Daily news roundups

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Photo: Paul Rudderow

Philadelphia Union

Jim Curtin’s weekly press conference is scheduled to take place today at 12:15 pm. Andre Blake is scheduled to precede him at noon.

At Union Tally, Matthew De George looks at games in hand and points per game to offer “a dousing of cold, logical water” for those fans who might be thinking the Union have a chance of reaching the playoffs after Saturday’s win over Montreal. Personally, I’m reserving the unreasonable elevation (the Union didn’t end a 5-game winless streak on Saturday, they increased their unbeaten streak to 3 games!) of my soon to be crushed hopes until after the team wins two games in a row. Two wins in a row would really be something, right? Just the sort of thing to turn the season around. Just like the last time they won two games in a row back in May (although the first ever road win over NYRB that was the final part of that two-game win streak was pretty freaking awesome).

MLSsoccer.com has a look at the strength of schedule  — based on “the average points per game each team’s oppponents get at home and on the road” — for the reamining games in the league as the playoff race heats up. The Union’s schedule is tied with that of NYCFC for the 11th most difficult.

Also at MLSsoccer.com, the Union move up one spot to No. 17 in the power rankings: “Went on the road and got the type of gutty, defensive win that’s largely eluded them over the past two seasons.” Yep.

Rais Mbolhi is quoted at BGN News after signing with Antalyaspor: “I will reveal a high-level performance at Antalyaspor. I have received many offers from Turkey and other countries but I preferred Antalyaspor.”

The latest injury report on the league website:

D Maurice Edu (groin injury, DNP 8/22)
D Raymond Lee (left adductor strain, DNP 8/22)
F Andrew Wenger (concussion, DNP 8/22)
GK Brian Sylvestre (right hand laceration, DNP 8/22)

Union Academy

Union Academy defender did not play in the US U-17s BNT final game at the Vaclav Jezek tournament in the Czech Republic, a 2-1 win over Ukraine. Hershey Pa.’s Christian Pulisic scored the first US goal and assisted the second. Trusty had a good tournament, though, playing the full 90 in the 1-1 draw with Slovenia and scoring the equalizer off a Pulisic free kick in the 1-1 draw with Slovakia. Hopefully, his performance in the tournament will see him selected for the squad that will play in the U-17 World Cup in Chile, which the US opens against reigning champion Nigeria on Oct. 17.

Union Academy director Tommy Smith tells Herald Scotland the Scottish FA needs to do a better job identifying talent among Scotland’s immigrant population. Smith also notes, “I think that MLS has a lot of potential.”

MLS

In CONCACAF Champions League play, DC United defeated Jamaica’s Montego Bay United 3-0 on Tuesday night at RFK. DC currently stands atop Group H with two wins.

Seattle, currently on top of Group F with a 1-0-1 record, is in Honduras to face Olimpio tonight (10 pm, Fox Soccer Plus).

In league play tonight, Chicago hosts NYRB (8 pm, MLS Live), and Colorado hosts Houston (9 pm, MLS Live). Montreal is in Vancouver (without Didier Drogba) for the second leg on the Canadian Championship.

Bruce Arena on Steven Gerrard’s future as a manager.

It seems the planned new stadium for LAFC will be a part of Los Angeles’ bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.

St. Paul city council member Dan Bostrom on the recent buzz about his city becoming the location of Minnesota United’s new stadium: “I hate to say it, but I think St. Paul is being used as a pawn by the team to get a better deal over in Minneapolis…[MLS will] try to do everything they can to get a better deal over there (Minneapolis) and use everything they have to do it.” He’s right, you know.

US

USWNT veteran defender Rachel Van Hollebeke, née Buehler, has announced her retirement from club and country to begin medical school.

US Youth Technical Director and U-20 MNT head coach Tab Ramos discusses the new birth-age registration and small-sided standards announced by the federation earlier this week.

American Outlaws have reached their fundraising goal to send 500 active military personnel and veterans to October’s Confederations Cup playoff game between the US and Mexico.

Elsewhere

Reuters reports, “Swiss authorities expect to decide in September whether to extradite six soccer officials to face corruption charges in the United States, a Justice Ministry spokesman said.”

Is FIFA’s problem that it is too Swiss?

35 Comments

  1. Nice and early today but it throws my whole day off. Now i have to find something to read online at lunchtime 😉

  2. I think my goal for the season as a fan — a booby prize of sorts — is for the Union to finish ahead of NYCFC on points. It will be a small piece of consolation. I have no expectations that this team can or should reach the playoffs.

    • Finishing above NYCFC and Orlando would be nice. It just avoids the discussion of “we couldn’t even finish above expansion teams…”

      • If they do, it’s still a hollow “victory”. I put victory in quotes because I don’t know what else to call it. And victory seems over exuberant. Maybe akin to receiving one of those participation trophies they are so fond of giving kids these days. Oh look, you showed up. Have a trophy.

      • I equate it to not getting punched in the gut. I didn’t win anything, I just didn’t have to deal with a ton of pain.

      • I’d go so far as to say it would be a bad thing for them, because it might give them a false sense of being “almost there.” Assuming Chicago continues to suck and finishes 10th, that would mean the U being ahead of Manchester West And Orlando would put them no worse than 7th.
        .
        And if that happens, we get to hear – all off-season – how they just missed a playoff spot for the 2nd year in a row and yadda yadda yadda.
        .
        Nope, I don’t wanna hear any of that BS. Bottom out, and leave no room for spin based on position in the table.

      • I lean towards your way of thinking John. I do. It makes total sense. Especially with Sak around. But there’s another part of me that worries about the mentality of Maidana and Nogs. These poor guys have given their heart and soul since they arrived. Without them this team would really be nothing. I don’t want them to get discouraged. I want them to want to be here. How long can we keep saying next year will be the year?

      • I hear ya. I think, though, as players they get it. They can look at things, see what the year was like, see the progress made – especially when Chaco, Noggy, and Barnetta are all healthy, fit, and playing – and they can project.
        .
        Sak, on the other hand, won’t be able to resist that steaming pile of BS as a way to spin things. And while him trying to sell that steaming pile to the fans is bad, the worst part would be if he actually believes it himself, and assumes we’re so, so close and only makes small changes in the off-season. That’s the harm of finishing in 7th.

  3. my only goal for this season, since late june, has been winning the open cup and replacing curtin. i still have high hopes for both.

    al c.

    • I don’t mean to be that guy, but winning the Open Cup probably means Curtin keeps his job, unless we go on to lose all our remaining league games thereafter…which I guess is totally possible now that I think about it.

      • I don’t think Curtain’s job is in jeopardy at all. Even if they lose the Open Cup and don’t make the playoff’s, I think he’s safe. Whether or not that’s a good thing is debatable. I don’t think Curtain has exceeded or failed expectations. He was a young inexperienced coach coming into this. That’s what he has shown to be. I also think he has shown growth; better, timely substitutions, done o.k. with the thin roster he was given, dealt with the noose that M’baddie and the goalkeeper situation had laid around his neck. This was a shitty deal for ANY manager. Maybe Sir Alex could have done wonders. But I’d have to see that before I’d believe it.

  4. 10 of 12 possible points having just won 3 of them against Montreal and pick up at least 1.5…at least of the games in hand and we can begin running around the outside of circular reasoning that this team could maybe maybe maybe but not likely qualify for the postseason. 10 of 12 points otherwise it is moot.

    • For me the playoff’s are a foggy dream. You know it’s there. You know the fog might clear. But when you reach for it, it just slips through your grasp. So you end up turning away, in hope that when you turn back it becomes something tangible.

    • it’ll be a shame if we don’t answer the call. if we are to win this open cup then that same team should be up to the challenge and win 3 matches.

  5. Damn you Matthew De George! Why can’t you let us not be so realistic! Honestly though 100% of the effort should be put on winning the open cup. Rest Edu please.

  6. J in Section 125 says:

    Slow news day. Almost a hangover from the celebration of dumping Mbolhi yesterday.

  7. Rais M’Bohli may go down as one of the great keepers of all time in his own mind…in my mind there is no escaping the mind numbing blunder against Chicago. Go forth Rais. Make. Make. Be your future.

    • I’m generally not inclined to wishing ill will on someone. But M’baddie is the exception. I want him to go to Turkey and get benched. Validation of the torment we and the team have gone through this past year +. Let the legend in his own mind come to the realization that it was he, who led to his own demise.

  8. Section 114 says:

    I tried to come up with a full roster of Alumni We Do Not Feel Fondly About. A couple of these could be upgraded, so please chip in.
    .
    Coach: Peter Nowak.
    .
    We all know who the goalkeeper and captain is.
    .
    At defense, Porfirio Lopez, Juan Diego Gonzalez, Balky Soumare, and Porfirio Lopez’s hair.
    .
    Midfielders/Forwards: Freddy Adu, Justin Mapp (just because), and the Diego Guitterez all-stars Gabriel “outofshape” Gomez, Josue Martinez, Jorge Perlaza and Leonard Pajoy. Everyone interchanges, because, Nowak.
    .
    Golden Boot (in the ass): Nick Sakiewicz
    .
    .
    .
    P.S. I feel bad about including Lopez’s hair, I could never decide if I liked it, loved it, or loathed it.

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