A grain of salt. Perhaps the perfect idiom for MLS Matchweek 5. As teams traversed the FIFA-recognized international break, it became abundantly clear that some squads were better at handling life without their superstars than others. This imbalance made for some surprising results, but overall, a thoroughly entertaining week of games.
As the weeks go on and the league table begins to take shape, favorites begin to emerge and we can start to see trends more clearly. MLS has belonged to Philadelphia and LAFC for the past year, but is that the case anymore? Sure, Denis Bouanga can’t stop scoring, but other teams are finally having their say. After MLS Matchweek 3, here are five things we learned.
The love we have for Concacaf is hard to explain. The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football is unlike any other region in the world. It’s so unique in fact that the name Concacaf can be construed into being a verb, adjective, noun… you get the point.
On Tuesday night the 2023 Concacaf Champions League got underway and didn’t disappoint with some wild results and shenanigans.
Tigres se quedó con las ganas de celebrar su cumpleaños 63 como los libros mandan. Pese al esperado regreso de André-Pierre Gignac, fuera un par de semanas por problemas musculares, los felinos no lograron doblegar a Orlando City e iniciaron su participación en la Concacaf Champions League con un triste 0-0.
Y si bien el partido no dejó puntos en San Nicolás de los Garza, sí dejó una serie de conversaciones.
For MLS teams who are just beginning their domestic seasons, the Champions League can act as a distraction or a potential hurdle to not be taken out by. Injuries are to be avoided and as we saw last season when Seattle won the entire tournament, becoming the first team in league history to do so, they struggled to continue that form after reaching their continental pinnacle.
The matchups for the SCCL 2023 Round of 16 are defined!
The Leagues Cup this summer featuring Liga MX and MLS teams will be a historic tournament and crossover between the two leagues. For the first time every team from both leagues will compete in the same tournament at the same time.
Usually, the only time an MLS and Liga MX team faced off was in the Concacaf Champions League for just a select few. Now every team is involved and guaranteed to play at least one opponent from the rival league.
Wondering who your favorite team will play? Let’s look at the Leagues Cup draw that happened on Friday.
It's only Decision Day but the MLS Cup Playoffs have started in mind, body and spirit with the Eastern Conference picture now clear.
In a remarkable winner-take-all showdown between Orlando City and Columbus Crew at Exploria Stadium on Sunday, the Crew — needing only a league-leading 17th draw to qualify for the playoffs — threw away a 1-0 lead to crash out of the main event.
Here we are. Decision Day. A season potentially summed up in one moment. For the seven teams whose campaigns still hang in the balance, defeat is simply not an option. For spectators, the tension has been turned up to the max as six of the seven sides play each other in their final games of the season. After 90 minutes of intensity, stress will give way to both elation and agony. As we go into Decision Day, let’s break down what every team is playing for.
The business end of the MLS season is upon us, and with the MLS playoffs kicking off in just under a month, every game matters. Only six sides have officially been eliminated from playoff contention going into the international break and the race for the Supporter’s Shield is very much alive. Following Match Week 32, let’s break down what every team is playing for from here on out.
Remaining Opponents: Charlotte FC, Toronto FC
Soccer doesn’t have walk-offs like baseball or other American sports, but Orlando City came about as close as possible against NYCFC on Sunday night. Tesho Akindele’s goal in the 96th minute gave Orlando City a 2-1 win and some much-needed breathing space as the season begins to reach its crescendo.
STOPPAGE TIME WINNER AT THE DEATH FOR @OrlandoCitySC! pic.twitter.com/Wywhm5p8hw