of Hoosier Karsen Henderlong

Indy Eleven Announces Addition of Defender Josh O’Brien

Boys in Blue Open Preseason Action with 0-0 Draw at Pittsburgh

Indy Eleven Front Office Members Honored as Part of USL Championship Starting XI

Reffing

MLS set to start season with replacement officials

Become a Licensed Ref with Indiana Soccer – must be over 13

Reffing Classes at Carmel Dad’s Club

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USMNT midweek viewing guide: Champions are back in business

Our PSV trio of Dest, Pepi, and Tillman face Dortmund in Champions League knockouts, while Pulisic and Musah make their way in Europa League.

By Justin Moran @kickswish Feb 19, 2024, 9:00am PST

Midweek USMNT action is here. Let’s get into it!

Monday

Everton vs Crystal Palace, 3p on USA, Universo, Fubo, Sling, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo: Chris Richards and Palace visit Everton in Premier League action.

Also in action:

NAC Breda vs Cambuur, 2p: Agustín Anello and Cambuur visit Breda in the Eerste Divisie.

Tuesday

PSV vs Borussia Dortmund, 3p on Paramount+, TUDN USA, UniMás, Fubo (free trial), and ViX: For anyone who has been frustrated with Dortmund recently and wanted to root against them, here’s your chance. PSV Americano, featuring Sergiño Dest, Ricardo Pepi, and Malik Tillman face Dortmund in the Champions League round of 16.
Deportivo Saprissa vs Philadelphia Union, 10p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, Sling: Jack McGlynn, Quinn Sullivan, and the Union visit Costa Rican powerhouse Saprissa in the Concacaf Champions Cup.

Also in action:

Cardiff City vs Blackburn Rovers, 2:45p: Ethan Horvath and Cardiff face ~~Duncan McGuire~~ just kidding, Blackburn weren’t able to finalize his loan from Orlando City.
St. Louis City vs Houston Dynamo, 8p on FS2, Fubo, Sling: Aziel Jackson and St. Louis meet the Dynamo in Concacaf Champions Cup play. Houston are without a serious USMNT prospect, but do feature Panamanian international Adalberto Carrasquilla.
Necaxa vs Chivas, 10p: Cade Cowell and Chivas visit Necaxa in Liga MX.

Wednesday

Inter Miami vs Real Salt Lake, 8p on MLS Season Pass: Drake Callender, Julian Gressel, Noah Allen, DeAndre Yedlin, and Miami host Diego Luna, Fidel Barajas, and RSL to kick off the 2024 MLS season.
Independiente de La Chorerra vs New England Revolution, 8p on TUDN, Fubo: DeJuan Jones, Noel Buck, Esmir Bajraktarevic, and the Revs travel to La Chorrera, Panama to face CAI in Concacaf Champions Cup.

Also in action:

Cavalry FC vs Orlando City, 10p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, Sling: Ah, there’s Duncan McGuire. He and Orlando City journey north to meet Canadian side Cavalry in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
América vs Mazátlan, 10p on TUDN, UniMás, Fubo: Alejandro Zendejas and Club América host Mazátlan in Liga MX.

Thursday

Rennes vs AC Milan, 12:45p on Paramount+, TUDN, CBS Sports Network, Fubo, ViX: Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and Milan make the return trip to Rennes, having won 3-0 at home in the first leg. If they advance on aggregate, they move into the Europa League round of 16.
Dinamo Zagreb vs Real Betis, 12:45p on Paramount+, ViX: Johnny Cardoso and Betis have their work cut out for them, having lost 0-1 to Zagreb in the first leg at home. They’ll need to mount a comeback if they hope to advance past the Europa Conference League round of 32.

Also in action:

Moca FC vs Nashville SC, 7p on FS2, Fubo, Sling: Walker Zimmerman, Shaq Moore, new arrival Tyler Boyd, and Nashville SC travel to the Dominican Republic to open their Concacaf Champions Cup campaign.
Cavalier SC vs FC Cincinnati, 9p on FS2, Fubo, Sling: Brandon Vázquez has left FC Cincy for the Rayados of Monterrey, but Cincinnati still has USMNT-relevant players like Miles Robinson, Lucho Acosta, Matt Miazga, and Roman Celentano. They travel to Jamaica to open Concacaf Champions Cup play.

Friday

Utrecht vs Heracles, 2p: Taylor Booth and Utrecht host Luca de la Torre’s old club, Heracles Almelo, in Eredivisie action.
Coventry vs Preston, 2:45p: Haji Wright and Coventry face Duane Holmes and Preston North End in the Championship.
Juárez vs Monterrey, 10p on FS2, FOX Deportes, Fubo, Sling: Brandon Vázquez and Monterrey face the Bravos of Juárez in Liga MX.

Also in action:

Holstein Kiel vs St. Pauli, 12:30p on ESPN+: Manager Fabian Hürzeler and St. Pauli are tied with Holstein Kiel atop the 2. Bundesliga table. Born in Houston, Hürzeler has led St. Pauli to just 1 loss in 21 league matches this season. Former FC Dallas homegrown defender Nico Carrera is on the books at Holstein Kiel, but has only played for their reserves this season (in the fourth-tier Regionalliga).
Charleroi vs Genk, 2:45p on ESPN+ (free trial): Mark McKenzie and Genk visit Charleroi in Belgium’s top tier.

USA vs. Dominican Republic, 2024 W Gold Cup: What to watch for

Time to get it started. By Donald Wine II @blazindw Feb 19, 2024, 6:00am PST

The United States Women’s National Team take the field tomorrow against the Dominican Republic as they embark on a new journey with the start of the 2024 W Gold Cup. The inaugural tournament is the first chance in 2024 the USWNT have to play, and it’s the first opportunity to win a trophy.

2024 is a year of transition for the USWNT, as Emma Hayes will take over as head coach towards the end of May and Twila Kilgore continues to manage the team on an interim basis. There seems to be a movement of youth entering to establish a new younger core of the team. At the same time, they balance this transition with 2024 being a year of importance, with the W Gold Cup and Olympics serving as opportunities to claim a championship. The USWNT want to begin by claiming this inaugural edition of the W Gold Cup.

Their first opponent are Las Quisqueyanas, the upstarts from the Dominican Republic who have shocked everyone by getting to the group stage of a major tournament for the first time. They won’t back down and they will once again be looking for the monumental upset, so the USWNT cannot take them lightly as we embark on the maiden voyage of the W Gold Cup.

Recent Form

USA

W (2-1) – China – Friendly

W (3-0) – China – Friendly

W (3-0) – Colombia – Friendly

D (0-0) – Colombia – Friendly

W (2-0) – South Africa – Friendly

Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (8): Abby Dahlkemper (San Diego Wave FC), Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NY/NJ Gotham FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns)*

MIDFIELDERS (6): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC)

FORWARDS (6): Mia Fishel (Chelsea FC, ENG), Midge Purce (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC)

*Becky Sauerbrunn replaced Alana Cook, who was withdrawn due to injury, on the roster

What To Watch For

Time for the new era? With some of the younger players getting their first shot at a major title, could we see a shift in USWNT’s approach by playing them? Players like Mia Fishel, Jaedyn Shaw, Korbin Albert, and Jenna Nighswonger could factor into this match to show that the future is now. We await the lineup to see where Kilgore decides to go.

The midfield needs to be dynamic and crisp. The USWNT always struggle when their midfield isn’t dynamic and sharp with the ball. They have to be the ones to maintain possession and keep the ball moving forward, while also relieving pressure from the back line by keeping the ball in front of them on defense. Finally, crisp passes are the key. When we’re sloppy with the ball, it makes for a long day.

Don’t gift any hope to the opposition. The Dominican Republic is looking for the upset. The USWNT need to get out quickly and never let Las Quisqueyanas get any belief that they can pull off the shocker.

Prediction

The USWNT win 4-0, but it’s not fully convincing.

2024 W Gold Cup: Group A Preview

We begin our W Gold Cup previews with Group A.

By Donald Wine II @blazindw Feb 18, 2024, 7:00am PST STARS AND STRIPES

The 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup starts this coming week, and 12 teams will fight for the chance to make history as the first champions of this tournament. 8 Concacaf teams are joined by 4 teams from CONMEBOL – Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Paraguay – in 3 groups, where the top 2 will advance as well as 2 of the 3rd place teams.

Group A figures to be an intriguing one, with the best team in Concacaf, the United States, taking on a couple of teams in Mexico and Argentina that desire to break into that next level of teams in the world and the Dominican Republic, who are looking to continue to provide the upset. It will be the group that likely commands the most attention, but the action on the field will surely bring some fireworks and tense moments for fans of each of the teams. We’re looking forward to these 4 teams challenging each other for Group A supremacy

Schedule

Tuesday, February 20th

USA vs. Guyana/Dominican Republic

Mexico vs. Argentina

Friday, February 23rd

USA vs. Argentina

Guyana/Dominican Republic vs. Mexico

Monday, February 26th

USA vs. Mexico

Argentina vs. Guyana/Dominican Republic

United States

The USWNT enter 2024 looking to re-establish themselves as the best team in the world. They are first focused on setting the pace in this competition and find the focus and drive that made them invincible for so long. They’ve brought in some younger players who are hungry to produce goals and defend, and it feels like the beginning of some change in the program. However, having younger players on the team means it’s the first time for many of them in big time competition like this tournament. That’s where the World Cup veterans need to lead the way and help the team take care of business.

FIFA Ranking: 2

Odds of Winning Group: Clear favorites

One to Watch: Mia Fishel is ready to announce herself officially on the international stage. Look for her to make a big impact up front.

Argentina

La Albiceleste enter this tournament looking to make a statement that they can move into the conversation as one of the best teams in the Americas. They have finished 3rd in the two most recent Copa América Femenina tournaments, and this is an opportunity for them to take the next step. However, Argentina have to overcome some history in this group: they are are 0W-5L-0D against the United States and 1W-8L-1D against Mexico all-time. To win this group, they will need to beat at least one of those teams.

FIFA Ranking: 31

Odds of Winning: Needs Help

One to Watch: Mariana Larroquette has 22 goals in 79 caps for Argentina, and she will look to provide some more goals for the team up front.

Mexico

Mexico enters the W Gold Cup with something to prove. They failed to qualify for the 2023 Women’s World Cup as well as the 2024 Summer Olympics, so they’ve been working hard from within to improve their squad. They’ve brought in some younger budding stars, some of whom won the gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games. Now, they want to bring it in a tough Group A and re-establish Mexico as one of the teams to beat in this region.

FIFA Ranking: 35

https://80e9e694eee550d2e3137e7702e6e27d.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

Odds of Winning: Needs help

One to Watch: Diana Ordóñez has become a star in the making in her short time on La Tri, and she could be poised for a breakout at this tournament.

Dominican Republic

Las Quisqueyanas upset Guyana in the Gold Cup Prelims to advance to the group stage. They’re complete underdogs in this group, but they will not be scared of any team they take on. This is the first major tournament that the Dominican Republic has qualified for in their history, and they want to continue to make history with this group.

FIFA Ranking: 107

Odds of Winning: Slim To None

One to Watch: Kathrynn González scored the lone goal in the Dominican Republic’s win over Guyana, and she’s going to be a player to watch as they enter the group stage.

USWNT’s Lindsey Horan apologizes for ‘poorly expressed’ comments

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 02: Lindsey Horan #10 of the United States signs autographs at DRV PNK Stadium on December 02, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Brennan Asplen/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

By Meg Linehan The Athletic Feb 15, 2024 https://theathletic.com/5279598/2024/02/15/uswnt-lindsey-horan-apology/

U.S. women’s national team captain Lindsey Horan opened her time in front of reporters by addressing the reaction to her comments on American fans’ knowledge of soccer, made in an interview with The Athletic published earlier this month.“First and foremost, I would like to apologize to our fans,” Horan said while speaking during a virtual availability ahead of the CONCACAF W Gold Cup. “Some of my comments were poorly expressed, and there was a massive lesson learned for me.”In her interview with The Athletic, Horan shared frustrations with how viewers of matches took commentary at face value before joking that her mother did it while watching USWNT matches. On Thursday, she took time to clarify and express her appreciation for the fans.

“When I think about our fans, I love them so much. The team loves them so much, and I can’t begin to explain how much they mean to us. Every time we step out and train, every time we step out and play in games, you know we play for you guys,” Horan said. “You’re our inspiration, our motivation, and seeing you wear our jerseys and seeing you screaming our names, and chanting USA, that’s what we play for and I never wanted to take any of that away.“Continuing on that, the soccer culture in America is changing and growing so much in such a positive way. For me to experience that firsthand, playing for this U.S. women’s national team but also in the NWSL and for the Portland Thorns, is something just so amazing. It is my absolute honor, and I will always say that, to be able to put on this crest every single day. To be in this environment, to go out and play in front of our fans and represent this national team, that is something — again, it is my greatest honor. … The last thing I ever wanted to do was to offend anyone in that manner. So again, I deeply, deeply apologize.”When asked to elucidate what she wanted to express with her original comments, Horan replied that she did not think that “what I meant really matters right now.” She said that she’s just “a football brain” who loves watching as much soccer as possible.“I love talking about it, and the way people talk about Man City, Arsenal, the old Barcelona,” she said. “That’s what I want people to say about us. I want people to talk about how incredible we are on the ball, the possession, the style of play, the technical ability, the tactical changes mid-game, these types of things.”Horan said she apologized because of how she felt and that she wanted “to express how much the fans mean to me personally.”On the matter of the tournament ahead of them — the inaugural W Gold Cup — Horan joked that the goal is “the trophy.”More seriously, she said that the team’s main goal is to win, but it’s also a perfect preparation for the Olympics due to the tournament format and timing. “What we do here can really train us and mentally prepare us for what we might have to deal with in France,” she said. “We take each game at a time and we get better throughout the tournament, and we keep increasing now what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to play.”

Horan stressed multiple times that she believes every player on the roster needs to be utilized throughout the Gold Cup to help get some players tournament minutes and more time on the field — and that the USWNT must take advantage of this time on the field together ahead of the Olympics.“It’s not just the new young ones, it’s all of us,” she said. “We’re all progressing together and we remain a team. Everyone needs to get on the same page leading into the Olympics, but first off, the first game here at the Gold Cup.”(Photo: Brennan Asplen, Getty Images)

Concacaf W Gold Cup preview: USWNT’s chances, format and more

Cesar Hernandez ESPN

Feb 19, 2024, 11:02 AM ET

An invaluable chance for redemption is within reach for North America’s two major powerhouses in women’s national team soccer. After the United States and Canada failed to live up to expectations in last year’s World Cup, the latest script for both sides can now be rewritten during the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup, a 12-team international women’s tournament that is set to kick off for the first time on Tuesday.

Featuring eight Concacaf representatives and four guests from Conmebol (South America), a chance to make a claim as the best in the Americas will be on the line for not only high-profile squads like the U.S. and Canada, but also a handful of dark horses that are on the rise. The teams are split into three groups of four, with the top two from each group and the two best third-placed teams then moving onto the knockout round that concludes with a final at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium on March 10.

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Looking ahead to the tournament’s debut, there’s plenty of intrigue about how it will all play out and on the possible impact it can have for the women’s game, but before discussing what it means to those involved, let’s first dive into how and why the W Gold Cup came about.

The creation of the W Gold Cup

In an effort to increase the number of women’s national team games within the region, Concacaf, FIFA’s governing body for North American soccer, revealed a new four-year calendar in 2020 that would lead up to a revamped World Cup qualification tournament (eventually named the “Concacaf W Championship”) in 2022, as well as a brand new “Women’s Concacaf Nations League” in 2024.

“The new calendar prioritized more official match dates for all women’s senior national teams in Concacaf, and ensuring an elite competition to showcase the highest level of women’s international football,” according to a press release that included the qualification routes for both tournaments. “Through this new calendar, Concacaf will more than double the number of official senior women’s national team matches compared with the current cycle of competitions.”

Additional details were added in 2021. Along with qualification for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, 2022’s Concacaf W Championship would also provide a path into the 2024 Olympics. The two invitees into the Olympics were then also granted entry into 2024’s Women’s Concacaf Nations League Final tournament, which was rebranded as the Concacaf W Gold Cup.

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While the U.S. (winners of the 2022 Concacaf W Championship) and Canada (Concacaf W Championship finalists, Olympic play-in winners) claimed those two invitations, the rest of the Concacaf region would go on to take part in a preliminary “Road to the Concacaf W Gold Cup” competition. Resembling a Nations League structure that has recently been used to provide more meaningful games for men’s national teams, but with different branding, women’s national teams were now given a chance to do the same.

Building up to this month’s W Gold Cup — which, like the men’s Gold Cup, is to be played every four years according to the tournament’s 55-page regulations — a long-awaited push for more official games in women’s soccer was underway.

“The W Gold Cup Final [tournament] will not only crown the champion of what is now Concacaf’s flagship women’s international competition, but it will also cap off a 4-year cycle where teams from the region will have competed in a minimum of 195 official matches, which represents 118% increase in comparison to the previous four-year cycle,” stated a press release in 2021.

“Together, the 2021 Concacaf W Qualifiers, 2022 Concacaf W Championship, 2023 Road to Concacaf W Gold Cup, and 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup will accelerate the growth of Women’s Football and provide a consistent structure of matches and competitions for our Member Associations.”

More matches are undoubtedly better for countless mid-to-lower tier teams in Concacaf that don’t have the same opportunities or resources as those regional powerhouses above them. Providing a pathway to a tournament like the W Gold Cup, and the additional platform through it, is also crucial. Looking at those powerhouses though, this isn’t to say that the U.S. and Canada can’t benefit from the W Gold Cup either. Aside from eagerly wanting to bounce back from disappointment on the global stage with a continental title, there is significance beyond another championship for the traditional giants of Concacaf.

Olympic prep and showcasing a new generation

“This Gold Cup is amazing preparation for us for the Olympics,” said U.S. defender Emily Fox during a recent press conference. “It’s the longest time we’re going to have together as a team [before the Olympics], an entire month. So I think for us, our focus is on the Gold Cup and on the tournament and how we can learn from it and prep for the Olympics.”

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While both the U.S. and Canada have explicitly noted that winning the W Gold Cup is the goal, there’s also the added benefit of having an extended period of time to train and take part in official matches just months before Paris 2024. It’s worth noting that of the 12 teams that will take part in women’s soccer at the Olympics, four (the U.S., Canada, Brazil and Colombia) will be in the W Gold Cup.

“It’s such a cool opportunity to have a major tournament like this that kind of exemplifies the Olympics and gets us prepared for that,” said U.S. captain and midfielder Lindsey Horan. “What we do here can really train us and mentally prepare us for what we might have to deal with in France, but first and foremost, this is a major tournament itself and we want to win.”

For Canada head coach Bev Priestman, it could also help ease some roster-related headaches. “I don’t know about you, but trying to get this to a 23 [player] roster was very hard and then to try and get it to 18 [players for the Olympics] — I think some of the principles that we’ve used in terms of trying to think about this Gold Cup is about players who could play in multiple positions, fitness.

“All these sorts of things around Olympic rosters is going to come into play,” said Priestman, who recently extended her coaching contract to 2027 last month. “We won’t be where we want to be in July by this Gold Cup, but what I hope we can do is continue the positive momentum in terms of what we’ve seen on the pitch. I think absolutely, we’re here to try and win this thing, but we also have July in mind.”

Through that process, there’s also a noteworthy changing of the guard for both teams that will be tested in the W Gold Cup.

For the U.S., 11 members of the roster are 25 or younger. In a transitional period under interim coach Twila Kilgore (prior to Chelsea Women boss Emma Hayes taking the reigns in the summer), and without the likes of goalscoring veteran Alex Morgan or a retired legend Megan Rapinoe in the squad, prominent roles are up for grabs.

“It’s just a great opportunity to get in with the team and show myself,” said Jenna Nighswonger, the 23-year-old defender that won an NWSL title and Rookie of the Year award in 2023 with NJ/NY Gotham. “I think we’re going after gold obviously in this tournament and every game is looking to help us for the Olympics.”

“The younger girls coming in are so, so talented. They have such a bright future and they bring creativity and flair on the field,” said U.S. defender Abby Dahlkemper after a recent training session. “They’re fearless and passionate, they fit in and they gel in really well with the group. It’s an exciting time for this team, just kind of seeing the progress of younger players coming in.”

Canada are also looking forward to the impact of younger names. Without the iconic Christine Sinclair who retired from international play in late 2023, and through a roster (like the U.S.) that has 11 players that are 25 are younger, more will be expected from youthful call-ups that now have a chance to thrive at the W Gold Cup.

“I’m excited to see people step up and I don’t mean one individual, I mean a group of people now,” said Priestman. “Whenever you have a veteran group around, not by design just by nature, people kind of take that back seat a little bit more, but what I started to see at the back end of last year is people grabbing the reins a little bit.”

Underdogs from Latin America and the Caribbean

Of course, this tournament is much more than just the U.S. and Canada. Circling back to additional games provided in Concacaf and the ongoing development of women’s soccer across the globe, long gone are the days when elite squads could coast through competitions.

“Within my experience of being on the national team, the growth of Caribbean teams and Latin American teams have been huge…in general, I think as a whole, everyone [in women’s soccer] is getting better and better, which we love to see,” said Fox. “We saw that in the Euros, in Concacaf for [World Cup] qualifying for us, and then also in the World Cup last year. So I think for us, going into the Gold Cup, we know each game is going to be a challenge and a lot of teams have really amazing individual talent.”

That talent is best highlighted by Colombia’s young phenom Linda Caicedo, who was runner-up for 2023’s The Best FIFA Women’s Player award. In the same manner that she was a breakout star at the World Cup as Colombia reached the quarterfinals, other up-and-coming names from Latin America and the Caribbean can make a name for themselves in an official tournament like the W Gold Cup.

“These aren’t friendlies anymore,” stated Horan. “It’s tournament play and each team gives a different kind of game in tournament play. You’re going out to win games, you’re going out to get points…these teams are going to make it difficult for us.”

With recent World Cup experience under their belts and promising runs through the Road to Concacaf W Gold Cup, Costa Rica and Panama could pose a threat in this tournament. Elsewhere, marquee invites from Conmebol like Brazil, Argentina and Colombia won’t be walkovers after finishing in the top three of 2022’s Copa America Femenina. As for Colombia, no team in the W Gold Cup went further than them in the latest World Cup.

“The tournament is giving us totally different styles of play, which is brilliant, in terms of confederations and styles within South America, Concacaf,” said Canada’s Priestman. “It’s a great test for us.”

Of the rising teams, Mexico also look the most capable of possibly upsetting the order. Boosted by the hiring of new head coach Pedro Lopez, the women’s national team charged through 2023 without a single loss in all competitions. One week before the start of the W Gold Cup, and seeking redemption for his team that failed to qualify for the World Cup before he was hired, Mexico’s manager provided one of the more noteworthy pre-tournament quotes that conveys the confidence of a squad that has benefitted and grown through additional matches in their international calendar.

“Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” said Lopez when asked about the state of his roster. “In other words, people are seeing the sheep on the outside, but inside there is a wolf that wants to come out and wants to vindicate itself in front of the entire world.”

Will all go to plan for the U.S. and Canada as they search for a title and prepare for the Olympics? Will an underdog step out from the shadows and make a statement in the inaugural women’s tournament?

We’ll begin to find out when it all kicks off on Feb. 20.

MLS Season Preview: The Messi Effect

With a full offseason to prepare, Inter Miami and all of MLS are ready to reap the benefits of having the world’s biggest soccer star

BY ALEX SILVERMAN2.19.2024

COURTESY OF INTER MIAMI CF

One evening in late January, just days after starting their 25,000-mile preseason tour — the most extensive ever for an MLS team — in El Salvador, Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates boarded a boat at the Port of Miami clad in matching pink hoodies. Fortunately for the soon-to-be-weary travelers, they wouldn’t be setting sail that day.

The team joined hundreds of VIPs inside a domed theater aboard Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s new 1,198-foot cruise liner, to christen the ship and celebrate the club’s most lucrative corporate partnership to date. The players took the stage and removed their hoodies to reveal the club’s new black away kit for the 2024 season, featuring the cruise line brand’s recognizable crown-and-anchor logo.

The affair concluded with Messi, dubbed “The Icon of Icon” as part of a personal endorsement deal with the cruise line brand, placing a soccer ball atop a pedestal, at which point a bottle of champagne was sent whizzing down a zip line to ceremonially shatter on the bow of the ship.

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Much like the international tour that also saw Inter Miami play exhibition matches in Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan from Jan. 19 to Feb. 15, the celebration of an eight-figure-a-year sponsorship agreement — the largest ever for an MLS club — would have been unthinkable prior to Messi’s arrival last summer.

Also previously unthinkable: the more than $200 million in revenue that Inter Miami Chief Business Officer Xavier Asensi expects the club to pull in during the 2024 season, Messi’s first full campaign in MLS. That would be a more than 60% increase from last season and four times what the club earned in 2022. Last year, LAFC topped MLS clubs in revenue at approximately $140 million, with Inter Miami second at $125 million. This year, thanks to Messi, Miami figures to take the top spot.

“People understand that we are living part of history, that we are contemporaries of something that will go into the history books of sports,” Asensi said. “People understand and want to be a part of it.”

After years of courting arguably the greatest soccer player of all time, Inter Miami signed Messi to a two-and-a-half-year contract last summer worth $50-60 million annually in salary, equity in the club and signing bonuses. The deal also includes an option for an additional year in 2026. On top of his compensation from the club, Messi will receive a share of revenue from international subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass streaming service as part of a separate agreement with Apple.

Inter-esting Development

Xavier Asensi’s revenue projections for the club in 2024 will likely place Inter Miami tops among all MLS clubs.

$200M: Expected club revenue in 2024
$125M: Approximate club revenue in 2023
$50M: Club revenue in 2022

Asensi expects Inter Miami’s sponsorship revenue to be just under $60 million this season, roughly double the amount the club generated last season. That’s compared to a mean year-over-year increase of 15% for all clubs, according to the league. The average sponsorship revenue for an MLS team is approximately $17 million, according to industry sources, and revenue in the high $50 million range would put Inter Miami above some teams in the older traditional North American sports leagues.

In addition to Royal Caribbean, the club last season signed a jersey sleeve deal with Fracht Group, a Swiss logistics and freight forwarding firm. This offseason, it has forged renewals at higher rates with several partners and added new sponsors such as battery brand Duracell and Argentinian winery Trapiche. Several additional announcements are expected this week.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Inter Miami’s success in attracting major global partners following the Messi signing could serve as motivation for other clubs to take big swings of their own.

“We can now look at the success of the commercial business in Miami and show many of our other clubs that if you could think about your business differently, you could attract the attention of partners in ways that are not just about local and can be more about global,” Garber said.

Inter Miami has also roughly doubled prices for season tickets from 2023 and added 1,000 seats at DRV PNK Stadium, its temporary home in Fort Lauderdale, bringing capacity to 21,550. Asensi said the club aims to continue increasing capacity until the team moves to its new $350 million stadium in the forthcoming $1 billion Miami Freedom Park development (likely during the 2025 season). About 75-80% of seats will be sold to season-ticket holders, with the rest earmarked for single-game sales.

Inter Miami Chief Business Officer Xavier Asensi predicts the club will bring in $200 million in revenue in 2024.COURTESY OF INTER MIAMI CF

While the club declined to share specifics on revenue expectations from the team’s preseason tour, Asensi said the appearance fees the club received from international promoters were significantly higher than what FC Barcelona received for its own exhibition matches when he worked at the Spanish club from 2010-2021.

“There will always be a before Messi and an after Messi,” said club co-owner Jorge Mas. “Commercially there has been a significant impact on the club’s revenue base and it is only Year 1.”

Inter Miami has naturally been the primary beneficiary of its investment in Messi joining MLS, but other clubs have also scored from the Messi Effect. Prior to hosting Inter Miami last Oct. 4, the Chicago Fire were averaging just 14,880 fans at Soldier Field and hadn’t sold any suites annually for the 2023 season. The Oct. 4 match against Miami drew a crowd of 62,124 and set an MLS record for the highest-grossing single match ever with roughly $10 million in ticket revenue. The Fire also leveraged that match to keep fans coming back to Soldier Field.

When it became clear prior to the match that Messi wouldn’t play because of a leg injury, the Fire offered fans a $250 credit toward a season-ticket membership for the 2024 season. Fire President Dave Baldwin said that of the 3,400 new season-ticket holders the team added for this season, 700 utilized the credit from the Inter Miami match. The team also offered a free suite for the Inter Miami match to anyone who signed up for a 2024 annual suite. That promotion delivered 15-20 of the 43 annual suites that the Fire have sold for 2024.

Using teams like the Fire as case studies, MLS’s newly established club performance group is now advising teams on how to make the most of their opportunities to host Inter Miami.

“Our focus is on retention,” said MLS Chief Club Performance Officer Chris McGowan. “If you have a lot of new people coming into the system, you want to make them lifetime, lifelong fans, and that’s what our opportunity is [with Messi]. So, we’re spending a ton of time evaluating great retention ideas for making new fans and new customers feel like they want to stick with it and become long-term season-ticket holders.”

Commissioner Don Garber (right) is watching the number of players following Messi to the U.S.GETTY IMAGES

Sporting KC, one of only three Western Conference teams scheduled to host Inter Miami this season, has moved the April 13 match from its 18,467-seat home field at Children’s Mercy Park to the Kansas City Chiefs’ 76,416-seat Arrowhead Stadium to maximize ticket revenue. Heading into 2024, season-ticket sales leaguewide are up 15% compared to this time last year.

Eastern Conference teams have also used their guaranteed home game against Inter Miami as a selling point for potential sponsors. Scott McIntyre, CEO of Virginia-based consulting firm Guidehouse, said D.C. United’s early-season visit by Messi to Audi Field was one of the top benefits of signing on as the club’s front-of-kit sponsor this year.

“It’s our brand on the front of the jersey, and [there will be] so many eyeballs becoming familiar with Guidehouse as a name during a game that features one of the sport’s leading global figures,” McIntyre said. “I’m also looking at it from the standpoint of somebody who’s going to be in the stands watching that game with my kids and my wife, so I’m excited as a fan and a sponsor.”

At the league level, the biggest early impact of the Messi Effect can be seen in adoption of MLS Season Pass. Apple and MLS have kept information about the subscriber count for the streaming service close to the vest, but two sources with knowledge of the data said the number of subscribers at the end of the 2023 season had eclipsed 2 million. That figure, which includes users who joined later in the season at pro-rated prices, is more than twice as many subscribers as the service had at the All-Star break, just prior to Messi’s Inter Miami debut on July 21. That match came in the revamped Leagues Cup between MLS and Liga MX clubs that gave an immediate boost of awareness to a key part of MLS’s growth strategy, and that awareness only accelerated as Messi led Miami to the title, the club’s first trophy in its four years of existence.

A special talent requires a special schedule, and when the new season starts this week, Messi and Miami will be out front. The club’s opener, a home match against Real Salt Lake, will be the only game to take place on Wednesday. The league’s 27 other teams will start their seasons three days later.

Messi missed Miami’s game at Chicago last year, which set a single-game revenue record at roughly $10 million.GETTY IMAGES

Heading into the first full year with Messi in the league, Garber said MLS is focused on how it might adapt its overarching commercial strategies to maximize the global superstar’s long-term impact.

“Ticket sales, sponsorship sales, subscription sales — the revenue will continue to follow Messi being in our league, but to me, it’s way more important to look at it strategically,” Garber said. Though he said it was too early to discuss specific plans, he pointed to player acquisition, corporate sponsorship and consumer products as areas that could see significant change in the Messi era.

More than anything else, Garber believes Messi’s decision to join MLS will organically influence more top talent from around the world to consider plying their trade in MLS. It’s already started to happen; last December Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez signed with Inter Miami to team up with Messi.

“Major League Soccer, due to Messi’s desire to come to our league and choose Major League Soccer and Inter Miami, we’re part of the global conversation,” Garber said. “As you read interviews with players around the world, the biggest names in the sport, MLS is constantly part of the message. That dynamic is something that I think will be part of the next generation of MLS growth for years to come.”

World Cup 2026: How do I get a ticket? Are tickets for sale? How much do tickets cost?

MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 4: FIFA World Cup Winner's Trophy during FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Schedule announcement on February 4, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Eva Marie Uzcategui - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

By Joey D’Urso Feb 18, 2024 The Athletic https://theathletic.com/5280346/2024/02/18/world-cup-2026-ticket-price-sale-date/

The next World Cup will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico and will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.It will be the first tournament to include 48 teams, expanded from the previous number of 32, meaning there will be more games than ever — 104 in total.The tournament is a long way off, so details on tickets are thin on the ground, but this is what we know so far.

Where are the matches?

The World Cup will take place across 16 cities in three countries, more than any tournament before.Three of these locations are in Mexico: Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City.Two others are on either coast of Canada: Vancouver and Toronto.The remaining 11 are in the USA: Miami, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, Kansas City, Dallas and New York City.That U.S. list gives the nearest big city to each stadium. Some venues are located in lesser-known settlements nearby, such as East Rutherford in New Jersey for New York and Santa Clara for San Francisco.

Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico (Sergio Navarrete/Getty Images)

How does the tournament work?

Since 1998, World Cups have had 32 teams, enabling a neat symmetry, but this one is bigger and 48 teams means a somewhat more complex format is necessary.The tournament used to have eight groups of four teams in which each country played each other once. The top two in each group then progress to four knockout stages — a round of 16, then quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.The USA, Canada and Mexico all qualify automatically. The remaining 45 slots will be filled through qualifying competitions, which take place separately on each continent.n 2026, there will still be four teams in a group and the top two will still progress to the next stage, but there will be 12 groups rather than eight.And the eight best third-placed teams — of 12 — in the groups will also progress, a similar format to the European Championships (which has 24 teams).Thirty-two teams will progress to the knockout stage, meaning an extra knockout round, before the tournament continues from the round of 16 as it has in previous tournaments.

Where are the biggest games?

The U.S., Canada and Mexico will play their three group games in their home country.

Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, which hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals, will host the tournament’s opening game. The U.S. will host 78 matches overall, while Canada and Mexico will host 13 each.

All of the quarter-finals and both the semi-finals will be in the U.S., along with the final. The quarter-finals will be in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Kansas City, while the semi-finals will be in Dallas and Atlanta.

The 23rd World Cup final will take place at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on the outskirts of New York City, on July 19, 2026.

These stadiums are split into three regions, west, central and east, in an attempt to minimise travel for fans. Nevertheless, the distances within regions are vast, with Kansas City and Mexico City (1,385 miles apart) in the same region, as well as Toronto and Miami (1,239 miles apart).

(Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images)

Are tickets on sale?

No. With more than two years to go until the tournament kicks off, there is little public information about tickets. A page on the FIFA website simply allows people to register their details to receive information about tickets when it is available. The Athletic contacted the tournament organisers for comment.

How will the ticketing process work?

We don’t know for sure, but looking at previous World Cups as well as similar events like the European Championships, it is possible to make some educated guesses. Tickets for major tournaments are essentially split into three categories. First, there are tickets allocated to member associations — the two countries playing against each other in a given match. These are generally given to supporters on the basis of loyalty, for example by points built up from following the country in qualifiers.How easy these will be to get hold of varies greatly depending on the country — they will be in high demand for the host countries, but easier to come across for nations far away with less of a travelling following.The second category is those tickets given over to sponsors and other members of what FIFA likes to call the “football family”.This does not just mean VIPs in glitzy hospitality boxes. For last year’s Champions League final in Istanbul, only about 40,000 went to fans of Manchester City and Inter Milan. The remaining 35,000 went to sponsors and all sorts of other people with links to UEFA. A small number of these may make their way into the hands of ordinary fans through tickets and giveaways.As the tournament progresses and the games get more glamorous, the demand from sponsors and other “neutral” supporters will get higher.The third is the rest. These are the tickets the public can buy without being a member of any country’s loyalty scheme or part of the football family.

How will these general sale tickets get allocated?

We don’t know for sure but can take a look at how Germany, the host of this summer’s European Championship, is allocating tickets.There have been two stages of ballots in which people can select to buy several tickets in four different categories. Cheaper tickets are generally in higher demand, so it is likely to be easier to get a ticket by entering the ballot in a more expensive category.UEFA has not released details of further ticket sales. Still, there will likely be a limited amount of tickets on general sale between now and the tournament beginning in June, likely for the matches featuring less glamorous teams at bigger stadiums.Demand for tickets in Germany has been extremely high for several reasons.

(Rob Pinney/Getty Images)

First, attending live football matches is a huge part of German culture, so demand from locals is high.Second, the tournament is the only European Championship or World Cup in Western Europe taking place between 2016 and 2028, except Euro 2020, which took place across the continent but saw travel heavily restricted by Covid.This means huge numbers of football fans across Europe want tickets for Germany.It remains to be seen how strong demand will be for World Cup 2026, particularly in cities like Kansas City and Houston, which are not normally associated with football — but things in the U.S. are changing quickly in that respect.

How much do World Cup tickets cost?

We don’t know yet, but we can look at precedent.It is often hard to give a definitive answer to this question because tournament organisers often sell some tickets at low prices, which are in reality very difficult to get hold of, with most fans paying far more.An analysis by German sports consultancy Keller Sports in 2022 found that an average ticket at the Qatar World Cup was £286, rising to £684 for the final. This was a 46 per cent increase on the tournament in Russia in 2018.xcluding restricted view tickets and a special category only available to Qatari nationals, group stage tickets ranged in price from 40 Riyals ($11) to 800 Riyals ($213).This steadily increased in price as the tournament progressed, with final tickets costing between 750 Riyals ($200) and 5850 Riyals ($1,560).There may also be tickets available on secondary resale sites where prices are likely to be far higher.These sorts of platforms are often risky to use in Europe, with football organisations not cooperating with them because of deeply engrained cultural norms against very high ticket prices.But in the U.S., this taboo is not in place and it was perfectly possible to buy a Super Bowl ticket through a credible reseller — if you have $10,000 to spare.It remains to be seen which approach the World Cup will take.

How much do tickets cost compared to the Super Bowl and other major events?

The cheapest face-value tickets for this year’s Super Bowl sold directly by the NFL were about $2,000, far higher than for any major football match.Tickets changed hands for about five times this on the secondary market.Tickets for the final are likely to reach similar eye-watering prices, but if you are not too picky about which game you go to, you will likely be able to get tickets for early World Cup games at far more affordable prices.

Is it possible to attend every game at the World Cup?

Football YouTuber Theo Ogden, known as Thogden, attended every game of the Qatar World Cup in 2022, the first person in history to do this at a tournament.This was possible because of Qatar’s tiny geographical size, although he did have to miss half of several of the games to fit them all in.But there’s absolutely no chance of anyone repeating the same feat in 2026.Over a manic 17 days from June 11 and June 27, the entire group stage will be completed — all 72 games of it. The last four of those days will have six games on each of them, spanning the entire continent of North America.With vast distances between stadiums, fans will have to plan their games carefully.

Real Madrid signed Kepa Arrizabalaga to be their No 1 – now he’s lost his place

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 13: Kepa Arrizabalaga of Real Madrid warms up during the UEFA Champions League round of 16, first-leg football match between RB Leipzig and Real Madrid CF at Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany, on February 13, 2024. (Photo by Federico Titone/Anadolu via Getty Images)

By Guillermo Rai Feb 16, 2024 THe Athletic

Who is Real Madrid’s first-choice goalkeeper?A month ago, we asked that very question in an article on the club’s choice between Andriy Lunin and Kepa Arrizabalaga. Now, the answer seems clear. Lunin is leading the way. This represents quite a turnaround from the situation in the summer, when Arrizabalaga was brought in on loan from Chelsea — right after Madrid’s long-time goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was ruled out for the season with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury — to be Carlo Ancelotti’s number one for the remainder of the campaign.On the day of his presentation as a Madrid player on August 15, Arrizabalaga was glowing, super-happy and having turned down an offer from serial German champions Bayern Munich to take up the opportunity in his native Spain.When he was asked whether his goal was to convince Madrid to decide to keep him beyond his loan spell, he replied: “I hope so. Today is the first day, we’ll see, but hopefully with my performance I can make that happen.”Six months on, that possibility is looking remote.

When Courtois was ruled out on August 10, two days before Madrid’s first La Liga match of the season, some voices at the club believed it was Lunin’s time because it would be complicated to bring in another top-level goalkeeper.But Madrid moved quickly — very quickly — to get Arrizabalaga on board. Lunin started the first two league games, but the Chelsea loanee took over as soon as he’d had a chance to settle in.

“Kepa’s level is very high,” Ancelotti said at the time. “Lunin lacks a bit of experience. They won’t rotate much.”Starting with his Madrid debut on August 25, Arrizabalaga played 13 games in a row: 10 in La Liga and three in the Champions League, conceding 10 goals and keeping six clean sheets. He made some good saves, including an important stop in the October 28 Clasico in Barcelona, where Madrid came from behind to win 2-1.Other performances had perhaps not fully convinced, such as October’s away games against Sevilla in La Liga and Napoli in the Champions League, but the coaching staff were happy with him. Kepa and his family were happy too, and his wife even posted a photo in which she seemed to say goodbye to London for good, five years after his move to Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao.But then Arrizabalaga was injured in the warm-up before the home Champions League match against Sporting Braga on November 8. Coaching staff sources — who, like all those cited here preferred to speak anonymously to protect their position — describe it as the “turning point” that saw the balance changed between the two goalkeepers.

Lunin and Arrizabalaga train earlier this season (Helios de la Rubia/Real Madrid via Getty Images)

Lunin came into the team and saved a crucial penalty that night when what became a 3-0 Madrid win was still goalless. Despite barely having warmed up, he seized his moment and reignited the debate over who should be the club’s starter.

Then Arrizabalaga ended up being out for longer than the two-match absence that was initially expected. He eventually missed four games either side of the November international break, as Ancelotti continued to insist publicly that he was first-choice. “If he is ready, Kepa will play,” he said on November 27. But when the Basque was back fit a few days later, he found himself on the bench not the pitch.

Just before Christmas, Ancelotti said, “I don’t have the idea of rotating goalkeepers. Both are doing well. Lunin has progressed a lot and has shown a lot of confidence and Kepa has maintained his level… in the second part of the season, I will choose one of the two.”Since suffering that injury before the Braga match three months ago, however, Arrizabalaga has played just five times — once in the Champions League, twice in La Liga, once in the Copa del Rey (against fourth-tier Arandina) and most recently in the Supercopa de Espana.That last appearance, in the January 10 semi-final against neighours Atletico, might perhaps be seen as another turning point.Madrid were 5-3 winners after extra time but Arrizabalaga faced some criticism for his role in the goals conceded, and Lunin was preferred for the final against Barcelona four days later, where Madrid triumphed 4-1.In the next league match the following weekend, Ancelotti turned back to Arrizabalaga, but again he looked far from his best as Almeria raced into a 2-0 half-time lead in the Bernabeu, with a third goal ruled out by the VAR, before Madrid eventually came back to win 3-2, thanks to a few more controversial refereeing decisions.Lunin, who turned 25 this week, has been selected to start the five matches since.

Ancelotti has not wanted to publicly clarify who his preferred goalkeeper is, but Arrizabalaga was a spectator from the dugout again as his Ukraine international team-mate performed to his very best in Tuesday’s 1-0 victory away to RB Leipzig in the first leg of a Champions League last 16 tie.

“Kepa’s injury opened up the possibility of Lunin challenging for his place, and he has won the game. Lunin has convinced with his play,” say coaching staff sources, who see the process as something natural and simple.

Sources in the dressing room say the 29-year-old loanee is close with Lunin, describing him as “an exemplary team-mate, as if he were the one who was playing every game”. When Arrizabalaga found himself in a similar situation at Chelsea, in the 2022-23 season, Edouard Mendy was the starter ahead of him and similar things were said of his disposition.Arrizabalaga’s Chelsea contract expires at the end of next season. This summer might be the best chance for the London club to seek a sale, but as previously reported by The Athletic, Madrid signing him then is highly unlikely given Chelsea would ask for around €20million (£17.1m; $21.5m) — a figure the La Liga side would not pay for a backup goalkeeper.Lunin now looks established as Ancelotti’s pick, although Arrizabalaga could well return to the starting XI and further impress before the season is out if an opportunity arises.In the meantime, he has continued training, convinced that he is ready to play and be a starter, although those close to him are no longer sure that he will remain in Madrid.

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2/9/24 Champ League Returns Tues/Wed on CBS 3 pm, World Cup Final in NJ, US in LA, USWNT Gold Cup Roster, Big Game Weekend on TV

February 10, 2024February 13, 2024 gatorbest carmel-dads-club-reffing, champions-league-vs-superbowl, fifa, goalkeeping-in-indiana, indy-11-soccer, reffing, soccer, us-soccer

Champions League Tues/Wed Knockout Stage Begins on CBS

There is a real David and Goliath feel to Wednesday’s 3 pm battle on CBS featuring Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain — the Basque team based around youngsters developed in their Zubieta academy against the Parisians, a side full of expensive individuals signed by the club’s Qatari owners — and David has a real chance of winning, too. Of course Copenhagen surprised Man United to make this round of 16 can they do similar things to Man City Tuesday on CBS at 3 pm? It all starts with Champions League today at 2 pm.

Tues, Feb 13: FC Copenhagen vs Manchester City 3 pm CBS, RB Leipzig vs Real Madrid 3 pm TUDN Para+ (return legs: Wednesday, March 6).
Wed, Feb14: Lazio vs Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Sociedad CBSSN 3 pm (return legs: Tuesday, March 5).
Tues, Feb 20: Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid, PSV Eindhoven vs Borussia Dortmund (return legs: Wednesday, March 13).
Wed, Feb 21: Porto vs Arsenal, Napoli vs Barcelona (return legs: Tuesday, March 12).

USWNT GOLD CUP ROSTER ANNOUNCED – No Alex Morgan

Very interesting to see all the youngsters on this roster and again no Alex Morgan, Becky Sauerbrunn or Andi Sullivan. The Gold Cup begins Feb. 17 and runs through March 10. The USWNT opens the group stage Tues, Feb. 20 against either Guyana or the Dominican Republic, then plays Argentina Fri, Feb. 23 and Mexico Mon, Feb. 26. All three games are in Carson, California. Now these are blow off games that the US youngsters should dominate – NWSL is in off-season anyway – so why not wait until April to call in the veterans when the She Believes Cup comes to Columbus, OH on Apr 9^th.

Here’s the full Gold Cup roster:

GOALKEEPERS: Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars).

DEFENDERS: Alana Cook (Seattle Reign FC), Abby Dahlkemper (San Diego Wave FC), Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NY/NJ Gotham FC)

Sites Announced for US World Cup 2026 NJ Gets Final

The sites for the World Cup 2026 in the US – the biggest World Cup ever – have been announced with the US starting group play in LA and Seattle and Finals being hosted in New York/New Jersey. I for one am glad to see Dallas & Texas – not get the final. No way they could handle the crowds of a World Cup of foreigners in their state. Of course our closest games in the Midwest will be Kansas City or maybe Atlanta I guess. I will find a way out to LA & hopefully Seattle – I just hope I can get tix somehow.

Games on TV –

So Champions League is back – starting next Tues and Wed on Para+ and CBS Sports Network (see schedule below). Huge games on ESPN+ on Saturday as the top 2 teams in the German league Bayer Leverkusen hosts Bayern Munich at 12:30 pm while Real Madrid host Genoa at 12:30 in La Liga. Concacaf Champions Cup for MLS, the best teams in Mexico and the top teams from Central American, and is back – full schedule.

Champions League is back Tues/Wed – this the official ball.

Reffing Classes at Carmel Dad’s Club

GAMES ON TV

Sat, Feb 10

7:30 am USA Man City vs Everton

10 am peacock Tottenham vs Brighton

10 am USA Liverpool vs Burnley

10 am Peacock_ Fulham (Robinson) vs Bournmouth

10 am CBS Galazo Jordan vs Qatar (3rd place African Cup)

12 noon Para+, Roma vs Inter Milan

12:30 pm ESPN+ Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich

12:30 pm Peacock Nottingham Forest (Turner, Reyna) vs New Castle

12:30 pm ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Girona

3pm beIN sport South Africa vs Congo African Cup Semi Final

6:30 pm Grand Park Indy 11 (H) vs Chicago Fire II

10:10 pm FS2 Santos Laguna vs Tigres UANL

Sun, Feb 11

9 am USA West Ham vs Arsenal

11:30 am USA Aston Villa vs Man United

12:30 pm ESPN+ Sevilla vs Athletico Madrid

12:45 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Napoli

3 pm ESPN+ Barcelona vs Granada

3 pm Be In Sport Nigeria vs Ivory Coast African Cup Final

Mon, Feb 12

2:45 pm Para+ Juventus (Mckinney) vs Udinese

3 pm USA Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Chelsea

Tues, Feb 13

2:45 pm Para+,TUDN RB Leipzig vs Real Madrid

3 pm CBS Para+ Kabenhavn vs Manchester City

WEds, Feb 14

3 pm CBS PSG vs Real Sociedad

3 pm Para+ TUDN Lazio vs Bayern Munich

8 pm Fox Sport 2 Tigres UNAL vs Vancouver CONCACAF

10:15 pm TUDN America vs Real Estelli

2024 W Gold Cup, Feb. 20 – March 10

Concacaf Nations League Finals, March 21 – 24

2024 Copa America, June 20 – July 10

2024 Summer Olympics – Men & Women, July 24 – August 10

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Champions League

Why is the Champions League so hard to retain?
UEFA Champions League: Schedule, scores, how to watch live, dates, odds, predictions

UEFA reveals London-inspired Champions League ball Chris Wright

Man City, beware: FC Copenhagen keep upsetting Europe’s elite. Just ask Man Utd 1 ars Sivertsen

Bellingham out 3 weeks with high ankle sprain ESPN

Pep ‘99.99%’ sure City won’t win treble again Rob Dawson
FC Copenhagen v Manchester City: Pep Guardiola wants Erling Haaland to relax
RB Leipzig v Real Madrid: Jude Bellingham to miss last-16 tie with sprained ankle
Injury crisis ‘can motivate us’, says Madrid boss Ancelotti

US MEN & Women

Breaking Down the US ladies Gold Cup Roster
Breaking down USWNT Gold Cup roster: No Alex Morgan. Mallory Swanson begins comeback
Ashley Hatch, Alex Morgan left off USWNT’s youthful Gold Cup roster

Morgan left off Roster as Smith Sets Return for US Gold Cup Roster – ESPN
Matt Turner the shoot-out hero as Nottingham Forest taken distance by Bristol City

World

February viewing guide: Champions League, Premier League, LaLiga, AFCON and more
Nigeria set up AFCON final against hosts Ivory Coast
‘Resurrected’ Ivory Coast were gifted Africa Cup of Nations reprieve – now they could go on to win it
Knives out for Klinsmann after South Korea’s ‘shameful’ Asian Cup exit
What South Korea’s Asian Cup exit means for Son Heung-min & Jurgen Klinsmann

Reffing

Premier League pushes for VAR overhaul – here is how it can be improved
VAR: In-stadium experience poor for fans – Premier League chief football officer

St Pete Mom Tori Penso Reffed the Women’s World Cup Final

Being a Mom helped MLS Ref Tori Penso become a Better Ref