Tuesday night won’t be the last time that Landon Donovan is seen walking the streets of Detroit in a Tigers cap if a prospective MLS ownership group has its way.
The group that has been in talks with MLS about a team in Detroit is so bullish about its chances to bring pro soccer to the Motor City that they say: “If New York's not in for 2013, we think that would be our year. I'd say in the next two years, we'll hopefully be in the league."
They say renovations to the Silverdome, which they recently purchased, will take place in the next six to eight months.
Can you blame Detroit for getting excited after Tuesday night’s Gold Cup doubleheader which saw the USA and Panama emerging with victories over Canada and Guadeloupe, respectively? Here’s MLSsoccer.com’s video report from Ford Field with words from the hero on the night, Jozy Altidore. (VIDEO)
Canada’s national team coach, Stephen Hart, was wowed by Tim Howard’s performance in the USA’s 2-0 shutout: “Howard was absolute magic … I almost clapped.” Meanwhile, the Everton goalkeeper points out how the USA got “that eye of the tiger back.”
The Columbus Crew have not tasted victory since April 30 and will be severely shorthanded for tonight’s league match against Real Salt Lake with Jeff Cunningham and Andrés Mendoza likely serving as starting forwards. (7:30 pm ET, MatchDay Live)
Cunningham’s chase of the MLS goal-scoring record — he needs two more goals — will take center stage tonight.
One new-look forward line for the Crew goes up against the other for Real Salt Lake: the Jean Alexandre-Fabián Espíndola strike force. Last weekend’s breakthrough goal for the Argentine Espíndola has even encouraged manager Jason Kreis: “He knows that someone has to make a difference for us right now and he’s trying to be that guy.”
Kreis hopes to see his team get on a roll after the 2-0 win over Vancouver last Saturday as the club faces two straight games on the road. He says he feels “a breath of fresh air in the team.”
Hoping to make a difference again is Houston’s Brian Ching, who expects to be on the bench this Saturday against Chivas USA. He’s concentrated on bringing an edge to his teammates, because the Dynamo are not mean enough, according to the veteran forward.
Houston will definitely look meaner this weekend after many of the players shaved their heads in a Bald is Beautiful event to support cancer research. Watch the video from the event. (VIDEO)
Seattle must think they need help at forward since they have two candidates who are on trial, including a 6-foot-5 Irishman and another Caribbean striker.
Sounders forward O’Brian White is making his way back from blood clot surgery and confesses for the first time that he thought there was a chance he might never play again.
Only two days before Sporting Kansas City open new LIVESTRONG Sporting Park on Thursday night. Get to know the stadium a bit more with the technology that will be on show, including the team’s first ever app, “Sporting Explore.”
Sporting’s owners have been second-guessing whether it was the right decision to petition the league to start the season with 10 straight road games. “Maybe we should have sprinkled a home game or two in there,” said one of the co-owners.
This was a scene familiar to Kansas City fans for the last few years: baseball stadium converted to become a soccer field. That’s what happened on New York City on Tuesday night as nearly 40,000 people packed Citi Field to watch Greece and Ecuador tie 1-1 in an exhibition.
Ecuador complained about their locker room while Greece coach Fernando Santos said “I wish we had locker rooms like this back in Greece.”
Staying with baseball, bet you didn’t know that one of the greatest catches of all-time, Mike Piazza, is a fan of Serie A side Palermo and is also a batting coach for the Italian national team. (PHOTOS / ITALIAN)
Portland Timbers defender Steve Purdy, who grew up in California and played for US youth national teams, explains what it’s like for him to play for El Salvador as they get set to face Costa Rica on Thursday in Charlotte, N.C.: “I’m obligated to play for my country.”
Jermaine Jones is playing for his country — the United States — but is thinking about his club situation. This report indicates that Jones wants to make a permanent switch to Blackburn although Schalke want him back in the fold.
And finally, another MLS player in action with his country in the CONCACAF Gold Cup is Chicago Fire midfielder Marco Pappa. But Fire fans will have taken note of reports out of El Salvador and Chile regarding a potential move to Colo-Colo. (SPANISH)
MLSsoccer.com Must-Reads:
US player ratings after the opening match of the 2011 Gold Cup
Q&A with Sporting Kansas City CEO Robb Heineman ahead of stadium opening
MLSsoccer.com’s latest edition of the Team of the Week
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