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Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s latest wondergoal is one he will not allow to live long in the memory. The Sweden great was up to his usual audacious tricks with a stunning bicycle kick in LA Galaxy’s MLS clash with New England Revolution on Sunday. Ibrahimovic took one touch with his chest then another to set up the […]

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The post Ibrahimovic will quickly forget ´goal of the year´ after Galaxy defeat appeared first on Soccer News.

Manchester United need to sign more world-class players if they want to compete in the Premier League and Europe, according to Nani. United are facing a big off-season after failing to qualify for the Champions League, having finished sixth and 32 points adrift of winners Manchester City in 2018-19. Ander Herrera and Antonio Valencia have already […]

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The Colorado Rapids hosted FC Cincinnati for the first time in MLS play Saturday night. An early Andre Shinyashiki goal gave Colorado a 1-0 lead in the first half. The second half saw three goals between the sides, beginning with Kekuta Manneh’s equalizer in the 72nd minute. But Colorado regained the lead on the ensuing restart with a goal from Nicolas Mezquida and capped the 3-1 win with another late goal from substitute Diego Rubio.

Here are three takeaways from the Rapids’ 3-1 win over FC Cincinnati:

Conor Casey Renaissance Continues

Colorado is now on a four-game unbeaten run with interim head coach Conor Casey in charge and now has a 3-2-1 record under the former Rapids forward.

Colorado has averaged two goals per game under Casey, displaying the type of attacking soccer the club has outlined as “The Rapids Way”

Mindset has been what the Rapids’ interim manager has credited as the reason behind the turnaround.

“Mentality is something I’ll keep talking about and the collectiveness,” he explained. “They’ve been fighting all year, and now that it’s turning, confidence comes into play. This is a great group of guys that has been extremely headstrong throughout this time and now we’re starting to reap some of the rewards they’re putting in.”

Bend But Don’t Break

It’s a common strategy in sport; simply outscore your opponent, regardless of what happens defensively.

The Rapids’ defense continues to be a liability as Colorado has conceded 10 goals in twelve matches under Casey. But the team’s defense hasn’t collapsed results like it had in the beginning of the season, where it had leaked goals at a rate of nearly three per game (2.67).

Additionally, Colorado’s defense has improved under Casey (and aided by the addition of centerback Lalas Abubakar), now conceding just under a goal per game at 0.83 GPG.

“Certainly, they scored, but we got it right back, so a great reaction from us,” Casey said in response to the Rapids’ conceding in the second half against Cincinnati.

In addition to his previous comments on playing an aggressive brand, Casey’s unpanicked response to the Rapids’ defensive performance on Saturday shows that conceding goals aren’t a huge concern, just as long as Colorado is outscoring the opposition.

Deklan Loss?

Colorado lost a key defensive contributor on Saturday as Rapids defender Deklan Wynne left the game in the first half with what appeared to be an ankle injury.

Wynne has oft-been criticized by the fans and media for his mixed-bag performances (and perhaps due his close ties with fired head coach Anthony Hudson, who brought Wynne in largely due to their New Zealand ties), but has shown improvement in his second year in Colorado.

More importantly, Wynne has been a piece providing depth at both the centerback and outside back positions.

Casey was unable to provide an update on the injury.

“Something happened with his foot,” he told reporters postgame. “I don’t know the extent, so I can’t comment on that.”

The post Rootin’ and Shootin’: Colorado’s offensive style pays off again in 4th-straight win appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

MLS Supporters’ Shield leaders Los Angeles FC defeated Portland Timbers 3-2, while defending champions Atlanta United won thanks to Josef Martinez. High-flying LAFC crashed the re-opening of Portland’s Providence Park on Saturday – star Carlos Vela scoring again to lead the visitors. Vela broke the deadlock with his league-leading 16th goal of the campaign after […]

The post MLS Review: LAFC spoil Portland party to stay hot, Martinez inspires Atlanta appeared first on Soccer News.

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MLS Supporters’ Shield leaders Los Angeles FC defeated Portland Timbers 3-2, while defending champions Atlanta United won thanks to Josef Martinez. High-flying LAFC crashed the re-opening of Portland’s Providence Park on Saturday – star Carlos Vela scoring again to lead the visitors. Vela broke the deadlock with his league-leading 16th goal of the campaign after […]

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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – The Colorado Rapids hosted FC Cincinnati in an inaugural MLS meeting between the two clubs, also marking a showdown of interim managers. By night’s end, it was Conor Casey’s Rapids who took home the victory, extending their current unbeaten run to four straight with a 3-1 win Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

“Really pleased with the group,” Casey said. “It was just a professional performance tonight from us. To come away with a 3-1 win is great for the group, great for the momentum we’re building and great for the fans.”

The win was cemented by substitutes Nicolas Mezquida, who provided a late goal for the second straight home match and Diego Rubio, who provided a goal and assisted Mezquida after subbing on in the 68th minute. 

“Our subs have been huge for us,” Casey said. “We have competition now and guys are pushing each other.” 

Offensive chances were few in the first quarter hour, but opportunities from Rapids defender Keegan Rosenberry (3’) and FC Cincinnati’s Caleb Stanko (8’) failed to find the target.

A collision in the Rapids’ 18-yard box led to outside back Deklan Wynne being subbed off in favor of homegrown Sam Vines in the 18th minute.

The Rapids (3-9-3, 12 points) threatened to go in front again in the 33rd minute, but Kei Kamara’s point-blank header was saved off the line by FCC ‘keeper Spencer Richey. FC Cincinnati (3-10-2, 11 points) responded with an attacking spell of their own, but Roland Lamah’s shot from the center of the box was blocked in the 38th minute.

Midfielder Sam Nicholson provided another quality opportunity for Colorado in the 41st minute, but Richey again came up big with the save .

Colorado finally broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute as Nicholson found Andre Shinyashiki at FCC’s back door to give the Rapids a 1-0 lead before halftime.

In the second half, Shinyashiki nearly returned the favor to Nicholson, sending in a cross in the 50th minute which failed to connect.

FC Cincinnati looked poised to equalize in the 58th minute, but Nick Hagglund’s shot was cleared off the line by Jack Price after it was initially bobbled by Rapids’ goalkeeper Tim Howard.

FCC found the equalizer in the 72nd minute, as Kekuta Manneh collected an over the top ball from Lamah, calmly finishing past Howard.

But on the ensuing restart, Colorado responded with a goal of their own as Rubio found Mezquida, whose shot hit the top drawer to reclaim the lead, 2-1, in the 73rd minute. 

The visitors again pressed to respond, but Howard came up big with a save on FCC defender Alvas Powell in the 80th minute.

Resisting another deadlock, Colorado sealed the game with its third goal in the 82nd minute. Price’s corner kick found the head of Rubio, who sent it in the bottom corner to extend the Rapids’ advantage to 3-1. 

Colorado has now collected 10 points in its past four games after starting the season winless in 12 matches. 

“It’s mentality,” Casey said of the team’s current run of form. “They’ve really bonded together; they’re fighting for each other and they have belief.”

With the win, Colorado moved out of sole possession of last place in MLS, but remains at the bottom of the Western Conference, two points behind Sporting Kansas City. FCC is now last in the league with a third loss in a row.

The Rapids remain at home to face Minnesota United next Saturday (9 p.m. ET) while FC Cincinnati continues its road trip with a visit to Yankee Stadium to face NYCFC on Thursday (7 p.m. ET).

The post Colorado Rapids extend unbeaten streak with 3-1 win over FC Cincinnati appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

Toronto salvaged a late 1-1 draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps as their winless run continued in MLS on Friday. Substitute Nick DeLeon scored a 90th-minute equaliser to cancel out Fredy Montero’s penalty for the Whitecaps at BC Place Stadium. Montero sent Toronto goalkeeper Quentin Westberg the wrong way from the penalty spot in the 84th […]

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Competition: MLS Market: New York City FC win Odds: 19/10 @ Bet 365 Looking to mount a charge up the Eastern Conference, New York City will travel to the MAPFRE Stadium in the early hours of Sunday. Starting with the hosts, coming off the back of another very worrying display in their 3-2 loss away at the Colorado […]

The post New York City 19/10 to beat Columbus Crew in Sunday’s MLS matchup appeared first on Soccer News.

The post New York City 19/10 to beat Columbus Crew in Sunday’s MLS matchup appeared first on Soccer News.

Within the span of a few hours on Saturday night, one set of Major League Soccer fans will say goodbye to one of the best players for their side in recent memory and another will get to celebrate the long-awaited re-opening of their renovated stadium.

Columbus Crew fans will bid farewell to goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who is playing in his last home game before his summer departure for Manchester City. 

It is only fitting that Steffen’s final home game with the Crew comes against New York City FC, who is owned by Manchester City. 

In three seasons with the Crew, Steffen has 33 wins in 75 regular-season starts, he’s made 201 saves and earned 23 clean sheets. 

Steffen also produced one of the most memorable playoff goalkeeping performances in MLS history against Atlanta United in 2017. 

During his time with the Crew, Steffen has gained the top spot on the U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper depth chart, and he should be the starter for his former club boss Gregg Berhalter during the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup. 

Once the Gold Cup ends, Steffen will head back to Europe. He previously played in Germany for Freiburg before moving to MLS to join the Crew. 

Steffen might not play for Manchester City right away, but even if he goes out on loan to start the 2019-20 European season, he should be starting somewhere in order to continue his progression.

Just reaching this point is remarkable for Steffen since most players who failed to make it Europe don’t receive a second chance to do so, but that is what the 24-year-old has earned during his time with the Crew. 

Three hours after Steffen’s sendoff begins in Columbus, the Portland Timbers play the first game in the newly-renovated Providence Park against Los Angeles FC. 

Portland comes into the match in good form and with its club-record signing firing on all cylinders. 

Brian Fernandez has scored three goals in his first two games for the Timbers, and he joins an already impressive collection of attacking talent led by Diego Valeri and Sebastian Blanco. 

With Valeri, Fernandez and Blanco going up against Carlos Vela, Diego Rossi and Co, we could witness one of the best games of the season and a possible Western Conference Final preview on Saturday night. 

It may seem crazy to suggest that with Portland sitting in 10th place, but it is in great position to surge up the table with a long run of home games in front of it. 

If anything, Saturday’s nightcap should be spectacle that showcases one of the best soccer facilities in North American and two of the best attacking groups in the league. 

Week 14 Weekend Schedule

Friday, May 31

Toronto FC at Vancouver Whitecaps (10 p.m. ET, TSN 1/4, ESPN+)

Saturday, June 1

Orlando City at Montreal Impact (5 p.m. ET, TVA Sport, ESPN+)

Chicago Fire at Atlanta United (6 p.m. ET, Univision) 

Real Salt Lake at New York Red Bulls (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+) 

New York City FC at Columbus Crew (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+, TSN) 

Seattle Sounders at FC Dallas (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+) 

San Jose Earthquakes at D.C. United (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+) 

FC Cincinnati at Colorado Rapids (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+) 

Sporting Kansas City at Houston Dynamo (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+) 

Los Angeles FC at Portland Timbers (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2) 

Sunday, June 2

Philadelphia Union at Minnesota United (4 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

New England Revolution at LA Galaxy (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+) 

Storylines to Watch

1. Impact Looking To Continue Dominance of Orlando

Montreal comes into Saturday with four straight wins against Orlando City. 

The Impact have a good chance to pick up a fifth straight victory over the Lions at Stade Saputo with first place in the Eastern Conference in their sights. 

Remi Garde’s team already picked up a win over the Lions at Orlando City Stadium in March and earned a season sweep a year ago. 

During the four-game winning streak against Orlando, the Impact have outscored their foe from central Florida 10-2. 

Of course, every game presents a new set of challenges for both sides, which is something the Impact can attest to since it was announced this week they will be without Ignacio Piatti for an extended period of time. 

By the time June ends, the Impact could be in first place in the East thanks to a four-game stretch at home that began with a 2-1 Wednesday win over Real Salt Lake. 

Montreal has scored six of its 19 goals in the last two weeks, and it needs to continue that form in front of goal in order to fend off a challenge from Sacha Kljestan, Dom Dwyer and Co. 

2. Petke’s Return to Red Bull Arena

Real Salt Lake manager Mike Petke returns to Red Bull Arena on Saturday for the first time as head coach of an opposing team.

The former New York Red Bulls player and manager took over the Claret-and-Cobalt a few days after RSL’s last trip to New Jersey in 2017.

Petke’s RSL beat the Red Bulls at Rio Tinto Stadium at the start of the 2018 season and it comes into Harrison off a midweek defeat to the Impact. 

Before falling to the Impact, RSL put together a three-game winning streak in which it scored multiple goals in each game. 

The Red Bulls are starting to make noise in the Eastern Conference with 10 points in their last four games, and they’ve achieved those marks in typical Red Bulls fashion with unheralded players who have come up through the system making key contributions. 

In order to keep building on their recent form, the Red Bulls have to slow down Albert Rusnak, who makes everything tick to perfection in the RSL front four. 

3. Will Seattle or FC Dallas Get Out of Recent Slump? 

Seattle and FC Dallas enter Saturday’s clash at Toyota Stadium in slumping form.

The Sounders suffered their first loss since April 24 in Week 13 against Sporting Kansas City, but the six games that preceded that result produced four draws and just two victories. 

FC Dallas is in more worrisome form with two points from its last six games, and it hasn’t won since its triumph in Atlanta on April 20. 

With Portland and Sporting KC expected to surge up from beneath the red line and other teams playing well to stay in the top seven, the Sounders and FC Dallas can’t afford to continue dropping points, especially Luchi Gonzalez’s seventh-place side. 

The Sounders are in better shape of the two sides, but they can’t afford to go into the Gold Cup break with a few poor road results. Their final game before the break is in Montreal on Wednesday. 

FC Dallas has an away game in San Jose to turn things around after Saturday’s home game. For most of the next month-and-a-half, FC Dallas also has to navigate through international absences, which means more trust will have to be put in younger players. 

4. Can Wondo Keep Scoring? 

Chris Wondolowski has found the back of the net on six occasions in the last two games.

During his terrific scoring stretch, Wondolowski has set the all-time scoring record in Major League Soccer and eclipsed Landon Donovan for most game-winning goals in league history. 

After scoring twice to beat Toronto FC on the road a week ago, Wondolowski has another chance to lead the San Jose Earthquakes to an upset victory against D.C. United at Audi Field. 

Scoring against D.C. is going to be a tougher task for Wondolowski, and the entire Quakes attack, since the Black-and-Red have conceded 17 goals in 16 games.

5. Who Wins the Midfield Battle in Portland?

We eluded to this a bit earlier, and it’s probably the best positional matchup of the weekend. 

Portland’s midfield group of Fernandez, Valeri, Blanco and Diego Chara are going up against LAFC’s unit of Mark-Anthony Kaye, Eduard Atuesta, Latif Blessing, Rossi and Vela.

An argument can be made that both groups are the best midfield unit in MLS when they are at their best, and we expect them all to be on Saturday night.

LAFC’s midfielders have performed at a remarkably high level all season, with Vela leading the charge with 15 goals and nine assists. 

Portland has caught fire of late and come into Providence Park with the momentum from a 3-1 win in which Fernandez and Valeri scored. 

Atuesta and Chara are two of the best midfield stoppers in the league, which will make life difficult for stretches for both sides. 

How each team adjusts to the opponent over 90 minutes will eventually make the difference in front of the boisterous crowd in Portland.

The post MLS Week 14 Weekend Preview: Steffen’s final Crew game, Timbers open renovated Providence Park appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

Competition: MLS Market: Vancouver Whitecaps win Odds: 6/5 @ Bet 365 With the chance to climb into the play-off positions, Vancouver will welcome a struggling Toronto to the BC Place Stadium in the early hours of Saturday. Starting with the hosts, coming off the back of another impressive display in their 2-1 win at home to Dallas last […]

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic starred for LA Galaxy on his return from suspension, while Josef Martinez netted a brace for Atlanta United in MLS on Wednesday. Ibrahimovic scored and provided an assist as the Galaxy returned to second in the Western Conference courtesy of a 2-0 win over Sporting Kansas City. The Swedish star headed a cross […]

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CHESTER, Pa. — The Philadelphia Union once again left the Talen Energy Stadium field frustrated on Wednesday night.

The Union failed to defeat Major League Soccer’s worst team and settled for a 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rapids. 

Just like their last two home games against Seattle and Portland, the Union simply weren’t good enough in the final third. 

Jim Curtin’s side attempted 26 shots, but only placed seven on target, including its lone goal that was produced in the 26th minute by Sergio Santos. 

The Union opened the contest with 10-minute barrage in the final third. They created four shots and three corners, but were unable to put a shot on target. 

The trend continued for most of the first half, but the Union were able to put one of their shots on target in the first 45 minutes into the back of the net. 

Santos played a lovely one-two combination with Jamiro Monteiro and took the ball into open space to score past Clint Irwin.

“It was a play that started out with some pressure and we were able to get out of it,” Santos said through a translator. “Jamiro laid off a great pass and I was able to finish just like I worked on so many times in training.” 

Unfortunately for the Union (7-4-4, 25 points), they continued to struggle in front of the net after the goal, and their inefficiency eventually caught up with them midway through the second half. 

In the 72nd minute, the Rapids (2-9-3, 9 points) equalized on a well-hit strike from substitute Jonathan Lewis. Lewis benefited from an Andre Shinyashiki assist and powered his shot past Andre Blake from the right side of the penalty area. 

The play started with a quick throw-in from Diego Rubio, who picked out Shinyashiki. The forward then took advantage of poor defending by three Union players on the left side of the box and picked out Lewis with a superb ball. 

“We want to take quick restarts when we can and Diego, Andre and Jon were all on the same page,” Rapids defender Keegan Rosenberry said. “He did really well and put it in the bottom corner. It was perfect.”

The goal was a deserved reward for the Rapids, who showed little fear moving forward in a game where they could have bunkered in for the entire 90 minutes. 

For the final 18 minutes, the Rapids employed that defensive strategy since they were playing for a point against a team that continued to struggle in front of goal. 

The defensive strategy at the end of the second half worked for the Rapids, who secured a point for a third straight game.

The Union’s three-game homestand ended in disappointment. Against Seattle, Portland and Colorado, the Union earned two out of a possible nine points. 

“We just have to get it together in the final third because we have everything else except for the final product,” Bedoya said.

The post Philadelphia Union left frustrated after 1-1 draw with Colorado Rapids appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

Wednesday’s five-game slate in Major League Soccer begins an 11-day stretch in which MLS games will be played on eight days 

Four of Wednesday’s contests take place in Eastern Conference stadiums, but only one of those matchups features a pair of teams from the East. 

The final contest to kick off on Wednesday involves a pair of Western Conference sides who both got out of losing slumps in Week 13. 

Of the 10 teams in action on Wednesday, seven are currently in playoff positions in their respective conferences. 

A major shakeup could occur in the East on Wednesday night since four of the top five teams in the standings take to the field. 

Below is a look at some of the top storylines to watch on Wednesday night. 

Week 14 Wednesday Schedule

Minnesota United at Atlanta United (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

Real Salt Lake at Montreal Impact (7:30 p.m. ET, TSN 5, ESPN+)

Colorado Rapids at Philadelphia Union (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

Chicago Fire at D.C. United (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+) 

LA Galaxy at Sporting Kansas City (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

Storylines to Watch 

1. How Will Minnesota’s Defense Deal Fare Without Metanire? 

May 25, 2019; Saint Paul, MN, Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota United defender Romain Metanire (19) controls the ball as Houston Dynamo midfielder Matias Vera (22) gives chase during the second half of a match at Allianz Field. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

Romain Metanire has been one of the best defenders in MLS this season, but he will miss Wednesday’s trip to Mercedes-Benz Stadium because of yellow-card accumulation. 

The road game at Atlanta is one of the worst for Metanire to miss since he would have been able to limit the production of the Five Stripes in one quadrant of the field. 

Rookie Hassani Dotson, who played well on Saturday against Houston, and veteran Eric Miller will be tasked with limiting the quality runs made by Atlanta’s front four. 

If Pity Martinez, Julian Gressel, Josef Martinez and others are able to interchange spots in the final third right away, the Loons could be overwhelmed. 

But losing Metanire for Wednesday doesn’t cast off Minnesota’s chances of earning points. In stark contrast to previous seasons, the Loons have a positive goal differential and have three road wins through 13 games. 

It’s also worth noting each of the previous three meetings between the two teams have been won by the road side. 

2. Can Piette Limit the Impact of Rusnak? 

May 18, 2019; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Impact midfielder Samuel Piette (6) plays the ball during the second half against the New England Revolution at Stade Saputo. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

One of the best individual matchups on Wednesday’s slate isn’t one you’d pay attention to right away. 

Montreal’s Samuel Piette, who has quietly put together a strong MLS career in defensive midfield, is set to square off with Real Salt Lake playmaker Albert Rusnak.

Other players have scored for RSL during its three-game winning streak, but Rusnak is the player who pulls the strings in attack for the majority of the 90 minutes. 

If Piette is able to put the clamps of Rusnak’s productivity, it will make life much harder for Bofo Saucedo, Jefferson Savarino and Corey Baird to create chances.

Piette’s ability to clog up the middle of the field should also help the Impact counter down the field in a fast manner, which is one of the team’s best qualities. 

A victory would be massive for the Impact, who have three games at Stade Saputo in the next week before the Concacaf Gold Cup break. 

3. Can the Union Be More Accurate In Front of Goal? 

May 25, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri (8) celebrates his goal with defender Zarek Valentin (16) against the Philadelphia Union during the second half at Talen Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia’s form in front of goal came to screeching halt in the last two games against Seattle and Portland. 

The Union were frustrated by the bunkered defensive style of the Western Conference opponents, and they are likely to face a similar strategy from the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday night. 

While the Rapids aren’t as well-rounded as the Sounders or Timbers, they do come into Talen Energy Stadium off their first two wins of the season. 

Colorado is playing with a new-found confidence under interim manager Conor Casey and it has scored four goals in the last two games.

The problem with the Rapids all season long has been their defending. They’ve given up a league-high 32 goals, which on paper, looks promising for the Union. 

The Union generated 38 shots in the last two games, but only put 11 of them on target and scored one goal. 

In order to remain near the top of the East, the Union need to beat a team like Colorado at home ahead of a tricky Sunday road trip to Minnesota. 

While it won’t be their biggest test of the year, the Union still need to come out and outperform the Rapids in front of goal in order to regain a bit of confidence. 

4. Will D.C. Keep Up Strong Defensive Form at Audi Field? 

Mar 31, 2019; Orlando, FL, USA; D.C. United midfielder Chris McCann (16) and defender Steve Birnbaum (15) talk during the first half at Orlando City Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

D.C. United has given up eight goals in seven games at Audi Field in 2019. 

The statistic becomes even more impressive when you realize half of those goals were scored in one game by Los Angeles FC back on April 6. 

The Black-and-Red have four clean sheets in their home stadium, and they have an opportunity to add to that number against the Chicago Fire. 

A home game is a welcome sight to the first-place side in the East, who maneuvered through a tricky three-game road swing in which it earned draws against East foes Toronto and New England and lost to Houston. 

D.C.’s defense appears to have an easy task on its hands to continue the run of form at Audi Field. 

Outside of the five-goal thumping of New England on May 8, the Fire have scored four goals since the start of May and Nemanja Nikolic has struggled to get going in front of net. 

5. What Will Zlatan Produce After Two Games On the Bench? 

May 11, 2019; Carson, CA, USA; Los Angeles Galaxy forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (9) moves in for a shot on goal against New York City during the second half at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s two-game suspension kept him out of the LA Galaxy’s loss to Colorado and win over Orlando.

On Wednesday, Ibrahimovic is expected to make his return to the field to take on a Sporting Kansas City defense that has a renewed sense of confidence after holding on to beat Seattle on Sunday.

However, Sporting KC still conceded twice to the Sounders and Peter Vermes’ side has let in 22 goals through 12 games. 

The opportunity is there for Ibrahimovic to capitalize on his aerial ability from the countless crosses the Galaxy produce on a game-by-game basis, especially with Matt Besler not at full strength yet in his recovery from a hamstring issue. 

Sporting KC is still far from full strength at most positions, and if there was ever a time for the Galaxy to steal points from Children’s Mercy Park, it would be on Wednesday with a fresh Ibrahimovic.

The post MLS Week 14 Midweek Preview: Zlatan returns, D.C. looks to stay on top of East appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

Orlando City have never reached the MLS play-offs and talk about ending the club’s post-season drought is not a conversation Nani wants to have for the good of the Lions. Orlando entered MLS as an expansion team in 2015 and they now boast one of the best supporter bases in the league. However, one thing […]

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