Preview

Jurgen Klinsmann has named a vastly experienced starting eleven for Friday night’s World Cup qualifying match against Mexico in Columbus, Ohio. The only real deviance from that formula is the inclusion of 18-year-old Christian Pulisic, but the Borussia Dortmund starlet was widely tipped to start tonight.

In the absence of Geoff Cameron, John Brooks and Omar Gonzalez will anchor the center of defense for the Americans. Fabian Johnson has been pushed into midfield, and DeAndre Yedlin will have to accept a place on the bench as Timmy Chandler will start on the outside of defense. 

The United States of America

The United States vs. Mexico is one of the footballing world’s biggest international rivalries. The games are always intense, and the two sides clearly do not like each other. They have played 66 times dating back to 1934, with Mexico holding the overall advantage with 34 victories, 14 draws and only 18 losses.

The 2016 MLS Playoffs are already two weeks old, and 12 matches are in the books. However, with the international break arriving, the road to the MLS Cup takes a brief hiatus. Luckily for a few teams dealing with injuries, the extra time off to prepare for the 2016 MLS Conference Championships is exactly what’s needed. 

A slug fest in Colorado and a back and forth affair in Texas bookended the action on Sunday. Let’s take a look at the results from both second leg matches, TV schedule information for the conference finals and an updated prediction.

There is so much hype going into the Brazil versus Argentina match that it is tough to even decide where to begin. Arguably the most heated international derby on the planet, every time Brazil and Argentina meet it’s a special occasion. This Thursday’s match, however, has some extra plot elements that make this particular encounter a unique and spicy affair. 

Eight months after the kick off to the 2016 campaign, the MLS season has finally reached the playoff stage. In a case of switching identifies, last year’s champions, the Portland Timbers, failed to make the knockout round, while typical basement dwellers Colorado were a pacesetting team from start to finish. San Jose, Houston and Vancouver join Portland on the outside looking in, all hoping to be next year’s Rapids. 

After yet another impressive season, FC Dallas finish top of the Western Conference and MLS, winning the 2016 Supporters’ Shield. 

Bob Bradley was appointed as the new coach for Swansea City on October 3rd, becoming the first American to manage in the Premier League. 

Swansea are currently struggling at the bottom of the table with one win, one draw and six losses in their first eight games. They are in 19th position and decided to let Italian manager Francesco Guidolin go after only 25 matches in charge.

We recently found out that soccer has caused Carli Lloyd a lot of family drama and strained relationships over the years, but now she might be ready to put soccer aside and focus on her family. 

On April 9, 2013, Borussia Dortmund gained the fandom of millions around the world — or maybe it was just me. Dortmund had already achieved domestic success and Champions League glory in the past, but most fans (once again, me) cared more for their FIFA video game squad chemistry than their actual real-life play.