Photo: Paul Rudderow
Note: PSP is looking for a volunteer to write our Thursday news roundups. If interested, please email dwalsh@phillysoccerpage.com.
Philadelphia Union
Seven goals for the last seven games.
Bedoya and Yaro will miss this weekend’s game, so Curtin is considering starting Creavalle and Onyewu.
The Union have had success against expansion sides.
The Union Academy has produced 7 pros in 4 years. One of them has played minutes for the Union.
Why to watch this weekend’s game: “When the Union head up to Minnesota, fans should be treated to a few goals at least.” Doop?
Local
The Philadelphia Union Cup saw young teams take the field.
Villanova edged Delaware 2-1.
Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field) is officially part of the 2026 World Cup bid.
MLS
Each team’s magic number. All the Union need to do to make the playoffs is win every game they have left.
Who is most likely to get above the playoff line? Not Orlando!
Howard Webb is enjoying his work with MLS.
Costa Rica’s Marco Urena certainly believes that MLS is helping other CONCACAF teams and players, like himself.
If the American Soccer Pyramid was a meritocracy, FC Cincinnati would be the next MLS team.
Around the globe
The USMNT needs to make the World Cup.
Qualifying through CONCACAF has always been difficult, people just didn’t listen.
Carli Lloyd will miss USWNT games due to a sprained ankle. Full roster.
Peru is making a shocking run through CONMEBOL qualifying.
The Premier League transfer window will close before the start of the season, and it’s only a matter of time before the rest of Europe follows suit.
The Bundesliga is set to have its first female referee.
Tottenham has laid the blueprint for a soccer/football dual use stadium. Can’t wait to see it actually in action.
Soccer fans are weird, man.
Fox soccer executive producer Jonty Whitehead is leaving his post.
The seven goals for seven games link above refers to seven objectives for the rest of the season, not seven bulges in the old onion bag.
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Matt De George is one of the authors and it has some good ideas, specifics around the general theme of play the kids.
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My own read of Jim Curtin is that he will not do something like that until his team is mathematically eliminated, but needing 20 points from the 21 available needed to qualify, according to someone at the MLS website’s speculative calculation yesterday, elimination will be soon.
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My only quibble with the article’s suggestions would be that in allocating Adam Najem’s time they consider his possible importance to Bethlehem’s attempts to make their playoffs, as at times this season he has contributed well. He probably won’t have a spot available there as long as Maurice Edu is taking minutes there to rehabilitate himself. But after that it should be a consideration.
wheres the intrigue this week? Waiting to see if they play listlessly again after yet another extended layoff.
Rinse and repeat for the 6 weeks after. Yawn.
The Linc will also be the site for the final for the Unity cup! Nice interview with the organizer of this Cup was posted yesterday. 45 teams will take place this year. Amazing that Philadelphia is so ethnic!