Clint Dempsey Scores for Seattle Sounders in Huge Derby Against Portland Timbers

The World Cup may be over, but Clint Dempsey is still playing in front of sold-out crowds and scoring goals, and he grabbed the winner for Seattle Sounders in their MLS derby against Portland Timbers. Dempsey was lurking near the goal and was on hand to turn the ball past Donovan Ricketts. The Sounders went on to win the game 2-0. [YouTube, MLS]Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

10 Things We Learned from MLS Week 18

With the 2014 World Cup coming to an end, the attention of many American soccer fans is starting to return home to Major League Soccer. With the league now back in full swing after a brief hiatus during the tournament in Brazil, fans were treated to a number of fantastic highlights this past weekend. Here are 10 things we learned from Week 18 in MLS.Begin Slideshow

Winners and Losers from MLS Week 18: Chivas USA, Houston Back 4 and More

Thanks to a high-octane weekend of play across Major League Soccer, there were plenty of winners and losers to discuss after Week 18 closed up shop in Seattle Sunday night. A total of 31 goals were scored in nine games over three days, which means plenty of players received a good amount of praise, and there were some guilty parties who made mistakes leading to those strikes. Continue reading on to take a look at the full list of winners and losers from MLS Week 18.Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Chicago Defensive Trio Stand out in Goal-Filled Weekend

The biggest headline out of Major League Soccer this weekend was the offensive firepower that Saturday night produced, with 26 goals across seven games.  Although the attack play of many teams stole the spotlight, it was the defensive play of Chicago that earned three players the honor of being included into the MLS Team of the Week.  To go along with the Chicago defensive trio, a few of the league's biggest attacking names are also included in the basic 4-4-2 setup. Continue reading on to see which 11 players made our latest MLS Team of the Week. Begin Slideshow

Can MLS Develop USMNT Players Capable of Making a Deep World Cup Run?

As exciting as the 2014 World Cup was for United States's national team fans, the harsh reality is that the team advanced no further than it did in 2010. Even more depressingly, the team's 2-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16 in 2014 was eerily similar to the 1-0 loss the team suffered at the hands of Brazil 20 years ago at the exact same stage in the tournament. There are, of course, exceptions. In 2014, the team advanced out of the "group of death" and was a Chris Wondolowski finish away from a quarterfinal appearance. But "what ifs" don't count for much in football and some have asked why the U.S. hasn't progressed further. As attention now transitions to the next World Cup cycle, there has been a renewed focus on the team's next batch of young prospects and how they can be developed to help the U.S. make a deep World Cup run and compete with the giants of the game. Among U.S. fans, there's a fervent debate about whether these young players are better served heading abroad, or whether their development can be trusted to Major League Soccer. Looking at the U.S.'s 2014 roster, one can't draw any definitive conclusions. While ...

3 Things MLS Must Do to Take Advantage of Euphoria in US Soccer

As the United States men's national soccer team made its run in the 2014 World Cup, Americans showed up at public watch parties by the thousands to support them. For a country like the United States, with a nascent soccer culture, the World Cup offers a unique quadrennial opportunity to grow the sport's fanbase. And with the U.S. team providing four exciting matches, many Americans were given their first taste of the game. Many of these newbies are now hooked on soccer and will be seeking ways to stoke their passion in the weeks and months ahead. Here are three things Major League Soccer can do to take advantage of that euphoria and bring those fans into the MLS fold.Begin Slideshow

MLS Will Grow More Thanks to Success of 2014 World Cup

There were 22 MLS players included on 2014 FIFA World Cup rosters which is an all-time high for the league. Half of those were members of the U.S. men's national team that qualified out of the "Group of Death" and narrowly lost 2-1 to Belgium in the round of 16. These numbers signify that Major League Soccer is set to take another giant step forward. Seven MLS players started against Germany, and many of them played key roles in the next match versus the Belgians, including Sporting Kansas City's Matt Besler and Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey. Even though the U.S. progressed out of arguably the most difficult group at the World Cup, the feeling is that the Belgium defeat reflects negatively on MLS. This is partially correct as the U.S. averaged the seventh lowest possession percentage, the joint-sixth lowest shot total, and allowed the most attempts out of any other country, per Whoscored.com. However, the US traveled over 10,000 miles compared to Belgium's 1,368, per the Daily Mail's Craig Hope. It's definitely less taxing for the team that spends less time commuting. Even injuries took their toll on some players, including one integral figure that plies his trade in MLS.   Regardless of the opinions on the USMNT's showing in Brazil, ...

Former Team USA Star Freddy Adu Can Reignite Career at AZ Alkmaar

When looking back at this summer’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil, one of the most invigorating sub-plots will undoubtedly be the valiant efforts of Team USA. The heroics of Jurgen Klinsmann’s 23-man squad embodied everything great about the beautiful game and saw the Stars and Stripes win over the hearts of millions across the globe. In fact, their performances were so inspired that the squad even received personal praise from a certain POTUS. Those 23 men ensured that soccer finally emerged as a serious sport in the States and have now provided a platform for the sport to continue growing over the coming years. It now seems inevitable that the Yanks will eventually become a serious contender for soccer’s ultimate prize and the current crop of players will be remembered as pioneers who planted the seeds for a country to fall in love with the game. In fact, the spirited displays of Team USA sparked a worldwide love-affair before their elimination to Belgium in the round of 16 and the likes of Tim Howard, Jermain Jones and Kyle Beckerman have become household names across the footballing world. However, there is a forgotten man who was once tipped to be this generation’s Pele: Freddy ...

MLS Player Power Rankings: Morales, BWP Continue Fight for Top Spot

After 17 weeks of play, a few players have stood out the most in Major League Soccer. Two players, Javier Morales and Bradley Wright-Phillips, have delivered terrific performances week after week for Real Salt Lake and the New York Red Bulls, respectively, which is why the two are locked in a battle for the top spot in the MLS Player Power Rankings. Continue reading on to see which star of 2014 was named No. 1 in the Week 17 edition of the list.Begin Slideshow

DeAndre Yedlin Moving to Europe Would Be Best Option

The Seattle Sounders released a statement on July 6 regarding the future of their star right back DeAndre Yedlin. In case you missed it, the 20-year-old was relentless during his three appearances during the World Cup in Brazil. He showcased his speed and dribbling talents against three of the top teams in the world, including 58 minutes in Team USA’s round-of-16 loss to Belgium. Yedlin looks to have a bright future ahead of him after US coach Jurgen Klinnsman was questioned for giving the right back a roster spot. Now that the world knows about him, Sounders general manager Adrian Hanauer released this statement on the club's website. DeAndre has had a very good season in Seattle and obviously had a fantastic World Cup. This has drawn lots of interest for him from leagues around the world. For now, DeAndre is in Seattle and we need him to help us win our upcoming games against Portland. If something transpires with a foreign team, we will announce it. Major League Soccer is on the rise but still nowhere near the talent of the Italian Serie A or the Premier League in England. ProSoccerTalk’s Kirsten Schlewitz reported on July 5 that Yedlin could have a preseason ...