Some Soccer News for Mar 1, 2017

It's Day 60 of 2017.


The 2017 MLS season kicks off on Friday night:
-Fri Mar 3
Portland Timbers v Minnesota United - 8:30pm CT on FS1

• See you in the stands!

My 2017 Minnesota United Predictions

• Will surprise a lot of people.

• Will score a fair amount of goals.

• Will not make the playoffs.

• Will struggle in defense.

• Will make a couple of strong player moves in the Summer.

• Will not be the worst MLS team ever, as pundits many are predicting.

• Opening Day Starting XI: 4-3-3 - Alvbage, Taylor, Demidov, Calvo, Davis, Saied, Warner, Schuller, Ibarra, JVenegas, Molino

• MVP: Kevin Molino

• Golden Boot: Christian Ramirez

• Breakout: Johan Venegas

• Newcomer: Francisco Calvo

• My 1 wish for another player: a central defensive midfield destroyer who can start the attack.

dN

Excellent watch: A round table discussion with 5 prominent black Americans in soccer including Jozy Altidore. [VIDEO] From MLSsoccer.

• Watch, listen and learn. Really listen.

dN

MINNESOTA UNITED

Meet another new member of the team, Latvian-Norwegian centerback Vadim Demidov. By Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press.

• 4 other things Greder shared:

1. Draft pick Tanner Thompson has been released.
2. Abu Danladi is dealing with an injury so he will not be playing on Friday night.
3. Demidov has been named team captain.
4. Jerome Thiesson does not have his work visa yet, so he is still in Switzerland waiting.

Shirt Numbers:
1 John Alvbage
2 Justin Davis
3 Jerome Thiesson
4 Jermaine Taylor
5 Francisco Calvo
6 Vadim Demidov
7 Ibson
8 Mohammed Saied
9 Abu Danladi
10 Miguel Ibarra
11 Johan Venegas
12 Joseph Greenspan
13 Thomas De Villardi
14 Brent Kallman
15 Ismaila Jome
16 Bashkim Kadrii
17 Collin Martin
18 Kevin Molino
20 Rasmus Schuller
21 Christian Ramirez
22 Kevin Venegas
23 Bernardo Anor
24 Patrick McLain
26 Collen Warner
30 Joshua Gatt
33 Bobby Shuttleworth

dN

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Pachuca is the first team to advance to the Semifinals with a rout of Saprissa at home.

• American Omar Gonzalez went the full 90 for Pachuca.

Mexico will have 2 teams in the Semifinals as Pumas + Tigres face off tonight in another Quarterfinal.

Tonight's a big night for Dallas.

2nd Leg
-Tue Feb 28
Pachuca 4-0 Saprissa - Pac advances 4-0 on aggregate.
-Wed Mar 1
Arabe Unido v Dallas (0-4) - 7pm CT
Pumas v Tigres (1-1) - 9pm CT
-Thu Mar 2
Vancouver v Red Bulls (1-1) - 9pm CT

• All games on Univision Deportes + CONCACAF Facebook

dN

Basic: du Nord Music Mix Vol 114 (download + extract)

dN

MLS

22 key questions - 1 for every MLS team before the season begins. By Arch Bell of ESPNFC.

MLS 2017 - out with the old, and in with the young... players.. By Doug McIntyre for ESPNFC.

Season preview from a writer with a strong perspective that I really appreciate. By Simon Evans for Reuters.

Opening Weekend Schedule:
-Fri Mar 3
Portland v v Minnesota - 8:30pm CT on FS1
-Sat Mar 4
Columbus v Chicago - 1:00pm CT
LA v Dallas - 3:00pm CT on Univision
Salt Lake v Toronto - 3:30pm CT
Colorado v New England - 5:00pm CT
DC v KC - 6:00pm CT
Houston v Seattle - 7:30pm CT
San Jose v Montreal - 9:00pm CT
-Sun Mar 5
Orlando v NYC - 4:00pm CT on ESPN
Atlanta v NYRB - 6:30pm CT on FS1
Vancouver v Philadelphia - 8:30pm CT

dN

Open Cup news:

Here is a full run down of the 2017 US Open Cup tournament! pic.twitter.com/76fV43HjKr

— Bruce McGuire (@dunord) March 1, 2017

dN

USMNT U20s at the CONCACAF Championship and U20 World Cup qualifying

Group D Matches:
-Mon Feb 27
USA 1-0 Mexico - USA goal by Erik Palmer-Brown.
-Wed Mar 1
Mexico v El Salvador
-Fri Mar 3
USA v El Salvador
-Game on Univision networks + CONCACAF Facebook.

Group D standings: (top 2 go to World Cup)
3 USA (+1)
0 ES -
0 Mex (-1)

Final is on Mar 5 in Costa Rica.

USA roster:

• G: Jonathan Klinsmann - U California, JT Marcinkowski - Georgetown

• D: Marlon Fossey - Fulham, Justen Glad - Real Salt Lake, Aaron Herrera - U New Mexico, Erik Palmer-Brown - Sporting Kansas City, Tommy Redding - Orlando City, Auston Trusty - Philadelphia Union

• M: Danny Acosta - Real Salt Lake, Tyler Adams - New York Red Bulls, Coy Craft - Dallas, Luca De la Torre - Fulham, Jonathan Gonzalez - Monterrey, Jeremiah Gutjahr - Indiana U, Jonathan Lewis - New York City, Sebastian Saucedo - Real Salt Lake, Eryk Williamson - U Maryland

• F: Jeremy Ebobisse - Portland Timbers, Brooks Lennon - Real Salt Lake, Emmanuel Sabbi - Las Palmas

• C: Tab Ramos

dN

AMERICANS ABROAD

Bobby Wood went the distance and scored in 2nd half stoppage time today for Hamburg in the DFB Pokal Quarterfinals, but they lost 1-2 to Monchengladbach.

• Fabian Johnson came on as a sub in the 76th min for Gladbach. So they are headed to the Semifinal round.

• Timmy Chandler and Eintract won 1-0 over Arminia Bielefeld to also advance to the Semifinals.

The Terrence Boyd + Darmstadt Tracker:

• Standings - Last place, 10 points below relegation, and 4 points below playoff

• Up Next - Sat Mar 4 at Werder Bremen (and American Aron Johannsson)

dN

MEXICO

The Miguel Herrera + Tijuana Tracker:

• Standings - 1st Place, with a +3 GD lead over Toluca

• Up Next - Fri Mar 3 v Pachuca (3rd place)

Up Next - its like a mini tournament:
-Fri Mar 3
Tijuana v Pachuca - #1 v #3
-Sat Mar 4
Guadalajara v Toluca - #4 v #2

dN

EUROPE

Biggest matches this weekend in Europe:
-Sat Mar 4
Roma v Napoli - #2 v #3
Liverpool v Arsenal - #5 v #4



The Bird Is The Word