All-MLS CCL Semifinal tonight
It’s here. Philadelphia host LAFC tonight in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions League Semifinal. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET.
US Soccer name Crocker next sporting director
The U.S. Soccer Federation announced Tuesday they’ve appointed Matt Crocker as their next sporting director. Crocker, formerly the English FA’s head of development teams and Southampton's director of football operations, will have a far-reaching role that’s been remolded after USSF’s previous sporting director, Earnie Stewart, departed in January for a leadership position at Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven. Crocker will oversee U.S. Soccer’s entire sporting department, focusing on the men’s and women’s national team programs, youth national teams, and the extended national teams.
MLS teams begin (and end) US Open Cup run
Most MLS teams survived Cupsets bids. Most. Looking at you here San Jose. Check out the full roundup from last night’s games here. Twelve more MLS teams enter the fray Wednesday, looking to avoid the dreaded Cupset against lower-division competition, including a Miami derby between Inter Miami CF and USL Championship side Miami FC.
Columbus Crew defender Sands out for 2023 with torn ACL
Columbus Crew defender Will Sands will miss the remainder of the 2023 MLS season after suffering a left ACL tear. Sands, 22, got injured during the first half of Columbus’ 1-0 Matchday 9 loss at Charlotte FC last Saturday. The injury blow comes after Sands emerged as the Crew’s preferred left wingback under new manager Wilfried Nancy. He had two assists in seven games (all starts) this season, his second after turning pro ahead of the 2022 campaign.
Sign up for The Daily Kickoff in your inbox! The Daily Kickoff is more than an article – it can be delivered to your email account as well.
Between the US Open Cup, injuries and transfer deadline day signings and trades, there’s a ton to cover from yesterday. And we’re not going to do it. Nope. There are more important things to get to. Well, one very important thing. Philadelphia host LAFC tonight in leg one of a CCL semifinal. You probably already know that I’m pretty excited about the whole deal, but here’s just about every reason I can think of for you to be excited too. Or, almost every reason. We don’t have all day. We only have until 9 pm ET when this kicks off.
I’ve spent a whole lot of words hyping this thing up and I realized this morning I’m going to feel bad if this is the first game in this matchup where one team blows the other's doors off. Then I realized how awesome that would be.
Think about it. All this build-up. All this talk about revenge for the Union and they either come out and get it in authoritative fashion or miss out on it so completely as to be traumatizing. Narratively it’s good storytelling. It could be a defining piece of a budding cross-country rivalry.
The chances of this thing being two legs of insanity is also totally real. The hype isn’t coming out of nowhere. This could be wild. Really, really wild.
"Look, we’re going to be facing one of the best teams in MLS," Philadelphia captain Alejandro Bedoya said. "A rematch of last year’s incredible MLS Cup and we are all excited, looking forward to it… Hopefully we can go to LA after finishing the first leg with a good result here at home. We gave them a run for their money in the MLS Cup final in their home, and we haven’t played them in our home in quite some time."
Bedoya makes a good point. This matchup hasn’t been in Philly for a second. That could tilt the scale in Philly’s favor. Considering they keep drawing every time they play in LA, it really might be enough to give them a leg up. If they can take advantage of the home-field condition, they can approach the second leg as needed. Either way, one of these teams playing catch-up against the other is going to be totally fascinating.
Even in MLS Cup, Bouanga wasn’t quite Bouanga. It’s taken him a while to get settled in LA, but now that he has…
LAFC have the distinct advantage of having the best player on the field. No one can instantly alter a game like Bouanga is routinely altering games week after week at this point. In 12 games this year, he has 12 goals and four assists. All 12 feel like they’ve been highlight reel worthy. We’ll see if he can pull the same off against Andre Blake and company.
“I think you go to the old boxing adage that styles make fights,” Philadelphia manager Jim Curtin said. “It’s different styles, no question about it… It’s similar to two heavyweights getting together that have a different way of playing."
Can LAFC deal with Philly’s verticality and direct play? Can Philly deal with LAFC…being really good at soccer and playing like it? You’ve got two teams wanting to accomplish the same goal in different ways with personnel perfectly tailored to accomplishing that goal. It’s why we keep getting outstanding games between these two.
One of the best No. 6s in the league who happens to have a tendency to be the person either directly starting a fight or coming in to calm a potential fight looking as if he detests the very concept of confrontation. I love him so much. And he’ll play a critical role in slowing down LAFC’s attack.
How many chances do you get to witness a calm, polite sports-watching experience in which the home crowd shows a total reverence for their opponents?
An MLS team has only won this competition one time. Ever. And it happened last year.
Whoever wins this may not even end up winning the whole thing. But for the Union it’s a chance to somewhat make up for barely (*barely*) missing out on the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup last season. It’s also a chance to capitalize on a remarkable stretch that somehow hasn’t resulted in the kind of major trophy they’ve deserved.
For LAFC it’s a chance to continue carving out their place among the biggest clubs in the region. If they pull this off, there will be a good argument that no MLS team has ever been better over a five-year period. Including last year’s CCL winner, Seattle. Two Supporters’ Shields, an MLS Cup, more points than anyone else and a CCL title is a heckuva resume.
I’m not sure we’ve ever seen a matchup like this. The quality, the cultural differences from club to club and city to city, the tendency to do nothing the normal way, the stakes. It’s special.
There’s a lot to take in. So much that you can’t list it all out without needing about 10x of your allotted word count. Just try and appreciate it all.
Castellanos makes his history: Taty Castellanos put on a show Thursday. The MLS Cup 2021 and Golden Boot presented by Audi award winner with New York City FC, on loan at the City Football Group affiliate club through June 2023, put in a career-defining performance Tuesday scoring four goals against Real Madrid in a stunning 4-2 win. This display from the Argentine striker was 76 years in the making, as Castellanos became the first player since 1947 to put four goals past Los Blancos in a league game.
DC United acquire forward Dájome from Vancouver Whitecaps: D.C. United have acquired forward Cristian Dájome in a trade with Vancouver Whitecaps FC. To land the versatile 29-year-old Colombian attacker, D.C. sent up to $550,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Vancouver before the league’s Primary Transfer Window closed Monday evening. Vancouver will receive $350k in 2024 GAM and another $200k is conditional GAM.
Houston Dynamo sign U22 Initiative winger Ibrahim Aliyu: Houston Dynamo FC have completed a U22 Initiative signing before the closing of the MLS Primary Transfer Window. Aliyu, 21, is under contract through the 2025 MLS season with club options for 2026-27. He arrives with 17 goals and seven assists in 84 matches for NK Lokomotiva, plus participated in the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in 2019.
Toronto FC get Sapong from Nashville SC in trade for MacNaughton: Toronto FC have acquired veteran forward CJ Sapong from Nashville SC in exchange for Canadian international center back Lukas MacNaughton and up to $200,000 in General Allocation Money. The deal, completed before the league’s Primary Transfer Window deadline Monday night, has $125k GAM guaranteed in 2024 and $75k GAM in 2025 based on Sapong's performance.
Seattle Sounders loan midfielder Leyva to Colorado Rapids: Seattle Sounders FC have loaned homegrown midfielder Danny Leyva to the Colorado Rapids for the remainder of the 2023 MLS season. As part of the move, Seattle receive Colorado’s third-round pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas and $92k in 2023 General Allocation Money (GAM). Both clubs reserve the right to end the loan during the Secondary Transfer Window (July 5 to Aug. 2). Leyva will occupy a supplemental slot on the Rapids’ roster.
Columbus Crew acquire defender Amundsen in trade with NYCFC: The Columbus Crew have acquired left back Malte Amundsen from New York City FC. The deal, which sees up to $500k in General Allocation Money (GAM) head to NYCFC in exchange for the former Danish youth international, was completed before the league’s Primary Transfer Window closed Monday evening. There's $400k in guaranteed GAM, split across this season and next, as part of the deal, plus another $100k in performance-based GAM.
Toronto FC acquire center back Mabika from Inter Miami: Toronto FC Mabika, 24, is under contract through 2023 with options for 2024 and 2025. The trade, completed before the league’s Primary Transfer Window ended Monday evening, includes $100k in 2024 GAM that’s guaranteed, plus another $100k in performance-based GAM.
- Matt Crocker faces a huge decision as sporting director: The next USMNT head coach.
- The Philadelphia Union and LAFC are ready to meet in this massive CCL semifinal.
- Power Rankings.
Good luck out there. About that time.
