USMNT

Tim Howard’s presence in MLS was clearly felt during his return on Monday as the American goalkeeper registered a shutout in the 0-0 draw between Colorado Rapids, Howard’s new club, and the reigning MLS champion Portland Timbers.

Howard’s debut electrified Colorado’s fanbase — the club typically averages 14,978 spectators per match but had a season-best 18,759 attend Monday’s July 4th matchup.

Rapids fans were keen to see Howard and Jermaine Jones, both returning from Copa America action with the United States, take the field together for the first time for the club.

The United States were punished 2-0 by Colombia on Friday night to open the 2016 Copa America Centenario. A heavily pro-Colombian crowd in Santa Clara, California, watched as Geoff Cameron carelessly allowed Cristian Zapata to put his side ahead early before James Rodriguez capitalized from the spot on a sophomoric handball from DeAndre Yedlin.

The United States kicks off the Copa America Centenario on Friday against the world’s fourth ranked team, Colombia. For Jurgen Klinsmann and the US, the match is similar to their World Cup opener against Ghana two years ago. In a difficult group containing Colombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay, the USA needs a positive result if they are to harbor any hope of advancing to the quarterfinals.

Jurgen Klinsmann’s record and accomplishments with the United States national team are well known. After winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2013, his fortunes have gradually taken a turn for the worse. The 2016 Copa America represents a massive chance for Klinsmann and the US squad to make the country proud again, but of the highest importance is the continued buildup to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The United States enters the 2016 Copa America Centenario with the support of an entire nation behind them, but realistic expectations call for a quarterfinal showing at best. For US manager Jurgen Klinsmann, this tournament represents a glorious opportunity to defy the odds and reach the tournament semifinals. 

Standing in the way of the US includes a difficult group containing Colombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay and a potential quarterfinal matchup against either Brazil or Ecuador.

As the 2015-16 Premier League season draws to a close, it’s time to honor and award those whose performances have captivated us over the course of the last nine months. It’s also a great time to shame those whose performances call into question the morality behind million dollar contracts and the myth of the sporting superhuman. These are the players whose performances will stick with us for all the wrong reasons; the biggest underachievers and flops of the 2015-16 Premier League season. 

Let’s get this out of the way: there was absolutely nothing Tim Howard could do about this second goal from Stoke City’s Xherdan Shaqiri on Monday. The ball over the top is sublime and Shaqiri’s first touch is even more sensational, lobbing the ball over Howard and into the top corner with zero hesitancy.

Jurgen Klinsmann’s USMNT squad has lost its last two games, including one very important defeat against Mexico in which the lost the chance to play in the Russia 2017 Confederations Cup.

July 11th, 2006: Street cleaners are still working on tidying up Berlin’s fan mile after more than half a million Germans had gathered to salute Die Mannschaft on their improbable run to third place in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

When DeAndre Yedlin was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur in 2014, it was music to Jurgen Klinsmann’s ears as he finally began to see more American national players move to Europe. As the MLS continues to grow and develop into an elite league, it becomes very important for players on Klinsmann’s current roster to play big European matches.