BC Soccer Web, Weekend, May 5-8, 2017

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

 COLORADO RAPIDS 0   VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC  1

MLS MATCHDAY #9

FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2017

DICK’S SPORTING GOODS PARK, COMMERCE CITY, CO.

Shea scores late winner as ‘Caps claim second straight road win – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (4W-4L-1D) defeated Colorado Rapids (1W-6L-1D) 1-0 on Friday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to earn their second straight win away from home. Substitute Brek Shea scored the game’s only goal in the 84th minute after missing the last five matches with a knee sprain.

Report and Reaction: Shea breaks away to secure all three points for the ‘Caps in Colorado – AFTN
An 84th minute breakaway goal from Brek Shea gave Vancouver Whitecaps the 1-0 victory over a poor Colorado Rapids side, giving the ‘Caps their first back to back road wins since 2015.

Vancouver Whitecaps: Road Warriors  -Soccer Shorts
Vancouver Whitecaps: Road Warriors
Well, well, well. The four game road trip that many of us thought could be the breaking of the Vancouver Whitecaps season may well turn out to be the making of it.

One-man army: Whitecaps fan proudly provides solo support at Colorado win – MLS
Friday night road matches in distant locales can be a tough ask for MLS supporters due to the simple realities of work and flight schedules. But it didn’t stop Kristjan Aug.

Meet the lone Vancouver Whitecaps fan who lost his voice but won hearts and minds of MLS – The Telegraph
Kristjan Aug lost his voice after cheering on his beloved Vancouver Whitecaps on Friday night – and, no wonder, he was the only fan in the stadium cheering on his team.

Vancouver Whitecaps to Make a Splash Before Transfer Window Closes? – Eighty-Six Forever
The majority of transfers in Major League Soccer occur prior to the beginning of the season, or during the summer. However, many are unaware that the MLS Primary Transfer Window doesn’t close until May 8th. That means that the Vancouver Whitecaps can still make a move to bring in a new player. While few teams take advantage of the late window close, namely because other leagues are not looking to move players at this time, the Caps could.

Michael Bradley: Toronto FC had ‘a million excuses’ against Seattle Sounders – Waking the Red
The execution was impressive, but perhaps the most significant aspect of Toronto FC’s win over the Seattle Sounders was simply the belief.

TFC’s strength in depth on full display in win over Sounders – Sportsnet
Toronto FC earned its fourth consecutive victory – and exacted a small measure of revenge for last year’s MLS Cup final loss – in a marvellous road performance that highlighted the Reds’ depth and grit.

Rising star Tabla shouldering attacking burden for Montreal Impact – SN
It’s been a meteoric rise for Tabla, who signed with Montreal in October after one season with the club’s USL affiliate. The Ivory Coast native figured to be more of a long-term prospect for a veteran Impact side, who returned all 11 starters after coming within one goal of the MLS Cup final last fall.

Debacle on the Delaware for Red Bulls – Empire of Soccer
Coach Jesse Marsch and the New York Red Bulls spoke at length after Wednesday night’s loss at Sporting Kansas City about the team’s shuffled lineup and how the changes would benefit the club against previously winless Philadelphia Union, an Eastern Conference rival, on Saturday night. How wrong that proved to be.

Depth turns into key issue for MLS teams on Saturday – SN
When Sebastian Giovinco and Erick ‘Cubo’ Torres were absent from their respective teams’ lineups on Saturday, the easy reaction to those absences was to believe that Toronto FC and the Houston Dynamo would struggle without the focal points of their attacks. Neither team did though.

No Cubo, no problem as Torres-less Dynamo trounce Orlando City – SBI
When Erick ‘Cubo’ Torres was ruled out of the Houston Dynamo’s match against Orlando City on Saturday, the initial thought was that the Dynamo might struggle without the leading goal scorer in MLS.

Galaxy show resolve in draw with Fire – Prost Amerika
Just two weeks from being dominated on national television at home against Seattle, the Galaxy’s first half Saturday night against the Chicago Fire struck a similar tune to that fateful Sunday two weeks back. Chicago struck for two first half goals and clearly looked the better side in the first half. It looked like another rout, and also a possible third straight match without scoring a goal.

A New Jersey Soccer Story: Alecko Eskandarian – Empire of Soccer
It is accurate to say that Alecko Eskandarian has never known life without soccer.

Match Preview: Colorado Rapids v Vancouver Whitecaps – Will ‘Caps have the right attitude in the altitude? – AFTN
So what is up with the Whitecaps? They have a record of 3 Wins, 1 Draw, and 4 Losses. In some ways that feels better than how they have been playing recently. But then again, this is basically the same team that missed the playoffs last year, albeit with some slight improvements in key positions.

Match Preview: Vancouver Whitecaps @ Colorado Rapids – Eighty-Six Forever
The Whitecaps look to build on their “road trip resurgence” as they pay a visit to the Rapids.

Match Preview: Colorado Rapids vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Friday, May 5 – Colorado Rapids
The last time that the Rapids suffered successive shutouts was late June of 2015. As with the most recent reversals, both came on the road, and one involved a 2-0 loss at Orlando City SC. The team put the disappointment of those results behind them with back-to-back home wins, the first of which was against this Friday’s opponent, Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Is Whitecaps run of play an illusion or reality? – The Province
In his relentless search to unlock the mysteries of the beautiful game, Carl Robinson is pleased that his latest creation has delivered some promising early returns for the Whitecaps.

At the quarter mark, has this year’s Whitecaps team improved from the one that started 2016? – Eighty-Six Forever
After 8 games the two seasons share identical stats, but is there reason to hope that this season will turn out better?

It’s Jordan Harvey’s 250th MLS game. Here are all his Whitecaps goals.  –  The Province
Jordan Harvey has been a Whitecap for seven seasons. Since joining the Caps in a mid-season trade from Philadelphia in 2011, he’s scored nine times in league play.

Latest Whitecaps centre back injury crisis throws up opportunity for two WFC2 hopefuls to get a “good, hard look” – AFTN
With the transfer window closing May 8th, and not reopening until July 10th, does this bring some urgency to Robinson to try and remedy the situation? Even if Seiler gets healthy soon and Dean isn’t too much after that, it’s not realistic to be relying on these central defenders heading into the summer where Waston, at least, will be away with his country on World Cup and Gold Cup duty.

Rapids game Friday will mark first regular-season MLS test for Video Assistant Referee – Denver Post
The league is calling it an “offline” test, meaning it will have no impact on the game, and the officiating crew will do its usual job. A “surrogate referee” will review close calls using video feeds from Altitude but will not have any contact with the game referees.

What do the struggles of the Nuggets, Avs and Rapids have in common? Kroenke – Denver Post
Stan Kroenke is worth a cool $7.5 billion, give or take the price of his 500,000-acre ranch in Texas. Everything he touches turns to gold — except the Nuggets, Avalanche and Rapids. Why can’t a billionaire’s sports teams buy a victory? There is one certain way to know if a big-league Denver franchise stinks. Look for the Kroenke label.

MLS Week 10: A Look Ahead – SBI
The MLS Cup rematch we’ve all been waiting for headlines a full weekend slate of action across Major League Soccer. Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders will be front and center on Saturday afternoon before a slew of games kick off at night.

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Portland Timbers | 2017 MLS Match Preview – MLS
The San Jose Earthquakes return home after a three-game road swing that turned out surprisingly fruitful, as they picked up four points, against New England and Minnesota. It’s the type of gritty showing that could prove to be a way of getting the Quakes’ season back on track, after a hot start followed by a month of increasingly sputtering results.

TFC in a good spot a quarter of the way into the MLS season – Sportsnet
Toronto FC’s 2–1 home victory over Orlando City on Wednesday night denoted the quarter mark of the Major League Soccer season, with the Reds earning their third straight win to improve their record to 4-1-4.

Reeling Impact face crucial test in Washington – Montreal Gazette
Injuries, failure to hold on to a leads, irresponsible defending and conceding from set pieces. Such is the reality and shortcomings of the Montreal Impact. Will it ever end? That’s what Impact supporters want to know.

Toronto FC goalkeeper Alex Bono making case to be permanent starter – Waking the Red
Greg Vanney is going to have a tough decision to make once Clint Irwin returns from injury.

Why Atlanta United v New York City FC may be MLS’s most important game  – The Guardian
Patrick Vieira and Tata Martino’s teams meet this weekend and they both provide a look at the future of football in the US.

Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls | 2017 MLS Match Preview – MLS
Neither team can necessarily come into this match-up, one that some might consider a rivalry, resting on its laurels. The New York Red Bulls come into the weekend smarting from a road loss, 2-0 to Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park. And sure, they’ve been known to flub such road tests.

3v3 Live Soccer Tour Comes to Canada

BC SOCCER NEWS

17-year-old killed in car crash identified as ‘gifted’ soccer player – CBC
The 17-year-old who died following a car crash in Surrey, B.C., earlier this week has been identified as a “gifted” athlete who was admired by his teammates. Travis Selje was on his way home from soccer practice when the crash happened around 9 p.m. PT on Wednesday.

Surrey teen killed in crash remembered as ‘prodigy’ – Surrey Now-Leader
Travis Selje – “the greatest kid around” died after a crash Wednesday night near the intersection of 176th Street and 64th Avenue. His bio on whitecapsfc.com said he was a “versatile player” and that he dreamt of one day playing soccer in the Mercedez-Benz Arena, the home field of his favourite team.

Surrey’s Steve Reed to succeed Victor Montagliani as Canada Soccer president – The Province
Steve Reed will succeed Victor Montagliani as Canada Soccer president. The association announced Saturday afternoon that Reed will serve the remaining three years of Montagliani’s four-year term. Montagliani had to relinquish the position after his election as CONCACAF president.

TSS FC Rovers 3 – 4 Calgary Foothills FC U23 – Northern Starting XI
The moment thousands of PDL fans across North America had been waiting for was finally here. The opening day of the PDL saw a slew of matches played and a flurry of results. For TSS FC Rovers, it saw them take on one of the best teams in the west, Calgary Foothills FC.

“Gutted”: Aerial bombardment finally wears down TSS Rovers in late collapse to Calgary Foothills in team’s first ever PDL match – AFTN
It started off like a dream but ended in a nightmare. TSS FC Rovers first ever PDL match looked like being the stuff of fairytales, with the BC boys jumping out to a three goal lead before letting it all slip away at last season’s Western Conference champions Calgary Foothills on a balmy Friday night, going down 4-3 to a stoppage time winner for the home side.

Stefan Fletcher Named As Highlanders PCSL Head Coach – Highlanders FC
Victoria Highlanders FC announced Thursday, the appointment of Stefan Fletcher as Head Coach of the Highlanders’ Pacific Coast Soccer League (PCSL) men’s team. Fletcher brings decades of experience in elite sports to the Highlanders organization, where he will help develop the city’s upcoming local talent.

2017 BC Soccer Adult Provincial Championships – BCSA
The Road to Burnaby continues! Complete brackets and results from the weekend’s games in the BC Provincial Cups.

2017 Coastal Cup Championship Finals Kicks Off This Weekend – BCSA
Aldergrove Youth Soccer Club will host the 2017 BC Coastal Cup Championship Finals this Saturday and Sunday at Aldergrove Athletic Park.  46 boys and girls teams will compete in six age categories as 23 teams will be crowned Coastal Cup Champions.

Rovers to bring development game to Swangard – Burnaby Now
No matter how their debut goes tonight in Calgary, the TSS Rovers will have chalked up a win. Getting a new franchise off the ground – a soccer club in Canada, no less – is that kind of challenge.

Q&A with PDL director Todd Eason: Providing young players a bridge to pro ball – Soccer America
Todd Eason, who played and coached in the USL and the Premier Development League, has been PDL Director since October 2014. We spoke with Eason as the PDL kicks off its 23rd season, with 72 teams, this weekend. Of particular interest is how the league provides high-level competition to young players aspiring to play professionally.

Crews still waiting to prep playing fields in Vancouver – News 1130
The almost-constant rain and cool weather over the past few months means playing fields are not in the shape they should be in. Crews are eager to get going on their usual spring-time grass prep.

Jillian Hunt will join Heat women’s soccer program this fall – UBCO
The latest addition to the 2017 Heat women’s soccer program is 5’6″ centre-back / midfielder Jill Hunt. Hunt joins her TSS FC teammate, centre-mid Kacee Ougden, as part of this year’s recruit class and next season’s Heat women’s side.

Whitecaps FC U-14s to test themselves against MLS academy rivals – Whitecaps FC
Young up-and-coming players from the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency program, as well as top players in the BC Soccer HPP program, will test themselves against rival MLS academy competition this week in a U-14 Academy Series at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex.

3V3 LIVE NATIONAL SOCCER TOUR COMES TO ABBOTSFORD – 3v3 Live Canada
3v3 Live Soccer Tour and Holbrook Sports Management are excited to announce the expansion of the 3v3 Live Soccer Tour into the Canadian soccer market.  With the first event previously announced to take place on the August 19/20 weekend in Surrey, BC, the 3v3 Soccer Tour will expand to Abbotsford, BC, on August 20 and will include men’s and women’s open divisions.

2017 VISL JACKSON CUP PHOTOS: Nanaimo Utd. 2 Cowichan LMG 1 (XT), April 2, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

FVSL PHOTOS: Pakenham Cup Final, PMO Rangers 1 PMO Lordco Gunners 0, April 1, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Richard Howes.

REVIEW: The Miracle Mile. Stories of the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games – BC BookLook
Author Jason Beck is curator of the BC Sports Hall of Fame in BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, and convenor two years ago of an excellent exhibition about the 1954 Games. In his first book, he proves to be a meticulous researcher, a compelling story-teller, and a crafty realist who knows how to hook his readers. Watch how, two pages into the book, he uses filmic technique to evoke the arriving athletes’ youthful buzz and give period colouring and costuming, but then smartly moves his camera in to introduce his stars.

TSS Rovers launch website & 2017 Season Ticket Campaign – TSS Rovers
TSS FC Rovers play their inaugural season in the PDL at iconic Swangard Stadium. Season Tickets are $70 for Adults, $49 for U12 Youth.

Becoming a BC Soccer Referee – BCSA
Whether you are an experienced referee new to British Columbia or if you are new to the discipline of refereeing BC Soccer Assoc. has a clinic and a pathway for you.  The minimum age to become a referee is 12 years old (small sided) and 14 years old (11-a-side). Please enjoy the short video showcasing some Referee programs that BC Soccer offers and continue below for more on how to become a referee in BC!

To our Readers: A Choice – BC Soccer Web
Soccer has brought us to the United States many times. It’s a great place with decent people. We especially look forward to our Cascadia trips to Seattle and Portland. They’re incredible cities with wonderful supporters. That’s why it was so disheartening to see chaos and fear take hold in the airports and borders of our neighbours to the south.

Victoria Highlanders 2017 Season Passes now on sale – Highlanders FC
Support local soccer on Vancouver Island. Join the excitement of Highlanders FC PDL Soccer!

PHOTOS: CANADA WEST WOMENS FINAL, UBC 3, TWU 0, NOVEMBER 6, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

2016 BC Soccer Provincial Cup Photo Galleries – BC Soccer Web
Westhills Stadium & Goudy Park in Langford hosted the 2016 BC Soccer Adult Provincial Cup Finals. It was a thrilling weekend of soccer on Vancouver Island that saw seven champions crowned. Richmond FC & Surrey Pegasus qualified for the National Championships this Fall in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Both Coquitlam Metro-Ford Masters & Classics sides qualified for the Western Canadian Masters Championships in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In all, it was a clean sweep for teams from the VMSL & MWSL. Monique Lamoureux & Bill Currie from BC Soccer Web were on location that weekend, capturing the all the action.

Free Physiotherapy Clinical Trial for Achilles Pain at UBC – UBC Centre for Hip Health & Mobility
Do you have Achilles pain? Interested in free Physiotherapy? If yes, join our clinical trial to look at the effectiveness of intramuscular stimulation (IMS), a form of acupuncture therapy, in treating Achilles tendon pain.

The BC Soccer Web Guide to Empire Field – BC Soccer Web
Empire Fields and Plateau Sports Park is the lofty and formal name given to Vancouver’s newest addition to the soccer scene. Yet, anyone who’s ever kicked or carried both kinds of footballs around these parts knows the place by heart.

Introducing BC Soccer Web Syndication – BC Soccer Web
You can now add BC Soccer Web news to your website simply by adding our new RSS Feed! Find out more.

Send your Soccer News to BC Soccer Web! – BC Soccer Web
BC Soccer Web is the hub for soccer in British Columbia. We want to share your soccer news with the entire province, and you can help by letting us know! We want your match reports, club news, league standings, and info on upcoming tournaments and clinics. Whether you submit links to existing news on the web, or your own original writing, we want to share it with the soccer community in B.C.

 Premium Classified Advertising on BC Soccer Web Starting at 50 cents per day!

CANADA SOCCER NEWS

CSA LAUNCHES TIER 1 CANADIAN PREMIER LEAGUE

HAMILTON & WINNIPEG CFL OWNERS INVEST IN FIRST TWO CLUBS

Canada Soccer enters new era with approval of Canadian Premier League – CSA
Canada Soccer has achieved another major milestone as a leading soccer nation with the Membership’s approval of the Canadian Premier League. The unanimous endorsement encourages Canada Soccer to further grow the game in our country through a professional league that is fully aligned with the National Teams Program.

Canada is getting its own professional league as Canadian Premier League gets green light – Fox Sports
Canada will finally be getting its own professional soccer league. The country’s soccer association officially sanctioned the Canadian Premier League, giving it the go-ahead to operate as Canada’s top league.

 A message from The Caretaker, Bob Young –  Hamilton Pro Soccer
Fellow Hamiltonians, Today is an historic day for soccer fans, aka footie followers, in our country. Almost every Canadian has played soccer at one time or another, now we will have our own league to cheer for and for our kids to aspire to play for.

Winnipeg Football Club looks at bringing professional soccer to Manitoba – Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Football Club can confirm they are working alongside the group that is committed to bringing a Tier 1 FIFA sanctioned soccer league to Canada.

Legitimacy of Halifax pro soccer plan gets a boost – Local Xpress
The weekend announcement that Canada Soccer has officially endorsed the proposed Canadian Premier League is good news for the Halifax group attempting to gain a franchise in the league scheduled to begin play in 2018.

CanPL era officially begins: New league ratified by the Canadian Soccer Association – the11.ca
Unofficially, it began years ago, with dreams of Canada hosting World Cup matches and the need for better Canadian player development. It moved to boardrooms in Hamilton and Winnipeg and Halifax. But, officially, the Canadian Premier League era began Saturday in Whistler B.C., as the new league was ratified by the Canadian Soccer Association.

Canadian Premier League Launches Website & Social Media – CanPL
The official website can be found at www.canpl.ca. Their Twitter account is @CPLSoccer.

Steven Reed elected President of Canada Soccer – CSA
Steven has been elected as President of the Canada Soccer at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Members. Mr. Reed will serve the remaining three years of Mr. Montagliani’s four-year term, who leaves his post after being elected President of CONCACAF.

2016 Canada Soccer Annual Report – Issuu
Here is a digital version of the CSA’s 2016 Annual Report.

Canadian Soccer Association to choose Montagliani’s successor – Sportsnet
An election Saturday will decide which of three candidates will succeed Victor Montagliani and run Canadian soccer.

Match Preview: Durham United FA v Woodbridge Strikers – League1 Ontario
With only one day before the League1 Ontario 2017 Matchweek Two kicks off – featuring the five first matches in our Women’s division – anticipation is at an all-time high for what the season ahead will hold.

Ontario Soccer Webinar – Player Development – Why kids quit sports – YouTube
A lot of things are changing in the youth soccer world, but one thing has remained sadly consistent: Soccer loses 70 per cent of youth players by the age of 13.

Register for the UBCO High-Performance Summer Training Camp in Kelowna

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE

SWOPE PARK RANGERS  3    WFC2  1

FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2017

SWOPE SOCCER VILLAGE, KANSAS CITY, MO.

Young WFC2 fall 3-1 to Swope Park Rangers in rematch of 2016 Western Conference Final – Whitecaps FC
Ben McKendry scored his second goal of the season on a penalty kick but it was too little, too late for Whitecaps FC 2 as they fell 3-1 to Swope Park Rangers at Children’s Mercy Victory Field on Friday evening.

Game Preview: SPR hosts Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 in Western Conference Championship rematch – Sporting KC
The Swope Park Rangers will put an eight-game home winning streak on the line at 5:30 p.m. PT this Friday when the team welcomes Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 to Swope Soccer Village. The meeting comes in a rematch of the Rangers’ 3-0 victory in last year’s Western Conference Championship which propelled the side into the USL Cup Final in the club’s inaugural season.

Whitecaps FC 2 visit Swope Park Rangers in Western Conference Final rematch on Friday – Whitecaps FC
Whitecaps FC 2 look to get back into the win column this Friday in a Western Conference Final playoff rematch against Swope Park Rangers in Kansas City.

Sounders Unveil Tacoma Stadium Plan for S2 – USL
Seattle Sounders FC Owner Adrian Hanauer announced on Saturday that the club had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tacoma Rainiers to develop a new, 5,000-seat soccer-specific stadium that would become the new home for the organization’s USL club, Seattle Sounders FC 2.

FC Edmonton climb off the bus to grind out a point in Indianapolis – Edmonton Journal
Considering all FC Edmonton went through getting to Indianapolis, Indiana for their North American Soccer League encounter against the Indy Eleven on Saturday, head coach Colin Miller was delighted his team was able to grind out a point.

Miller hopes strong performance in Indy kickstarts FC Edmonton’s season – the11.ca
The Indy Eleven have not lost at home since September of 2015. On Saturday, based on the balance of play, the Eddies deserved to end Indy’s home undefeated streak, but couldn’t find the necessary goal. FCE had to be satisfied with a 0-0 draw.

Match Recap: Fury FC -v- Tampa Bay Rowdies – Ottawa Fury
Fury FC extend unbeaten streak to five with vital point against Rowdies.

Cosmos Yield a Late Goal in Draw – Empire of Soccer
The New York Cosmos were a few ticks of the clock away from unseating Jacksonville at the top of the North American Soccer League’s Spring Season standings on Saturday night. Instead, the Cosmos saw a one-goal lead slip away for the second time this year against the Armada, and had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

USL Week 7: A Look Ahead – SBI
A busy weekend schedule headlines Week 7 of the USL regular season, with several Friday night matches and a double-handful of Saturday games to sate your soccer appetite.

Fury FC looking to extend unbeaten streak to five games – Ottawa Fury
Riding a four-match unbeaten run that includes Wednesday night’s crucial 1-0 over FC Edmonton in the Canadian Championship, Fury FC will remain at the friendly confines of TD Place and look to extend that streak to five against another rival, the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

NASL Week 7: What to Watch For – Empire of Soccer
The logjam at the top of the North American Soccer League’s Spring Season table could be broken a bit in Week 7. Then again, maybe not.

Exclusive Interview with Miami FC Coach Alessandro Nesta – Bein Sports
In an exclusive chat with beIN SPORTS, the former Lazio and Milan stopper gave some advice to Diego Simeone, called for respect for Zinedine Zidane and tells Italy to get serious with racism.

Fresno will have pro soccer team starting in 2018 – Fresno Bee
The United Soccer League confirmed that it has approved an expansion franchise to begin play in 2018, bringing pro soccer to central California in what also is a World Cup year.

NASL commissioner: Some local interest, no hard timetable to find next Armada owner – Jacksonville.com
For four months, the Jacksonville Armada has been a club without an owner. But North American Soccer League interim commissioner Rishi Sehgal said he knows what he’s looking for in the next one.

Nashville group bidding for MLS expansion team unites with USL club – ESPN FC
In an effort to strengthen its bid to acquire an MLS expansion franchise, Nashville Soccer Holdings LLC has acquired a majority interest in DMD Soccer, the owner of USL expansion side Nashville SC.

Louisville City FC stadium project wants MLS in their Kentucky home – MLS Multiplex
Sure. The Louisville City FC stadium project satisfies United Soccer League (USL) demands. But ultimately they mean to attract the MLS to their Kentucky home.

NPSL to support full-season play for subset of teams – Soctakes
The number one question Joe Barone, director of the National premier soccer league (NPSL) gets asked whenever he’s interviewed is – “Is the NPSL looking to expand into a year-around model?” Until now, his generic answer has been something to the effect of – “At the present time, it’s not something we’re looking at.” Not anymore.

USL PHOTOS: WFC2 0 Sacramento Republic FC 0, April 29, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

Lauletta: Things learned from 14th Cascadia showdown – The Equalizer
The NWSL’s Pacific Northwest Derby is already 14 matches old following Saturday night’s 2-2 draw between the Thorns and Reign at Providence Park. The split result seems fitting, not only because each of the rivals owned one of the halves, but also because the versions of the clubs that we saw Saturday and very likely to evolve before they meet again July 1.

Sky Blue Scores 3, but Washington Scores 4 – Empire of Soccer
Both the Washington Spirit and Sky Blue went into Saturday’s game at the Maryland SoccerPlex looking to cure their early-season scoring woes in the National Women’s Soccer League.

NWSL: Week 4 Preview – MLS Multiplex
The North Carolina Courage will look to make it four in a row and the west coast rivalry takes center stage on Saturday night. This and more in the National Women’s Soccer League week four preview.

Short-Handed Sky Blue Faces Winless Spirit – Empire of Soccer
Sky Blue are road warriors in the National Women’s Soccer League’s. Five of the club’s first seven games are outside New Jersey. Next stop: The SoccerPlex in Maryland to face the Washington Spirit on Saturday night.

Dash interested but not yet serious about acquiring Mallory Pugh – Houston Chronicle
The NWSL faces a critical moment when it comes to Mallory Pugh staying or going. At this point the Dash are not major players in keeping her in the United States.

Crystal Dunn: International career and move to Chelsea – Prost Amerika
Unlike most of her new European team-mates at Chelsea Ladies, Crystal Dunn did not have to prove herself against boys growing up. Yet hers is not the path well trodden. Ahead of World Cup and Olympic winners, Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd and Heather O’Reilly, the first Dunn deal from the United States was by a 24-year-old sociology major without the glittering international back catalog of the others and with another fundamental difference.

Women’s FA Cup Final: Wembley set for new competition-record crowd – BBC Sport
The Women’s FA Cup Final is set for a new competition-record crowd at Wembley, with 34,500 tickets already sold eight days before the 2017 final. Top-flight sides Birmingham City and Manchester City will meet at the national stadium on Saturday, 13 May.

Anna Signeul appointed to IFAB panel – Scottish FA
Scotland Women’s National Team head coach Anna Signeul is set to play a key role in shaping the Laws of the Game after being appointed to a prestigious International Football Association Board (IFAB) advisory panel.

Julie Foudy signs multiyear extension with ESPN – Winnipeg Free Press
Foudy joined ESPN full time in 2005, less than a year after retiring from her 17-year soccer career with the U.S. women’s national team. She’s a two-time Olympic gold medallist and two-time FIFA World Cup winner.

For A&E Network, NWSL both a property and an investment – Sports Business Journal
What began as a rights discussion between A&E Networks and the National Women’s Soccer League turned into an equity stake and joint venture that both sides feel will drive the league to its next level.

Saturday European Rewind: Borussia Dortmund edges Hoffenheim, Barcelona cruises past Villarreal, and more – SBI
The must-watch match across Europe on Saturday took place in Germany, as hosts Borussia Dortmund held off Hoffenheim 2-1 at Signal Iduna Park.

Monaco close on title with Nancy win – Ligue 1
AS Monaco edged closer to the Ligue 1 title with their 3-0 win at AS Nancy Lorraine on Saturday that keeps them three points clear of Paris Saint-Germain.

Lazio score seven in Sampdoria thrashing, Inter Milan suffer loss – ESPN FC
Lazio strengthened their grip on a Europa League place by thrashing Sampdoria 7-3 while Inter Milan lost again and Palermo bid farewell to Serie A following a draw at Chievo.

La Liga: Barcelona, Real Madrid win in routs, remain tied in title race – NBC Sports
Barca and Real Madrid remain tied, now on 84 points, as La Liga’s title race begins the final sprint to the finish (Barca have just two games remaining). Each of the title hopefuls won in convincing fashion on Saturday. First up, it was Luis Enrique’s Blaugrana.

Sydney FC crowned A-League champions after grand final shootout against Melbourne Victory – The Guardian
For much of a combustible, often ugly, evening at Allianz Stadium, it seemed a record-breaking season, recent head-to-head form and home advantage would count for naught. But Sydney FC, the heavy pre-grand final favourites, proved they possess a steel underpinning their much-lauded style by overcoming an early punch to the guts delivered by Besart Berisha and going on to win a penalty shootout after 120 minutes of football ended 1-1.

Tijuana Xolos secure historic top of the table finish – Prost Amerika
Tijuana Xolos defeated Veracruz on Saturday evening 1-0 at Estadio Caliente in the final match of the regular season of the 2017 Clausura. The win took Xolos to 31 points and secured a first place finish for Tijuana heading into the Liga MX playoffs.

Club America miss Liga MX playoffs, Chiapas relegated, Morelia survive – ESPN FC
It was a roller-coaster Saturday in Liga MX, with Club America failing it make its 11th consecutive playoffs and Chiapas going down to the second division.

Championship roundup: Forest survive as Newcastle snatch title in final minute – The Guardian
Aside from the first game of last season, a 1-0 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion a day before anyone else in the division had played, Nottingham Forest had not been in the Championship relegation zone since February 2012. Thanks to a 3-0 win against Ipswich Town on the final day of this term, they just about managed to avoid a relegation that, even by their standards of dramatic incompetence, would have been extraordinary.

European Weekend Preview: Man United travels to Arsenal, Dortmund hosts Hoffenheim, and more – SBI
As we head into the first weekend of May, means domestic action across Europe is slowly coming to end as races heat up.

Arsenal and Man United are slumping giants. Which club will rebound first? – ESPN FC
There was a time when a clash between Arsenal and Manchester United would define a season. When men of the stature of Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane led their teams into brutal, total war with quarter neither asked or given. They dominated the Premier League.

Premier League, Scottish Premiership and Championship team news and previews – BBC Sport
All the latest team news and stats for Saturday and Sunday’s Premier League, Championship and Scottish Premiership fixtures.

Messi’s four-game Argentina ban and fine rescinded after FIFA appeal – SN
Lionel Messi’s four-match ban for allegedly insulting an official in Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Chile has been rescinded by FIFA following an appeal.

Manchester City banned from signing certain academy players over tapping up  – The Guardian
Manchester City have been banned from signing certain academy players for two years, the Premier League has announced. The club has also been fined £300,000 for breaching youth development rules relating to the signing of two players.

Mediterranean derby stakes high for Nice and OM – Ligue1
Olympique de Marseille and OGC Nice have grand designs in mind when the Côte d’Azur pair meet for a Mediterranean at the Stade Orange Vélodrome on Sunday.

Real Madrid to finish with three games in eight days in bid to end LaLiga title drought – Four Four Two
Real Madrid have learned the date of their rearranged away LaLiga match against Celta Vigo, which will take place on May 17. The original fixture between the two sides in February was postponed after high winds and storms damaged Celta’s ground Balaidos.

Bundesliga Match Day 32 Preview  – Prost Amerika
Soul searching relegation race and the last weekend of matches with their own individual time slots. The title may be decided and awarded, but there is still much left.

America, Pachuca fight for postseason, Chiapas facing drop and more ahead of Liga MX’s final weekend – SN
What’s up for grabs? There are two Liguilla spots still not spoken for, and two teams will be fighting to stay in the first division.

A-League Grand Final: Sydney FC – Melbourne Victory Preview – SN
Two powerhouses collide in a worthy climax to the 2016-17 A-League season with Sydney FC looking to complete an all-conquering campaign against Melbourne Victory at Allianz Stadium.

Marcus Rashford gives Manchester United crucial away win over Celta Vigo – The Guardian
José Mourinho finally leapt from the bench after 67 minutes and headed towards the fans in the corner, clenching his fists. There had been opportunities at Balaídos, his frustration growing with every one that slipped through their fingers, but at last Manchester United had the goal that takes them a step closer to the Europa League final.

Global outcry builds pressure on Italians to finally face their football racism – Inside World Football
Italian football’s reputation around the world has been damaged by the Sulley Muntari affair, the Italian Football Federation’s anti-racism advisor has charged. Fiona May says the decision to ban the Pescara midfielder for walking off the pitch protesting about racist abuse while taking no action against fans had “sent a bad message”.

Judge opens proceedings for Neymar’s corruption trial – Sportsnet
A Spanish judge has set in motion proceedings for Neymar‘s trial on corruption and fraud charges related to his transfer to Barcelona four years ago.

Booze, baccy and betting. FA considers giving them all up for a healthier future – Inside World Football
The English Football Association is mulling over ending its commercial ties with betting and alcohol firms at the end of the season, says chairman Greg Clarke.

From unpaid bills to failed eye tests – why giants Nottingham Forest are struggling for Championship survival – The Telegraph
After nearly five years of chronic mismanagement and instability, it is perhaps inevitable that Nottingham Forest are once again staring into the abyss of League One.