Liverpool opened the Premier League season as we all expected: a runaway 4-1 rout of newly promoted Norwich City at Anfield.
The Champions League winners had little trouble with the Championship winners, with the lone downside being losing the clean sheet and goalkeeper Alisson to injury.
But one thing really stood out and bothered me deeply on Friday: those hideous Liverpool socks.
As Arsenal and Manchester United’s recent dominance of the FA Community Shield shows (the two clubs had combined to win the event on five of the past six occasions prior to today’s match), England’s annual curtain-raiser is a sign of very little to come in the season ahead.
A crowd of 37,040 was on hand at the Rose Bowl in Southern California to watch the USWNT kick off its Victory Tour with a 3-0 win over the Republic of Ireland on Saturday night. First half goals from Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan and Carli Lloyd settled things by the 41st minute, and 17 different World Cup-winners made an appearance on the night, although star attractions Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe both missed the match while recovering from minor injuries.
Atlanta United thrashed the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-0 — although the Five Stripes only scored one goal of their own — in front of 72,548 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday night, the largest regular season crowd in MLS history.
Two own goals cursed the Galaxy, and without the legendary Zlatan Ibrahimovic up top, who was serving a one-game suspension, the team went cold in attack.
Christian Pulisic already looks like he’s going to be a good signing for Chelsea. The 20-year-old American has been impressive so far with the Blues, putting in a stellar performance against Barcelona and scoring twice against Salzburg.
England’s best non-top-six club is through to the Europa League third qualifying round thanks to a standout performance from Mexico international Raúl Jiménez on Thursday. The El Tri star scored a brace in Wolves’ 4-1 demolition of Northern Ireland’s Crusaders FC, easing the Premier League side into the next round 6-1 on aggregate.
The North Carolina Courage kept pace with the league-leading Portland Thorns on Saturday after recording an impressive 2-1 road victory over the Utah Royals at Rio Tinto Stadium.
An announced crowd of 10,545 was on its feet in the 13th minute following a sensational opener from World Cup-winner Christen Press. The 30-year-old attacker now has two goals in two games since returning from France, including a strike last week that was voted the NWSL’s Goal of the Week.
18-year-old American Sergiño Dest made his Ajax senior debut on Saturday in the Johan Cruijff Shield, going the full 90 minutes and helping his side to its first piece of silverware this season following a 2-0 victory over Chucky Lozano’s PSV.
Dest impressed last season for Jong Ajax, the club’s reserve team, while making 17 appearances in the Eerste Divisie (the Dutch second tier) and tallying one goal and two assists. He also scored one goal and provided one assist in seven appearances in the prestigious UEFA Youth League.
Last night in Bridgeview, Illinois, a crowd of 17,388 turned up at SeatGeek Stadium to watch the Chicago Red Stars defeat the North Carolina Courage 2-1 in NWSL play. For a bit of perspective, the Chicago Fire has averaged a gate of 11,209 throughout the 2019 MLS season. According to ESPN’s Sarah Spain, it was the first-ever sellout for a Chicago women’s professional soccer team.
On Saturday night, the Houston Dash faced off against the Washington Spirit in Boyds, Maryland, where both teams had their fair share of opportunities on goal.
After an hour delay at halftime due to lightning, the Spirit came out strong and found the back of the net first. Midfielder Jordan DiBiasi received a deflected ball off a long throw-in from Sam Staab, and DiBiasi got her head on it to give the Spirit the lead in the 52nd minute.