The U.S. Open Cup didn’t disappoint on Tuesday, with Sporting KC and FC Dallas combining for three red cards and three extra-time goals in a wild game at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.
The home side prevailed 3-0 despite going down a man in the 15th minute. The full highlights are worth the watch:
Andre Blake captained Jamaica to a winning start at the 2017 Gold Cup on Sunday, keeping a clean sheet and recording six saves in the Reggae Boyz victory over Caribbean rivals Curacao.
The international heroics from the 26-year-old goalkeeper were no different from what he’s been accomplishing with the Philadelphia Union throughout the first half of the 2017 season.
Alphonso Davies has yet to score in his burgeoning Major League Soccer career, but the 16-year-old Canadian phenom bagged his first and second goals for the national team in only his second international appearance.
Nobody likes a big decision more than MLS official Baldomero Toledo. Toledo once set the precedent for what would happen if a player ever took off their jersey only to reveal another jersey underneath — he brandished a second yellow and sent the player off.
After playing the hero on June 25 against the Portland Timbers, Clint Dempsey was back at it as the Seattle Sounders rolled the Colorado Rapids on July 4th, 3-1. Dempsey, who’s struggled along with the rest of the Sounders attack this season, looks back to his best after registering a brace and an assist on the night, taking his total number of goals this season to seven from 16 games.
Roland Alberg doesn’t need time to find his way into a match. He doesn’t even really need to set his feet, apparently.
Alberg just swings his legs and this magic happens on his first touch.
First touch after stepping on the field. That's bold.#JoinOrDie pic.twitter.com/fXf7ffnnnQ
Major League Soccer is home to some miserable road teams, with four squads failing to win a single away fixture about halfway through the season.
Two of those sides met Saturday night in Denver. Marlon Hairston scored twice and Tim Howard came up with some big saves as the Rapids beat the Dynamo 3-1, leaving Houston 0-7-2 on the road.
Houston, Minnesota and Colorado all have seven road losses without a win, though the former two have both drawn twice. New England is 0-6-3 away from home.
Minnesota United ventured to Yankee Stadium on Thursday and, as has been the case on their travels all season, got thumped. Christian Ramirez capitalized on an error from New York City FC goalkeeper Erik Johanen to give Minnesota an early lead, but goals from Alexander Callens, Jack Harrison and a lovely individual effort from David Villa put NYCFC ahead for good with just over an hour gone.
Jesse Gonzalez is probably the best young goalkeeper in MLS. The 22-year-old FC Dallas goalie is tall, athletic and composed. Sounds perfect for the USMNT, right? I mean, Tim Howard and Brad Guzan are getting older, and there hasn't been a heir apparent to step into their shoes.
The problem was until today, Gonzalez was actually in Mexico's player pool. However, Gonzalez filed paperwork for a one-time national team switch, and today FIFA approved the move. This is a big deal. Gonzalez has a while to go before he even hits his prime, and he's already really good.
A record-setting crowd of 32,287 packed into FC Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium to watch their club take on surging MLS side Chicago Fire in the Round of 16 of the U.S. Open Cup. Perhaps there’s no greater barometer for the growth of the sport in America than the fact that this wasn’t just a quirky Wednesday night excursion to the stadium to watch Bastian Schweinsteiger for FCC faithful, this was a seething cauldron of tensions and daring expectancies.