DC United in Open Cup Play, Mbappe Plays Former Club, USMNT a Bit Salty, And More: Wednesday Freedom Kicks
It’s muggy. It’s steamy. Thank goodness it’s raining, cuz we needed the extra humidity. Luckily, I’m able to largely stay inside today, hope that most people can, as well. Well, on that sentiment, here’s the soccer action that has to contend with that…
https://www.dcunited.com/news/match-preview-d-c-united-nashville-sc-july-9-2025
DC United play Nashville tonight in the Lamar Hunt Open Cup Quarterfinals. This on Paramount+ at 9 PM Eastern. Gulp.
We didn’t have the talent on the field, but there was some refereeing mayhem. You can not deserve to win and still be unfairly treated.
https://apnews.com/article/fifa-club-world-cup-ticket-prices-d2e2477c23796d11eeb67247d579ccff
Ticket prices went from What to WHaT!?!? FIFA had better learn how to price and sell tickets in the US market before next summer. We get your greedy, but at least be competent.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45696847/joao-pedro-brace-sends-chelsea-club-world-cup-final
Joao Pedro had a brace to carry Chelsea past Brazilian club Fluminense in the match where ticket prices went HoW LoW!?!? Sorry, back to soccer.
ESPN hails Mbappe playing against his former club as must see TV, today at 3 on Paramount+. Meanwhile…
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45679659/gonzalo-garcias-impact-real-madrid-lead-glory
Thought I’d flag this story from a few days ago as a companion piece. It’s about the player that has out-shown Mbappe in this tournament by a considerable margin.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/stefan-frei-injury-seattle-sounders-goalkeeper-back-home-resting
Stefan Frei is messaging about being at home and resting after his injury on Sunday. Best wishes on his recovery.
Germany narrowly defeated Denmark, and though the performance was fairly dominant, it was not without incident.
BTW, England take on Netherlands in a titanic matchup that kicks off today at noon, followed by France vs. Wales at 3.
And, finally:
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45691162/chelsea-transfer-strategy-mystery-todd-boehly
ESPN questions what on earth Chelsea are doing in the transfer market.
That’s all I’ve got! Let’s hope the Nashville contest is meaningful, and have a great sporting day!
Well., the comments on CONCACAF reffing are accurate, but they are also echos of decades that have passed. The reffing is clearly and always biased against the US and is disgraceful. It doesn’t matter who is president, what party is barfing all over the place, the clear anti-american sentiment is obvious and offensive.
The calls (non-calls) illustrated here were obvious and I cannot believe that the officiating pyramid was oblivious to what really happened. Classic El Tri favoritism on full display. CONCACAF is a pathetic joke.
Ryan Keefer just shared a report out of Belgium that says DC is interested bringing back Yow. The report says that DC could actually get him cheaper than other teams would be able to, since DC has a 35% sell-on clause. Will be interesting to see if it happens or not, but definitely taking any rumors with a grain of salt at this point. Then theres also the discussion of what’s better to have: Yow, or somewhere between 1 and 1.5 Million in GAM
That’s a spicy rumor, but in what world would Yow want to come back? Not only did we cast him off to fend for himself a bit, if I remember correctly, but we’re a completely irrelevant team, at least in the playoff picture. So, I imagine both sentiment and ambition would be against this.
Could always be a Durkin situation where he wouldn’t mind being closer to home, but that’s hard to say for sure unless he comes out and says it.
Will also note that I think he could be a U22 if he came back. And if he goes somewhere else, there is also no guarantee that the front office actually converts the sell-on clause money to GAM. They can convert it to GAM, but are not required to.
Seems unlikely he’d be a Durkin situation in his camp. Yow’s stock is relatively high, despite being still a bit low profile. He could make a move somewhere for five of six million, I’m assuming. Durkin didn’t find purchase across the pond, so him coming back made more sense.
I just don’t see it.
I have one other point to make. I get that sometimes a player develops because of a different situation. But you’ve got a handful of players that we move overseas and then consider bringing back after a year or more. That just screams out how pitiful our young player development is. Who’s next–Hopkins? Murrell? I don’t expect all young players to work out–statistically most don’t. But our ability to grow youth is so pitiful, we can’t do it ourselves.
Oh, we’re terrible. The resources are lacking in every department. We know this.
Yeah, Yow might be crazy to come back. But here’s the case where he could want to come back to DCU. First, closer to home. Second, guaranteed chance to start and get PT. Third, easier for NT call-ups (unlike Euro players) because he doesn’t need an open FIFA window. And the USMNT will get some opportunities for friendlies outside of the FIFA open windows from sides that want to get a feel for playing in the US prior to the WC. None of that means it’s a lock, just that I think it’s plausible.
I mean, those could be motivations, but I just don’t think he’d want us to be that for him.
I’d also say, if the club really wants him, let’s just say he’d be in a strong bargaining position. Yow is a vibrant young player, but I don’t know if overpaying for his impact serves the club’s interests, either
That said, I imagine the fanbase would be over the moon for a chance to root for something about DC United.
I had thought about him coming back via a U22 deal for a little while (a la Durkin), although I think Yow has aged out of that.
It’s always nice to have homegrown guys come back, but I do think that there would – theoretically – be more productive players to bring in. But I also think that Yow’s Americanness plays a role here. Tom Bogert was reporting that international slots are pretty rare leaguewide right now, and I believe that DC is maxed out on theirs. Sure, Pirani might be leaving, but one of the real benefits of Pirani was that he’d obtained a green card. So he wouldn’t be opening up an international slot.
I can confirm that he’s no longer eligible for U22. I just looked up the rules, and a player cannot turn 23 in his first year on the U22 contract, so Yow is officially out since he turns 23 in September.
It is interesting to hear Bogert say that international spots are going to be hard to come by. I remember looking through the roster breakdowns and thinking to myself that there were a lot more unused international spots than I would have thought, though I imagine they would all be very expensive to obtain. But I do share the same sentiment that getting Yow as an American makes some sense. There aren’t really many players that realistically fit that (maybe Pines, Zendejas, and the Sonora brothers)
That was also one of the things that Fidel Barajas had going for him, although apparently he had very little else in his training sessions.
I haven’t watched the Club World Cup, but walked into a restaurant to see PSG are smoking Real Madrid. Good. I have a strong dislike for Mbappe, and Real Madrid in general is gross to me. PSG are obviously not ideal, but at least the ethic they’re winning with is laudable.
Damn Nashville being hyped by the pregame crew and nothing for DCU…
Holy shit Pirani! Its 1-0 in the 4′.
Heck of a shot. Maybe we should keep him.
The ref wearing green…he’s blending into the field.
Its an Own Goal! 2-0 to DCU. Cross from Schnegg redirected into the net by Jack Maher.
Damn a deflection lands right at the feet of Perez its in the net 2-1.
Is it me, or is this announcing crew just as bad? Everything Nashville does is immaculate. DCU luck to be here.
Pregame crew was the same way.
Benteke!!!!!!!!!! Holy crap
Ok I need to correct myself, its our old friend Own Goal. Then of course a flukey turn over makes it 2-1
How is that a foul by Benteke?
Commentators in love with Nashville.
Thankfully the deflection takes Najar’s shot outside the post. Kim was beat there.
Schnegg picks up a yellow
Shit Herrera is called for a handball in the box.
Surridge ties it 2-2….
I call bullshit that’s not a handball
Definitely hit his chest
Badji puts our best chance of the half and misses the upper 90.
Fuck there’s a 3rd…..
I’m pretty sure that’s game folks.
Of course it had to be Andy Najar with the dagger.
Schnegg getting roasted…but I don’t know who can replace him…
Najar with a goalazzo dagger
Remind me why we let Najar go to Nashville again and not bring him back into the fold?
Because we didn’t have a GM at the time… same with Asad, who proceeded to tear it up with Cincy
There’s a 5th……
You know when the Washington Football Team got good…DCU got really bad….did we take all the bad juju or something? Also I don’t know if Lesene can keep his seat anymore now that we don’t have the Open Cup run.
Who knows if he wants to at this point.
Per Goff, Lesense and top assistant Zach Prince have been fired. A replacement has apparently been hired but the name hasn’t been shared yet.
https://bsky.app/profile/stevengoff.bsky.social/post/3ltlixrgxf22x
Job integrity: they were already interviewing a replacement…..
Since 1996, I’ve given it all.
Now I just give it up.
I will use the money to build out my basement and call it the AV Lounge for the ultimate fan experience.