Signs of Life for USMNT

Light viewing but did see both USMNT friendlies and a handful of UEFA WC qualifiers.

Two Wrights

Recognizing that friendlies can be highly misleading based on the opponent and how strong a team that opponent fields, the consensus is that the performances against Ecuador and Australia were a step forward for the team.  Though they only earned a 1-1 draw against Ecuador, I thought the US looked better here than in the 2-1 win over Australia.  The passing and overall play was more connected than I remember from the Gold Cup performances.  Folarin Balogun certainly cemented his position on the roster with a goal and generally dangerous attacking play.  

Haji Wright had a brace vs Australia
(Jamie Schwaberow/ISI Photos/USSF via Getty Images)

The opening minutes versus Australia were chaotic and disappointing after the performance against Ecuador.  The good news is that they rallied behind two goals from Haji Wright.  Check out the pass from Cristian Roldan that send Wright through for the first goal, this week's YouTubeableMoment.  Both Wright and Roldan saw their stock rise based on their play versus Australia.  The Aussie match was surprisingly chippy and saw Christian Pulisic leave with some type of hamstring injury.  The extent as of publication was unknown.

So we see it as progress for the team and the first hopeful signs in awhile that the team might not totally flame out in the 2026 World Cup.  A low bar I grant but it's what we got right now.

Check out this NYT's  summary of the potential make-up of the US World Cup roster, including the opinions of CHYSC alum Henry Bushnell.

We Knew Them When

No current Union players were in action in the friendlies but we did see some familiar faces.  Keeper Matt Freese featured in goal for both matches. His player ratings were in the high 6's; decent enough and the position is probably his for the time being.  Mark McKenzie got a cameo versus Ecuador and started in the Australia match; he looked okay out there.  Brendan Aaronson came on in the second half versus Australia; his ratings were mid 6's but he looked better than that to me, creating some decent scoring chances.  Freese is maybe a lock to make the WC squad, McKenzie and Aaronson may be in the mix but with nothing assured for either of them.

Magpies in Action

Woltemade (#11) watches his shoulder goal go in

It was a good international window for Woltemade and Gordon but not so much for Elanga.  The
German got a header (actually it was off his shoulder) in the 1-0 win over Northern Ireland.  Gordon got England off and running with the opening goal in the Three Lions 5-0 romp over Latvia.

Anthony Elanga did not feature in Sweden's 0-2 loss to Switzerland and only came on in the second half in the 0-1 loss to Kosovo.  His frustration boiled over in the tunnel as he was overheard to say:

"The f****** system has to go."

Not sure if he meant he was questioning the choice of an out-of-form Alexander Isak in both matches or the two striker system employed by Jon Dahl Tomasson.  He tried to be a bit more measured talking directly to the press.  In a related story, Tomasson was sacked after the Kosovo loss, with Sweden's chances of making the 2026 WC hanging by a thread.

Busy Again

Hope you enjoyed the down time because the schedule is crowded again.

The EPL has some tasty stuff and one of the better fixtures features Newcastle away to Brighton (10 am Saturday on USA).  Opta sees this as highly competitive and I agree; the two sides are 11/12 in the table with identical 2/3/2 records and 9 points.  I can easily see a draw here and would not be disappointed.

Sunday has two good fixtures with Spurs - Aston Villa at 9 and Liverpool - Man United at 11:30; both are on USA.  The former looks exactly like Brighton - Newcastle; Opta has it as very competitive.  Opta sees the latter as a blowout for Liverpool but recall the Reds are on a three match losing streak.

Like London derbies?  We have two, with Fulham hosting Arsenal (the feature 12:30 on NBC) and West Ham versus Brentford at 3 pm on Monday (USA).  Like relegation battle previews?  Based on preseason predictions, there are two relegation specials, though Sunderland might beg to differ.  Sunderland, currently in 9th but tagged to be in a relegation battle, host winless Wolves at 10 on Saturday (Peacock) while Burnley and Leeds square off at the same time, also on Peacock.

Rounding out the match week are Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea for the early birds (7:30 Saturday on USA), Crystal Palace - Bournemouth (Saturday at 10 on Peacock - this is probably a good watch) and Man City hosting Everton, also at 10 am on Peacock.

Saturday is the final match day of the MLS season, also known as "Decision Day."  For the Union the only two decisions are:

- who to play and who to rest in advance of the playoffs

- where to display the Supporters Shield

Okay, kind of cocky and snotty on my part but I don't want to undersell this trophy.  Especially after looking at team payrolls, which show the Union as the third lowest in MLS, ahead of only CF Montreal and Real Salt Lake.  Anyway, the U end the season at Charlotte, then await their playoff opponent.

There's also a full Champions League schedule on Tuesday and Wednesday followed by Europa Cup and Conference League action on Thursday.  For BFS staff this means Newcastle hosting Benfica on Tuesday at 3 pm and Aston Villa traveling to face the Go Ahead Eagles.  Though that last team sounds like a U-12 travel squad, they are actually in the first tier of Dutch football.  

It's going to be crowded like this for several weeks.

Hardware!

The Union collected their second MLS trophy with a 1-0 win over NYCFC and a good weekend for BFS sides.

Doop!

NYCFC came to town on Saturday, presenting the Union with a chance to clinch the Eastern Conference and the Supporters Shield (best record in MLS).  The evening got off to an auspicious start as our usual parking lot was filled 45 minutes before kickoff: and we were lucky the back up lot could fit us in but only because we were in a small car.  Once inside we decided to go for the traditional sausage sandwich only to be shocked to see that the sausages had shrunk to the size of hot dogs, making the bun to meat ratio disturbingly low.

Fortunately, things improved from there.  The Union were definitely the more adventurous side, generating several dangerous looking chances in front of the NYCFC goal.  We were lucky that the visitors fortuitously skyed a shot over a virtually wide open net early.  Finally, one of the Union plays paid off as a Mikael Uhre shot on goal deflected off a defender and found the back of the net.  Uhre's shot was going to be on target so he still got credit for the goal, which you can see here.

Alas, that was to be the only goal, which meant 50+ minutes of "squeaky bum" time as the Union defended their slim lead.  Both sides saw goals chalked off for offside.  NYCFC had another golden opportunity late but failed to capitalize.  This one was tight right up to the final whistle.  The U did have the better of shots and shots on target but, likely reflecting those two great chances, NYCFC had the higher xG at 1.3-1.1.

And this time they had the real Shield

The final whistle triggered some serious celebrating, with the players taking a victory lap amidst fireworks, some victory speeches and the lifting of the real Supporters Shield (not the fake one they had in 2020).  In true Philly fashion, owner Jay Sugarman got more than just a smattering of boos from the stands based on his tight wallet approach to running the team.  Fans were more magnanimous in recognizing the work of Sporting Director Ernst Tanner and Manager Bradley Carnell.  

This is a big deal and I'll be the first to jump on those who might say all that matters is the playoffs.  That's not how soccer works in almost any other country and it's gratifying to see that even in playoff crazy USA, the MLS awards a trophy for the best record. 

Good Enough

Newcastle certainly controlled things at home versus Nottingham Forest but took their time securing the three points.  After a scoreless first half, Bruno Guimaraes finally got the Magpies on the board with a sweet curling shot from just outside the box; we make his goal in the 58th minute this week's YouTubeableMoment.  Though Forest never really threatened (.3 xG), neither could Newcastle put the game to bed.  Finally, former Magpie Elliot Anderson fouled Guimaraes in the box and Voldemort Woltemade cheekily dispatched the PK.  Case closed.  

He who must not be named doubled Newcastle's lead with this PK
Photo: Getty Images

Certainly the defense is well-organized at this point but the offense is still struggling to convert the chances, as witnessed by the xG of 3.45 yet only two goals on the scoreboard.  I'm taking comfort that this is a revamped attack so we might not see great results right away.

Newcastle home fans and Forest traveling supporters were both incorrect in chanting "you're getting sacked in the morning" at Ange Postecoglu in the closing minutes of the match.  As of publication, he is still the manager and will likely still be in charge for next week's match versus Chelsea.  But maybe not after that.

And Then There Were None

Crystal Palace tasted defeat for the first time this season at the hands of Everton courtesy of a stoppage time goal by Jack Grealish.  Based on the highlight reel, that 2-1 contest was probably the best choice of the four Sunday 9 am matches.  Aston Villa did get all three points at home versus Burnley as expected; the 2-1 final suggests that it might not have been as convincing as they would like.

Liverpool lost for the third time in eight days, falling to Chelsea 2-1 in a feature match that lived up to its billing.  Dennis and I agree that Garnacho is just as annoying in Chelsea blue as he was in Man United red.  

Spurs came away with a 2-1 win at Leeds but my eyes and the stats suggest that this was a draw at best.  Leeds were better at shots (16/9), shots on target (4/3) and xG (1.68/.53).  Despite that, the win is still worth three points and Spurs are second in the table.  They sit one point behind Arsenal, who were 2-0 winners over West Ham.  Man City, despite being singularly unimpressive in a 1-0 win over Brentford, did keep pace with the top five, as did Bournemouth, who scored three goals after the 77th minute to beat Fulham 3-1.

Throwing in the Towel

Excuse me sir, you are not allowed to use that towel
Getty Images

I had meant to comment on this issue last week but ran out of time.  In the Newcastle - Arsenal match, the Gunners Riccardo Calafiori was stopped by referee Jarred Gillett from using a towel to dry the ball prior to a throw-in.  At the time, I thought it was because Calafiori had "stolen" it from Newcastle keeper Nick Pope.  Turns out that wasn't it.  As discussed here, in the Premier League, players may use towels to dry the ball only if both teams agree to it prior to the match.  In the lower tiers, towels are banned completely.  The main reason cited is to eliminate drying as a means of wasting time but there was also some concern that the home teams likely had better access to towels than the away side.

International Break

Even the Chestnut Hill Youth Sports Club is observing the break so no games to watch or to referee.  Well, except for UEFA World Cup qualifers and some friendlies.  I believe the CHYSC hiatus is driven by the national holiday and historical experience that too many players are out of town.

The USMNT does have a friendly Friday night at 8:30 versus Ecuador and another on Tuesday at 9 pm versus Australia; both are on TNT.  Not always a big viewer of friendlies but feeling like it's time to check in on the US personnel.

Just Like Old Times

Hmm, Arsenal rains on Newcastle's parade, spoiling a weekend filled with mostly favorable results.  The Union win big but lose big.

Hard to Complain

When you lose on a late goal sometimes perspective gets lost because you were so close. Yes, we did feel like a draw against Arsenal was within our grasp until Gabriel's 96 minute winner.  But a clear-eyed look at the whole match suggests that would have been stealing a point. The stats certainly suggest a 2-1 Arsenal win was the right outcome.  Possession was 63/37, shots 20/8, shots on target 7/3 and most importantly xG was 2.04/.61.  Certainly it felt like the Magpies were hanging on for dear life most of the second half and especially in the closing minutes.  

VAR has a busy day here.  A PK call against Pope was overturned.  Real time it looked like a foul but after looking at the replay I'd argue that it wasn't.  Was it a clear and obvious error or a case of re-refereeing?  ESPN argues here that it wasn't the latter because Gillet hadn't seen the touch on the ball by Pope.  There was a check on Voldemart's goal for a "push" against Gabriel, which was so soft that the commentator suggested the Arsenal player should be embarrassed.  Then, late in the match, the ball clearly strikes Gabriel's upraised arm in the box.  He was sliding at the time but the arm was still pretty high.  It deflected off his leg before hitting his arm though which was probably enough to save him.  That play is also discussed in the ESPN article.

Oh, and to add to the good news, Livramento suffered a knee injury and will miss six to eight weeks.

Sigh, just like the bad old days.

New-no Manager Bounce?

Sort of.  Nuno Espirito Santo did not spend much time unemployed as he was snapped up by West Ham upon the sacking of Graham Potter.  The Hammers did manage a 1-1 draw with Everton in his first match in charge.  

You Think You Had A Bad Day?

Maxime Esteve, on his knees as you would be too if 
you gave up two own goals in one match

Burnley had a tall enough task facing Man City at the Etihad.  Maxime Esteve made it a little harder when he gave up an own goal in the 12th minute.  The Clarets soldiered on and were surprisingly level at 1-1 until Nunes put City ahead in the 61st minute.  Then Esteve finished the task with his second own goal of the day.  Haaland added two meaningless goals late to make the final 5-1.  Esteve is the 6th player in EPL history to get a brace of own goals in a game, joining the likes of Craig Dawson and Jamie Carragher.

Don't Disrespect Opta

Last week I questioned how Opta could have Brentford as the favorite against Man United.  My bad.  The Bees were 3-1 winners thanks to a brace from Thiago with an insurance goal from Jensen.  I will not question their predictions again.

Better Late

Aside from Gabriel's killer goal at Newcastle, four other squads snatched points on late goals and by late I mean in stoppage time.

- Eddie Nketiah's 93rd minute tally gave Crystal Palace a surprise 2-1 win over Liverpool.  Would have been a fun day to be at Selhurst Park.  Palace are now the only undefeated side in the EPL.  Nketiah's goal can be seen here.

- Joao Palhinha helped Spurs grab a 1-1 draw against Wolves with his 94th minute strike.  Wolves are no longer pointless. The goal can be seen here.

- Eli Kroupi did basically the same thing for Bournemouth at Leeds, rescuing a 2-2 draw for the Cherries

- Brighton actually got two stoppage time goals (Maxim DeCuyper and Danny Welbeck) to take the measure of Chelsea 3-1.  The Blues played the last 40+ minutes a man down thanks to Chalobah's straight red.

Champions League

Bodo Fet? Bodo Fet? Where?

The key thing I remember is that Bodo Glimt has a player named Fet.  I'll have to explain that later to Michael B, who has never seen any of the Star Wars movies.

A true mixed bag of results for Matchday 2 for the EPL.  Newcastle did well with a 4-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise and Arsenal were 2-0 over Olympiakos.  Chelsea did squeak out a 1-0 win over Benfica.   Spurs were drawn 2-2 by Bodo Glimt on artificial turf above the Arctic Circle and were in some ways lucky to come away with that.  Man City could do no better than 2-2 against Monaco and Liverpool lost to Galatasaray. 

A Quinn-tessential Pyrrhic Victory

We won't be seeing the Mighty Quinn for a bit

The Union's easy and emphatic 6-0 win over DC United comes at great cost.  Quinn Sullivan suffered an ACL injury and will miss the rest of the season (and maybe the start of next?).  On the positive side, the U wasted no time in taking it to DC and were up 3-0 by halftime and did not take the pedal off the gas.  Goal scorers included Damiani, Vassilev (2!), Iloski and Uhre.

The Union's Eastern Conference position had been bolstered by Miami's 1-1 draw earlier in the day and Cincinnati's draw on Sunday.  Things got even better as Miami lost to Chicago on Tuesday.  Their Supporters Shield chances were also buoyed by a Vancouver draw and San Diego loss.  Another three points gets them both the conference title and the Supporters Shield.

Three Day Weekend

For some reason (midweek Champions League and Europa Cup?), Sunday is the crowded match day.  Things kick off Friday with a 3 pm match on USA featuring Bournmouth vs .Fulham.  Saturday dawns bright and early with Leeds hosting Spurs at 7:30 on USA.  Only two choices at 10, neither all that enticing; you can do Arsenal - West Ham on Peacock or Man United - Sunderland on USA.  Or go referee some games.

The feature match is worthy of the label as we have Chelsea hosting Liverpool at 12:30 on NBC.  Opta has the Reds as slight favorites over the Blues, even at Stamford Bridge.

The Sunday 9 am slot is packed and of course has Newcastle and Aston Villa playing at the same time.  Newcastle will host Nottingham Forest (that's the USA game) while Aston Villa are home to Burnley.  Both sides will be thinking three points, especially at home.  Your other choices are Everton - Crystal Palace, which should be a decent watch, or Wolves vs Brighton.  There's also the 11:30 match with Brentford - Man City.

Big time doings at Subaru Park as the Union host NYCFC with a chance to clinch everything with a win.  Opta likes their chances, with the Union at 51% to win, 25% to draw.  The problem is that a draw means we need some help on the out-of-town scoreboard.

Next week is the fall international break,  which means a pile of UEFA World Cup Qualifiers running from Thursday to Tuesday.