Photo: Earl Gardner

Philadelphia Union

With Conor Casey missing Saturday’s game in Vancouver due to yellow card accumulation, John Hackworth acknowledged Aaron Wheeler is a “great option” while Jack McInerney may need to adjust to a “different role.” Hackworth said Casey’s absence is “going to be tough, because we’ve truly established the way we play not solely around him but around what he gives us. Probably the only guy on our roster similar to Conor is Aaron Wheeler and Aaron has done well, too. So it gives us some options tactically to try to figure out how we’re going to match up against Vancouver.”

Keon Daniel is back from international duty with Trinidad & Tobago at the Gold Cup. John Hackworth said of the midfielder, “He is one of the best possession players we have for sure. He’s very skillful, his feet are excellent and he has such a calm demeanor about him. Nothing rattles him…We have to find a way to integrate him back into the team. It comes down to competition in training. But he’s looked really good this week and we’re happy to have him back.”

Daniel said, “Whatever the coach decides, I’m fine with it. I’ll just keep working hard. If he puts me in to play, I’ll be the same player I was before I left. If he says I sit, I’ll sit.”

Hackworth said about Fabinho: “Him playing at left mid has given us a boost, and he’s done well. We feel a lot more comfortable putting him in an attacking position. But he’s a true left back, so we have cover in the back if need be. He’s a versatile player in that whether he’s off the bench or in the starting lineup, he gives us the ability to make a couple moves with one player.”

If you looked at our quick reference, you know that the series history between the Union and Vancouver is a brief three games. At the Union website, Kevin Kinkead takes another look.

Here’s a preview from the Vancouver Whitecaps website. Look for PSP’s preview later today.

PSP also contributed a short update on the Union and preview on the Vancouver game for The Guardian’s weekly MLS roundup.

The Vancouver Sun on the artificial playing surface at Vancouver’s BC Place stadium.

The Sun also reports that Kekuta Manneh, the Timber’s fourth overall pick in last January’s SuperDraft, could start against the Union.

our story from Thursday on how a deal that would have seen Danny Califf return to the Union fell apart.

At MLSsoccer.com, Dave Zeitlin has an excellent long form profile on the path and promise of Jack McInerney. It’s a must read.

Kerith Gabriel profiles the long-running lunchtime pickup game that takes place at YSC Sports and notes that all of the proceeds from people paying to play go into the Union’s academy system. Says YSC Sports owner Richie Graham,  “The idea behind all of those programs is that 100 percent of the profits benefit and fund our Union related youth development activities. Essentially, it’s the idea that an adult soccer player likes what we provide and says ‘Hey, I want to work out at that place, because I know that by playing there I am not only in a good environment, but more importantly that 100 percent of the dollars that I am putting forward goes to the development of Philadelphia’s future.'”

There’s a post on the Union website about Tuesday’s supporters summit that essentially has no details about the topics that were discussed but is full of praise for the idea of the event. Fail.

The Inquirer has a piece on how the next Tuesday’s friendly with Stoke will be a reunion of former Houston teammates Danny Cruz and Geoff Cameron. It’s a nice, if not fluffy, story but why it didn’t run next week—and why there is nothing about Saturday’s actually meaningful game with Vancouver—is beyond me.

Brotherly Game has a late tactical analysis of last Saturday’s scoreless draw against Portland.

Local

The PDL Eastern Conference championship series begins in Ocean City on Saturday at 2 pm when Reading United faces Ottawa Fury at the Tennessee Avenue Soccer Complex, followed by Mid Atlantic Division champions Ocean City Nor’easters against Carolina Dynamo at 5 pm. The winners will meet in the championship final at Ocean City’s Carey Stadium at 7 pm.

Following their midweek 5-1 win over Dayton Dutch Lions, Harrisburg City Islanders are off until Wednesday when they are on the road to face Phoenix FC Wolves (10:30pm, USL Live).

Lehigh Valley United 93 face Chicago Fire Academy this morning at the US Youth Soccer National Championships. The winner will advance to Saturday’s U-19 final, which will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer at 7:30 pm, with the McGuire Cup as the prize.

MLS

On Thursday, officials from Washington DC and DC United signed a tentative deal on a new stadium for the club.

At Slate, Matthew Yglesias says the proposed DC United stadium deal is better than most but still terrible. “[T]he fact that this counts as a pretty reasonable stadium deal as far as stadium deals go just goes to show how dumb stadium deals are.”

Speaking of DC United, The AP reports that team owner Erick Thohir “appears to be closing in on a takeover of Inter Milan after flying to the Italian city for talks with club president Massimo Moratti.” More on the story here.

In view of the news of a proposed new stadium in DC, New England Revolution blog The Bent Musket says the lack of similar news for the Revolution makes the team seem like “an embarrassment.”

Toronto FC have announced the signing of 23-year-old Spanish winger Álvaro Rey Vázquez, who last played with Spanish second division side Xerez.

Montreal Impact have announced the signing of 26-year-old Spanish central defender Adrián López Rodriguez, who last played at Wigan.

The NASL board of governors has voted unanimously to approve expansion into Jacksonville and Oklahoma City for the Spring of 2015. More on the news from The Examiner.

In Sacramento, two groups hope to bring professional soccer to the area.

NWSL

Seventh place Seattle Reign (18 points) defeated fifth place Chicago Red Stars (22 points) 4-1 on Thursday night.

Three games are on tap this weekend in NWSL play including Sunday’s top of the table clash between first place FC Kansas City (32 points) and second place Sky Blue FC (31 points).

US

ASN has a tactical analysis of the US 3-1 win over Honduras in Wednesday’s Gold Cup semifinal. The US faces Panama in the final in Chicago on Sunday at 4 pm (FOX, Univision, Fox Soccer 2Go).

Soccer America has an overview of its Gold Cup player ratings and, unsurprisingly, Landon Donovan comes out on top.

ASN looks at the blossoming of Clarence Goodson as an attacker at the Gold Cup.

What’s this? Pep Guardiola would like to coach the USMNT someday?

Former US coach Bob Bradley was on the Daily Show on Thursday night to talk about coaching the Egyptian national team. Here’s video of his appearance plus extended footage of the interview that did not air.

Elsewhere

A Jamaica player tested positive for a banned substance after the June 11 World Cup qualifier against Honduras.

Mojtaba Taghavi, appointed head coach of Iranian club Mes Kerman on June 1, has resigned due to unsafe working conditions after he and his assistant coach were attacked by a mob of 30-40 fans at a training session.

And then there was this:

Happy 70th Birthday Sir @MickJagger! Great 2010 #WorldCup memories in your company. http://t.co/abdvVf7Toj pic.twitter.com/3HpTnZLyRy

— Joseph S Blatter (@SeppBlatter) July 26, 2013