USL

FC Cincinnati, the USL darlings that averaged over 21,000 spectators per game last season while also achieving a historic run to the 2017 U.S.

If you haven’t heard of him before, this is 15-year-old Angeleno Efrain Alvarez. He was given a professional contract by the Los Angeles Galaxy back in March, becoming the seventh youngest signing in league history.

He was sent to LA Galaxy II in the USL to begin the season, and he’s tearing up the league at an astonishing rate. Today, he scored two absolute golazos against Portland Timbers 2.  

Rocco Commisso migrated to the U.S. from Italy at the age of 12 without a word of English, except maybe ‘no’, ‘yes’ and ‘may I use the bathroom, please.’ You know, the essentials. The Italian-American later founded Mediacom Communications Corporation, MCC, of which he’s also the CEO. The MCC is the fifth-largest cable television company in the country, which also makes the 68-year-old a Forbes billionaire. 

On top of that, Commisso is an avid soccer fan, whose views on the beautiful game are often provocative. 

What was in that water, Didier Drogba?

Phoenix Rising was playing LA Galaxy II in the USL on Friday night and the home side at the Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex did not get off to a strong start. The visitors scored three first-half goals and held a two-goal advantage heading into the break. 

But then, deep into the second half, Didier Drogba stole a kid’s water bottle from the sideline and everything changed. Drogba immediately assisted a goal with a corner kick and seven minutes later put Phoenix ahead with a penalty kick as the Rising won 4-3.

There was a time when the North American Soccer League was a valued member of the U.S. soccer community. Nowadays, the league is turning into a joke. As the narrative continues to worsen by the month, the NASL is essentially the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Freddy Adu is back, baby! On Saturday night, the future of U.S. soccer and the next Rivaldo returned to the pitch for the first time since before the Season 1 of Stranger Things came out. The Freddy Adu Las Vegas Lights debut is a sure sign that U.S. soccer is back on the right track, or something. Now 28 and on a baker’s dozen of different clubs, Adu’s preseason performance wasn’t actually that bad, despite an eventual 4-2 defeat to D.C. United. 

We previously wondered how the Las Vegas Lights FC pledge to be the boldest club in North American soccer would play out on the pitch. Having a fantastic, neon-tubed crest and a gaudy home shirt is one thing, but it’s the product on the field that’ll ultimately sustain any interest.

Five months into Las Vegas Lights FC and there’s almost too much to process here — which is entirely fitting for a club calling Vegas home. It began with the naming of the United Soccer League expansion team via an online poll back in August, with the Lights moniker beating out competition from other potentials like Viva Vegas and Club Vegas.

Just days after rediscovering his love for soccer and putting his professional career back in motion, Freddy Adu has popped up in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Adu is a trialist with USL expansion club the Las Vegas Lights.