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Employees from Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing took to cycling this weekend for Cycle for Survival, an indoor team cycling event that raises funds for rare cancer research. Employees participated in four cycling shifts which each lasted for one hour. Team MLS raised more than $40,000 and the event total was more than $13.5M.
In 5 days, 10 cities participated in 27 rides on 2,750 bikes engaging more than 13,000 participants.
One hundred percent of the funds raised from the event go directly to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and are allocated within six months of each event. The donations help fund the most promising research and clinical trials and have led to better treatments for cancer patients worldwide.
Since its inception in 2007, Cycle for Survival has raised over $31 million dollars for rare cancer research and funded 53 clinical trials and research studies. Cycle's direct funding has drastically reduced the time it takes for treatments to reach patients - in some cases cutting the span from years to months.
Si la logique a généralement été respectée lors de cette première journée de championnat, deux équipes ont cependant créé la sensation en déplacement : Montréal et Salt Lake, qui se sont imposés respectivement à Seattle et à San José.
Meilleure défense à domicile la saison dernière, Seattle y a été surpris par des Montréalais qui aiment la vitesse et ont affiché leur nouvelle maturité. À San José, trop isolé et mal approvisionné, Chris Wondolowski n’avait pas d’or dans les pieds, contrairement à Alvaro Saborio, auteur des deux buts de Salt Lake offerts par son nouveau compère, Joao Plata.
C’est plus la sévérité des chiffres qui a de quoi surprendre dans la raclée 4-0 infligée à Chicago par le LA Galaxy, où Mike Magee a réussi le premier triplé de sa carrière. Le match le plus spectaculaire fut sans nul doute le nul 3-3 entre Portland, où le duo Nagbe - Valeri a fait des étincelles, et New York, dont la préparation a été perturbée par les transports aériens.
Notons également le mauvais départ de Chivas, où la situation hors du terrain inquiète et qui a perdu 0-3 contre Columbus, et la victoire 2-0 que Houston a forgée à la patience contre DC United.
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LES RÉSULTATS Philadelphie - Kansas City Vancouver - Toronto Houston - DC United Dallas - Colorado Seattle - Montréal Chivas USA - Columbus LA Galaxy - Chicago Portland - New York San José - Salt Lake |
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Classement général Cliquez sur un résultat pour voir le résumé vidéo |
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Could Miami be back in the picture for a future Major League Soccer expansion franchise? It appears so, according to Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl, who says MLS Commissioner Don Garber is eyeing a team in South Florida once again after the Miami Fusion entered the league in 1996 and eventually folded in 2001.
MLS commish Don Garber pushing hard for Miami expansion team with Dolphins owner Steve Ross. Source close to Ross says he's interested.
— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) March 3, 2013
MLS commish Don Garber met with a member of Steve Ross's group on Friday, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting.
— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) March 3, 2013
MLS Vice President of Communications Dan Courtemanche responded to Wahl's tweet with this...
@grantwahl Hi Grant.@thesoccerdon was in Vancouver on Friday meeting with the media and other constituents.
— Dan Courtemanche (@courtemancheMLS) March 3, 2013
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!
As the sun came up on North America, the Twitterati took to their laptops, phones, tablets, soup cans, whatever they use to tweet, in order to express their thoughts about the 2013 MLS season opening up on Saturday. Here are some of my favorite ones.
Not a single Yank starting in @premierleague all wkd. When was the last time THAT happened? Good time for @mls to return (@bguzan plays Mon)
— American Soccer Now (@ThisIsASN) March 2, 2013
Mazeltov @mls kicking off today. Fans looking for fantasy league action, look no further fantasy.mlssoccer.com
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) March 2, 2013
love these mornings when a new dawn is upon us 2013 @mls is here. #ICareAboutMLS
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) March 2, 2013
Happy #MLS day, you guys
— Seth Vertelney (@svertgoalcom) March 2, 2013
— Free Beer Movement (@FreeBeerMovemnt) March 2, 2013
Okay, so what's the plan?? Do you have your clothes picked out? Season tickets in hand? Watch parties google-mapped? #FirstKick #MLS
— Women United FC (@wunitedfc) March 2, 2013
And here's one of my own (shameless self-promotion!) with a priceless quote from a family member.
Just now, my stepfather on @dcunited's Carlos Ruiz: "He's a maniac, but you have to be a maniac to score goals." #MLS
— Ghost of Gaetjens (@Gaetjens) March 2, 2013
It's the morning of the opening day of the 2013 MLS season. I'm sitting at a funky cafe called Local 61 in Brooklyn (it's exactly what you imagine it would be), killing time before the Philadelphia Union and Sporting KC kick off to get things going.
Until that first kick, much of the soccer world's mindshare will be occupied with the Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Despite my MLS myopia at times, my own focus this trained on the Bernabeu this morning. If you love soccer, you better be watching.
It all got me thinking: Who from the many stars on the two squads would I most like to see in MLS?
The obvious choice is Barcelona's Lionel Messi. After all, he's the reigning World Footballer of the Year, three times over, and the most creative, devastating weapon of his generation.
But many others would say Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, who is like a growling NASCAR car compared to Messi's Formula 1 machine.
Still others would go for Xavi, the diminutive maestro who conducts the Barca midfield like Leonard Bernstein putting an orchestra through Copland's Appalachain Spring.
There's also Andres Iniesta, who quietly goes about the business of scoring and setting up goals for the Blaugrana, and with nary a peep; Kaka, the experienced, still-graceful artist who can turn a game for Madrid when given the opportunity; and Karim Benzema, who just gets better with each year up front at the Bernabeu. Not to mention Pedro and Mesut Ozil and... well, you get the drift: There are a lot of big stars on the field today.
For me, it's Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain. He's done nothing but score goals his entire career. His effectiveness is not tied to speed or overwhelming skill. He's just one of those guys, like Carlos Ruiz or Chris Wondolowski, who know how to be in the right place at the right time to stab home a goal. I'd definitely pay money every week to watch him play in MLS.
And no, I wouldn't want him playing alongside his brother in Columbus.
WHO WOULD YOU WANT TO SEE? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.
The 2013 MLS season kicks off tomorrow and we are excited to see teams get back on the field. Off the field, clubs have continued to support various causes leading up to Opening Weekend. The Columbus Crew hosted the inaugural Kirk Urso Memorial Match, which raised nearly $30,000 for heart health research. MLS clubs showed their support on Twitter, donated funds and helped raise awareness for the match. Other club community highlights below:
Inaugural Kirk Urso Memorial Match raises nearly $30,000 for heart health research
Revs & KSG to host sports-themed career fair
In the Community- Feb. 28 Houston Dynamo
'Caps support Pink Shirt Day
Some history and soccer during Spring Break
Cindy Parlow Cone talks to Girls, Inc. about her Power of the Purse involvement
Green & Gold: Timbers to unveil new jersey at Last Thursday art event
'Harlem Shake' Polar Plunge for Special Olympics
Salinas presents check to Coliseum College Prep
Whitecaps FC serve fans at local Tim Hortons
"Cheers to the Rapids" set for March 6 at the Paramount Theater
Crew takes to Twitter surrounding memorial match to honor Urso
Black & Gold, Tar Heels honor fallen teammate
Sounders Kickoff Luncheon an exciting affair for all involved
For more community news from around the League, visit the MLS WORKS news section.
Nice of the US national team to join MLS Jersey Week.
On Friday, the US Soccer Federation, which turns 100 years old in 2013, unveiled its new centennial kits for both men and women's national teams, images of which were leaked a few weeks ago. Now it's official.
The uniform is inspired by the kit worn back in 1916 when the US played their first game against Sweden in Stockholm (a 3-2 win). So is the crest, which is the standout feature of the new jersey with 13 stars and 13 stripes, symbolizing the first 13 colonies of the United States.
Jurgen Klinsmann's squad will debut the kit in a World Cup qualifier on March 22 against Costa Rica at sold-out Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Give us your review of the new US jersey below.
This unplugged musical tribute to Kei Kamara, currently on loan at EPL side Norwich City from Sporting KC, and his "heart-shaped hands" goal celebration isn't going to get a favorable review in the latest issue of NME, but you've got to applaud the guy's gumption to sing it loud and proud on BBC Radio Norfolk's McVeigh and Butler show. And the audience participation. And the jersey.
CLICK HERE to watch the video.
Ce samedi, le championnat reprend ses droits. Finis les duels amicaux, cette fois ça compte pour des points. Le premier coup d’envoi sera donné à 14h00 à Philadelphie, qui reçoit Kansas City dont la défense devrait encore être l’atout principal. En après-midi, le Canada aura les yeux rivés sur le match Vancouver - Toronto (direct RDS2, TSN) puis sur le déplacement en soirée de Montréal à Seattle où Rose remplacera Alonso suspendu.
Autre duel qui vaudra le coup d’œil samedi soir, celui diffusé sur NBCSN entre Houston, qui ne peut que viser la Coupe MLS après deux finales perdues, et DC United, où De Rosario vient d’écoper d’une suspension de deux rencontres.
Le LA Galaxy, tenant de la Coupe MLS qui a promis l’arrivée d’une nouvelle vedette, accueillera dimanche devant les caméras d’Unimas une équipe de Chicago qui s’est sérieusement renforcée durant l’hiver. Portland, qui vient d’engager Frédéric Piquionne, tentera de faire chuter New York pour les grands débuts de Mike Petke sur le banc (direct ESPN2). Enfin, le lauréat du dernier Supporters Shield, San José, où il y a encore de nombreuses places à prendre dans l’effectif, bouclera la journée contre Salt Lake.
LE PROGRAMME COMPLET
Samedi 2 mars
16h00 : Philadelphie - Kansas City
18h30 : Vancouver - Toronto
20h00 : Houston - DC United
20h30 : Dallas - Colorado
22h30 : Seattle - Montréal
22h30 : Chivas USA - Columbus
Dimanche 3 mars
17h00 : LA Galaxy - Chicago
19h30 : Portland - New York
22h00 : San José - Salt Lake
Classement général
Toutes les heures HE (heure de New York et Montréal)
Rendez-vous ici pour la disponibilité des matchs sur MLS Live et les diffuseurs locaux
Hors États-Unis et Canada, vous pouvez voir des matchs de MLS via ces diffuseurs
À 48 heures à peine du coup d’envoi de la saison, le moment est bien choisi pour faire le point sur les transferts hivernaux. Cela n’empêche pas que le marché soit encore très actif, comme en témoignent les signatures de dernière minute de Chivas USA ou le passage de l’ailier gallois Hogan Ephraim de QPR à Toronto. Et il le sera encore, notamment avec l’arrivée attendue d’Obafemi Martins à Seattle.
Il n’empêche, les clubs ont fait l’essentiel de leurs emplettes et de leur ménage. L’activité a beaucoup varié de l’un à l’autre, entre Montréal ou Houston qui ont été relativement sages, et New York, Colorado ou encore Portland qui ont renouvelé une grande partie de leur effectif. Si vous voulez voir toutes les transactions en un coup d’œil, c’est très simple : MLSsoccer.com a pensé à vous et les a rassemblées sur cette page.
Comme de coutume, les débats sur les bons et mauvais coups sont nombreux. Je suis curieux de connaître vos opinions sur les questions suivantes :
- Quel club a réalisé LE transfert de l’hiver (et, évidemment, qui est le joueur en question) ?
- Quelle équipe s’est renforcée là où elle en avait vraiment besoin ?
- Qui a raté son hiver et vivra une saison difficile à cause de ça ?
- Quelle est la meilleure acquisition et la plus grande perte de votre club favori ?
- Quel joueur venu de l’étranger est le renfort le plus important pour la MLS ?
- Quel départ vers l’étranger ou joueur parti à la retraite va le plus vous manquer ?