Clint Dempsey Must Dominate with Seattle Sounders After Leaving EPL

Clint Dempsey still possesses the talent necessary to succeed in the English Premier League, which is the main reason his move to the Seattle Sounders was a surprise. Voluntarily reducing the level of competition in the prime of his career opens the door for critics. Instead of getting ready for the new EPL campaign with Tottenham, he's now preparing for his debut with the Sounders as Major League Soccer enters the stretch run of its regular season. He's walking into a completely different atmosphere. While the weekly expectations are undoubtedly high in England, Dempsey is actually going to face more pressure following the move. That's because he will expected to crush the competition as the new focal point of Seattle's attack. Although the club will probably try to alleviate some of that attention by working him in slowly, there's no reason Dempsey should do anything other than dominate in the MLS. He should be the best player on the pitch in virtually every match. Anything less would be a disappointment. He's not a role player anymore. He can't deliver a couple highlight-reel strikes and still have value to the club. The United States national team's captain must lead the way for the Sounders. So far, ...

LA Galaxy vs. Juventus: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and More

Both the Los Angeles Galaxy and Juventus lost in the opening round of the International Champions Cup. The losses ended their hopes of winning the title and sent them into the consolation bracket for the remaining matches. The Galaxy actually trailed Real Madrid by just one inside the last 20 minutes before Karim Benzema scored to put the match out of reach. It was a showing worthy of praise from the event's only American club, but they simply didn't have the pieces necessary to pull off the upset. Juventus' loss to Everton came as a surprise due to the Italian squad's success last season. While they were able to equalize late in the match, they couldn't survive penalty kicks as the Toffees punched their ticket to the semifinals. All that said, it should be an entertaining encounter between two defending champions. Let's examine the key information for the clash, followed by a preview and match prediction.   Where: Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. When: Saturday, Aug. 3 at 10:30 p.m. ET (3:30 a.m. BT) Watch: Fox Soccer Channel Live Stream: Fox Soccer 2Go   Preview What made the Galaxy's performance against Real Madrid impressive was the fact they were able to keep it close despite Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane and ...

MLS All-Stars vs. AS Roma: Players to Watch in Exciting Matchup

Major League Soccer's All-Stars ended a three-year losing skid to European clubs with a 3-2 victory over Chelsea last summer. The group now hopes to start a modest winning streak by taking down a talented Roma side. The Giallorossi finished sixth in Serie A last season. They are led by Francesco Totti, Daniele De Rossi and Pablo Osvaldo. The squad also features American international Michael Bradley, who's entering a key campaign with the Italian side. Going up against the best players from the MLS should provide a solid preseason test for Roma. With that in mind, let's examine some players worth watching in the clash, which is set for Wednesday night in Kansas City.   Landon Donovan (MLS) Donovan is coming off a tremendous showing at the international level. He was the driving force behind an American attack that led the way as the squad won every match en route to the Gold Cup title. His form was a major statement after some time away from the national team. He must maintain that high level of play moving forward if he wants to get placed in the first-team lineup for the remaining part of qualifying. He gets another chance to shine in the high-profile matchup with ...

Breaking Down Houston Dynamo’s New 2013 Kits

The Houston Dynamo are set to begin the 2013 MLS season on Saturday night against DC United. First, the club had to unveil the new kits they will wear throughout the campaign, and it did so by posting a series of pictures on Twitter. While the changes to the overall style are limited, Jonathan Kaplan of the club's official site reports the streamlined design was developed to help the club survive the harsh weather conditions in Houston. Team president Chris Canetti was pleased with the result, stating:Introducing a new uniform is always exciting for a team and its fans. We are proud of the new look and how it represents the club. The base concept remains the same, but the new version provides a fresh, new look for the club.Let's take a closer look at the new home and road jerseys, grading them for their wow factor and overall design. Of course, winning in them will make a much bigger difference in the grand scheme of things.  Wow Factor: 5 of 10In today's world, it seems like every professional and collegiate sports team around the country is trying to attract attention with the wildest jersey designs possible—flashing something that will ...

MLS SuperDraft 2013: Complete Round-by-Round Results and Analysis

The New England Revolution provided the first surprise of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft by making a trade with Toronto FC on Wednesday to acquire the top pick. It sets the tone for what should be an exciting draft day around the league.  This season's class is highlighted by defenders Andrew Farrell and Walker Zimmerman along with midfielder Carlos Alvarez. All three players possess terrific upside and should hear their names called early in the draft.The draft is now complete. Below are the full results.   Round 1 Results Pick Club Player Position 1 New England Revolution Andrew Farrell Defender 2 Chivas USA Carlos Alvarez Midfielder 3 Toronto FC Kyle Bekker Midfielder 4 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Kekuta Manneh Forward 5 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Erik Hurtado Forward 6 Colorado Rapids Deshorn Brown Forward 7 FC Dallas Walker Zimmerman Defender 8 Montreal Impact Blake Smith Midfielder 9 Columbus Crew Ryan Finley Forward 10 Seattle Sounders FC Eriq Zavaleta Forward 11 Colorado Rapids Dillon Powers Midfielder 12 Real Salt Lake John Stertzer Midfielder 13 Houston Dynamo Jason Johnson Forward 14 Sporting Kansas City Mikey Lopez Midfielder 15 San Jose Earthquakes Tommy Muller Defender 16 Toronto FC Emery Welshman Forward 17 D.C. United ...

MLS All-Stars vs Chelsea: MLS Players Who Will Shine Against the Blues

The MLS All-Star Game will feature the best players from the domestic league going up against the defending European champions in Chelsea. The Blues are currently on a preseason tour as they prepare for another Premier League season. It's a rematch of sorts from 2006, when the All-Stars knocked off Chelsea 1-0. Both sides will look a lot different this time around, but it should be another interesting game. Let's take a look at three players who will shine for the MLS side.  Jimmy Nielsen Nielsen figures to face plenty of pressure from a talented Chelsea attack as the goalkeeper suits up for his second MLS All-Star Game. Luckily, the Sporting Kansas City star has been on top form all season and should be up to the challenge. He leads the league in clean sheets with nine and has been a major reason Kansas City has been able to get in the race for the Eastern Conference lead. He makes up for a lot of the team's problems of front by coming up with crucial stops. Nielsen is a veteran who has played around the world, so he shouldn't have many nerves like younger players might. That should allow him ...

MLS All-Star Game 2012: Rosters, Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and More

For the eighth consecutive season, a team of MLS All Stars will take on a team from Europe in the league's All-Star Game. This year's opponent will be Chelsea, which is coming off a campaign where the team won the Champions League. The MLS side actually won the first four games in the series, defeating Fulham, Celtic, West Ham United and the Blues. It's important to note the European teams are usually early in their preseason preparations and play trial lineups whereas the MLS players are in midseason form. Everton and Manchester United have combined to win the last three games, though, meaning the MLS players will be looking to get back on the winning side of things. Here's a look at all the important information for the marquee game, a look at the First XI and a trio of players to watch.  Where: PPL Park in Chester, Pa. When: Wednesday, July 25 at 8 p.m. ET Watch: ESPN2 Live Stream: ESPN3.com   MLS First XI (Reserves to be announced) Goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen (Sporting Kansas City)  Defenders Steven Beitashour (San Jose Earthquakes) Aurelien Collin (Sporting Kansas City) Jay DeMerit (Vancouver Whitecaps FC) Heath Pearce (New York Red Bulls)   Midfielders ...

FC Dallas vs. New York Red Bulls: Full Preview, Live Stream, Start Time and More

The New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas will help kick off the MLS season with a nationally-televised game on Sunday afternoon. The teams are evenly matched and will be looking to start their respective seasons with a win, so it should be a terrific way to begin the campaign. It was a pretty uneventful offseason for FCD. They did make some additions in the likes of Carlos Rodriguez and Hernand Pertuz to help a back line that struggled with consistency last season. Otherwise most of last year's top contributors return. The Red Bulls made a few signings during the winter, but the biggest news was Tim Ream leaving the squad to join Bolton of the English Premier League. Filling that hole will be New York's biggest concern in the early going.  Where: FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas When: Sunday, March 11 at 3 p.m. ET Watch: NBC Sports Network and MLS Direct Kick Betting Odds: FC Dallas +119, New York Red Bulls +207, Draw +215   Player to Watch for Dallas: Brek SheaWhile Shea might be best known for his recent appearances with the United States national team, he is coming off a solid league season as well. ...

MLS Draft 2012: Ethan Finlay and More Underrated First-Round Steals

The MLS SuperDraft doesn't get nearly as much publicity as its major sport counterparts, but it's always interesting to see young athletes getting their first crack at professional life. This season's first round was loaded with potential stars who will make an immediate impact on their new teams. Here are three selections that might have gone overlooked, but will pay off in the long run. Columbus Crew, Ethan Finlay Columbus selected Finlay with the 10th overall pick. He's a versatile attacker who can play on either wing and brings some terrific pace to the table. The Creighton will immediately provide a boost to a Crew offense which finished in the middle of the pack last season. There were some varying opinions about his ability to produce at the next level following his combine showing, but his track record shows it's pretty clear he knows how to find the back of the net. That's exactly what Columbus needs to boost the Crew into title contention.   Philadelphia Union, Chandler Hoffman Hoffman's slide to Philadelphia at pick No. 13 was probably the most shocking aspect about the opening round. He was widely considered to be a top-10, and potentially a top-five, pick, but ...

Darren Mattocks: Montreal Impact Should Make Dynamic Akron Striker No. 1 Pick

The expansion Montreal Impact have the first pick in this season's MLS SuperDraft. Although there are a handful of candidates to become the face of the new franchise, Akron striker Darren Mattocks stands out from the crowd. Mattocks netted 39 goals in just 47 games during his two-year career with the Zips. It's that type of production rate which has scouts raving about the Jamaican native, who was rarely not the best player on the pitch at the college level. His biggest asset is speed.As the old cliché goes, you can't teach it. He was able to blow by opposing defenders with that blistering pace and should have no problem carrying that trait over to the next level, although opposing back lines will be better prepared for it. There are other areas where he's going to need some work such as distribution, but there isn't a perfect prospect in the draft so Montreal just has to take the best player available. Mattocks should be able to make an immediate impact up front. Akron has quickly gained the reputation as one of the marquee schools when it comes to developing MLS talent and this class is no different with Mattocks leading ...