MLS: Keys to Every Game on Matchday 2

Matchday 2 of the MLS season begins on Friday with Orlando City SC facing the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium.  The Columbus Crew take on Toronto FC in a Trillium Cup showdown, while FC Dallas and Sporting Kansas City square off in two of the marquee games on Saturday. The weekend concludes with two potential thrillers on Sunday. New York City hosts the New England Revolution in the team's first MLS home game. The Portland Timbers and LA Galaxy will face each other in the final match of the day. Here are the keys to every game on Matchday 2.Begin Slideshow

MLS: 10 Things We Learned on Opening Weekend

The 2015 MLS season began on Friday, with the defending champion LA Galaxy claiming a 2-0 win against a hapless Chicago Fire team at the StubHub Center. Saturday was highlighted by Jozy Altidore's brace against the Vancouver Whitecaps in his competitive debut for Toronto FC. Four goals were scored in that game. The other five matches combined for just three goals. Sunday provided some dramatic moments. Ten-man Orlando City SC salvaged a draw against New York City FC in front of over 62,000 fans at the Citrus Bowl in the teams' inaugural MLS match. Sporting Kansas City and the New York Red Bulls tied, while the Seattle Sounders confidently defeated the New England Revolution in the final two games of opening weekend. Here are 10 things we learned in the first round of regular-season matches.  Begin Slideshow

MLS: 5 Bold Predictions for the 2015 Season

MLS's 20th season is set to be one of the most competitive and exciting campaigns in league history because almost any team could feasibly contend for a playoff spot in 2015. There are two new teams with a few international stars, plus several clubs bulked up this winter and are ready to qualify for the playoffs. Once the season is underway, there promises to be a lot of surprises because MLS is so unpredictable. Here are five bold predictions for the 2015 season.Begin Slideshow

MLS: Why the Canadian Teams Should Be Feared in 2015

MLS' Canadian teams are often overlooked by American supporters. The casual American fan rarely gets to watch the franchises north of their border unless they're on local TV or MLS Live. Now supporters should sign up for a subscription, because Canadian clubs are destined to make an impact this season. Toronto FC will have more interest from fans this season due to the American connection of Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore. There will also be a lot of pressure for TFC to make the playoffs considering the enormous amount of money ownership spent this winter. However, before Bradley and Altidore arrived, Toronto was known as the futile team who were an embarrassment year in and year out. Their humiliation reached a new high after Jermain Defoe wanted out of Toronto despite signing a multi-million-dollar contract just seven months earlier. TFC managed to swap an unhappy Defoe for a determined Altidore from Sunderland. The U.S. international's struggles in England were well-publicized. He only scored once in 42 Premier League games. However, during Altidore's tenure, Fabio Borini and Steven Fletcher were Sunderland's highest-scoring strikers with seven Premier League goals apiece. Sunderland is a team whose sole focus is to survive relegation. That means they'll defend a lot and rarely generate scoring chances. The Black Cats currently rank third-last in ...

Bob Bradley’s Legacy Is Cemented with U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame Induction

Bob Bradley is one of the most successful American soccer coaches in history. He's been in charge of university teams, MLS sides such as the Chicago Fire and New York MetroStars, and the U.S. men's national team. Bradley's resume is impressive, but his National Soccer Hall of Fame induction confirms his status as a legend. Bradley's career began while he was still earning his Master's degree. He coached Ohio University's men's soccer team in 1981, and he guided his Alma mater, Princeton, to two Ivy League titles and the Final Four in 1993. Fellow American head coach Bruce Arena had a big influence on Bradley's career. When Arena was coaching the University of Virginia, Bob was an assistant. The 58-year-old was also a member of Bruce's staff with D.C. United. Those experiences with Arena helped Bradley gain valuable experience before joining Chicago, New York and Chivas USA. The Fire won MLS Cup in its expansion season in 1998 and finished as runner-up in 2000. The team also won two U.S. Open Cups in both of those seasons under Bradley. Before Bradley joined the MetroStars, they were struggling for consistency and failed to reach a major final. They also missed the MLS playoffs three times. Once he was ...

Several 2015 MLS Jerseys Leaked Online

Footy Headlines leaked several MLS kits on Saturday as the 2015 season approaches. Sporting Kansas City's jersey has a new pattern, but overall, it's a nice design and probably one of the nicer shirts of the leaked items. Toronto FC's new jersey is also quite sleek, but it doesn't include a sponsor because BMO ended its deal with the club near the end of last season. The Portland Timbers' shirt looks all right, but the white and yellow across the sponsor is slightly distracting. However, the "Let it rain. Let it pour. Let the Portland Timbers score" slogan on the collar is a nice touch. The New England Revolution's 2015 away jersey looks a lot different than the 2014 shirt. The green trim is an interesting addition. Columbus' jersey is a lot plainer than the others, but that's not a bad thing. Sometimes, a simple design is the best. D.C. United will keep its 2014 home kit but will have a new away shirt for 2015, according to Footy Headlines. FC Dallas, the LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake have not revealed any of their new designs but will keep some of their jerseys from last year. Both expansion teams have already unveiled their jerseys. New York City ...

5 MLS Offseason Signings Who Will Have the Highest Expectations

MLS received a big boost on Friday, as ex-Juventus attacker Sebastian Giovinco was finally introduced by Toronto FC. The 28-year-old will be earning an annual salary of $7 million, per Kurtis Larson of the Toronto Sun. However, those high wages come with lofty expectations. There are a few big names, like Giovinco, who have immense pressure on their shoulders. Those players will be highlighted in this slideshow. They will be graded based on their star-power, their role with their new team and if the individual is a designated player. Players who won't arrive until July, like Steven Gerrard, can also be considered since he signed a contract this winter. If a specific individual wasn't acquired between December and the present day, he doesn't qualify. Here are the five offseason signings who will have the loftiest expectations this season.Begin Slideshow

MLS: Is the East Really a ‘Weak’ Conference?

The 2015 MLS season will begin on March 6 barring a potential work stoppage, and it promises to be an exciting one, as the conferences will look a lot different this year. However, even though the East has two expansion teams, it will be extremely difficult to qualify for the playoffs this campaign compared to 2014. MLS announced changes to its playoff format in January. Twelve teams (six from each conference) will now be able to qualify for the postseason, as opposed to the usual 10.  If this system was used last year, teams like the Portland Timbers and the Philadelphia Union would have competed for the MLS Cup. However, the flurry of activity by almost every club is what makes this new format so intriguing. Western teams like the Timbers, LA Galaxy, Sporting Kansas City and Houston Dynamo have bulked up their squads to prepare for what will be a hotly contested battle in the West. In addition, plenty of teams in the Eastern Conference made significant moves. Toronto FC spent big to acquire Jozy Altidore, Sebastian Giovinco and others as the Reds vie for their first postseason berth in franchise history. The Chicago Fire and Montreal Impact have had busy winters. Expansion sides Orlando City ...

Report Card for Every MLS Team’s Offseason as February Begins

MLS teams have begun their preseason regimens as the 2015 campaign draws closer. While the season might be delayed due to the ongoing CBA negotiations, every club is still preparing as if everything will go on as scheduled. Plenty of teams made some marquee signings this winter, such as Toronto FC and expansion side Orlando City SC. Meanwhile, the likes of New York City FC were in the news for all of the wrong reasons. Every MLS club will be graded based on their offseason moves between December and February. If a team addressed their biggest weaknesses or upgraded specific positions, that will result in a high grade. If a specific side didn't fill any voids or had any negative publicity, they will be ranked lower. Here are the complete report cards for every MLS team's offseason to this point.   All official transactions via MLSSoccer.com.Begin Slideshow

Is Sacramento Now the Favorite for MLS Expansion?

The Sacramento Republic received a big boost on Thursday night. The San Francisco 49ers owners announced that they will invest in the team as the USL Pro side vies for MLS expansion, per the club's official website. The Sacramento Kings are also involved with Republic FC, and these two owners as business partners will make the California city an attractive market for MLS expansion. Jed York, the 49ers' CEO, told The Sacramento Bee that the Republic's lead investors are "a great group of people" and that he's confident of the club gaining MLS status. York's confidence is understandable. Vivek Ranadive, the Kings owner, is worth $700 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.com, and is close friends with Sunil Gulati, the president of U.S. Soccer, per Marcos Breton and Dale Kasler of The Sacramento Bee. Meanwhile, York has an estimated net worth of $2.6 billion as of 2013, per ESPN The Magazine's Seth Wickersham, so there is certainly no shortage of available monetary resources for the Republic's MLS project. This project already includes a stadium (with renderings) if Sacramento is awarded an MLS franchise, and the demand is definitely there. Republic FC broke attendance records in its inaugural USL Pro season. The club finished the season by winning the league title ...