MLS ARTICLES
- The 15 most memorable games in Timbers-Sounders rivalry history
- As RSL tries to find its way, Mike Petke trying to expand club’s leadership circle (Salt Lake Tribune)
- When Miguel Ibarra gets on scoresheet, Minnesota United has won every game (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
- Minnesota United forward Christian Ramirez ‘pretty happy’ about hamstring progress (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
- Impact hoping win against Revolution represents a turning point (Montreal Gazette)
- Group effort makes Crew stingy on defense (Columbus Dispatch)
- Center back Alex Crognale remains flexible after appearance in Seattle (Columbus Dispatch)
- MLS week in review: Lee Nguyen and Revs finally split (Salt Lake Tribune)
- RSL coach Mike Petke pays tribute to victims of Orlando nightclub shooting (Pro Soccer USA)
- Orlando City enjoys record win streak, but tough tests loom (Pro Soccer USA)
- Peter Vermes signs new Sporting KC deal after talks with U.S. Soccer (ESPNFC.com)
The 15 most memorable games in Timbers-Sounders rivalry history
The Oregonian – May 8, 2018
The fierce rivalry between the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders began in 1975 when the two clubs met for the first time in the North American Soccer League. More than 40 years later, the Timbers and Sounders will face each other for the 100th time when Portland hosts Seattle at Providence Park on Sunday, May 13. Ahead of the match, the Oregonian/OregonLive is taking a look at the top 15 most memorable games in Timbers-Sounders rivalry history.
Timbers play Seattle for the first time in NASL home opener (May 2, 1975)
The rivalry between the Portland Timbers and the Seattle Sounders was born on May 2, 1975 when the Timbers, who had just joined the North American Soccer League as an expansion franchise, hosted the Sounders in their first-ever game at Civic Stadium. Only about 8,000 fans attended that first match as Seattle managed to eke out a 1-0 win over Portland while rain poured down on the field. But that match marked the beginning of the fiercest rivalry in American soccer.
Timbers beat Sounders in playoffs in inaugural season (August 12, 1975)
After compiling a 16-6 regular season record in their inaugural season in 1975, the Timbers went on to face the Sounders in the first round of the North American Soccer League playoffs. An incredible 31,000 fans crowded into Civic Stadium to watch the game. Portland and Seattle remained locked at 1-1 at the end of regulation, which sent the game to overtime. That's when Portland's Tony Betts headed in his iconic sudden-death, game-winning goal to give the Timbers a 2-1 victory. Portland went on to earn a spot in the Soccer Bowl before falling to the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Timbers beat Sounders in controversial shootout (June 10, 1978)
The Timbers were riding a seven-game winning streak when they took on the Sounders on June 10, 1978 at Civic Stadium. Portland and Seattle battled in the physical match as the two teams combined for 38 fouls. But neither side could find the go-ahead goal and the game remained scoreless after regulation and overtime, which sent the match to a shootout. In a controversial shootout where Yugoslavian referee Marjan Raus disallowed two goals and allowed a questionable Portland goal, the Timbers ultimately prevailed as Willie Anderson scored his final attempt to give Portland a 2-1 shootout win. With the victory, the Timbers tied the NASL record for consecutive wins with eight. Portland went on to break the record in its following game.
Timbers beat Sounders in United Soccer League home opener (May 11, 2001)
Twenty years after the Timbers played their final North American Soccer League game and 11 years after Portland played in its final Western Soccer League match, the Timbers renewed their rivalry with Seattle as they hosted the Sounders in their home opener as a United Soccer League franchise on May 11, 2001. A crowd of 12,295 fans watched from the stands at PGE Park as the Timbers beat the Sounders 2-0.
Takayuki Suzuki leads Timbers to first win over Sounders since 2006 (April 26, 2008)
Timbers forward Takayuki Suzuki drilled a memorable laser beam shot from the top of the box past a diving Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eyelander to lead the Timbers to a 2-0 win over the Sounders on April 26, 2008. Suzuki also added an assist in the match in front of 9,894 fans at PGE Park. It was Portland's first victory over Seattle since 2006 and third win in a row to begin the 2008 season.
Roger Levesque leads Sounders to U.S. Open Cup win over Timbers (July 1, 2009)
The Sounders entered MLS as an expansion franchise in 2009. The Timbers, who entered MLS in 2011, remained in the lower division USL at the time. With the two clubs playing in different leagues, they only had one opportunity to take the field against each other in 2009. That moment came on July 1, 2009 when Seattle traveled to Portland for a third-round U.S. Open Cup game. It took only 48 seconds for Seattle to dash Portland's hopes of getting an upset win as Seattle's Roger Levesque scored the opening goal. After scoring, Levesque mimed being chopped down like a tree in a now infamous goal celebration. Levesque is still despised in Portland in large part due to that goal celebration. The Sounders went on to win the game 2-1.
Sounders beat Timbers on penalty kicks in U.S. Open Cup (June 30, 2010)
The Sounders and the Timbers were still in different leagues in 2010. The Timbers were competing in the lower division USL and preparing to enter MLS in 2011, while the Sounders were in their second season in MLS. Since they were in different leagues, the two clubs met just once in 2010 when Seattle traveled to Portland to face the Timbers in the U.S. Open Cup on June 30. The Timbers and Sounders played to a hard-fought 1-1 draw in regulation, but Seattle managed to come away with the 4-3 victory on penalty kicks. The Sounders went on to win the U.S. Open Cup as the Timbers vowed to get revenge.
Timbers face Sounders in MLS for the first time (May 14, 2011)
Portland renewed its rivalry with Seattle in 2011 when the Timbers joined the Sounders in MLS. The two teams met for the first time on May 14 in front of a crowd of over 36,000 at Qwest Field in Seattle. Many members of the Timbers Army made the drive up to Seattle for the rivalry game. Rain poured down on the field throughout the match, but that didn't deter the fans. Seattle scored the first goal, but Portland rallied back to score the second goal as the game finished in a 1-1 draw.
Portland earns first MLS win over Seattle (June 24, 2012)
The Timbers had a difficult season in 2012, but a highlight moment came on June 24 when Portland beat Seattle for the first time in MLS play. The Timbers Army celebrated the history of the club with a giant tifo ahead of the game, which depicted Timbers legend Clive Charles and included the phrase, "Legends are born when the previous are surpassed." The Timbers went on to put in a gutsy performance on the field. Portland scored two goals in the first 25 minutes to take an early lead on their home turf. The Sounders battled back with a second half goal, but the Timbers hung on to secure the win and earn the opportunity to celebrate with their home fans.
The Timbers beat the Sounders in Seattle in the MLS Playoffs (November 2, 2013)
Portland faced Seattle in the MLS playoffs for the first time in 2013. The Timbers were forced to travel to Seattle -- a place where they had historically struggled in MLS play -- for the opening match of the two-game Western Conference semifinal series on November 2. But the hostile environment didn't hurt the Timbers, who came away from the game victorious. Ryan Johnson and Darlington Nagbe scored as the Timbers secured a 2-1 win in the game and a huge advantage in the series. It was Portland's first-ever playoff win as an MLS club and it was a big one.
Timbers oust Seattle from MLS Playoffs (November 7, 2013)
The Timbers returned home to Providence Park with confidence a week after beating the Sounders in the first leg of the Western Conference semifinal series. And on November 7, 2013, Portland ousted their rivals from the MLS Playoffs. The Timbers took a 3-0 lead by the 47th minute behind goals from Will Johnson, Diego Valeri and Futty Danso to put the game well out of reach. Seattle rallied back with two goals late in the game, but it was too little, too late. Portland celebrated their first-ever win in an MLS playoff series by knocking their rivals out of the postseason. Portland still has bragging rights over Seattle for the win as the two teams have yet to face each other again in the MLS playoffs.
Clint Dempsey's hat trick leads Sounders to victory over Timbers (April 5, 2014)
Seattle traveled to Portland on April 5, 2014 for a rivalry game that Timbers fans might want to forget. In a wild and back-and-forth match, Seattle took an early lead off a Kenny Cooper goal in the third minute. Portland rallied back at home as Diego Chara and Diego Valeri each scored to give the Timbers a 2-1 advantage by the 14th minute. But Seattle star Clint Dempsey then leveled the score in the 25th minute. Portland appeared to put the game out of reach in the second half when Chara and Maxi Urruti scored within three minutes of each other to give the Timbers a 4-2 lead. Chara finished the game with a brace on his birthday, but it wasn't enough to lead Portland to victory. Dempsey closed the gap with another goal in the 85th minute and then scored on a penalty kick a few minutes later to complete the hat trick and lead the Sounders to the 4-4 draw. Dempsey is loathed in Portland and this match certainly played a part in that.
One of the most memorable games in Timbers-Sounders rivalry history came in the U.S. Open Cup. The Timbers traveled to Starfire Sports Complex for what was expected to be a hard-fought and intense affair on June 16, 2015. But no one could have predicted just how crazy the game would turn out. The Sounders ended up finishing the wild match with just seven players after getting three red cards and suffering an injury to Obafemi Martins. The Timbers walked away with a 3-1 win. But the match became infamous for one moment in overtime. Seattle's Michael Azira was shown a red card in the 102 minute, leaving the Sounders with just eight men on the field. Seattle forward Clint Dempsey was visibly upset with the call and immediately ran up to the referee to argue. After he was a shown a red card for dissent, Dempsey proceeded to grab the referee's notebook out of his back pocket. He then ripped up the notebook and threw it on the pitch. He was shown a red card for the meltdown and the Sounders were left with just seven men on the field.
Timbers forward Fanendo Adi celebrates 4-1 win over Sounders with a chainsaw (June 28, 2015)
Less than two weeks after Clint Dempsey's infamous meltdown in the U.S. Open Cup, the Timbers faced off against the Sounders in an MLS game at Providence Park. And once again, the Timbers walked away with the win. Darlington Nagbe scored a spectacular goal to give Portland an early lead, but Seattle rallied back before halftime as Lamar Neagle found the equalizer. The game remained tied until the 74th minute when Timbers striker Fanendo Adi came alive. Adi scored in the 74th minute and again in the 76th minute to put the game out of reach. After scoring his second goal, Adi jumped over the barrier, grabbed Timber Joey's chainsaw and reeved it for the jubilant crowd. Portland scored again in stoppage time to earn the 4-1 win.
Timbers get goals from four players in win over Sounders (August 28, 2016)
Exactly one week after falling 3-1 to the Sounders at CenturyLink Field, the Timbers returned home and secured a memorable 4-2 victory over their rivals on August 28, 2016. In an exciting first half, the Timbers saw goals from four different players as they took an insurmountable 4-0 lead. Vytas opened the scoring in the 16th minute before Fanendo Adi found the back of the net in the 21st minute. Lucas Melano then scored in the 29th minute and Steven Taylor added yet another goal in the 44th minute to seal the win. It was the first time that the Timbers had scored at least three goals in the first half at Providence Park. The Sounders battled back in the second half, but couldn't overcome the deficit as the Timbers won 4-2.
As RSL tries to find its way, Mike Petke trying to expand club’s leadership circle
Salt Lake Tribune – May 7, 2018
The remaining Utah Royals players turned at the sound of the the men’s team jogging past. They were working out a clapping pattern, and the women smiled, reminded of their youth soccer days when that exercise was common.
Led by captain Kyle Beckerman, the Real Salt Lake players hit their hands against their thighs twice, touched their shoulders and clapped once above their heads.
“They’re getting on the same page too,” striker Amy Rodriguez said.
It was a sunny April afternoon at America First Field, and RSL’s training session began as the Royals trickled off the field following their practice.
RSL was about two weeks into an experiment Mike Petke had launched after a 3-1 loss at Toronto. He put a different player in charge of the first half of warmups every day in an effort to bring out personalities and encourage leadership. Between that and continuous conversations with individuals and the group on the subject, Petke said he’s seen players respond by being more vocal.
“Certain players are looked at by other players as leaders, and they have to start acting a little more like it,” Petke said, “expressing their opinions, getting the guys going a bit.”
After that two-goal loss to Toronto, Petke said he knew what the problem was and vowed to fix it. The next week in training, he characterized it as an issue in mentality. Soon after, he introduced the new format.
“It’s on them, whatever they want to do,” Petke said after training two weeks ago. “It depends on personality. Some have been real lighthearted, some have been a bit more serious, but the good thing is they’ve all done actually some stretching and some active movement.”
There are some parameters. Albert Rusnák, who has become more of a vocal leader in his second year with the team, said he wanted to go straight into drills with the ball.
“But they didn’t let me,” he laughed, “so we had to keep jogging.”
The Monday after beating Colorado 3-0 he added: “It seems to be working.”
RSL hasn’t claimed a win since, but in its past two losses the team has put together 60- to 70-minute stretches in which they played as more of a cohesive unit than they have all season, including Sunday’s 3-1 setback at Orlando.
Corey Baird finding success up top
RSL Academy product Corey Baird was expected to collect most of his playing time with the Monarchs this season, but on Saturday the rookie made his fourth start and scored his second goal for the first team.
Baird scored the only RSL goal in the Orlando loss, but was unable to put away two other opportunities: a shot that glanced off the post and a one-on-one with goalkeeper Joe Bendik.
“He’s a young kid,” Petke said of the 22-year-old fresh out of Stanford University. “He put himself in good positions to get there, but that’s part of the learning curve.”
When Miguel Ibarra gets on scoresheet, Minnesota United has won every game
St. Paul Pioneer Press – May 7, 2018
LOS ANGELES — Miguel Ibarra will be a hot commodity when Minnesota United plays expansion franchise LAFC on Wednesday night at Banc of California Stadium. It will run parallel to the midfielder’s ascendent play this season.
Ibarra has three game-winning assists and one game-deciding goal coming in the 1-0 victory over Vancouver on Saturday. For perspective, the Loons are 4-5 this season.
Ibarra comes from Lancaster, Calif., which is 75 miles northeast of L.A., and the nearby Taft College program he played with for two seasons will be bringing its current team to watch a famous alum.
“I’m just really excited to play in front of them,” Ibarra said. “I don’t really get that opportunity much. … That they will be there for me is big.”
That’s not all. Ibarra will have family and representatives from his subsequent school, University of California-Irvine, also in the stands, bringing the total of personal supporters to around 60.
When Ibarra scored on Saturday, his close friend and teammate Christian Ramirez said a camera should have been filming his reaction. As the play developed — Alexi Gomez left-footed cross, Ibarra’s back-post run and Ibarra’s follow-up after his initial attempt was denied — Ramirez was hitting the signage in a suite inside TCF Bank Stadium.
“It was good to see him get the confidence back since coming back with us,” Ramirez said.
After a spell in Mexico’s Liga MX, Ibarra was dissatisfied with his performance in 2017, with three goals and four assists in 29 games. With that in mind, he and Ramirez had an abbreviated vacation to start the offseason, less than one week, before they started training again in California.
Ramirez, of Garden Grove, Calif., about 35 miles south of L.A., would meet Ibarra for work with a trainer Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, they would play pick-up games with Benny Feilhaber of LAFC and Sacha Klejstan of Orlando City.
“I saw a different side of him that I hadn’t seen before,” Ramirez said. “Every offseason, Miguel takes his time to recover his body. I know he wasn’t happy with how he played last year. He took a lot of pride in the fact that he had to fix some things and get to work on it. Credit to him.”
When Kevin Molino was lost for the season, Ibarra moved from a winger spot to the central attacking midfielder role and propelled results. Now back on the outside with the addition of Darwin Quintero, Ibarra is still making his presence felt.
“I think I’m getting better every game,” Ibarra said Saturday. “My confidence right now is up there. I know I didn’t have a good year last year — it was on and off.”
Ibarra, who was a member of the U.S. men’s national team in 2015, said having his Taft community college brethren cheering him on Wednesday will be a reminder of where he came from. He also feels like he’s going places.
“I’m really healthy, and I feel like I’m the best I’ve felt,” Ibarra said. “I’m really excited to get going.”
Minnesota United forward Christian Ramirez ‘pretty happy’ about hamstring progress
St. Paul Pioneer Press – May 7, 2018
LOS ANGELES — One of three photos included in a tweet from Minnesota United on Monday created a stir as the club was traveling to the West Coast for Wednesday’s game against LAFC.
No, it wasn’t fullback Jerome Thiesson wearing aviators while inside Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
The intrigue came with forward Christian Ramirez pictured among other players in the terminal. It was a bit of a surprise because he injured his right hamstring 30 minutes into the 2-1 win over Houston on April 28 and was out for the 1-0 win over Vancouver on Saturday.
Ramirez participated in the Loons’ light training session at UCLA on Monday as one of 19 players on the trip, meaning one player will be left off the game-day lineup for Minnesota (4-5) against expansion franchise LAFC (5-2-1) at 9:30 p.m. CDT Wednesday at Banc of California Stadium.
When Ramirez injured his left hamstring last season, he also traveled with Minnesota on road trips to maintain his rehab routine. He said it aids his recoveries.
But with Mason Toye (red card suspension) and Abu Danladi (right ankle) back in Minnesota, there’s a glaring void at the top of Minnesota’s attack, if Ramirez doesn’t return. Coach Adrian Heath is expected to address the striker spot after Tuesday’s training session.
Ramirez has received positive reports since he injuring his leg. He said the initial diagnosis on April 29 wasn’t severe; he passed a tougher running test before the Whitecaps game; and he hasn’t aggravated the muscle when striking a ball, which was how he injured it in the first place.
“Pretty happy about it,” Ramirez said. “Just taking the time to strengthen it and get it right, not trying to rush it. We’ll see what (Heath) has in store for Wednesday.
“Yeah, it’s a possibility for sure,” Ramirez added, but he said part of it depends on how his leg responds Tuesday.
Ramirez, a Garden Grove, Calif., native, estimated he will have about 15 family members and friends in the stands Wednesday.
REST COMING
Ibson, who leads Minnesota United with 787 minutes through nine games this season, did not travel with the club to L.A. The 34-year-old midfielder will be rested while the Loons play their second of three games in an eight-day span.
Ibson played 90 minutes against Vancouver last weekend, and United returns home to play San Jose at 1 p.m. Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.
With Toye already out, Minnesota was assured another different starting line-up for a seventh straight game this season. The Loons have used the same lineup in consecutive games only once this season on March 10-17, a two-game winning streak that matches their current form.
Across nine games in 2018, United has averaged three changes per match.
Impact hoping win against Revolution represents a turning point
Montreal Gazette – May 7, 2018
The sun was shining as the Montreal Impact began their training session Monday morning, and goalkeeper Evan Bush saw that as a good sign.
“I think it’s because we won and that reflects the feeling inside the building right now,” said Bush. “But we know that we just can’t rest on one win. We have to take the positives, put that into Wednesday night and, if we approach it the right way, we should get something out of that.”
The Impact snapped a four-game losing streak Saturday with a 4-2 win over the New England revolution and the win provided the team with a much-needed confidence boost as they prepare for a Wednesday road game against the Chicago Fire and a Saturday home date with the Philadelphia Union.
Bush said the win Saturday was welcome as the Impact improved to 3-6-0 on the season and moved into seventh place in the MLS Eastern Conference, five points out of a playoff position. But he said the game also provided some “teachable moments.”
“We had a comfortable lead and then we had a bit of a letdown,” said Bush. “We played a good 75 minutes and we had a cushion but it might have been different if we only had a 1-0 lead. There’s a little bit of a dropoff when you have such a cushion and the attention to detail isn’t there, but we need to be more focused. You like to learn those lessons in a game where you’re up 4-0 as opposed to losing a game or giving up points because of that.
Bush said one of the keys to the win was the return of Anthony Jackson-Hamel, who scored two goals.
“It helped that we had some natural strikers back,” said Bush. “Jackson and Matteo (Mancosu) have been out for a while and Jeisson (Vargas) and Nacho (Ignacio Piatti) have been forced to play in positions that they’re not necessarily familiar with. Now that we have Nacho in his natural position, we were able to get out in transition and put him in a position which more suits his capabilities.”
Piatti returned to his attacking midfielder position Saturday and, while he scored a goal, it was his playmaking that made the difference. He assisted on the other three Montreal goals and is tied for the MLS lead in assists with six. He also has five goals.
Coach Rémi Garde said the Impact must build on the confidence they gained in Saturday’s win. He noted that the team got off to a slow start, mostly because it played six of its first nine games on the road and “playing on the road can be difficult.”
With two games this week, the Impact will have played three games in eight days, but Garde said the crowded schedule was “business as usual. My staff and I are used to that in terms of organization, rotation and recovery. Players and staff like to play game, I like to manage the rotation but the game is the target and we’re happy to play three games in eight days.”
Chicago is also off to a slow start this season with a 2-2-4 record. The Fire is one point behind the Impact with one game in hand.
“We played them in the preseason but that was a friendly game and both teams used a lot of players and we can’t learn much from that game,” said Garde. “We’ll look at their last game as one up with a plan.”
A big part of that plan will be stopping designated players Nemanja Nikolic and Bastian Schweinsteiger. Nikolic won the MLS Golden Boot last season with a league-best 24 goals while Schweinsteiger is a German International who played 13 seasons with Bayern Munich and two with Manchester United before coming to MLS.
Group effort makes Crew stingy on defense
Columbus Dispatch – May 7, 2018
Crew SC’s system calls for fullbacks working high up the field, high-volume chance creation and high-percentage opportunities for attacking players.
Every soccer philosophy has its drawbacks, and Crew SC’s, since coach Gregg Berhalter took over in 2014, has been added risk on defense and, as a result, a higher rate of goals allowed.
Which is why the 2018 Crew has been an early surprise as one of the league’s better defensive teams. Through 10 games, Crew SC (4-3-3) has conceded 10 goals, tied for the lowest goals-against total in the MLS Eastern Conference. At one goal conceded per game, Crew SC ranks second in the league, trailing only FC Dallas, which has given up seven goals in eight games.
“I’m worried we’re going to start getting the label of a defensive team. I’m starting to worry about that,” Berhalter joked. “I think it’s a group effort.”
Crew SC’s team defending was on display throughout a 0-0 tie in Seattle on Saturday. Following a 15th-minute red card to midfielder Pedro Santos, the Crew played its first long spell with three center backs this season and limited the Sounders to a single shot on target despite finishing the game with just 35.3 percent possession.
Berhalter credited his team with a top-down commitment to giving the Sounders little breathing room.
“When you look at the work our midfielders did, Gyasi (Zardes) and Federico (Higuain), what I like to say is we’re a team that attacks together and defends together,” Berhalter said. “I think that’s the important part, and we’ve been doing that.”
The shutout, Crew SC’s first since March 17, could have a positive effect on a team that already has experienced an uptick in defensive consistency. Center back Josh Williams said Crew SC has at times lacked togetherness on defense but produced it in bunches Saturday in denying repeated waves of Seattle attacks.
“A game like this can completely turn that around. There’s togetherness now that, no matter what happens, we can come together collectively, whether it’s four in the back, whether it’s five in the back, and shut a team down with a lot of weapons on the field,” he said. “I think that 75 minutes that we were battling together, I think that’s huge for a locker room.”
So is continuity. Four of Crew SC’s five healthy center backs to start the 2017 season were either new to the team or, in Williams’ case, had been away for two seasons. This year, all four center backs used — Alex Crognale, Williams, Jonathan Mensah and Lalas Abubakar — are used to the Crew’s system. The team’s only new starter outside the attacking group is left back Milton Valenzuela, who through 10 games might be the team’s best one-versus-one defender.
“When you get guys together like that for a full year, you allow them to kind of mesh, mold together and bond, and that makes a world of difference, especially in a difficult system like ours,” Williams said.
That molded product has been an improved defense. It’s a label that Crew SC is not used to, but one it will carry until opposing offenses prove otherwise.
Center back Alex Crognale remains flexible after appearance in Seattle
Columbus Dispatch – May 7, 2018
A nearly two-month hiatus from Major League Soccer action was broken with a simple, “Alex, warm up.”
The Crew needed to make a change Saturday following a 15th-minute red card to winger Pedro Santos. That adjustment from coach Gregg Berhalter involved second-year center back Alex Crognale, who subbed on in the 31st minute for the Crew’s other starting winger, Cristian Martinez.
The move was designed to give Crew SC’s fullbacks more freedom to venture out and pin back the Sounders’ fullbacks, but it required a sound performance from a three-man center back corps anchored by the 23-year-old Gahanna native.
Crognale knew there was a chance he might play as the Crew’s only reserve center back in the 18 but like everyone else at CenturyLink Field didn’t think a red card would force him onto the field so soon.
“I wasn’t fully mentally prepared yet at that point so I hopped up real quick and started getting moving and as I was getting warmed up I was just watching the game,” Crognale said. “I was just preparing myself to get out there for whatever battle was thrown our way.”
He did his job, playing the final 59 minutes of a 0-0 tie as the middle center back in a Crew defense that held Seattle to just one shot on target.
“We went into the five-back (5-3-1) and that’s a system that I’ve played a lot under Gregg,” Crognale said. “I knew my role and I knew Josh (Williams’) and Lalas (Abubakar’s) role and as the centerpiece there I’m there to command the other guys, to coach the other guys and make sure we’re all in good spots shifting, stepping, dropping, doing the defensive work.”
Crognale’s off the bench performance required an on the fly adjustment, something with which he’s been made familiar over the last two months. Entering the 2018 preseason hoping to compete for starters’ minutes at center back, he came off the bench to play an average of five minutes in the Crew’s first two games before being loaned to United Soccer League club Orange County SC in March.
It was sudden, but a good learning experience, Crognale said. He made eight appearances — seven starts — in a loan stint designed to get him more game time before rejoining Crew SC last week as the team prepared for its first three-game week of 2018.
“Obviously when you’re not expecting to get loaned out and it happens, that’s part of the grind, part of the life of a professional athlete,” Crognale said. “But I thought I made the most of it, I met a lot of good guys out in Orange County.
“We had a good thing going, we went four straight clean sheets, so I took what I learned here in Columbus and tried to help the guys out in California.”
Berhalter said the decision to send Crognale on loan was the right one, but difficult. So is the decision on how to manage Crognale’s season beyond this week. Game time with Orange County led to a sharp performance on Saturday but it also meant extended time away from Columbus.
“What you’d have to do is start looking at the performance of (Abubakar, Jonathan Mensah and Williams),” Berhalter said of assessing Crognale’s status. “If their performance is up to par, you may leave it as is. If their performance dips, you know you have Alex, who’s performed well.”
His first extended MLS performance of 2018 in the books, Crognale remains flexible. He knew Monday that he’d be in Columbus on Tuesday and Wednesday, and that’s a start.
“It’s day by day. As I’ve learned the hard way, that’s how you have to take it because you never know,” Crognale said. “Nothing’s guaranteed in this business, so I’m just ready for tomorrow and then Wednesday. That’s my focus right now.”
MLS week in review: Lee Nguyen and Revs finally split
Salt Lake Tribune – May 7, 2018
After months of friction between Lee Nguyen and the New England Revolution, the attacking midfielder finally landed with LAFC just before the primary transfer window closed.
Nguyen requested a trade from the Revs during the offseason, and he arrived three weeks late to preseason camp. The move seemed to backfire on Nguyen, who was sidelined for the Rev’s first eight matches. Revs coach attributed Nguyen’s exclusion to fitness in the week leading up to the season opener.
New England general manager Mike Burns told MLSsoccer.com that several teams, including LAFC, expressed interest in trading for Nguyen, but the Revs generally refuse to enter trade talks during a player holdout.
In the end, New England sent Nguyen to LAFC for $70,000 in allocation money (half TAM and half GAM) plus conditional add-ons.
“That whole two months, I was just training, knowing that there were no plans for me with Brad,” Nguyen told MLSsoccer.com on Thursday. “It was evident. Not knowing if this was going to be the rest of the year like this, it was a tough moment mentally, but the news came as a surprise, a good surprise.”
Nguyen made his first appearance of the season Saturday, playing 16 minutes off the bench in a 1-1 draw between LAFC and FC Dallas.
Other transfer deadline moves
Minnesota United and the Colorado Rapids completed a trade just before the transfer deadline Tuesday, sending Scottish winger Sam Nicholson and an international roster spot to Colorado for 2017 Rapids defensive player of the year Eric Miller and $50,000 in GAM.
Both players started for their new respective teams over the weekend.
LAFC, in addition to trading for Nguyen, added to its attack by signing Norwegian forward Adama Diomande from Hull City. Diomande played under LAFC coach Bob Bradley in 2015 when the two were at Norwegian club Stabaek IF.
Timbers player injured in goal celebration
Fans of many teams in many sports have gone through that head-shaking experience of watching a player go down with an injury after celebrating a little too enthusiastically. But Zarek Valentin found out Saturday that even a hug can be dangerous.
After Diego Valeri scored on a game-winning free kick in Portland’s 1-0 victory over San Jose, Valentin ran over to embrace him. But Valentin ended up on the ground when Andrés Flores jumped on his back in the celebration huddle. Valentin banged heads with another player and came away with a slight black eye and split eyebrow.
TFW your teammate crushes you during a 90th minute celebration... Great result boys!! #RCTID
Power Rankings
1. Atlanta United (last week: 1) • Ezequiel Barco scored his first MLS goal in an Atlanta victory over Chicago.
2. New York Red Bulls (3) • RBNY claimed ownership of New York with a rout of NYCFC in the NY Derby.
3. Sporting Kansas City (5) • In a match with 33 fouls and four yellow cards, SKC battled out its sixth win of the season.
4. New York City FC (2) • NYCFC laid down and let the Red Bulls walk over them as four different RBNY players netted goals against their New York rival.
5. Orlando City SC (8) • Orlando City SC set a new club winning streak record, claiming its sixth straight victory thanks to three second-half goals against Real Salt Lake.
6. Los Angeles FC (4) • Lee Nguyen showed promise in a draw with FC Dallas, but ultimately LAFC failed to finish an abundance of chances.
7. Columbus Crew SC (6) • Getting a result at Seattle, especially with 10 men is usually very hard, but the Sounders have started this season poorly.
8. Toronto FC (7) • With CCL play behind it, Toronto claimed its second win of the season in a dominant performance.
9. FC Dallas (9) • Dallas forced a draw at formidable Banc of California Stadium.
10. Portland Timbers (unranked) • The Timbers claimed their third straight win on the back of a Diego Valeri free kick.
RSL coach Mike Petke pays tribute to victims of Orlando nightclub shooting
Pro Soccer USA – May 7, 2018
One of the most recognizable areas of Orlando City Stadium is Section 12, where 49 rainbow seats are located to honor each of the lives lost during the Orlando nightclub shooting at Pulse on June 12, 2016.
When Real Salt Lake traveled to face Orlando City SC during the weekend, it was the team’s first time visiting the newly-built stadium — it opened in late February 2017, and last season the teams faced off in Utah at Rio Tinto Stadium — and so it marked the first time RSL players and coaches saw the tribute in person. Head coach Mike Petke decided to show his appreciation and support by posting a photo of himself sitting in the middle of the rainbow seats on Twitter a day before the match.
Petke captioned the photo “Respect. Equality. End the Violence.” He ended the post with #OrlandoUnited, which is also placed on each of the 49 seats with a rainbow heart.
He received a warm response of replies from a wide range of Twitter users who supported his gesture.
Orlando City received recognition for its various tributes and work in the community following the Pulse tragedy. When the seats were installed in January, 2017, Orlando City co-founder Phil Rawlins said they will serve as a “as a constant reminder of the senseless acts of June 12.”
While RSL ended up losing to Orlando City SC 3-1 Sunday, it’s clear some things are bigger than sports.
Orlando City enjoys record win streak, but tough tests loom
Pro Soccer USA – May 7, 2018
Big tests incoming
Orlando City won its sixth match in a row on Sunday. That’s no small feat and it’s an accomplishment worthy of celebration.
It’s also not going to be enough to put the Lions in the playoffs, because it’s only May. It’s too early in the season to think about the postseason and coach Jason Kreis knows it.
“I don’t know that winning streaks are going to send messages,” Kreis said. “I don’t know about that. I think that the performance sends messages on an individual match-by-match basis.
“As I said, I think that the six games that we’ve won are fantastic, but the truth of the matter is I think we can do more. We can be better. We should be looking to improve.”
Orlando City’s next four matches are against Atlanta United, Toronto FC, the Chicago Fire and NYCFC. Things are about to get brutal from a matchup standpoint.
Throughout this win streak, the message has been about staying humble. Being in third place in the Eastern Conference table is great in May, but it’ll be a lot sweeter in September.
Not everyone believes the Lions are for real yet. The next four matches – particularly against the Five Stripes and against Toronto at BMO Field – will give Orlando City the chance to silence all doubters.
“It’s about not becoming complacent at all,” Kreis said. “It’s about trying to improve week by week. It’s also about staying hungry, because the truth of the matter is we’ve won six games in a row, but we haven’t won anything at all.”
Orlando City’s depth is real … but there’s catch
Anyone else know when was the last time Chris Schuler played a full 90 minutes? May 31, 2017, in Real Salt Lake’s 5-1 loss to the Houston Dynamo.
That’s almost a full calendar year ago.
Schuler acquitted himself well against Real Salt Lake. He had two tackles (both around the penalty area), two interceptions and four clearances. Kreis said the veteran centerback’s performances wasn’t perfect – and it wasn’t – but it showed Orlando City still has players who can step up and get the job done when a start goes down.
Here’s the issue: Amro Tarek’s “lower-body injury” is just the latest in a string of injuries for Orlando City. Depth is not an infinite resource. Eventually, if this keeps up, it’ll become an issue.
Who would step up if another center back goes down? RJ Allen? He’s the club’s backup right back with Scott Sutter still out and Will Johnson – usually a midfielder – playing on the back line.
Kreis done a solid job this season putting players in positions to be successful. That’s likely to continue. But no team can withstand repeated injuries to top players.
Orlando City’s defense is still vulnerable
There’s no reason to sugarcoat it – things could have been much worse for the Lions on Sunday. Real Salt Lake had two shots go off the post Sunday evening and Joe Bendik came up with eight saves, including on Corey Baird in the 62nd minute that’s a likely candidate for Save of the Week.
Some of that can be chalked up to the revolving door that has become the center back position. Some of it is just how the Lions have played all season – it’s no secret Orlando City is vulnerable on the counterattack.
Too often, opponents play the ball right up the middle of the pitch and a centerback is caught having to turn and catch up with an attacker. The post and Bendik have bailed out the Lions a few times this season, but that likely won’t be acceptable for much longer.
Peter Vermes signs new Sporting KC deal after talks with U.S. Soccer
ESPNFC.com – May 7, 2018
U.S. Soccer reached out to Peter Vermes about both its general manager and coaching vacancies for the men's national team, the Sporting Kansas City coach told ESPN, but that didn't stop him from signing a new long-term deal with his MLS club.
Vermes, who also serves as technical director of Sporting KC, is already the longest-tenured coach in MLS and the team announced on Monday that he has signed on for another five seasons through 2023.
The 51-year-old has been widely linked as a potential candidate to be the next national team coach, and he confirmed that he has been in contact with U.S. Soccer.
"I'm humbled by the [extension] for sure and being given the responsibility to be the steward for this organization all the way through 2023," Vermes told ESPN.
"I'm extremely humbled by that, and really do appreciate the commitment, but at the same time I think anybody would say that if your national team came-a-calling and wanted for you to be the one that is steering the ship, I don't know of anybody that would say that wasn't a humbling position."
But asked if he had a preference between working for his MLS club and the national team -- which he called "two completely different jobs" -- he said he would lean toward Sporting KC.
"I would have to say this one right now because I've never done the other one," he said.
Vermes also said he couldn't be sure if further talks with the national federation could be possible, adding: "That's not a question for me, that's a question for other people."
In 2016, ESPN reported that U.S. Soccer had contacted Vermes as a potential replacement for national team boss Jurgen Klinsmann, though the federation eventually hired the LA Galaxy's Bruce Arena, who stepped down after failing to qualify the team for the World Cup.
Following the election of new president Carlos Cordeiro in February, U.S. Soccer is conducting a search for the new position of USMNT general manager, before turning attention to a head coach.
Vermes has been Sporting's manager since 2009 and led the team to the 2013 MLS Cup and three U.S. Open Cup titles during his tenure.
"I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to continue to lead this club," Vermes said in a team statement announcing his contract extension. "Our ownership group has shown tremendous ambition over the last decade, and I am proud to be involved in a first-class organization that continues to grow and evolve at Sporting KC."
Vermes was a U.S. international in his playing days, earning 67 caps and appearing at the 1990 World Cup. He also played for Sporting KC for three seasons, winning the MLS Cup in 2000. He was elected to the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2013.
Sporting KC is in first place in the Western Conference this season, having won six of its opening 10 games.
"This is a great day for Sporting Kansas City," co-owner Mike Illig said. "Peter has become one of the most successful managers in the history of Major League Soccer, and we are delighted to extend his contract at the club. This long-term deal shows commitment from the organization and from Peter, who has helped the club accomplish remarkable things on and off the field for the last decade."
