The United States men’s national team announced it will play a friendly against Morocco in June as preparation for the 2022 World Cup. Cincinnati, Ohio, will host the friendly at FC Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium.
We're coming back, Cincy!
— USMNT: Qualified. (@USMNT) April 20, 2022
MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United appointed a new manager in Dutchman Erik ten Hag on Thursday with some very familiar language used to announce his arrival from Ajax.
"During the past four years at Ajax, Erik has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth," said United's football director John Murtough.
We're under two months away from the all-important Concacaf U-20 Championship in Honduras, which serves as qualifying for both the 2023 U-20 World Cup in Indonesia and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
It's going to be a wild tournament with 20 teams competing — the U.S. is in Group E alongside Canada, Cuba and Saint Kitts and Nevis — but only the semifinalists qualify for the World Cup while the Olympic spots are reserved for the two finalists.
Talking points from the weekend's Premier League action:
RONALDO DOES IT AGAIN
Once again Manchester United put in a below-par performance. Once again they needed David de Gea saves to bail them out, and once again Cristiano Ronaldo came to the rescue with a hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Norwich City on Saturday.
American goalkeeper Zack Steffen had an all-time fail in the FA Cup semifinal vs. Liverpool to give the Reds a 2-0 lead early in the game. This is the second year in-a-row that Steffen has gotten the start in a FA Cup semifinal and made a horrible blunder. Here’s Saturday’s Steffen fail vs. Liverpool.
MANE CATCHES ZACK STEFFEN SLEEPING pic.twitter.com/X7GYqHqB04
Concussions are a big topic in American sports with strict protocols in place to avoid athletes suffering severe head injuries. Hell, America has an entire movie literally called “Concussion.” FIFA and UEFA don’t appear to be on the same wavelength as head injuries aren’t taken too seriously. A Phil Foden head injury in the Champions League vs. Atlético Madrid was a prime example.
For the first time since 1994, the World Cup is back in North America. Sixteen cities — 11 in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada — will be holding matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The host sites for 2026 World Cup games will be finalized in the first half of 2022, and, to no one's surprise, the games being contested in the United States will be played at rather large football stadiums.
Canada and Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies is learning how one simple comment can create a media whirlwind. I hate to add onto the storm, but as someone who writes about soccer, I must answer the question people might be asking. That question being: what did Alphonso Davies say about Harry Maguire?
Maguire has had a season to forget with Manchester United. His games have been strewn with mistakes, errors and opponents scoring goals. United’s captain and head of defense has received hefty criticism and has almost become public enemy No. 1 for United fans.
Some of the worst USA soccer chants are used far too often.
When the United States was paired with England in the 2022 World Cup draw, I knew there were going to be problems. With the shared language and historic rivalry on and off the field, there was bound to be beef. Fights on the internet broke out almost immediately between the two fan bases, with England fans pointing out Americans’ chants.
There comes a time when every footballer experiences defeat on a totally embarrassing level. Lionel Messi has lost 8-2; Cristiano Ronaldo has twice been defeated 5-0. Fortuna's wheel is always turning.
But the great wisdom imparted by this game is to "meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same." One must be gracious in victory and defeat, but this old cliché is always put to the test when you're on the receiving end of a thrashing.