Ashley Williams could be making another move late in his career. Everton defender currently on loan at Stoke City could be going to Major League Soccer this summer, according to The Sun. They report that the Welsh centre-back is D.C. United’s latest transfer target. Last summer, D.C. United already made a transfer from Everton, when […]
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MLS champions Atlanta United won their first home game of the season to ease pressure on Frank de Boer, while Sporting Kansas City and New England Revolution drew 4-4. Atlanta overcame fellow strugglers and winless Colorado Rapids 1-0 courtesy of Julian Gressel at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday. Struggling for form since former Inter and Crystal […]
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ATLANTA — Julian Gressel scored from close range in the second half to seal an Atlanta United win over the Colorado Rapids 1-0 Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It was Atlanta’s first home win of the 2019 Major League Soccer season.
Atlanta (2-3-2, 8 points) struggled in attack for much of the game. The team went into halftime with just one shot on goal, a 35-yard effort from centerback Leandro González-Pírez. Players were visibly frustrated with Gressel and forward Gonzalo “Pity” Martínez exchanging heated words before walking off the field.
After the game, manager Frank de Boer was surprised to be asked if the offensive performance was concerning. De Boer blamed the lack of attacking fireworks on Colorado’s defensive strategy. He accused the Rapids of parking not one, but two busses.
“You always need two teams to try to play football,” de Boer said in his postgame press conference. “And we had only one team trying to win the game. So, that’s hard. In international football, and also here, when teams play like this, you know, you have to have a fantastic day. Even the big teams in Europe have problems with this kind of system if they park two busses in front of their own goal.
“The second half was much better, but it’s very difficult to play against this type of system. … If you score an early goal, they have to come out and then it’s an open game. But now, they still have the belief, they’re coming for the result, for one point, and maybe with a little bit of luck, three points. That’s why I think this victory tastes very sweet, because I think the team who deserved to win got the three points. Sometimes it’s not always the case.”
In the 75th minute, Colorado attempted to play the ball out of its defensive third. Nagbe stepped up to intercept a pass 35 yards from goal and dribbled through traffic into the penalty area. The chance was nearly lost due to a heavy touch, but Nagbe raced to the end line and fizzed a low pass across the face of goal. Gressel beat goalkeeper Tim Howard to the ball and scored from two yards.
[See image gallery at appserver-ba4e1838.c.pantheon-dmz.internal]Gressel’s goal came four minutes after Atlanta made a double substitution: Martínez vacated for Héctor “Tito” Villalba, and midfielder Eric Remedi subbed on for left fullback Brek Shea. Atlanta immediately looked more dangerous after the change. Nagbe moved into Shea’s position on left flank. He and Villalba provided more dynamic play on the wing, which allowed the Five Stripes to break through.
“Play a little bit more attacking,” Nagbe said of his adjusted role after the game. “Essentially, provide support on the ball, but if I can get isolated, if Tito can get isolated, then for us to go on the attack.”
De Boer remained calm during his halftime talk, despite the difficult first 45 minutes.
“He said that when he played with Barcelona that [he played these types of games],” González-Pírez told reporters. “He said we have to keep patience, and do it and try and try and try, and we will find the scores. Finally we can find it.”
It was another tough night for Martínez, Atlanta’s blockbuster signing from River Plate. He took Atlanta’s first shot of the game, striking from distance and connecting with fans in the fifth row. The Argentine’s passes routinely missed their targets, and he still does not appear to be on the same page with his new teammates. The Five Stripes looked much better after Martínez’s exit, but that is in part due to the quality coming off the bench.
“Everybody brings different characteristics, for sure,” midfielder Jeff Larentowicz said. “Tito’s different from [Ezequiel Barco], Pity’s different from Julian. It’s something else, especially if you’re a defender and you’ve been playing for 75 minutes against a guy that does one thing and then you bring another guy on that does something else, that’s both dangerous.
“If I’m worrying about covering Barco with the ball at his feet and closing him down for 75 minutes, and then you bring Tito on and he runs behind me, that’s going to be tough.”
Martínez joined Atlanta after a short offseason, and he sustained a hamstring injury in March. De Boer explained his playmaker still is not fully fit.
“I think he has to get stronger, physically stronger, and then he can [improve],” the manager said. “He’s still, in my point of view, not 100 percent. That’s why I let him play, like, 66 minutes. He will come to that, and it takes time. But I’m convinced if he gets to 100 percent, we’re going to have a lot of fun with him.”
Colorado (0-7-2, 2 points) hardly threatened until Atlanta scored. After Gressel beat Howard, the soon-to-retire goalkeeping icon, the Rapids pushed forward. But aside from an 88th-minute free header from substitute Nicolás Mezquida, which was saved by Brad Guzan, they did not stress Atlanta.
“We know it wasn’t pretty,” Guzan said of the victory. “At the end of the day, nobody’s going to remember whether it was a pretty game. One-nil, 10-nil, a win’s a win.”
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The end of an era is coming in Bayern Munich. Arjen Robben, who scored a decisive goal in the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund, will leave the club once the campaign ends. The winger has been one of Bayern’s best players over the past decade, and there’s no question he will leave […]
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One of the great equalizers and problems in Major League Soccer comes to the forefront during Week 9’s weekend slate.
Los Angeles FC’s second meeting with the Seattle Sounders in two weeks takes place at CenturyLink Field on Sunday.
No matter the shape of the turf fields across MLS, it still makes a difference when it comes to actually playing games.
Bob Bradley even admitted as such after the Black-and-Gold blitzed the Sounders 4-1 at Banc of California Stadium a week ago.
“I wish they’d get a grass field, but what can I say, with all the great things that Seattle has done, I have tremendous respect and admiration,” Bradley said. “Next week’s going to be a different game, in part because it’s going to be on turf. It’s just a fact.”
The good news for the Sounders is that Chad Marshall is back in the lineup at center back. The 16-year MLS veteran was missed in Week 8, when the LAFC offense ran through the Sounders back line with ease.
Defending Carlos Vela, Diego Rossi and Co. is still going to be a tough task, but the Sounders defense has the familiarity with the turf on their side, and the pace of play will be different with LAFC having a harder time working through the defensive lines through the ground.
LAFC isn’t a one-dimensional side, but it will have to make adjustments on the fly in order to counter the difficulties of the turf.
But the Sounders proved on Wednesday they aren’t a perfect side yet. The defense gave up a pair of goals to the San Jose Earthquakes before coming back to earn a draw.
After being the target of criticism for most of March, the Quakes have turned into one of the league’s best stories in April by beating Portland and Sporting Kansas City at home and earning a point in Seattle.
Suddenly, the Quakes look like a competent side under first-year head coach Matias Almeyda, and dare we say, they are fun to watch.
The Quakes are only three points out of the Western Conference playoff spots, but they face a difficult task on Saturday against a FC Dallas side that is improving in its own right under first-year boss Luchi Gonzalez.
Shea Salinas has turned into an unlikely goal contributor with three goals in the last two games, and he’s already reached a career high in scoring with four tallies.
THIS MAN IS ON FIRE! 
Shea Salinas with his third goal of the season! #SEAvSJ | #VamosSJ pic.twitter.com/qyUSNS9d78
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) April 25, 2019
Cristian Espinoza has also been a bright spot for the Quakes in the middle of the park, and Jackson Yueill looks the part of a MLS starter after he was finally given an opportunity to show his quality in an extended role under Almeyda.
Compared to the other teams that were in need of massive improvements, the Quakes are in great shape.
Colorado is still lingering at the bottom of the West, Vancouver hasn’t hit its stride yet, while New England and Chicago have been up-and-down in the Eastern Conference.
Speaking of the Revolution, Brad Friedel has come under plenty of criticism for his team’s performance in 2019, and even though he deserves the No. 1 spot on the hot seat rankings, remember this is a franchise that gave Jay Heaps plenty of chances to turn things around before cutting ties in 2017.
Saturday, April 27
Orlando City at New York City FC (1 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Portland Timbers at Toronto FC (3 p.m, ET, TSN, ESPN+)
San Jose Earthquakes at FC Dallas (3:30 p.m. ET, Univision)
Philadelphia Union at Vancouver Whitecaps (5 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN+)
Colorado Rapids at Atlanta United (6 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
FC Cincinnati at New York Red Bulls (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Columbus Crew at Houston Dynamo (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
New England Revolution at Sporting Kansas City (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Sunday, April 28
Chicago Fire at Montreal Impact (12:30 p.m. ET, TVA Sport, ESPN+)
D.C. United at Minnesota United (1:30 p.m. ET, FS1)
Los Angeles FC at Seattle Sounders (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Real Salt Lake at LA Galaxy (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Alejandro Pozuelo, Toronto FC
Apr 19, 2019; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto FC midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo (10) reacts after scoring his first goal against Minnesota United in the first half at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Alejandro Pozuelo has already established himself as the main attraction in the Toronto FC attack, but he’ll have even more pressure to create chances on Saturday without Jozy Altidore on the field.
The Spaniard has four goals and five assists in four games, and the majority of those assists have come on goals scored by Altidore.
If he continues to be a menace in the final third, the Reds won’t drop off much in production, even if they are calling on their depth to manage through Altidore’s injury absence.
Alberth Elis, Houston vs. Waylon Francis, Columbus
Apr 19, 2019; Carson, CA, USA; Houston Dynamo forward Alberth Elis (17) controls the ball ahead of Los Angeles Galaxy defender Jorgen Skjelvik (16) during the first half at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Alberth Elis has torn apart a few defenses with his pacy runs down the right wing.
The Honduran attacker is one of the most dangerous attackers in MLS when he gets rolling, and he’ll try to show that again on Saturday against the Columbus Crew’s Waylon Francis.
Francis is one of the most experienced full backs in MLS and he is a part of a Crew back line that has conceded nine goals, which is tied for second-fewest in the league.
The Crew back line will be on short rest on Saturday at BBVA Compass Stadium, which leads us to believe Elis has an advantage in this matchup going into the match.
Heber, F, New York City FC
Apr 6, 2019; New York, NY, USA; New York City FC forward Heber (9) fights for position against Montreal Impact defender Jukka Raitala (22) during the second half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Heber has made an instant impact on the New York City FC attack in his four games with the club.
The 27-year-old forward has a goal and two assists in his two starts, including an assist on Wednesday against Chicago.
Short rest might be a factor in Heber’s performance on Saturday against Orlando City, but if you had him in your lineup at the start of the match week, you should be able to reap more benefits out of him.
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MARIETTA, Ga. — Barring a change of plans, Tim Howard will make his first and only appearance as a player at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this weekend. Howard is calling it a career at the end of the 2019 season. With the Colorado Rapids looking like a sure bet to miss the MLS Cup playoffs, the team’s away dates are serving as a farewell tour for the United States goalkeeping icon.
Atlanta United (1-3-2, 5 points) hosts Colorado (0-6-2, 2 points) Saturday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
For Atlanta’s American-born players, the game is a last chance to go up against one of the best players this country has ever produced.
“He’s a legend in my eyes, everything he’s achieved with his career and what he’s done for the sport in America,” fullback Brek Shea, whose U.S. international career overlapped with Howard from 2010 to 2015, said after Wednesday’s training session. “Watching him growing up, and then being able to play with him and then hanging out with him and getting to know him, it’s something that I cherish. It’s always fun playing against him, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Howard got his start in Major League Soccer in the late-90s, back when the New Jersey-based team he played for was not part of an energy-drink conglomerate. He made a groundbreaking move to Manchester United in 2003. While his career at Old Trafford never really got off the ground — Edwin van der Sar came in and took the No. 1 shirt for himself — Howard found a home at Everton and spent 11 years on the blue side of the Mersey. He posted more than 100 clean sheets with the Toffees and set a club record with 28 appearances in European continental competitions.
“In my generation, he was really the first guy who went to a huge club in Europe and stayed at Everton and was instrumental for them for a really long time,” midfielder Jeff Larentowicz, who picked up four U.S. caps in 2011 and 2012, told reporters Wednesday. “Ton of respect for him.”
Asked if any particular moments from Howard’s career stand out in his memory, Larentowicz picked that moment, the one every American soccer fan would select. In the 2014 World Cup round of 16, Belgium defeated the U.S., 2-1, in extra time. If not for Howard’s heroics, it may have been 5 or 6-0 after 90 minutes. The ’keeper made a tournament-record 16 saves at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador, Brazil.
“It was an incredible performance, and if that was the only game you play in your career, you could say that you had an outstanding career,” Larentowicz said. “Tim’s played I don’t know how many hundreds of games. He always seems to be doing some incredible things.”
As pleasant as it is to reminisce about one of the greats on his way out the door, Atlanta has a task at hand Saturday. Incredibly, the defending champions find themselves playing a Wooden Spoon six-pointer in late April.
If the Five Stripes are ailing in attack — and they are, with a league-low five goals through six games — the Rapids could be a perfect tonic. Colorado has shipped 23 goals in eight games, which by far is MLS’s worst defensive record in 2019. The opportunity is there for a breakout performance from Atlanta. Frank de Boer’s team took 22 shots and put eight on target last week in a 2-1 loss to FC Dallas, but only a Josef Martínez penalty deep in second-half stoppage time found the net. Against a goalkeeper with the reputation of Howard, execution in the final third must improve.
“Just being more clinical,” Darlington Nagbe, a regular with the U.S. senior team since 2015, said Tuesday regarding what Atlanta must do to beat Howard. “There’s more focus on getting in [dangerous] spots and those situations. He’s another great goalie, so it won’t be easy.”
There has been much optimistic talk from players and coaches about how the team is progressing, and that results will soon come. Larentowicz said this sort of chatter is acceptable for only so long. A home defeat to a winless Colorado team would cast Atlanta’s season in an abysmal light and bring about real concern of a 2018-Toronto FC-style collapse.
An early goal Saturday would calm nerves and boost confidence. Should it not come, the Five Stripes cannot lose the plot. If they overextend themselves or switch off defensively, Colorado can punish them. The Rapids have size at center forward in the 6-foot-3 Kei Kamara, who has scored in each of his past four games. Atlanta’s centerbacks have to be wary of counter attacks. Fouling in their own half or giving away corners may lead to problematic set pieces. Colorado has scored three of its 12 goals this season from dead-ball situations. The club’s goal tally ranks 11th in MLS this season, but the Rapids are fifth in the league with 10.7 expected goals, for those who put stock in such advanced metrics.
“They’re a capable team of getting results, and we understand that,” centerback Michael Parkhurst said Thursday. “They’ve had a rough go of it, but so have we. Who are we to look past anybody? We’re at the bottom of the table as well, so we are not going to do that. We understand what we expect out of this game, and what’s going to be needed to be done in order to [win].”
After training Thursday, de Boer, who earned 112 international caps for the Netherlands, acknowledged Howard has had a great career and that “it’s fantastic that he’s still around.” From one national-team legend to another, de Boer wishes Howard well.
“I hope he has a fantastic last year,” de Boer said, “but not on Saturday.”
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Wayne Rooney helped DC United move clear atop the Eastern Conference in MLS, while LA Galaxy were held to a draw on Wednesday. Rooney’s fifth goal of the season saw DC United overcome the Columbus Crew 1-0 at MAPFRE Stadium. The former Manchester United captain struck approaching the half-hour mark for the game’s only goal. […]
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“It’s not the end or retirement from the game because I believe I can still play on for another two or three years. Why not in the United States, or in the Gulf or in Asia? I will take the time to think and see what I decide next season.” Those are the words of […]
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Arjen Roben’s time at Bayern Munich is bound to end this summer. After player over 300 matches, scoring over 140 goals and winning at least 18 trophies – the number could grow before the season ends – the amazing Dutchman will be moving away from the Bavarian club. His contract is supposed to end on […]
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Los Angeles FC continued their flying start to the MLS season with a rout of Seattle Sounders, while New York City won for the first time. Carlos Vela scored a brace as LAFC crushed Seattle 4-1 on Sunday to boost their position atop the Western Conference. It was a perfect Easter outing for LAFC at […]
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The post MLS Review: Vela leads LAFC rout, New York end winless start appeared first on Soccer News.
Toronto FC beat Minnesota United in the MLS on Saturday by 4-3. Even though the visitors took the lead in the 17th minute through Carlos Quintero, it took Alejandro Pozuelo less than 120 seconds (28′, 30′) to turn the game around with two excellently taken goals. Two goals in the span of 110 seconds. ✌️@Pozuelo_10 […]
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Frank de Boer’s Atlanta United suffered another defeat as their stuttering MLS title defence continued, while Nani’s late winner saw Orlando City past Vancouver Whitecaps. Lowly Atlanta were upstaged by FC Dallas 2-1 on Saturday – leaving De Boer’s side without a victory at home in the league this season. Atlanta attempted 22 shots at […]
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Competition: MLS Market: DC United win Odds: 8/11 @ Bet 365 With the chance to carry on their stellar start to the season, DC United will host a struggling New York City side on Sunday night. Starting with the hosts, putting three past Colorado last week and appearing to bounce back after their defeat against Los Angeles earlier […]
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The post DC United 8/11 to score over 1.5 goals against New York City in Sunday’s MLS contest appeared first on Soccer News.
© UEFA.tv
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s good form continued as LA Galaxy claimed a dramatic win in MLS, while Toronto edged Minnesota United in a seven-goal thriller on Friday. Ibrahimovic scored for the fifth straight game and took his tally to seven this season during the Galaxy’s 2-1 win over the Houston Dynamo. However, the star’s penalty had been […]
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