Saturday on NFL Network –
‘Around the NFL’ at 7:00 AM ET
‘Good Morning Football: Weekend’ at 9:00 AM ET
‘NFL GameDay Morning’ Sunday at 9:00 AM ET –
Kay Adams & Willie McGinest LIVE from New England
Calgary, AB – The Calgary Flames announce today that they have assigned the following players to Stockton (AHL): Alex Gallant (D), Matt Greenfield (G), Yan Kuznetsov (D), Mark Simpson (C), Ilya Solovyov (D), Eetu Tuulola (RW), and Dmitry Zavgorodniy (RW).
Luke Philp (LW) and Colton Poolman (D) have been assigned to Stockton (AHL) pending waivers.
Jeremie Poirier (D) has been assigned to Saint John (QMJHL).
The Flames have 41 players remaining at training camp (4 goalies, 13 defenseman, and 24 forwards).
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has reduced its training camp roster to 34 players.
The Wild assigned the following players to the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL):
Goaltenders: Dereck Baribeau and Hunter Jones
Forwards: Will Bitten, Mitchell Chaffee, Joe Cramarossa, Damien Giroux, Ivan Lodnia, Nick Swaney and Dominic Turgeon
The team released defensemen Turner Ottenbreit, Doyle Somerby and Keaton Thompson from their professional tryouts. They will report to Iowa Wild training camp.
SAN JOSE, CA – San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that the following player has returned to his junior club:
Tristen Robins – F
The following players have been assigned to the training camp of the San Jose Barracuda (AHL):
Mark Alt – D
Joachim Blichfeld – F
Noah Gregor – F
Scott Reedy – F
Zachary Sawchenko – G
The Sharks training camp now stands at 40 players.
Quakes’ winning streak snapped at two
SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes fell to Seattle Sounders FC 3-1 on Wednesday night at PayPal Park. The defeat snaps San Jose’s two-game winning streak.
Sounders FC took the lead in the 25th minute. Cristian Roldan played a pass to Raul Ruidiaz at the top of the box. He cut from his right foot onto his left foot and took a low shot out of the reach of goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski.
Ruidiaz doubled Seattle’s advantage in the 42nd minute, converting a penalty kick earned by Roldan moments earlier. Seattle then added a third goal in the 49th minute, with Roldan finishing off a lateral pass from Jimmy Medranda.
San Jose pulled one back just two minutes later when a cross by Marcos Lopez was redirected goalward by defender Shane O’Neill for an own goal.
The Earthquakes will now travel to Canada to face Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, Oct. 2. Saturday’s match will kick off from BC Place at 7:00 p.m. PT and will be aired on NBC Sports California Plus, KNBR 1050 and 1370 KZSF.
GAME NOTES
The Earthquakes now hold an 8-10-9 record (33 pts.) during the 2021 MLS regular season and are currently in 10th place in the Western Conference, just four points below the playoff line.
San Jose is now 11-15-8 all-time vs. Seattle, including a 5-5-5 record at home.
Rookie forward Benji Kikanovic made his third-straight start, playing 90 minutes.
Midfielder Jack Skahan made his first appearance since July 24 vs. Houston Dynamo FC.
MATCH INFORMATION
MLS Regular Season
San Jose Earthquakes 1 – 3 Seattle Sounders FC
Sept. 29, 2021 – PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif.
Attendance: 11,361
Scoring Summary:
SEA (1-0) – Raul Ruidiaz (Cristian Roldan) 25′
SEA (2-0) – Raul Ruidiaz (penalty) 42′
SEA (3-0) – Cristian Roldan (Jimmy Medranda, Fredy Montero) 49′
SJ (3-1) – Shane O’Neil (own goal) 51′
Misconduct Summary:
SJ – Judson (caution) 27′
SEA – Raul Ruidiaz (caution) 38′
SEA – Alex Roldan (caution) 83′
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: JT Marcinkowski; Marcos Lopez, Nathan, Oswaldo Alanis (Cade Cowell 46), Judson (Luciano Abecasis 55); Shea Salinas (Andy Rios 54), Eric Remedi, Jackson Yueill, Carlos Fierro (Chris Wondolowski 54), Chofis (Jack Skahan 69); Benji Kikanovic.
Substitutes not used: Jacob Akanyirige, Paul Marie, Tommy Thompson, Daniel Vega.
SHOTS: 9; SHOTS ON GOAL: 3; FOULS: 13; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: 2
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC: Stefan Frei; Xavier Arreaga (Nouhou 46), Shane O’Neill, Yeimar Gomez Andrade; Cristian Roldan (Alex Roldan 82), Kelyn Rowe, Danny Leyva, Josh Atencio (Joao Paulo 46), Jimmy Medranda (Abdoulaye Cissoko 71); Raul Ruidiaz (Leo Chu 46), Fredy Montero (Alex Roldan 81).
Substitutes not used: Will Bruin, Stefan Cleveland, Ethan Dobbelaere.
SHOTS: 9; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 12; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 3
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH MATIAS ALMEYDA
On the game plan for tonight’s match:
“It was a different game plan because Seattle played differently. It was different because we had players that were out. It was different because back then we had few players available, and we had Florian Jungwirth in the middle of the field. But as I always say, each game and every moment is different.”
On Sounders FC containing San Jose’s offense:
“I think we made mistakes on the way through. The game plan was different, and we intended to take away their game, how they play in between the lines. Once we recovered the ball, we wanted to play through the outside, not through the middle. That’s why we had Benji Kikanovic as a striker, Chofis was playing free, and we had Shea Salinas and Carlos Fierro playing on the outside. From that point of view, we should have avoided passes through the middle and in between our lines. That would have allowed us to have a free man in the back. Knowing the power that Seattle has, we couldn’t counteract their individual and collective parts. Their goals resulted from our turnovers, and a team like Seattle puts them away.”
On Seattle’s goals:
“I think they came from the virtue of the opponent, but we also made mistakes on defense. The first mistake was allowing them to receive the ball in dangerous parts of the field. We hurt ourselves the most when we have the ball and give it away instead of passing it to a teammate. They took advantage of our mistakes. I’ve said all week that players like Raul Ruidíaz don’t forgive. Players like Cristian Roldan have a lot of mobility and will move into a position to score. We discussed things that could have been avoided but we have to give credit to the virtue of these players.”
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES FORWARD CHRIS WONDOLOWSKI
On what went wrong in the game plan:
“I think that we compounded our mistakes and I mean that by saying Seattle is such a tough opponent and you need to be able to move them side to side with possession. You need to be able to wear them down and also be able to try to expand them and so that you can take out pockets in their organization and we weren’t able to do that. They pressed very high. They did a great job of sending their wing backs up on us and we were missing passes that we normally make and when we miss those passes, it kind of compounds and then we were on our back foot. We were defending a little bit deeper and then we’re not able to trigger our press in the right area of the field and then again when you’re not able to do that, we’re a step late. When we’re not doing it at the right place or at the right time, we’re a step late, against Seattle when given that time can tear you apart.”
On why the team appeared indecisive in attack:
“Yeah, when we’re unable to keep a steady possession then we are unable to send our wing backs and send our outside backs forward unless we have that secure possession and when we don’t have those guys coming forward, we end up isolating ourselves way too much. Leaving ourselves one on one or in a lot of cases especially against Seattle 1v2. They do a great job especially with their back three. That’s one of their best traits is they’re able to push out and those three center backs do such a great job whether they’re following a number 10 or a number 9 into the space both behind or in front. I think that’s what they do best, closing down that space and so when we’re unable to keep that possession, secure that possession, it really hurts us and it puts us in some precarious positions.”
On how this result affects the team’s confidence:
“It hurts in the sense that it’s at home. We feel extremely confident that when we are at home that we need to pick up points and it doesn’t matter the opponent. That being said, you look at the other results, today it didn’t do us too much damage, but that being said it would’ve been a perfect day to move up the table. So, we’re still outside looking in, but we have a huge one against Vancouver on Saturday and if and when we pick up three points there, we can really start to get a move in. The faith hasn’t wavered one bit in the locker room and we still feel confident. We feel that we can do a lot of great things in these seven games and really start clicking.”
The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) suffered a 2-1 home defeat to the Portland Timbers on Wednesday night at Banc of California Stadium. Danny Musovski scored LAFC’s only goal in the 55th minute, but it was not enough as the Timbers tallied just before halftime and again four minutes after Musovski equalized to earn all three points. LAFC is now 9-12-6 on the season for 33 points, leaving it in ninth place, four points out of the seventh and final playoff spot in the MLS Western Conference.
Goalkeeper Jamal Blackman made his MLS debut after signing with LAFC earlier this month, and he helped keep the Timbers off the board until just before halftime. Portland forward Dairon Asprilla collected a loose ball at the top of the box and fed a pass forward to Yimmy Chara whose quick left-footed shot beat the dive of Blackman and settled just inside the far post, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead at the break.
LAFC head coach Bob Bradley made three changes at halftime, and one of those paid off just 10 minutes after the intermission. LAFC’s Jose Cifuentes forced a turnover in the center of the Timbers half of the field and quickly played a pass through for Musovski, who had entered the game in place of Diego Palacios at the half. Musovski placed his right-footed shot just inside the far post for his third goal of the season to tie the score at 1-1.
However, the score would stay that way for just four minutes before the Timbers were back in front. Felipe Mora won the ball near midfield and raced in on goal down the right-center channel. His initial shot hit Blackman’s left post, but the rebound went directly to Asprilla, who fired a left-footed shot into the open goal, giving Portland a 2-1 lead.
LAFC appeared to have earned a penalty kick in the 73rd minute, but the call of a handball in the box was overturned on video review and the score remained 2-1. Late in second half stoppage time, Kim Moon-Hwan saw his powerful right-footed shot parried by Portland goalkeeper Steve Clark, sealing the defeat for LAFC.
LAFC returns to action on Sunday, October 3 when it travels to Carson to take on the rival LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park. That game kicks off at 5 p.m. PT and will be broadcast live nationally in English on ESPN and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.
WHAT: LAFC suffers 2-1 home defeat to the Portland Timbers.
COLUMBUS – Columbus Crew tonight defeated LIGA MX side Deportivo Cruz Azul 2-0 to win the 2021 Campeones Cup, the annual competition between the reigning MLS Cup LIGA MX champions, becoming the first team to post a shutout in the history of the cup. The trophy marks the first piece of international silverware won by the Black & Gold, secured in the first-ever international match held at the Crew’s world-class Lower.com Field.
Lucas Zelarayan – who won his second Campeones Cup trophy – received GEICO Man of the Match award following his performance in the contest. Notably, Crew Head Coach Caleb Porter became the first American head coach to lift Campeones Cup, as the previous editions were won by head coaches from Brazil (Ricardo Ferretti, 2018) and from the Netherlands (Frank De Boer, 2019).
With tonight’s triumph, the Black & Gold brought its all-time, top-tier silverware total to seven, as the Crew have previously won two MLS Cups (2008, 2020), three Supporters’ Shields (2004, 2008, 2009) and one Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (2002).
Raúl Ruidíaz bags a brace en route to road win, taking his team scoring lead to 16 goals on the season; Seattle remains two points clear atop the Western Conference standings, returning home to face third-place Colorado on Sunday, October 3 (7:00 p.m. PT / FOX 13+, Prime Video, 1090 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM)
SAN JOSE, CALIF. – Sounders FC (15-5-6, 51 points) concluded its four-match road stretch across all competitions on Wednesday evening with a 3-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes (8-10-9, 33 points) at PayPal Park. Raúl Ruidíaz scored a first-half brace to give him 60 goals in his Seattle career across all competitions. Cristian Roldan also scored his third goal in as many games, as the Rave Green stayed atop the Western Conference standings.
Ruidíaz put Seattle up 1-0 in the 25th minute with his 15th goal of the season. After receiving a pass from Cristian Roldan at the top of the 18-yard-box, the Peruvian beat a San Jose defender and slotted a shot past Earthquakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski. He completed his brace in the 42nd minute via penalty kick after Roldan was fouled inside the area, making the score 2-0 heading into halftime. Ruidíaz’s 16 regular-season goals this season are second in the MLS Golden Boot race behind D.C. United’s Ola Kamara (17 goals). Tonight’s strikes also give him 60 tallies across all competitions since signing with Sounders FC in the summer of 2018, second in club history behind Fredy Montero’s 67 goals.
Seattle made it 3-0 in in the 49th minute when a speeding Jimmy Medranda crossed a ball in from the left wing that crossed the face of goal to the feet of a sliding Cristian Roldan, who was able to tap it into the back of the net for the midfielder’s third goal in three matches across all competitions.
San Jose got one back in the 51st minute when Shane O’Neill got to a clearance attempt late and deflected the ball over the outstretched hands of Stefan Frei for an own goal.
Brian Schmetzer’s side returns home for the first time in nearly three weeks on Sunday, October 3 for a matchup with the Colorado Rapids at Lumen Field (7:00 p.m. PT / FOX 13+, Prime Video, 1090 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM). The matchup pits Western Conference-leading Sounders FC against a third-placed Rapids side, with Colorado currently trailing the Rave Green by three points.
MATCH NOTES
Seattle remains atop the Western Conference with the win, two points above Sporting Kansas City with one game in-hand, and three points in front of Colorado. Seattle meets the Rapids at Lumen Field on Sunday, October 3.
With the result, Seattle ties its record for most road wins in a season with nine away victories, previously matching its mark set in 2011. Atlanta United holds the record for most away wins in a single season with ten, when the Five Stripes achieved that mark in 2018.
Sounders FC is now 15-11-8 all-time against San Jose in regular-season play, including a 5-4-5 mark on the road. The Rave Green have lost just once in the last 16 meetings between the two clubs (9-1-6).
With tonight’s win, Sounders FC captures the 2021 Heritage Cup after also earning a road victory in the Bay Area on May 12. Contested annually between Sounders FC and San Jose to honor the history between the two sides dating back to 1974 in the North American Soccer League, Seattle retains the Heritage Cup, winning the annual series between the clubs for the past six seasons.
Raúl Ruidíaz scored his 15th and 16th goals of the season, good for second in the MLS Golden Boot race, one behind D.C. United’s Ola Kamara. Ruidíaz now has 60 goals for Sounders FC across all competitions, second in club history behind teammate Fredy Montero’s 67.
Ruidíaz is also now in sole possession of second place in club history with 49 MLS regular-season goals, passing Dempsey’s 47 strikes and four behind Montero’s 53 tallies.
Cristian Roldan’s goal was his fourth of the season, with the University of Washington product scoring in three straight matches across all competitions. Roldan scored the first goal for the Rave Green in the Leagues Cup Final on September 22. He also scored against Sporting Kansas City on September 26, helping Seattle to another pivotal road win in the process.
Making a substitute appearance at halftime, forward Leó Chú made his MLS debut this evening in San Jose. The 21-year-old was signed from Brazilian club Grêmio on August 5, and he made his first appearance in Rave Green in Leagues Cup play on September 14, recording the match-winning assist against Mexican club Santos Laguna.
Wednesday’s match in San Jose concluded a four-match road stretch across all competitions for Seattle. Following a 1-0 loss at RSL on September 18, Sounders FC was defeated 3-2 by Club León in the 2021 Leagues Cup Final on September 22 in Las Vegas, before earning a 1-0 win at Sporting Kansas City on September 26.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 3 – San Jose Earthquakes 1
Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Venue: PayPal Park
Referee: Allen Chapman
Assistants: Frank Anderson, Jeremy Hanson
Fourth Official: Michael Radchuk
VAR: Tim Ford
Attendance: 11,361
Weather: 67 degrees and clear
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (Cristian Roldan) 25’
SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (penalty) 42’
SEA – Cristian Roldan (Jimmy Medranda) 49’
SJ – Shane O’Neill (OG) 51’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SJ – Judson (caution) 27’
SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (caution) 38’
SEA – Alex Roldan (caution) 83’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Kelyn Rowe, Yeimar, Xavier Arreaga (Nouhou HT), Shane O’Neill, Jimmy Medranda (Abdoulaye Cissoko 72’); Danny Leyva, Josh Atencio (João Paulo HT), Cristian Roldan (Alex Roldan 82’), Fredy Montero; Raúl Ruidíaz (Léo Chú HT)
Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland, Ethan Dobbelaere, Will Bruin
Total shots: 9
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 12
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 2
Saves: 3
San Jose Earthquakes – JT Marcinkowski; Oswaldo Alanis (Cade Cowell HT), Nathan, Marcos Lopez; Eric Remedi, Jackson Yueill, Judson (Luciano Abecasis 54’); Shea Salinas (Andres Rios 54’), Carlos Fierro (Chris Wondolowski 54’), Eduardo Lopez (Jack Skahan 69’), Benji Kikanovic
Substitutes not used: Daniel Vega, Paul Marie, Jack Skahan, Tommy Thompson, Jacob Akanyirige
Total shots: 9
Shots on goal: 3
Fouls: 13
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 10
Saves: 2
Montreal, – The following is the Montreal Alouettes injury report for Wednesday, September 30, 2021:
Dante Absher (WR), hip, limited participation
Vernon Adams (QB), ribs, full participation
Cameron Artis-Payne, (RB), healthy scratch, full participation
Cameron Lawson (DL), healthy scratch, full participation
Najee Murray, (DB), healthy scratch, full participation
Chris Schleuger (OL), healthy scratch, full participation
Antonio Simmons (DL), shoulder, did not participate
Tre Watson (LB), hip, full