Nashville SC name Callaghan head coach
Nashville SC have hired B.J. Callaghan as their next head coach. Callaghan, an assistant to U.S. men's national team head coach Gregg Berhalter who led the USMNT to a Concacaf Nations League title in 2023 as interim manager, will officially join the club on July 22. He'll make his debut nine days later when Nashville kick off their 2024 Leagues Cup campaign against Liga MX side Mazatlán F.C. at GEODIS Park.
Three games to watch tonight
End your July 4th with three MLS games, including tonight’s Rose Bowl El Tráfico at 10:30 p.m. ET on Apple TV. Check out the full schedule here.
We’ll recap the matchday tomorrow. We have bigger things to focus on today. Here are 1776 reasons to watch El Tráfico tonight, starting wi—......................ok, yep, I’m being told by my editors that they’re fully prepared to strap me to a firework and light it. Let’s do 10 reasons. 10 seems nice too.
- The West’s best
The Galaxy enter tonight on 40 points. LAFC enter tonight on 40 points. They’re both tied on points with Real Salt Lake for the top spot in the West. With only 14 games left for LAFC and 13 for the Galaxy, this is maybe our first true six-pointer of the year. It’s also a matchup between two teams tied for third in the Supporters’ Shield standings. The stakes would be big even if this wasn’t…
- The league’s most exciting rivalry
I mean, c’mon. It’s El Tráfico. You know by now. We were here a year ago watching Riqui Puig sprint down the middle of the Rose Bowl pitch until he got on the end of a game-winning goal in the 73rd minute while Giorgio Chiellini looked on and wondered if he should call him a “clown” again. And that’s somehow not even a top-five meeting between these two.
- The Rose Bowl
There isn’t a better setting for this. Y’all may know that I’m from Georgia. I grew up in college football country. From a young age, we're told about the Rose Bowl having the best view, the best field, the most history, and a whole other superlatives. We also love neutral site games where the stadium is split 50/50. We’re getting all of that tonight but in MLS form. How can you not be romantic about it?
- MLS After Dark
This thing starts at 10:30 p.m. ET. That means MLS After Dark voodoo is in full effect here. Combine that with the general weirdness when these two meet and we have the potential for as wild a game as we’ve ever seen.
- Fireworks are overrated
They’re the same as they were the last 25 times you saw them, I promise. This El Tráfico will be something different. And way more interesting.
- Riqui Puig
He’s healthy, he’s still the best pure No. 10 in the league and he’s suddenly very online. That’s a potent combination for a game like tonight’s. He’ll be asked to control the game in midfield and he has to back up what he’s been saying about the Galaxy’s preseason predictions on Twitter. He had to step up last season after beefing with Chiellini and clearly did just fine. Maybe this is just how he psyches himself up for this game.
- Denis Bouanga
For my money, Bounga is still the best player on the field at all times, though. He’s just as full throttle in the first minute to the 90th. He could change this game at any moment.
- The rest of the attack
Besides Puig and Bouanga, Joseph Paintsil, Mateusz Bogusz, Gabriel Pec and Dejan Joveljic will all be here tonight too. Both teams have scored 41 goals coming into this one. That’s the third-highest mark in the league.
- Real Salt Lake, Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati
Besides watching it for entertainment purposes, you could also watch it for hate-watching purposes. This really only applies to RSL, Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati fans. This game has big Supporters’ Shield implications. You could argue that a draw is best for the other teams here but you could also argue that they’re hoping for a Galaxy win. LAFC are the scariest side in the league whether or not they win this one tonight.
- Something living up to the hype
How often are you disappointed by something or someone not living up to expectations? Well, this is your chance to go in expecting something special and come out with exactly what you hoped for. I promise. There’s no chance this falls short. None. Zero. Welcome to the day all of your wildest dreams come true.
St. Louis CITY SC sign Wentzel from MLS NEXT Pro: St. Louis CITY SC have signed defender Michael Wentzel from MLS NEXT Pro affiliate St. Louis CITY 2 to a one-year contract with options for 2025 and 2026. The 22-year-old has made two starts for St. Louis on four short-term loan agreements this season. He made his senior team debut in the Concacaf Champions Cup before starting a 1-1 draw with Atlanta United earlier this month.
LAFC's Bogusz named MLS Player of the Month: LAFC midfielder Mateusz Bogusz has been named MLS Player of the Month for June 2024. Bogusz was the catalyst for an LAFC side that went unbeaten (4W-0L-1D) in June, recording at least one goal contribution in each match of the month, totaling nine goal contributions (6g/3a).
Orlando City SC great Kaká to be inducted to “Legends’ Terrace”: Former Orlando City SC star Kaká will be the first-ever player inducted into the club's new "Legends' Terrace" on July 6. The Legends’ Terrace is a permanent display at INTER&Co Stadium that will honor those who have made a lasting impact on Orlando City SC and NWSL side Orlando Pride.
- Taylor Twellman looked at how Zlatan Ibrahimovic made El Tráfico an instant classic.
- FC Cincinnati made road history ahead of their Supporters' Shield clash with Miami.
- Soccer for Success has come to the Twin Cities.
- Columbus Crew's Max Arfsten won the AT&T Goal of the Matchday.
Good luck out there. Set the stage.
