MLS

Reigning Major League Soccer MVP Carlos Vela topped the league's shirt sales during the 2020 season.

In a list announced Friday, the Los Angeles Galaxy's Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez came in second behind Vela in shirt sales on MLS's web store.

Vela opted out of the MLS Is Back Tournament near Orlando in the summer, and he finished the regular season with four goals in seven games. A year ago, he set an MLS single-season record with 34 goals.

Major League Soccer intends to start its 2021 regular season in early March and play a full season despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, league president and deputy commissioner Mark Abbott said Friday.

Instead of an April start date, as had been previously reported by Sports Business Journal, the league will target its usual early March kickoff.

Raul Ruidiaz scored in second-half stoppage time as the Seattle Sounders rallied for a 1-1 draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday night in Carson, Calif.

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez scored the lone goal for the Galaxy (6-11-4, 22 points, 1.05 points per game), who were eliminated from contention for the Major League Soccer playoffs when the San Jose Earthquakes beat Los Angeles FC 3-2 on Wednesday.

All MLS teams have one regular-season game remaining.

Former U.S. women's national soccer team coach Jill Ellis talked informally with D.C. United last week about the club's head-coaching vacancy, the Washington Post reported Thursday.

According to the newspaper, Ellis is believed to be the first woman ever viewed as a candidate to become the head coach of a Major League Soccer team. It's an idea The18 floated last year.

With several teams destined to finish the regular season without playing all of their scheduled games, Major League Soccer announced Thursday that qualification and seeding for the playoffs will be determined on a points-per-game basis.

Jaroslaw Niezgoda scored twice and added an assist as the Portland Timbers clinched a Major League Soccer playoff berth with a 5-2 victory against the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday night.

Diego Valeri, Eryk Williamson and Andy Polo also tallied and Yimmi Chara had three assists for the Timbers (10-5-5, 35 points). Portland moved into a second-place tie with the rival Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference, one point behind Sporting Kansas City.

There seems to be a growing consensus on social media that it’s job done after arriving at a European super club or that it’s only onwards and upwards for a player’s career from there. It’s hard not to get excited about CONCACAF footballers at some of the world’s biggest clubs, but it’s also worth remembering that the challenge really only begins once you get through the door.  

Look at Alexander Hleb’s career after arriving at Barcelona or Christian Poulsen at Juventus for examples of dream moves turned into living nightmares.

El Tráfico took center stage on Sunday afternoon as Los Angeles FC hosted the LA Galaxy at an empty Banc of California Stadium but with thousands watching the action unfold on national television. 

The standings — LAFC entered fifth in the Western Conference, the Galaxy dead last — and ESPN.com’s promo photo juxtaposing Bradley Wright-Phillips and Sebastian Lletget told you everything you needed to know about how much has changed for these two clubs over the past year.

The top team in this year's Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season will receive the Supporters' Shield after all, in a reversal of an earlier decision, the league said on Friday.

The Supporters' Shield Foundation said last week that awarding the prize "goes against the spirit of the Shield," amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has disrupted the season and resulted in fans being barred from stadiums.

But the foundation has reversed the decision after discussions with the MLS Independent Supporters Council.

Christian Torres' 93rd minute goal gave Los Angeles FC a 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers on Sunday night in Portland.

The 16-year-old forward, who entered as a substitute in the 75th minute, scored his first goal of the season, and LAFC stole two points from the Timbers (9-5-4, 31 points).

THE YOUNGEST PLAYER EVER TO SCORE FOR #LAFC.