In the run up to the first-ever "El Tráfico" – tha name fans have given the MLS derby between LA Galaxy and LAFC – the media hype focused on the Galaxy's recent acquisition of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Certainly Zlatan did little to dissuade the attention, quipping at a press conference that it feels good to be better than the four billion, or so, other footballers in the world.
France defeated Russia 3-1 on Tuesday in a friendly at Saint Petersburg’s Krestovsky Stadium (the most expensive World Cup stadium of all time) with a brace from Kylian Mbappe and a wonderfully struck free kick from sometimes Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba.
Nobody expected a 36-year-old Landon Donovan (who’d really been out of the game for a few years) to tear it up with Club Leon following his shock return to soccer, but we certainly expected more than just four league appearances totaling 37 minutes after joining back on Jan. 12.
Minutes have been hard to come by for Donovan as manager Gustavo Diaz monitors his progress. However, with a match against Tigres looming next Saturday, Donovan might’ve forced himself into the conversation with this instinctive finish against the San Jose Earthquakes.
The sixth season of the National Women’s Soccer League kicked off yesterday with the Seattle Reign hosting the Washington Spirit as one of three matches on opening day. The Reign defeated the Spirit 2-1 at Memorial Stadium in Seattle thanks to goals from USWNT star Megan Rapinoe and new signing Jodie Taylor, an English international.
Rapinoe’s goal came in the 7th minute — a wonderfully struck free kick from over 25 yards out that left Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe, an offseason acquisition from Orlando, no chance.
Here’s an argument against the Video Assistant Referee: having assistant referees that are 100% infallible. During Uruguay’s friendly against the Czech Republic today (it’s technically the China Cup), Edinson Cavani scored an absolute banger that, when watching live, looked miles offside.
We never give assistant referees enough credit when they greatly contribute to positive, attacking football, but the linesman absolutely nailed one of the most difficult calls in the game here, and now we have a memorable goal that stands to show for it.
Liverpool crushed Watford 5-0 on Saturday with Mohamed Salah leading the way with four goals and an assist for the Reds. Salah’s goals brought him to the top of the charts in both the Premier League and European Golden Boot races with 28 domestic strikes.
It’s ridiculously absurd, but Salah is now averaging MORE than a goal per game in the Premier League. On average, it’s taking the Egyptian only 85 minutes per goal in the EPL — a statistic that’s frankly implausible.
With 14 goals from direct free kicks, Sebastian Giovinco is the all-time leader in MLS history. What’s even more remarkable is that it’s only taken three seasons of play for Giovinco to hit that mark.