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Minnesota Lynx Sign Forward Jillian Alleyne

WNBA Editor
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Minnesota Lynx Sign Forward Jillian Alleyne

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – Minnesota Lynx Head Coach and General Manager Cheryl Reeve today announced the team has signed forward Jillian Alleyne to a second seven-day contract. Minnesota originally signed Alleyne on September 10. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

 

Alleyne (pronounced AY-leen) returned to Minnesota following a two-game appearance for Washington this season, where she totaled four rebounds and one steal in eight minutes of play before being waived on May 22. The 6-3 forward spent time in the Russia-PBL with the Dynamo Novosibirsk Region this past winter, where she appeared in 20 games averaging 15.2 points on 53.9% shooting, 12.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.9 blocked shots per game prior to joining the Mystics.

 

The Fontana, Calif. native previously saw action for the Lynx in 2019 for five games, collecting four points, five rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot in just over 14 minutes of total play.

 

Alleyne was selected by Phoenix in the second round (20th overall) of the 2016 WNBA Draft following a four-year career at the University of Oregon that saw her average 17.9 points on 54.3% shooting and 14.3 rebounds in 120 games. She completed her NCAA career as the 10th player in Division I history with at least 2,000 points and 1,500 rebounds. Alleyne also finished with the second-most double-doubles in Division I history (92) and the third-most rebounds (1712).

Match Recap: Philadelphia Union 3, Orlando City SC 1

MLS Editor
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Match Recap: Philadelphia Union 3, Orlando City SC 1

Kacper Przybylko scores a brace; Jamiro Monteiro registers fifth assist of the season

CHESTER, Pa. – The Philadelphia Union beat Orlando City SC 3-1 on Sunday afternoon at Subaru Park. With the win, the Union jump to seventh place in the Eastern Conference with 35 points. The Union controlled the first half, outshooting Orlando eight to one. Kai Wagner opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a left footed shot from the center of the box, assisted by Cory Burke. In the 61st minute, Jamiro Monteiro found Kacper Przybylko to make it 2-1. Monteiro now becomes the fifth player in Union history to reach 20 career assists. Just before the final whistle, Kacper Przybylko put away a penalty after a defensive error from Orlando’s Antônio Carlos, making him the third player in Union history to score 31 career goals. Goalkeeper Andre Blake recorded three crucial saves to ensure the Union get all three points.

The Union are back home to take on Atlanta United FC at Subaru Park on Saturday, September 25th (3:30 p.m. ET / TUDN).

Philadelphia Union 3 – Orlando City SC 1

Subaru Park (Chester, PA)

Sunday, September 19, 2021

TODAY’S MATCH INFO

Referee: Alan Kelly

Assistant Referees: Adam Garner, Ryan Graves

Fourth Official: JC Griggs

VAR: Kevin Terry Jr

Ast. VAR: Claudiu Badea

Weather: 78 degrees and sunny

GOALS/ASSISTS

PHI – Kai Wagner (Burke ) 37’

ORL – Ruan (Pereyra ) 57’

PHI – Kacper Przybylko (Monteiro) 61’

PHI – Kacper Przybylko (PK) 89’

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

ORL – Rodrigo Schlegel (caution) 33’

PHI – Leon Flach (caution) 53’

ORL – Ruan (caution) 59’

ORL – Benji Michel (caution) 75’

ORL – Pedro Gallese (caution) 80’

ORL – Robin Jansson (caution) 80’

ORL – Raul Aguilera (caution) 86’

ORL – Antônio Carlos (ejection) 88’

LINEUP

Philadelphia Union: Andre Blake; Jack Elliott, Jakob Glesnes, Kai Wagner, Olivier Mbaizo; José Martínez, Leon Flach, Alejandro Bedoya (Sergio Santos 64’); Jamiro Monteiro, Cory Burke (Dániel Gazdag 58’), Kacper Przybylko

Substitutes not used: Joe Bendik, Alvas Powell, Stuart Findlay, Jesús Bueno, Jack Mcglynn, Paxten Aaronson, Quinn Sullivan

Orlando City SC: Pedro Gallese, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel (Silvester van der Water 75’), Antônio Carlos, Kyle Smith (João Moutinho 68’), Ruan; Joseph Dezart (Raul Aguilera Jr. 20’), Júnior Urso, Benji Michel; Tesho Akindele (Daryl Dike 67’) , Mauricio Pereyra

Substitutes not used: Emmanuel Más, Michael Halliday, Alexander Alvarado, Rio Hope-Gund, Adam Grinwis

TEAM NOTES

Forward Kacper Przybylko bagged his seventh and eighth goals of the season, becoming the third player in Union history to score 31 career goals for the Union.

Defender Kai Wagner scored his second goal of the season.

With the assist this afternoon, Jamiro Monteiro becomes the fifth player in Union history to hit 20 career assists.

Olivier Mbaizo earned his 35th career start in MLS play with Philadelphia Union.

Jose “El Brujo” Martinez earned his MLS career start No. 30.

Forward Cory Burke also earned his 30th career start in league play for the Union, registering his second assist of the season.

The Union are back home to take on Atlanta United FC at Subaru Park on Saturday, September 25th (3:30 p.m. ET / TUDN).

Seven From Sunday – Week 2

NFL Editor
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Seven From Sunday – Week 2

A look at seven statistical highlights from games played during the 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET windows on Sunday, September 19, the second week of the 2021 season.

  • With two games remaining, 23 teams have at least one win through the first two weeks of the 2021 season, including seven 2-0 teams: the ARIZONA CARDINALS, CAROLINA PANTHERS, DENVER BRONCOS, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS, LOS ANGELES RAMS, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS and TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS.

    Kansas City (1-0) visits Baltimore (0-1) on Sunday Night Football while Green Bay (0-1) hosts Detroit (0-1) on Monday Night Football this week. 25 teams with at least one win through the first two weeks of a season would be tied for the second-most ever, trailing only the 2012 season (26 teams).

    With two games left in Week 2, 10 of 14 games (71.4 percent) have been within one score in the fourth quarter while six games have been decided by three-or-fewer points.

    Two teams overcame deficits of at least 10 points to win in Week 2: Arizona overcame a 13-point deficit to defeat Minnesota, 34-33, while Tennessee overcame a 15-point halftime deficit and 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Seattle, 33-30, in overtime. 2021 is the first season since 2018 to feature an overtime game in each of the first two weeks of the season.

  • Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY threw five touchdown passes, including two to tight end ROB GRONKOWSKI, in the Buccaneers’ 48-25 win over Atlanta. Including the postseason, Tampa Bay has scored at least 30 points and won each of its past nine games, the longest such streak in NFL history.

    Brady has 35 career games with at least four touchdown passes, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (35 games) for the second-most such games in NFL history. Only DREW BREES (37 games) has more.

    Brady, who threw four touchdown passes on Kickoff Weekend, is the fifth quarterback in the Super Bowl era with at least nine touchdown passes in his team’s first two games of a season, joining PATRICK MAHOMES (10 touchdown passes in 2018), DREW BREES (nine in 2009), Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (nine in 2013) and RUSSELL WILSON (nine in 2020).

    Brady is the fifth quarterback in NFL history with at least four touchdown passes in each of his team’s first two games of a season, joining DREW BLEDSOE (1997), RYAN FITZPATRICK (2018), PATRICK MAHOMES (2018) and RUSSELL WILSON (2020).

    Dating back to Week 16 of the 2020 season, Brady has thrown at least four touchdown passes in four consecutive regular-season games, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (four games in 1984) for the second-longest such streak in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (five consecutive games in 2004) has a longer such streak.

    Gronkowski has 19 career regular-season games with at least two touchdown receptions and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer TONY GONZALEZ (18 games) for the second-most such games by a tight end in NFL history. Only ANTONIO GATES (21 games) has more.

    Gronkowski, who also recorded two touchdown receptions in Week 1, joins BEN COATES (1994) and DEE MACKEY (1962) as the only tight ends in league annals with at least two touchdown receptions in each of their team’s first two games of a season.

    Buccaneers safety MIKE EDWARDS returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the fourth quarter, becoming the first player since ROBERT MASSEY (October 4, 1992) with two interceptions returned for touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a single game. He is the first player since ZACH BROWN (December 30, 2012) with two interceptions returned for a touchdown in a single game.

    Atlanta quarterback MATT RYAN passed for 300 yards in Week 2. Ryan, who has 56,231 career passing yards, surpassed DREW BREES (56,033) for the most passing yards by a player in his first 14 seasons in NFL history.

  • Arizona quarterback KYLER MURRAY passed for 400 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions for a 117.6 rating and added a rushing touchdown in the Cardinals’ 34-33 comeback win over Minnesota.

    Murray, who had four touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown on Kickoff Weekend, is the first player with at least three touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown in each of his team’s first two games of a season in NFL history.

    Murray has 12 career games with both a passing and rushing touchdown, surpassing STEVE GROGAN (11 games) for the fourth-most by a quarterback in his first three seasons in NFL history. Only CAM NEWTON (20 games), JOSH ALLEN (16) and DAK PRESCOTT (13) have more.

  • Tennessee running back DERRICK HENRY totaled 237 scrimmage yards (182 rushing, 55 receiving) and three rushing touchdowns while wide receiver JULIO JONES added 128 receiving yards in the Titans’ overtime win at Seattle.

    Henry is the fourth player in NFL history with 10 career games with at least 150 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers JIM BROWN (13 games), LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (12) and BARRY SANDERS (10).

    Jones recorded his 59th career game with at least 100 receiving yards, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer MARVIN HARRISON (59 games) for the third-most such games in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers JERRY RICE (76 games) and RANDY MOSS (64) have more.

    Jones, who has 13,053 receiving yards in 137 career games, became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 13,000 receiving yards, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (154 games).

    Seattle wide receiver TYLER LOCKETT registered eight receptions for 178 yards and one touchdown on Sunday. Lockett, who recorded a 63-yard touchdown reception in Week 2 after registering a 69-yard touchdown catch last week, is the fourth player since 1990 to record multiple touchdown receptions of at least 60 yards in his team’s first two games of a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers RANDY MOSS (2005) and JERRY RICE (1991), as well as STEVE SMITH SR. (2007).

  • Las Vegas quarterback DEREK CARR passed for 382 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions for a 126.2 rating in the Raiders’ 26-17 win at Pittsburgh.

    Carr, who passed for 435 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1, is the fifth quarterback in the Super Bowl era with at least 375 passing yards and two touchdown passes in each of his team’s first two games of a season, joining DREW BLEDSOE (1994), TOM BRADY (2011), RYAN FITZPATRICK (2018) and PATRICK MAHOMES (2019).

  • Los Angeles Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT passed for 338 yards in Week 2.

    Herbert registered his 10th career game with at least 300 passing yards, tied with PATRICK MAHOMES (10 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (10) for the most such games by a player in his first two seasons in NFL history.

  • Six rookie quarterbacks – Chicago’s JUSTIN FIELDS, New England’s MAC JONES, San Francisco’s TREY LANCE, Jacksonville’s TREVOR LAWRENCE, Houston’s DAVIS MILLS and the New York Jets’ ZACH WILSON – have attempted a pass this season, tied with the 1971 season (six) for the most rookie quarterbacks to attempt a pass in the first two weeks of a season since 1970.

    Cincinnati rookie wide receiver JA’MARR CHASE recorded a 42-yard touchdown reception in Week 2.

    Chase, who had a 50-yard touchdown reception in his NFL debut last week, is the second player since 1970 to record a touchdown reception of at least 40 yards in each of his first two career games, joining SAMMY WHITE (1976).

NEVADA FOOTBALL — Kansas State 38, Nevada 17

NCAAFB Editor
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NEVADA FOOTBALL — Kansas State 38, Nevada 17

Kansas State 38, Nevada 17

Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021

Manhattan, Kan. – Bill Snyder Family Stadium

  • Nevada falls to 2-1 after a 38-17 loss at Kansas State.

  • The Wolf Pack is 0-6 against Big 12 opponents following its first-ever meeting against Kansas State.

  • QB Carson Strong completed 27-of-40 passes for 262 yards with one touchdown and one interception. It marked the fewest passing yards of the season after tossing 312 at Cal and 381 against Idaho State.

  • The Pack were held to 25 total yards rushing. RB Devonte Lee led with 27 yards on 10 attempts. Lee now has 1,015 rushing yards over his 32-games played with Nevada.

  • Nevada combined averaged 1.1 yards per attempt its lowest of the season.

  • Nevada out gained Kansas State through the air with 306 yards passing compared to 129 for K-State. The Pack had 10 different receivers catch the football.

  • WR Romeo Doubs made 7 catches for 121 yards for a season high in yardage. His previous season-best was 83 yards on six receptions against Cal on Sept. 4. It marked his most receiving yards since he gained 133 yards on 5 receptions at Hawai’i on Nov. 21, 2020.

  • WR Elijah Cooks caught the only touchdown pass for the Pack, a 14-yard strike by Strong with 4:08 left in the third quarter to tie the game 17-17. It capped a nine-play 42-yard drive for Nevada.

  • WR Melquan Stovall recorded 76 receiving yards on seven catches with a long of 44 yards. The 76 receiving yards marked a season-high for the wideout.

  • LB Daiyan Henley led the Pack with 11 tackles (7 solo, 4 ast). DL Dom Peterson recorded three tackles with two for a loss of two yards.

  • K-State outgained Nevada in total yards 398 to 331 with 276 of those yards coming on the ground.

  • The 17 points for the Pack was the lowest point total in a loss since Oct. 26, 2019, when Nevada fell 31-3 at Wyoming.

  • Nevada’s run of 20-plus points scored in a game has been snapped at 14 straight dating back to Nov. 9, 2019.

  • This marks the first time since Dec. 11, 2020, that the Wolf Pack defense has allowed 30-plus points in game and only three times in the last two seasons have the Pack allowed 30 or more points in a game.

Dynamo win Texas Derby with 3-2 victory over FC Dallas

MLS Editor
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Dynamo win Texas Derby with 3-2 victory over FC Dallas

NEED TO KNOW:

·       Dynamo win the season series against FC Dallas

·       FW Fafà Picault’s 20th-minute goal tied his career high with 10 goals in a single season

·       MF Darwin Quintero scored his first goal of the season on a 59th-minute penalty kick

HOUSTON – Houston Dynamo FC defeated FC Dallas 3-2 at BBVA Stadium in the final edition of the Texas Derby this season. This was the second time in the past three matches that Houston captured all three points against a Texas rival, and the win extended the Dynamo’s unbeaten run to three in a row.

With the win, the Dynamo claimed the 2021 Texas Derby, finishing with a win and two draws in the annual series. The winner of the annual series captures El Capitan, a Texas Revolutionary War-era cannon, and the cannon will return to Houston for the first time since 2017.

The Dynamo did not need long to break open the scoring. In just the fifth minute, defender Adam Lundkvist found forward Fafà Picault streaking up the left wing. Picault then whipped a pass across the 18-yard-box that eventually found the feet of forward Griffin Dorsey at the back post, where he hammered home his second goal in the past three matches.

Dorsey’s goal marked the third consecutive match in which the Dynamo scored first, all of which have ended with Houston earning at least a point.

Houston built on the momentum from the early goal with a dominant first-half performance, keyed in large part by the play of Dorsey and Picault. The duo connected on Houston’s second goal of the game in the 20th minute. This time it was Dorsey who found Picault for the sliding effort to put the home side up 2-0. The goal was Picault’s 10th of the season, tying his career high from 2018 while with Philadelphia.

Dallas’ best chance of the first half came off a 36th-minute corner kick. After the initial corner was dealt with, midfielder Brandon Servania received the ball from the corner and immediately laced a shot from outside of the 18-yard-box. The dipping shot was on target but was parried away by Houston goalkeeper Michael Nelson before being cleared. Nelson was credited with two saves on the night as he earned his second victory in MLS play.

The Dynamo extended the lead to 3-0 early in the second half when defender and captain Tim Parker drew a foul inside the box while attempting to corral the ball in the 59th minute. After the foul was called, midfielder Darwin Quintero took the penalty kick and coolly curled the ball past a diving effort from Dallas goalkeeper Phelipe. The goal was the first of the season for Quintero.

FC Dallas broke into the scoring column twice late in the game. The first goal for the visiting side came in the 86th minute when forward Jáder Obrian received a pass from midfielder Jesús Ferreira before scoring to pull a goal back for the visiting team.

Obrian also accounted for the second goal, this time in stoppage time, to get Dallas within one goal to earn a draw. This time, Obrian struck the ball from outside the 18-yard-box and past a diving Nelson to shrink the Dynamo lead to just one goal. Despite the late scoring spurt, Houston was able to fend off their in-state rivals and secure the victory.

The Dynamo will be back in action next Saturday, September 25 when they visit Minneapolis to take on Minnesota United FC in another crucial contest as they push for a postseason berth. Kickoff for that match is set for 7 p.m. CDT, and fans can watch in English on Quest Texas Ch. 55 or in Spanish on TeleXitos Ch. 47.2.

Houston Dynamo FC (5-10-11; 26 pts.) 3-2 FC Dallas (6-11-9; 27 pts.)

MLS Regular Season – Week 26

BBVA Stadium – Houston, Texas

Attendance: 12,353

SCORING SUMMARY

TEAM

1H

2H

FT

Houston Dynamo FC

2

1

3

FC Dallas

0

2

2

HOU: Griffin Dorsey 2 (unassisted) 5

HOU: Fafà Picault 10 (Griffin Dorsey 1) 20

HOU: Darwin Quintero 1 (penalty) 59

DAL: Jáder Obrian 7 (Jesús Ferreira 6) 86

DAL: Jáder Obrian 8 (Edwin Munjoma 1) 90+4

LINEUPS:

Houston Dynamo FC: Michael Nelson; Adam Lundkvist (Sam Junqua 35), Teenage Hadebe, Tim Parker (C), Zarek Valentin (Corey Baird 60); Matías Vera, Darwin Cerén; Darwin Quintero (Memo Rodriguez 79); Fafà Picault, Maxi Urruti (Joe Corona 60), Griffin Dorsey

Unused substitutes: Kyle Morton, Derrick Jones, Ari Lassiter, Maynor Figueroa, Boniek García

Total shots: 12 (Griffin Dorsey 3); Shots on goal: 5 (Darwin Quintero 2); Fouls: 12 (Darwin Cerén 4); Offside: 0; Corner kicks: 4; Saves: 2 (Michael Nelson 2)

FC Dallas: Phelipe; Ema Twusami (Szabolcs Schön 78), Matt Hedges (C), Nkosi Burgess, Justin Che (Edwin Munjoma 46); Facundo Quignón (Bryan Acosta 46), Brandon Servania (Andrés Ricaurte 71); Paxton Pomykal (Franco Jara 46), Jesús Ferreira, Jáder Obrian; Ricardo Pepi

Unused substitutes: Kyle Zobek, Bressan, Edwin Cerillo, José Antonio Martínez

Total shots: 16 (Jáder Obrian 4); Shots on goal: 4 (Jáder Obrian 2); Fouls: 10 (Bryan Acosta 3); Offside: 2; Corner kicks: 6; Saves: 2 (Phelipe 2)

DISCIPLINE:

HOU: Zarek Valentin (yellow card, foul) 40

DAL: Szabolcs Schön (yellow card, foul) 90+5

OFFICIALS:

Referee: Victor Rivas

Assistant Referee: Adam Wienckowski

Assistant Referee: Logan Brown

Fourth Official: Nima Saghafi

VAR: Daniel Radford

Weather: 85 degrees, scattered showers

THREE POINTS: Houston Dash host Mexican Powerhouse Tigres Femenil on Sunday

NWSL Editor
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THREE POINTS: Houston Dash host Mexican Powerhouse Tigres Femenil on Sunday

NEED TO KNOW:

Houston host Tigres Femenil on Sunday in the first women’s international club friendly at BBVA Stadium

Midfielder Christine Nairn will retire following Sunday’s game. Nairn has played in 170 games in all competitions for four teams beginning with her rookie season in 2013 with the Seattle Reign

Tigres Femenil are the reigning LigaMX Femenil champions and have won four league titles since 2017

HOUSTON – The Houston Dash return to BBVA Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 19 to host their first international friendly as they welcome Tigres Femenil from Mexico.

The Houston Dash return to action after a break for the FIFA international window. The Dash will miss six players on Sunday due to the international window. Rachel Daly and England opened their campaign to qualify for the 2023 Women’s World Cup with an 8-0 victory over North Macedonia. Jane Campbell, Kirstie Mewis and Abby Dahlkemper joined the U.S. Women’s National Team for a pair of friendlies against Paraguay and won the first meeting 9-0. Michelle Alozie and Nigeria opened the Aisha Buhari Cup with a 2-0 victory over Mali.Andrea Hauksdottir and Iceland open their World Cup qualification campaign on Tuesday against the Netherlands.

Tigres Femenil enter Sunday’s game unbeaten in league play with a 9-0-0 record after their 5-0 victory over Pachuca on Sunday. Tigres is the favorite to win the LigaMX Femenil title this season after a strong start to the year. The team has scored 23 goals in their last six games and have only conceded two goals in that stretch.

Sunday’s match is the second meeting between both teams after Tigres Femenil earned a 2-1 victory over Houston in Monterrey, Mexico in 2019. Houston will play its third international match of the year after representing the NWSL in the 2021 Women’s International Champions Cup in Portland this summer.

The Dash return to league play next Sunday on the road against Racing Louisville FC. Houston returns to BBVA Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 10 to host the North Carolina Courage at 6 p.m. CT.

Here are the three key points ahead of Sunday’s game:

NAIRN TO RETIRE AND JOIN HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT: Prior to kickoff of Sunday’s Dash vs. Tigres match, the Dash will celebrate Christine Nairn and honor one of the most widely respected and admired players in NWSL history with a special pre-match ceremony. Nairn, 30, is an original member of the National Women’s Soccer League, starting her professional career as the seventh overall pick in the inaugural NWSL College Draft in 2013. She has played in 170 NWSL matches across all competitions over the last eight seasons, including 155 regular-season contests for Seattle Reign FC (now OL Reign), the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride and the Houston Dash. Following her retirement, Nairn announced that she plans to remain in Houston and has accepted an opportunity to join the Houston Fire Department Academy to become a firefighter.

DASH LOOK TO SPARK PLAYOFF PUSH: The Dash return to league play on Sunday, Sept. 26 with the first of three games on the road. Houston will look to secure a top-six finish to earn their first playoff berth in team history. Houston is currently tied with the Washington Spirit for the sixth and final playoff spot with six games left in the regular season. The playoff race will go down to the wire as six points separate the Dash from the North Carolina Courage currently in third place. Houston’s first two matches following the international break are against opponents below them in the table and the Dash will face direct rivals in their final four games of the season.

TIGRES TOP OF THE TABLE IN MEXICO: Tigres are the reigning LigaMX Femenil champions and have won four titles since 2017. Their dominance was on clear display in their last league match, a 5-0 trashing over Pachuca at home, last Sunday. Tigres have conceded three goals in nine matches and have scored 35 goals this season. Tigres will miss Maria Sanchez, Nancy Lopez and Cristina Ferral on Sunday due to Mexico’s friendly with Colombia on Tuesday.

MLS Suspends San Jose Earthquakes Head Coach Matías Almeyda

MLS Editor
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MLS Suspends San Jose Earthquakes Head Coach Matías Almeyda

The MLS League Office today announced that San Jose Earthquakes head coach Matías Almeyda has been fined an undisclosed amount and issued a one-match suspension as a result of his actions toward officials following San Jose’s match against Real Salt Lake on Sept. 15, 2021. Almeyda will serve his suspension on Sept. 18 against Austin FC.

PREVIEW: Orlando City Travels to Face Philadelphia Union on Sunday

MLS Editor
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PREVIEW: Orlando City Travels to Face Philadelphia Union on Sunday

Lions begin three-game road trip in City of Brotherly Love

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando City SC (10-6-8, 38 points) is set to begin a three-game road trip on Sunday, Sept. 19 in a matchup against 2020 Supporters’ Shield winners Philadelphia Union (8-7-8, 32) at Subaru Park. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m. ET.

Sunday’s match will be nationally televised on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, while being transmitted on Real Radio 104.1 in English and Acción 97.9FM, 810AM in Spanish.

“We have a tough week, as you all know, now going to Philadelphia [Union] and planning to get those three points. It looks like we’re going to need a lot of energy and character too to bounce back and try to bring back a result.,” said Head Coach Oscar Pareja. “Philadelphia is battling too, not just in the league but also in this international competition that they finished. Their ways, you all know them, the tactical part of Philadelphia is well known. Now we had the boys training again as always and trying to see if we can plan on getting this result and get back on the road.”

The Lions will look for back-to-back victories against the Union in 2021 on Sunday after battling to a 2-1 victory earlier this season on July 22 at Exploria Stadium. Benji Michel and Andrés Perea each found the back of the net in that fixture to lead the Lions to a victory.

City will look to bounce back from a home defeat to CF Montréal at the midweek. The match saw defenders Robin Jansson and Ruan score their first goals for the Lions in MLS, with the latter netting his first across all competitions.

Nani leads the Lions with nine goals this season, but will be unavailable for Sunday’s match due to red-card suspension after being shown a second yellow card on Wednesday evening. Teammate Andrés Perea will also not be available for selection after he too was shown a red card late in Wednesday’s match.

The Union enter Sunday’s match after falling 2-0 in Concacaf Champions League play to Club América on Wednesday night. Two second half finishes from the Liga MX side led the visitors over the Union, advancing them to the CCL Final.

Kacper Przybylko leads Philadelphia with six goals this season followed by Cory Burke and Sergio Santos each with four. Jamiro Monteiro and Kai Wagner hold the team-high in assists, each with four to their credit.

Following Sunday’s fixture, the Lions will continue on the road as they travel to take on the New England Revolution on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Gillette Stadium.

Match Recap: Sounders FC Suffers 1-0 Road Loss Saturday Evening to Real Salt Lake

MLS Editor
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Match Recap: Sounders FC Suffers 1-0 Road Loss Saturday Evening to Real Salt Lake
Kreilach scores lone goal for the home side, handing Seattle just its second road loss this season; Rave Green now prepare for Wednesday’s Leagues Cup Final at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas against Liga MX side Club León (7:00 p.m. PT / ESPN2, TUDN, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM)
SANDY, UTAH – Damir Kreilach scored the game’s lone goal as Sounders FC (13-5-6, 45 points) fell 1-0 on the road to Real Salt Lake (10-9-6, 36 points) on Saturday evening at Rio Tinto Stadium. It marked just the second road loss for Seattle this season, as the Rave Green now prepare for Wednesday’s Leagues Cup Final against Club León at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (7:00 p.m. PT / ESPN2, TUDN, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).
Real Salt Lake’s goal came early in the second half when Kreilach got his head on the end of a cross by Aaron Herrera and directed the ball past the outstretched arms of Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei, bagging what would be the game-winning goal.
Brian Schmetzer’s side now shifts its focus to the 2021 Leagues Cup Final on Wednesday, September 22 against Liga MX side Club León. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. PT from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with national TV coverage on ESPN2 and TUDN, in addition to local radio broadcasts on 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM.
MATCH NOTES
  • With the result, Sounders FC remains in second place in the Western Conference standings, one point behind Sporting Kansas City with one game in hand.
  • Sounders FC is 12-13-5 all-time vs. Real Salt Lake in regular-season action with a 34-35 goal differential. Tonight marked the second meeting between the two sides this season, following a 2-1 Seattle home win on June 23.
  • Seattle is 7-2-2 on the road this season, recording fewer losses away from home than any team in MLS.
  • There were five changes to the starting XI from Tuesday’s Leagues Cup match vs. Santos Laguna. Of note, midfielder Nico Lodeiro did not travel and is out in the short-term after re-aggravating his previous right knee injury.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 0 – Real Salt Lake 1
Saturday, September 18, 2021
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Assistants: Ian Anderson, Corey Parker
Fourth Official: Tim Ford
VAR: Michael Radchuk
Attendance: 19,850
Weather: 71 degrees and clear
SCORING SUMMARY
RSL – Damir Kreilach (Aaron Herrera, Albert Rusnak) 48’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
RSL – Everton Luiz (caution) 33’
RSL – Damir Kreilach (caution) 41’
SEA – Abdoulaye Cissoko (caution) 45’
RSL – Aaron Herrera (caution) 53’
RSL – Anderson Julio (caution) 85’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Xavier Arreaga, Nouhou, Brad Smith (Jimmy Medranda 64’), Alex Roldan (Kelyn Rowe 46’), Abdoulaye Cissoko (Yeimar 64’), Alex Roldan; Josh Atencio, Danny Leyva (Will Bruin 80’), Cristian Roldan (Fredy Montero 64’), Nicolas Benezet; Raúl Ruidíaz
Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland, João Paulo, Shane O’Neill, Léo Chú
Total shots: 9
Shots on goal: 2
Fouls: 6
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 6
Saves: 4
Real Salt Lake – David Ochoa; Justen Glad, Erik Holt, Aaron Herrera (Maikel Chang 82’), Toni Datkovic; Pablo Ruiz, Damir Kreilach, Justin Meram (Noah Powder 61’), Albert Rusnak, Everton Luiz; Rubio Rubin (Anderson Julio 71’)
Substitutes not used: Danny Toia, Jonathan Menendez, Nick Besler, Milan Iloski, Justin Portillo, Andrew Putna
Total shots: 16
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 21
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 7
Saves: 2

Match Recap: Earthquakes 4, Austin FC 3

MLS Editor
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Match Recap: Earthquakes 4, Austin FC 3

Chofis scores twice, Quakes erase two-goal deficit to earn road win

AUSTIN, Texas – The San Jose Earthquakes earned a 4-3 road victory over Austin FC on Saturday evening at Q2 Stadium. The victory sees the Quakes earn their first-ever win over the expansion team and extend their unbeaten streak on the road to eight, a new club record. Chofis scored two goals and has now scored five goals in the past two games.

Austin FC took an early lead in the sixth minute. A cross into the box found Moussa Djitte unmarked, but his low header was saved by goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski. The loose ball remained precariously in front of goal and was put away by an onrushing Sebastian Driussi.

San Jose responded with a goal of their own just 11 minutes later when Carlos Fierro’s corner kick was headed into the upper corner by Marcos Lopez.

Austin regained the lead in the 35th minute after Jon Gallagher finished off a low pass across the front of goal. Austin then added a third goal minutes before halftime when Alexander Ring scored on a shot from distance.

The Quakes cut the deficit in half in the 49th minute. Lopez played a pass to Benji Kikanovic who one-touched a through ball into the path of Cristian Espinoza. Espinoza gained control before slotting his shot around goalkeeper Brad Stuver to make the score 3-2.

The Earthquakes then equalized in the 58th minute when Austin was called for a handball in the box and Chofis converted the ensuing penalty kick.

Chofis scored his second goal of the match just five minutes later to give San Jose their first lead. His knuckling shot from distance was saved by Stuver but he corralled the rebound and sent a low shot into the back of the net.

Despite a late surge by Austin, San Jose held on to secure the three points.

The Earthquakes will now return to San Jose to take on Los Angeles Football Club on Saturday, Sept. 25, presented by Valley Health Plan. Kickoff from PayPal Park is set for 7:00 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on Telemundo 48, KNBR 1050 and KZSF 1370.

GAME NOTES

The Earthquakes now hold a 7-9-9 record (30 pts.) during the 2021 MLS regular season and are currently in 9th place in the Western Conference, just three points below the playoff line.

The Quakes are now 1-0-1 all-time vs. Austin FC.

The Quakes are now unbeaten in eight consecutive road matches, the longest such run in club history (2003).

San Jose’s last two matches have resulted in 14 total goals (for and against), the most in consecutive matches in club history.

Defender Marcos Lopez scored his first goal of the season and third of his MLS career. His goal also marks the first goal against Austin FC in Earthquakes history.

Midfielder Carlos Fierro tallied an assist on Lopez’s goal, marking his third assist of the season and 10th of his MLS career.

Midfielder Chofis scored his team-leading ninth and 10th goals of the season and ninth and 10th goals of his MLS career. His first goal marked his first goal by way of penalty kick. Including his hat-trick on Wednesday, Chofis became the first Quakes player to score 5+ goals in a two-game span since Chris Wondolowski tallied six from May 18, 2019 (4) to May 26, 2019 (2).

Rookie forward Benji Kikanovic tallied an assist on Espinoza’s goal, marking his first assist of the season and of his MLS career. The match also marked his second MLS start.

Defender Tommy Thompson started and played 68 minutes. It marked his first appearance since June 22.

MLS Regular Season

Austin FC 3 – 4 San Jose Earthquakes

Sept. 18, 2021 – Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas

Attendance: 20,738

Man of the Match: Chofis

Scoring Summary: ATX – Sebastian Driussi (unassisted) 6; SJ – Marcos Lopez (Carlos Fierro) 17; ATX – Jon Gallagher (Alex Ring, Dani Pereira) 35; ATX – Alex Ring (Sebastian Driussi) 45; SJ – Cristian Espinoza (Benji Kikanovic) 48; SJ – Chofis (penalty) 58; SJ – Chofis (unassisted) 63.

Misconduct Summary: ATX – Dani Pereira (caution) 4; ATX – Alex Ring (caution) 58; ATX – Brad Stuver (caution) 60; SJ – Cristian Espinoza (caution) 61; ATX – Alex Ring (ejection) 65; ATX – Julio Cascante (caution) 69; SJ – Paul Marie (caution) 72; SJ – Eric Remedi (caution) 90+3. SJ – Andy Rios (caution) 90+6.

AUSTIN FC: Brad Stuver; Jhohan Romana, Hector Jimenez, Julio Cascante (MiKinzie Gaines 90+3), Nick Lima; Alex Ring, Dani Pereira (Sebastian Berhalter 46), Sebastian Driussi, Tomas Pochettino (Diego Fagundez 61), Jon Gallagher (Rodney Redes 61), Moussa, Djitte (Cecilio Dominguez 46).

Substitutes not used: Freddy Kleemann, Zan Kolmanic, Jared Stroud, Andrew Tarbell.

SHOTS: 15; SHOTS ON GOAL: 10; FOULS: 17; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 4

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: JT Marcinkowski; Marcos Lopez, Tanner Beason, Nathan (Oswaldo Alanis 86), Tommy Thompson (Paul Marie 68); Eric Remedi, Jackson Yueill; Carlos Fierro (Cade Cowell 46), Chofis (Andy Rios 85), Cristian Espinoza (Jack Skahan 76); Benji Kikanovic.

Substitutes not used: Luciano Abecasis, Jacob Akanyirige, Daniel Vega, Chris Wondolowski.

SHOTS: 15; SHOTS ON GOAL: 8; FOULS: 4; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: 8

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH MATIAS ALMEYDA

On Chofis’ form in recent matches:

“I am very happy for him. There was great sacrifice in getting him to San Jose and reaching the level he is currently at after going a year and a half without playing. He changed the way he trains and lives football, including his professionalism and calmness. He knows that I try to get to know him and advise him. I have committed mistakes in my life, and I don’t want him to commit the same mistakes. I want to see him stay the way he is now. This causes me to be very happy. He is a young, talented player, and for a moment, he was torn by his critics. He can make mistakes and he will learn from them. He will learn by my side and he will keep growing. He has my confidence in him to make his own decisions. It makes me very happy seeing him play this way. I know his family and I am happy for them too. When I see him progressing in the sport, it makes me very pleased because he is progressing in life, and no one talks about that.”

On the team’s offensive approach in recent matches:

“Honestly, I am surprised in a good way when we score goals in our favor, but there have been too many goals against us. It’s something in which we have improved, but we went back to making collective and individual mistakes. As I always say, it’s better to correct over a win than over a loss.”

On San Jose’s recent form:

“Our project at San Jose is different from projects at other teams. We play younger players. We are calling up players from the academy. We have yielded positive results, and some results that are just okay. Our process is slower. We want the players to form an identity with San Jose, of what we intend. I think we are doing well for the most part, but there are certainly things to improve.”

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES GOALKEEPER JT MARCINKOWSKI

On the team’s strategy:

“I think the strategy didn’t really change much. We just didn’t play a good first half. We came in at halftime and knew we could play so much better. It’s the same belief and same unity that we’ve always had. The guys were frustrated at halftime and we talked about it and had to go back to playing and being like ourselves. I didn’t think we were all in the first half. I thought we were pretty passive and let the game come to us instead of bringing ourselves into the game. We did that in the second half. The last 15 to 20 minutes weren’t great either and that is something we need to work on.”

On the team’s resilience to overcome a two-goal deficit:

“Resiliency is a great word. I think it’s something we always talk about in our locker room. The belief and fight and just the will to win. I think we’ve been in so many close games this year and I think we’ve been a little bit hesitant or have been missing the final pass or final goal, or final save from me. I think we showed tonight that we can do it and have nine games left to show it and show the rest of the league that we’re a team to really watch out for.”

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