Latest news with #U.S.OpenCup
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Lionel Messi among Inter Miami's starting XI for crucial matchup at Cincinnati
Lionel Messi will try to keep he and Inter Miami's recent surge going as he will suit up for Wednesday night's crucial MLS clash against Cincinnati FC. Messi was listed in Miami's starting lineup along with 10 of the same starters, who suited up for the club's recent victory this past Saturday against Nashville SC. Messi will aim to continue a historic scoring streak as he has scored at least two goals in five consecutive MLS matches. Messi enters the game tied with Nashville's Sam Surridge for a league-high 16 goals this season, and has scored 22 overall across all competitions. Messi will play against Cincinnati for only the second time since joining Inter Miami and is looking for his first career goal against them. Messi did convert a penalty kick in a shootout win for Miami on Aug. 23, 2023, in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. Messi's surge has coincided with Miami's resurgence in recent weeks. Miami (11-3-5) enters the match with 38 points and in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, just four points behind Cincinnati (13-6-3), which has 42 points. The club has won five consecutive MLS matches and is unbeaten in its past six. And Miami still has three more games left to play than the four teams it is pursuing in the standings. Messi and Luis Suarez will each start Wednesday, as will goalkeeper Oscar Ustari. Miami's one change from its most recent match is on the back end where Tomas Aviles will get the start. David Martinez is out for Wednesday night's game. Yannick Bright (hamstring), Gonzalo Lujan (hamstring) and David Ruiz (hamstring) all traveled to Cincinnati and are listed as available substitutes. Noah Allen (hamstring), Allen Obando (hamstring), Ian Fray (adductor), Baltasar Rodriguez (hamstring) and Drake Callender (hernia) are all out.
Canada News.Net
4 days ago
- Sport
- Canada News.Net
Two sizzling squads meet when LAFC visit Minnesota United
(Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images) Off back-to-back home shutout wins over the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas, Los Angeles FC will try for their first-ever road victory over Minnesota United on Wednesday night in Saint Paul, Minn. LAFC (9-5-5, 32 points), who blanked the Loons 1-0 in the season opener for both teams on Feb. 22 in Los Angeles, are 0-2-4 all-time in road matches with Minnesota, including a 2-0 loss last season. LAFC are sixth in the Western Conference but still have three games in hand after going 0-2-1, including a 2-0 loss to eventual champion Chelsea, in the FIFA Club World Cup. After a 1-0 home loss to Vancouver, Los Angeles bounced back with a 3-0 win over the Rapids and a 2-0 victory last Saturday over Dallas. Former Tottenham star and French international Hugo Lloris needed to make just one save against Dallas for his eighth clean sheet of the season and 20th in two seasons with LAFC. Denis Bouanga had a goal and an assist to increase his MLS totals to 10 goals and seven assists in 18 matches. 'There is rhythm, that is great to see,' LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said. 'There is confidence. That is good to see. ... We have done this for two (matches) in a row, and we hope to continue that against Minnesota.' Los Angeles will have to do it without one of its best defenders, however. The team announced Tuesday that Aaron Long, carted off in the 76th minute against Dallas, underwent surgery for a ruptured left Achilles tendon and will miss the rest of the season. Minnesota (11-4-7, 40 points) is second in the Western Conference, two points behind San Diego FC, and is a perfect 3-0-0 in July, including a U.S. Open Cup win over the Chicago Fire, outscoring its opponents 9-3 in the process. The Loons come in off an impressive 4-1 home win over San Jose on Saturday. Tani Oluwaseyi had a goal and two assists and Robin Lod picked up his 34th career assist, eclipsing Emanuel Reynoso's regular-season club record of 33. Oluwaseyi, a member of the Canadian national team, has nine goals and eight assists this season. 'I think in general it was a high-level performance, and I think the score line reflected that and the chances we had reflected that,' Minnesota coach Eric Ramsay said. 'I think this team has a lot of energy and a lot of momentum at the moment.'
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Messi aims to keep scoring streak alive as Inter Miami faces Cincinnati on the road
Lionel Messi is on a roll entering the Inter Miami game at FC Cincinnati Wednesday, with two goals in each of his past five MLS matches. An obscure statistic could serve as extra motivation for him to keep the streak alive. The Argentine legend, who has scored 872 goals over his illustrious career, has never scored against Cincinnati, unless you count the penalty kick he converted in a shootout win on Aug. 23, 2023, in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. Messi provided a pair of assists for a Leo Campana brace that day but did not score from the run of play. Two months later, Messi was returning from injury and entered the Miami game against Cincinnati as a second half sub but did not score. He was away on international duty and missed Cincinnati's 6-1 rout of Miami in early July 2024, as did Luis Suarez. Jordi Alba was not available for that game, either, due to yellow card accumulation and Sergio Busquets exited with a pair of yellows in the second half, leaving Miami with 10 men. Messi also skipped their most recent matchup in August 2024 due to injury. Informed by media members that Messi had never scored against Cincinnati, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano broke into a huge grin and said: 'That's great news you are giving me. I'm sure he already knows. But that is great motivation. We all know Leo. In every game he finds extra motivation, not only individually but collectively. He loves a new challenge. He's one of those players who, if that challenge isn't there, he will invent one. That's why he's so great. Hopefully, he can end that scoreless streak.' Cincinnati sits in second place in the Eastern Conference with 42 points from 22 games, just one point behind league leader Philadelphia Union. Cincinnati was in first place and riding a four-game winning streak last week but lost 4-2 to Columbus. Inter Miami returns to Cincinnati for the first time since that 6-1 drubbing last summer and has lost three straight games at TQL Stadium. But Miami is in good form, with five consecutive MLS victories and a strong performance in the Club World Cup. Messi and his teammates have climbed to fifth place in the East with three games in hand over their opponents and are just three points from third place and five from the top of the table. The team is coming off a 2-1 home victory over Nashville on Saturday. 'It's a similar situation as Nashville, a team that though it lost the other day, was coming off a very good streak at home, winning lots of games, and we expect a very difficult game against a team with great players and a coach with a lot of MLS experience,' Mascherano said of Cincinnati. Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan said while Inter Miami is best known for its superstars, his players must beware of the entire roster. 'Their best players are really strong, but it's not just about Messi, Suarez, Busquets, Alba who are, we know, world class. They've done this their entire careers. But I think the pieces around them right now are also performing at a high level,' Noonan said. 'You see all the pieces, he [Telasco) Segovia's, the [Fede] Redondo's. On the back line - [Maxi] Falcon - these guys are, and I'm naming all of these players that are getting a lot of minutes and helping them, [Tadeo] Allende. These are really good players. So, our 11 have to be collective in everything they do to try to make them uncomfortable when we have the ball and be very connected and very strong especially in one v one moments.' Inter Miami midfielders Yannick Bright and David Ruiz and defender Gonzalo Lujan got medical clearance to play and will travel to the game after long layoffs, Mascherano confirmed. He was unsure how much they would play. Center back David Martinez's loan from River Plate expires on Wednesday, so he will not travel with the team and is headed back to Argentina. Noonan noted Inter Miami's improved defense, which is bolstered by strong leadership from goalkeeper Oscar Ustari and center back Maxi Falcon. 'I think defensively you can see, just in moments where the ball turns over, the organization and how they've defended against the ball to be tough to play against,' Noonan said. 'So, I think that's been a strength of their team and in recent months, from what we've seen' With 10 goals in his last five league matches, Messi set a league record. 'The reality is we're playing one of, if not the, greatest players that ever played, so we have to be mindful of where he is and what he does,' defender Matt Miazga said. 'But at the same time, we're playing at home. We have to focus on ourselves and push our game forward. If we do that, we'll minimize them, and that's the most important thing. So that's the focus now.' Kevin Denkey and Evander lead Cincinnati with 25 goals between them. Cincinnati also features former Inter Miami right back DeAndre Yedlin. How to Watch: Inter Miami vs. Cincinnati kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Apple TV MLS Season Pass.
Canada Standard
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Canada Standard
D.C. United take on Galaxy in first match under interim coach
(Photo credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images) Troy Lesesne paid the price for D.C. United's lackluster season and academy director Kevin Flanagan will serve as interim coach when the Black-and-Red face the Los Angeles Galaxy on Friday night in Carson, Calif. Lesesne was fired Thursday, one day after D.C. United lost 5-2 to Nashville SC to be eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup. Reports suggest Rene Weiler, the sporting director for Swiss side Servette FC, is in line to take over the coaching duties. 'Results have not been acceptable,' D.C. United chief soccer officer Ally Mackay told reporters on Friday. 'For us, it's really taking inventory of what we're doing.' D.C. United (4-10-7, 19 points) are in 12th place in the East and trying to snap a five-season playoff drought. Lesesne was 14-24-17 in MLS play over 1 1/2 seasons. D.C. United have been outscored 39-17 and are tied for last in the MLS with a minus-22 goal differential. CF Montreal have also allowed 22 more goals then they have scored. Christian Benteke is rounding back into form after an ankle injury that led him to miss six MLS regular-season matches. He was the MLS leader with 23 goals last season. He has six in 14 matches this season. D.C. United played a scoreless draw against Atlanta United in their last MLS match on July 5. Los Angeles (2-13-6, 12 points) has recovered from the worst start in MLS history (0-12-4) to earn points in four of its past five matches (2-1-2). However, the Galaxy are still in last place in the 15-team Western Conference. The Galaxy played perhaps their best match of the season with a 3-0 victory over the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps on July 4. Joseph Paintsil scored twice after entering with just one goal. That was a pleasing sight for the Galaxy, as Paintsil had 10 goals and 10 assists last season when they were MLS champions. 'I think with anybody, whether it's a goal-scorer or shooter in basketball, with anybody, once you find your rhythm, and you get the confidence and you get that flow, you hope things start to drop for you,' Galaxy coach Greg Vanney told reporters. 'I feel like with Joe, I feel like (July 4) was a good night, and we'll see if we can start to build some momentum with him. It's a good thing for him for sure.' In the most recent meeting, D.C. United recorded a 3-0 home win over Los Angeles on May 20, 2023. --Field Level Media
Canada News.Net
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Canada News.Net
D.C. United take on Galaxy in first match under interim coach
(Photo credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images) Troy Lesesne paid the price for D.C. United's lackluster season and academy director Kevin Flanagan will serve as interim coach when the Black-and-Red face the Los Angeles Galaxy on Friday night in Carson, Calif. Lesesne was fired Thursday, one day after D.C. United lost 5-2 to Nashville SC to be eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup. Reports suggest Rene Weiler, the sporting director for Swiss side Servette FC, is in line to take over the coaching duties. 'Results have not been acceptable,' D.C. United chief soccer officer Ally Mackay told reporters on Friday. 'For us, it's really taking inventory of what we're doing.' D.C. United (4-10-7, 19 points) are in 12th place in the East and trying to snap a five-season playoff drought. Lesesne was 14-24-17 in MLS play over 1 1/2 seasons. D.C. United have been outscored 39-17 and are tied for last in the MLS with a minus-22 goal differential. CF Montreal have also allowed 22 more goals then they have scored. Christian Benteke is rounding back into form after an ankle injury that led him to miss six MLS regular-season matches. He was the MLS leader with 23 goals last season. He has six in 14 matches this season. D.C. United played a scoreless draw against Atlanta United in their last MLS match on July 5. Los Angeles (2-13-6, 12 points) has recovered from the worst start in MLS history (0-12-4) to earn points in four of its past five matches (2-1-2). However, the Galaxy are still in last place in the 15-team Western Conference. The Galaxy played perhaps their best match of the season with a 3-0 victory over the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps on July 4. Joseph Paintsil scored twice after entering with just one goal. That was a pleasing sight for the Galaxy, as Paintsil had 10 goals and 10 assists last season when they were MLS champions. 'I think with anybody, whether it's a goal-scorer or shooter in basketball, with anybody, once you find your rhythm, and you get the confidence and you get that flow, you hope things start to drop for you,' Galaxy coach Greg Vanney told reporters. 'I feel like with Joe, I feel like (July 4) was a good night, and we'll see if we can start to build some momentum with him. It's a good thing for him for sure.' In the most recent meeting, D.C. United recorded a 3-0 home win over Los Angeles on May 20, 2023.
