14 MLS players called up to USA roster for FIFA U-20 World Cup
The United States have their 21-player roster for the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, with head coach Mikey Varas naming an MLS-heavy squad for the high-profile tournament that's held in Argentina from May 20-June 11. See the full roster here.
Former USMNT defender Onyewu named US Soccer VP of sporting
The U.S. Soccer Federation has named Oguchi Onyewu as their vice president of sporting, formally taking a newly-created role that involves working closely with new sporting director Matt Crocker. Onyewu, 40, will work on all sporting matters within the federation and help manage relationships with clubs and leagues in the United States and across the world, along with strengthening stakeholder relationships.
Austin, Cincy and Nashville cruise into Round of 16 of US Open Cup
The US Open Cup Round of 32 continued Wednesday evening with seven Major League Soccer teams punching a Round of 16 ticket, bringing themselves one step closer to a trophy and a CCL berth. See the full results here.
Vancouver Whitecaps reach semifinals over York United
Vancouver Whitecaps FC are into the 2023 Canadian Championship semifinals, pulling away from lower-division side York United FC with a 4-1 victory Wednesday night while traveling cross-country for the midweek fixture. Theyāll face Pacific FC (CPL) in the next round come late May.
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After last night, weāre officially into the Round of 16 in the US Open Cup and officially at the point where these games start to grab a little more attention from the fans, players and coaches of the MLS sides. The upsets are fun and all that, but now they really start to matter to all involved. Because somewhere along the way in each teamās USOC journey, they reach a point where they realize āOh, wait, we get a Champions League spot for this??ā and that they only have to win a few more games to do it. It rapidly becomes a pretty big deal. Especially for teams that could really use a win. (Hello, 2022 Orlando City SC!)Ā
Thatās part of why assessing the teams most likely to win the USOC has a different calculus than normal power rankings. You have to want it too. The teams more likely to rotate their lineup or ease off the gas are less likely to be on their A-game against an MLS or USL side that really, really wants it. So letās take a look at where each team falls on that alignment chart and see if we can figure out whoās going to win this thing. (We canāt.)
LAFC
LAFC are the clear-cut best team in MLS and probably the best team on the continent. Weāll find out soon enough if they can go ahead and claim that title outright when they take on Club LeĆ³n in the Concacaf Champions League final on May 31 and June 4. Theyāre certainly good enough to win this whole thing. Howeverā¦
The USOCās Round of 16 is scheduled for May 23-24 and the quarterfinals are set for June 6-7. Iām gonna go out on a limb here and say that LAFC might be focused on other things at the time. Thing is, they still might have enough depth to cruise past all that anyway. At that point, theyād be outright favorites. But it just seems unlikely.
LA Galaxy
Things are pretty bleak for the older brother in LA right now. Theyāre tied for dead last in MLS, they wonāt be able to sign any international players in the summer transfer window and everything feels like itās about as bad as it could possibly be. I donāt think thatās an overstatement.
So, I guess the question here is whether or not theyāll try to āsave the seasonā by going all-in on US Open Cup. Iād imagine theyāll be more concerned with trying to drag themselves out of the basement. Which means rotating lineups and making sure their best XI is good to go on the weekend to try and start grabbing much, much-needed points in the league.
Austin FC, Real Salt Lake, Inter Miami CF, Charlotte FC, Chicago Fire FC, Minnesota United FC, Colorado Rapids
Look, Iāll be honest, if we were picking Audi MLS Cup Playoffs teams instead of potential US Open Cup winners, Iām not sure Iād confidently pick any of these teams. Only one is above the line right now and itās eighth-place Minnesota, who recently got a big boost with the return of Emanuel āBebeloā Reynoso, but, I dunno, it all still seems kind of weird, right? Theyāll have to sort that out.
Anyway, making a run to a US Open Cup title would be a big deal for all involved. It would either be the first trophy or the first trophy in a long time for anyone from this bunch. Like Orlando last year, it would make a mediocre regular season feel a lot more palatable.
In particular, the Rapids, Austin and Minnesota especially feel like they might have the juice to work their way through the rest of the competition. The Rapids havenāt lost since March and have looked decent to maybe even good as of late. Youāve got to think Austin still have some of their 2022 magic left over in between the couch cushions somewhere. And the Loons have learned to play a scrappy, tournament-appropriate brand of soccer without Reynoso.
To be fair though, everyone here does have a shot. Just not as good a shot asā¦
Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati, Nashville SC, Houston Dynamo FC, New York Red BullsĀ
Weāll go team by team here for our favorites.
This feels like a perfect competition for the Crew to thrive in. They seem to be a well-coached team with good pieces thatās still a few roster moves away from really competing at the top of the league this year. The USOC could be a gentler way into a CCL spot for a team likely set to take a leap forward next year.
Elsewhere in Ohio, Cincinnati have the quality, the āwe havenāt won a trophy yet but weāre good now and we wannaā juice, and a history of success in the USOC even before they joined MLS. Theyāll treat this seriously, and theyāre likely the best team on this list.
Nashville are really good, really hot as of late, really well set up to succeed in a tournament and looking for their first trophy. I donāt think I need to explain more than that.
Houston are a bit more of a dark horse, but theyāre playing so well lately, and theyāll be well aware that a trophy likely isnāt coming any other way this year. Ben Olsen and company will be set to go all-in on this one and they have the talent to pull it off. It could be the kind of thing we eventually view as a major stepping stone to the franchiseās revitalization in Houston.
And, lastly, I put the Red Bulls here because no team has been better defensively this season in MLS. Very few teams have better underlying numbers, and fewer teams still have such a deep rut theyāll be desperate to pull out of. With an interim(ish) manager looking to make an impact and a team in need of some good news, Iād bet they go in on this. At that point, who knows. I wouldnāt count them out.
I mean, I wouldnāt really count anyone out. This competition is full of surprises.
NYCFC release stadium renderings: New York City FC have unveiled new renderings for their planned soccer-specific stadium thatās set to debut during the 2027 MLS season in Queensā Willets Point neighborhood. The 25,000-seat venue, privately financed at $780 million, is one aspect of the Willets Point Revitalization Plan. Aside from New York Cityās first-ever soccer-specific stadium, the project would include the cityās largest 100% affordable housing development in 40 years (estimated 2,500 units) amid pedestrian-friendly, 21st-century urban planning principles. It will also include over 40,000 square feet of public open space, a 650-seat school, a 250-key hotel, and ground-floor retail shops.
- Joe Lowery looked at who has the most to lose this Rivalry Week and explained what rivalry smells like. I bet you have questions after that. Iām not going to answer them. You gotta click on the link.
- Portland Timbers' Claudio Bravo won the AT&T 5G Goal of the Matchday.
- Mikey Varas is leaning on "team culture" as the US U-20s head to the U-20 World Cup.
- FC Dallas honored victims of the recent mass shooting in Allen, Texas.
Good luck out there. Play favorites.