What a week in MLS. Atlanta United provided a major headline, the New England Revolution dropped points from a winning position and Emanuel Reynoso scored a brace for Minnesota United FC. It was truly a week unlike any other.
As always, this is not my fault. The Power Rankings are voted on by a collection of MLSsoccer.com editors, writers and personalities. That group does include me, but I’m only like one-tenth of the problem here. And to be fair to all of us, there are like five really good teams and three really bad teams and then like 20 other teams that are marginally different from each other at best right now.
LAFC have won four of their last five, picked up all three points in Nashville on Sunday and subbed on ahem\] [Eddie Segura for Giorgio Chiellini, Latif Blessing for Ilie Sanchez, Gareth Bale for Cristian Arango, Sebastien Ibeagha for Franco Escobar and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi for Kwadwo Opoku.
So. Yeah. We’re all doomed.
Previous: 2-1 win at NSH | Next: 7/23 at SKC
MLS Unites: To Discover New Talents
As part of
MLS Unites
, a league-wide platform designed to educate communities, entertain fans and elevate heroic efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, Major League Soccer unveiled a week-long series of programming that highlights ways the soccer community coming together to learn, try, teach and experience new things.This week’s
MLS Unites
programming focuses on how clubs, players, coaches, fans, partners and staff are discovering new activities, skills and talents, all while staying safe and at home.
More information about club activities is available
.
Club Activations:
- Atlanta United – Go behind-the-scenes and in the kitchen with midfielder Jeff Larentowicz and his son Sebastian. The duo teamed up to teach fans how to cook chicken-meatball and hummus tabbouleh bowls.
- Chicago Fire FC
- – Fire midfielder Micheal Azira is continuing his education during this global health crisis. Working with league and club partner Southern New Hampshire University, Azira is pursuing his master’s degree in sports management.
- Colorado Rapids
- – Keegan Rosenberry, Rapids defender, provides fans an entertainment Master-ish Class on the art of cutting your own hair. Rosenberry first began cutting his teammates hair in college and continues to master his craft today with the help of his Rapids teammates.
- Orlando City SC
- – City defender Kamal Miller is using this time of social distancing to share his passion for cooking with fans. In a digital series “Cooking With K Millz,” fans can step inside his kitchen and learn his favorite recipe for a breakfast for champions including a healthy breakfast smoothie, pancakes, bacon and an omelet. as well as a delicious dinner of pasta with shrimp and mixed vegetable and mixed green salad.
- Real Salt Lake
- – Every Monday, Real Salt Lake’s Leo the Lion is posing a new STEM question to elementary and middle school students as part of their “Leo Wants to Know” program. Students can e-mail the club a 30 second video with their answer for a chance to win a Leo signed RSL jersey. Check out today’s question.
This Tuesday: Montreal Impact Head Coach Thierry Henry Joins MLS Video Conference Media Availability Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET
With a continued focus on providing unparalleled access to top players, coaches and executives, Major League Soccer will host regular media availabilities with league personalities. This week, on Tuesday, the media availability will feature Montreal Impact head coach and global soccer icon Thierry Henry.
Henry will be available to discuss topics related to the Montreal Impact, MLS, and coaching through a global pandemic. Media with questions related to other topics are asked to reach out directly to the Montreal Impact PR group to set up a separate opportunity.
Montreal Impact head coach Thierry Henry
Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 28
2 p.m. ET
Video Conference Info:
Join Here:
Webinar ID: 955-1953-5824
Webinar Password: 085063
Media Availabilities This Week Around MLS
Tuesday, April 28
2 p.m. ET – Montreal Impact
head coach Thierry Henry
Zoom video Conference Call:
Zoom ID: 955-1953-5824
Password: 085063
2 p.m. ET – FC Cincinnati forward Kekuta Manneh and defender Tom Pettersson
Zoom Video Conference Call:
Audio only dial-in: +1 (312) 626-6799
Zoom Meeting ID: 953 3726 9819
Password: 028452
Media planning to participate should inform Kevin Noonan by 12 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 28.
(
or via text at 513-703-3425)
Wednesday, April 29
12:15 p.m. ET – Sporting Kansas
City Sporting Director Peter Vermes
Zoom Video Conference Call |
Contact Rob Thomson (
) for more information.
11 a.m. CT – FC Dallas Head Coach Luchi Gonzalez
Zoom Video Conference Call –
Meeting ID: 411 968 5000
Password: 533332
Contact
with questions.
Thursday, April 30
2 p.m
. ET – FC Cincinnati Chief Operating Officer Dennis Carroll Video Conference Call
Zoom Video Conference Call:
Audio only dial-in: +1 (312) 626-6799
Zoom Meeting ID: 953 3726 9819
Password: 028452
Media planning to participate should inform Lizz Summers by 12 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 30. (
or via text at 617-571-2219)
Javier “Chicharito” Hernández Records PSA for CDC
LA Galaxy forward Javier "Chicharito" Hernández, Mexico’s all-time leading goal scorer, recently recorded a
for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health.
Houston Dynamo Empowering Families to Improve Soccer Skills and Fitness from Home
The Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash are empowering families to improve their soccer skills and stay physically fit from home with “
”. The free interactive program provides instructional videos that teach young children skills to increase their comfort with a soccer ball at their feet.
The drills emphasize close control, perfect for the confines inside the home. Parents are also encouraged to participate, creating a stronger connection to the game while bonding with their children, ideal for this climate in which many parents are home schooling.
Former professional soccer player and world renowned teacher of the game Tom Byer created the program with the concepts of soccer skills and family integration in mind. A new generation of soccer players could emerge from the program, and one day, they too could be a part of the Dynamo and Dash academies.
Sporting Kansas City duo dominate eMLS Tournament Special Week Two presented by Coca-Cola® and PlayStation® to Cruise to Champions Week on May 17
Sporting Kansas City's duo of homegrown midfielder Wan Kuzain and eMLS counterpart ALEKZANDUR dominated the competition, outscoring their opposition 11-0 to claim Week 2 of the eMLS Tournament Special presented by Coca-Cola® and PlayStation®. The Sporting pair first rolled past Minnesota United FC goalkeeper Tyler Miller and his eMLS club counterpart Jay Adams, then took down D.C. United midfielder Paul Arriola and eMLS player Mohamed ‘KingCJ0’ Diop to advance to the eMLS Tournament Special Champions Bracket on May 17.
Highlights From Week 2:
As part of MLS Unites, a leaguewide platform designed to educate communities, entertain fans and elevate heroic efforts taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic, the eMLS Tournament Special is a five-episode series that pits 16 MLS clubs against each other in EA SPORTS™ FIFA 20 competition. Four clubs compete in each episode with the winning club from each of the first four weeks advancing to a Champions Bracket set to take place on Sunday, May 17. Clubs are represented by both an MLS player and eMLS professional FIFA player.
In Week 3 matchups this week, the New York Red Bulls, with Aaron Long and George Adamou, will take on crosstown rivals NYCFC, with Sean Johnson and Chris ‘Didychrislito’ Holly, followed by the Texas Derby featuring FC Dallas, with Fafa Picault and Ihab ‘i9ibbs’ Abualneel, facing the Houston Dynamo, with Memo Rodriguez and Guillermo ‘Kid M3mito’ Trevino. The winners of both matches will meet head-to-head to determine the Week 3 champion.
Your Name To Replace The Commissioner’s On The MLS Match Ball?
MLS Commissioner Don Garber has accepted the All In Challenge. He was challenged by non-other than
.
The
is a digital fundraiser powered by Fanatics that is aimed at combating food insecurity. The idea is to raise money through sweepstakes and auctions with celebrities, clubs and/or leagues giving memorabilia or experiences. One hundred percent of the money raised will be donated to All In Challenge charities: Feeding America, Meals On Wheels America, No Kid Hungry, World Central Kitchen.
The winner of Commissioner Garber’s offer will have his or her name REPLACE the Commissioner’s signature on the official MLS match balls when MLS returns to play.
By club
Austin FC
- Sebastián Driussi
FC Cincinnati
- Luciano Acosta
Columbus Crew
- Darlington Nagbe
FC Dallas
- Paul Arriola
- Jesús Ferreira
D.C. United
- Taxi Fountas
LA Galaxy
- Julián Araujo
- Chicharito
LAFC
- Diego Palacios
- Ilie Sánchez
- Carlos Vela
Inter Miami CF
- DeAndre Yedlin
Minnesota United FC
- Emanuel Reynoso
- Dayne St. Clair
CF Montréal
- Kamal Miller
New England Revolution
- Carles Gil
Nashville SC
- Hany Mukhtar
- Walker Zimmerman
New York City FC
- Alexander Callens
- Taty Castellanos
- Sean Johnson
New York Red Bulls
- Aaron Long
Philadelphia Union
- Andre Blake
- Kai Wagner
Seattle Sounders FC
- Jordan Morris
- Raúl Ruidíaz
Even if you think you’re familiar with the state of the table, do me a favor and take a quick look now in the MLS app or in another tab. Focus on third through 12th. Notice that the gap between those 10 teams in both the Eastern and Western Conferences does not exceed 10 points.
Things are tight with roughly 40 percent of the season remaining. So tight that just about any Audi MLS Cup Playoffs field is believable, if not probable. What I know for sure is that the top seven in either conference won’t stay the same. Somebody is dropping, which means a team below the playoff line is rising. For the sake of this exercise, let’s just say it’s two in and two out.
Ahead of Week 22, it’s time to play Nostradamus. Wieb-stradamus, you might say, for those who were Matchday Central viewers. I’ve included all the relevant information for anyone who needs it: current points, playoff gap, games played, tiebreaker status (wins, GD, GF … in that order) as well as postseason probabilities from FiveThirtyEight and PlayoffStatus.com (just know science is basically irrelevant here).
MLS App Test
Stay in touch with your favorite team, player and league through the MLS App.
MLS App Test
Stay in touch with your favorite team, player and league through the MLS App.
- 8th place: 26 points (1 point below playoff line, 13 games remaining)
- Tiebreakers: 8 wins, -2 goal differential, 25 goals scored
- FiveThirtyEight playoff probability: 27%
- PlayoffStatus.com playoff probability: 29%
Wieb-stradamus says … I can’t believe I’m doing this – I expect to be wrong – but Charlotte FC are sneaking in as the No. 7 seed for the purposes of this column (or will they?). I have far more faith in the other Eastern Conference team I have jumping the line, but I have to name two, so here we are stretching. Why am I stretching? Home form and remaining schedule. The Queen City is a hard away trip. Only LAFC (8) have more home wins than Charlotte.
Here are the final 11 games for the new boys: at TOR, CLB, DC, CHI, at LAFC, at NYC, ORL, TOR, at CIN, NYC, at CHI, PHI, at RBNY. Look, I fully expect them to take Ls at the Banc, Yankee Stadium and Red Bull Arena. But look at those home dates. They are all six-pointers against direct playoff competition, and away trips to Toronto, Cincinnati and Chicago are potential bonus results. The next four matches are particularly important. Three wins (very doable) and the belief will grow… hopefully making me look smart in October!
- 8th place: 27 points (below the line on wins tiebreaker, 13 games remaining)
- Tiebreakers: 6 wins, +3 goal differential, 33 goals scored
- FiveThirtyEight playoff probability: 43%
- PlayoffStatus.com playoff probability: 41%
Wieb-stradamus says … Call it the Eryk Williamson effect. Call it a potential six away points in Toronto and Kansas City. Call it a gut feeling. The Portland Timbers haven’t lost in six games, and it feels like the worst is behind them. What’s it going to take? Turning the mountain of draws into wins. Making Providence Park a fortress. The next six games (SJ, at MIN, NSH, DAL, at TOR, at SKC) will set up another late-season push like we saw in 2021.
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