Spirit Making Moves, All Star Drama, Turner’s Search Continues, and more: Thursday Freedom Kicks
The Secondary Transfer Window opens for MLS today, but there’s not much in the way of DC United rumors. However, the Spirit are making up for DCU’s lack of activity, and there was drama in Austin at the All Star Game well before kick off. Let’s get to it.
Washington Spirit Announces Roster Update Ahead of August Return to Play (Washington Spirit)
Ashley Hatch’s season is officially over as the Spirit put her on the season ending injury list following the announcement of her pregnancy last week. The Spirit signed Lauren Gogal as to fill Hatch’s roster spot as a national team replacement player. Gogal, who hails from Haymarket and played at UVA, will be somewhat familiar to the rest of the squad as she spent part of the past preseason with the team. She will be with the team until August 20th.
Washington Spirit winger Emma Gaines-Ramos loaned to Tampa Bay Sun FC (DP)
In another roster move the Spirit announced that winger Emma Gaines-Ramos will play the 2025/2026 season with Tampa Bay Sun FC in the Gainbridge Super League as she builds her way back up from a knee injury that cost her most of this season.
Washington Spirit Announces Partnership with Giant Food (Washington Spirit)
On the heels of yesterday’s Diaego announcement, the Spirit announced another partnership, this one with Giant Food. As part of the deal Giant will support community initiatives and theme nights including Salute to Service and Pride. In turn, the Spirit will co-host an event at the Southeast DC Giant Food Pantry where players will appear to “help raise awareness and support access to essential resources for local families.”
Bonmatí fires Spain past Germany to 1st Women’s Euro final (ESPN)
Spain and Germany held each other scoreless until Aitana Bonmatí put the game’s loan goal past Ann-Katrin Berger to lead Spain to its first Euro Final. Sunday’s final against the Spirit’s Esme Morgan and England will be a rematch of the 2023 World Cup Final, which Spain won.
No Messi, no problem: MLS All-Stars down Liga MX 3-1 (ESPN)
Major League Soccer held the 29th edition of its All Star Game in Austin as the MLS All Stars defeated a team from Liga MC 3-1. Nashville’s Sam Surridge, the league’s leading scorer, bagged the first goal for the hosts. Philadelphia’s Tai Baribo and Vancouver’s Brian White also scored for Team MLS. Gilberto Mora, the likely star of USMNT nightmares for years to come, had Liga MX’s lone goal. MLS All Stars have now defeated the Liga MX counterparts in three out of four chances.
Don Garber on Lionel Messi’s MLS All-Star Game absence: ‘We should have known earlier’ (USA TODAY)
The festivities in Austin were not without some drama as Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba skipped the event and the league wasn’t informed until the last minute. Per MLS rules, not participating in the game without an injury excuse results in a one game suspension for the player. Zlatan Ibrahimovic received a one game suspension in 2018 for skipping the game. It remains to be seen if Messi and Alba will miss Saturday’s clash with FC Cincinnati or if “Miami Rules” will remain in play. To me, Garber invoking Miami’s congested schedule seems like he is setting the groundwork in play to let this slide.
LAFC eyeing Tottenham’s Son Hueng-min for summer transfer splash: Sources (The Athletic $)
Could the Spurs captain become a fixture in El Trafico? LAFC is reportedly in early discussions with Tottenham to try and make it happen.
Lyon reportedly trying to cancel Turner transfer (Pro Soccer Wire)
Matt Turner’s nightmare summer gets worse as he tries to reclaim the USMNT starting goalkeeper spot from Matt Freese. Lyon have hired a lawyer to negate Turner’s transfer from Nottingham Forest in order to help the club meet salary restrictions implemented to prevent the club from being relegated. Lyon don’t feel Turner is starting quality and is too expensive to be a backup. If Turner hopes to regain his former spot prior to the World Cup he needs to find somewhere that will give him regular playing time.
Growing a Global Game with D.C. United (Law Quadrangle)
Jason Levien’s alma mater profiled DC United’s co-chairman and CEO’s path in the sports world and his collaboration with another Michigan Law alum, Chris Burtley, who serves as his chief of staff and the vice president of strategy.
Finally
Jacob Murrell stopped by Fox to discuss the new kits.
Try and stay cool with all this heat. Until next week
Jesus Christ about Turner. What shitty behavior from Lyon
Dude just can’t catch a break since he went to Europe.
I get that you should back yourself as a player if you want to reach your potential, but I thought even at the time that moving to Arsenal as a mature player was a death sentence. And clearly, as competent as he is, the EPL was not his level.
I doubt he’d take a move back to MLS…though I think he’s better than what we currently have in the GK room except for penalty stopping in Farr. Does New England still hold his MLS rights?
His salary is likely DP level without some significant financial humbling on his part. So, I’d pass on the idea, despite his proven ability in the league
He’s going to Miami to be third string.
Darth Garber feels Miami needs more depth due to their “earned congested schedule”.
He will not count against the salary cap, of course.
No he will somehow count against DCU’s salary cap.
Man, I understand the desire to stick with a club that you’ve initially invested trust in and have some familiarity with. Jovan Kirovski comes to mind. But Turner and Reyna–what screwed up situations. And it’s realistically too late at this point for them. They needed to make serious moves a year ago (if not earlier). The Lyon situation especially sucks for Turner. This is like a perfect storm for the USMNT in terms of negative player development with clubs. Let’s at least hope that Pepi gets minutes and PT and gets hot. Or Balo turns it around.
And Berger had a great quarterfinals. But letting in a near-post goal from that angle–yikes that’s almost a GK’s worst nightmare–what a mistake. And especially with such consequences.
In slight fairness to Berger, I’m not convinced that was an intentional shot by Bon Mati. It might have been a wild low cross that got lucky- she seemed to surprised when it went in. Is it correct positioning by Berger? No. But it felt extremely fortunate rather than earned that it happened at all.
I have been quite bullish on this wonderful tourney. The players and the host country have made it truly joyous.
Unrelated, Inter Miami announces it’s women’s team with an open draft of all existing FIFA players…..
Bonmati did say afterwards that it was an intentional shot. That film of Berger showed that she left the near goal open (or at least cheated away from the near goal).
I’m not disputing there was an opening. Players always claim those, her face afterwards makes me doubt it.
Greetings from Haymarket. Lauren Gogal played for Virginia Tech (at least that where she signed, if she transferred to UVA, apologies).
UVA and Tech make for bad bedfellows, just icky.
:^)
You are correct. Not sure why I flipped that. My apologies to all the Hokies for casting aspersions.
BTW, I highly recommend you tune into the final of the women’s Euros this Sunday, every game there are multiple things not on my bingo card that make the match enthralling.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45807559/no-messi-no-alba-whats-next-mls-all-star-game
I originally posted this late last night on yesterday’s FKs.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45806795/mls-commissioner-garber-calendar-shift
Yeah, I guess I’ll repost what I wrote generally before, seeing as it’s a new day- some clubs in MLS cannot play safely in the winter months. So, that’s the main issue, Garber. Either you part with them as a league and let them do something else, or this doesn’t work.
I’ve suggested it before, but Canada now has a professional league. Worth considering.
But then we won’t be like the other major US sports, except NFL, that have at least one team in Canada.
Back on July 15th the US Men’s Wheelchair Rugby team took the Gold Medal in World Wheelchair Rugby Americas Championship defeating Brazil in a close 61-47 finish. They will return to Sao Paulo again next summer for the World Championship.
https://usawr.org/gold-medal-finish-for-usa-in-2025-wwr-americas-championship/
I’m antsy for signings!
Signings with this front office and this record are you joking?