Minnesota United name Eric Ramsay head coach
Minnesota United FC have hired Eric Ramsay as their next head coach. Ramsay arrives after being an assistant coach for famed Premier League side Manchester United under Erik ten Hag. He's also worked with the Wales national team, Chelsea, Swansea City and Shrewsbury Town. At age 32, Ramsay becomes the youngest head coach in Major League Soccer.
CCC is back
Orlando welcome Cavalry FC at 6 pm ET on FS2 and ViX as the Lions look to hold onto a 3-0 lead. Philadelphia face Saprissa at 8:15 pm ET on FS2, Fubo TV and TUDN after taking a 3-2 lead in leg one. And Houston host St. Louis tonight at 10:30 pm. ET on FS2 and ViX. St. Louis enter with a 2-1 lead after a late winner in leg one.
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The first round of the revamped 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup (FKA CCL) continues tonight with four MLS teams taking the field. It’s just the beginning of the competition, but CCC teams are already having a tough time balancing the burden of two competitions at the start of the season. The seven CCC participants who played last week earned six draws and one loss over the first MLS weekend. As of now, it seems relatively likely six of those teams will have to continue that balancing act.
Here’s where things stand for our teams looking to advance.
Orlando City - 3 | Cavalry FC - 0
The Lions are going to be just fine after a 3-0 road win in leg one. It will be curious to see how Oscar Pareja approaches this one. Is it an opportunity for Orlando’s best XI to get a little comfortable with each other early in the season or is it an opportunity to rest up for Inter Miami on Saturday? The answer feels kind of (extremely) obvious right now considering how things went for CCC teams this weekend, but you never know. And you can never take Concacaf play too lightly.
Philadelphia Union - 3 | Deportivo Saprissa - 2
It’s a bit strange to see the Union on alert after scoring three times in the first leg, but Saprissa made things interesting with a 90th-minute goal down in Costa Rica. That being said, it’s hard to worry too much with Philly back at Subaru Park. They don’t lose at home. Ever. Besides the one time they lost at home in the last two seasons.
There’s still a little cause for concern, though. We should all be aware by now that Saprissa are never a team to dismiss in Concacaf. And the Union could be missing a key element of their home-field dominance. Andre Blake missed match one of the MLS season with an adductor injury and is questionable for this one.
The Union should be fine though… unless?
Houston Dynamo FC - 1 | St. Louis CITY SC - 2
St. Louis started their season with a cinematic moment when MLS SuperDraft pick Hosei Kijima scored a stoppage-time winner in leg one just hours after officially signing with the team. But the tie isn’t over. St. Louis have to go to Hell In The Shell and hold onto a 2-1 lead. That won’t be easy.
However, Houston have had a rough start to the year that got rougher when DP forward Sebas Ferreira left leg one with a non-contact injury to his hamstring. They’ll need their goalscorer-by-committee approach to come to life tonight. The good news is they only need one goal to do it. A 1-0 win would see them advance on away goals. If I were them, I would avoid kicking the ball directly to St. Louis inside their own 18.
Nashville SC - 3 | Moca FC - 0
If anyone scores in Wednesday’s second leg it will feel like a minor miracle. Nashville will be more Nashville than ever considering their three-goal lead and the fact both Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge weren’t available for their MLS opener due to injury. Nashville will be more than prepared to make this as difficult a process as possible for Moca.
FC Cincinnati - 2 | Cavalier FC - 0
Cincy are up and doing just fine heading into the second leg against Cavalier. It would take something pretty remarkable for this to slip away.
New England Revolution - 1 | CA Independiente - 0
Now this… this would take something a little less remarkable. The Revs faceplanted over the weekend at D.C. United and didn’t look in midseason form in leg one. Bad things lead to more bad things, right? It’s at least plausible the Revs could find themselves working a little harder than they initially expected.
DC United's Benteke named Player of the Matchday: When in doubt, find Christian Benteke in the six-yard box. That approach paid dividends for D.C. United as the 2024 MLS season began, giving the Belgian striker the year’s first Player of the Matchday honor.
- DeJuan Jones (!) wrote about his journey from Lansing, Michigan to the USMNT
- Sacha Kljestan (!) looked at who’s stock is up and who’s stock is down after week one
- Jonathan Sigal shared one thought on every team after MLS is Back
- Charles Boehm picked out the Young Players of the Matchday presented by BODYARMOR
- Take a look at the best fan moments of MLS is Back
- Check out this week’s Team of the Matchday presented by Audi
- Voting for AT&T Goal of the Matchday is now open
Good luck out there. Start off strong.
