MLS

With the loss of the San Diego Chargers to Los Angeles, San Diego has become a frontrunner for MLS expansion as the league looks to fill that void. Backed by SoccerCity San Diego’s vision for a 30,000-seat soccer-specific stadium within a 25-acre district of entertainment and eateries, the formative club are looking to build from the ground up by having the public vote on things like the team name, colors, logo and uniforms.

Only three games into the 2017 MLS regular season, Real Salt Lake have decided to fire manager Jeff Cassar. RSL have gone winless with one draw and two losses, and they've only managed to score one goal.

Cassar had been associated with the organization since 2007, serving as an assistant under Jason Kreis, including during Real Salt Lake's 2009 MLS Cup win. The team also reached the 2011 CONCACAF Champions League final.

Saturday’s match between the winless New England Revolution and the winless Minnesota United FC was never going to be billed as an instant classic. It never promised to raise hell in the cavernous amphitheater that is Gillette Stadium, but as far as home openers go, the people of New England should at least be expecting a product that befits the designation of America’s top soccer division.

The Chicago Fire have signed 32-year-old German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger from Manchester United, handing him one of the top 10 biggest contracts in the league. Schweinsteiger could make his Chicago debut as early as April 1 against Montreal.

According to FOX Soccer, the transfer fee is around $4.5 million. Schweinsteiger joined Manchester United from Bayern Munich back in July of 2015 for almost $10 million, but he struggled to make an impact at the club under Louis van Gaal. 

Whatever happens in the return leg, this CONCACAF Champions League first leg between FC Dallas and Pachuca is now the benchmark for all MLS clubs. This competition doesn’t favor MLS sides (Dallas are only just beginning their work for the 2017 season), and there’s still obviously a large gap between almost all MLS and Liga MX clubs, but this was the best team in MLS, backed by the best academy, unfortunate to only win 2-1 on the night.

Tigres moved one step closer to their first-ever CONCACAF Champions League title by defeating Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 in the first leg of the semifinals. An own goal from ‘Caps defender Kendall Waston and a half-volley from Chilean international Eduardo Vargas will have Tigres confident of seeing things through ahead of the return leg in Vancouver. 

Vancouver surprised everyone by making it this far in the competition, and their only hope was to give themselves a chance at BC Place by defending resolutely in the first leg.

The LA Galaxy challenged the Portland Timbers, and our MLS Rankings of Power, by posting a disparaging meme aimed at Diego Chara and David Guzman after the two combined to get Jelle Van Damme sent off on Sunday.

Van Damme was booked for both tackles although he made contact with neither player. Guzman actually spectacularly injured himself with his dive, which is another joke in and of itself.

Orlando City SC's new stadium is a beautiful piece of architecture that the team and their fan base will be proud of for years to come. It might also hold one of the most passionate fan bases in all of MLS as well.