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On another weather delayed night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, New York City FC traveled to the play the Colorado Rapids.
Colorado took an early lead in the match on a 6th-minute goal from homegrown Sebastian Anderson, but the 16-year-old was sent off on a straight red card in the 33rd minute for a challenge on Ronald Matarrita. It only took seven minutes for NYCFC to equalize with Herber’s goal. NYCFC eventually took home all three points with an 83rd-minute strike from Alexandru Mitrita.
Here are three takeaways from the Colorado Rapids’ 2-1 loss to NYCFC:
Seb Anderson’s Day Out
The inclusion of the 16-year-old homegrown in the Rapids starting XI as a right winger was a headscratcher for fans, but it’s a position where Anderson has played and excelled at in the development academy and while training with the first team.
It was also a strong showing of faith from Rapids’ interim head coach Conor Casey, who by all accounts has expressed not just faith in the team’s homegrowns but a desire to give those players valuable minutes.
Anderson rewarded the decision early with his goal, becoming the youngest Rapids player to ever score in MLS. But his red card, however controversial it may have been in the eyes of some, hindered the team the rest of the way.
“He was unlucky on the red card,” Casey said. “It was a rash, quick call on a 16-year-old that nicked a player. Obviously the goal, is great for him.”
Referee Roulette
Head referee Chris Penso defended his call in an answer to the pool reporter, saying, “Anderson committed a tackle that endangered the safety of his opponent, using a straight leg and coming over the top of the ball, with his studs making contact above the opponent’s ankle.”
But the red card wasn’t the only call Casey disagreed with.
“Their second goal, offsides on the play, which it was,” Casey said. “That’s also not called. Given the fact of the enormous discrepancies in calls, the fact that we continued to battle away, I’m extremely proud of the players.”
Later in the match, Rapids winger Sam Nicholson took what appeared to be heavy contact from NYCFC’s Sebastien Ibeagha at the edge of the box, but no foul was called.
“The amount of contact was not deemed to be a foul consistent with other decisions throughout the match,” Penso said of the decision.
Responded Casey, “I’m speechless. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Clutch Clint
One big positive Rapids fans can take away from this match was the overall performance of Clint Irwin. The onetime Rapids No. 1 goalkeeper looked the part in relief of Tim Howard, who had subbed off injured in first half extra time on what the club announced as a strained right calf.
Irwin kept the 10-man Rapids in the game for a good portion of the match, making five saves in the second half while facing 17 shots.
“That first 10 minutes felt like 35,” Irwin told reporters postmatch. “It was easy to get into the game.”
Casey wouldn’t provide details when asked about Howard’s injury after the match, but even the lowest grade calf strains can take a minimum of a week’s recovery time, so it can be reasonable to expect Irwin to start when the team travels to San Jose next weekend.
The post Seb Anderson’s Day Out: Three Takeaways from the Colorado Rapids’ 2-1 loss to NYCFC appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
Original author: Marco Cummings, Pro Soccer USA
Philadelphia Union returned to winning ways to maintain their lead atop the Eastern Conference, while San Jose Earthquakes triumphed again in MLS. The Union bounced back from their worst loss of the season – a 4-0 rout at the hands of Real Salt Lake last week – to beat Chicago Fire 2-0 on Saturday. Philadelphia […]
The post MLS Review: Union extinguish Fire to stay top, Earthquakes extend streak appeared first on Soccer News.
The post MLS Review: Union extinguish Fire to stay top, Earthquakes extend streak appeared first on Soccer News.
Philadelphia Union returned to winning ways to maintain their lead atop the Eastern Conference, while San Jose Earthquakes triumphed again in MLS. The Union bounced back from their worst loss of the season – a 4-0 rout at the hands of Real Salt Lake last week – to beat Chicago Fire 2-0 on Saturday. Philadelphia […]
The post MLS Review: Union extinguish Fire to stay top, Earthquakes extend streak appeared first on Soccer News.
The post MLS Review: Union extinguish Fire to stay top, Earthquakes extend streak appeared first on Soccer News.
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – For the third-straight week, weather delays adversely affected a Colorado Rapids home game. When it rained, it poured for the Rapids, as an early sending off of homegrown Sebastian Anderson hamstrung Colorado in an eventual 2-1 loss to New York City FC.
“I thought it was a brave and great performance from our team,” said Rapids interim head coach Conor Casey. “We came in with a great mentality, we were missing some guys today: Kei [Kamara], Kellyn [Acosta], Tim [Howard] went down with an injury. We had a red card early and obviously the game changes. We battled through adversity on the night.”
Colorado struck early with midfielder Jonathan Lewis making a line breaking run down the left side of the NYCFC defense, crossing to a sliding Anderson to give the Rapids a 1-0 lead in the 6th minute. It marked the first professional goal for the rookie, who at 16 years old became the youngest Colorado Rapids player to score in league play.
“It was very important to get three points, but we can’t play in that way,” said NYCFC head Dome Torrent. “We have to be clinical in the 18-yard box because we had a lot of opportunities.”
By the end of the match, NYCFC (8-3-8, 32 points) dominated with 29 shots compared to eight for Colorado.
NYCFC’s best chance of the first half came in the 27th minute, as Valentin Castellanos put a low shot towards the bottom corner of Colorado’s net, but Howard came up big to parry the effort away.
It wouldn’t all be celebration for Anderson, who would be sent off later in the first half for studs-up tackle on Ronald Matarrita.
“He’s unlucky on the red card, it was a rash call,” Casey said. “A 16-year old scoring the opening goal minutes into the game is pretty impressive.”
The sending off revitalized the NYCFC attack and the visitors equalized on a goal in the 40th minute by Héber. The Brazilian collected a lofted ball from Maxi Moralez to score the easy goal and level the match at 1-1 against the 10-man Rapids.
[See image gallery at appserver-ba4e1838.c.pantheon-dmz.internal]Shortly after, Colorado’s problems continued as Howard left the match with a strained right calf, replaced by Clint Irwin in first-half stoppage time.
“We’ll have to monitor him for the next couple of days and see where he’s at,” Casey said of the injury.
In the opening stanza, NYCFC dominated with nearly 77 percent of the possession while outshooting Colorado (5-11-5, 20 points), 12-1.
New York City continued to pepper Colorado’s net with shots into the second half as Irwin made five second half saves.
It appeared the Rapids would catch a break in the 78th minute as Sam Nicholson broke away for what appeared to be the go-ahead goal, but it was called offside.
Instead, NYCFC broke the stalemate, taking a 2-1 lead on Alexandru Mitrita’s strike in the 83rd minute.
For Colorado, controversy continued into the dying minutes of the game as Nicholson appeared to continue to take continuous contact from New York City defenders.
“Given the enormous discrepancies in calls, the fact that we were able to battle away until the end is what makes me extremely proud of the players,” said Casey. “I’m speechless. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The Rapids didn’t get any help from referee Christopher Penso, failing to find an equalizer of their own as New York City snapped a two-game losing streak.
“I’m happy,” said Torrent. “I’m happy to win the game and that’s what we did tonight.”
New York City will return to Yankee Stadium Friday to host Sporting Kansas City, while Colorado heads to Avaya Stadium to face the surging San Jose Earthquakes.
The post NYCFC dispatches 10-man Rapids 2-1 to snap losing streak appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
Original author: Marco Cummings, Pro Soccer USA
Zlatan Ibrahimovic says it was a mistake to compare him to Carlos Vela after his individual brilliance settled the Los Angeles derby. Ibrahimovic scored a perfect hat-trick – a right-footed goal, a left-footed goal and a headed goal – as his LA Galaxy side beat MLS rivals Los Angeles FC 3-2 on Friday. El Trafico’s pre-match build-up centred on the […]
The post Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Don´t compare me to Carlos Vela appeared first on Soccer News.
The post Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Don´t compare me to Carlos Vela appeared first on Soccer News.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a stunning derby hat-trick as LA Galaxy defeated Los Angeles FC 3-2 in a top of the table Western Conference battle in MLS. The 37-year-old Swedish star answered Carlos Vela’s early spot-kick with a stunning equaliser, before a headed second and left-footed third to complete the perfect treble. Vela scored his second […]
The post LA Galaxy 3 Los Angeles FC 2: Zlatan dominates LA derby appeared first on Soccer News.
The post LA Galaxy 3 Los Angeles FC 2: Zlatan dominates LA derby appeared first on Soccer News.
The most anticipated match of the Major League Soccer season takes place Friday night at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Supporters’ Shield leader Los Angeles FC takes on the LA Galaxy, the third-place side in the Western Conference, in what was billed last season as “El Tráfico”.
Golden Boot leader Carlos Vela of LAFC and the Galaxy’s Zlatan Ibrahimović will be the two stars under the brightest spotlight, especially considering the comments made by the towering Swede in the buildup to the contest.
"[Carlos Vela] is playing in MLS and he's in his prime. When I was 29 where was I?"
Ahead of El Tráfico, Zlatan says he's the best player in MLS "by far" 
(via @ahoraonuncaespn) pic.twitter.com/nAqYrM47sB
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 18, 2019
A year ago, Ibrahimović announced his presence in MLS and in the rivalry by scoring a pair of goals in his Galaxy debut in the first installment of the derby.
The other two matchups in 2018 ended in draws, leaving LAFC in search of its first win over the crosstown rival that is one of the cornerstone franchises of MLS.
Overall, LAFC has the better team with one of the best midfield units in the league, headlined by Mark-Anthony Kaye and Eduard Atuesta.
While the focus will rightfully be on Vela and Ibrahimović, the game itself could be won in the middle of the park by Kaye, Atuesta and Latif Blessing, who have been relentless in that section of the pitch all season.
LAFC is the true definition of a team, with Adama Diomande and Diego Rossi joining Vela in prime scoring form up top, the midfield controlling games and the defense giving up 17 goals over 20 regular-season contests.
Even though they will be playing at home, the Galaxy have to be seen as the underdog Friday night because of their up-and-down form. They have alternated wins and losses since the start of June.
Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s side boasts its own variety of star power with young phenom Efraín Álvarez looking to make his mark on the rivalry, and Gold Cup champions Jonathan dos Santos and Uriel Antuna expected to make some type of impact.
Goalkeeper David Bingham should be in for another test after making 14 saves in the Cali Clasico against the San Jose Earthquakes in Week 19.
Some of the unsung heroes mentioned above could have their say in the final result as perfect complementary parts to the attacking stars.
El Tráfico is not the only rivalry match taking place in Week 20, with the Cascadia Cup matchup between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers concluding the weekend slate.
In between the two heated contests are plenty of mouthwatering games that could shake up the standings in each conference.
Week 20 weekend schedule
Friday, July 19
Los Angeles FC at LA Galaxy (10 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Saturday, July 20
Montreal Impact at Columbus Crew (7:30 p.m. ET, TVA Sport, ESPN+)
Chicago Fire at Philadelphia Union (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Houston Dynamo at Toronto FC (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
FC Dallas at Sporting Kansas City (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
New York City FC at Colorado Rapids (9 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Minnesota United at Real Salt Lake (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
San Jose Earthquakes at Vancouver Whitecaps (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Sunday, July 21
D.C. United at Atlanta United (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
New England Revolution at FC Cincinnati (6 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
New York Red Bulls at Orlando City (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1)
Portland Timbers at Seattle Sounders (9:30 p.m. ET, FS1)
Things to watch
The Eastern Conference playoff race
Jul 17, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta United defender Julian Gressel (24) celebrates after a goal with midfielder Eric Remedi (11) against the Houston Dynamo in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports)
This is the most important weekend in the Eastern Conference playoff race to date.
The top seven teams are separated by seven points, and Orlando and New England are lurking right beneath the red line
The congestion was made possible by the midweek victories from Atlanta United, DC United, Toronto FC and New England.
Wednesday’s results were a welcome sight to the playoff contenders, who have all experienced their share of struggles in the past month, which has led to Philadelphia remaining on top despite earning one victory in its past five contests.
The Union have an opportunity to get back on track and re-assert themselves on top of the East with a home victory over a struggling Chicago side that is going through yet another disappointing season under manager Veljko Paunović.
By the time 9:30 p.m. rolls around Saturday night, the complexion of the East could change with Montreal visiting Columbus and Toronto playing host to Houston.
Wins by the Impact and the Reds would keep them in fifth and sixth at worst, and the results would put extra pressure on Atlanta and DC going into their head-to-head showdown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Sunday afternoon.
New York City FC has been the one team everyone in the East has kept an eye on because of its games in hand, but Domenec Torrent’s side is trending in the wrong direction ahead of a tricky road trip to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to play the resurgent Colorado Rapids.
If NYCFC drops points in Colorado on Saturday night, it would be out of the top seven if the Revs defeat FC Cincinnati and Orlando City drops the New York Red Bulls on Sunday.
Of course, a few unexpected results could alter the shape of the playoff race further, but this is the first weekend where one can legitimately say it’s crunch time in the East, and it’s only going to get tougher from this point on.
Can red-hot Minnesota end Real Salt Lake’s home run?
Jul 13, 2019; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota United midfielder Mason Toye (23) celebrates with defender Lawrence Olum (right) after the game against FC Dallas at Allianz Field. (Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)
Saturday’s matchup between Real Salt Lake and Minnesota United at Rio Tinto Stadium features a pair of teams looking to prove their spots in the top seven of the Western Conference aren’t flukes.
Even though the Loons have played some of the best soccer in the league over the past month, it is still understandable to be a little skeptical of the team based off their struggles in previous seasons, and at the start of this season.
Something has clearly clicked within the Minnesota squad, and it has been able to get the best out of some of its younger players, including Mason Toye and Hassani Dotson.
The Loons will put their four-game winning streak on the line against a RSL side that is 7-0-2 in its home building.
Mike Petke’s team has pulled off victories over Atlanta United, Toronto FC and Philadelphia on home soil, and in addition to RSL’s run of form, Rio Tinto Stadium is one of the toughest places to play in the league because of the altitude.
Keep an eye on how the Minnesota defense handles the movement of Jefferson Savarino and Albert Rusnák in and around the box.
In the win over the Union last weekend, Savarino killed the Philadelphia defense with his movement on the ball and ability to fire from outside the box.
If Ike Opara and co. can limit the production of the Venezuelan, it could make life tough on a side missing leading scorer Sam Johnson.
Is Sporting Kansas City back for real?
Jul 13, 2019; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Sporting Kansas City forward Daniel Salloi (20) battles for the ball against Vancouver Whitecaps defender Jake Nerwinski (28) during the second half at BC Place. (Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports)
Sporting Kansas City has experienced a recent uptick in form with victories over Chicago and Vancouver.
While they were impressive from the standpoint that Sporting KC showed the ability to bounce back from a rough patch of results, the Fire and Whitecaps are still two of the worst teams in MLS.
Saturday presents Peter Vermes’ team with a chance to extend its winning streak against a playoff contender in FC Dallas.
Luchi Gonzalez’s side has to start playing with a small sense of desperation as well since it is down to seventh place in the Western Conference, with Sporting KC, Houston and Portland nipping at its heels.
Gerso Fernandes has been the catalyst of Sporting KC’s recent attacking success, and he will once again have to be at his best to put the young FC Dallas midfield under duress.
On the other end of the field, Ilie Sanchez will be tasked with silencing the production of Paxton Pomykal, who has been one of the young breakout stars of the season.
If Ilie is able to lock down the area in front of the box by limiting Pomykal’s time on the ball, FC Dallas’ attack could be stuck in neutral.
Can Portland rebound in Cascadia Cup?
Jul 18, 2019; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri (8) controls a pass against Orlando City SC midfielder Sacha Kljestan (16) during the second half at Providence Park. The game ended in a 1-1 tie. (Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports)
The Portland Timbers have been viewed as one of the most dangerous teams in the second half of the campaign because of their plethora of home games at Providence Park and the games in hand they hold on the rest of the Western Conference contenders.
But the Timbers have hit a road block in the last two matches, with Colorado and Orlando both coming into Oregon and earning draws.
Giovanni Savarese’s team can’t afford to drop too many results because it is still on the outside looking in at the playoff places with games in hand drying up.
Sunday’s trip north to CenturyLink field to take on the Seattle Sounders will be a good test to see if the Timbers can rebound from a pair of disappointing results.
Seattle has improved of late, and it passed a big test in Week 18 against Atlanta United, but now it has to contain a versatile attack for the second week in a row.
How Brian Fernández, Diego Valeri and the rest of the attack respond to adversity up top could be a sign of things to come for Portland.
If the Timbers fall flat on Sunday, it could begin to warrant some concern about a downswing with tough games against the Galaxy and Minnesota in the coming weeks.
The post MLS Week 20 weekend preview: El Tráfico, Cascadia Cup and more appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
Original author: Joe Tansey, Pro Soccer USA
Wayne Rooney scored and provided an assist as DC United thrashed Cincinnati 4-1 in MLS on Thursday. Rooney set up the opener before getting on the scoresheet at Nippert Stadium as DC jumped back into second in the Eastern Conference. The former Manchester United and England star took down a throw-in from the left before […]
The post MLS Review: Rooney, Rodriguez lead DC United to comfortable win appeared first on Soccer News.
The post MLS Review: Rooney, Rodriguez lead DC United to comfortable win appeared first on Soccer News.
Competition: MLS Market: LAFC win and over 1.5 goals Odds: 10/11 @ Bet 365 Potentially on course to set a record-breaking MLS campaign this season, LAFC will make the trip to an inconsistent LA Galaxy in the early hours of Saturday morning. Starting with the hosts, coming off the back of yet another very worrying display in their […]
The post Los Angeles FC 10/11 to beat LA Galaxy and over 1.5 goals in Saturday’s MLS matchup appeared first on Soccer News.
The post Los Angeles FC 10/11 to beat LA Galaxy and over 1.5 goals in Saturday’s MLS matchup appeared first on Soccer News.
James Harden has joined MLS club Houston Dynamo’s ownership group. The Dynamo announced on Thursday that the Houston Rockets superstar had become part of the group led by Gabriel Brener, also owners of the NWSL’s Houston Dash. Harden, arguably the face of Houston sports and winner of the NBA MVP award in 2018, joins six-weight […]
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The post Rockets star Harden joins Houston Dynamo ownership group appeared first on Soccer News.
ORANGEBURG, N.Y. — There will be a familiar face for Anton Tinnerholm to deal with Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park when New York City FC squares off the Colorado Rapids.
Facing his former club for the first time will be Jonathan Lewis, who was traded to the Rapids May 7 for $650,000 in Targeted Allocation Money an a 2020 international roster slot.
The 22-year-old has been a regular starter for the Rapids on the left wing and it’s likely Tinnerholm will see plenty of the speedy USMNT player.
“I faced him a lot of times in training sessions, of course,” Tinnerholm said after training Wednesday. “He’s a good player and it feels like he’s been a little more confident and played a lot more games there. I’m surprised he scored that many goals because here he couldn’t score.”
Lewis was limited to just six appearances in his third season with NYCFC, starting a pair of games. Since the move to Colorado, Lewis has started four of the five games he’s appeared in and scored in three consecutive games, including an equalizer in a 2-2 draw with the Portland Timbers Saturday after returning from the Concacaf Gold Cup.
NYCFC coach Dome Torrent said the trade was a win-win for both Lewis and NYCFC.
“I’m happy for him because he has more opportunities to play in Colorado, it’s good news for him,” Torrent said. “Here when you have six or seven good players, its not easy to play.”
Torrent said it was just a numbers game for Lewis, who had six goals and three assists in 31 appearances sine NYCFC selected him third overall in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft.
He said its a situation that happens around the world, at big clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid.
“If you want to play with Real Madrid you have to be ready sometimes to start on the bench or not all the time in the XI. That happened with Jona, he’s a good, good player, he’s a young player and I’m happy for him because he’s a good guy,” Torrent said. “I think it’s better for both teams, for Colorado because they sign a good player and even for New York City because it’s not easy to convince Jona sometimes I want to play with [Alexandru Mitrita], with [Ismael Tajouri-Shradi], with Heber, with Maxi Moralez, with Taty [Castellanos].”
The post NYCFC looking forward to Jonathan Lewis reunion Saturday in Colorado appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
Original author: Dylan Butler, Pro Soccer USA
Josef Martinez continued his prolific form in a resounding win for Atlanta United, while Jozy Altidore scored a stunning goal for Toronto. Martinez netted a brace as defending champions Atlanta crushed Houston Dynamo 5-0 in MLS on Wednesday. Darlington Nagbe got the scoring started for the hosts at Mercedes-Benz Stadium before Brandon Vazquez’s close-range header. […]
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The post MLS Review: In-form Martinez lifts Atlanta, Altidore scores brilliant goal for Toronto appeared first on Soccer News.
Can those planning to storm Area 51 expect to see another Zlatan Ibrahimovic? No. Almost two million people have RSVP’d to a Facebook event to “Storm Area 51” – a classified US Air Force training base in Nevada which conspiracy theorists believe harbours information about extraterrestrial life. A disclaimer in the Facebook event claims it […]
The post There´s not another Zlatan – Ibrahimovic jokes about #StormArea51 appeared first on Soccer News.
The post There´s not another Zlatan – Ibrahimovic jokes about #StormArea51 appeared first on Soccer News.
There are only two teams who have unchanged positions in the Week 19 Pro Soccer USA MLS Power Rankings — No. 1 Los Angeles Football Club, which has outscored opponents, 14-3, in three consecutive wins, while Columbus Crew SC maintain its spot at the basement after a fifth straight loss.
The biggest movers are the San Jose Earthquakes, who rumble up six spots after a Cali Clasico sweep of the LA Galaxy, while the New York Red Bulls move up two spots to No. 3 after a Hudson River Derby win over New York City FC.
The New England Revolution continue to trend up, jumping three spots to No. 14 following a 2-2 draw with D.C. United, while Minnesota United breaks into the top 10 after beating FC Dallas 1-0 for their fourth straight victory.
The Major League Soccer Power Rankings are created by averaging the rankings submitted by a committee of Pro Soccer USA’s editors and writers.
(1) Los Angeles Football Club (14-2-4, 46 points): Adama Diomande struck for a brace and Diego Rossi added a late insurance goal as LAFC rallied from an early deficit to beat the Houston Dynamo, 3-1. (8) San Jose Earthquakes (9-7-4, 31 points): The Earthquakes have lost just once in their last minute, also bouncing back from an early deficit to beat the LA Galaxy, 3-1, and sweep this season’s Cali Clasico. (5) New York Red Bulls (9-7-4, 31 points): We’re sensing a trend here as the Red Bulls also came back from an early deficit to beat NYCFC, 2-1, thanks to a Danny Royer double at Red Bull Arena Sunday. (2) New York City FC (7-3-8, 29 points): A perfect ball from Anton Tinnerholm set up Heber’s opening strike, but NYCFC conceded a pair of goals by Royer, the second highly controversial, to drop a second straight league game. (6) Seattle Sounders FC (10-5-5, 25 points): Raul Ruidiaz sliced up the Atlanta defense and Harry Shipp put the finishing touches on a 2-1 win at CenturyLink Field for a Sounders team that now preps for the Timbers. (3) Philadelphia Union (10-6-6, 36 points): Is it time to sound the alarm in the City of Brotherly Love? The Union have just one win in their last five following a 4-0 loss to Real Salt Lake. (4) Atlanta United (9-8-3, 30 points): Josef Martinez powered in the equalizer, latching onto a Pity Martinez corner. But Shipp responded with the eventual winner six minutes later as the Five Stripes are now winless in three straight with one victory in the last four. (7) D.C. United (8-5-8, 32 points): The Black-and-Red rallied from a two-goal first-half deficit to draw the New England Revolution, 2-2, at Audi Field Friday with Quincy Amarikwa scoring the late equalizer after Leonardo Jara pulled D.C. to within a goal in the 43rd minute. (10) Portland Timbers (7-8-3, 24 points): The Timbers led twice, including from a Diego Valeri penalty kick in the 63rd minute, but they settled for a 2-2 draw with the Colorado Rapids after Sam Nicholson equalized in the 76th minute. Portland was reduced to 10 men when Julio Cascante was sent off 10 minutes into the second half. (11) Minnesota United (10-7-3, 33 points): Mason Toye remains on a torrid pace, coming off the bench to score the stoppage-time winner and Vito Mannone sure the result stood with an even later penalty kick save to deny Reto Ziegler. (9) LA Galaxy (11-8-1, 34 points): After one rivalry defeat to the San Jose Earthquakes, the Galaxy would like nothing better than to take their frustrations out on LAFC in the first El Trafico of 2019 Friday in Carson. (14) Real Salt Lake (9-9-2, 29 points): Jefferson Savarino struck for a brace and assisted on Albert Rusnak’s 81st-minute goal, while Damir Kreilach tacked on a fourth goal one minute from full time in an emphatic home win. (12) FC Dallas (8-8-5, 29 points): After conceding the game’s lone goal in the 91st minute, FC Dallas had a golden chance to share the points at Allianz Field, but Ziegler’s penalty kick was saved by Mannone as FC Dallas have won just one of their last four. (17) New England Revolution (6-8-6, 24 points): Teal Bunbury and Carles Gil staked the Revs a two-goal lead after just 31 minutes, but they settled for a 2-2 draw with D.C. United and finished with 10 men after Wilfried Zahibo was sent off for his second bookable offense. (13) Colorado Rapids (5-10-5, 20 points): Jonathan Lewis canceled out a Tommy Smith own goal and Nicholson struck for the late leveler in a 2-2 draw with the Portland Timbers at Providence Park. (18) Orlando City SC (7-9-4, 25 points): In a listless game that had 0-0 written all over it, Benji Michel flipped the script with his first MLS goal in the 84th minute to lead the Lions to a 1-0 win over Columbus Crew SC at Exploria Stadium Saturday night. (15) Houston Dynamo (8-8-3, 27 points): Romell Quioto struck early, but the Dynamo conceded three unanswered goals in a 3-1 defeat to LAFC, their first league loss at BBVA Stadium this season. (20) Toronto FC (7-8-5, 26 points): Alejandro Pozuelo opened the scoring in the 61st minute and Jozy Altidore tacked on the stoppage-time clincher in a huge 2-0 win over the Montreal Impact in the Canadian Clasique Saturday. (16) Montreal Impact (9-10-3, 30 points): Things went from bad to worse for the Impact, who not only lost to bitter rivals Toronto FC at home, but they also lost the influential Samuel Piette to injury during the defeat. (21) Sporting Kansas City (6-7-7, 25 points): Gerso was so influential, playing a role in all three goals to lift Sporting to a 3-0 win, their second in a row, over the Vancouver Whitecaps Saturday at BC Place. (23) FC Cincinnati (5-13-2, 17 points): Allan Cruz scored the fastest goal of FC Cincinnati’s young MLS history and Fanendo Adi netted the winner in the 83rd minute as the expansion side defeated the Chicago Fire, 2-1. (19) Vancouver Whitecaps (4-9-8, 20 points): Outside of perhaps a five-minute stretch early in the second half, the Whitecaps had no life in a 3-0 loss to SKC, extending a winless run to six straight games. (22) Chicago Fire (5-9-7, 22 points): After conceding 45 seconds after kickoff, Nico Gaitan provided a lifeline when he pounced on the rebound of his saved penalty kick for the equalizer in first-half stoppage time. But, in a game the Fire needed to win, to remain in the playoff hunt, they conceded a late Adi winner, making it eight out of the last nine games without a win. (24) Columbus Crew SC (5-14-2, 17 points): Gyasi Zardes put a shot off the crossbar in the first half and missed the target completely with an open downward header late, while Harrison Afful was denied by a diving Brian Rowe for Crew SC’s only shot on frame in a 1-0 loss at Orlando.Pro Soccer USA writer Dylan Butler contributed to this report.
The post MLS Power Rankings Week 19: San Jose Earthquakes climb to No. 2 after Clasico sweep appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
Original author: Dylan Butler, Pro Soccer USA
Competition: MLS Market: Both teams to score Odds: 8/13 @ Bet 365 Two sides who find themselves in an almost identical position, New York RB will travel to BMO field in the early hours of Thursday. Starting with the hosts, picking up a 2-0 win away at Montreal last weekend, there is no doubt that Head Coach Greg […]
The post Both teams to score at Toronto FC vs New York Red Bulls 8/13 in Thursday’s MLS contest appeared first on Soccer News.
The post Both teams to score at Toronto FC vs New York Red Bulls 8/13 in Thursday’s MLS contest appeared first on Soccer News.
The reigning Major League Soccer Golden Boot winner and Most Valuable Player is locked in a contentious battle with the favorite for both of those honors in 2019 for the top spot in the Pro Soccer USA MLS Player Rankings.
Although Carlos Vela has been in form all season, Josef Martinez is the hotter of the two strikers after Week 19.
The Atlanta United scoring ace is one of many in-form scorers who have surged up the list in recent weeks to mount a challenge to Vela, who has held the top spot for the majority of the campaign.
Joining Vela and Martinez in the top five this week is Mason Toye, who has put together a remarkable run in front of net for a surging Minnesota United side.
Our player rankings take into account the form of players over the last four games, with the most recent performance carrying a bit more weight. The list is based off MLS regular-season performances only.
20. Brian White, F, New York Red Bulls
Previous Ranking: 17
Jul 14, 2019; Harrison, NJ, USA; New York Red Bulls forward Brian White (42) and New York City FC defender Maxime Chanot (4) battle for the ball during the second half at Red Bull Arena. (Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports)
After scoring three goals in four games, Brian White was unable to find the back of the net, although he drew a penalty kick for the New York Red Bulls in the Hudson River Derby.
White only fired one shot on goal in the 2-1 victory over New York City FC, but that is not an unusual number for a player with six goals on eight shots on target.
With Bradley Wright-Phillips returning to full fitness, it will be interesting to see how Chris Armas utilizes White, who is more than deserving of meaningful minutes.
19. Ethan Finlay, M, Minnesota United
Previous Ranking: 11
Jul 6, 2019; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Impact midfielder Samuel Piette (6) falls in front of Minnesota United midfielder Ethan Finlay (13) after battling for the ball during the second half at Stade Saputo. (Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports)
Ethan Finlay’s point streak came to an end in Minnesota United’s 1-0 win over FC Dallas on Saturday.
The former Columbus winger entered Week 19 with two goals and two assists in his last three contests.
The 28-year-old could face difficulty getting back on the scoresheet in Week 20 with a tough road trip to Real Salt Lake on the docket.
18. Brian Fernandez, F, Portland Timbers
Previous Ranking: 7
Jul 13, 2019; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Timbers forward Brian Fernandez (7) kicks the ball on goal during the second half against the Colorado Rapids at Providence Park. (Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports)
After lighting MLS nets on fire in his first five league games, Brian Fernandez has not scored in his last two appearances.
On Saturday, Fernandez made a 30-minute cameo off the bench for the Portland Timbers and fired two shots on target.
Fernandez has two chances to get back to his scoring ways in Week 20, with a home match against Orlando City Thursday and a Cascadia Cup clash with the Seattle Sounders Sunday.
17. Justin Meram, M, Atlanta United
Previous Ranking: 6
Jul 7, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; New York Red Bulls defender Sean Nealis (15) and Atlanta United forward Justin Meram (14) battle for a ball in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports)
Justin Meram could not replicate his blazing-hot form from his last two starts Sunday at CenturyLink Field.
The midfielder failed to fire a single shot off in Atlanta United’s defeat at the hands of the Seattle Sounders.
Just like some of the other players who experienced drops this week, Meram has two chances to get back into the top 10 in Week 20, with the Five Stripes facing Houston and D.C. at home.
16. Jefferson Savarino, M, Real Salt Lake
Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Jul 13, 2019; Sandy, UT, USA; Real Salt Lake forward Jefferson Savarino (7) battles against Philadelphia Union midfielder Brenden Aaronson (22) in the first half at Rio Tinto Stadium. (Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports)
Jefferson Savarino scored his first two goals for Real Salt Lake since returning from the Copa America Saturday.
The 22-year-old Venezuelan capitalized on a pair of Philadelphia Union defensive lapses to deposit his fourth and fifth tallies of the season.
The MLS Player of the Week also picked up an assist in the 4-0 victory over the first-place team in the Eastern Conference.
15. Carles Gil, M, New England Revolution
Previous Ranking: 18
Jul 4, 2019; Commerce City, CO, USA; New England Revolution forward Carles Gil (22) passes a free kick in the second half against the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. (Russell Lansford-USA TODAY Sports)
Carles Gil continued his consistent season in the final third for New England with a goal in Friday’s 2-2 draw with D.C. United.
The Spanish midfield maestro scored his fifth goal of the season to help Bruce Arena’s side move into the top seven in the Eastern Conference.
Gil’s production should rise once new signing Gustavo Bou adds more quality to New England’s forward corps.
14. Nicolas Gaitan, M, Chicago Fire
Previous Ranking: 15
Jul 13, 2019; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Fire midfielder Nicolas Gaitan (20) before the game against FC Cincinnati at SeatGeek Stadium. (Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports)
Nicolas Gaitan continues to be one of the few bright spots for the Chicago Fire.
The 31-year-old Argentinian scored his fourth goal in a Chicago shirt in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to FC Cincinnati at SeatGeek Stadium.
In 14 games, Gaitan has four goals and eight assists, but unfortunately for Fire fans, the rest of his teammates have not been able to rise to that high level of production.
13. Mark-Anthony Kaye, M, Los Angeles FC
Previous Ranking: 10
Jul 12, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles FC midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye (14) controls the ball as Houston Dynamo midfielder Tomas Martinez (10) defends during the first half at BBVA Stadium. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
Mark-Anthony Kaye’s small slide has more to do with players surging into the rankings than his individual play.
In fact, Kaye had one of the more impressive weeks in terms of individual feats since he played in both the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal Wednesday and regular-season game on Friday for Los Angeles FC.
Kaye and the LAFC midfield unit helped quite Houston’s attack in the 3-1 win at BBVA Stadium.
12. Gerso Fernandes, M, Sporting Kansas City
Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Jun 12, 2019; St. Paul, MN, USA; Sporting KC forward Gerso Fernandes (12) celebrates his goal with midfielder Jimmy Medranda (94) in the first half against Minnesota United at Allianz Field. (Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)
Over the last two games, Gerso Fernandes has been the driving force of the Sporting Kansas City attack.
The 28-year-old picked up a goal and an assist in Sporting KC’s 3-0 win over Vancouver on Saturday, and the first tally was an own goal caused by a shot from Gerso.
The performance came one week after Gerso dominated the final third and did everything but score in the Week 18 victory over Chicago that got Peter Vermes’ side back on track.
11. Vako, M, San Jose Earthquakes
Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Jul 12, 2019; Carson, CA, USA; San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Vako Kazaishvili (11) moves the ball against the LA Galaxy in the first half at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Earthquakes defeated the Galaxy 3-1. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Maybe we were a bit too harsh taking Vako off the list last week since he has been a consistent performer over the last few weeks for the San Jose Earthquakes.
The Republic of Georgia international produced a goal and an assist for the second time in four games, both of which have come against the LA Galaxy.
Vako put four of his 10 shots on target Friday night in a 3-1 win in which the San Jose attackers thoroughly dominated.
10. Adama Diomande, F, Los Angeles FC
Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Jul 12, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles FC forward Adama Diomande (99) controls the ball during the first half against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Stadium. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
With Carlos Vela sitting out Friday night, Adama Diomande thrived in front of net for the league’s best team.
The 29-year-old scored on two occasions and assisted on a third goal to help LAFC continue to control the Western Conference.
In his last two starts, Diomande has produced three goals for a LAFC side that seems to have everything going for it in league play.
9. Daniel Royer, M, New York Red Bulls
Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Jul 14, 2019; Harrison, NJ, USA; New York Red Bulls midfielder Daniel Royer (77) reacts after scoring a goal against the New York City FC during the first half at Red Bull Arena. (Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports)
Daniel Royer was slowly climbing up the MLS scoring chart without much fanfare before Sunday.
The Austrian then put his scoring surge on display for everyone to see by picking up a brace in the Hudson River Derby.
Since the end of the Concacaf Gold Cup break, Royer has four goals and two assists over a four-game span.
8. Teal Bunbury, F, New England Revolution
Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Jun 29, 2019; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Revolution forward Teal Bunbury (10) reacts after his goal during the second half against the Houston Dynamo at Gillette Stadium. (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)
When you talk about the hottest scorers in MLS, Teal Bunbury certainly isn’t the first name to come to mind with so many high-profile players across the league.
But since the return of league play, the 29-year-old has been one of the top in-form forwards in the league with goals in three straight games for the Revs.
The uptick in production comes at a perfect time for Bunbury since the Revs just spent a ton of money on a big-name signing up top.
7. Ike Opara, D, Minnesota United
Previous Ranking: 8
Jun 8, 2019; Commerce City, CO, USA; Colorado Rapids forward Kei Kamara (23) Minnesota United defender Ike Opara (3) battle in the first half at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
Ike Opara is the top defender on this week’s list for good reasons.
With Opara in the back, Minnesota United have conceded two goals in 270 minutes since the resumption of league play.
In the one game Opara did not start July 6, the Loons gave up a pair of strikes to the Montreal Impact.
6. Kacper Przybylko, F, Philadelphia Union
Previous Ranking: 4
Jul 13, 2019; Sandy, UT, USA; Philadelphia Union forward Kacper Przybylko (23) and Real Salt Lake midfielder Everton Luiz (25) battle in the second half at Rio Tinto Stadium. (Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports)
Kacper Przybylko and the entire Philadelphia Union squad had an off night at Rio Tinto Stadium Saturday.
For the first time in six games, Przybylko failed to put a single shot on target for the top side in the East.
Keeping Przybylko near the top of the list are the four goals he has scored in the last four contests.
5. Maxi Moralez, M, New York City FC
Previous Ranking: 2
Jul 14, 2019; Harrison, NJ, USA; New York City FC midfielder Maximiliano Moralez (10) dribbles the ball against the New York Red Bulls during the second half at Red Bull Arena. (Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports)
Although NYCFC failed to earn a result in the Hudson River Derby, Maxi Moralez was able to produce his 12th assist of the campaign.
The reigning MLS Player of the Month has recorded at least one assist in six of his last nine league games.
After a long spell of games in the New York area, Moralez and NYCFC take their talents to the road in Week 20 to face Colorado.
4. Mason Toye, F, Minnesota United
Previous Ranking: 9
Jul 13, 2019; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota United midfielder Mason Toye (23) and goalie Vito Mannone (1) after the game against FC Dallas at Allianz Field. (Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)
Mason Toye’s form in front of goal for Minnesota United is one of the best stories of the middle of the season.
The No. 7 pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft racked up his fourth goal of 2019 in dramatic fashion in stoppage time against FC Dallas Saturday.
In four appearances since June 29, Toye has four goals and two assists after struggling to find his way on to the field at the start of year.
3. Diego Rossi, F, Los Angeles FC
Previous Ranking: 5
Jul 12, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles FC forward Diego Rossi (9) celebrates after scoring a goal during the second half against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Stadium. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
Diego Rossi scored his 11th goal of 2019 in a substitute appearance in LAFC’s impressive victory over Houston.
Friday’s strike extended Rossi’s scoring streak to three games and put him one tally away from matching his 12-goal total from 2018.
Rossi has a good chance to tie, or even break, that mark this Friday night in El Trafico against a shaky LA Galaxy defense.
2. Carlos Vela, F, Los Angeles FC
Previous Ranking: 1
Jul 10, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles FC forward Carlos Vela (10) moves the ball ahead of Portland Timbers defender Zarek Valentin (16) during the first half at Banc of California Stadium. (Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports)
For the second time in three weeks, Carlos Vela is not in the No. 1 position.
Vela has been MLS’ best performer all season, but there are a few small things going against him that allowed a one-spot drop.
In addition to sitting out in Week 19, Vela has a gap in his scoring run since he failed to find the back of the net against Colorado June 28. That is the slight difference between Vela and Josef Martinez, at least for one week.
1. Josef Martinez, F, Atlanta United
Previous Ranking: 3
Jun 1, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta United forward Josef Martinez (7) reacts after scoring a goal against the Chicago Fire during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
Josef Martinez failed to extend his streak of two-goal games to four Saturday, but he still found of the back of the net for the Five Stripes.
Dating back to May 24, Martinez has scored five consecutive games, with eight tallies coming from those contests.
While his scoring run has been nothing short of impressive, Martinez is still six goals back of Vela in the Golden Boot race.
The post MLS Player Rankings Week 19: Mason Toye rises into top five appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
Original author: Joe Tansey, Pro Soccer USA
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