Power and Spirit win, United draw Messi-less Miami, and more: Monday Freedom Kicks
Happy Monday, y’all. It was another full soccer weekend, so let’s get it started out in the Bay Area:
The Spirit played before the largest crowd in NWSL history at Oracle Park. They held off Bay FC to win 3-2.
DC Power defeats Sporting Jacksonville 3-1 in weather delayed season opener (DP)
DC Power opened their season over the weekend, winning against Sporting Jacksonville to get off to a great start.
DC United’s inspiring draw against Inter Miami not enough to escape playoff elimination (DP)
DC United had a more inspired result against Inter Miami (without Messi), but it wasn’t enough to get eliminated from the playoffs.
Kennedy Center to host 2026 World Cup draw (SSFC)
We all thought it was going to be Vegas, but now I will be within walking distance of the World Cup draw when it’s held at the Kennedy Center in December.
Orlando Pride star Banda out for season with adductor injury (PSW)
Tough news for women’s soccer fans as Barbra Banda is out for the rest of the season due to injury.
Reyna completes move to Gladbach as Dortmund admits he needed ‘new chapter’ (PSW)
Gio Reyna is finally leaving Borussia Dortmund, heading to Borussia Mönchengladbach
Jack Grealish stars as Everton begin life at new stadium with win (ESPN)
Everton opened their brand new stadium in style, beating Brighton 2-0.
EPL teams with betting companies as front of shirt sponsors will have to find new sponsors at the end of the season. More than half of the teams have betting companies as jersey sponsors, which could leave a huge financial hole for each of them to fill.
Multi-club ownership in the spotlight after European sanctions hit hard (The Guardian)
A lot of multi-club ownership groups are seething after the rules are made to punish them when they have multiple teams make a competition. They’re working to make it less of a punishment for multiple teams qualifying for a tournament.
Enjoy the day, y’all.
I’m incredibly happy but also completely surprised that my beloved Everton opened their stadium so successfully. Brighton seemed made in a lab to hand them the sort of stadium initiating loss that would be inescapable as a bad thing and hard to accept.
Instead, the soccer gods (and Jack Grealish) delivered a showing that was almost too scripted, too telegenic. Hell, even the near setback of a handball in the box just yielded Pickford a chance to save an easy penalty.
So, thanks, soccer gods! (Weirdos)
Anyway, really hope Reyna can get his career in gear now. Any gear.
Time will tell of course. I think he made this decision out of “comfort”–he’s spent years in the Bundesliga and has a friend on Moenchen Gladback (Joe Scally). I personally think Serie-A would have been better for him but what the heck do I know. The key thing is he’s out of Dortmund.
Now that we’re eliminated, hopefully we see a lot of playing time for people that are auditioning for next year. Hopkins seems to be seizing his opportunity to make a first impression on his new boss with both hands.
Luis Barraza has been a fine performer this year, but his contract is up at the end of this season. He’s earned it, but there’s no way he should be back next year. Kim Joon Hong should play out the rest of this season just to give him some reps, but he hasn’t looked up for it all season. I’d imagine Weiler will be looking out for a new keeper next season.
Otherwise, I’d like to see some more playing time for Jacob Murrell, and for Conner Antley and Derek Dodson. And hopefully Pirani can get another goal or two to up his transfer value.
On the flip side, there’s no way that Randall Leal should return next year, so there’s not any need to play him any further the rest of the year, if he’s even healthy. And if they’re not planning to bring him back, you could honestly say the same thing about Benteke.
For Leal and other guys we don’t expect to see next year, they should be limited to relief minutes. Like maybe spelling Hopkins and such since he’s finally healthy again.
I agree about the goalie situation. I think the line-up that we saw at the Miami game is the new first team line up minus Benteke. I think Weiler mentioned in an interview that they need more quality player based on the substitutions of DCU vs Miami. That means the team needs some more depth. I like how Weiler
I like how Weiler made an adjustment with how Herrea played. Maybe he is going to let them play.
It is kind of stark that Miami could bring Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets off the bench, and we brought on Rida Zouhir.
MLS is corrupt.
They also brought on De Paul and Rodriguez, whose golazo tied the game. DC United had held their own for 55 minutes or so, against very much a B team for Miami. The talent gulf isn’t just about the bench.
https://www.dcunited.com/news/d-c-united-matches-to-re-air-locally-on-fox-5
Ok, I get that this gets DCU in front of more eyes which isn’t a bad thing. Will people watch a game over 48 hours after it concludes and full descriptions are available here, on the internet, or social media?
Some people will, either because they can’t watch otherwise or because they’re channel surfing and happen to settle on our team (for some reason). We aren’t getting many viewers, at least not the rest of this year. Hopefully the ones who do watch get to see some competent performances.
If Messi had been there, a lot of people would watch, assuming they have a clue that this is happening. I agree that ratings will be crap.
Hopkins’ goal against Miami is up for Goal of the Week. There is a 0% chance he will win it, because he’s up against a Miami player and also Son, but its the thought that counts, right?
Goal of the week will likely be given to Messi.
His first touch was sublime, but it wasn’t even the best goal of the game. And Heung Min Son will surely win the voting.