FC Cincinnati winger Álvaro Barreal is one of the few who prefers to crush our “cupset” dreams. Fortunately for us, he lessened the blow with a goal so technically brilliant, we’re just glad we got to see it.
After a grueling, emotional season that ended with Arsenal succumbing to Manchester City's relentless pursuit, how do the Gunners pick themselves up, avoid doing what Liverpool did and hit the ground running when the 2023-24 Premier League campaign begins on Aug. 12?
Maybe, like after a bad breakup, it's best to destroy every visual reminder of the past while undergoing some drastic changes in personal appearance (new haircut, clothes, tattoos, etc.). I think that's the route Arsenal's taking based on the latest leaks of their new away kit.
NJ/NY Gotham FC drew a record crowd of 15,058 to Red Bull Arena on Sunday night (including Sam Kerr, Eli Manning and Roger Bennett), but they fell to the visiting San Diego Wave 1-0 after Makenzy Doniak (a halftime substitute) scored just 44 seconds into the second half.
The 29-year-old's second goal of the season helped the Wave move level on points with the Portland Thorns at the top of the NWSL table. Gotham are two points back in fourth-place after 10 games.
Julian Gressel recorded the first two-goal game of his MLS career and the host Vancouver Whitecaps became the first team in MLS history to score within the first 30 seconds of each half while recording a 6-2 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night.
Brian White, Ryan Gauld and Sebastian Berhalter each had a goal and assist and Pedro Vite also scored a goal as Vancouver (5-5-5, 20 points) improved to 5-1-2 at home this season.
The ability to choose is often taken for granted in soccer. With the increased prominence of dual nationals in recent years, fans are becoming used to seeing players pick which nationality they want to represent, like Yunus Musah and Folarin Balogun. What’s less common, however, is a player who, before turning 19, not only qualifies for four national teams but has already represented three of them.
Here's the thing: Artists don't know how to create a proper statue of a soccer player, or those who try are not very talented. I mean, there are far too many examples of baller tributes becoming absolute fiascos, with the classic Cristiano Ronaldo bust leading the way.
On the one hand, Mykhaylo Mudryk deserves sympathy. The 22-year-old has only played 15 Premier League games (for a completely dysfunctional team) and deserves much more patience (which he'll get because he cost $107 million) despite failing to score a goal for Chelsea.
On the other hand, Mudryk deserves zero sympathy — at least for one day — after committing the cardinal sin of gym-goers everywhere: mocking someone for trying to make themselves better, indiscreetly filming them and posting it online to millions of eye balls.
All El Tráficos count the same, right? Well, maybe that wasn't the case Tuesday night with LAFC and the LA Galaxy meeting in the U.S. Open Cup at only the Round of 16 stage and with LAFC entirely focused on next week's Concacaf Champions League final against León.
This meeting was basically the El Clásico equivalent of Barcelona playing Real Madrid in a preseason friendly at Hard Rock Stadium.
But don't tell Riqui Puig that.
Paris Saint-Germain fans proved once again why they are the most miserable and spoiled group in all of sports. During PSG’s Ligue 1 game vs. Ajaccio at the Parc des Princes Parisian fans booed Lionel Messi every time the ball was at his feet.
PSG fans booing Messi reminds me of that one spoiled kid who gets upset when their parents buy them a fancy new car but it’s the wrong color.
The loudest of the whistles and jeers came on corner kicks that Messi took. Fans also booed before the game when he was announced in the starting lineup.
Here at The18, we don't condone small shin guards (the tibia is more exposed than Leeds United's backline), but we certainly enjoy the roguish wild cards who risk it all in the name of comfort.