MLS

It was only 109 days ago that Toronto FC was being hailed as the greatest side in MLS history after pushing Chivas to a penalty shootout in the final of the CONCACAF Champions League. Now, TFC’s in very real danger of missing the MLS Cup Playoffs and a chance at defending its 2017 title. 

On Sunday, Toronto was defeated 3-2 by Eastern Conference rivals New York City FC in front of nearly 28,000 at BMO Field. It was a massive match for the Reds and a crucial opportunity to cut into the seven-point gap that separates them from Montreal for the East’s sixth and final playoff spot. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic did not play in the MLS All-Star Game last week. As a consequence, Major League Soccer suspended its biggest star for the LA Galaxy’s 2-1 loss to the lowly Colorado Rapids on Saturday. 

Of course, Zlatan could not stay quiet about this suspension. Speaking with reporters on Thursday, the hulking Swede said “no comment” while also making quite a comment.

Bastian Schweinsteiger scored the seventh goal of his MLS career last night (his fourth of the 2018 season), and it was undoubtedly the best strike of his Chicago Fire tenure. Chicago was trailing 1-0 in the 48th minute after Damir Kreilach had given Real Salt Lake the advantage, but Schweinsteiger quieted the 19,817 inside Rio Tinto Stadium with this sensational long-range bomb. 

All-star games should be about having fun, lackadaisical defense and offensive firepower. At least the MLS All-Star Game got one of those right on a record-breaking Wednesday night in Atlanta.

ESPN gave starting MLS All-Star goalkeeper Brad Guzan a mic and earpiece, allowing him to speak with the TV commentators in the middle of the match against Juventus. 

It was stupid, gimmicky, dumb — and we absolutely loved it.

We weren’t the only ones who loved it. 

On June 9, the USMNT drew with France 1-1. On June 13, the United States was awarded the 2026 World Cup. On July 30, LA Galaxy phenom and California native Efrain Alvarez admitted that he’d still be open to representing the U.S. over Mexico. Ladies and gentleman, in the aftermath of missing the world’s greatest event because of a defeat to Trinidad & Tobago, I’m not at all opposed to calling this a new golden era in U.S. soccer. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is perhaps best known for two things: his scoring ability and his big mouth. Unsurprisingly, the two go hand in hand. Though he has a habit of making audacious, eye-roll-inducing claims about his talent, he's quick to back up his words with goals of both great beauty and frequency.

The rumors were confirmed Wednesday that 17-year-old Canadian phenom Alphonso Davies would be joining Bayern Munich come January on a transfer that could rise to as high as $22 million, but for now, the Vancouver Whitecaps winger is free to continue his breakout season in MLS — Saturday night was perhaps his best performance as a professional.