Approaching the halfway point of the 2017 Major League Soccer season, Minnesota United has already answered two questions that lingered around the expansion club throughout preseason: 1.) Is MNUFC the worst MLS side of all-time? No. Far from it. In fact, with five wins (which is what many predicted would be their grand total for the entire season), they’re only three points out of the playoff picture.
The 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup kicks off in just a few weeks, and it looks like the United States Men’s National Team has a new kit on the way. The tournament will begin on July 7 with Canada taking on French Guiana at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey. While we continue to speculate over who will make the final 23-man roster for the USMNT, there’s one thing we can all come to an agreement on: the new Nike kits are a huge upgrade.
Here it is: your complete guide to the 2017 summer soccer schedule.
For most sports, the offseason is a time of respite. Once the Super Bowl ends in February, NFL teams don’t suit up for another game, scrimmage or otherwise, for six months. Soccer, fortunately, doesn’t abide by such silly rules.
The European soccer season technically ends after the Champions League final around late May or early June, but preseason exhibitions pick up in early July. Then there are also international matches (friendlies and cups) to also fill the void.
On Saturday, during halftime of the USMNT’s 1-1 draw with Venezuela, the preliminary 40-man roster for the 2017 Gold Cup was revealed. Manager Bruce Arena now has about three weeks to narrow that list down to the final cut of 23 players. The United States will open the tournament on July 8 against Panama.
This 40-player pool came with several surprises. MLS dominates the list with 32 of the selections being domestically-based. Here are a few of the more interesting decisions from Arena for the 2017 Gold Cup.
The biennial CONCACAF Gold Cup returns in 2017, and the continental governing body for the region has announced that the tournament, which runs from July 7-26, will be played out in 13 cities across the United States.
The 14th edition of the tournament will be contested by 12 teams, beginning with the group stage in early July. Of the three groups, we now know that Group B will be headlined by the United States and Group C will have Mexico.
Miguel “El Piojo” Herrera just took the Mexican National Team to a Gold Cup championship win against Jamaica earlier this week. This calls for a celebration right? Well, the win feels a bit hollow if you think about it. Mexico’s run in the tournament was mired in officiating controversy and allegations of corruption. Not only that, but Miguel Herrera reportedly punched a journalist in the neck on the way to his flight at the airport.
Miguel "El Piojo" Herrera is the coach of the Mexican national team, but maybe not for much longer after reports surfaced that he punched TV Azteca commentator Christian Martinoli in the neck at the Philadelphia airport Sunday.
Miguel Herrera reportedly lawyering up. Being told by colleagues he assaulted a journalist last night after Gold Cup final. #Developing
It is really easy to overhype players in soccer, especially young, talented forwards who like to beat a man. It’s just so tempting to see a couple highlights, a couple good displays and label them the next great thing. But you know what? That’s exactly what we’re about to do, with a little qualifying.
Jesus “Tecatito” Corona just won the CONCACAF Bright Future Award after helping Mexico win the Gold Cup, and there really is no arguing that he deserved it.