USMNT lose, DC Power make first player signing, and more: Friday Freedom Kicks
Happy Friday! Lots of unpleasant things on television last night that I would really like to not think about, so let’s talk about soccer instead!
Panama beats USMNT in chaotic game at Copa América (ESPN)
Ok, I’m starting with one of the things. But, what a rollercoaster! I was really hoping the US could hold onto the draw.
DC Power Football Club sign forward Jorian Baucom as first player in club history (DC Power FC)
Now that their new logo’s here, DC Power are finally announcing some player signings. Jorian Baucom spent three seasons in the NWSL before moving to the Scottish Women’s Premier League, where she was an extremely prolific goal-scorer.
Steven Goff reported this previously, but D.C. United have now officially recalled Hayden Sargis and Jeremy Garay from their loans in advance of this weekend’s match.
Jonatan Giraldez interview: New Spirit coach opens up on unusual transition (Pro Soccer Wire)
Jason Anderson talked to the newly-arrived Jonatan Giráldez about his decision to leave Barcelona for Washington and his plans for the Spirit.
Ambitious Lionesses recruit Asllani and ex-PSG boss (BBC)
Michele Kang’s English team, the London City Lionesses, announced some big signings yesterday, including Sweden’s Kosovare Asllani. Kang has expressed a goal of getting the club promoted to the first-division Women’s Super League.
How a 71-year-old former banker has helped transform USMNT set pieces (Washington Post $)
The USMNT’s new-ish set piece coach is apparently already helping them win games. Headline is slightly misleading because it sounds like this guy’s been involved in soccer for at least 20 years.
An update from Tuesday’s superlative contestants: Trinity Rodman won Goal of the Week!
PFA to seek conversations with Manchester United over management of women’s team (The Athletic $)
Manchester United could be in some trouble with the footballers’ union for their frankly appalling treatment of their women’s team. Because of planned renovations of the men’s training facilities, they’ve announced plans to kick the women out of their purpose-built facilities and into “portacabins” for this season so that the men can use them instead.
MLS clears 2026 World Cup break to avoid incomplete rosters (MLS)
Smart to do for roster reasons, but also can you imagine trying to compete for crowds with the World Cup?
Late addition because we could all use some FUN: Spirit players naming which of their field teammates they would put in goal.
It’s going to be a very busy Saturday; D.C. United, Washington Spirit, and Loudoun United all have games starting at 7:30 p.m.
| Teams | When | Where | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grove Soccer United vs. Alexandria Rough Diamonds | Sat., June 29 at 6 p.m. ET | Richmond, VA | – |
| Virginia Dream vs. FC Frederick | Sat., June 29 at 6:30 p.m. ET | Falls Church, VA | – |
| Annapolis Blues vs. VB City FC | Sat., June 29 at 7 p.m. ET | Annapolis, VA | – |
| Old Glory DC vs. NOLA Gold | Sat., June 29 at 7 p.m. ET | Boyds, MD | MNMT |
| Washington Spirit vs. North Carolina Courage | Sat., June 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET | Washington, DC | Ion |
| Loudoun United FC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies | Sat., June 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET | Leesburg, VA | ESPN+ |
| D.C. United vs. NY Red Bulls | Sat., June 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET | Harrison, NJ | Apple TV |
| DMV Elite vs. Alexandria Reds | Sun., June 30 at 7 p.m. ET | Bladenburg, VA | – |
Have a good weekend, everyone! May it remain pleasantly stress-free!
In some rare good news, the team shared photos of Christopher McVey back in training yesterday. I’m not expecting him to play against the Red Bulls, but having him back will be a big help. Garrison Tubbs and Matai Akinmboni have shown some good things, but McVey was quite good, and an underrated driver of our offense.
Speaking of Tubbs, the club confirmed that he had a concussion and needed stitches, and won’t be available for the New York game. I hope he recovers soon.
Hey, I have missed this info, is there confirmation about how long Benteke will be suspended, officially?
I saw that he’s missing the Red Bulls game for the red card, and then the Cincinnati game for yellow card accumulation.
Thanks. Shocking if it’s only two games, but I’ll take it if that’s the case
So, I wrote this in the last thread as well, but to sum up, I’m actually glad the USMNT will finally be forced to win a meaningful game against a world power in order to make this tournament a remote success. In essence, we’ve entered the knockout stages even before group stage ends, all good teams from here to the end, and it might just be one game. No moral victory in a draw, we will have failed this tournament. Let the players show us that this Berhalter culture is a winning one, not just a positive one for them. (Berhalter is like a zombie rat who refuses to expire with the federation, so my hopes of him being replaced are still nil).
And one last thing about this “Berhalter culture,” why do key players in that cultured squad keep getting incredibly obscene and deserved reds to lead to us being shafted? Is discipline in the head not something important to Gregg? What a joke.
I don’t think it’s necessarily a “discipline in the head” issue. I think Dest and Weah, and others for that matter, suffer from not really having played much in Concacaf/the US. We have seen the same kind of petulance from Benteke/Rooney in regards to the lax refereeing/concacafing that happens in MLS.
I’m not really suggesting that every USMNT player needs to have played in MLS, but they do need to actually go watch more MLS/Concacaf games in person because the bumps/talking/general shithousery off the ball aren’t really captured by TV broadcasts.
You make a valid point, but I do think it’s nuts that they never do this for their clubs, but feel entitled enough when playing for the US to lose their shit. Obviously, they play in Europe, so this doesn’t negate your point, but it’s not like there aren’t dark arts elsewhere. I still hold that Berhalter is too lenient, these players don’t fear him more than a red card. That’s not ideal.
I have Jurgen Klopp on speed dial…..
The dark arts of UEFA soccer are different than the dark arts of CONCACAF soccer. The players and Berhalter said they were expecting a chippy game…apparently they weren’t.
Maybe Weah didn’t understand what “chippy” means over here.
The annoying thing is Berhalter’s sometimes suffocating passing system would probably have resulted in Panama wearing themselves out before long. Instead, Weah lost his head and the game ender up being a track meet with us down a guy.
I think the guys can get it done against Uruguay, but it’ll take the same level of discipline that led us to drawing Brazil (and Uruguay is seemingly in better form).
It will take a more lethal performance offensively and a more stalwart defensive effort to overcome Uruguay than the one we managed against Brazil. Uruguay have more going on, and could whoop us in a shootout scenario
Uruguay is not seemingly in better form than Brazil. At this moment in time, Uruguay is better than Brazil by a solid margin. Brazil has really talented players but they are having a hard time with their identity as a team. Today’s Brazil has little resemblance to the classic Verde Amarelo we are used to. On the opposite side sits Uruguay who seemed to have completely bought into Bielsa’s plan. Uruguay has never lacked talented players and quality of play but Bielsa’s Uruguay now plays with great intensity, they are relentless. If the US doesn’t bring an almost perfect performance, the game against Uruguay is likely to end like the game against Colombia.
Well said.
Wow Annie–what a meatie post!
I think the only chance the US has to advance is: Uruguay is already through, has a big goal differential, and may rest a bunch of starters for this final group match and take the foot of the pedal for this match. Maybe.
And related to a thread elsewhere in this post, I fear that (fairly or not), the USMNT is getting a reputation of a team that you can provoke. That with enough shirt grabbing, cheap fouling, they’ll over-react. I didn’t say we do over-react. But if opposing Concacaf coaches tell their players “do off-the-ball fouls and they’ll lose it”–done enough and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Two good examples from this match that did not result in a US reaction: the hard foul on Matt Turner, and then the hard foul on Pulisic.
DC Power: I think this is a league that sees the publicity and growth in the NWSL plus around the globe of women’s soccer and says “I want me some of that.” They don’t seem well thought out. Case in point: the fact that 2 months out and we still don’t know who the roster is. And the investors talk about “branding”–what will it say when they’re playing at Audi Field and drawing 2,000 fans and the Spirit are drawing 15,000? That’s a helluva indictment on your brand. However, lucky for BrilliantFred that he got out of Utah when he did–I suspect they’ll be clearing the house after the season they’re having.
Kudos to those of you who expected the recall of Garay and Sargis–got any lotto numbers to give me while you’re at it? I’m not sure I see these recalls as positive though. It’s not as if they’ve been practicing with the team recently–it’s like calling in 2 new players. And, unless one of them does something amazing, it appears like neither of them is in our future plans. I’d much rather call up some guys from USL (I know, they’re both from USL) that we don’t have a good sense of and see if we can find a hidden gem (ala Antley).
Boo to ManU for their scummy treatment of their women. And Kang shows some smarts–don’t pay premium prices for a first division team. Buy a lower division team, add talent you like, then get promoted–smart economics.
And congrats to Trinity Rodman for the GOTW. Frankly, I didn’t have her as my choice–I’m not a “homer” on these kind of things. I suspect she’s better known than the other scorers and that played a role. But it’s all good.
The Crew have sold Aidan Morris to Middlesborough FC for apparently about $4 mil and a sell on clause.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/columbus-crew-transfer-aidan-morris-to-middlesbrough-fc
I don’t claim to know a ton about this player, but I have not been impressed the few times I’ve seen him play. Take the money and run.