Chalk up another missed opportunity for the U.S. men’s soccer program to qualify for an international competition. For the third straight time, the U.S. men failed to qualify for the Olympics, losing 2-1 to Honduras after a horrific howler from the American keeper on Sunday evening in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Five straight friendly wins for the U.S. after it beat Northern Ireland 2-1 on Sunday, a rare victory in Europe; nine games without a loss tallying a 33-5 goal margin. The USMNT is playing better than it has in years, and while the competition hasn’t been the best, there’s an undeniable new mood around the team.
Over the years FIFA has been opposed to players, teams and fans engaging in protests or sloganeering but it seems global soccer's governing body is perhaps now prepared to tolerate a blurring of the line it once drew between politics and sport.
On Wednesday, Norway's national team players wore T-shirts declaring "Human rights - on and off the pitch" as they lined up before their World Cup qualifier against Gibraltar, and the following day Germany made a similar protest before its qualifier against Iceland in Duisburg.
Following the victory over Jamaica, USMNT's next opponent is Northern Ireland on Sunday. The two sides will meet in Belfast for just their second matchup ever — the first being a 5-0 friendly victory for Northern Ireland in a 1948 friendly.
Midfielder Christian Pulisic returned to the United States men's national team after a 17-month absence in a 4-1 win against Jamaica on Thursday in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.
Sergiño Dest scored his first goal in his sixth match in the 34th minute and Brenden Aaronson made it 2-0 in the 52nd before Jamaica's Jamal Lowe halved the deficit in the 70th minute. Sebastian Lletget scored in the 83rd and 90th minutes to seal the win.
This Sergiño Dest goal vs Jamaica deserves to be hung in the Louvre.
The Barcelona defender played out of his mind in the opening 45 minutes of the USMNT’s friendly against Jamaica. Playing in the left back position — as opposed to his typical right back position with Barcelona — didn't faze Dest at all.
After bagging a brace for Barcelona on Sunday against Real Sociedad, Dest kept his shooting boots laced up with this beauty from 25 yards out.
The dispute over dual nationality players escalated to a new magnitude before the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship as five players chose the USMNT over Mexico, although the Mexican federation was able to get Efraín Álvarez to play with Tata Martino's senior side.
After grinding out a win against Costa Rica last Thursday, the United States U-23s took care of business on Sunday night by beating the Dominican Republic 4-0 in Olympic qualifying at Estadio Akron. If Mexico beats or ties Costa Rica in Sunday’s later game, the U.S. is through to the semifinals. If Costa Rica wins, Wednesday’s group finale against Mexico takes on meaning again.
With 10 matches remaining, it’s as you were in LaLiga with the three top sides all winning over the weekend.
On Saturday, Karim Benzema’s brace lifted Real Madrid over Celta Vigo. On Sunday afternoon, Luis Suárez’s 500th career goal gave Atlético a nervy win over Alavés. On Sunday evening, Barcelona decimated fifth-place Real Sociedad 6-1 for a fifth straight league win.
Chelsea advanced to the semifinals of the FA Cup with a narrow 2-0 win over Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. An Oliver Norwood own goal opened the scoring for the Blues, but the Blades came close to equalizing on a number of occasions before Hakim Ziyech’s insurance strike in second half stoppage time put Thomas Tuchel’s side through.
Following a corner kick, it was Ben Chilwell’s hopeful hit back into the area that forced Norwood to turn it beyond Aaron Ramsdale.