SELECT CLIPS
- Zack Steffen steps up in goal to help the USMNT defeat France (ESPNFC.com)
- NYCFC and David Villa disappointed by Saturday's draw against Atlanta United (YES Network, New York, NY)
- LA Galaxy controls the field with the help of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to beat Real Salt Lake (KSTU-SLC (FOX) - Salt Lake City, UT)
- 17-year-old hometown hero Alphonso Davies leads Vancouver to victory (Global Edmonton (CITV) - Alberta, Canada)
- Houston Dynamo dominate in win over Colorado Rapids on Saturday (FOX Sports)
MLS ARTICLES
- Dazzling Davies just part of Whitecaps larger offensive explosion (The Province)
- Adama Diomande and Joao Moutinho help LAFC rally to beat Earthquakes 4-3 (Los Angeles Times)
- Teal Bunbury’s late goal gives Revolution a tie (Boston Globe)
- NYCFC ties Atlanta United in clash of MLS’ top teams (New York Post)
- Luis Robles returns as Red Bulls draw with Columbus Crew (New York Post)
- Three takeaways from Seattle’s 2-1 win against D.C. United (Pro Soccer USA)
- Dynamo dominate Colorado Rapids for shutout victory (Houston Chronicle)
- TFC’s Jonathan Osorio two much in win over Union (Toronto Star)
- Win over Montreal sends FC Dallas into World Cup break on 4-match win streak (Dallas Morning News)
- Portland Timbers play Sporting Kansas City to scoreless draw, extend unbeaten streak to 8 games (The Oregonian)
- Review: Zlatan Ibrahimovic delivers on star power in Zla-La-Land (ESPNFC.com)
- Zack Steffen shines, Julian Green scores as U.S. youngsters earn plucky draw with France (ESPNFC.com)
- Steffen makes statement & Green gets redemption: Five takeaways from USMNT draw with France (Goal.com)
- ‘The future of the Union’: Inside a special graduation day for Anthony Fontana (The Athletic)
Dazzling Davies just part of Whitecaps larger offensive explosion
The Province – June 10, 2018
It was a perfect 10, but Carl Robinson wasn’t about to let a perfect player rating go to Alphonso Davies’ head.
The Whitecaps midfielder had a goal and team-record three assists in his team’s 5-2 win over Orlando City on Saturday, his eye-popping stats adding up to an unheard-of 10.00 rating on whoscored.com.
“I’ve challenged him a couple of times to start games better because I think that he’s a little bit slow with his reactions, his decision-making, in the early parts of games,” said Robinson. “There were still areas where I think he could have got seven or eight assists tonight. So still some areas to work on.”
The 17-year-old Davies had team-highs in key passes (5), dribbles (4), fouls earned (4), shots on target (2) and interceptions (3). His 76th minute goal restored the life into B.C. Place after the Caps gave up a 1-1 equalizer while up a man.
His pace repeatedly torched the Lions’ defence, and his ball distribution — one area he’d been softly criticized on this season — was on point. His team-best seven assists is now third-best in MLS.
“He told me to start the game the way I finished. And I do what he says,” the soft-spoken teen said after the game.
“ I just try to play my game, and do what I know. I’m not trying to overcomplicate anything.”
Davies three-year contract expires in December, though the team holds options for the next two years. As has been almost constantly since he first made his debut as a 15-year-old, there were media reports this week linking him to a European club, this time Turkish giants Beşiktaş.
His development has been steady in Vancouver, but this year he’s starting to tantalizingly display the type of player he’ll eventually turn in to. His athleticism and technical skills are already among the best in the league — his 70 successful dribbles are 13 more than the next-closest player, Atlanta’s Miguel Almirón — and much of his one-on-one work in training has focused on his crossing and finishing.
Striker Kei Kamara was the beneficiary of one of his assists on Saturday, helping the Sierra Leonean striker score from the field for the first time since March 31. Kamara had put in extra time helping his younger charge learn the intricacies of the game during training.
“He’s doing his job,” Kamara said post-game.
“It’s a good team for him to be part of. We know what his strengths are, and we’re putting him in position to use those strengths. A lot of people would say that this was, by far, the best game of his career. And hopefully, it’s just the start going forward.”
Davies isn’t the only one having a fine run of form during the Caps’ six-game unbeaten streak. Yordy Reyna and Cristian Techera scored all but two of the team’s nine goals in the five games previous to Saturday. The Peruvian Reyna was on fire again Saturday, finding the net for the second straight game, buzzing around the Lions’ area like a gnat, and earning a penalty kick after a VAR review.
Despite his absence from the scoresheet, Kamara has been making an impact with his off-ball movement, defensive back-marking and aerial dominance — his 64 aerials won is a league-best — as the Caps have scored 16 goals in their last six games, the most in MLS since the start of May.
Robinson said that his attacking quartet is the best collective offensive group he’s had since taking the reins in 2013, and now that they’ve settled into their 4-4-2 alignment, they’re beginning to show why.
“I think they’re in good form at the moment,” he said. “The boys are playing with loads and loads of confidence. We scored five goals … and we could have scored a lot more than that. They’re playing with a lot of freedom, within the game plan, within the team tactical structure.
“Since we’ve had a little tweak in our formation, I’ve made it clearer for them on the defensive side of the game, and it’s allowed them to be more dangerous in attacking areas.”
Vancouver now heads into a two-week break for the World Cup, getting back to action on June 23 with a road game against the Philadelphia Union before returning home to host the Colorado Rapids — whom they dispatched 2-1 last week — on Sunday, July 1.
Adama Diomande and Joao Moutinho help LAFC rally to beat Earthquakes 4-3
Los Angeles Times – June 9, 2018
Adama Diomande had two goals, Joao Moutinho scored in stoppage time and Los Angeles FC rallied past the San Jose Earthquakes 4-3 on Saturday night.
Diomande, who signed with LAFC on May 2 and made his first start against San Jose, has three goals in three MLS appearances.
Moutinho, a 20-year-old rookie defender, kicked in his first MLS goal from just inside the penalty area to give LAFC (7-4-3) a 4-3 lead in the seventh minute of injury time.
San Jose's Valeri Qazaishvili opened the scoring in the 11th minute, putting away a left-footed volley off an arcing entry by Danny Hoesen.
Diomande and Steven Beitashour answered with goals in the 15th and 19th minutes, respectively, to give LA a 2-1 lead.
Two goals by Chris Wondolowski, in the 52nd and 63rd, put San Jose (2-9-3) back in front before Diomande scored from point-blank range in the 90th minute. Beitashour, from the left side, sent an entry toward the far post where Walker Zimmerman played a sliding cross to Diomande for the empty-net finish
LAFC snapped a four-game winless streak.
The Earthquakes have lost four in a row — their longest such streak since 2015 — and are winless in their last five games.
San Jose's Kevin Partida was shown a red card in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Teal Bunbury’s late goal gives Revolution a tie
Boston Globe – June 10, 2018
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — Teal Bunbury scored his ninth goal of the season to lift the New England Revolution to a 1-1 draw with the Chicago Fire on Saturday night.
New England (6-4-4) is unbeaten in its last four games and has just one loss in its last six.
Bunbury, who tied his career high for goals in a season, tied it in the 82nd minute. Chicago goalkeeper Richard Sanchez mishandled a high ball along the goal line and Diego Fagundez tapped it to a charging Bunbury, who finished into an open net from the top of the 6-yard box.
The Fire went up, 1-0 in the 63rd minute.
Bastian Schweinsteiger tapped it to Aleksandar Katai, who dropped it back to Schweinsteiger at the top of the box, where he one-timed a right-footer into the net.
NYCFC ties Atlanta United in clash of MLS’ top teams
New York Post – June 9, 2018
Alex Callens scored the tying goal in the 77th minute off a feed from David Villa as NYCFC earned a 1-1 tie with the Atlanta United on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
The matchup between the league’s top two teams saw NYCFC control possession for 60.6 percent of the time, get 13 corner kicks and take 25 shots.
NYCFC had little to show for it due to Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan’s performance.
NYCFC finally broke through when Callens finished the play by diving and putting a header by Guzan into the right side of the net. Callens scored his third career MLS goal after Villa headed the corner kick from Maximiliano Moralez through the box.
Callens helped NYCFC improve to 6-0-1 at home and remain two points behind
Atlanta for the lead in the Eastern Conference. NYCFC is idle until June 24 due to the World Cup break, while Atlanta visits Columbus on Wednesday before the break.
Villa nearly had a second assist when he fed Moralez but his shot went off the
right foot shortly before the game ended.
Before Callens scored, it was a frustrating day for NYCFC, especially Villa. He had plenty of chances to score, but five of his 10 shots were stopped by Guzan.
Villa tied a career high by taking 10 shots for the fourth time and recorded his 25th career assist after seeing limited action in last Saturday’s 3-0 win over Orlando City FC.
Guzan helped Atlanta get a point by a making a career-high 10 saves. His previous career best was six saves.
Josef Martinez scored his league-leading 13th goal in the 48th minute as Atlanta dropped to 8-1-3 when scoring first and played its second draw against NYCFC this season.
Martinez scored after shaking off an ankle injury in the 20th minute when he
was tackled in the box.
Martinez scored on an effective play early in the second half. He eluded NYCFC
defender Sebastien Ibeagha, waited for midfielder Julian Gressel’s long cross and simply bounced a header by a sprawling Sean Johnson.
Johnson was barely tested as he made one save while Atlanta totaled six shots.
Luis Robles returns as Red Bulls draw with Columbus Crew
New York Post – June 9, 2018
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Crew extended their unbeaten streak to nine games Saturday with a 1-1 tie against the Red Bulls.
Columbus (7-3-6) has four wins and five ties, including draws in the past three matches, since an April 14 loss to D.C. United.
The Red Bulls (7-4-2) have two draws and a loss since a four-game winning streak.
New York goalkeeper Luis Robles, who missed the past three games with a knee injury to snap his MLS-record 183 consecutive starts, made all of five of his saves in the opening half.
Gyasi Zardes put Columbus ahead in the 26th minute; Alex Muyl tied the score in the 57th.
The Crew controlled the first 45 minutes, but the match tilted toward the Red Bulls early in the second half due to pressure on the ball. The Bulls scored their sixth goal of the season from a set piece, second-most in MLS, when Muyl got his head on a free kick by Marc Rzatkowski for his second score of the season.
Zardes, who ranks second in MLS with 10 goals after scoring just two for the Los Angeles Galaxy last season, scored with a header off a cross from deep on the right side by Harrison Afful.
The Red Bulls were fortunate to be down only a goal at the break. Pedro Santos hit the crossbar with a free kick in the 15th minute, and Zardes missed scoring his second of the match by inches when his header off a corner kick by Federico Higuain also went off the pipe in the second minute of first-half stoppage time.
Crew starting goalkeeper Zack Steffen was absent because he was overseas making seven saves for the United States in a 1-1 draw with France earlier in the day. Backup Jon Kempin made three saves.
Three takeaways from Seattle’s 2-1 win against D.C. United
Pro Soccer USA– June 10, 2018
The Seattle Sounders fought their way back from going a goal down in the second half for a 2-1 win against D.C. United Saturday. Nicolas Lodeiro provided the equalizer, while Magnus Wolff Eikrem headed in the game winner with seven minutes to play.
Here are three takeaways from the win.
Nicolas Lodeiro drops back
Normally deployed as an attacking midfielder, Nicolas Lodeiro was asked to play in the holding midfield alongside Cristian Roldan in Saturday’s win. The move allowed Lodeiro greater command of the entire offense going forward, which the Uruguayan took advantage of by making 55 passes in the attacking end, a high for the match.
Brian Schmetzer explained his decision to move Lodeiro back after the match.
“We’ve worked a lot on trying to get the ball from back to front in various phases of the game,” Schmetzer said. “From goal kicks in the defending third, to the middle third, to the attacking third — and putting Nico in the middle third helps on both sides of the table. So, that’s one thing. I could’ve stuck Harry [Shipp] back there, he probably can do that job, but I think Nico has a little more range. I think Cristian [Roldan] does what he needs to do to help with that situation. It just helps when you have a guy who’s confident on the ball to make those passes and make those decisions.”
Wolff Eikrem opens MLS scoring account
Magnus Wolff Eikrem, who has had a tougher time than many anticipated cracking Brian Schmetzer’s starting 11, opened his MLS scoring account with a game-winning goal Saturday. Eikrem headed in a cross from Roldan in the 83rd minute to put the hosts on top for good.
When asked if he thought that goals would come easier for him now that he had found the back of the net, Eikrem responded that the goal was “a bit of weight off his shoulders,” and that he anticipated more goals in the matches to come.
Kim Kee-hee shines in defense
South Korean centerback Kim Kee-hee made his seventh league start for the Sounders Saturday. Kim, who struggled with calf injuries early in the season and was left off South Korea’s World Cup roster, made a series of impressive stops to shut down D.C.’s Darren Mattocks.
Brian Schmetzer was pleased with Kim’s performance.
“(Kim was) very good,” Schmetzer said. “He’s been steady, solid since he’s been here. The one thing is he tries to force a couple of balls in there as well that got nicked out, that’s what we’ll have to correct. There’s no shame in putting your foot on the ball, going out the other side and retaining possession. We’re working on that with him through our little translator on the phone.”
Dynamo dominate Colorado Rapids for shutout victory
Houston Chronicle – June 10, 2018
The Dynamo coasted past the Colorado Rapids 2-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday night, capitalizing on their first-half chances and dominating a short-handed team to move above .500 on the season.
"It's a team that when they win the ball they try to counterattack and capitalize on your mistakes," Dynamo coach Wilmer Cabrera said. "I think today I'm pretty excited and happy because the players were focused, concentrated from the beginning of the game."
In the 30th minute, with an attack building, the Dynamo (6-5-3) lost possession before midfielder Tomás Martinez recaptured the ball and darted through the box toward the goal. He turned around one defender with a smooth crossover before cutting past another and firing at the goal.
Colorado keeper Tim Howard made a diving save, but his backline was absent as Martinez swiftly reloaded and fired another for the go-ahead score.
Gaining an early advantage
Six minutes later, Dynamo forward Mauro Manotas was clenching his fists after slotting a rolling penalty kick into the left side of the net. Manotas is averaging just over one goal every other match. It was his sixth of the 2018 season, matching his second-highest season scoring total from 2016.
The Dynamo played downhill through most of the first half, maintaining possession well within Colorado's side of the field. But late in the first half, the Rapids (2-9-2) pushed back, hoping to salvage a goal to put them within striking distance in the second half.
But in extra time a chippy back-and-forth between Colorado forward Yannick Boli and Dynamo defender Leonardo resulted in a red card when Boli hit Leonardo's face as he tried to advance past midfield. After a brief scuffle, Boli was dismissed, leaving the Rapids short-handed before the second half even began.
"We went after them and we took control of the game really quick," Cabrera said. "(The red card) helped us to continue keeping the possession."
The Dynamo entered the game with defenders returning from injury and suspension, but right back Andrew Wenger — fresh off of his return from a right leg injury — was substituted out in the 25th minute with tightness in his calf.
Howard stayed far busier than Dynamo keeper Joe Willis, facing more than 20 shots to Willis' two. Howard's seven saves might have prevented a more lopsided deficit as shots from the flanks and at point-blank range fizzled out.
A stranglehold on the game
The Dynamo's first-half dominance continued through the second half as they controlled possession on Colorado's side. They maintained ball control for 75 percent of the match.
Dynamo captain DeMarcus Beasley nearly set up two scoring plays with crosses that skidded past just feet away from Howard, a veteran international keeper.
Forward Romell Quioto entered the game looking to become the 16th player to reach double-digit assists in club history, but he whiffed on two opportunities.
In the 88th minute, Manotas just missed out on a second goal when the ball ricocheted off of the post.
After scoring just one goal on the field and no points off of it following losses to Real Salt Lake and Montreal, Dynamo fans are happy to see points on the scoreboard and in the standings. The win puts them back into the early playoff picture.
"Last year we lost against this team," Cabrera said. "Today we got the three points and a solid performance."
TFC’s Jonathan Osorio two much in win over Union
Toronto Star – June 8, 2018
CHESTER, PA.—Jonathan Osorio had his first career multi-goal game to help Toronto FC beat the Philadelphia Union 2-0 on Friday night.
Alex Bono had four saves — including a sliding one-on-one stop against Fabrice-Jean Picault on a breakaway — to post his second shutout of the season for defending MLS champion Toronto , now 4-7-2.
Osorio perfectly time his run onto a through ball by Victor Vasquez, split two defenders and side-netted the finish to open the scoring in the 19th minute.
Sebastian Giovinco stole and inbound pass by the Union and tapped it to Osorio near the spot, where he rolled it past Andre Blake to double the advantage in the 79th minute.
Philadelphia, 5-7-3, had its three-game home win streak snapped and lost for just the second time in its last 12 home matches. Toronto snapped a seven-game road winless streak in the regular season.
Win over Montreal sends FC Dallas into World Cup break on 4-match win streak
Dallas Morning News – June 10, 2018
FRISCO -- Sometimes the breaks go for you, sometimes they don't.
FC Dallas caught the breaks early Saturday night at Toyota Stadium and cruised past the Montreal Impact, 2-0.
FCD heads into the league's brief World Cup break on a four-match winning streak as its unbeaten run reaches seven league matches.
"It's really important to maintain that competitive rhythm, the winning momentum," winger Michael Barrios said. "We know that getting three points always is important in this season, even more where there's a break -- it's short, but it's a break."
With the Impact playing a conference opponent Wednesday, first-year head coach Remi Garde went with a second-choice group. Star attacker Ignacio Piatti was rested, as were forwards Raheem Edwards, Anthony Jackson-Hamel and Dominic Oduro.
The quality of FCD was too much all night, but the team caught an early break in the sixth minute.
Mauro Diaz put in a free kick into the box. Impact defender Rudy Camacho tried to clear the ball but it ricocheted off his own forward, Matteo Mancosu, and into the back of the net. The assistant referee raised his flag for offside, and the goal was ruled out.
But after referee Nima Saghafi checked with the video booth, the goal was awarded. Though center back Matt Hedges looked to be offside at the moment in question, he was ruled not to be involved in the play, and FCD had an early lead.
"You know he's going to the [video assistant referee] for that, so as players we know what's going on," Hedges said. "It's pretty clear what is going on. We don't know how the decision is getting made, but at least we know that they're working on it and looking at it.
The lead was doubled in the 18th minute when Diaz converted from the spot. The penalty was earned a minute earlier with Maxi Urruti standing his ground in the penalty area as Camacho took out his plant leg and sent the forward to the ground.
It could've been a third in the 22nd minute. Ryan Hollingshead pushed up from left back and was the victim of a high boot. Saghafi blew the whistle as the play continued and resulted in FCD putting the ball in the back of the net. FCD had to take the free kick as the score remained 2-0.
That's where things ended. Montreal tried to get back into the match from the 45th minute on. Mancosu hit a shot off the post just before the halftime break. The Impact brought on three forwards and had chances in the second half but weren't able to beat FCD goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez.
FCD also chances. But in contrast to games earlier the season against Vancouver and LAFC, FCD didn't concede.
"When the game is at 2-0, and we don't take our chances to put the game at 3-0, 4-0, we still have the feeling that we could give up another goal and make things complicated for ourselves," FC Dallas coach Oscar Pareja said. "We still haven't passed this stage where we can get more on teams that give us more chances to score the goal. The positive is that we survived and kept a clean sheet and didn't end up on the back foot. We're getting better at that."
Then FCD will start preparing for a U.S. Open Cup game against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday before league play resumes June 23.
Portland Timbers play Sporting Kansas City to scoreless draw, extend unbeaten streak to 8 games
The Oregonian – June 10, 2018
The Portland Timbers rarely go 90 minutes without putting the ball in the back of the net. Prior to Saturday's game, the Timbers had been shut out just once this season and only twice in regular season play since May 2017.
But Portland couldn't find the decisive goal Saturday.
The Timbers (6-3-4, 22 points) extended their MLS unbeaten streak to eight games as they played first-place Sporting Kansas City (8-2-5, 29 points) to a scoreless draw in front of 21,144 fans at Providence Park. Portland now holds a 4-0-2 record at home this season. They are one of just three teams in the Western Conference that has yet to lose at home.
"There's a little bit of disappointment from the players, coaching staff not to get the three points," Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said. "That's something very positive because we played against a very good team, a team that is top in the league. For us to have this feeling that we could have probably gotten a little bit more is a good thing because it means the team is ambitious."
With the draw, the Timbers remained winless with an 0-11-7 record in their last 18 games without midfielder Diego Chara dating back to July 2015. Chara was suspended for Saturday's match due to yellow card accumulation.
Sporting Kansas City has been one of the best defensive teams in MLS over the last year. They entered Saturday's match with 14 goals allowed in 14 games, tied for the fewest goals conceded in the Western Conference this season.
"I thought they defended well and saved a couple of balls that we felt were going in," Savarese said. "Also, they created chances. It was a pretty even game and I think a very tactical match. I thought it was a fair result."
Kansas City certainly made things hard for Portland in the attack Saturday as they stayed compact and prevented the Timbers from finding dangerous opportunities around the box, especially in the first half.
The Timbers started to challenge Kansas City in the second half, but weren't able to convert any of their opportunities. Timbers forward Fanendo Adi sent a header on frame off a cross from Sebastian Blanco in the 56th minute, but Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia did a good job to knock the ball away. Blanco then fired a dangerous shot over the bar in the 82nd minute.
Portland also had some bad luck in the game as Kansas City's Gerso Fernandes was not getting called for a handball in the box in the first half after knocking down a free kick from Diego Valeri with his arm.
"We could have found a little bit more combinations and more space in between lines and especially in behind," Savarese said. "We did sometimes find that space, but I think we could have moved the ball a little bit quicker in those areas moving forward. But I thought we created chances."
The Timbers, who have had to make consistent changes to their back four throughout the season due to injuries, also stepped up on defense Saturday, despite missing both Liam Ridgewell and Alvas Powell. Kansas City, who had scored 28 goals in 14 games prior to Saturday, pressured the Timbers late in the match as they looked for the go-ahead goal. But Portland stayed strong on defense to secure the clean sheet.
Kansas City had the best chance to score of either team in the match. The ball bounced to Kansas City forward Daniel Salloi in the box in the 40th minute, but Salloi fired his close-range shot off the underside of the crossbar and out.
Due to the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the Timbers will not play another MLS regular season game until June 24 when they travel to face Atlanta United. Portland is set to host the LA Galaxy in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 game Friday.
"I'm not one that thinks about how many games we haven't lost," Savarese said. "I think about one match and the next match now that we're going to start thinking about is next Friday. We have the U.S. Open Cup game against the Galaxy and we have to be strong and we have to give our best."
Review: Zlatan Ibrahimovic delivers on star power in Zla-La-Land
ESPNFC.com – June 9, 2018
In one of the very first scenes of Zla-La-Land, the latest offering in the epic and eclectic Zlatan Ibrahimovic series, the film's protagonist, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is sitting on the bench -- and no one is happy about it. It is shortly after halftime of Zlatan's debut on March 31 with the Los Angeles Galaxy, and the Galaxy are getting soundly beaten 3-0 by their crosstown rivals LAFC.
The fans in the stadium shout Zlatan's name, begging for him -- even though he's jet-lagged, even though he arrived in town just a day earlier from England -- to entertain them. In the corporate suites, team officials ask one another how much longer they will have to wait. On the bench, the head coach pleads with the team's trainer, who has restricted Zlatan to 20 or 25 minutes of action in his opening game, for approval to send the big man on a little early.
You can guess what happens next: Zlatan runs on the field. The crowd goes berserk. Zlatan unleashes an alien-level shot from near midfield to spark a stunning rally. Zlatan scores the game-winning goal in the final seconds. Zlatan preens and explains to the media that he was only doing the people's bidding: "They wanted Zlatan," he says. "So I gave them Zlatan." It is Rocky, basically, but with (a lot) more man bun.
Formulaic? Of course. But successful movie franchises have forever been built on rock-solid main characters -- and Zlatan is about as sturdy as they come. Brash, brilliant and overflowing with bravado, the Swede puts in a performance that smacks, more than a little, of another high-grossing franchise centerpiece: Lightning McQueen from Cars, who also never met a soundbite he couldn't top. (If I told you one of them boasted that he "wanted to give the folks a little sizzle," could you guess which one?)
What works in Zla-La-Land, as it has in the previous iterations of the series, including the last version, 2016's Zlanchester United, is the underlying ambition to say something of substance. Zlatan movies, despite their commercial appeal, have forever tried to be more than just summer blockbuster eye candy.
And they are. Sure, the action sequences in Zla-La-Land are -- as always -- remarkable. The arch of Zlatan's back and the whip of his neck as he powers in a header against the Chicago Fire mark the type of sequence that can make even the most jaded film snob appreciate the progress of computer-generated imagery (it looks so real!). But the value here is in restraint.
Both the film's director and its executive producer, Zlatan Ibrahimovic understands that as much as Zla-La-Land is the story of a soccer phenomenon, the bones of the film are an examination of modern fame and the ways one (really, really tall) man shoulders it.
In an interview, Zlatan, who has directed each of the previous episodes in the series, said he tried to keep reminding himself of the defining juxtaposition of Zlatan's character as he determined how to shoot the latest adventure: "He's just a simple guy, father of two children, husband of Helena, happy guy, big heart, emotional, confident and normal," he said. "Just normal."
As a soccer player?
"There is no limits to describe him."
That push-pull -- the feeling that Zlatan wants to be simultaneously generic and extraordinary -- lies at the heart of the film and provides its texture. As per usual, Zlatan's antics (both physically and verbally) are wildly compelling, but there is more here. The softer moments of humanity serve as a tantalizing counter, slowly unspooling Zlatan's real personality in front of our eyes.
The breadth of the film, too, is comprehensive. It fills in its own origin story, going as far back as when executives from the Galaxy pursue Zlatan even as he suffers a debilitating knee injury with Manchester United. In one particularly charming moment, Zlatan is sitting at dinner with his agent and several Galaxy officials who are concerned about Zlatan's recovery and wonder whether he will be healthy enough to transfer to Los Angeles.
Eager to put them at ease, Zlatan -- wearing jeans and perched in the middle of a classy restaurant -- lifts his leg above the table to nearly face-level, like an oddly-mustachioed flamingo, proving that even while wounded, Zlatan can deliver something special. "It was something you would anticipate from my 6-year-old daughter," deadpans the team's vice president of player personnel, Peter Vagenas. "That's a type of flexibility that most grown men -- even top athletes -- don't have."
The film works mostly chronologically from there, hitting the high points of Zlatan's immersion into Hollywood -- a city that is seemingly made for him. He is hounded by TMZ photographers. He attends a Lakers game. He makes the rounds on the couch circuit, hamming it up with late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel and James Corden.
When he makes an appearance on ESPN, Zlatan gives his erstwhile interviewer a smile and suggests -- now that Zlatan is on the channel's airwaves -- "Let's make ESPN famous."
In another light, that sort of line might clunk. But as the Galaxy's technical director, Jovan Kirovski, explains, "When he comes out and says the things he says, usually you think, 'I don't like this guy,' but the way he says it somehow makes you like him."
Part of that, naturally, is the context. There have been plenty of movies made about foreign sports stars coming to America, most of which fail to find the sweet spot between likable familiarity and utter cliché. Others miss the mark altogether, such as the basketball flops Finding Darko or Dunked: The Frederic Weis Story. In the soccer genre, the throwback silent film Pirlo's Dummy received immense hype for creativity before its release but was remarkably forgettable once it hit theaters.
Those duds only serve to make the impact of the Zlatan franchise more enduring. Zlatan's quips and one-liners will forever provide a trove of buzzworthy viral moments on social media, and Zla-La-Land delivers another batch of the goods. From the moment Zlatan signs with the Galaxy and takes out an ad in the Los Angeles Times that says, simply, "Dear Los Angeles, You're Welcome," it is clear that Zlatan -- even after stops in Amsterdam and Milan and Barcelona and Paris and Manchester -- still has his silver tongue.
"Just like when they asked my ex-girlfriend what did she get for a present when we were engaged," Zlatan says. "She got me. She doesn't need a present. I am the present."
Zlatan's rapier wit isn't on display only for the media, either. After nearly every game -- and most notably after the memorable opener -- he pokes fun at the team's president, Chris Klein, rubbing his fingers together in the universal sign for money while making pointed remarks about how the Galaxy got a "Zlatan bargain" and need to pay up.
His teammates get a quick indoctrination, as well: On his first day with the Galaxy, he submits to the standard initiation ritual of running through a gauntlet while the others beat on his back before standing in front of the team and performing a joke. (Never shy, Zlatan seizes the moment, but the content, alas, cannot be repeated here).
The film has its slow points and, at times, can feel as if it lapses into the mundane. Zlatan's take on not participating in the World Cup with Sweden this summer, for example, is straight out of The Athlete's Handbook ("It is impossible to have any regrets") and, for a guy who has lived around the world, he occasionally comes off as oddly detached. ("I don't do politics ... what I do is passionate. Football is one religion.")
The upside to being the bad guy, he continues, is that at least you can be certain what someone thinks of you. Because while someone might tell you they love you but really hate you, no one tells you they hate you without truly feeling that way.
In an age of omnipresent phoniness, Zlatan says, that is significant. Also, "I make haters become my fans," he says. "So I actually need more haters."
Given the early response to Zla-La-Land, more haters seem unlikely. But this release has prompted another round of speculation about when, exactly, the Zlatan franchise will run its course. The original film, Zlamsterdam, came out in 2001(!), but Zlatan -- somehow -- continues to dazzle, pulling off the trick that all the best sequels achieve: familiarity without repetition, entertainment without pandering.
The ending here? No spoilers, other than to say it's hard to describe. But put simply: Zlatan still has it, whether "it" is a knack for dominating in front of the goal or in front of the cameras. Once either of those goes -- and they go, at some point, for every character -- it is hard to imagine this producer or this director or this leading man pushing hard to keep it all going. The best is the only choice.
Even Zlatan, the character, addresses the future in Zla-La-Land, and his answer -- while quintessentially Hollywood -- seems as good as any.
"I'm here as long as you think I perform," he says. "I don't drag out anything here. Nobody is forced to do anything. It's gentleman's agreement. They don't like me? They don't want me? Arrivederci."
Zack Steffen shines, Julian Green scores as U.S. youngsters earn plucky draw with France
ESPNFC.com – June 9, 2018
Against a team tipped for a World Cup title in 2018, a young United States men's national team held its own defensively and capitalized on a mistake by France to squeeze out an encouraging 1-1 draw at Groupama Stadium in Lyon.
Positives
With another young lineup put out by caretaker coach Dave Sarachan, the Americans stayed organized and focused for most of the 90 minutes.
The French were largely limited to long shots for much of the match, with the trio of center-backs in the 5-3-2 formation doing good work defending deep to prevent chances from inside the box.
With the U.S. wilting late in the second half, goalkeeper Zack Steffen came up big with several important saves.
Negatives
Although expected, the lack of possession and real attacking teeth for the Americans will be something of a black mark on the performance. The U.S. finished the match with just over 30 percent possession and managed just two shots. Bobby Wood and Julian Green struggled to get on the ball, with the midfield mostly concerned with defending.
Manager rating out of 10
5 -- Sarachan's defensive setup proved good enough to secure a surprise draw, but with the USMNT in a rebuilding phase, he might have taken the opportunity against one of the best teams in the world to be a bit more aggressive. The experience earned by the litany of young players in the squad will serve them well moving forward, something Sarachan should get some credit for.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Zack Steffen, 8 -- Faced no serious danger in the first half, but came up big with several important saves in the last 45. Hesitant on at least one cross, but was not forced into difficult decisions on many occasions.
DF Shaquell Moore, 5 -- Mixed bag over the course of nearly 75 minutes. Provided the cross that led to the U.S. goal, but struggled with 1v1 defending and was occasionally overaggressive.
DF Cameron Carter-Vickers, 5 -- Looked composed and relatively comfortable in the first half before fading in the second. Forced to move to the middle of three center-backs with a half-hour to go. Lost Kylian Mbappe on France's goal.
DF Matt Miazga, 6 -- Forced off early in the second half after a clash of heads with Olivier Giroud. Part of a fairly composed group that held the French attack goalless during his period on the pitch.
DF Tim Parker, 7 -- Best defender on the field for the United States. Solid positionally and read danger well. Made several important interventions with the U.S, sitting deep.
DF Antonee Robinson, 6 -- Grew into the game slowly in just his second appearance for the USMNT. Pushed up into the attack intelligently and provided one excellent cross in the first half.
MF Wil Trapp, 6 -- Only Misplaced a few passes on the day while playing the holding midfield role. Found Moore in space leading to a goal that was correctly ruled out for offside early in the second half. Less effective when fatigued in the last 15 minutes.
MF Tyler Adams, 6 -- Covered ample ground with the United States playing on the back foot for most of the match. Played confidently and handled defensive work against the likes of Paul Pogba impressively.
MF Weston McKennie, 5 -- Only missed two passes, but had limited influence with the ball. Collected three defensive interventions, but was also guilty of turning the ball over on occasion with sloppy play.
FW Julian Green, 7 -- Put the United States up just before halftime with an opportunistic strike. Made the most of limited touches and looked to be the most dangerous American on the field, whatever that is worth.
FW Bobby Wood, 4 -- Starved of service, but was ineffective when on the ball. Struggled to keep possession with his hold-up play, and made poor decisions off the ball when the Americans attacked. Had the ball in the back of the net early in the second half but was correctly flagged for offside.
Substitutes
DF Erik Palmer-Brown, 5 -- Did not look out of place after being forced on with a half-hour to go. Pulled out of position on one occasion and was sloppy with his passing when taking possession in the back.
MF Joe Corona, 5 -- Helped with defending by tracking back on multiple occasions, but lost Thomas Lemar on a France chance in added time.
FW Josh Sargent, N/R -- Mostly limited to defending in 15 minutes, but again showed his strength with his back to goal. Played a flick on for Adams that almost led to a chance late in the match.
DF DeAndre Yedlin, N/R -- Played stay-at-home defense with the Americans trying to close out a narrow win.
DF Jorge Villafana, N/R -- Struggled with 1v1 defending. Beaten by Nabil Fekir when one-on-one in the 88th minute.
Steffen makes statement & Green gets redemption: Five takeaways from USMNT draw with France
Goal.com– June 10, 2018
Several U.S. national team youngsters stepped up with strong outings against one of the world's best teams, boosting their stock considerably
Dave Sarachan said his U.S. national team youngsters would show no fear against mighty France, and it was easy to take the statement as wishful thinking. By the end of Saturday's surprising 1-1 draw with one of the favorites to win the World Cup, the USMNT had made us all see what Sarachan was talking about.
France was clearly the more talented of the two teams, but the Americans weren't about to be intimidated by the bright lights and big names. Instead, this collection of the USA's best and brightest prospects fought bravely for 90 minutes and not only gave the French a worthy test ahead of the World Cup, but also gave U.S. fans plenty to get excited about.
We saw a goalkeeper step up and make a strong case for why he's seen as the future of the position. We saw a young midfielder show why he has long been destined to be the next American playing in Europe's top flight. We were also reminded of a familiar face who has gone from being a teenage hope to a 23-year-old reclamation project making the most of his second act.
Above all we saw a young U.S. team take the best France could offer and deliver a punch of its own in the form of Julian Green's audacious finish. Sure, the French could have easily won the match, and dominated in most statistical categories, but none of that changed the reality that a team of young Americans stood up to a menacing challenge and earned a result they can gain considerable confidence from.
In doing so, the USMNT may have given new general manager Earnie Stewart some great ammunition to use as he searches for the program's next head coach. Whether the coach is an American fully aware of the talent in the pipeline, or a foreign coach unfamiliar with the program, they will watch the France friendly with a smile knowing just what sort of quality is on the way.
Here is a closer look at some of the key takeaways from the USA's draw with France:
ZACK STEFFEN STAKES HIS CLAIM TO STARTING JOB
As if his outstanding playoff run last fall, or his more recent form that helped him earn MLS player of the month honors wasn't indication enough, Zack Steffen had a game that screamed out 'I'm next' to those wondering who would take over the starting USMNT goalkeeper job.
Just a week after Bill Hamid's shaky effort against the Republic of Ireland, Steffen played with confidence and quickness, looking every bit the player who has long drawn comparisons to a young Tim Howard. He has one significant edge on the other players vying for the starting goalkeeper job in that he's very familiar with some of the top young defenders in the player pool, namely Matt Miazga and Cameron Carter-Vickers. On Saturday, he added Tim Parker, Antonee Robinson and Shaq Moore to the list of American defenders who have played with and gained confidence from the Columbus Crew goalkeeper.
This wasn't Steffen's first start, but it was easily the biggest performance he's had in a U.S. uniform since his towering effort to help eliminate Colombia from the Under-20 World Cup in 2015. Now he'll be at the top of the depth chart when the new USMNT boss is hired after the World Cup.
JULIAN GREEN KICKS OFF HIS SECOND ACT
Consider the resurrection of Green's USMNT career fully under way. His excellent finish through the legs of Djibril Sidibe and inside Hugo Lloris' near post stunned the sold-out crowd in Lyon, and opened the eyes of U.S. fans who still weren't quite sure what to make of his reappearance in the national team picture.
It has felt for some time like he was still living with the stigma of being Jurgen Klinsmann's surprise World Cup inclusion in 2014, and incorrectly characterized by some as the player who took the spot that should have gone to Landon Donovan. Even the World Cup goal he scored against Belgium didn't completely win over those who felt he shouldn't have gone to Brazil, and when he faded from the national team picture following his departure from Bayern Munich, some assumed we wouldn't hear from him again.
Green has recovered from the disappointment of having to leave Bayern in search of minutes, and even after having Stuttgart loan him out rather than bringing him along on its promotion to the Bundesliga, Green has persevered. A solid season with Greuther Furth in 2. Bundesliga helped him earn a national team return, and he has thrived away from the spotlight he grew familiar with as a teenager. His goal against France should turn some heads in Germany, where he was once lauded as a top prospect. It should also earn him some respect from U.S. fans, some of which should see him in a better light than they used to.
TYLER ADAMS LOOKS READY FOR A BIG MOVE
Tyler Adams' USMNT cap total may still be in the single digits, but he already had a couple of standout performances on his resume before Saturday. The friendly against France was something very different though, the toughest test Adams has faced in his young career by a mile, and he rose to the occasion yet again, looking completely at home playing against some of the very best players in the world.
Whether it was matching tenacious pursuits with the irrepressible N'Golo Kante, standing up to the imposing Paul Pogba, or racing around to limit the threats of the Antoine Griezmann, Adams did a little bit of everything. He topped all U.S. midfielders in defensive contributions, covering ground from sideline to sideline, never slowing down even as France cranked up the pressure late in the match.
Reports have linked Adams to a move to Bundesliga side RB Leipzig for months, and the sister club of Adams' New York Red Bulls had to love what they saw from a player who suddenly doesn't look out of place as a potential Naby Keita replacement one day. Though he is still a good bet to stay with the Red Bulls until after the current MLS season, any club thinking of bidding on the 19-year-old dynamo will feel even more confident that Adams can step into a big league and contribute right away after seeing him hold his own against France's star-studded midfield.
ANTONEE ROBINSON JUMPS AHEAD IN LEFT BACK COMPETITION
No position has been a greater source of angst for the USMNT than left back, and years of failed efforts to find a standout in the role has made not being terrible an acceptable requirement for the position.
Enter Antonee Robinson, who is coming off a full season as the starting left back for League Championship side Bolton on loan from Everton. The English-American defender hadn't been seen by many American fans before his debut against Bolivia in May, but a good showing in that first cap felt like a positive sign of hope. His showing against France was much more impressive. Deployed as a left wing back against a French side playing a 4-4-2 diamond, Robinson found himself with plenty of room to operate, and plenty of action to deal with. The 20-year-old stepped up to every challenge, and came out ahead more often than he was exposed.
Robinson is still very early in his development, and his past season at Bolton helped him earn the first major playing time of his career. Experiencing a relegation fight surely boosted his maturity, but his next step will be crucial to where he ultimately sits in the USMNT pecking order in the next few years. His showing against France just might help that cause, as English clubs will surely take notice of the promising youngster.
TIM PARKER SHOWS HIS VALUE
If Tim Parker felt like a bit of an old-timer in the USMNT lineup, it wasn't because of his actual national team experience, but rather because of his old-school, no-nonsense style of play and tough demeanor.
The 25-year-old Red Bulls defender is in the midst of a career year in MLS, and that form carried over to Saturday, where he was far and away the most active of the U.S. defenders, breaking up more plays and making more defensive contributions than anyone else in a U.S. uniform.
Coming into this set of friendlies, the talk was about wanting to see Miazga and Carter-Vickers, who have long been seen as the future of the U.S. center back position, but Parker has forced his way into the conversation for the next cycle. He has more pro experience than the young defenders in the pool, and that showed in how he handled himself against tough competition.
Saturday's showing surely raised his profile even more, which is perfect for a player in the final year of his MLS contract. Given how his stock is rising, it's tough to see Parker re-signing with the Red Bulls before the winter, which will be a good time to test the European market, and Saturday's friendly will be an excellent performance to have on his resume as he looks for a move.
‘The future of the Union’: Inside a special graduation day for Anthony Fontana
The Athletic– June 11, 2018
Wayne, Pa. – As he files in, Anthony Fontana blends in with the crowd, just another of the 18 high school seniors, their athletic builds obscured by robes, looking ungainly in the unusually stiff dress attire of the day. For someone who’s usually captured with his head up, moving feet pumping forward, the discomfort of keeping a mortarboard perched atop his head is palpable.
Something else unusual stands out as Fontana steps to the microphone Friday morning at YSC Sports. He’s not uncommon in stature or self-confidence, the latter not lacking in many of the graduates whose placement at the school was earned by their exceptional talent. No, it’s the depth he lends to his speech as each graduate takes a turn offering remarks. If soccer is the academic currency of YSC Academy, then Fontana is its valedictorian. His composition is more redolent of a college commencement speaker.
“Not only are you guys the future of the school, but the future of the Philadelphia Union,” Fontana says. “Take advantage of all the resources given to you. Older players, be role models to the younger players. Younger players, be role models to the older players. Enjoy every moment of this journey wherever it may take you, because it goes by too quick. Never sell yourself short, because you don’t want to ever look back and say I wish I would’ve worked harder. Most importantly, dream big and believe in yourself no matter what.”
Fontana’s speech owes to the force of his big dreams. All 18 graduates would be at Talen Energy Stadium later that day to be honored by the Union. Seventeen sported caps with YSC branded polos and…
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