DCU Elimination Scenarios, Loudoun Falls, Goalie Goals, and Inter Miami Phone-A-Friend, and more: Thursday Freedom Kicks
I spent a good portion of Wednesday night talking to a good friend of mine who resides in San Francisco and is a Bay FC season ticket holder. We ended up talking about how excited she is for the game and some of the limited-edition merchandise they created for the match. Bay FC did a great job blending their brand into baseball themed gear for the game. Our discussion got me thinking, if the Spirit held a similar match, against say Gotham, at Camden Yards in Baltimore (capacity 45,971) or Citizen’s Bank Park in Philly (capacity 42, 901), what would the attendance be? (I didn’t consider M&T Bank Stadium and Lincoln Financial Field because of their size. Nats Park wasn’t considered because I’m not sure it’s a novelty if the Spirit are just moving across the street.) I doubt it will happen, especially with Philly’s territorial rights apparently belonging to Gotham, but its kind of fun to think about. Anyway, here is today’s news.
The MLS regular season ends in roughly two months, DC United has seven games remaining, and the two most likely results from Saturday’s match will eliminate the club from playoff contention…. ::Sigh::
MLS 2025 Attendance Figures (Transfermarkt)
Just like the race for the Wooden Spoon, DC United isn’t at the bottom, but they’re close and there’s still time. :: Double Sigh::
Mazzola Comes Through as Republic FC downs Loudoun in Shootout (USL Championship)
Loudoun depart the 2025 USL Jägermeister Cup in the Quaterfinal round after falling to Republic FC. Loudoun made it through regulation without conceding but fell in a shootout 4-2.
Bay FC set to break NWSL attendance mark vs. Spirit Aug. 23 (ESPN)
In addition to the final attendance total, I am watching to see if a soccer ball, somehow, joins the 166 homeruns that have landed in McCovey Cove.
OPENING WEEKEND: Gainbridge Super League’s 2nd season kicks off Saturday (Front Row Soccer)
DC Power provide the opponents for Super League rookies Sporting Club Jacksonville in their inaugural game.
Javier Mascherano red card: Inter Miami coach ejected from Leagues Cup win (USA Today)
The title does not do this article justice. Javier Mascherano, Miami’s coach was seemingly caught giving instructions from the stands over the phone after receiving a red card. Neither he nor Lucas Rodriguez Pagano, the assistant coach seeming on the other end of the call, showed any subtlety in this. I have so many questions. 1) What punishment do the powers that be add on to Mascherano’s one game suspension. 2) Has anything like this happened before? 3) If Ben Olsen, Troy Lesense, or any ne other than the coach of Inter Miami did this, would reporters describe the event as “quirky” as was done here? (Of note for Saturday’s DCU match, Messi didn’t dress because of a hamstring issue and Jordi Alba left with a knee injury.)
USMNT’s Paxten Aaronson near move from Frankfurt to Rapids – source (ESPN)
We are officially in the zone where every move a USMNT player or potential player’s moves are broken down and viewed in the context of next year’s World Cup. For me, when it comes down to it, playing time is playing time.
U.S. Soccer Federation to Honor USMNT Legend Michael Bradley ahead of USA-Korea Republic (US Soccer)
Speaking of USMNT players who returned to MLS after plying his trade in Europe, US Soccer is set to give the New Jersey native and former MetroStar a tribute match in front of hometown fans against South Korea.
Alexander Isak and a ‘nuclear’ row with Newcastle – what next? (BBC Sport)
There are some breakups that turn into such huge trainwrecks it is impossible to look away. This will likely be resolved when the transfer window closes on September 1st, but there is plenty of time for the drama to head off in more unexpected and entertaining directions.
Top 50 Stadiums for Game-Day Eats (Yelp)
Unsurprisingly, Audi Field is not on this list. However, eight venues that host MLS and/or NWSL teams were rated in the top 50. I do question some of this and the methodology behind it as in all the times I’ve eaten at Allainz Field, I really haven’t found anything that sets it apart from Audi or most other parks. It could be I just haven’t found the right stand yet.
Leaked Mexico World Cup jersey pays homage to iconic 1998 design (Pro Soccer Wire)
Adidas, in my opinion, routinely knocks it out of the park with the jerseys they produce for El Tri. Not that this is remotely in the top issues for US Soccer, but Nike needs to take notes and stop producing uninspired kits for the US. The kits with the sashes or the Waldo kits would be good starting points.
And finally, we’ll end with some goalies winning NWSL weekly awards.
Aubrey Kingsbury won for NWSL Save of the Week.
On the other end of the field, Alyssa Naeher tied it for Chicago at the death with her first career goal. Despite Naeher beating out Sofia Cantore and Rose Kouassi for this, who doesn’t enjoy it when a goalie scores (except in this case Seattle).
Ex-USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher’s first NWSL goal as told by her Stars teammates (The Athletic $)
Naeher’s teammates describe the moment and make it clear just how much they appreciate and respect her.
The transfer window will close this afternoon. Here’s hoping DCU makes some kind of move. Until next week.
I’m worried about pitch conditions for the Bay FC vs. Spirit game, but if that’s handled well, should be fun.
Paxten: It’s his call if he wants playing time and is done being a prospect training with good coaches, and wants to be the guy somewhere. That said, if he truly believes he’s just a Colorado MLS season from breaking into the squad for the World Cup, he’s delulu. He didn’t even star at the gold cup tryout. Hope that wasn’t the main factor in the decision, cuz it would not be a rational one.
$7 million (I think it was actually Euros, but whatever) seems like a ton to pay for Paxten Aaronson. But it’s not my money and not my team. I thought the Rapids were taking a bad chance with Mihailovic, and that worked out for them well enough while it lasted.
If you don’t mind me asking, what is prompting your concerns about the pitch? Type of grass in the field?
It looks like Giants will have been on the road for a week and there appear to be no concerts. If from that perspective if the Giants and Bay FC haven’t used the time to make it as close to perfect as possible, shame on them.
Baseball surfaces are raised and a lot of it is not grass/turf. When United shared RFK with the Nationals, it was not fun
That makes sense. Appreciate the added context.
Yeah, it could be that this is being handled expertly and it’s gonna be great, I’ve just experienced what not great looks like
Well, Mascherano and Miami should face severe punishment for failing to comply with basic game rules. It’s more likely they get a $1000 fine and Mascherano is punished with time served, because they’re The Most Important Team.
$1,000 fine? Hah, I laugh at your naivety. No, MLS will add a cell tower at Miami’s stadium, encourage Mascherano to get an ear piece. and give Inter-Miami an extra $1 million in cap space.
Darth Garber has a plan to do so and appreciates your impudent advice….
Messi has an injury, Darth Garber is restricting his travel this weekend.
BTW, I don’t know if this is a Post decision now about soccer coverage or it’s just how irrelevant DCU has become but–the last several away games, the Post has just printed an article from the AP. How far the Post has fallen.
I think this is a Post decision. I would say that if United were more interesting or relevant they might send Thomas Floyd, but the Spirit ARE interesting and relevant, and the Post has been using the AP write ups for them too, I believe.
I mourn what’s happened to the Post. I mourn what’s happened to United.
I mourn what’s happened to the Post WAY more than I mourn what’s happened to United. I love DCU but in context, it is a sport, a distraction. The fall of the Post is most alarming. Yes, it is a newspaper but a newspaper with tremendous history. It’s disintegration speaks to a moment in history where greed, loss of integrity and complacency has taken over.
Agreed. But they all fall into a pattern of where DC institutions are being failed by their stewards and harming this area through their fecklessness.
That’s part of the fantasy of Superman this year, as well. Not only do major evils get combated with gusto by a superhero who just wants to do his best, but print journalism still has a vibrant, central place in that struggle, as well.
Part of it is also the rise of the internet. I think journalism has a chance to survive in this new age still, but we need to wrest control of the web away from ego powered billionaire nut jobs to allow it to come to some sort of equilibrium. It’s being kept largely radioactive on purpose.
I still get the WashPost delivered, but it has fallen of. Sad.
DCU just can’t stop tripping on itself. Even Messi isn’t interested in bagging a few extra goals here.
If it makes you feel any better, it’s not you, it is his hamstring. He didn’t even suit up for yesterday’s game against a far more worthy opponent.
Are you suggesting that Mr. Bezos is a billionaire nut job?
Or possibly a Bond villain?
So with the transfer deadline tonight, who’s ready for the flurry inbound transfers that are surely coming to DC today??? In reality, I’m hoping they can at least manage to bring in one more player, but a repeat of the last-minute chaos that brought us Arriola, Canouse, and Zoltan a few years ago would sure be nice right about now
Maybe we’ll get a Bruno Miranda!
Apparently DeAndre Yedlin is going to RSL. Cincinnati might be looking for a right wingback to replace him, and Aaron Herrera is sitting there with a team option for next year. He’s one of the few decent players on the squad, but that means he’s one of the few players that might actually bring some value back from other teams. And since we’re rebuilding next year, everyone should be on the block.
It probably won’t happen, but it won’t surprise me if it does.
Yeah when I saw that report my very first thought was “they better not take Herrera from us”
Darth Garber is sending Herrera to Miami tomorrow. He’ll be in pink on Saturday.
Miami’s coach no has a headset and sunglasses so as not to be recognized when coaching remotely.
In “Hey, Other Teams Are Stupid Too!” news, Austin brought in a Cameroonian-Swiss player on June 30. They just transferred him back to Switzerland without him making a single appearance for the team. He apparently did not want to be in Austin, which is probably something Austin should have checked on first.
(Caden Clark totally wants to be in DC, right? Right?)
Yikes. At least Rochat actually played for us and just hated getting sent away involuntarily.
DC has now made the Caden Clark transfer official. $700k cash trade, with a $100k add-on possible. Contract through 25 with options for 26 and 27. Montreal retains a sell-on percentage
Goff is mentioning that “barring any other last minute deal(s),” United is wrapping up the trade window with Caden Clark, $125,000 in GAM, and a third round draft pick to show for it. No DPs, no international signings, no big trades.
It’s possible that Goff is not quite as plugged in any more and something happens, but he seems much more likely to be correct than not. And if that’s the case, it is absolutely damning that this is the approach that ownership and the GM took to this season.
As depressing as it is for a fan, I don’t really think they’re wrong to stay mostly still this window. Their coach just started, we’re stuck with some bad pieces for a while (barring any transfers, likely at a loss), and we’re not an attractive destination in many ways. He’s got a few months to evaluate who’s capable of contributing next season. We *should* be extremely busy in the winter window, hopefully with sights on *quality* players eager for a change of scenery. I’d like a veteran free agent from within the league at pretty much any spot on the field just for the on and off field leadership. I’m fine waiting if we’re aggressive and get the roster improvements done with plenty of preseason to build. Will it happen? History suggests no, but I’ll hold judgement til then.
Sure, but the plan (as presumably dictated by ownership) was to get a DP during the season when the options would be of a higher quality. DC had set itself to go with the 2 DP model (which would also allow it to spend an additional $2 million in GAM). Then they kind of abruptly shifted to a 3 DP model, reasoning that Benteke could use some help. Seemingly, their goal was to try to sign Paul Pogba using sort of a similar reasoning to bring in Wayne Rooney.
They didn’t sign Pogba. They didn’t have $2 million in GAM to spend. They could have also shifted course again and gone back to the 2 DP model and opened up $1 million in GAM to spend. But they didn’t. And they fired their coach, hired another coach, couldn’t get him a visa for five weeks, and then ran out of time in the window. They haven’t (yet) signed another DP. They’ve wasted another season of Benteke, who’s now the second leading scorer in club history but who has never seen the postseason.
And now this is a window wasted to improve the club outside of Caden Clark (who has scored no goals this season).
So, from the present situation, I understand having time to thoughtfully do a rebuild. But we just did a rebuild, and the architects of that are still in place. The plan from that first rebuild cratered spectacularly.
So yes. Absolutely damning.
I understand the idea of: let Weiler get acclimated otherwise the league and team “talent” before making decisions. But you’ve got a huge credibility factor now–with the Owner, GM and coaching saying back in April “we’ll add people in the summer window.”
Well that’s depressing.
Well, explains the small crowds, and the Jose Andres inspired menu not even rating, and the general lack of optimism for any kind of future for this moribund operation. It just wanders like a zombie on the Walking Dead. Day after day, I continue to feel more and more comfortable about leaving my great seats as an STH. It’s just not a good investment of my money or time. So sad.
Even Messi doesn’t want to play us.
Did I miss something? Is Messi definitely out?
He didn’t even suit up for yesterday’s game which I’m presuming is much more important for Miami than a game against DCU. He’s having issues with his hamstring. So, Messi not playing and not even traveling with Miami, is a safe assumption I think. I think Jordi Alba might also be out. He got hurt yesterday.
One note I wanted to get out of the way since I just remembered – Weiler’s post-match presser. In less than 2 minutes, he said more meaningful comments on the team and had 10 times more energy than Flanagan could muster in nearly 2 months. No wonder we looked even worse after firing Troy. Sad that the presser was apparently devoid of media. I’m looking forward to seeing how we play for another few games.
I was wondering about the two minutes. He only took questions from one reporter.
Surely there were other questions from other reporters. I would have expected questions on the direction of the team.
Any thoughts from The District Press on this?
Did any DC (or even US) media travel? Now that Goff left the Post I’m not sure we’re going to get anything after our away games.
Any details you can share?
It was quick. He just said the team played well and deserved at least 1 point, the goal they gave up was a simple mistake and important to get the result after the last few games. He said jumping in was stressful but there’s no time to dwell on it. He can’t change the team dramatically in such a short time. Then he moves on to preparing for Miami. Pretty curt but not antagonistic answers, didn’t constantly harp on how hard everything is.
Flanagan is quite possibly the least charismatic man I’ve ever heard.
Major League Rugby draft is on ESPNU tonight at 6 PM. Old Glory pick 4th overall in the 1st round, 3rd (12th overall) in the 2nd round, and 4th (21st overall) in the 3rd round. Only round 1 will be announced live on the draft show with a 5 minute clock.
Draft has started and Anthem are on the clock for the #1 overall pick. They also have the #2 overall pick via trade with San Diego Legion (now merged with RFC LA to form California Legion).
With the first overall pick Anthem takes William Sherman, Lock, UCLA
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
With the second overall pick Anthem take Campbell Rob, Hooker, Central Washington University
**Campbell Robb
Hometown: Morrinsville, New Zealand
Seattle is on the clock with the 3rd overall pick
Seattle Seawolves take Tiai Vavao, Flanker, Central Washington University
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Old Glory DC is on the clock with the 4th overall pick
OGDC take Connor Devos, Tighthead Prop, Lindenwood University
Hometown: The Woodlands, Texas
California Legion are on the clock for the 5th overall pick
They take Oscar Treacy, Wing, Central Washington University
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
Chicago Hounds are on the clock.
They take Elias Garza, Loosehead Prop, Life University, from Weslaco, Texas
Utah is on the clock
Jacob Ince, Center, University of Guelph (Canada)
Hometown: Oakwood, Ontario, Canada
California Legion back on the clock via a trade earlier in the season with Houston.
Iremia Iremia, Flanker, Cal Berkley
Hometown: Porirua, New Zealand
** Ieremia Ieremi is the name
New England is on the clock with the final pick of the first round. The remaining 2 rounds are not televised.
Adam Chadwick, Hooker, Life University
Hometown: Lymington, UK
Houston Sabercats did not have a first round pick as they had traded their pick away, but they do pick 1st in the 2nd round.
correction Houston’s pick wasn’t till later in the round.
Round 2:
10th New England (traded from Anthem RFC): Tevita Mapa, Flanker, Life University
Hometown: Oakland, CA
11th Seattle Seawolves: Charles Walsh, Tighthead Prop, UC Berkley
Hometown: Hong Kong
12th Old Glory DC: James Phillips, Hooker, Dartmouth College
Hometown: Tunbridge Wells, Uk
13th California Legion: Joshua Cox, Fullback, UCLA
Hometown: Durban, Republic of South Africa
14th Chicago Hounds: Bastian Brunello, Fullback, Mount Saint Mary’s
Hometown: Mont de Marsan, France
15th Utah Warriors: Filimone Manu, Fullback, American International College
Hometown: Hamilton, NZ
16th Houston Sabercats: King Matu Jr, Flanker, Saint Mary’s College
Hometown: Pittsburg, CA
17th New England: Leon Best, Tighthead Prop, Life University
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Round 3:
18th Anthem: Chad Tinney, Tighthead Prop, Lindenwood Univeristy
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri
19th New England: Jack Worobel, Lock, University of Vermont
Hometown: Exeter, New Hampershire
20th Seattle: Keelin Coyle, Fly-half, University of South Florida
Derry, Ireland
21st Old Glory DC: Merlin M’Cloud, Flanker University of Victoria (Canada)
Hometown Montague, Prince Edward Island, Canada/ Nellysford, VA
22nd California: Grant Meadows, Flanker, Brock University (Canada)
Hometown: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
23rd Chicago: Lachlan McDonald, Fullback, Walsh University
Hometown: Brisbane, Australia
24th Utah: Jacob Hall, Scrum-Half, University of Arizona
Hometown: Gold Coast, Australia
25th Houston: Ian Roudybush, Flanker, Penn State University
Hometown: Fairfax, VA
26th New England: Remy Thomson, Scrum-Half, Walsh University
Hometown: Oxford, United Kingdom
Attended last nite’s Loudoun United game. They were the better team for much (most) of the game but give it to Sacramento on defense. Both defenses were stellar…shame to lose out on PKs but as I recall an earlier Cup game Loudoun advanced on PKs so karma was pretty instant. If anyone knows why Florian Valot wasn’t one of the LUFC members taking a shot during the PK’s I’d like to hear the reason. He typically is one player on the team that always seems to know where the ball’s gonna go when he kicks it 🙂