Photo: Paul Rudderow

In conjunction with CoverSports, PSP is giving away two tickets to the home game against Chicago Fire on July 9, which is Ticket for Troops Night at Talen Energy Stadium. All you need to do to enter into the drawing for the giveaway is send an email to giveaway@phillysoccerpage.com with your name, address and phone number. The winner also will have the opportunity to participate in an on-field tribute with members of the military.

Philadelphia Union

The Union host NYRB tonight in the Round of 16 of the US Open Cup at 7 pm (US Soccer’s YouTube channel).

Jim Curtin said of facing Red Bull, whom the Union defeated on the road on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals in last year’s tournament, “There’s no denying the fact that we don’t like each other, for sure. They’re competitive. We’re a competitive team. They have a very good group. They’re in very good form. They’re playing some of the best soccer in our league right now. … And we’ll have to be ready enough for the fight.”

Who will be on the field? Curtin said, “We will both put our best lineups out there…You may see a change or two but not one where we rest five or six guys. I think it is proven in the league, when you rest five or six starters, you lose in MLS these days.”

Previews at Philadelphia Union (preview, game notes), US Soccer, Philly.com, Delco Times, Philly Soccer News, Brotherly Game (preview, three questions), Vavel, Philly Sports Nation, MLSsoccer.com, NYRB, Big Apple Soccer, Empire of Soccer, Once a Metro (preview, three questions).

Shaun Wright-Phillips recovery from a hamstring injury may see him available for selection for this weekend’s NYCFC-NYRB game but he is unlikely to be available for tonight’s US Open Cup game. MLSsoccer.com on NYRB’s high press.

Jim Curtin talked to reporters on Tuesday about the Union’s plans for the summer transfer window, which is open July 4 – August 3: “We’re going to be aggressive. We’re in a lot of talks with a lot of different people right now.

At CSN Philly, Curtin talks about the team adjusting to Vincent Nogueira’s departure. Curtin says Nogueira gave an “emotional” address to the team before he left. Dave Zeitlin writes, “Curtin denied any ‘speculation out there that he was unhappy here, stating unequivocally that ‘people in the room know that’s not true.'”

Andre Blake says of Nogueira’s sudden departure in the CSN Philly piece, “It did happen sudden. We were all surprised when we heard the story. It’s very sad and we do miss him. We are just trying to work hard — and maybe win this for him.” Crap, I think I’ve got something in my eye.

Vote Roland Alberg for MLSsoccer.com’s Player of the Month!

CSN Philly notes Alberg being named MLSsoccer.com’s Player of the Week. Jim Curtin is quoted: “It’s a good honor. I’m really happy with his contribution right now. And I think it’s the just start of something…You need multiple players that can score goals. And he’s a guy that can, whether it’s with his right foot, left foot. You’ve seen in very limited minutes, he’s already second on the team in shots on goal. He gets on the ball and his first look is to play forward and go to the goal.” Alberg joins Chris Pontius in being named Player of the Week, the first time the Union has had two players so honored in the same season.

Alberg is at No. 3 in the Audi MLS Player Index Top 20 for Week 16. He was also named to the Starting XI of the FIFA 16 Ultimate Team of the Week.

Vote Andre Blake for Save of the Week! Blake edged out Montreal’s Evan Bush in the first round of voting with 57.89 percent of the vote.

The Union drop one spot to No. 5 in the latest MLSsoccer.com Power Rankings: “Roland Alberg, welcome to MLS. The Dutch attacker bagged five goals this week as the Union offense cranked it up to 11. The problem is that the defense has been non-existent over the last 180 minutes, and they coughed up three home points vs. the ‘Caps as a result.”

At SI, Tranquillo Barnetta is a guest on the latest Planet Futbol Podcast to discuss Switzerland’s run at Euro 2016. Barnetta appeared for Switzerland in the 2004 and 2008 European championships.

Section 215 looks forward to CJ Sapong’s return from an ankle injury.

Is former Union man Gabriel Farfan set to join former Union man Michael Lahoud at Miami FC?

Bethlehem Steel FC

Unauthorized Bethlehem Steel FC Blog wonders when Eric Ayuk might rejoin the Cameroon team for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations third round first leg match at home against Libya on July 8. The second leg is scheduled for July 22.

Samir Badr was named to the bench in the latest USLsoccer.com Team of the Week.

The latest Cincinnati Soccer Talk podcast previews Saturday’s road game against FC Cincinnati.

Local

Pat Farrell, “the winningest head coach in La Salle men’s soccer history,” is retiring after 45 years with the program. Farrell became head coach in 1987 after first playing for the university (1971-74) and then becoming an assistant coach (1976-86).

MLS

Two US Open Cup games were played on Tuesday night. Chicago defeated Columbus 2-1 with a brace from David Accam. Seattle outlasted Salt Lake to win 4-1 on penalty kicks after the game was level at 1-1 following regulation and extra time.

Tim Howard was introduced as Colorado Rapids’ newest player on Tuesday.

Toronto goalkeeper Clint Irwin is out for six weeks with a quadriceps strain.

Montreal has signed 19-year-old midfielder David Choinière as a Homegrown Player. Earlier on Tuesday, Montreal announced it had waived defender Maxim Tissot in order to free up a roster spot.

CONCACAF has announced the schedule for group play in the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League. Vancouver travels to face Trinidad and Tobago’s Central FC on August 2. On August 3, New York Red Bulls host Guatemala’s Antigua GFC, and Portland Timbers host CD Dragon of El Salvador. FC Dallas hosts Nicaragua’s Real Esteli on August 4. Sporting Kansas City begins group play on the road against Central FC on August 16.

At Brotherly Game, Jared Young looks at whether parity has outlived its usefulness in MLS.

Minnesota United head coach Carl Craig is now on the list of people I want to have a couple of beers with.

US

Nike has phoned in US Soccer has unveiled the new USWNT home kits to be used exclusively for the Summer Olympics. Two changes are apparent from the softball-jersey-like men’s and women’s home kits that were released in March. First, the light blue sleeves have been replaced by “platinum” sleeves “embedded with metallic threads, preserving the performance properties of the kit’s high-performance yarn while producing an iridescent gleam.” Second, the US Soccer crest has been replaced with a simple “USA” in a light blue hue reminiscent of the replaced sleeve color. (Federation logos are not allowed on Olympic kits; the kits worn by the US women in the 2012 Olympics, for example, had no logo.) The socks for the home kits look like the gradiated blue socks that accompanied the 2015 US kits. The new design will be available for purchase beginning on July 23. Presumably, the US women will also wear the current terrible black/red/blue away kit with the federation logo swapped out during the tournament.

At Soccer America, a look at how the reduction in the number of FIFA international dates means the USMNT has fewer opportunities to test itself in friendlies against high quality opponents.

At ESPN, Michael Bradley makes the Copa America Centenario Worst XI: “It has to be said that Bradley was below par in this Copa. When the U.S. needed him to be at his very best in the semifinal against Argentina, Bradley was unable to come through as his wayward passing and failure to hold possession put the U.S. on their heels too many times.” Yep.

Lots of talk about Jurgen Klinsmann replacing Roy Hodgson as manager of England.

Elsewhere

C’mon, Lionel. Would you reconsider retirement from international soccer if the president of Argentina asks? How about Maradona? He didn’t really mean all those nasty things he said about you before. What if a statue of yourself is unveiled in Buenos Aires? Will you at least think about it?

ESPN puts Iceland’s 2-1 win over England in the Euro 2016 Round of 16 on Monday at No. 7 in its list of the all-time greatest upsets in international soccer. At No. 1 is the USA’s 1-0 victory over England in the 1950 World Cup.

ESPN reports, “Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo has announced that Republic of Ireland fans are to be honoured for their ‘exceptional’ behaviour during Euro 2016 by being awarded the Medal of the City of Paris.”

Brilliant:

https://twitter.com/WillGriggFire/status/747759068731826176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw