MLS 2022: Our Weird, Fun, Chaotic, Dumb Domestic League

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,446
That sucks for Alonso. Probably a career ender.

Hey @Titans Bastard who should MLS fans be rooting for in the CCL semifinal between La Liga MX teams?
I think Cruz Azul is regarded as the best Liga MX team in this year's tournament. Cruz Azul is known for choking, so I'm not sure if we should root for them to bottle it against Pumas, or wait for them to bottle it against the MLS team in the final.
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
10,687
Washington
Interesting. I'll be on hand Wednesday night. This will be the biggest game I've been at since the 2019 MLS Cup. Looks like good weather and should be a good sized crowd.
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
10,687
Washington
Sounders have 10 of their 11 starters in the lineup. I'm expecting to be disappointed.

Edit: Check it, Nouhou is out. So, 9 of 11.
 
Last edited:

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,729
Chicago lost its first match of the season yesterday, 1-0 at Orlando. Gutierrez got sent off with a very soft second yellow just at the end of the first half, which was immature in his part. But what was downright childish was getting the first yellow for standing in front of a free kick less than 20 minutes into the match. C’mon young man.

Both Czichos & Shaq were out, and those two have rapidly become indispensable. Hurry back, boys.

it’s very clear Ezra Hendrickson knows how to manage. The Fire have 9 points through 6 matches and have allowed conceded 2. It’s been very conservative play so far - only 5 scored - but everyone is playing a clear role and defending as a cohesive unit. So much of the slack and slop of the Wicky era is already gone. It’s been a nice start.
 

ninjacornelius

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 18, 2005
584
Austin, TX
Austin FC winger and Designated Player Cecilio Dominguez has been suspended indefinitely pending the investigation of an unspecified off-the-field incident. The scuttlebutt seems to be that it's domestic violence-related, but it's just conjecture at this point. At least it looks like Austin learned from Portland's mistakes and self-reported the incident to MLS.
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
10,687
Washington
The final leg of the Liga MX side of the CCL semifinals is tonight with Pumas leading Cruz Azul 2-1. Cruz Azul is headed home with not a terrible amount of work to do.

NYCFC hosts Seattle at 9 p.m. EDT on Wednesday at RBNY's stadium. Seattle leads 3-1.

The overall points standings are:
Seattle 11 (+10)
Pumas 10 (+4)
Cruz Azul 10 (+3)
NYCFC 9 (+4)

So, Seattle can still host the second leg of the final with a win Wednesday or a draw and a draw on the other side as well.

NYCFC is pretty unlikely to host, though if they rally to win their goal differential would jump giving them tie-breakers against the Liga MX teams.

I'm not sure if we'd rather the MLS team host the first leg or not.
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
10,687
Washington
Stefan Frei is standing on his head in goal right now as the Pigeons are throwing everything forward. An insane game in the 73rd right now.
 

ninjacornelius

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 18, 2005
584
Austin, TX
Ola Kamara had quite the time on Saturday: two goals and two yellows in the first half, one of which was due to him taking off his shirt during the first goal celebration. DC United then played the entire second half down a man and eventually allowed Austin to score three goals after the 80th minute to lose 3-2.
 

SocrManiac

Tommy Seebach’s mustache
SoSH Member
Apr 15, 2006
8,634
Somers, CT
I hope he gets fined into oblivion. Popping the shirt for a first half goal is the height of arrogant stupidity.
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
10,687
Washington
Per this Tweet, Pumas sold out its leg of the CCL final in 15 minutes. Apparently, there will be 69,000 fans in attendance.

The Sounders have sold at least 45k tickets and have opened up at least part of the third deck. Depending on the scoreline after the first leg, I have a feeling a full sellout will be in the offing. I think this would be the most important sporting event I've ever been to and probably a bigger deal than hosting the MLS Cup.

View: https://twitter.com/LideresMexicano/status/1516522027632496648

Tweet:
On Wednesday the 27th at 9:30 PM, the first leg of the Concacaf Champions League Final will be played between the
@PumasMX and the Seattle Sounders. Tickets sold out in 15 minutes, guaranteeing a full house at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario. #concacafligadecampeones
https://twitter.com/LideresMexicano/status/1516522027632496648/photo/1
 

steeplechase3k

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 25, 2005
2,978
Portland, OR
The US Open Cup is so much fun.

Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, playing in their 4th (5th?) game IN TEAM HISTORY, beat RSL on the road.

San Antonio beat Austin at home.
 

PseuFighter

Silent scenester
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2003
14,408
The Sounders have sold at least 45k tickets and have opened up at least part of the third deck. Depending on the scoreline after the first leg, I have a feeling a full sellout will be in the offing. I think this would be the most important sporting event I've ever been to and probably a bigger deal than hosting the MLS Cup.
View: https://twitter.com/LideresMexicano/status/1516522027632496648

Tweet:
On Wednesday the 27th at 9:30 PM, the first leg of the Concacaf Champions League Final will be played between the
@PumasMX and the Seattle Sounders. Tickets sold out in 15 minutes, guaranteeing a full house at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario. #concacafligadecampeones
View: https://twitter.com/LideresMexicano/status/1516522027632496648/photo/1
You'll be at the Sounders/Pumas match in Seattle? Me too.
 

Senator Donut

post-Domer
SoSH Member
Apr 21, 2010
5,500
The US Open Cup is so much fun.

Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, playing in their 4th (5th?) game IN TEAM HISTORY, beat RSL on the road.

San Antonio beat Austin at home.
Four USL League One clubs and on Next Pro club have advanced to the round of 32, pretty impressive for their debut seasons in the Open Cup.
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
10,687
Washington
I know @steeplechase3k is certainly not rooting for the Sounders tonight, but where do the rest of our MLS fans fall?

I was thinking about if the shoe was on the other foot how I would root and I think I could probably root for any MLS team except Portland to do something like win CCL. Atlanta would be hard, but I don't think I hate any other teams enough not to root for something that would be good for the league.
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,729
Oh man, Jao Paulo. There’s a lot of bodies in front of net. But got to put that on frame.
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,729
Ruidiaz has got to bury that.

Seattle’s attacking play is effective. They can pull one back.
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
10,687
Washington
Sounds like a sellout in Seattle on Wednesday is a distinct possibility. @PseuFighter and I are in for a real treat.

Edit: The record crowd for a CCL game is 61k in Montreal. Seattle can hold 67k for Sounders games, I think.
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,729
Last night’s Fire match was some bullshit. After a strong first half thag saw Chicago 1-0, a band of crazy storms blew through causing an hour and a half delay. The second half was some of the worst officiating I’ve seen in MLS. The Fire were reduced to 9, the Red Bulls were let off from several clear cards, and the match was over with a stoppage time PK. Grrrrrr
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,729
Local kid Chris Mueller incoming on a free from Hibs after the Fire send some GAM to Orlando for his rights. A very necessary boost for the attack. Mueller has only featured 11 times this year for Hibs, so I assume he’s itching to play.


Torres is also available now that Liga MX is wrapped. Hendrickson suggests he could feature as soon as this weekend, but we’ll have to see what makes sense for the player. Torres put in 38 matches, so he’s going to need some kind of rest. Running him straight through to October, no matter how bad the Fire attack, seems shortsighted.