Seattle Sounders

The United States soccer team finds itself at the beginning of a bright new era. 

The squad is young, hungry and ready to make its mark on the world’s stage, but the emerging generation knows it’s standing on the shoulders of those who came before them and helped establish the U.S. as a global force.

Landon Donovan — widely recognized as the best male U.S. soccer player of all time — is a legend of the American game, while Jordan Morris — winner of the Hermann Trophy (top college player) and MLS Rookie of the Year — is viewed as a difference maker for years to come.  

Montreal drew Liga MX power Santos Laguna for the most high-profile Round of 16 pairing in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League, as the four MLS teams from the United States randomly drew first-round matches with clubs from Central America.

The two-legged first-round pairings will take place in the last two weeks of February, with quarterfinals scheduled in the windows of March 8-10 and March 15-17, semifinals April 5-7 and April 12-14 and the final April 26-28 and May 3-5.

You can’t win without scoring. I heard that a few times from Fox announcers on Tuesday night, both in the early match in which Nashville remained unbeaten at home by topping Orlando City and in the later match in which one of the favorites to win the MLS Cup, the Seattle Sounders, hosted Real Salt Lake. 

The adage is certainly true in normal contexts, but this is playoff soccer now. Real Salt Lake showed you can survive and advance without even bothering to attempt a shot all game.