MLS: 8 Things We Learned on Matchday 5

MLS Matchday 5 has ended after some exciting matches. The Chicago Fire and Toronto FC combined for five goals as the Fire earned their second straight win. Elsewhere, the Vancouver Whitecaps silenced the defending champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy, for just the second time since Vancouver entered the league. The Portland Timbers recorded their first win of the season against FC Dallas. Timbers head coach Caleb Porter was involved in a small spat with his counterpart Oscar Pareja after the match, heightening the scrutiny on this matchup.  Sunday's games produced a goal of the week candidate and demonstrated how crucial set pieces can be in a game. Here are eight things we learned on Matchday 5 in MLS.Begin Slideshow

Kenny Cooper Fiasco Highlights MLS’ Issues and Proves It Won CBA Negotiations

The Seattle Sounders waived forward Kenny Cooper on Thursday, per the team's official website. However, the comments from general manager Garth Lagerwey signify that the league is benefiting more from the new CBA and has made little effort to gain transparency. Cooper attracted interest from the Montreal Impact, according to the official MLS website, but Montreal has not completed a deal. The reasoning behind this could be down to the 30-year-old's hefty salary, per Duane Rollins of Canadian Soccer News: The cap number seemingly influenced the Sounders' decision. Lagerwey told reporters "there has not been a market for [Cooper]," per Matt Pentz of The Seattle Times.  Lagerwey also said that the lack of suitors was due to teams expecting an increase in cap space after the CBA negotiations last March. As a result, nobody wanted to take a risk in acquiring Cooper. The former FC Dallas striker is a nine-year MLS veteran and is 30 years old. Under the new CBA regulations, he is eligible for free agency since he has at least eight years of experience in the league and is over 28. However, this is not the case according to what Lagerwey said to the press, via Pentz: There is no free agency (now). ...

MLS: Keys to Every Game on Matchday 5

MLS Matchday 5 begins on Friday with Orlando City SC hosting D.C. United on UniMas. The teams are separated by one point entering this game after D.C.'s win over the LA Galaxy last week. Saturday features five games, three of which are late kickoffs. FC Dallas versus the Portland Timbers is arguably the marquee matchup of the day. The Timbers have yet to win a game and will be desperate for a victory. Sunday's doubleheader begins with the San Jose Earthquakes and Real Salt Lake at Avaya Stadium on ESPN2. Sporting Kansas City will host the lowly Philadelphia Union on Fox Sports 1 to close out the weekend. Here are the keys to every match this weekend in MLS.Begin Slideshow

MLS: 10 Things We Learned on Matchday 4

Sunday's MLS Matchday 4 concluded an entertaining weekend. The round was packed with terrific individual performances, some controversy and a few comebacks. Orlando City SC drew 2-2 with the Montreal Impact at Olympic Stadium with just four players on the bench. The Vancouver Whitecaps left it till late against the Portland Timbers, while D.C. United also struck at the death versus LA Galaxy. Goalkeepers also ruled the weekend. Houston Dynamo shot-stopper Tyler Deric and the Whitecaps' David Ousted were brilliant and single-handedly saved their respective sides from disaster. Here are 10 things we learned on Matchday 4.Begin Slideshow

MLS: Keys to Every Game on Matchday 4

Matchday 4 of the MLS season begins on Saturday with eight games on the schedule. Two more will follow on Sunday. With 58 players on international duty, coaches will have to rotate accordingly this weekend. The first Cascadia Cup match of the season between the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps at BC Place is the highlight of Saturday's games. Elsewhere, D.C. United and the LA Galaxy square off, while FC Dallas meet the Seattle Sounders in a rematch of last year's Western Conference semifinals.  Here are the keys to every match in MLS this weekend.Begin Slideshow

MLS: 8 Things We Learned on Matchday 3

MLS Matchday 3 is in the books, and, as usual, there were some interesting storylines and takeaways. The San Jose Earthquakes won in their first game at Avaya Stadium against the Chicago Fire on Sunday. FC Dallas earned its third win in as many games to stay perfect on the season. Finally, the New York Red Bulls defeated their rivals D.C. United. There was also more refereeing controversy, another brutal injury and some incredible individual performances.  Here are eight things we learned this past weekend in MLS.Begin Slideshow

Ronaldo to MLS May Be a Distraction from Miami Debacle

Cristiano Ronaldo is planning to play in MLS in 2018, per Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl. It's big news given his status as one of the world's best players, and he'll be only 33 years old. However, the timing of the news is curious considering what's transpired with the Miami expansion debacle. According to Wahl, the cities that have been linked to Ronaldo are Miami, Los Angeles and New York.  This isn't the first time Ronaldo has been linked to the United States, either. His agent, Jorge Mendes, claimed that the Ballon d'Or winner could move to the U.S. once his contract expires, per French TV program Telefoot (h/t to MLS' official website). Even if Mendes stayed silent on the matter, it's feasible to see a player like Ronaldo in MLS. He's a huge star, he's vastly wealthy and likes to soak in the limelight, just like David Beckham. This Ronaldo news could very likely happen, and he would obviously be a great addition for MLS. However, this also looks like a PR move designed to distract the fans from the disaster in Miami. It's not a guarantee that Ronaldo would choose South Florida. The LA Galaxy, New York City FC and the expansion team in LA ...

MLS: Keys to Every Game on Matchday 3

Matchday 3 of the MLS season gets underway Friday with the Philadelphia Union taking on FC Dallas. This will be followed by five games Saturday. The New England Revolution host the Montreal Impact, a team fresh off a 2-0 win against Alajuelense in the first leg of its CONCACAF Champions League tie. Other marquee matches that day include Sporting Kansas City against the Portland Timbers at Sporting Park. The LA Galaxy welcome the Houston Dynamo to cap off the night. The New York Red Bulls face their fierce rival D.C. United in the Red Bulls' home opener Sunday. The penultimate match of the weekend pits the San Jose Earthquakes against the Chicago Fire as they open Avaya Stadium in the Bay Area. Here are the keys to every MLS match this weekend.Begin Slideshow

MLS: 7 Things We Learned During Matchday 2

Matchday 2 in MLS did not disappoint after a lackluster opening weekend. Orlando City SC recorded its first MLS win on Friday and questionable refereeing marred the Toronto FC versus Columbus Crew match. One of the marquee results this past weekend was the San Jose Earthquakes' win against the Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field on Saturday. Real Salt Lake and the Philadelphia Union combined for six goals earlier in the day as well. New York City FC shut out the New England Revolution in its first-ever home match on Sunday. David Villa scored the team's first goal at Yankee Stadium in a 2-0 victory. The final match of the weekend saw the LA Galaxy strike in the dying seconds of the second half to snatch a draw against the Portland Timbers at Providence Park.  Here are seven things we learned during Matchday 2 of MLS.Begin Slideshow

MLS’ Opening Weekend TV Ratings Are Encouraging, but They Could Decrease

MLS' national TV broadcasts attracted a significant amount of viewers on opening weekend. The league's official website published the ratings from UniMas, Fox Sports 1 and ESPN2. They're impressive numbers and, in some cases, broke records. However, it's too early to get carried away. LA Galaxy versus Chicago Fire drew an average of 341,000 viewers. It's impressive considering the match kicked off just after 10 p.m. ET on a Friday. ESPN2's broadcast of Orlando City SC against New York City FC attracted 539,000 viewers. This number surpassed any game on the network from last season by 100,000. Fox Sports 1's numbers weren't as impressive, but were still impressive. Around 268,000 watched Sporting Kansas City face the New York Red Bulls and 289,000 viewed the Seattle Sounders versus the New England Revolution on Sunday. Both games marked a huge improvement on NBCSN’s 2014 average of 142,000, per Paul Kennedy of SoccerAmerica. ESPN and ESPN2 generated a combined viewership of 240,000 last season. Comparing last year to last weekend shows there's interest in the league across the United States. However, it was the first round of matches. Those are guaranteed to draw even the average MLS fan after a winter hiatus. The 2014 season opener was watched by ...