Here are the top soccer stories everyone’s talking about this morning:
Friday Night Live
To get you ready for the New York Red Bulls' Friday night visit to the New England Revolution (7 pm ET, UniMás), hear from Red Bulls midfield master Sacha Kljestan in the latest "10 Things" feature.
Happy Anniversary
The San Jose Earthquakes host D.C. United on Saturday (10:30 pm ET, watch on MLS LIVE) almost 20 years to the day they played the first match in MLS history on April 6, 1996. If you're the nostalgic type, you'll dig all the reminiscing ahead of Wednesday night's livestream of that inaugural match on MLSsoccer.com beginning at 7:50 pm ET.
Top Left
It may fly under the radar sometimes, but Chris Tierney's New England Revolution teammates, though admittedly biased, consider him the best lefty in MLS.
LA Clipped-ers
LA Galaxy striker Robbie Keane will be out until June while recovering from knee surgery. Meanwhile, Galaxy teammate Steven Gerrard will remain on the shelf when they visit Vancouver on Saturday (10 pm ET, watch on MLS LIVE in USA and TSN2 in Canada).
The Naughty List
Speaking of the Whitecaps, their striker Masato Kudo has been suspended for this weekend's contest against the LA Galaxy.
Man Of The March
Real Salt Lake's Joao Plata netted the Etihad Airways Player of the Month award for March.
Lace 'Em Up
Sporting Kansas City could hand new Designated Player Diego Rubio his league debut when Real Salt Lake come to town on Saturday (8:30 pm ET, watch on MLS LIVE) in the league's most underrated rivalry.
We Meet Again
It's been five years since Veljko Paunovic played for the Philadelphia Union and he gets set to face his former club for the first time when he leads his Chicago Fire on Saturday night (5 pm ET, watch on MLS LIVE). Meanwhile, Clint Irwin and Drew Moor will be wearing Toronto FC red when they make their return to Colorado (8 pm ET, watch on MLS LIVE in USA and TSN in Canada).
Hoops Dreamer
A Scottish report says Celtic are ready to allow 29-year-old Honduran international wingback Emilio Izaguirre to leave the club to fulfill his long-held dream of joining MLS.
Take The Pledge
Major League Soccer hopes fans will join the league's drive against discrimination and harassment, "Don't Cross The Line."
Tommy Boy
FourFourTwo takes a feature look at young Orlando City defender Tommy Redding, who is likely to be in action again for the Lions as they host the MLS Cup champions Portland Timbers on Sunday (8 pm ET, FS1) as Kaka makes his season debut.
Tommy, Can You Hear Me?
New York City FC midfielder Tommy McNamara revealed that the Republic of Ireland has reached out to see if he is eligible to play for them (spoiler alert: he is).
The Wrong Question
Howler Magazine explains why the oft-repeated exercise of imagining what the USMNT would look like if soccer attracted America's best athletes is sorely misguided.
Long-Term Effects
You know the story by now: The US Under-23 national team failed to qualify for the Olympics once again. What will it cost the senior national team down the line?
Expansive Universe
Minnesota United owners got good news on Thursday: a tax break approval from the city of St. Paul on a new stadium. In other expansion news, MLS commissioner Don Garber is set to visit the Sacramento Republic to discuss their interest in becoming an expansion side.
Your Morning Toffee
USMNT star and Colorado Rapids signing Tim Howard joined Good Morning America for a chat on several topics, including his forthcoming move back to MLS.
Romain Adventure
Erstwhile Columbus Crew SC and US youth national team attack prospect Romain Gall has joined Swedish third flighters Nykopings.
Henry Stays Up Late Late
Former New York Red Bulls star Thierry Henry dropped by The Late Late Show to take shots at host James Corden.
MLSsoccer.com Musts:
Extra Time Radio welcomes the regular league slate back
Watch: Matt Doyle and Brian Dunseth recap the international break
Watch: The most underrated rivalry in MLS
