The LA Galaxy triggered a first-ever playoff El Tráfico by defeating Minnesota United 2-1 at Allianz Field in Saint Paul on Sunday, registering the only upset of the first round of 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs. Zlatan Ibrahimović was oddly ineffective and wasteful for the Galaxy, but Sebastian Lletget and Jonathan dos Santos struck in quick succession in the second half to sink the Loons in their maiden playoff voyage.
While the new single-elimination format for the MLS playoffs was widely hailed immediately after its announcement, it’s been edifying to watch the first round produce some all time classics over the course of its first two days.
Megan Rapinoe was named Team Sportswoman of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation on Wednesday night, becoming the fifth USWNT player to earn the annual honor that dates back to 1993. Marta, meanwhile, became the second footballer to win the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award.
Josh Sargent sprinted to the sideline, thinking his race had been run. Alas, even substitutions proved too difficult for the USMNT on Tuesday: The substitution board read 15, not Sargent’s No. 19; the striker was to suffer through the full 90, just like all the fans watching on TV.
On Wednesday morning, Canadian residents awoke to extensive coverage of the massive sporting news: Toronto had defeated Minnesota 4-2, the Habs lost to Tampa Bay 3-1, Winnipeg succumbed to Arizona 4-2, Calgary thumped the Flyers 3-1 and the Canucks battered the Red Wings 5-1. What’s more, Donald Trump had welcomed a heavy concentration of Canadians to the White House on Tuesday in the form of the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues.
Trump congratulated the Blues on the stock market being way up, an agriculture deal with China and a Mike Pence trip to Turkey.
In the end, the scoreline flattered the USMNT. 2-0 isn’t so bad, right folks? Just try and forget the fact that Canada hadn’t scored against the U.S. since 2007, let alone recorded a victory since 1985.
Is it a new low for the U.S.? For those with a longer memory than Twitter allows, it’s difficult to countenance that when remembering 2018 World Cup qualifying performances in San José and Couva, but it’s frightening to think that this is the rebuild — exactly two years and five days — since that entirely disheartening 2-1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago.
Carli Lloyd is creating a little controversy that she wants you to know isn’t a controversy and is just a result of “click bait” and “sad stuff!”
Lloyd, who won her second Women’s World Cup over the summer, was on “Laughter Permitted with Julie Foudy,” an ESPN-produced podcast, released Tuesday. Lloyd, 37, spoke of her unending desire to be the best there ever was, but in doing so has rubbed many people the wrong way.
After Sydney Leroux made her return for the Orlando Pride after giving birth to her second child, the Pride continue to prove they breed powerful and strong women.
It's no secret that soccer is growing in the United States. More children are playing the game, it's become much more accessible on TV with a myriad of different streaming options and soccer jerseys are almost becoming a fashion statement on the street.
France? Naw. England? Pshh. Brazil? As if.
Want a favorite for the 2022 World Cup? Look no further than the United States men’s national team after it throttled Cuba 7-0 on Friday night.
Any team that can score four goals in 13 minutes against the 178th-ranked team in the world has to be the frontrunner for the 2022 World Cup. That 3-0 loss to Mexico last month? That was just a meaningless friendly, nothing compared to the intense rigor of a Concacaf Nations League match.