MLS Team of the Week: McInerney Shines Bright with Golazo

With all of the players around the league taking to the field with fresh legs after the two-week break for the World Cup, there were plenty of terrific performances across Major League Soccer this weekend.  There may not have been a scoring outburst over the 10-game slate, but there were plenty of impressive goals, including the one scored by Jack McInerney in Montreal.  This week's team is set up in a 4-1-3-2 to accommodate for a fifth defensive-minded player to enter the squad. Continue reading on to see who found their way into the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Week.Begin Slideshow

Columbus Crew Match Postponed After Fan Reportedly Struck by Lightning

Updates from Sunday, June 29 The MLS released a statement Sunday from executive vice president Dan Courtemanche regarding the postponement of last night's match: Due to the inclement weather in Ohio and the unfortunate incident that occurred in the parking lot outside Columbus Crew Stadium last night, Major League Soccer made the decision to postpone the game between FC Dallas and the Columbus Crew. The game has been rescheduled to 2 pm ET today. The health and safety of our fans is always our top priority, and we believe it was the right decision to postpone the match. The decision to reschedule the game to Sunday afternoon was made by the League. When matches are postponed, MLS' standard policy is to reschedule the game to the next day if possible. This policy is similar to other professional sports leagues. We apologize for any inconvenience to the fans.   Original Text Saturday night's match between the Columbus Crew and FC Dallas had to be canceled under scary conditions, as a fan was struck by lightning before the match. Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch had some of the details: A fan was struck by lightning in the parking lot outside of Crew Stadium before tonight's game against FC Dallas, multiple eyewitnesses ...

Jermain Defoe Embarrassed After Free-Kick Row When Gilberto Scores Wonder Goal

Jermain Defoe has been on fire since joining MLS side Toronto FC, tallying eight goals and an assist in his nine appearances to date.But when the former Tottenham man attempted to take a free-kick away from fellow designated player Gilberto in their match against New York Red Bulls, things got heated. Defoe angrily knocked the ball out of Gilberto's hands, demanding he be the one to take the kick.Instead, Gilberto blasted an absolute screamer past the keeper (his first MLS goal), and all was instantly forgiven.[MLS, h/t 101 Great Goals]Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

USMNT Performance in World Cup Is Validating Quality of MLS

When Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley returned to Major League Soccer this past year after long stints in Europe, many fans of the United States men’s national team immediately assumed the moves would have disastrous consequences for the U.S.’s hopes in the 2014 World Cup. In addition to Bradley and Dempsey, some of the U.S.’s budding talents, like Matt Besler, Graham Zusi and Omar Gonzalez have made the decision over the past few years to forego European offers and instead re-signed with their respective MLS sides. Those decisions were questioned as well, with many U.S. fans assuming that staying in MLS would squash their development as players. For years, most Americans have harbored an inferiority complex about MLS (and the game in general), assuming the only path to success went through development in European leagues, through European styles of play and with European coaches. That viewpoint is still the belief of many Europeans as well. During a recent World Cup broadcast, ESPN commentator Steve McManaman insinuated that MLS lies somewhere between a U-10 league and the English Premier League, and British journalist Piers Morgan recently continued the erroneous belief that the term “soccer” was a word developed and used solely by Americans (the word originates ...

MLS Player Power Rankings: Morales Grabs Top Spot Before Break

During the final weekend of play in Major League Soccer before the World Cup break, certain individuals stood out despite the final result of their respective games.  One of those players was Javier Morales, who has been waiting patiently to take back the top spot in the MLS Player Power Rankings from Federico Higuain. Continue reading to see if Morales did enough to overtake Higuain to earn the title of best player in MLS. Begin Slideshow

8 Things We Learned from MLS Week 14: Teams Show Resilience, Speed and Much More

Major League Soccer's 14th full week of play produced plenty of excitement, but it also raised plenty of concerns for teams entering the World Cup break.  This weekend's games tested the character of a few teams, who responded in a few different ways to the adversity that Week 14 threw in their face.  We also received a clearer picture of who the contenders will be when it comes to the playoff picture.  Continue reading for the eight biggest lessons from MLS Week 14.Begin Slideshow

Winners and Losers from MLS Week 14: Nigerian Forwards, Penalty Takers and More

With the level of excitement rising across the soccer-viewing population of the United States for the World Cup, the final week of play in Major League Soccer before the world's biggest tournament delivered us with plenty of talking points to hold us over until Thursday.  Just like every week, we saw our fair share of winners and losers, which included a pair of Nigerian forwards, the turf monster and a healthy obsession. Continue reading on to see the full list of winners and losers from MLS Week 14. Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Adi, Shipp, Casey Bag Braces in Week 14

The final week of play in Major League Soccer before the World Cup break delivered plenty of quality performances at every position. From a trio of forwards scoring a brace to a pair of center backs who shut down opposing attacks, Week 14's Team of the Week impressed on many levels.  Continue reading on to see who was named in the 4-3-3 formation that makes up the latest MLS Team of the Week. Begin Slideshow

Julio Cesar Gets Tearful About Toronto FC Exit, Despite Making Just 7 Starts

Footballers often get accused of being unemotional and disconnected from their teams—but nobody is going to accuse Julio Cesar of that as he left Toronto FC. The Brazil goalkeeper's loan spell came to an end so he could join up with the national team for the World Cup, and Toronto  marked the occasion with a piano-backed heart-tugging video. Cesar made just seven starts while on loan from Queens Park Rangers, but clearly his spell in Canada left an impression on him. And when the team got him a framed picture he likes, the waterworks began. According to MLS Soccer, QPR are set to bring him back for their Premier League campaign after the World Cup ends. But as Dirty Tackle notes, the one thing none of this addresses is what the home-made Wheel of Fortune wheel is there for. [Toronto FC, YouTube]Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

MLS Player Power Rankings: Higuain Fends off Challengers to Remain at Top

With most of the focus of the soccer world stuck on the superstars preparing for the World Cup, some of the stars of Major League Soccer turned in performances of note in the penultimate week of play before the World Cup break.  From World Cup snubs Landon Donovan, Obafemi Martins and Jermain Defoe to emerging stars of the league in Dillon Powers and Pedro Morales, plenty of players impressed on the pitch in Week 13. Although plenty of quality was shown on the pitch, it was one player who didn't play this weekend that stayed at No. 1, thanks to his overall showing in 2014. Continue reading on to see where the league's best rank in the MLS Player Power Rankings.Begin Slideshow