Darwin Quintero, Minnesota United’s first-ever Designated Player signing, repaid in full his $1.65 million salary by scoring the club’s maiden hat-trick in Major League Soccer. What’s more, it was the greatest hat-trick in the history of the league. I can say that because I was there — look! Here’s a picture of Michael Bradley suffering in the Fourth of July heat whilst “shielding” his backline (he was awful).
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has shown his support for Sweden throughout the World Cup, but after being left off the 23-man squad despite his status as the nation’s all-time top goalscorer, you can bet that the Blue-Yellow’s march to the Round of 16 has been somewhat bittersweet for the 36-year-old.
Collin Martin, a 23-year-old Minnesota United midfielder, announced via Twitter that he is gay on Friday morning.
The announcement makes Martin the only active openly gay male athlete in major U.S. professional sports. LA Galaxy winger Robbie Rogers had previously held that mantle, but he retired in November.
Wayne Rooney is currently embarking on his journey to Major League Soccer — DC United to be exact. The Manchester United and England legend has been a rumored transfer target of the MLS club for a couple months now, but there was always a chance that the 32-year-old would elect to stay with Everton in the Premier League.
It was a wild ride for American midfielder Dax McCarty in 2017. In January, McCarty was recalled by the national team for the first time since 2011, but he was subsequently shocked to learn that after five and a half seasons with the New York Red Bulls, he’d been dealt to the Chicago Fire before the start of the new campaign.
McCarty then helped the USMNT triumph at the Gold Cup, starting in two group stage games and appearing in five games overall, including a late substitute appearance in the final against Jamaica.
Heading into the MLS World Cup break, the Los Angeles Galaxy got a much-needed 3-0 victory over Real Salt Lake on Saturday night with Zlatan Ibrahimovic heading in his side’s first two goals at the StubHub Center.
Five minutes before opening the scoring in the 61’, Ibrahimovic clashed with RSL defender Sunny following a scramble in the goalmouth that the visitors just managed to clear.
FC Cincinnati, the darlings of the 2017 U.S. Open Cup after a historic run to the semifinals of the competition, have been narrowly defeated by Minnesota United in this year’s fourth round following a penalty shootout at Nippert Stadium.
Go ahead and add Efrain Alvarez to the list of players who got away from U.S. Soccer, which is looking increasingly inept since October.
In a recent interview with SoccerAmerica, Mike Munoz, who coaches 15-year-old Efrain Alvarez at LA Galaxy II, said the exciting young prospect chose to defect from the USMNT youth setup to that of Mexico after the U.S. failed to include him in a camp last year.
What a weekend of goals we had! Lost in all the hullabaloo surrounding Gareth Bale’s remarkable bicycle kick and Loris Karius’ equally brilliant goofs, Major League Soccer threw up an insane solo effort from the Portland Timbers’ Samuel Armenteros.
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.