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MLS Preview: Orlando City SC (5-4-6) at New York Red Bulls (4-5-7)

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MLS Preview: Orlando City SC (5-4-6) at New York Red Bulls (4-5-7)

Orlando City SC has won three consecutive meetings with the New York Red Bulls in all competitions, including a 1-0 home win on February 25. The Orlando City SC Lions have won four straight games against a single opponent in all competitions just once in the club’s MLS history, winning five in a row over the Columbus Crew SC from 2018-2021.

The New York Red Bulls have lost only one of their last nine regular season home matches (W5 D3), including winning each of their last two at Red Bull Arena. The New York Red Bulls have not allowed more than one goal in any of those nine matches, conceding a total of six times.

Orlando City SC has lost only one of its six regular season away matches this year (W3 D2), one of three teams (FC Cincinnati and the Los Angeles Football Club) with just one away loss in 2023.Only FC Cincinnati and Minnesota United FC (12 each) have collected more away points than Orlando City SC (11) this season.

The New York Red Bulls faced only six shots in their 1-0 win over Inter Miami FC on Wednesday, the ninth time in the club’s 16 matches this year they’ve faced six shots or fewer. Since the start of the 2021 season, the New York Red Bulls have faced six or fewer shots in a match 31 times, more than twice as often as any other team (CF Montreal Impact – 15).

Twenty-one of the 27 passes Mauricio Pereyra attempted in his 64 minutes on the pitch Saturday were in the attacking third. Pereyra has averaged 28.6 passes in the final third per 90 minutes this season, third behind only Thiago Almada (29.6) and Carles Gil (28.8) among players with at least 300 minutes played.

NWSL Match Preview: North Carolina Courage (4-3-2) at Kansas City Current (2-7-0)

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NWSL Match Preview: North Carolina Courage (4-3-2) at Kansas City Current (2-7-0)

Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, Kansas – Saturday, June 3 at 8:30 PM ET

Players to watch:

Kansas City midfielder Debinha is set to face her old team, North Carolina, for the first time in her career. Debinha scored 51 goals in all competitions for the Courage, tied with Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign) for the second-most in a single team in NWSL history behind only Christine Sinclair (72 for Portland). 

North Carolina forward Kerolin scored her fourth goal of the season and 10th overall for the Courage in their win over Louisville on Saturday. Kerolin is the eighth different player to score at least 10 regular season goals for North Carolina, most in NWSL since they joined the league in 2017, with current Kansas City player Debinha also on that list. 

Match facts: The Kansas City Current host the North Carolina Courage at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night with the Current desperate to snap a three-game run of 2-0 losses to San Diego, Racing, and Houston, all at home, in their last three regular season games. The Courage, however, enter in on a five-game unbeaten run that includes three wins, most recently over Racing Louisville last weekend. The Current sit bottom of the league in 12th place with 6 points (W2 D0 L7), while North Carolina is up to 6th place on 14 points.

The Current have lost five straight matches in all NWSL competitions for the second time in club history after a six-match losing streak in May-June 2021. Kansas City has conceded multiple goals in all five losses (12 total), the longest such streak in club history. 

North Carolina is unbeaten in six straight matches in all NWSL competitions (W3 D3), including a 2-1 win at Racing Louisville on Saturday. The Courage have won consecutive road matches and could win three in a row away from home for the first time since September 2019.

Kansas City has lost only one of its four home matches against the Courage in all NWSL competitions (W1 D2), losing a Challenge Cup semifinal, 2-1, in May 2022. The Current won the most recent meeting in Kansas City, 3-2, last August.

Noted (via Jen Cooper, The Keeper):

  • A trio of North Carolina players are on the cusp of 50 regular season appearances in the NWSL, with Emily Fox, Victoria Pickett, and Ryan Williams all one away. Williams, however, is the only player to have had all 49 come with one club.
  • Kansas City midfielder Debinha needs just one goal to reach 40 all-time regular season goals. Only 10 players in league history have hit such a mark thus far.
  • Kansas City goalkeeper Adrianna ‘AD’ Franch is sitting on 397 saves in her regular season career, just three shy of an exclusive 400-club. Only four goalkeepers have produced 400 saves in a career in league history.
  • Kansas City’s Lo’eau LaBonta and Hailie Mace both have the opportunity to take sole possession of the club’s all-time assist leaders (currently 5 each).

NWSL Match Preview: Orlando Pride (3-5-1) at Houston Dash (3-3-3)

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NWSL Match Preview: Orlando Pride (3-5-1) at Houston Dash (3-3-3)

Shell Energy Stadium | Houston, Texas – Saturday, June 3 at 8:30 PM ET

Players to watch:

Since the beginning of 2022, Houston attacker María Sánchez has 10 assists across all NWSL competitions, the most of any player. Additionally, nine different goalscorers have been assisted by Sánchez in that time with no other NWSL player assisting more than six different players in that time. This season already, Sánchez has four goal contributions in nine games with only fellow forwards Ebony Salmon and Diana Ordóñez having more than one (2).

Orlando’s attack has cooled since scoring four goals in two games on April 30 and May 7, with the Pride only scoring two goals in its last three games and only one of those coming in open play. Brazilian superstar Martaetched her name on the scoresheet for the first time this season with a penalty kick in the 23rd minute before defender Kylie Strom did the same from open play in the 77th minute to help Orlando earn a 2-1 win over Washington.

Match facts: The Houston Dash host the Orlando Pride on Saturday night with the Dash looking to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat against San Diego in their last outing at Shell Energy Stadium. The Dash do enter, however, off the back of a win and currently sit in 7th place with 12 points while the Pride sit in 9th place with 10 points, behind Louisville only on goal differential.

On Friday, the Dash notched their first shutout win of the regular season with a 2-0 road victory over Kansas City. Since the beginning of 2021, Houston is unbeaten in the regular season when scoring multiple goals (W19 D3), joining OL Reign as the only undefeated teams in such games in that time. However, Houston has also taken just four points from four home games this season (W1 D1 L2), scoring multiple goals only in their win.

The Pride fell to Chicago in their last time out despite outshooting the Red Stars, 19 to 2, in the match, including 11 to 0 in the second half. The last NWSL team to take that many shots in a match while allowing no more than two was the Utah Royals against the Spirit in August of 2018 (21 to 2). With the 1-0 loss, Orlando’s four-game unbeaten streak in league play came to an end. Despite the loss, the Pride have conceded just three goals over their last five regular season games, the team’s fewest allowed over a five-game span since allowing two in April-May 2018.

The last time Houston hosted Orlando was exactly one year prior to Saturday’s matchup with the Dash earning of 5-0 win over the Pride on June 3, 2022. The victory was the largest shutout win in Dash team history.

Noted (via Jen Cooper, The Keeper):

  • Next appearance for Houston defender Ally Prisock will be the 50th in regular season play, all with Dash. She has started all but one of her appearances.
  • Next appearance for Orlando attacker Marta will set a new club record for regular season appearances (she’s currently at 81, tied with former Pride players Toni Pressley and Ashlyn Harris).
  • Next goal for Orlando midfielder Erika Tymrak will be the 20th of her NWSL regular season career.

NWSL Match Preview: Racing Louisville FC (2-3-4) at Washington Spirit (4-1-4)

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NWSL Match Preview: Racing Louisville FC (2-3-4) at Washington Spirit (4-1-4)

Audi Field | Washington, District of Columbia – Saturday, June 3 at 8:00 PM ET

Players to watch:

Dating back to 2022, Washington’s last three goals in this fixture have all been scored by forward Ashley Hatch. Hatch has scored six career goals in the matchup, the most of any player against Louisville in league play. Earlier this year, Washington drew 2-2 at Louisville with Hatch notching in the 16th and 32nd minutes. Hatch also leads the Spirit in scoring five goals – good enough to be tied for first in the league – with forward Trinity Rodman and midfielder Paige Metayer the only other players with more than one goal.

Louisville midfielder Jordan Baggett scored her first goal as a member of Racing with a late consolation goal in a 2-1 loss to the Courage on Saturday. All six of Baggett’s NWSL goals have come in the second half of matches, the most goals of any player in league history with 100 percent of their goals coming in the second half. Though Racing lost that night, goalkeeper Katie Lund has continued to be fantastic between the posts and is tied for the league lead in saves (38) while sitting tied for second in clean sheets (3).

Match facts: Washington Spirit hosts Racing Louisville in the reverse fixture from early April marking the final time these two teams will meet in the regular season. Currently, Washington sit in 5th place but are level on points with 2nd place Portland on points (16) and only behind on goal differential. Meanwhile, Racing Louisville sits in 8th place with 10 points, winning two of its last three games.

After a 2-2 draw in Louisville, Washington now aims to take advantage of their home environment at Audi Field, a place they are still unbeaten at through four regular season home games this season. In fact, the Spirit are unbeaten at home in all competitions (W3 D2) in 2023, scoring nine goals while allowing just four in those five matches. Washington has not had a longer single-season home unbeaten streak since a seven-game run (W5 D2) to end the 2016 season (all competitions).

Racing Louisville scored a 2-0 win against Kansas City in its last road game in league play for the team’s fourth ever regular season road victory (W4 D10 L14). Louisville has never won two games in a span of fie league road games, let alone consecutive away matches. However, Racing’s 2-0 win over Chicago in the Challenge Cup midweek marked the first time the club has won consecutive away matches this season with the club looking to continue its early momentum.

That 2-2 draw earlier this season means that each of the last three meetings have been draws in which both teams have scored. Only two fixtures in league history have seen longer streaks of scoring draws (CHI vs. POR, 5 straight ending in 2015 & LOU vs. RGN, 4 straight active).


Noted (via Jen Cooper, The Keeper):

  • Next appearance for Washington forward Trinity Rodman will be the 50th of her regular-season career. She’ll be the 19th player to make 50 appearances for the club, and the youngest to hit that milestone for the Spirit.
  • Next clean sheet for Washington goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury will be her 30th in regular season play. Only 3 keepers have recorded more than 30 (her WAS teammate Nicole Barnhart, KC Adrianna Franch, CHI Alyssa Naeher).
  • Next assist for Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo will be the 5th of her NWSL career and will set a new club record. She’s currently tied with Cece Kizer (now with KC) and Jess McDonald (on maternity leave).

NWSL Match Preview: Portland Thorns FC (4-1-4) at OL Reign (5-3-1)

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NWSL Match Preview: Portland Thorns FC (4-1-4) at OL Reign (5-3-1)

Lumen Field | Seattle, Washington – Saturday, June 3 at 8:00 PM ET

Players to watch:

In OL Reign’s last league match, three different players attempted at least five shots – forwards Veronica Latsko, Megan Rapinoe, and Elyse Bennett. It is the only time an NWSL team has done so this season and was the second time the Reign had three such players in a league match (also September 9 last season). The Reign are led in scoring by a quartet players that includes Latsko, but forwards Bethany Balcer and Jordyn Huitema as well as midfielder Jess Fishlock have all contributed three goals – though Latsko has done in it six games compared to nine for the other three.

Portland defender Reyna Reyes notched her first professional goal in Portland’s last league match, a 1-1 draw against the Wave. At 89:19, the goal was also the latest ever scored by a Thorns defender, though the team has had later goals scored by goalkeepers on two different occasions. In the regular season, the Thorns are led in scoring overall by attacker Crystal Dunn, who has scored a league-leading five goals.

Match facts: The first regular season edition of the Cascadia rivalry takes place on Saturday night as one of two of the first of four games across the evening. 3rd place OL Reign welcomes 2nd place Portland Thorns FC to Lumen Field, with the two clubs level on points (16) but separated by goal differential (POR +12, RGN +6). 

Over OL Reign’s last four home league games, the team has scored 12 goals while allowing seven. The 19 goals are the most combined goals in a span of four regular season home games in Reign history. Overall, the Reign have returned to a good vein of form with consecutive wins in all competitions, first defeating Angel City, 4-1, last weekend and then beating San Diego, 3-0, on the road in the Challenge Cup midweek. That, after losing two straight games against Gotham and North Carolina on May 14 and May 21.

Portland scored in the 90th minute at San Diego on Friday to earn a 1-1 draw. The Thorns have scored in 16 straight regular season matches on the road, one game shy of tying for the longest such streak in NWSL history, held by Orlando (17 straight from June 2019 to August 2021). Portland is now unbeaten in three straight games across all competitions after a sandwich of wins over Chicago (May 21) and Angel City in the Challenge Cup (May 31) were split by that draw with the Wave. 

The Reign and Thorns will be meeting for the 35th time in all NWSL competitions, breaking a tie with Washington vs. Gotham for the most matches in NWSL history. The 84 yellow cards handed out in games between the two clubs are 23 more than any other fixture in all NWSL competitions.

Noted (via Jen Cooper, The Keeper):

  • OL Reign Head Coach Laura Harvey will become first to coach 200 regular-season games this Saturday. She’s also the winningest coach in NWSL regular season (92-59-48 overall, 73-42-36 with the Reign). She is a 3-time NWSL Coach of the Year (2014, 2015, 2021) and has led the Reign to three NWSL Shields (2014, 2015, 2022) and four playoff appearances (2014, 2015, 2021, 2022), including two finals (2014, 2015).
  • If Reign defender Sofia Huerta starts, it will be her 50th start for the club. Next assist for Huerta will be the 30th of her regular-season career. Only Jess McDonald LOU (31) has recorded more assists.
  • Portland defender Kelly Hubly needs to play just 6 minutes to become the 10th Thorns FC player with 5,000 minutes for the club.
  • Next goal for Portland forward Sophia Smith moves her out of a tie with Lindsey Horan (currently on loan with Lyon) for 3rd most goals in Thorns regular season play. Both have 25.

MLS Preview: D. C. United (5-6-5) at Inter Miami FC (5-10-0)

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MLS Preview: D. C. United (5-6-5) at Inter Miami FC (5-10-0)

Inter Miami FC won its last match against D. C. United, 3-2, at home last September, its first win in five tries against D. C. United. D. C. United had won three of the first four meetings (D1) and is unbeaten in two away matches against the Inter Miami FC Herons (W1 D1), scoring five goals in two road matches against Inter Miami FC.

Inter Miami FC has lost 10 of its first 15 MLS matches this season, including the last four in a row. This is the second time Inter Miami FC has lost 10 times in its first 15 games of a season (2020), the second team in the post-shootout era (since 2000)to do so twice (Chivas USA – 2005 and 2013).

After a four-match winning streak in all competitions in April, D. C. United managed just one win in its last seven matches in May (D3 L3). D. C. United lost three of its four road matches in May (D1) and has now lost 13 of its last 19 away from home in all competitions (W3 D3).

Josef Martinez has scored eight goals in 11 career appearances against D. C. United, tied for most against any opponent in MLS play (Orlando City SC). Only Carlos Vela (10) and Raul Ruidiaz (9), both vs the Los Angeles Galaxy, have more regular season goals against a single opponent since Martinez joined MLS in 2017.

Donovan Pines scored D. C. United’s first goal against CF Montreal Impact on a Mateusz Klich corner, the second time this season Pines has scored off a corner taken by Klich. Klich-to-Pines is one of two combinations to link up for two corner-kick goals this season along with FC Cincinnati’s Alvaro Barreal to Yerson Mosquera.

MLS Preview: Charlotte FC (6-7-3) at Columbus Crew SC (6-6-3)

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MLS Preview: Charlotte FC (6-7-3) at Columbus Crew SC (6-6-3)

Charlotte FC is unbeaten in three all-time meetings with the Columbus Crew SC, including a 1-0 home victory on April 22after a pair of draws last season. The Columbus Crew SC are one of two teams Charlotte FC has faced three or more times in MLS play without ever losing (D3 W3 vs New York City FC).

The Columbus Crew SC has lost only one of its last 15 home matches in all competitions (W9 D5) dating back to early August last year, including a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday. The Columbus Crew SC have scored an MLS-high 21 home goals this season, their most after eight matches of a season since 1998 (24).

Charlotte FC has lost two of its last three MLS matches following a 1-0 defeat at the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. Charlotte FC has not lost consecutive regular-season matches since losing its opening three matches of the campaign.

Cucho Hernandez scored the decisive goal in the Columbus Crew SC’s 3-2 win over the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday, his sixth straight match with a goal contribution(2 goals, 5 assists). The last Columbus Crew SC player to contribute to contribute to a goal in seven straight games within a single season was Edson Buddle in August-September 2003.

Kerwin Vargas took two of the five shots Charlotte FC attempted on Wednesday and set up another. Vargas leads Charlotte Fc with 18 chances created this season while his total of 40 total shot involvements (22 shots) is second on the club this season behind only Karol Swiderski (49 – 38 shots, 11 chances created).

NFL Transactions 6-1-23

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NFL Transactions 6-1-23

The following are the NFL transactions for Thursday, June 1. Transactions will be published each day after they are circulated to NFL clubs. This public version will include waiver requests, assignments via waivers, terminations, free agent signings, reserve list and practice squad additions and deletions, and trades.

WAIVER SYSTEM TRANSACTIONS


WAIVER REQUESTS (All are NO RECALL)

DENVER
    Patrick, JacquesRBFlorida State   

INDIANAPOLIS
    Hagans, DariusRBVirginia State   

SEATTLE
    Bumphus, LaTrellDETennessee   
         Injured
    Smith, ChrisRBLouisiana-Lafayette   


    CLAIMING DEADLINE: 4:00 p.m., N.Y. Time, Friday, 6/2/23


TERMINATION OF VESTED VETERAN

BUFFALO
    Bryant, BrandinDTFlorida Atlantic   


TERMINATIONS VIA WAIVER SYSTEM

DENVER
    McAllister, TyreikRBCharleston, W. Va.   

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
    Lloyd, DamonLBIndiana, Pa.   
 NEW ORLEANS
    Quevedo, AlexKCentral Oklahoma   


ACTIVE LIST ADDITIONS


FREE AGENT SIGNINGS

BUFFALO
    Shell, BrandonTSouth Carolina   

DENVER
    Hudson, TommyTEArizona State   
INDIANAPOLIS
    Avery, GenardDEMemphis   

SEATTLE
    Braswell, MontraeDBMissouri State   
    Franklin, BenjieDBTarleton State   



RESERVE LIST ADDITION

MINNESOTA
    Ellefson, BenTENorth Dakota State   
         Reserve/Retired

MLS Preview: Chicago Fire (3-4-8) at FC Cincinnati (11-1-3)

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MLS Preview: Chicago Fire (3-4-8) at FC Cincinnati (11-1-3)

The Chicago Fire have never lost an MLS road match against FC Cincinnati (W2 D2), including recording a 3-1 win last October. That match is FC Cincinnati’s only loss in its last 19 home MLS matches (W12 D6) dating back to late June of last year.

FC Cincinnati’s 36 points are tied for the second most through 15 matches of a season behind only the Los Angeles Galaxy in 19989 (37). that run includes eight wins from eight at home to start the regular season, only two teams have had a longer run to start a season (San Jose Earthquakes – 10 in 2002, Philadelphia Union – 9 in 2020).

The Chicago Fire have won only four of their last 22 road MLS matches dating back to last April (D5 L13), including failing to win any of their last five away from home (D2 L3). The Chicago Fire have scored three goals in all four of its road wins in that time, including a 3-2 win at FC Cincinnati last October.

Luciano Acosta and Brandon Velazquez each scored in FC Cincinnati’s 3-1 win at New York City FC on Wednesday. It marked the 18th time that both Acosta and Velazquez contributed to at least one goal in the same match since the start of last season, the most of any teammates in MLS in that time.

The Chicago Fire have scored seven goals in their last two visits to FC Cincinnati, recording a 4-3 win in 2021 and a 3-2 win in 2022. The Chicago Fire have never scored three or more goals in three straight road games against a single opponent while the last team to do so in MLS was Real Salt Lake at the Colorado Rapids in 2018-20.

MLS Preview: Portland Timbers (4-7-4) at Seattle Sounders FC (8-6-2)

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MLS Preview: Portland Timbers (4-7-4) at Seattle Sounders FC (8-6-2)

The Portland Timbers have won four straight regular season matches against the Seattle Sounders FC, equaling the longest winning streak by any team against Seattle in MLS history(San Jose Earthquakes 2012-13). The Portland Timbers are also unbeaten in an MLS-record seven straight regular season matches at the Seattle Sounders FC (W5 D2).

The Seattle Sounders FC have lost three of their last four home matches, including a 1-0 defeat to the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday. This is the first time the Seattle Sounders FC has lost three times in a span of four home matches in all competitions since May-July 2016.

The Portland Timbers have 16 points through 15 matches this season, equaling their second-fewest at this stage of a season ahead of only last year’s total of 15 points through 15 matches. The Portland Timbers have lost its last two MLS matches after losing only two of its previous nine league games (W3 D4).

The Seattle Sounders FC held 62.7 percent possession and outshot the San Jose Earthquakes, 23-9, in its 1-0 home defeat to San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday. The 23 shots are the most of the Seattle Sounders FC have ever taken in a regular season match in which they failed to score.

Franck Boli scored the Portland Timbers’ only goal in its 4-1 loss to Sporting Kansas City on Saturday. Either Boli (2 goals) or Evander (3 goals, 2 assists)have been directly involved in seven of the Portland Timbers’ last eight MLS goals, including scoring each of the last four (2 each).

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