MLS All-Stars vs. Arsenal: Score and Reaction from MLS All-Star Game 2016

It took a dramatic late goal from Chuba Akpom, but the Premier League's Arsenal outlasted the MLS All-Stars, 2-1, in Thursday's MLS All-Star Game in San Jose, California. The Gunners also received a first-half goal off Joel Campbell's penalty kick, while Didier Drogba scored the lone goal for MLS. Arsenal snapped a two-game MLS winning streak in the event, as the All-Stars beat Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur in their previous two matches. Paul Carr of ESPN Stats & Info noted Arsenal's triumph was the first win by a London team over the MLS All-Stars: Arsenal weren't in midseason form as they build toward the upcoming Premier League campaign, but they managed 52 percent possession and seven shots on goal, compared to four for MLS, per ESPN FC. Pace was not an issue in the initial few minutes. Arsenal's Theo Walcott nearly found the net on an early set piece bu goalkeeper Andre Blake turned it away, and the MLS All-Stars failed to convert a golden scoring opportunity when Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech blocked Giovani dos Santos from close range. The quick back-and-forth action led to an early goal, after Arsenal found Campbell with a long ball and Laurent Ciman fouled him in the box as he was ...

MLS Cup Playoffs 2014: Seattle Sounders vs. LA Galaxy 2nd Leg Score and Reaction

The Seattle Sounders both won and lost in their MLS Cup Playoffs showdown with the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday night.  The Sounders won the game 2-1, but the Galaxy advanced to the MLS Cup based on aggregate goals and the tiebreaker of road goals scored. Los Angeles extended its winless streak away from home to six matches, but that is a concession it will gladly make to face the New England Revolution in the MLS Cup. Los Angeles won the first leg 1-0, so Seattle was backed into a corner entering play Sunday. The Sounders had to win by at least two goals to advance, although a 1-0 victory would have been enough to put the series into extra time. A one-goal win by the Sounders in which the Galaxy also scored would send Los Angeles through based on road goals scored. That is exactly what happened. The Sounders got a boost before the game even started thanks to their raucous home fans. MLS doesn't quite inspire the same type of passion as European soccer does in most locations, but that cannot be said about Seattle fans. The MLS Twitter feed captured the fans getting ready for the game outside the gates:  Goalie Stefan Frei commented ...

MLS Cup Playoffs 2014: TV Schedule, Predictions for Conference Finals Clashes

You could not script more exciting scenarios for the second legs of the Western and the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2014 MLS Cup playoffs. Out West, the Los Angeles Galaxy outlasted the Seattle Sounders in Game 1, 1-0. In the East, the New England Revolution beat the New York Red Bulls, 2-1. Each series is only two legs, and the winner is determined by the aggregate score. That means the one-goal margins in each game were critical because the losers are still very much alive in the race for the MLS Cup. With that in mind, here is a look at the schedule and the broadcast information for the conference finals.   Western Conference The Western Conference Finals shift to Seattle for the second leg after the Galaxy won behind Marcelo Sarvas’ goal. While Los Angeles only won 1-0, the result was hardly in doubt because of the strong defense. The Galaxy have seven shutouts in their past 10 home games and actually haven’t even allowed a single goal in more than 270 postseason minutes.  The defense is anchoring the team right now, and there is no reason to expect anything different in Game 2. Part of the problem for the Sounders was that Osvaldo Alonso ...

MLS Cup Playoffs 2014: Schedule and Predictions for Conference Championships

Americans love their sporting events to be star-filled and with plenty on the line, whether it is the Super Bowl, NBA Finals or Final Four. The 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs certainly fit that bill.  Notable names like Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Thierry Henry are recognizable to even the most casual fans, and they will be leading the way for their respective teams in the conference championships. With that in mind, here is a look at the schedules and some predictions for the Eastern and Western Conference Championships. Both series feature two legs, one in each location, and the team with the better goal differential advances to the MLS Cup.   Eastern Conference Championship A New York vs. Boston/New England clash in the postseason just feels right. This time it’s not Derek Jeter against Pedro Martinez or Tom Brady against Eli Manning, but the New England Revolution against the New York Red Bulls. The Revolution have beaten the Red Bulls in all three MLS Cup Playoffs series in which they faced each other, but that was back in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Considering that neither team has ever won the MLS Cup, there is sure to be a level of urgency in place during both legs. New ...

Julian Green Quiet in MLS All-Star Game Despite Status as Fan Favorite

Julian Green may have been wearing a Bayern Munich jersey Wednesday night, but it was clear that he was one of the fan favorites in Portland, Oregon, during the Major League Soccer All-Star game. Green played for the United States during the recent 2014 World Cup and was greeted with boisterous USA chants from the onlookers at Providence Park when he entered the game in the 36th minute. He was the first Bayern substitute to come off the bench, much to the delight of the packed house. Green didn’t score the goal he was looking for, but he did have one shot on target. It wasn’t the major breaking-out party some hoped to see, but Green still left his mark. It was no secret why the crowd was behind him from the moment he stepped on the pitch. At 19 years old, Green became the youngest American to score a goal at the World Cup with his dramatic extra-time shot against Belgium. Yes, the United States went on to lose that game, but Green’s raw talent, speed and athleticism had fans excited about the future. For his part, Green was certainly appreciative of the fan support Wednesday, even if he didn’t find the back ...

Mike Magee and Fire Agree to Extension: Latest Contract Details, Reaction

It looks as if superstar Mike Magee will be playing soccer in Chicago for quite some time. NBC Sports Soccer’s official Twitter page alerted fans to the news regarding Magee’s contract status on Thursday: The exact terms of the contract were not disclosed in the immediate aftermath of the signing, but it can be expected that he will receive a significant raise given his recent performance on the pitch.    Magee won the 2013 MLS Most Valuable Player award after a season that saw him score 21 goals in 32 matches. He began his season playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy, where he scored six goals in the first 10 matches, but he was sent to Chicago in May in exchange for Robbie Rogers. It was a move that clearly made him happy, which was evident in quotes he made, via Nicholas Mendola of Pro Soccer Talk: “As a kid, I would have paid to play for the Chicago Fire, so as you can imagine, I’m beyond happy to have signed a new deal. My only goal with this team is to win an MLS Cup.”   The extension comes at an interesting time because there was recent discussion about the possibility that Magee was holding out during ...

MLS Cup Playoffs 2013: Updated Schedule and Predictions for Remaining Matchups

We are down to the final four in the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs, and the conference championship matchups are set to kick off Saturday and Sunday. The Eastern Conference Championship will pit No. 2 seed Sporting Kansas City up against No. 4 seed Houston Dynamo, while the Western Conference Championship matches the top two seeds, No. 1 Portland Timbers and No. 2 Real Salt Lake. The Dynamo emerged all the way from the early Knockout Round. Leg 1 of the Sporting Kansas City and Houston showdown is Nov. 9 at 2:30 p.m. ET, and Leg 2 is Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Leg 1 of the Western Conference Championship takes place Nov. 10 at 9 p.m. ET, with Leg 2 set to kick off on Nov. 24 at 9 p.m. ET. The MLS Cup final is scheduled for Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. ET. This is the third consecutive year that the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City will meet up in the MLS Cup Playoffs. This budding rivalry will certainly provide soccer fans with an intense two games, even if the top-seeded New York Red Bulls have been eliminated on the Eastern side of the bracket. It is worth noting that the Dynamo ...

Houston Dynamo vs. New York Red Bulls: Top Storylines in Playoff Showdown

The New York Red Bulls may be the Supporters’ Shield winners and riding high with a current eight-game unbeaten streak, but anything can happen come playoff time. The Red Bulls will face off against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday in the Eastern Conference semifinals. As with any postseason showdown, there are plenty of intriguing storylines to keep an eye on. Let’s dig into a few.   New York’s Head-to-Head Dominance New York ran rampant through much of the MLS this season—hence the Supporters’ Shield—but it was particularly strong against Houston. The Red Bulls knocked off the Dynamo all three times they met by a combined score of 9-1. What’s more, two of those games took place in Houston. That’s the type of dominance that could come into play mentally for both squads if New York gets off to a quick start on Sunday afternoon. It is worth noting that the Red Bulls also won in Houston in their lone postseason meeting there five years ago, but that won’t have as much of an impact as this season’s head-to-head matchups. It will be important for Houston to get off to a quick start so potential self-doubt doesn’t creep into its players’ ...