Soccer Recap 25: Back to our regularly scheduled programming, MLS Domination, and the USWNT Get The Gold
Minnesota Soccer Spot
Wednesday, August 21st
Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Programming, MLS Domination, and the USWNT Get The GOLD
*Disclaimer: My takes are not thoughtful, and they are NOT based in knowledge.*
I Missed a Week.....
For the first time, I missed a week of Minnesota Soccer Spot. I'm sure everyone will agree when I say that this is a massive moment in history. I wish I could paint myself in a better light and say it was out of the kindness of my heart. I’d like to say it was to give readers an emotional break from my complaining. I did it because I care. But the reality is that I was out of town, my friends and I battling illness in the Upper Peninsula. Here’s a photo of Luna (the menace herself) for proof. (She survived a bear encounter. Not really. Just one outside of the house).
I Missed a Week.....
For the first time, I missed a week of Minnesota Soccer Spot. I'm sure everyone will agree when I say that this is a massive moment in history. I wish I could paint myself in a better light and say it was out of the kindness of my heart. I’d like to say it was to give readers an emotional break from my complaining. I did it because I care. But the reality is that I was out of town, my friends and I battling illness in the Upper Peninsula. Here’s a photo of Luna (the menace herself) for proof. (She survived a bear encounter. Not really. Just one outside of the house).
MNUFC VS Seattle (Again)
This Saturday, Minnesota United will take on the Seattle Sounders at Allianz Field. Having just discussed Minnesota's history with Seattle a couple of blogs ago, I will save readers the energy. To summarize, Seattle owns us. Our record against them is poor. For whatever reason, they have our number no matter how much our roster improves each year. Will it be different with some new additions? Will we catch Seattle on the back of a recent loss? Will Minnesota rise to the occasion? Probably not. But one can hope, right?
With Minnesota’s big splashes during the transfer window, it’s hard to predict the starting lineup. There are a few new names/faces, all of whom (minus the defender from St. Louis City) could arguably start if ready. So, instead of making multiple mock lineups to predict what may or may not occur, I will give a rundown of what could be expected.
Dayne St. Clair will start in net. There is no question about that. The questions start to come up when we talk about the backline. Minnesota United just signed Slovakian fullback Matúš Kmet. With DJ Taylor still injured (I haven't seen him in training photos) and Caden Clark moving to Montreal, it's possible to see Kmet start this Saturday. He's being hyped up as a potential next big thing. I assume other than that change, the backline will stay the same with Boxall, Rosales, and Tapias for sure. If Ramsay opts for a back-five, Padelford will fill the vacancy.
As far as the midfield is concerned, this is where it gets a bit tricky. Wil Trapp has returned from injury and will most likely be available this Saturday. It appears our new designated player Joaquin Pereyra will be unable to join the team for a bit. He is in Argentina working on his immigration paperwork (Loon PTSD activated). And with Alejandro Bran leaving on a loan, I would assume our midfield will contain the likes of Trapp and Lod. Personally, I would be okay with Dotson never seeing the field again, but he could step into Trapp's place, keeping him on the bench. With Sang Bin returning from his personal leave, I assume he and Bongi may start as wingers. There is also the possibility of Fragapane stepping into Sang Bin's place, considering he has been absent for some time. The final scenario would be to have Trapp and Dotson in the midfield with Lod taking one of the winger positions, but I believe Lod is much more effective in a central position, and I also believe Ramsay agrees.
The Striker position is another interesting one. There is conflicting evidence regarding Tani Oluwaseyi's availability. He is coming off of an injury, so I would argue that it is safe to assume he will be unavailable this Saturday. Normally, Pukki would take the place at the nine position, but with the signing of Kelvin Yeboah, there is some competition there. It'll be interesting to see what Ramsay does.
Minnesota is in desperate need of some points. They currently sit at ninth in the West, barely in the playoff picture. After a poor run of form in recent matches, they will look to bounce back, and there is no better time to do it than the present against a truly dislikeable Seattle side. (Yes, the Seattle digs are necessary).
Liga MX Is OUT Of Leagues Cup
This past Saturday marked the end of Liga MX's run in the Leagues Cup tournament. In a series of penalty shootouts, MLS goalkeepers shined. Both Zack Steffen (Colorado) and Andre Blake (Philadelphia) put Liga MX sides in their place. With these results, no matter who completes the task, an MLS side has won this tournament. Not only that, but all three CONCACAF Champions Cup spots will go to MLS teams, giving them an edge in next year's tournament.
Here's the rundown of what happened: Columbus defeated NYCFC in a penalty shootout. Both keepers did well, but in the end, a skied penalty from NYCFC would cost them a ticket to the next round. Columbus awaited the winner of the Philadelphia Union and Mexican side Mazatlán. The Union went down to ten men just before the end of the half, but Uhre would make up for it by putting his side up 1-0. Mazatlán would take advantage of the numbers, equalizing in the fifty-ninth minute, but they would fail to find the game-winner against Philidelphia's wall of a defense. It would go to penalties: Andre Blake made two saves, Martínez scored his penalty in what would be his final kick for his club, and the Union secured their place in the semi-finals. LAFC destroyed the Sounders 3-0 in Seattle, and Colorado won a shootout against Club America in the craziest sequence of events I've seen in a penalty shootout. All in all, it was a positive evening for MLS fans everywhere.
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| Real ones remember him |
USWNT Get The Gold
About a week and a half ago, the United States Women's National Team won the Olympic gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games. It's their first gold medal since 2012 and a comeback from last year's bronze medal. In a 1-0 victory for the Americans, they showed the world of women's soccer that they are, once again, a force to be reckoned with.
Going into this tournament, many commentators never would've predicted this. Some commentators and former players even went as far as to say they may not medal. On paper, it makes sense. Before the first Olympic match, new coach Emma Hayes had three or four matches under her belt, all of which being friendlies. To add to that, this roster mainly consisted of relatively new players who were not only young but also players who hadn't played together as a team for very long. Casual fans saw veteran names such as Alex Morgan and Becky Sauerbrunn being left off the roster as a sign of a failure to come. Personally, I predicted the bronze or silver. I'm glad I and others were proven wrong.
In this particular match, the United States was able to use Brazil's physicality to their advantage. Going into the match, fans and commentators alike worried the Americans wouldn't be able to keep up with Brazil regarding the physicality and tired legs. The U.S. women matched Brazil's physicality, throwing them off their game. While Brazil had their chances, the United States was able to weather those storms thanks to goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. A goal from Swanson would seal the victory for the United States.
After this victory, the USWNT has reclaimed their number-one FIFA ranking.
That's all for this week! This one was short and sweet, but next week we'll have more to unpack.
About a week and a half ago, the United States Women's National Team won the Olympic gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games. It's their first gold medal since 2012 and a comeback from last year's bronze medal. In a 1-0 victory for the Americans, they showed the world of women's soccer that they are, once again, a force to be reckoned with.
Going into this tournament, many commentators never would've predicted this. Some commentators and former players even went as far as to say they may not medal. On paper, it makes sense. Before the first Olympic match, new coach Emma Hayes had three or four matches under her belt, all of which being friendlies. To add to that, this roster mainly consisted of relatively new players who were not only young but also players who hadn't played together as a team for very long. Casual fans saw veteran names such as Alex Morgan and Becky Sauerbrunn being left off the roster as a sign of a failure to come. Personally, I predicted the bronze or silver. I'm glad I and others were proven wrong.
In this particular match, the United States was able to use Brazil's physicality to their advantage. Going into the match, fans and commentators alike worried the Americans wouldn't be able to keep up with Brazil regarding the physicality and tired legs. The U.S. women matched Brazil's physicality, throwing them off their game. While Brazil had their chances, the United States was able to weather those storms thanks to goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. A goal from Swanson would seal the victory for the United States.
After this victory, the USWNT has reclaimed their number-one FIFA ranking.
That's all for this week! This one was short and sweet, but next week we'll have more to unpack.
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