Chicago Fire begin offseason roster moves
Ahead of 2023, there wasn't a ton for Chicago Fire FC to decide in their roster update. Just five players either have a contract option or are out of contract, and three are set to depart the club. Former USMNT defender Jonathan Bornstein is out of contract and eligible for free agency. Boris Sekulic is also out of contract. Meanwhile, Chicago picked up the option on center backs Kendall Burks and Wyatt Omsberg.
Austin FC earn last MLS spot for 2023 Concacaf Champions League
The Verde & Black qualified as the next-best American finisher in the overall league table, despite losing 3-0 at LAFC in the Western Conference Final on Sunday afternoon. The berth will arrive during year No. 3 for head coach Josh Wolff’s team, and as star attacker Sebastian Driussi builds off a 22g/7a campaign. Supporters’ Shield winners LAFC are already in, and fellow MLS Cup 2022 finalists Philadelphia Union (Eastern Conference champions) have a spot secured as the other conference winner – irrespective of how the league title bout goes Nov. 5. Their technical designations will change based on the result Saturday at Banc of California Stadium.
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A couple of weeks ago we made the case for the 2022 Conference Semifinals as the best ever. The argument had plenty of evidence to back it up. Which is why we didn’t spend a ton of time last week explaining why this year’s Conference Finals might be the best ever, too. And that’s why you shouldn’t be surprised we’re all set to talk about the best MLS Cup ever (4 pm ET | FOX, Univision in US; TSN, TVA Sports in Canada). These playoffs have ruled. I, for one, enjoy watching the best teams in the best-ever version of this league be very, very good at soccer.
The general quality of each team remaining made it surprising to see both Conference Finals turn into routs. But considering just how good the first seeds of each conference are, maybe it shouldn’t have been all that surprising. Remember, we spent all last week trying to, and failing to, find some kind of critical weakness for each team. It resulted in a lot of shrugging and saying things like “Well, maybe if Austin get a set-piece goal?” The only genuine reason I could think of for a loss for either team was “That’s MLS for ya.” Now both of those teams are meeting and I have absolutely no idea why either team would lose.
Qualitatively, I’m of the opinion we’ve never seen a better MLS Cup matchup. Quantitatively, that observation is easy to back up. It’s as simple as this being the first time we’ve seen two first seeds go head-to-head in MLS Cup since 2003. Folks, the league has come a long, long way since 2003.
To go a step further with that, Opta pulled out this stat yesterday: “The 1.97 combined points per match for LAFC and Philadelphia this regular season is the highest combined average of any pair of MLS Cup finalists in league history.” To go a step further than the step further, my (totally unofficial but still informative) formula that takes into account a team’s expected goals, goal differential, points, goals added and other important numbers has LAFC as the third-best team to win their conference since 2013 and Philadelphia as the fourth-best team. Only 2014 LA and 2018 Atlanta had better numbers. Considering those numbers are up against the rest of the league for that season and the league has improved top-to-bottom since 2014, I’m taking this year’s LAFC and this year’s Union against 2014 LA without much hesitation.
To break that down a little more granularly, LAFC have the third-highest point total of any conference champion since 2013, while Philadelphia have the fourth-highest. LAFC have the third-highest expected goal differential among conference champions since 2013, while Philadelphia have the fifth-highest. LAFC have the third-highest goals added differential while Philadelphia have the fourth-highest. And Philadelphia have the highest goal differential while LAFC have the fifth-highest. No matter who wins, we’ll have one of the best MLS Cup champions ever.
On top of all that, we’ll have a new MLS Cup winner. Neither team has taken home this trophy before. This one will mean that much more to the winner. And it will happen in front of one of the great home atmospheres in MLS. Appreciate this one as much as you can. This MLS Cup is special.
MLS issues rulings on DC United coach hiring process, Fountas allegations: Major League Soccer released on Monday the findings of league investigations into D.C. United's recent coach hiring process, as well as allegations of the use of racist language by forward Taxi Fountas. D.C. United were also fined $25,000 by MLS for failure to fully comply with the League’s Diversity Hiring Policy. Updated in 2021, the policy includes a specific focus on the hiring of Black and other underrepresented candidates.
Inter Miami reportedly “increasingly confident” they'll sign Messi: Fresh hot “Messi to Miami” rumor here for ya. It had been too long. Inter Miami CF are “increasingly confident” they’re in a position to sign legendary Argentine forward Lionel Messi after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires this upcoming summer, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein. The 35-year-old has been linked with a return to Barcelona, and PSG reportedly are hopeful to extend his stay at French soccer’s highest-profile team. Yet Ornstein notes long-time discussions between the parties are progressing about Messi coming to MLS.
- Tom “Scoop Gehrig” Bogert examined three big questions following NYCFC's 2022 season.
- Charles Boehm looked at the good, bad and in-between with the latest from USMNT's core roster. And Peter Galindo did the same for Canada.
- Matt Doyle looked at what the 2022 MLS season meant for NYCFC.
- And at what the 2022 MLS season meant for Austin FC.
- Check out the latest on the MLS coaching carousel.
Good luck out there. Keep your head on a swivel.
