Columbus Crew are CONCACAF’s #1 team, Bethune impressing the NWSL, and more: Wednesday Freedom Kicks
Welp… my work schedule just became very erratic again until the end of June, and as such, this week sees me working through the Freedom Kicks preparative hours, so pardon today’s diet kicks!
Columbus Crew rises to the top in Concacaf Club Rankings (CONCACAF): I got so lost in enjoying the regional success of a team not from Miami, LA, or New York that I forgot I don’t like the Crew and wish ill on teams who encroach on D.C. United’s number of stars above their crest.
‘Unbelievable’ Croix Bethune emerging as Washington Spirit star (Pro Soccer Wire): Rookie of the Month? Only because we can’t legally say Rookie of the Year yet.
NWSL Weekend Take-Off: Seattle Reign, Gotham FC get vital wins (Pro Soccer Wire): Your one-stop shop for catching up on the NWSL weekend.
Power Rankings: Toronto FC keep rising, Nashville SC rebound (MLS): “They’ve held a lead in seven of their last eight games. They have one win in that span.” Well that’s a dagger I didn’t enjoy getting twisted in my gut.
I was trying to think about why I hate seeing United play the Union. I mean, sure, there’s the regional rivalry, but truth be told, the Union always felt like a little brother to me – one that I want to see succeed (as long as it isn’t in the place of United’s success). So then what gives? Well… when you exclude MLS’s newest teams with very little (but still sad) data, Philadelphia is well and truly D.C.’s biggest thorn. If transfermarkt is to be believed, then the below table confirms D.C.’s win ratio against Philly in MLS play to be a paltry 25.7%.
For those curious, of MLS teams that currently still exist, D.C.’s best win ratio is 50% against Orlando, Miami, and Charlotte. The most mundane goal would be earning 1 point per game on average against an opponent. Against teams played at least 15 times, D.C. doesn’t meet that metric against only Philly, Houston, and Seattle.
PSG 0 (0) – Dortmund 1 (2): The laws of physics demand PSG never win a Champions League
NASCAR saw its closest margin of victory in Cup Series history. It required a “VAR” review. Enjoy.
That’s all from me. Diets are no fun. Send your dessert kicks to the comments below!
In terms of United not being able to close out games, that was Columbus’s bugaboo a couple years ago. And look at them now!
(Yes, I am guaranteeing that we are on that trajectory.)
Ben Olsen’s crowning achievement last year was winning the Open Cup with the Dynamo. Sadly, he and they got bounced by Detroit City last night.
Loudoun beat Orange County SC to make it to the Round of 16. Jason Anderson noted that the last time DC United got that far was in 2019 when they beat Philadelphia. FUN FACT! Since winning the cup in 2013, that win against Philly is the only time United has beaten an MLS club in the Open Cup (and obviously they won’t do that this year).
Congrats to Loudoun!
Testing. Just to see if I can post without the I am not a robot nonsense recently.
This one came through.
Croix Bethune and Casey Krueger were also named to the Best XI of March/April (why combine them? Unknown.), and the team had them break the news to each other in what I thought was a cute video.
https://twitter.com/WashSpirit/status/1787909421277810968?t=fNWpVgLb8q1nWVNXIC2BJw&s=19
Very cute!
Sportico has released their list of 50 most valuable soccer clubs in the world. MLS is very highly represented, and DC United actually is #29 on the list. 20 MLS clubs made the list, and DC was #9. They were behind LAFC, Atlanta, Inter Miami, the Galaxy, NYCFC, Austin, Seattle, and Toronto. DC was just above Portland. (Suck it Red Bulls, at #42!)
https://www.sportico.com/feature/soccer-teams-football-club-ranking-list-1234721408/
I wonder how they calculate “most valuable”?
I read the description they use. But it’s still not clear to me how they reach the “most valuable.” I think they are assigning some vague “potential market” value (where DCU is not like a club in London that can potentially get all of the fans in the city while in theory everyone in DC could worship DC United).
Real estate, and the security of the investment (no relegation). There’s also the assumption that the asset will appreciate, though I think that’s unlikely long term without a nightmare scenario for those who want cheaper housing.
I appreciate your relegation point. That is a subtle but very important factor. With that in mind, it seems much less bizarro.
That sounds bizarre.
Y’all, I think MLS just acknowledged DC United and New York Redbulls’ long standing grudge. I didn’t save the ad, but I believe they’re highlighting next Wednesday’s game as a rivalry match. Finally!!
That match will now be the dullest 0-0 match in rivalry history, thus cementing MLS’ desire to never advertise this rivalry again.
It’s a rivalry!
…we’re still not gonna schedule it on a Saturday, though.
My brain glossed over the Wednesday part of this, right between trips to Atlanta and Miami. I don’t have hopes.
Our next three matches are going to be . . . interesting. We must win them all. I don’t care how they do it.
Every match seems really difficult, and I think that is basically due to the East being just super tough this year. And we’d be kicking a lot of ass if we could close out games by holding on to leads (and not losing games to floundering teams like Orlando).
Also, being able to win more games at home would be ideal. Audi Field hasn’t really been a fortress except for the back half of 2018 (and even then we lost our [only home] playoff game [in Audi Field history]).
I blame Rooney and Acosta for that one. Don’t remind me.
A$$$ F$$$$ has not become a fortress because it has disowned its soccer gods-given name, Buzzard Point.
Alphonso Davies just scored a worldie to put Bayern ahead of Madrid in the deciding Champions League Semi. Know he’s a competitor, but big moment for CONCACAF, especially signings out of.
re: the Union, I’ve admired the way they’ve stuck with a system, through some lean years at the start, and have put together a consistent top tier team. I’ve felt a bit sorry for them as they so often come up short in the final game.
Having said that, i always knew that over time there would be the inevitable erosion of those feelings into a truer rivalry.
To wit, the 0-13 total goals debacles in the summer of 2022. And things like McGlynn’s taunting the fans after his stunner to tie it last weekend.
The “friendly” rivalry is turning not-so-friendly, and I’m here for it.