USA

An early goal from Mallory Pugh, followed by an Alex Morgan brace and Carli Lloyd’s 99th USWNT goal led to a 4-1 U.S. friendly victory over Mexico Thursday night in Jacksonville, Florida. Katie Johnson pulled one back for El Tri with a nice chip, but the U.S. showed why they’re the overwhelming favorites at next October’s CONCACAF Women’s Championship.

Mallory Pugh scored the opening goal for the USWNT against Mexico on Thursday night, continuing her scorching start to 2018. The 19-year-old’s strike was her fourth of the year for the U.S., including a January brace against Denmark and last month’s goal against France in the SheBelieves Cup.

Captain Alex Morgan took possession in Mexico’s attacking third and played Megan Rapinoe into the box. Rapinoe used the outside of her right boot to flick the ball beyond the onrushing keeper and towards the streaking Pugh.

The Highlands Ranch native did the rest.

We interrupt your regularly-scheduled Champions League reactions and analysis to bring you a heartwarming story out of Central Michigan University that involves a soccer player, a drowning squirrel and "The Office."

In October, U.S. soccer fans wanted blood. They wanted change and they wanted it yesterday. They wanted to see something tangible to show U.S. Soccer was actually trying. Finally, they have something. Nearly five months after the USMNT failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, U.S. Soccer announced its first major youth initiative to help ensure such failure never happens again: bio-banding.

Chivas beat the New York Red Bulls 1-0 on Wednesday in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions League semifinals. The Goats were the only Liga MX team (out of three, Club America didn't play an MLS side because LOL FC Dallas) to beat an MLS side in the quarterfinals, and it appears they still want blood.

Chivas's Isaac Brizuela was awarded the Rocket League Goal of the Game award, which is the award you get if you score the only goal in the game.

Bruce Arena (with the help of Jurgen Klinsmann and some uninspired performances from the players) failed to qualify the U.S. for the 2018 World Cup. Now he wants to monetize that failure with a new autobiography. The Bruce Arena book is titled “What's Wrong with US?: A Coach’s Blunt Take on the State of American Soccer After a Lifetime on the Touchline,” a clear and obvious money grab revolving around a fiasco of his own creation. 

“The football I grew up playing is no longer there. Today, all players care about are their cars, their shoes with their names on, and their image. While for me, the only thing that counted was football. Nothing else.” -Miroslav Klose

Football is under attack. It’s a sentiment that, regardless of how much it resonates with you, is often expressed and passionately argued. Whatever the reason, be it the influx of money, the unsporting concentration of talent or the diminished draw of the international game, there’s cause for cynicism. 

So some giant Swede came to America last week and showed everyone how to do the soccer. Needless to say, people went nuts. Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his debut for the LA Galaxy over the weekend and made an immediate impact. Of course he did. The Zlatan debut goals had sports fans of all types absolutely buzzing Saturday afternoon.

A year and a half ago, Zlatan Ibrahimovic told the world that he’d been thinking about a move to North America. “It’s a huge option for me,” said the Manchester United striker. “For the football and everything else. I can see myself conquering the U.S. as I have with Europe. Lots of people stay in one place throughout their career, but I’ve travelled around like Napoleon, and conquered every new country where I’ve sat foot.