Photo: Marjorie Elzey
Philadelphia Union
Over at the MLS website: Why the Philadelphia Union can win MLS Cup
Eight Union players are away with various national teams this week. The Inquirer looked at who’s where, with a viewer’s guide on how to watch their games.
Kevin Kinkead recorded a new episode of It’s Always Soccer in Philadelphia last night.
The GAM for GAM trade allows #cf97 to then pay the Union $50K in GAM for a ten-goal clause in the deal for CJ Sapong. If they had paid it out in 2020, it would have cost them another $50k in TAM. Can't get more MLS than that.
— Guillermo Rivera (@FireConf) September 3, 2019
Local
Philly teen battling cancer is using soccer to help him fight through it.
Co-Captain Nelson Santana will return to the Harrisburg Heat.
A couple high school recaps:
MLS
Flex time in the schedule! The Union/LAFC match stays on September 14 and it ain’t on national TV.
Minnesota delivers the blueprint on how to beat LAFC. Maybe Adrian Heath doesn’t deserve all the hate he gets from MLS-heads.
D.C. United re-signed winger Yamil Asad.
Vancouver Whitecaps traded David Norman to Inter Miami.
NWSL
The NWSL enters a new era with U.S. Soccer’s role in the league set to change.
Sky Blue officially named Alyse LaHue as GM.
Speaking of Sky Blue, when not playing for them, Kenie Wright is coaching at her alma mater, Lenape High School.
How Reign FC stayed in the playoff race while having the most injuries in the league.
NISA
YOUR NISA PLAYER OF THE WEEK: @JackMcInerney9 @oaklandrootssc
1st goal in Roots inaugural match / season / history
1st brace in Roots history
1st hat trick in Roots history
1st goal in NISA inaugural match /season / history
1st brace in NISA history
1st hat trick in NISA history pic.twitter.com/Vjg9fBKZ20— NISA Official (@NISALeague) September 3, 2019
U.S. Soccer
Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Rose Lavelle, Kelley O’Hara, Ali Krieger, and Ashlyn Harris didn’t play, but Carli Lloyd’s braced helped the USWMNT beat Portugal, 3-0.
How the USWNT are on pace for $1 million this year in licensing revenue.
Over at Sports Illustrated, Grant Wahl interviewed Alex Morgan.
Around the globe
Lower-division soccer must reckon with Climate Crisis-related schedule changes.
The Jamaican women’s team won’t play if they’re not paid what they’re owed by federation.
Eight countries stay in the race to host the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
FIFA revealed the logo for the 2022 World Cup.
Highlight of the day
“Maracanã” #Skillz pic.twitter.com/4UQBFZUmQZ
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) August 30, 2019
It may not be a fully developed “thing,” yet, as It has only emerged in the last few Bethlehem Steel games.
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Steve Kingue, 19 years old signed from Estomia’s first division and a native of either Cameroon or one of the Congos in Central Africa, may be proving he’s a center back.
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He has had starts at defensive central midfield and outside back and has not looked as good as other possibilities. But he has very recently appeared at center back in the last few consecutive games, and two of them have been lean sheets.
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Center back has not been a position of strength for Bethlehem.
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One of the clean sheets was against Swope Park who by record are the worst team in the USLC East. But the other was against Nashville, in Nashville. Nashville currently lies 2nd in the table in the east.
Sigh. Looking at the pics from the SE Pa link, Talen is being used for high school games (Strath Haven-Unionville girls). Really?!?!?! With all of the turf issues we’ve had this season, still going to let the field get torn up with high school games (especially ones between two affluent school districts who no doubt have quality fields of their own).
Union is having high school teams sell tickets to Union games as a fundraiser, earning them the right to play a high school game at Talen. Same thing is happening with 2 Delaware boys high school teams selling tickets for the 10/4 Union game…
Jack Mac just turned 27 and now he’s playing in the NISA makes you wonder what the pay scale is compared to USL? That said, what happened to his career that he went from getting a look at rim from the USMNT to third division in a new league?
i thought USL was a good fit for him. was unaware of this… journey. congrats to him, though. might get some more eyes on him.
I love the guy and have continued to follow him through the years, but JacMacAttac had that great 10 goal start in a career year for the Union and faded from that point on to never really recover.
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Good on him to knock in a hattrick the other night!
“Through that agreement, the federation has essentially served as part of the league’s front office, and has poured $18 million into the NWSL since 2013, according to figures U.S. Soccer released in July. ”
18 million dollars? Really?