Sylvae
12Jan/160

10 Bold Predictions for 2016 MLS SuperDraft

The 20 clubs in Major League Soccer will convene in Baltimore on Thursday for the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.  Last season's draft produced one of the league's top scorers in Orlando City's Cyle Larin as well as instant contributors Matt Polster, Saad Abdul-Salaam, Tim Parker and Axel Sjoberg.  The 2016 edition of the SuperDraft has plenty of top talent as well, with Georgetown's Joshua Yaro atop most draft boards across the league.  As we all know, plenty of things can change in regard to the draft order before teams begin to select players on Thursday, but based on the current draft order and specific team needs, we tried to make 10 bold predictions for the happenings at the Baltimore Convention Center.  Among the predictions are a surprise signing, a defender with a rising stock and trade speculation about a spot in the top 10. Continue reading to see what our 10 bold predictions are for the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.Begin Slideshow
Filed under: MLS News No Comments
29Dec/150

An A to Z of MLS in 2015

The last year in Major League Soccer was one of the most successful periods in the league's history. The 2015 regular season was a massive success and bigger names continued to come over to play in North America.  The 2015 league campaign almost didn't start on time as the owners and players agreed upon on a collective bargaining agreement two days before the first match kicked off. Once the games began, we witnessed plenty of world-class play from stars like Sebastian Giovinco, David Villa and Kei Kamara. As the season progressed, drama began to build in anticipation of what turned out to be the most exciting postseason in league history.  Off the pitch, the introduction of Targeted Allocation Money was a big storyline as was the midseason transfers of Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo.  We decided to wrap up the last year in MLS with a complete A to Z guide of the happenings on and off the field during the league's 20th season.Begin Slideshow
Filed under: MLS News No Comments
24Dec/150

Grading the Top Moves of the MLS Offseason So Far

The Major League Soccer offseason may be just over two weeks old but has seen plenty of player movement since Portland hoisted the MLS Cup on December 6.  In the time since the offseason opened, teams have traded key members of their squads for draft picks, the league's first free agents signed and a big-name defender left the league.  Not all of the 20 clubs in the league have been active on the player market in December, but there have been a few who have constantly appeared in the headlines.  Since there have been plenty of notable moves since the start of the offseason, we decided to break down the key acquisitions and hand out grades to the teams involved.  Here's a look at our grades for the top MLS offseason moves to date. Begin Slideshow
Filed under: MLS News No Comments
18Dec/150

5 Youngsters Who Will Make Their Mark in MLS in 2016

It's never too early to start thinking about a new season, especially with the quick turnaround between seasons in Major League Soccer.  The 2015 campaign saw young players like Cyle Larin, Matt Polster, Kellyn Acosta and Matt Miazga burst onto the scene as potential rocks for their respective franchises for years to come.  There are plenty of stars like the quartet mentioned above that are set to break out in 2016. We have selected five players currently 23 and under that are expected to leave a mark on the league as a whole over the next 12 months.  We approached this list with one caveat, current college underclassmen Jordan Morris and Joshua Yaro were not considered because their respective futures are still hanging in the balance.  With that being said, we decided to look at five players currently on MLS rosters who should be set for a stellar season when the calendar flips to 2016.Begin Slideshow
Filed under: MLS News No Comments
10Dec/150

Ranking the Top 50 Players in MLS in 2015

Major League Soccer's 20th season was its best to date thanks to the quality of the star players spread across the 20 clubs.  Stars like Sebastian Giovinco, David Villa, Kaka, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and more entered the league to much fanfare, but there were also plenty of American products who delivered for their respective clubs.  Our list of the top 50 players from the 2015 season features stars from 19 of the 20 sides in the league. The Colorado Rapids were the lone team not to have anyone make the list. The New York Red Bulls led all teams with seven players, while FC Dallas, Vancouver and Portland all put four names in rankings. The balance of power between the conferences was level as well with 26 representing the Eastern Conference and 24 for the Western Conference.  We selected the 50 players by their numbers in key statistical categories, influence on the pitch and form throughout the season. Certain players were penalized for long dips in form during the regular season. For those eligible for the postseason, playoff performances were considered, but they weren't a major factor.  Continue reading on to see who were the best 50 players in MLS in 2015. Begin Slideshow
Filed under: MLS News No Comments
7Dec/150

Portland Timbers Get Everything Right at Perfect Time to Win MLS Cup

Sunday marked the culmination of a nine-month quest to become champion of Major League Soccer.  During that period, we saw clubs attempt to claim the throne as the favorite to win MLS Cup, but many of them faded before the meaningful matches began.  When the postseason started, the clubs dubbed as the ones to beat failed to live up to the title. When the final whistle blew on MLS Cup at Mapfre Stadium on Sunday, the team that progressively picked up momentum near the end of the regular season and made a postseason drive in which it defeated three of the four best teams in the league came out on top.  The Portland Timbers didn't start the season strong like the New York Red Bulls or Vancouver Whitecaps. Nor did they peak at midseason like the LA Galaxy. They didn't even strike up a serious discussion about their MLS Cup credentials like rival Seattle, the Red Bulls or MLS Cup runner-up Columbus did at the conclusion of the regular season.  But one thing the Timbers excelled at over the nine-month journey to MLS Cup was adjusting and correcting their wrongs.  It took some time for the back four of Alvas Powell, Nat Borchers, Liam Ridgewell ...
Filed under: MLS News No Comments
6Dec/150

Columbus Crew vs. Portland Timbers: Winners and Losers from MLS Cup Final

The Portland Timbers captured their first MLS Cup with a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew at Mapfre Stadium on Sunday. Portland got off to a fast start as Diego Valeri and Rodney Wallace each found the back of the net within the first seven minutes of the contest. Columbus pulled one back in the 18th minute after Kei Kamara took advantage of a goalkeeping blunder, but that would be the only time the Crew would celebrate a goal in front of the home fans. The victory marked the end of a successful postseason run for the Timbers that saw the team earn positive results on the road on three occasions. Here's a look at our winners and losers from Portland's MLS Cup triumph.Begin Slideshow
Filed under: MLS News No Comments
6Dec/150

Columbus Crew vs. Portland Timbers: Live Score, Highlights from MLS Cup Final

MLS Cup—Mapfre Stadium, Columbus, Ohio Columbus Crew 1-2 Portland Timbers  Goals: Diego Valeri (POR) 1'; Rodney Wallace (POR) 7'; Kei Kamara (CLB) 18'  Columbus Crew: Clark, Afful, Parkhurst, Sauro, Francis, Trapp, Tchani (McInerney 72'), Finlay (Mabwati 63'), Higuain, Meram (Saeid 79'), Kamara Portland Timbers: Kwarasey, Powell, Borchers, Ridgewell, Villafana, Chara, Nagbe, Valeri, Melano (Asprilla 59'), Adi, Wallace    Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com
Filed under: MLS News No Comments
4Dec/150

Columbus Crew vs. Portland Timbers: Team News, Preview, TV for MLS Cup Final

Major League Soccer's 20th season concludes on Sunday with the MLS Cup at Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.  The Columbus Crew, who entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, will host the Portland Timbers, who advanced to the final as the third seed from the Western Conference.  Although it isn't the matchup many predicted for the championship match at the start of the year—or even at the beginning of the postseason—Sunday's showdown in Columbus should produce a thrilling 90 minutes or more of soccer.  Below is all the information you need to know heading into the 2015 MLS Cup Final.   Date: Sunday, December 6 Time: 4 p.m. ET TV: ESPN Live Stream: WatchESPN   Recent Form and MLS Cup History Columbus enters the final contest of the MLS season off two hard-fought series victories over the Montreal Impact and New York Red Bulls. The Crew downed the Didier Drogba-led Impact 4-3 on aggregate, and they defeated the Supporters' Shield winners 2-1 on aggregate in the Eastern Conference Final. During the regular season, Columbus posted a 9-4-4 record at home.  Sunday marks the second time Columbus will appear in the MLS Cup. The Crew won the title in 2008 over the New York Red Bulls 3-1. Alejandro Moreno, Chad Marshall and Frankie Hejduk scored ...
Filed under: MLS News No Comments
2Dec/150

MLS Boss Don Garber Talks Historic 20th Season, David Beckham and More with B/R

From the second the first whistle blew on the Major League Soccer regular season up until MLS Cup on Sunday, the American soccer league has enjoyed its best season to date.  In the nine months of play across the United States and Canada, fans have been treated to the fantastic individual talents of international stars such as Sebastian Giovinco, Giovani Dos Santos, Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard as well as American stars like Ethan Finlay, Dax McCarty, Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley and others.  However, the 20th season almost didn't start on time as collective bargaining negotiations lasted until the final week of the offseason. Reflecting on the historic campaign as a whole, commissioner Don Garber realizes just how close the league and the players' union came to hitting the deadline.  "It seems like the CBA negotiations were a lifetime ago," Garber told Bleacher Report. "They were less than a year ago, and anytime you go through difficult labor negotiations, it’s traumatic and it gets everybody focused on ensuring you get a deal that makes sense for everybody, and I believe we’ve been able to do that. "Here we are almost a year later, and it has been, without a doubt, the most successive ...
Filed under: MLS News No Comments