13Jan/170
MLS SuperDraft 2017: Complete Round-by-Round Results and Twitter Reaction
Expansion club Minnesota United made UCLA forward Abu Danladi the top overall pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft on Friday at the Los Angeles Convention Center in California. Syracuse defender Miles Robinson was the second player off the board to fellow expansion team Atlanta United. Danladi and Robinson represented the first of 44 selections made during Friday's event, which covered the first two rounds. The third and fourth rounds are scheduled to get completed Tuesday through a conference call involving the league's 22 franchises. Let's check out a complete list of picks made Friday in L.A. That's followed by a recap of some notable selections and a look at the social-media reaction to the annual showcase of incoming players. Draft Results Recap and Reaction Danladi is coming off a strong junior campaign with the Bruins during which he tallied a team-high seven goals and two assists across 11 appearances. In all, he found the net 18 times and assisted on 18 more goals in his three years at UCLA. The Ghana native could step right in to a ...8Sep/160
Landon Donovan Ends Retirement, Returns to LA Galaxy
Longtime Los Angeles Galaxy star Landon Donovan is coming out of retirement to rejoin the club for the remaining portion of the 2016 season. Blake Thomsen of The Cauldron first reported the news Thursday. Donovan is the most decorated player in Major League Soccer history. The 34-year-old forward is the league's all-time leader in both goals (144) and assists (136) after stints with both the San Jose Earthquakes and the Galaxy. He also owns both of those records for the United States national team with 57 goals and 58 assists at international level. Donovan, whose career with the U.S. squad didn't receive a storybook ending after head coach Jurgen Klinsmann left him off the 2014 World Cup squad, walked away from the sport after winning the 2014 MLS Cup, his sixth league title overall, with Los Angeles. There were some hints over the past few years that a return could happen, though. Last June, he told Scott French of MLSSoccer.com he missed the feeling of competing on a weekly basis. "I miss the game days," Donovan said. "When I'm here in the stadium on game days, I miss that. I don't miss the travel, I don't miss the hot summer training sessions, I don't miss having to take care of yourself ...18Dec/150
Michael Bradley Named 2015 US Men’s National Team Player of the Year
United States men's national team midfielder Michael Bradley captured the U.S. Player of the Year Award on Friday. The Associated Press passed along voting results from the Futbol de Primera, which saw Bradley (176 points; 39 first-place votes) earn the nod by a narrow margin over forward Clint Dempsey (145 points, 33 first-place votes). Jozy Altidore finished third with 70 voting points. Bradley, 28, tallied three goals and six assists across 18 appearances for the American squad in 2015. He also moved into more of a leadership role for the side at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, where he served as the captain. While the United States did score a couple of notable victories during the year, including away triumphs against the Netherlands and Germany, the team didn't accomplish its main goals. It finished fourth in the Gold Cup and failed to secure a FIFA Confederations Cup bid with a loss to Mexico in the CONCACAF Cup. After the final match of 2015, a scoreless draw with Trinidad and Tobago last month in World Cup qualifying, Bradley admitted things didn't go as planned, per Noah Davis of American Soccer Now. "We play to win big games and on that end, we have to call a spade ...6Mar/150
MLS Schedule 2015: Week 1 Match Listing and Preview of Top Games
The 2015 Major League Soccer season gets underway on Friday night when the reigning MLS Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy take on the Chicago Fire. That matchup kicks off a slate of weekend action that also includes the debuts of New York City FC and Orlando City SC. There were some tense moments this week, as the threat of a player strike loomed over the league until Wednesday. That's when MLS announced an agreement with the players union on a collective bargaining agreement that will be in place through the 2019 campaign. With the dark cloud lifted, it's time to look forward to the opening week of play. So let's check out the complete schedule for Week 1 followed by a preview for three of the most anticipated matchups as MLS enters its 20th season. Week 1 Fixtures Top Games to Watch LA Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire The Galaxy head into their title defense with most of the key players who helped them win last year's title. They edged the New England Revolution in the final thanks to a Robbie Keane tally in extra time. He'll take on an even larger leadership role this season with Landon Donovan retired. Finding a way to replace Donovan in the midfield ...11Nov/140
MLS Cup Playoffs 2014: Conference Final Dates, TV Schedule and Predictions
Although the conference semifinal round of the MLS Cup Playoffs provided plenty of drama, there was only one upset. The New York Red Bulls ousted the East's top seed, DC United, after having already survived the knockout round. So New York should be riding a wave of confidence into a conference final clash with the New England Revolution. On the other side of the bracket, it's a star-studded matchup between the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles Galaxy for a spot in the title game. Let's check out the schedule for the penultimate round of play in the 2014 MLS season. It's followed by a preview of both conference finals and predictions for which clubs will advance to play for the trophy on Dec. 7. Conference Championship Schedule Series Predictions East: New York Red Bulls vs. New England Revolution The Red Bulls are a battle-tested group. They survived the knockout match thanks to a Bradley Wright-Phillips goal in the 90th minute to eliminate Sporting KC. Then they dealt with plenty of tension in the second leg against DC United before Peguy Luyindula scored to give them some breathing room. Those two players have accounted for all five of the team's playoff goals. Yet, it's the strong play of ...30Oct/140
MLS Announces Plan to Create Los Angeles FC: Latest Details and Analysis
Major League Soccer announced its plan to add a second franchise in the Los Angeles area with the formation of the Los Angeles Football Club. The team's official site states the current plan is to begin playing as part of the 2017 season. Supporters will play a large role in determining the club's direction, highlighted at the outset by helping come up with the name, logo and kits: With your help, over the next two years, we'll build the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC). A world class MLS franchise for the fans, and for Greater Los Angeles. As an ownership group and stewards of American soccer, we will build a world-class venue and a first-class team. The club also sent out its first tweet: Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times notes LAFC is just the placeholder name for now: That said, Los Angeles FC already has a star-studded leadership group in place. Among those listed as owners are former NBA superstar and current Los Angeles Dodgers owner Magic Johnson, women's soccer pioneer Mia Hamm Garciaparra, her husband and former MLB star Nomar Garciaparra and Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan. Johnson talked about his excitement on Twitter: In terms of other titles beyond owner, Henry Nguyen is the ...16Jan/140
MLS SuperDraft 2014: Complete Round-by-Round Results and Reaction
The 2014 MLS SuperDraft started with a bang, as the Philadelphia Union acquired the top overall selection in a trade with D.C. United. By moving up one spot, the Union ensured they could draft goalkeeper Andre Blake. Even though the draft expanded to four rounds this year, only two took place on the first day of the event. As Joshua Mayers of the Seattle Times points out, teams will make the remaining selections via conference call on Jan. 21. Here are the draft results from the first two rounds, followed by a recap with reaction to some of the most notable moves and picks. Round 1 Results Round 2 Results Recap and Reaction Philadelphia's radar must have been locked in on Blake because the Union felt the need to move up one spot to get him rather than risk losing him to another club. After they made the pick, the goalkeeper couldn't even turn his emotions into words, as the team noted: In a draft class that's a step down from recent years, Blake is one of the players capable of stepping right in to make an instant impact. ESPN Stats & Info points out he also earns the distinction of being the first goalkeeper ever selected ...20Nov/130
Orlando City Officially Joins Major League Soccer as 21st Franchise
Major League Soccer and Orlando City officially announced the club will join the MLS in 2015 as the league's 21st franchise. Major League Soccer announced the news: PHOTO: The moment a dream became reality for @OrlandoCitySC. http://t.co/0h2lCvHJoM #MLS21 pic.twitter.com/7OedqE7VVA — Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 20, 2013 Orlando City confirmed the news as well: We are officially the 21st @MLS Club! #MLS21 — Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) November 20, 2013 Orlando City has been a dominant force since joining USL Pro, which is the third level of soccer in the United States. The Lions have finished first or second in each of their three regular seasons in the league and won two championships, including the 2013 title. The steady growth of the franchise paired with solid attendance numbers, including more than 20,000 fans for this year's championship match, was enough to convince the MLS that Orlando could handle a top-division franchise. Adding Orlando to the mix is the latest expansion effort by the league, which is already set to add New York City FC and a club fronted by David Beckham, as pointed out by Kyle Bonn of Pro Soccer Talk. The biggest concern for Orlando, and the other clubs joining the MLS as part of the expansion surge, is ...2Nov/130
MLS Cup Playoffs 2013: Schedule and Predictions for Conference Semifinals
The Houston Dynamo and Seattle Sounders survived the knockout round to complete the eight-team field for the MLS Cup Playoffs. It should be a terrific postseason considering the playoff teams were separated by no more than eight points in the table. While it's a wide-open battle for the title, the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Galaxy will take center stage as they seek a three-peat. The veteran attacking tandem of Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan give them a good opportunity to go the distance again. Without further ado, let's check out the complete schedule for the conference semifinals and make predictions for which clubs will advance to the next round. Conference Semifinal Schedule Eastern Conference Western Conference Round Predictions New York Red Bulls vs. Houston Dynamo The Red Bulls led the league with 58 goals during the regular season. It wasn't because they had one dominant force atop the formation, though. Instead, the team used its terrific depth to get production from numerous sources. Tim Cahill and Thierry Henry combined for 21 goals to lead the way. They will continue to headline the attack, but having such a deep group is going to come in handy during tight playoff games. It's usually when unsung heroes emerge, and New York ...27Aug/130