DC United lose, USMNT lose, and more: Monday Freedom Kicks
Happy Monday, y’all. It was a busy weekend, so let’s get after it.
DCU went down to Orlando and got absolutely throttled 4-1. It’s the first loss of the season for the Black-and-Red.
USMNT loses to Canada, finishes fourth in Nations League (SSFC)
The USMNT lose again, ending a disastrous Concacaf Nations League Finals with a last place finish.
The Washington Spirit were hosed, if you ask me. It was a sellout crowd at Rowdy Audi, but the Spirit fell to the KC Current.
Loudoun United also lost on the road to a purple team. This team was Louisville City, who beat them 2-0.
DC Power draws Brooklyn FC on late Gianna Gourley equalizer (DP)
DC Power managed to get a 1-1 draw at Audi Field on Sunday afternoon behind a Gianna Gourley goal, her 3rd for the team since coming in midseason.
Adidas to Release Third Kits for All MLS Teams From 2026 (Footy Headlines)
Could we see all teams in MLS get 3rd kits beginning next year? I hope so, and I hope teams really use them to open up their creativity.
It’s Monday, and rumors are abound that we could get a Gift before the transfer window closes this afternoon.
U.S. Soccer bid for 2031 Women’s World Cup could bring games to Central America, Caribbean (Yahoo!)
Lost in this: it feels like Mexico has kinda Irish goodbyed from this joint bid and it’s just US Soccer carrying it. But, matches could be coming to Costa Rica and Jamaica if they get the 2031 bid.
Carly Nelson: Saving Yourself Over Saving a Goal (Hidden Opponent)
(TW: suicidal ideation) An important post from Carly Nelson, who stepped away from the game to focus on her mental health.
Big Washington Spirit, CVS deal is proof women’s sports isn’t just ‘having a moment’ (PSW)
From the GOAT Jason himself, we have an exclusive about the Spirit’s multiyear deal with CVS Health and how Kang is hoping to further women’s soccer investment.
Immediate Reaction: Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid; Liga F (Managing Madrid)
Real Madrid beat Barcelona yesterday in Liga F action. It was the first time Real Madrid had won La Clásica in 19 tries since becoming a women’s team. HALA!!
Enjoy the day, y’all.
The view from Buenos Aires:
DC United 1 Orlando 4: Pitiful
USMNT 1 Canada 2: All in the Family: Have Pochettino tell the Orange One that it was simply the 50 states losing to the 51st state and the 52nd state.
Spirit 0 KC 2: Not to worry. Missing ten players to injury, including Bethune, Hershfelt, and Sarr, and with Rodman for only a half, but for three very close VAR calls against them, Spirit might have beaten KC. Best Bet: with opening sellout of 19,000+, Spirit will outdraw DC United at Buzzard Point.
Loudoun 0 Louisville 2: too bad.
New Mexico United 1 El Paso 0: My top USL rooting interest continues to thrive. Also, plans for soccer specific stadium (14,500) progress with Albuquerque city council approval of Industrial Revenue Bonds.
DC Power FC 1 Brooklyn FC 1: Progress?
Argentina 1 Uruguay 0: Sin Messi, la selección albiceleste avanza hacia la Copa Mundial. Con 13 partidos jugados de 18, están a punto de clasificarse con 28 puntos— seis más que El Ecuador en segundo lugar.
Only positive takeaway from DC United debacle: I continue to believe that Tori Penso is one of PRO’s best referees.
When do we schedule Greenland?
You missed Old Glory DC 28 New England Free Jacks 14. Old Glory maintains 2nd place in the MLR Eastern Conference with the win over the Free Jacks who are tied with Miami Sharks in 3rd on 11 pts. OGDC is 3 pts behind 1st place Chicago Hounds. NOLA Gold is in 4th with 10 pts. You have to feel for Anthem RC who have yet to log their first win franchise season. Though they’ve been damn close a couple times this season and have 5 pts in the standings from bonuses. Bonus points in the standings are 1 point for scoring 4 or more tries in a game and/or losing a game by 7 pts or less.
Sorry. I truly enjoy your rugby coverage. My Google doesn’t give me any American rugby feeds though I watch a ton of HSBC sevens matches — male and female. As I’ve said before, rugby sevens is the world’s best spectator sport.
Yeah Google doesn’t like rugby for the most part it seems. HSBC 7s is this weekend. The US Women have been fine, but the men…just aren’t the same as at the Olympics last summer. Part of that is Perry Baker has retired from playing so we don’t have his elite speed anymore, but he’s on the coaching staff. It definitely looks like the Men’s team is gonna get relegated down to the Challenge Series come May. Which will be a damn shame as the US hosts the final HSBC tourney this season in May in Los Angles. They are way down in 11th with only 9 pts and the last team above the line for relegation battles is Great Britain on 32. Surprisingly the Irish are worse at 7 pts in last place.
I’ve been trying to think of a worse weekend for my teams in the history of my life. Nothing comes to mind.
I was at the Spirit Game, and only saw the highlights of the Orlando debacle, so here’s what I thought of my in person experience.
The Spirit desperately need offensive reinforcements, but they’re already on the roster. Rodman, Sarr, Bethune, and Hershfelt, when they’re return, this will be a dynamite team that will annihilate many opponents.
This has mainly be a test of our backline for a bit, and gotta say, it’s pretty good, and not really a problem, despite 3 goals in two games conceded. Bernal is insanely effective. However, Esme Morgan needs to find her inner fighter, particularly in the air, or she’ll be a weak point that the best players will look to exploit.
The VAR decisions were maddening in the stadium (no replays on the screen), and they all sunk the Spirit. Also, I remain convinced that the second goal was illegal- since when can you just kick the ball out of goalkeeper’s gloves when they have possession?
Anyway, it was a fun night with my friend, despite the loss.
Briefly on Dc United, I think others are speaking my language now about Lesesne’s inflexibility and disinterest in winning games if it doesn’t include his system. And that system puts us at a disadvantage, no matter the personnel. Enow made the highlights in a cringe worthy way, and I bet he wasn’t much better on the plays that didn’t make the reel. McNaughton also looked a massive weak link in defense, though ironically is the only player so far to score off one of Benteke’s masterful set piece head flicks.
All in all, I’m already wondering if the owners have any will to go hunting for a better coach. Mackay can have more time, I’m already done with these disadvantages tactics.
I think it’s going to be Mackay’s call at the end of the day, and he’s the one who put this team together. It’s really astounding to me how two completely different regimes have managed to do the same thing within the course of 5 years: bring in an aggressive and dogmatic young coach, get within a game of the playoffs after a horrible stretch of games, fail, blow up the roster, make it worse and more expensive (in some ways), and …profit?
From my watching of elite soccer, we’re now living in the age of the midblock and counter. If you can win the ball up the field with a strong press, awesome, but not everyone has to be involved. Systems that rely on pushing everyone forward have been found out, and teams have evolved to find the out ball into acres of space.
Just once, I want a coach who knows how to have out attack manufacture and utilize space effectively, while denying the other team the same advantage. And that’s a pathetic thing to demand of a professional.
tbh, I’m even less impressed with MacKay. The players he is bringing in just aren’t very good.
Peglow, Kijima, Joon, Herrera, Bartlett, these are some decent players, and arguably pretty good value for the money. It sounds like we couldn’t sign a DP because the owners were too cheap to buy out Klich, so we really don’t know what this roster could have looked like.
Additionally, taking the two DP model was clearly a cop out by the owners, as well.
You’ve named the best of the crop — but if the best we can say is they were good value for the money, that’s not great praise…and I’m not even sure it’s true. Herrera very much so, but Peglow cost real money. Other MLS teams have gotten much more impactful attackers for that kind of money. Kijima and Joon show potential but not a lot to show for it
Other players brought in by MacKay include Rowles, Schnegg, Stroud, Leal, Enow and Badji. The best I can say is that Stroud was impactful…last year. This year, I am struggling to say any praise about any of that group. There’s also Antley, Servania, and Dodson, who aren’t terrible, but haven’t made DC United a better team in any way.
Finally, the USMNT. I watched both Thursday and Sunday as we found out about these players. Panama turned out to be worthy of a final, looks like. I don’t know if these US players are worthy of big boy urinals.
At one point against Canada, all of Pulisic, McKennie, and Adams had been subbed off to change the game, and were conversing together. I hissed something at the screen, something like “losers,” and caught myself, realizing what I had done. Thing is, in terms of inspiring this team, right now they are.
US Soccer fans of longed and prayed for the days when we’d have this pedigree of players. Now that caliber of squad is here, and they don’t care about the national team nearly as much as their club success, looks to me. What glory is there in beating Panama and Canada when you’ve proven yourself for Serie A giants or EPL giant killers? Well, that was pathetic, and US fans are proving right not to go in person to these overpriced matches.
Two MLS players combined for the only goal in this tournament window for us. Let the Eurosnobs choke on that, as well as our three “world class” national team flops.
Uninspired, disinterested, packing up…..
On the 3rd kits, I think the first move should’ve been throwbacks for all of the original 10 not just the Galaxy and Wizards/SKC.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/44385495/mark-krikorian-steps-washington-spirit-general-manager
Huh. He was in the seat for some really big offseasons, wonder if it was more Giraldez or Kang that got him removed.