NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



 Major League Soccer

MLS Newsstand - July 30, 2016

July 30, 2016 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


1. Unusually quick blend has Rapids battling for first at All-Star break (Colorado Spring Gazette)

2. Colorado Rapids visit Yankee Stadium to take on New York City FC (Associated Press)

3. MLS All-Stars see bright future for growing league (Orlando Sentinel)

4. Orlando City coach Jason Kreis sees great potential in Brek Shea (Orlando Sentinel)

5. Beckerman relishes starting in All-Star game despite loss (Deseret News)

6. Union look to get back on winning track(Philadelphia Inquirer)

7. Fire deal Igboananike for cash. 2019 third-round pick (Chicago Daily Herald)

8. Plan for Toronto starts with stopping Giovinco(Columbus Dispatch)

9. Second-half homestand critical for D.C. United(Washington Post)

10. Ben Olsen believes additions will inject energy into D.C. United (Washington Times)

11. Dynamo acquire midfielder Yair ArboledaQuinones (Houston Chronicle)

12. Ex-Rams in discussions about MLS team here (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

13. All-Star Game spotlights San Jose's MLS resurrection (FourFourTwo)

14. MLS' growing wealth of talent not lost on Arsenal (FourFourTwo)

(Additional articles for consideration can be submitted directly to Jane Sexton of MLS Communications at Jane.Sexton@MLSsoccer.com.)

1. Unusually quick blend has Rapids battling for first at All-Star break

By Scott Kaniewski

Colorado Springs Gazette - July 29, 2016

Sam Cronin remembers it clearly. Playing for the Colorado Rapids last season isn't easy to forget.

Each week seemed to bring another disappointing result, another loss, another week battling to get out of the Western Conference cellar.

Then came the offseason, and possibly a glimpse of promise for the Rapids, who finished 2015 dead last in the conference. They managed nine wins to go with 10 draws and 15 losses.

"With our career, usually a game a week, when you lose it ruins your week," Cronin said this week, in the midst of the Rapids' 15-game unbeaten streak. "So for a week you're miserable, but you get to rectify it next week. We tended to lose again the next week for our season. It's no fun."

The Rapids had some talented youth going into the winter. But if they wanted to compete for a playoff spot, they would need to add some veterans, and some veterans with talent.

Those players started to trickle in. Marco Pappa, part of a Seattle squad that reached the conference semifinals, was acquired. American internationals Jermaine Jones and Tim Howard were added, sandwiched around Shkëlzen Gashi, an Albanian international that played at FC Basel last season and in the Euros earlier this month.

There were other acquisitions, plus rookies and second-year players seeing more playing time, who have contributed.

Still, so many new additions to a team, in any sport, need time to mesh. Shockingly, that hasn't been the case for the Rapids, who sit three points back of first in the conference standings and in the race for the Supporters Shield (first place overall).

"Sometimes when it's a lot of new faces, it's a lot of time to (gel)," said Pappa, who plays internationally for Guatemala. "But you realize it's a lot of players here that play at the national level, a lot of international games, so most of them know what the game is about."

Colorado hasn't lost since April 9, nearly four months of unbeaten play. They are 8-0-7 during the streak. They already have more points this season (38) than all of last season (37). And they still have 14 games left, as the All-Stars hit the pitch Thursday night.

On Saturday, the Rapids travel to Eastern Conference leaders New York City FC.

Last week, in a 1-1 draw with Western Conference leaders Dallas, the Rapids used six players that weren't on their 2015 roster.

Figuring out how to use his new toys has been one of coach Pablo Mastroeni's challenges.

"I think a lot of it has to do with putting together some good results early on in the season," Mastroeni said. "I think that validates all the good work and all the belief and the philosophy that we're trying to incorporate here. I think that's part of it. But I think more importantly it's the type of characters that we've brought into the clubhouse - guys that really want to work hard for each other, guys that are very talented, guys that want to get better every day. And I think that culminates into a good group."

So far, definitely so good.

Cronin, for one, is enjoying it.

"Obviously, some changes needed to be made and you've got to give full credit to the front office and the coaches for making the right moves," Cronin said. "Everything seems to be going well so far. Yeah, we're much happier."

2. Colorado Rapids visit Yankee Stadium to take on New York City FC

Associated Press - July 29, 2016

For the Colorado Rapids and the New York City FB, the turnaround from Thursday night's All-Star Game to the restart of the MLS season is a quick one.

The teams meet Saturday in Yankee Stadium in a match with plenty at stake for each. Colorado (10-2-8) is three points in back of MLS overall leader Dallas for first place in the Western Conference, while NYCFB (9-7-6) owns first place in the Eastern Conference.

It's the first and only meeting of the teams this year and just the second all-time. They played to a scoreless draw last March just outside of Denver.

It will be a striking contrast of styles to boot. NYCFB is known for its offense, having scored 35 goals on the season, and the Rapids are a defensive-minded club as they have conceded only 14 goals.

However, Colorado's task might be easier as David Villa, who leads NYCFB with 13 goals, is one of its three players suspended for card accumulation. Frank Lampard has potted five and Thomas McNamara owns four.

The Rapids don't have anyone as prolific as Villa or even Lampard, but do possess balance. Kevin Doyle's four markers lead the team, but six others have at least two goals, with Jermaine Jones and Luis Solignac adding three each.

NYCFB will be shorthanded for the match -- on the pitch and the bench. Head coach Patrick Vieira is suspended for the day, while R.J. Allen and Federico Bravo join Villa on the sidelines due to caution accumulation. Ethan White is also on the suspended list.

Colorado's Axel Sjoberg and Shkelzen Gashi will draw automatic suspensions with their next yellow card.

3. MLS All-Stars see bright future for growing league

By Alicia DelGallo

Orlando Sentinel - July 29, 2016

SAN JOSE, Calif. - You needed only to hear the explosive cheers from fans as players' names were called over a loud speaker to know there were legends in Avaya Stadium Thursday.

A lineup full of recognizable names is expected every year, but coach Dominic Kinnear said the 2016 MLS All-Star roster was the most talented team the league has ever put together.

"When you look at the roster, it's lots of who's who of the world football over the years," Kinnear said after the match. "We were joking around in the coaches' room to most of the guys, 'If you ever run into trouble, just pass it to a guy who's won a Champions League or a World Cup or a World Footballer of the Year, and you'll be in good shape.'

"It was good to be around these guys, just watching them do simple exercises and making it look so easy. So for me, it was fun. I would have loved to have won the game, I'm still disappointed we didn't win, especially to lose late on a goal such as we did."

The celebrated roster - which included Orlando City's Kaká, owner of many of those titles Kinnear mentioned, including 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year, EUFA Champions league winner and World Cup title holder - wasn't able to defeat Arsenal, though. The MLS side fell 2-1 to the English Premier League heavyweights.

Orlando City forward Cyle Larin said his favorite part about participating in the MLS All-Star game so far is playing with and learning from the veterans on the roster, such as Kaka, David Villa and Andrea Pirlo.

But, the players and the performance showed just how far the league has come since launching in 1996 and foreshadowed future possibilities.

Kaká said he thinks MLS could be one of the world's top leagues in five to eight years. Looking back at the league's exponential growth in the last five to eight years, that may not be so far-fetched, according to Kinnear.

"The sky's the limit really," Kinnear said. "If you look at the stadiums and the media coverage, everything is growing and it's growing in a positive direction. Eight to 10 years ago, we were a little bit wondering what was going to be going on. So, I think the sky is the limit for this league. It's growing at a very steady pace, I think people always have to realize it's only 20 years old and we can't get too greedy.

"But for me, every once in a while, we'll step on to a field and see the fans and see the players that are stepping out, and we understand that football has come a long way in this country. It has a long way to go, but the progress has been fantastic."

Quick exit

All three Orlando City players who participated in 2016 MLS All-Star events this week made quick exits as soon as fulfilling their responsibilities.

Defender Tyler Turner had an early flight to Louisville Thursday morning after playing in the Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game. He went to meet up with Orlando City B (6-6-7, 25 points) for a USL match at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against Louisville City FC (12-2-6, 42 points), which leads the league.

Kaká and Cyle Larin immediately left Avaya Stadium to catch an overnight flight back to Orlando after the All-Stars lost 2-1 to Arsenal Thursday night.

The two wanted to get back as soon as possible to have ample time to rest and prepare for the Lions' return to Camping World Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Orlando City will face the New England Revolution.

Owners watch

Orlando City president Phil Rawlins was among multiple MLS club executives who made a trip to California for 2016 MLS All-Star Game festivities.

Rawlins visited San Francisco earlier in the week. League sources said MLS commissioner Don Garber scheduled meetings and dinners with ownership groups. Rawlins flew back to Orlando before the All-Star game, but Orlando City CEO Alex Leit=E3o attended the match in San Jose.

4. Orlando City coach Jason Kreis sees great potential in Brek Shea

By Iliana Limon Romero

Orlando Sentinel - July 29, 2016

Orlando City coach Jason Kreis sees great potential in veteran Brek Shea.

It has been a frustrating season for Shea, who had hoped to come back from injury issues he faced last season and thrive. Shea, however, has struggled to fit in at left back, a role first assigned to him by U.S. men's national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann and later embraced by the Lions.

Shortly before Orlando City coach Adrian Heath's exit, he had begun shifting Shea into more of an attacking role and Kreis is proceeding in a similar direction while working to bolster Shea's confidence.

"I would like to be a part of his development, and I believe that Brek is an extremely gifted player," Kreissaid after training Friday. "I believe that Brek also is a player that has been inconsistent. And so I would like to help him become more consistent, and I would like to help him realize his potential."

Kreis, who spent part of this year serving as an assistant on Klinsmann's U.S. national team staff, said Shea still can be a strong international competitor despite falling out of the U.S. men's national team rotation this year.

"His potential for me is still a national team player, a regular national team player," Kreis said of Shea. "And so we need to help him get back to that."

During an appearance on Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi's radio show, Kreis said Shea will play more of an offensive role.

"For us, he will be an attacking-minded player," Kreissaid on Open Mike. "Now, that's not to say there won't be an emergency situation where we'll need him to play left back in a pinch.

"But for us, we want him to be focused on doing the work defensively that we'll require, and then being creative and having a bit of a free role in the attack."

Redding out

While Kreis has stressed the importance of the Lions immediately playing stronger defense, the team will have to do so without one key piece of the lineup.

Tommy Redding stayed on the field late to do individual training Friday, but he's still recovering from a hamstring injury and Kreis said he will not be available for Orlando City's game Sunday against the New England Revolution.

Kreis said he hopes Redding will be available for the Lions' Aug. 7 home game against Seattle.

Upbeat training

A string of draws and losses along with a coaching change typically translates to low morale, but Kreishas been pleasantly surprised to learn he inherited an upbeat collection of players.

"It's fantastic," he said of the group's energy level. "I couldn't be more happy with the guys. They look to be together right now, which is a little surprising because when you go through all the difficult results that we've had in the past six months or so, you expect that the group would be pretty fragmented, but they're quite together."

Kreis the credit for their positive outlook should go to interim coach Bobby Murphy, a friend of Adrian Heath who helped the team through a difficult transition and was retained as a member of Kreis' staff.

"In the interim time, I think he has done a lot of things to bring the group together," Kreis said of Murphy. "And it shows up. From the first day of training has been great. The intensity of the work rate has been great. I couldn't ask for anything else."

Defender Luke Boden, who has been among the players pushed to give more on defense, said Murphy helped the team amid rough circumstances.

"He got us all together again and he got us all thinking positive again," Boden said of Murphy. "I think the manager came in and saw that and he just needed to tweak a few things.

"And obviously you can only start somewhere and he started defensively, which is what we need. We need to stop conceding goals. You stop conceding goals, you stop losing games. So we're going to work on that."

5. Beckerman relishes starting in All-Star game despite loss

By Joseph D'Hippolito

Deseret News - July 28, 2016

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Real Salt Lake's captain found his latest trip to California to be an exercise in balance, on various levels.

Kyle Beckerman started in Major League Soccer's All-Star game for the first time since 2013, the last time he played, in its 2-1 loss to Arsenal FC of England's Premier League on Thursday night at Avaya Stadium.

"It's always an honor to be a part of this team," said Beckerman, who made the fifth All-Star appearance of his career. "To get the start is always a nice notch on the belt, one that you just really want to enjoy."

By making his third All-Star start, Beckerman did more than appear in the same lineup as such European legends as Kaka, Andrea Pirlo, David Villa and Didier Drogba. The 17-year veteran combined business with pleasure by savoring the surrounding festivities.

"It's just great to get into the beginning of the game and all the excitement of the fans," Beckerman said. "It was a lot of fun to be a part of."

Beckerman, a defensive midfielder, nearly played a significant offensive role early in the game - a role he planned beforehand with Kaka.

In the seventh minute, Beckerman slotted a pass to Orlando City's Kaka, who sent a long ball to New York City FC's Villa on the left flank. But Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs blocked Villa's shot near the left end line.

"I told him before the game, 'When I get the ball, I'll be looking for you right away,'" Beckerman said about Kaka. "I saw a little opening to get him the ball and give him some time where he could spray it to Villa. It was a split second."

That initial pass compensated for a missed opportunity even earlier.

"There was a play before that where I got the ball but I saw Kaka a little late," Beckerman said. "I gave him a wave, saying, 'I saw you. Sorry. I'll get it to you.' The next time I got it, it was actually a harder pass when he wasn't as open. But I wanted to slip it to him."

Beckerman played just the first 45 minutes as part of coach Dominic Kinnear's plan to establish equilibrium between the game and the rest of the season.

"Dom did a great job of expressing it to us," Real's captain said. "He wants us to have fun. He wants to be competitive in the game. But one of the things he wanted was to have everyone go home healthy and have a strong second half. We accomplished all those things this week."

With Real Salt Lake resuming league play Sunday in Philadelphia against the Union, Beckerman hopes his All-Star experience can help provide impetus for a playoff surge. RSL shares fourth place in the Western Conference with Sporting Kansas City, but just two points separate the fourth- and seventh-place teams.

"When you're playing against high-level competition like Arsenal and playing with the great players in here," Beckerman said from the All-Stars' locker room, "hopefully, you can bring back some sharpness to your club."

6. Union look to get back on winning track

By Aaron Carter

Philadelphia Inquirer - July 29, 2016

After losing in the quarterfinals of the Open Cup followed by a disappointing defeat in Montreal, coach Jim Curtin and the Union hope a singular mind-set will help right the ship in time for postseason play.

"It's all for the playoffs now," Curtin said Wednesday during his weekly news conference. "That's the only thing on everybody's mind."

Recently, Curtin praised his team's ability to bounce back after losses.

Sunday night at Talen Energy Stadium, resolve will be required again as Real Salt Lake will be eager to rejuvenate its struggling offense.

"They'll come in here with a bit of a chip on their shoulder and something to prove," Curtin said. "We know we'll have a tough task. They're a good team, well coached, organized, and the scary thing is, they could break out, and that's what we have to prevent."

Salt Lake is winless in its last six MLS matches. During that stretch, it has mustered just three goals, not once scoring more than once in a game.

Javier Morales, Joao Plata, and Kyle Beckerman figure to provide the pressure. Top goal scorer Yura Movsisyan, who leads Salt Lake with seven goals this season, injured a hip flexor last week and his status for Sunday is unknown.

Beckerman, who was selected to his ninth MLS All-Star Game, and goalkeeper Nick Rimando, who earned his seventh straight selection, provide RSL with experience.

The Union, however, return their own all-stars - rookie defender Keegan Rosenberry and goalkeeper Andre Blake participated in the All-Star Game on Thursday in San Jose, Calif.

Their defensive prowess will be needed as Curtin calls for his team to maintain its aggressive, pressing style, which has helped yield a 7-1-3 record at home.

The Union have not been as good on the road, and the key to a playoff push could come down to what happens away from Talen Energy Stadium. The Union are 1-6-3 on the road and have not earned a road win since March 12 against the Columbus Crew.

"We know that there's urgency and we need to close the season out the right way, and we expect to do that at home against Salt Lake on Sunday," Curtin said. "We need our fans behind us like they always are. In this building, we've established ourselves as a great home team. We need to find a way to translate that on the road."

7. Fire deal Igboananike for cash. 2019 third-round pick

By Orrin Schwarz

Chicago Daily Herald - July 29, 2016

Mired in last place in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference, the Chicago Fire made a move Friday with 2017 in mind.

The Chicago Fire traded designated player Kennedy Igboananike to D.C. United for targeted allocation money and a 2019 third-round draft pick.

"Moves like this are needed in order to execute our plan for roster development," said general manager Nelson Rodriguez, hired late in the 2015 season to rebuild the club, in a club news release. "Kennedy puts his heart into his work and has served this club well. We wish him the best in D.C. and wherever his career leads him."

Igboananike, signed in December 2014 by then-coach and director of soccer Frank Yallop, never lived up to his billing as a DP despite a strong work ethic. He scored 11 goals and dished 4 assists for the Fire. Four of his goals came this season, tying him with David Accam for the team lead.

Igboananike, a forward/midfielder, will continue to occupy a DP slot in Chicago and his salary will remain with the Fire for salary-cap purposes for the rest of 2016. Accam is the only DP still playing for the Fire after Brazilian forward Gilberto cut ties with the club a month ago without scoring a goal this season.

The Fire was unlikely to pick up the option on Igboananike's contract after this season if he had stayed.

With 15 games left in a 34-game season, the move signifies the Fire is ready to write off another year. It has played only one playoff game since 2009.

The summer transfer window closes Wednesday, but the Fire appears unlikely to sign a DP to fill the Gilberto slot until the winter transfer window. Another trade is possible, as is a lower-level signing from overseas.

The Fire (4-10-5, 17 points) hosts the second-place New York Red Bulls (9-9-4, 31 points) at 6 p.m. Sunday at Toyota Park.

8. Plan for Toronto starts with stopping Giovinco

By Adam Jardy

Columbus Dispatch - July 28, 2016

It's not exactly a secret that Sebastian Giovinco of Toronto FC is dangerous with the ball at his feet. Major League Soccer's reigning most valuable player punctuated a hat trick Saturday against D.C. United with two free-kick goals that propelled him to player of the week honors.

It also pushed the "Atomic Ant" into exclusive MLS company. Since sports data company Opta began tracking free-kick goals in 2010, Giovinco is the league leader with seven - and it's taken him just a season and a half to get there. Now it's up to a Crew SC defense allowing the league's third-most goals per game (1.60) to try to thwart him.

"It becomes management," coach Gregg Berhaltersaid. "It becomes, how do we not give up free kicks in dangerous areas? Because he's a guy that, if you give him a couple looks, he can hurt you."

Against D.C., Giovinco scored by going goalie-side and also by going over the wall of defenders. The second goal moved him past David Beckham and Javier Morales, who each had six career free-kick goals.

Crew keeper Steve Clark said Giovinco isn't more dangerous with any specific approach.

"He gets the ball up and down and he hits it with a lot of pace," he said. "As a goalkeeper, I want to make sure I don't get beat on the goalkeeper's side. Let the wall do its job and if he hits a perfect shot there's nothing that could really be done."

The approach this week in preparing for Giovinco has been heavily weighted toward video work, Berhalter said, because "if you don't have anyone that can recreate Giovinco's free kick, it's going to be very difficult to practice that."

There's also an obvious need for decisiveness when defending around the penalty area, which is something else Berhalter said the defense has been stressing.

The Crew has done a good job of limiting Giovinco's opportunities. In four games against the Crew, he has one goal and one assist, both of which came in a 3-3 tie last July after the Crew led 3-0 at halftime. Midfielder Mohammed Saeid in particular was effective at times last year at sticking with Giovinco and making him uncomfortable.

Although Toronto has other dangerous playmakers, Saeid said the approach has to start with sticking with Giovinco.

"He finds the passes that nobody else finds," Saeidsaid. "He can score, he can shoot, he's fast, he's got skill, he's got everything really so it's very difficult to limit him but when you do, you limit the whole team."

9. Second-half homestand critical for D.C. United

By Seth Vertelney

Washington Post - July 28, 2016

Mired in a run of poor results, D.C. United has an opportunity to turn things around in a crucial upcoming homestand.

Starting with Sunday's match against the Montreal Impact (6:30 p.m., NewsChannel 8), United will play five of its next six games at RFK Stadium.

The club is in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, four points outside of a playoff berth. With just 14 games left in the season, picking up victories during the stretch at RFK will be crucial for a team that has four of its five wins on the season at home.

Four consecutive road games in July yielded two draws and two losses, leaving the club needing a different outcome at home.

"We have to get wins," defender Sean Franklin said after last weekend's 4-1 loss at Toronto FC. "These losses and draws have been a tough road stretch but we have to go home and get points for sure."

Adding further importance to the homestand is the fact that four of the team's five opponents are from the Eastern Conference, and three of them - Montreal, New York and Philadelphia - are ahead of DCU in the standings.

If United allows that trio to pull away, there will be a smaller number of teams the club can reasonably overtake as it looks to climb into the sixth and final playoff position.

In order to have a successful homestand, United must get past the scoring woes that have plagued the club almost all season.

DCU's average of 0.95 goals per game is second lowest in the league. At home, however, it is a slightly more rosy picture: United has had all four of its multi-goal games at RFK Stadium this season, and it is averaging 1.3 goals per game at home.

The club's forward options are hardly ideal, as co-leading scorer Alvaro Saborio doesn't have a goal since May. Summer signing Alhaji Kamara has yet to get a consistent run of minutes and is now out several weeks with a hamstring injury.

It could be an opening for the club's most recent acquisition, Patrick Mullins, to shine. Mullins was acquired from New York City FC last week and made a cameo off the bench in Toronto. The University of Maryland product has been productive during the minutes he's received in Major League Soccer, but D.C. United could provide his first real chance at an extended starting opportunity.

MLS is a league built on parity, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the discrepancy between teams' home and away records. The next five opponents DCU will face at RFK have combined for just four away wins on the season.

If DCU can't take advantage of that discrepancy, it could be watching the playoffs at home for the first time since 2013.

10. Ben Olsen believes additions will inject energy into D.C. United

By Thomas Floyd

Washington Times - July 29, 2016

Ben Olsen has become well-versed in the art of the midseason shakeup.

Since the longtime midfielder took over as coach midway through the 2010 season, D.C. United has bolstered its starting lineup while parting ways with a key player or two nearly every summer.

It was Dwayne De Rosario and Brandon McDonald joining the team in 2011. The following year brought Lionard Pajoy to the squad. In 2013 Luis Silva and Jared Jeffrey arrived, and last season featured the acquisition of Alvaro Saborio.

This summer has been no different. After trading for midfielder Lloyd Sam from the New York Red Bulls earlier this month, United bolstered its front line by adding former Maryland striker Patrick Mullins from New York City FC last week.

"I think a little injection of energy and freshness midway through the season is always healthy," Olsen said. "They both came here with a really good mentality, a real good energy about them and they're excited for fresh starts."

United, which sent allocation money to the Red Bulls and NYCFC, helped balance the books by receiving cash from the Vancouver Whitecaps in exchange for veteran forward Fabian Espindola. Although the highly paid 31-year-old - who Vancouver then sold to Mexican club Necaxa - had struggled to find a rhythm alongside prized offseason signing Luciano Acosta, he remains tied for the D.C. lead with four goals in 2016.

Since United (5-8-7) is sitting four points out of a playoff spot and owns the league's second-worst attack, the pressure is on for the club's newcomers to produce promptly. Many MLS teams look abroad for reinforcements. United hopes that acquiring players from within the league breeds familiarity.

"It's always tough, but I have confidence in the players that we've brought, especially them being from MLS teams," midfielder Patrick Nyarko said. "It makes it a lot easier. They've played against us a lot so they know our players a lot - scouting reports and stuff like that. So I have confidence."

Sam, 31, represents a well-known commodity. He compiled 20 goals and 22 assists for the Red Bulls since signing with United's rival late in the 2012 season. The English-born winger, who debuted for the Ghana national team last year, has presented a welcome threat from the right flank while starting United's past two matches.

"The way he gets service off gives us a chance, and now we've got to get on the end of things," Olsen said. "Too many times we look up and it's one guy in the box. We've got to get two and ideally three in the box if we're going to start scoring more goals."

One player looking to connect with Sam's crosses is Mullins. The Hermann Trophy winner as college soccer's top player in 2012 and 2013, the 24-year-old has shown glimpses of that potential when scoring 10 goals over three MLS seasons with the New England Revolution and NYCFC.

Since 34-year-old striker Alvaro Saborio is scoreless since mid-May and reserve Alhaji Kamara is sidelined by a right hamstring strain, Mullins could be in line for the type of consistent playing time that has proved elusive thus far in his MLS career.

"All that matters is getting out here, putting in the work with the guys, getting the right feeling of when you're flowing," Mullins said. "That takes a couple of trainings to do, but we're trying to expedite it as quickly as possible."

That sense of urgency is no surprise for a Unitedteam that has scored just 19 goals in 20 matches entering a four-game home stand, which kicks off against the Montreal Impact (7-5-8) on Sunday at RFK Stadium.

As the personnel turnover grinds to a halt and players adjust to the retooled roster, Olsen now wants to see his team make the jump from work-in-progress to finished product.

"It's a very important August for us, and I think we'll respond," Olsen said. "I still like this team, especially now that we're incorporating some of the new guys and we're narrowing in on what our best group is."

11. Dynamo acquire midfielder Yair ArboledaQuinones

By Corey Roepken

Houston Chronicle - July 29, 2016

While growing up and playing soccer in Colombia, Yair Arboleda Quinones watched MLS on television. The next time he watches a game it will be in the United States, and it might be a replay of a game in which he played.

The Dynamo on Friday announced the acquisition of Arboleda, a 20-year old midfielder, on loan from Independiente Santa Fe of Colombia's first division. The loan lasts through the end of 2016. At that point the Dynamo will have the option to buy him.

"It is tough to leave your country, but I have to make the best of my opportunity," Arboleda said through a translator after training with the team on Friday. "I am very grateful to be here."

Dynamo interim coach Wade Barrett said the club likes him for his excellent pace and good attacking mind. The Dynamo view Arboleda as a player with raw talent that they hope to develop.

"(The move) is something that can help us in the short term and something we would like to look at moving forward" Barrett said. "He has a ton of potential."

Arboleda rose through the youth academy of Independiente Santa Fe, one of Colombia's most successful clubs with eight league titles. Arboldajoined Club Tijuana in 2014 and scored five goals in 12 appearances for the Tijuana reserves.

He returned to Santa Fe in 2015 and scored one goal in six appearances with the first team.

Dynamo vice president and general manager Matt Jordan said he has been tracking Arboleda for "quite some time."

"We do a lot of work in South and Central America," Jordan said. "When the opportunity came to add him on loan we felt it was an opportunity we needed to take advantage of."

If Arboleda develops into a star in MLS he would not be the first Colombian to do so. Perhaps the biggest Colombian to flourish in the league recently is Fabian Castillo, who FC Dallas recently was transferred to Turkey's Trabonzspor potentially for $4 million.

Other Colombian standouts currently in MLS include Michael Barrios (FC Dallas), Diego Chara (Portland), Jimmy Medranda (Sporting Kansas City) and Jamison Olave (Real Salt Lake). Colombians' success in the league dates all the way back to 1996 with Carlos Valderrama.

"I have been aware of the Colombian influence in the league, but I want to do my own thing," Arboledasaid. "I want to set my own pace and go my own route."

Arboleda is the second player the Dynamo haveadded during the summer transfer window. Earlier this wek they acquired midfielder Eric Alexander from the Montreal Impact in exchange for general and targeted allocation money.

The Dynamo on Friday also announced the addition of a friendly to the schedule in September. Houston will play host to Chivas, an 11-time champion of LigaMX. The game is scehduled for Sept. 4 and will kick off at 6 p.m.

12. Ex-Rams in discussions about MLS team here

By Jim Thomas

St. Louis Post-Dispatch - July 27, 2016

A majority owner has yet to be identified in St. Louis' pursuit of a Major League Soccer expansion franchise. But it's possible that some of the minority investors will be ex-St. Louis Rams.

Defensive end Chris Long, now a member of the New England Patriots, told the Post-Dispatch he has been involved with discussions on the topic with the St. Louis group, which includes Dave Peacock.

"I've been told that I will have an update in a couple weeks," Long said via text message. "I'm still very interested. Hopefully the dialogue will continue."

After eight seasons with the Rams - only nine players were with the team longer in St. Louis - Long was released in a salary cap-related move Feb. 20. At the time, Long said he hoped to stay involved off the field with St. Louis, and in particular expressed an interest in being part of an MLS team here.

Things obviously have progressed since then, but to what degree is uncertain. Since the formation of MLS2STL in mid-February - just a couple of days prior to Long's Rams release - the group has been very low-key.

Peacock, the former Anheuser-Busch executive, led the failed effort to keep the Rams in St. Louis. He is vacationing in Ireland and was unavailable for comment.

Another name that has been mentioned as a potential investor is Aeneas Williams, the Hall of Fame defensive back who still lives in St. Louis. After the Legends of the Dome game, Williams was asked about being part-owner of an MLS team here, and was more cautious in his remarks.

"Nothing to that at this time," Williams said. "I don't have a whole lot of information."

Williams did say he has "communicated" with Peacock on the subject.

"But only in keeping in contact with him to see how that project is going. No commitments or anything like that. There's not anything imminent right now. Just keeping in contact, checking the pulse, and seeing how the project is going."

But on the subject of being a part owner, Williams also added, "I wouldn't rule out anything. This community, soccer is huge here. I don't understand a lot of components of soccer. But for it to be the world's No.1 sport is something certainly we better take a look at."

In April, MLS commissioner Don Garber listed St. Louis and Sacramento as leading candidates for expansion teams. The league currently has 20 teams but would like to expand to 28 no sooner than 2020.

Four expansion teams are already in line; Atlanta, Los Angeles (which would be a second LA team), Minnesota, and Miami. But the timetable for the additional four has not been set.

13. All-Star Game spotlights San Jose's MLS resurrection

By Scott French

FourFourTwo - July 29, 2016

The midseason classic against Arsenal was the highest-profile event the 18,000-seat facility has staged since its debut last year, and it illuminated the path the Quakes have traveled since the original MLS club left the South Bay for Houston after winning the Supporters' Shield in 2005, with an 18-4-10 mark.

"I think what [this event] represents is how much work and blood, sweat and tears they put into [rebuilding this franchise]," iconic Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski said after the MLS stars dropped a 2-1 decision to the English Premier League giants on an 87th-minute goal. "If you look at the stadium and what they've done to bring back MLS into the Bay Area: They left for Houston, it comes back.

"I think it just shows how much this whole community has really done for soccer in the Bay Area."

San Jose has a long professional soccer tradition, dating to the original Earthquakes' 11 seasons before the late, great North American Soccer League's demise in 1984, but the game has taken a serpentine route here since MLS' arrival 20 years ago. The Quakes grew into one of the league's finest sides, winning MLS Cup titles under Frank Yallop in 2001 and 2003, followed that with the runaway Shield triumph in '05, and then were gone, off to south Texas, where the Houston Dynamo claimed championships in 2006 and 2007.

The effort to bring a team back to MLS, prodded by the Soccer Silicon Valley group of hardcore aficionados, led to Oakland A's owners John Fisher and Lew Wolff's involvement. The Quakes' returned in 2008, and constructed the $100 million Avaya Stadium, perhaps the crown jewel of MLS facilities. There has been some success on the field -- a Western Conference final appearance in 2010, another Shield in 2012, both under Yallop's guidance -- but not as much as desired.

The club has posted just three winning campaigns since its reappearance and is at .500, at 19-19-16, since Dominic Kinnear returned home from Houston to take charge last season. The Quakes are 6-6-8 this year, eighth in the Western Conference, four points below the playoff line.

Avaya can help in that regard. It's the first first-class home the club has hadafter playing in San Jose State's Spartan Stadium from 1996 through 2005 and at Santa Clara University's 10,500-seat, rejiggered Buck Shaw Stadium in the seven seasons before Avaya.

Buck Shaw was a stopgap measure -- the club started working toward Avaya in 2007 -- but the impression it gave was of a minor-league outfit playing in a seriously substandard venue. The new stadium is quickly changing those perceptions, and All-Star week has made it clear that there's something special going on here.

"We came back, and now look where we're at," said Quakes goalkeeper David Bingham, who played the second half for the All-Stars. "We have the nicest stadium in the league. Everyone that comes in here is blown away.

"It's great that, on an international stage now, these international teams come in and they love the stadium, too. For San Jose, this is a great thing, and I think people are going to be surprised by what it does in the future for us."

Kinnear thinks so, too. The former U.S. national-teamer grew up in nearby Fremont cheering on the old Quakes, spent five seasons with local teams before MLS' arrival and one year with the San Jose Clash -- as the MLS Quakes were initially known -- before concluding his playing career in 2000 with the Tampa Bay Mutiny.

He joined Yallop in San Jose in 2001, played a major role in the first two MLS Cup triumphs, thensucceeded the Canadian as head coach in 2004. After nine years in Houston, he finally made it home. He's humbled when he sees Avaya and how it has energized the local soccer community.

"Opening day [of the stadium] or when we played Manchester United [in July 2015], you walk out on the field and you look around and realize this has come a long, long way from the early days ...," said Kinnear, who coached the MLS All-Stars. "It really is [a game-changer], and it can work events like these, recruitment of players, for your academy -- your kids can see the stadium and get to be ball boys, and they dream of playing for the team. The stadium has really created momentum."

Staging a signature event, such as All-Star week, has amplified that.

"It's huge," Bingham said. "If you just show up on onMonday this week, you see the whole city is pretty much transformed. It's really embraced All-Star week and all the cool events MLS has put on. They've really brought soccer culture even more so out of the Bay Area, which it already has. We have great fans. We sell out every game. This keeps upping the level."

Real Salt Lake's Kyle Beckerman, who has no San Jose ties, says Bingham is correct.

"It's great. I was here playing at Spartan Stadium and then Santa Clara and seeing the skeleton of [Avaya] before it was built," he said. "It's great to see. You're seeing the growth of not only the stadium and the club here, but you're seeing the city grow right with the club. I think that's great to see. It's a beautiful stadium. They did a heck of a job. The fans are coming to pack it out, which is even better. It's just going to continue happening. ...

"I think San Jose has always been a bright spot in our league. They left, they were gone a couple of years, but once it came back, it was like it never left. I think that shows it is a soccer city. They support their team. Their team is always strong. They have a hero in Wondo and now an up-and-coming all-star in Bingham. There's a lot of positives in the city, in the state, for soccer, in not only club, but for national team. We come out here for the national team, and it's packed. Now with the All-Star Game in San Jose, it's one of those cities that's a bright, bright city in Major League Soccer."

The next step calls for the Earthquakes to compete for trophies again.

"I think the one thing that will really get us going is some playoff games. Some home playoff games, which would be great," Kinnear said. "I think that would really ... I wouldn't say open the eyes of the fans -- I think their eyes are open -- but it sure would get them hungry for some more success."

14. MLS' growing wealth of talent not lost on Arsenal

By Scott French

FourFourTwo - July 29, 2016

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Arsene Wenger did a double-take.

The Frenchman glanced at his foe's lineup before Arsenal took the field for Thursday's MLS All-Star Game, and it didn't look like the teams he's used to facing while preparing for the rigors of the English Premier League season.

The names came fast and steady: Didier Drogba, Andrea Pirlo, David Villa, Kaká. Unquestioned legends, all.

"The MLS team was exceptional. Exceptionally strong ...," Wenger noted after Arsenal pulled out a 2-1 triumph at Avaya Stadium. "When I looked at the players on the team sheet, I thought that could be a very difficult game for us, and it was."

Arsenal was the better side, to be sure, but things might have turned out very different in MLS' 21st midseason classic had a penalty kick that All-Star coach Dominic Kinnear considered unduly harsh not been whistled at game's start, and had ChubaAkpom not been presented with such a can't-miss chance in the dying minutes. Drogba scored a poacher's goal, on his third go, at the end of the first half, and there were chances -- especially those by Sebastian Giovinco and Chris Wondolowski -- that could have given the league its third successive victory over European opposition.

That might have been an upset, but figure in the histories of everybody on the field and the All Stars' starting XI looked a little more formidable than the Londoners'; or, at least, it might have a half-dozen years or so ago.

"I think when you look at the roster, it's a who's who of world football over the years," said Kinnear, the San Jose Earthquakes' head coach. "We were joking around in the coaches' room to most of the guys: If you ever run into trouble, just pass it to a guy who's won the [UEFA] Champions League or a World Cup or a World Footballer of the Year, and you'll be in good shape. It just goes to show the talent we have on this team."

That approach left plenty of options. Drogba, 38, won a Champions League title with Chelsea. Pirlo, 37, won two with AC Milan, and Kaká, 34, was the world's top player when he teamed with Pirlo for the 2007 crown. Villa, 34, won his with Barcelona. Kaká (2002, Brazil), Pirlo (2006, Italy), and Villa (2010, Spain) are World Cup champions, and Villa also captured the Euro 2008 championship.

There were others with impressive résumés -- Belgians Laurent Ciman and Jelle Van Damme, who teamed in central defense; Argentine attacker Ignacio Piatti, who came on after a half-hour; Italian standout Sebastian Giovinco and former U.S. captain Clint Dempsey, who saw second-half action -- but the quartet of legends made for something special, even for the Gunners.

Akpom, the game's MVP after netting the 87th-minute winner, was downright giddy.

"I was playing against players I played with on [the FIFA videogame] when I was younger: Drogba, Villa, Pirlo -- players that you watch in World Cups and in big tournaments. I just think, 'Wow, I want to get to that standard.'"

Drogba capped a decent first half with that goal in stoppage time, finishing the rebound after his first two shots, from a fine Giovani Dos Santos feed, were blocked in the goalmouth. That it came against goalkeeper Petr Cech, his former Chelsea teammate, made it special, kind of.

"I will say that the goal I scored on them, we lost, it doesn't count," the big Ivorian said. "It's just for fun, because I scored on Petr, but the result matters more than my goal. ... I [had] fun with Petr because I scored, but he already killed me. He said, 'This time I gave you the goal.' It means a lot."

Pirlo's long balls for Villa provided the All Stars with early opportunities, but they were both off the field in the 32nd minute, to the showers and across the street to the airport -- along with Jermaine Jones, who didn't play after missing the last three Colorado games with a leg injury -- to fly home for New York City FC's clash Saturday with the Rapids.

Kaká's ideas were solid, but he struggled to penetrate against an organized Arsenal defense that, at least in the first 45 minutes, granted the MLS team limited space in the middle. Ultimately, the result mattered little. All-Star Games are about showcasing talent and putting on a great show. There are no trophies at stake.

"I wanted to win, but when you play 45 minutes or 30 minutes, the approach of the game is different," Drogba said. "And also you have a game a few days later, you have to travel back. ... It's a bit disappointing, but the fact they're in preseason and they've played together a long time and we are only a few days to prepare together, I think it's not a bad, bad result."

Wenger agreed it was a very different kind of preseason game than one played against a club. A bit more enjoyable, perhaps.

"I would say overall, it's less aggressive," he said. "With players coming for show, and they're happy to be together. It's not life or death like when you play against a club. ... It's more friendly game than it is usually when you play against a club. But there's a lot of talent -- there's top-quality players together on the pitch, and you feel any time you make a mistake, they can take advantage of it."

Kinnear, who has won four MLS Cup titles -- two as an assistant coach with the Earthquakes, two as head coach of the Houston Dynamo -- treasured his time with the MLS stars.

"It was good to be around these guys, just watching them do simple exercises [with the ball], and they make it look so easy. So for me, it was fun," he said. "Loved to have won the game. I'm still disappointed we didn't win, especially losing a goal late, as we did, but seeing the lineup that we had, I'd say it's the most talented MLS team put together."

--- You are currently subscribed tomlsarticles as:. To unsubscribe click lmlsarticles&o34455 or send a blank email toleave-34455-100363.ed2502db0e92a845107cce7191242504@news.mlsnet.com --_000_EE31B3DD6162453D9E0946CCA65F5CBFMLSsoccercom_

252">

 

(This sampling of coverage is a service provided to members of the media by MLS Communications)

MLS Newsstand - July 30, 2016

New York City FC vs. Colorado Rapids, 3 p.m. ET

1. Unusually quick blend has Rapids battling for first at All-Star break (Colorado Spring Gazette)

2. Colorado Rapids visit Yankee Stadium to take on New York City FC (Associated Press)

MLS Articles

3 . MLS All-Stars see bright future for growing league (Orlando Sentinel)

4 . Orlando City coach Jason Kreis sees great potential in Brek Shea (Orlando Sentinel)

5 . Beckerman relishes starting in All-Star game despite loss (Deseret News)

6 . Union look to get back on winning track (Philadelphia Inquirer)

7 . Fire deal Igboananike for cash. 2019 third-round pick (Chicago Daily Herald)

8 . Plan for Toronto starts with stopping Giovinco (Columbus Dispatch)

9 . Second-half homestand critical for D.C. United (Washington Post)

10 . Ben Olsen believes additions will inject energy into D.C. United (Washington Times)

11. Dynamo acquire midfielder Yair Arboleda Quinones (Houston Chronicle)

12 . Ex-Rams in discussions about MLS team here (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

13 . All-Star Game spotlights San Jose's MLS resurrection ( FourFourTwo )

14 . MLS' growing wealth of talent not lost on Arsenal ( FourFourTwo )

(Additional articles for consideration can be submitted directly to Jane Sexton of MLS Communications at Jane.Sexton@MLSsoccer.com .)

1 . Unusually quick blend has Rapids battling for first at All-Star break

By Scott Kaniewski

Colorado Springs Gazette - July 29, 2016

Sam Cronin remembers it clearly. Playing for the Colorado Rapids last season isn't easy to forget.

Each week seemed to bring another disappointing result, another loss, another week battling to get out of the Western Conference cellar.

Then came the offseason, and possibly a glimpse of promise for the Rapids, who finished 2015 dead last in the conference. They managed nine wins to go with 10 draws and 15 losses.

"With our career, usually a game a week, when you lose it ruins your week," Cronin said this week, in the midst of the Rapids' 15-game unbeaten streak. "So for a week you're miserable, but you get to rectify it next week. We tended to lose again the next week for our season. It's no fun."

The Rapids had some talented youth going into the winter. But if they wanted to compete for a playoff spot, they would need to add some veterans, and some veterans with talent.

Those players started to trickle in. Marco Pappa, part of a Seattle squad that reached the conference semifinals, was acquired. American internationals Jermaine Jones and Tim Howard were added, sandwiched around Shkëlzen Gashi, an Albanian international that played at FC Basel last season and in the Euros earlier this month.

There were other acquisitions, plus rookies and second-year players seeing more playing time, who have contributed.

Still, so many new additions to a team, in any sport, need time to mesh. Shockingly, that hasn't been the case for the Rapids, who sit three points back of first in the conference standings and in the race for the Supporters Shield (first place overall).

"Sometimes when it's a lot of new faces, it's a lot of time to (gel)," said Pappa, who plays internationally for Guatemala. "But you realize it's a lot of players here that play at the national level, a lot of international games, so most of them know what the game is about."

Colorado hasn't lost since April 9, nearly four months of unbeaten play. They are 8-0-7 during the streak. They already have more points this season (38) than all of last season (37). And they still have 14 games left, as the All-Stars hit the pitch Thursday night.

On Saturday, the Rapids travel to Eastern Conference leaders New York City FC.

Last week, in a 1-1 draw with Western Conference leaders Dallas, the Rapids used six players that weren't on their 2015 roster.

Figuring out how to use his new toys has been one of coach Pablo Mastroeni's challenges.

"I think a lot of it has to do with putting together some good results early on in the season," Mastroeni said. "I think that validates all the good work and all the belief and the philosophy that we're trying to incorporate here. I think that's part of it. But I think more importantly it's the type of characters that we've brought into the clubhouse - guys that really want to work hard for each other, guys that are very talented, guys that want to get better every day. And I think that culminates into a good group."

So far, definitely so good.

Cronin, for one, is enjoying it.

"Obviously, some changes needed to be made and you've got to give full credit to the front office and the coaches for making the right moves," Cronin said. "Everything seems to be going well so far. Yeah, we're much happier."

2 . Colorado Rapids visit Yankee Stadium to take on New York City FC

Associated Press - July 29, 2016

For the Colorado Rapids and the New York City FB, the turnaround from Thursday night's All-Star Game to the restart of the MLS season is a quick one.

The teams meet Saturday in Yankee Stadium in a match with plenty at stake for each. Colorado (10-2-8) is three points in back of MLS overall leader Dallas for first place in the Western Conference, while NYCFB (9-7-6) owns first place in the Eastern Conference.

It's the first and only meeting of the teams this year and just the second all-time. They played to a scoreless draw last March just outside of Denver.

It will be a striking contrast of styles to boot. NYCFB is known for its offense, having scored 35 goals on the season, and the Rapids are a defensive-minded club as they have conceded only 14 goals.

However, Colorado's task might be easier as David Villa, who leads NYCFB with 13 goals, is one of its three players suspended for card accumulation. Frank Lampard has potted five and Thomas McNamara owns four.

The Rapids don't have anyone as prolific as Villa or even Lampard, but do possess balance. Kevin Doyle's four markers lead the team, but six others have at least two goals, with Jermaine Jones and Luis Solignac adding three each.

NYCFB will be shorthanded for the match -- on the pitch and the bench. Head coach Patrick Vieira is suspended for the day, while R.J. Allen and Federico Bravo join Villa on the sidelines due to caution accumulation. Ethan White is also on the suspended list.

Colorado's Axel Sjoberg and Shkelzen Gashi will draw automatic suspensions with their next yellow card.

3 . MLS All-Stars see bright future for growing league

By Alicia DelGallo

Orlando Sentinel - July 29, 2016

SAN JOSE, Calif. - You needed only to hear the explosive cheers from fans as players' names were called over a loud speaker to know there were legends in Avaya Stadium Thursday.

A lineup full of recognizable names is expected every year, but coach Dominic Kinnear said the 2016 MLS All-Star roster was the most talented team the league has ever put together.

"When you look at the roster, it's lots of who's who of the world football over the years," Kinnear said after the match. "We were joking around in the coaches' room to most of the guys, 'If you ever run into trouble, just pass it to a guy who's won a Champions League or a World Cup or a World Footballer of the Year, and you'll be in good shape.'

"It was good to be around these guys, just watching them do simple exercises and making it look so easy. So for me, it was fun. I would have loved to have won the game, I'm still disappointed we didn't win, especially to lose late on a goal such as we did."

The celebrated roster - which included Orlando City's Kaká, owner of many of those titles Kinnear mentioned, including 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year, EUFA Champions league winner and World Cup title holder - wasn't able to defeat Arsenal, though. The MLS side fell 2-1 to the English Premier League heavyweights.

Orlando City forward Cyle Larin said his favorite part about participating in the MLS All-Star game so far is playing with and learning from the veterans on the roster, such as Kaka, David Villa and Andrea Pirlo.

But, the players and the performance showed just how far the league has come since launching in 1996 and foreshadowed future possibilities.

Kaká said he thinks MLS could be one of the world's top leagues in five to eight years. Looking back at the league's exponential growth in the last five to eight years, that may not be so far-fetched, according to Kinnear.

"The sky's the limit really," Kinnear said. "If you look at the stadiums and the media coverage, everything is growing and it's growing in a positive direction. Eight to 10 years ago, we were a little bit wondering what was going to be going on. So, I think the sky is the limit for this league. It's growing at a very steady pace, I think people always have to realize it's only 20 years old and we can't get too greedy.

"But for me, every once in a while, we'll step on to a field and see the fans and see the players that are stepping out, and we understand that football has come a long way in this country. It has a long way to go, but the progress has been fantastic."

Quick exit

All three Orlando City players who participated in 2016 MLS All-Star events this week made quick exits as soon as fulfilling their responsibilities.

Defender Tyler Turner had an early flight to Louisville Thursday morning after playing in the Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game. He went to meet up with Orlando City B (6-6-7, 25 points) for a USL match at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against Louisville City FC (12-2-6, 42 points), which leads the league.

Kaká and Cyle Larin immediately left Avaya Stadium to catch an overnight flight back to Orlando after the All-Stars lost 2-1 to Arsenal Thursday night.

The two wanted to get back as soon as possible to have ample time to rest and prepare for the Lions' return to Camping World Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Orlando City will face the New England Revolution.

Owners watch

Orlando City president Phil Rawlins was among multiple MLS club executives who made a trip to California for 2016 MLS All-Star Game festivities.

Rawlins visited San Francisco earlier in the week. League sources said MLS commissioner Don Garber scheduled meetings and dinners with ownership groups. Rawlins flew back to Orlando before the All-Star game, but Orlando City CEO Alex Leit=E3o attended the match in San Jose.

4 . Orlando City coach Jason Kreis sees great potential in Brek Shea

By Iliana Limon Romero

Orlando Sentinel - July 29, 2016

Orlando City coach Jason Kreis sees great potential in veteran Brek Shea.

It has been a frustrating season for Shea, who had hoped to come back from injury issues he faced last season and thrive. Shea, however, has struggled to fit in at left back, a role first assigned to him by U.S. men's national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann and later embraced by the Lions.

Shortly before Orlando City coach Adrian Heath's exit, he had begun shifting Shea into more of an attacking role and Kreis is proceeding in a similar direction while working to bolster Shea's confidence.

"I would like to be a part of his development, and I believe that Brek is an extremely gifted player," Kreis said after training Friday. "I believe that Brek also is a player that has been inconsistent. And so I would like to help him become more consistent, and I would like to help him realize his potential."

Kreis, who spent part of this year serving as an assistant on Klinsmann's U.S. national team staff, said Shea still can be a strong international competitor despite falling out of the U.S. men's national team rotation this year.

"His potential for me is still a national team player, a regular national team player," Kreis said of Shea. "And so we need to help him get back to that."

During an appearance on Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi's radio show, Kreis said Shea will play more of an offensive role.

"For us, he will be an attacking-minded player," Kreis said on Open Mike. "Now, that's not to say there won't be an emergency situation where we'll need him to play left back in a pinch.

"But for us, we want him to be focused on doing the work defensively that we'll require, and then being creative and having a bit of a free role in the attack."

Redding out

While Kreis has stressed the importance of the Lions immediately playing stronger defense, the team will have to do so without one key piece of the lineup.

Tommy Redding stayed on the field late to do individual training Friday, but he's still recovering from a hamstring injury and Kreis said he will not be available for Orlando City's game Sunday against the New England Revolution.

Kreis said he hopes Redding will be available for the Lions' Aug. 7 home game against Seattle.

Upbeat training

A string of draws and losses along with a coaching change typically translates to low morale, but Kreis has been pleasantly surprised to learn he inherited an upbeat collection of players.

"It's fantastic," he said of the group's energy level. "I couldn't be more happy with the guys. They look to be together right now, which is a little surprising because when you go through all the difficult results that we've had in the past six months or so, you expect that the group would be pretty fragmented, but they're quite together."

Kreis the credit for their positive outlook should go to interim coach Bobby Murphy, a friend of Adrian Heath who helped the team through a difficult transition and was retained as a member of Kreis ' staff.

"In the interim time, I think he has done a lot of things to bring the group together," Kreis said of Murphy. "And it shows up. From the first day of training has been great. The intensity of the work rate has been great. I couldn't ask for anything else."

Defender Luke Boden, who has been among the players pushed to give more on defense, said Murphy helped the team amid rough circumstances.

"He got us all together again and he got us all thinking positive again," Boden said of Murphy. "I think the manager came in and saw that and he just needed to tweak a few things.

"And obviously you can only start somewhere and he started defensively, which is what we need. We need to stop conceding goals. You stop conceding goals, you stop losing games. So we're going to work on that."

5 . Beckerman relishes starting in All-Star game despite loss

By Joseph D'Hippolito

Deseret News - July 28, 2016

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Real Salt Lake's captain found his latest trip to California to be an exercise in balance, on various levels.

Kyle Beckerman started in Major League Soccer's All-Star game for the first time since 2013, the last time he played, in its 2-1 loss to Arsenal FC of England's Premier League on Thursday night at Avaya Stadium.

"It's always an honor to be a part of this team," said Beckerman, who made the fifth All-Star appearance of his career. "To get the start is a


• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...

Major League Soccer Stories from July 30, 2016


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central