Photo: 215Pix
Note: PSP is looking for a volunteer to write our Thursday news roundups. If interested, please email dwalsh@phillysoccerpage.com.
Philadelphia Union
The playoffs are officially out of reach for the Union. This has been a down period in Philadelphia sports, but the next time the Union take the field for a meaningful game, they will be up against potential playoff pushes by the Flyers and Sixers and spring training excitement for a Phillies team on the rise. Feels like a big opportunity missed for the Union to carve out an important spot in the Philadelphia sports landscape.
Local
While the Union have been officially eliminated, Bethlehem took a huge step forward towards the playoffs with a 4-2 win at Toronto 2.
Philadelphia is hosting Generation adidas regional qualifiers. They have started with a win against Atlanta and a second against New England.
US Club Soccer
Red Bulls clinched their playoff spot thanks to the return of Daniel Royer. An attacking player, NYRB’s offense disappeared without him and came right back with him.
Some MLS players may have to choose between club and country. I do not envy them one bit.
Andrea Pirlo announced his retirement at the end of the season. More from FourFourTwo.
There’s been a lot of talk about what to do about MLS2 teams in the USL, but for the second straight year, one of those teams has been crowned USL regular season champion as Real Monarchs clinched the title this weekend.
The USL hit the 2 million fans mark this weekend.
North Carolina will play Portland for the NWSL championship. Read more about North Carolina and Portland.
Around the globe
The USMNT beat Panama 4-0. Panama felt lucky to only lose by 4 goals. Arena gambled that Michael Bradley could survive as the lone defensive mid and it paid off.
The USMNT can now qualify for the next World Cup with a win, a draw (barring a crazy result elsewhere), or a loss and help from two other teams.
Costa Rica punched their ticket to the World Cup thanks to some MLS players.
Elsewhere, Egypt and Poland punched their tickets, as did Spain and Nigeria. 15 teams are now in.
In a deal that could have effects across the world, the Norway FA has struck a deal to provide equal pay to their men’s and women’s national teams.
Highlight of the day
Egypt celebrates as they clinch their spot in the World Cup.
It’s just a game.
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GeoPersonoSocioCulturalPolitik be damned.
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Just.A.Game.
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In other news….a North African grandfather sobs into his sofa and a Honduran news room sobs into their keystrokes.
Way to go Norway
So I was at 3 Unity Cup games this weekend. The passion shown by the players and fans is something else. Just for that it was worth being there. However, they should consider changing the name of the tournament or try harder to prevent fights. 2 weeks ago a fight erupted at the end of the Refugee-Thailand game, then on Saturday there was a fight but the most severe one erupted last night towards the end of the Liberia-Mexico game (in the 88th minute). This time fans got involved, and parts of steel fences or benches were used to attack each other. In the end everyone calmed down and when the police arrived all was sorted. I have been at many games around the world but this was something else. I am curious to see how the Management of this tournament will handle this. Mexico was losing and would have been kicked out of the completion but I will not be surprised if both teams are disqualified. You need some serious good Referees for these games since the passion runs so high and some of the tackles are harder than I have seen in Chester.
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Some players are also real good and should be playing at local Colleges…
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Next week the schedule and knock-out games continue. See here: http://unitycup.phila.gov/schedule/
Article idea – why are the Steel able to run a 4-2-3-1 that looks fluid and fun and effective and yet the Union aren’t?
(optional subtext: And why it’s reason #1 it’s all Curtins fault)
Curious that my other comment is listed ‘awaiting moderation’ all day…
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Very interesting article about kids at the UK academies and some closing:
https://amp.theguardian.com/football/2017/oct/06/football-biggest-issue-boys-rejected-academies
Our spam filter catches many comments with links in them. That’s all it is. I’ve approved your comment. It didn’t get approved earlier because I was traveling.
Ok. Thanks. Safe travels!
Tough day for Haris on Saturday. Although he scored a goal, his teams were eliminated from two separate competitions on the same day and the announcers on ESPN kept completely botching his last name.