19May/150
MLS Player Rankings: Dempsey Stays on Top, Felipe Rises, Larin and Wondo Debut
The wild and wonderful world of Major League Soccer handed us some wacky results in Week 11, and it also saw a few unsung players step into the spotlight. Due to the drop in production from some of the league's stars in Week 11, a few under-the-radar players were able to break into the league-wide conversation. One top player who contributed to yet another goal for his side was Clint Dempsey, who remains atop the MLS Player Rankings for the second consecutive week. Joining Dempsey on the list after Week 11 are guys like Cyle Larin and Chris Wondolowski, who have been consistent up top for their respective sides. Continue reading on to see who else featured in this week's compilation of MLS' 20 best players. Begin Slideshow19May/150
MLS Power Rankings: Seattle Sounders Rise in Week 11
The MLS weekend is over and it produced the craziest, most dramatic set of matches this season. It was the perfect showcase of the league's parity. The Seattle Sounders turned heads with their 2-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps, one of the hottest teams in the first half of the campaign. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Union, New York City FC and the Montreal Impact all recorded points. Their results, as well as Seattle's, have significantly altered the power rankings.Here are the power rankings for MLS for Week 11.Begin Slideshow18May/150
Los Angeles Galaxy Upload ‘Highlights’ of Their 4-0 Defeat to Orlando City
The Los Angeles Galaxy fell 4-0 to Orlando City in Major League Soccer on Sunday, but at least the club took the embarrassing scoreline in perfect stride. The Galaxy uploaded their official "match highlights" of the match to their YouTube channel, but the video was not-so-suspiciously devoid of any actual highlights. They've taken a page out of the Doncaster Rovers' playbook. [LA Galaxy, h/t Sports Joe]Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com18May/150
Philadelphia Union Moving Forward After Rais MBolhi Transfer Disaster
CHESTER, PA—As Zach Pfeffer placed his 93rd-minute strike into the back of the net on Sunday night, the crowd at PPL Park, who experienced a wide range of emotions in the three hours prior, erupted in celebration of a long-awaited Philadelphia Union victory. The goal from the homegrown player was a perfect end to a dramatic week around the grounds of PPL Park that featured a fan protest against ownership and a dramatic match against D.C. United. The Union, who entered the match with one win and six points from 11 matches, were marred by a traumatic stigma surrounding their goalkeeping situation for quite some time before manager Jim Curtin officially declared Rais MBolhi would no longer be a part of the team's plans ahead of the team's trip to Vancouver last week. MBolhi, who starred for Algeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, inked a deal with the Union during the 2014 summer transfer window and debuted near the end of August. From the start of his Union career, Mbolhi's transfer to Major League Soccer was greeted with nothing but skepticism since the club already had two capable goalkeepers on its roster in Zac MacMath and Andre Blake. Part of the reason why the ...18May/150
MLS Team of the Week: Orlando, Montreal and Seattle Stars Shine in Week 11
Major League Soccer's 11th week of action in 2015 was by far its craziest and most unpredictable. Over the span of five days, plenty of unlikely results were produced, as well as some top performances from fringe players. The two biggest upsets in Week 11 were delivered by the Montreal Impact and Orlando City. The Philadelphia Union also earned an upset of sorts on their home field. One club that didn't stray from the path this weekend was the Seattle Sounders, who outclassed Vancouver Whitecaps from start to finish. The four clubs combined to put eight players in this week's edition of the MLS Team of the Week. Continue reading to see who else joined that group of standout stars from Week 11.Begin Slideshow14May/150
An Argument for Why Jordan Morris Must Move to MLS
Jordan Morris cemented his spot on the American soccer landscape on April 15, when he netted the opening goal against Mexico at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Scoring against Mexico, whether it be in a competitive match or in a friendly, always puts a player in the good graces of the American fans. Now with the spotlight off him, Morris must find a way to work his potential into a consistent role on the international stage. But unlike every other player in the USMNT talent pool, Morris is still plying his trade at the collegiate level at Stanford University. According to an April report from Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl, the Seattle Sounders offered him one of the most lucrative deals for a homegrown player in the history of Major League Soccer. As a Seattle homegrown player, Morris' rights are owned by the Sounders. Despite the latest round of interest and speculation, Morris is still set to play his junior season for the Cardinal in the fall instead of developing at the professional level. When it comes to playing time, Morris will certainly receive plenty of that during the college season, and based off his recent international trajectory, he will be training with either the USMNT or United ...14May/150
MLS Week 10 Power Rankings: Did D.C. United Do Enough to Stay No. 1?
Week 10 of the 2015 MLS season is in the books, and once again, there were several dramatic outcomes. D.C. United and the New England Revolution earned draws, the Seattle Sounders lost to the Columbus Crew and the Vancouver Whitecaps crushed the Philadelphia Union. These results have altered the power rankings for this week, so will there be a new No. 1? Here are the power rankings for Week 10.Begin Slideshow12May/150
6 Lessons Learned from the First Meeting of the New York Red Bulls and NYCFC
The buildup to Sunday's match between the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC was among the most interesting yet confusing in the history of Major League Soccer. The league and New York media billed the match as a huge rivalry, a meeting of clubs with fanbases that simply did not like each other. Hatred between fans may well exist, but the question remained: Would the two teams, essentially strangers, play the match like it was a rivalry? Thankfully for the league, media and neutral observers, the game had a rivalry feel from the opening whistle. Fans of both teams were loud throughout the match, an early goal set the pace for a frantic match and a first-half red card to Red Bulls defender Matt Miazga served to both give the match a level of controversy and grit, as well as level the playing field for an overmatched NYCFC side. The first half closed with the Red Bulls up 1-0 but down to 10 men. NYCFC held the ball for most of the second half, but a second goal from Bradley Wright-Phillips in the 52nd minute was all the Red Bulls would need to get the victory. A Patrick Mullins goal with ...12May/150
Female Canadian Soccer Reporter Burns Unfunny Toronto Fans
Broadcast journalists have had to cope with idiots trying to ruin their reports by shouting a particular obscene viral phrase for quite some time now.You know the one—the "FHRITP" line.So fair play to City News reporter Shauna Hunt for showing up a group of Toronto FC fans by asking them why they were shouting the phrase during her live broadcast.Their reasoning was as childish as their original statement, and Hunt managed to show them up for the fools they are.The "jokers" were no doubt hoping to go viral. It looks like they might get their wish but not for the reason they hoped.UpdateToronto FC have said they will act after seeing the footage. A club spokesperson told the Toronto Sun: We're appalled that this trend of disrespectful behaviour would make its way to our city, let alone anywhere near our stadium. We are working to identify the individuals, and when we do they will be banned from all of our facilities. Moving forward, we will also work with our local television outlets to provide extra security support to female reporters doing live hits at any of our games. Our organization is committed to an environment where everyone can feel safe and included and discrimination or ...12May/150