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MLS All-Stars: Wondo, Pomykal join Ibra, Rooney

Published in Soccer
Monday, 24 June 2019 09:49

Major League Soccer has announced the full 26-man squad for next month's All-Star game against Atletico Madrid in Orlando.

The league on Friday revealed MLS' Fan XI selections, which included LAFC's Carlos Vela, D.C. United's Wayne Rooney, Orlando City's Nani, LA Galaxy duo Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Jonathan dos Santos, and veteran U.S. stars Graham Zusi of Sporting Kansas City and Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

The final 15 team selections were made on Monday. All-Star coach James O'Connor selected 13 names and league commissioner Don Garber picked the final two participants.

The notable names from Monday's selections include MLS single-season record goalscorer Josef Martinez of Atlanta United, MLS all-time leading scorer Chris Wondolowski, young LAFC star Diego Rossi, Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando and U.S. youth international Paxton Pomykal of FC Dallas.

The MLS All-Stars will face 10-time La Liga champions Atletico at Orlando City's Exploria Stadium on July 31.

Last year's MLS All-Stars lost on penalties to Serie A champions Juventus after the match finished 1-1 in regular time.

FULL ALL-STAR TEAM:

Goalkeepers: Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Brad Guzan (Atlanta United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

Defenders: Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Kemar Lawrence (New York Red Bulls), Romain Metanire (Minnesota United FC), Leandro Gonzalez Pírez (Atlanta United), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Chicago Fire), Walker Zimmerman (Los Angeles Football Club), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

Midfielders: Ezequiel Barco (Atlanta United), Diego Chara (Portland Timbers), Jonathan dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Mark-Anthony Kaye (Los Angeles Football Club), Nicolas Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders FC), Gonzalo "Pity" Martínez (Atlanta United), Maxi Moralez (NYCFC), Nani (Orlando City SC), Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas), Alejandro Pozuelo (Toronto FC), Diego Rossi (Los Angeles Football Club)

Forwards: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (LA Galaxy), Josef Martínez (Atlanta United), Wayne Rooney (D.C. United), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Carlos Vela (Los Angeles Football Club)

African soccer wants action against Cameroon

Published in Soccer
Monday, 24 June 2019 09:35

VALENCIENNES, France -- The head of women's soccer in Africa wants Cameroon to face punishment for the conduct of players in their Women's World Cup loss to England.

The Cameroon team rebelled against three officiating decisions in a 3-0 loss to England in the round of 16 on Sunday. After the game, Cameroon manager Alain Djeumfa accused officials of a "miscarriage of justice."

- Cameroon blasts officials after loss to England
- FIFA Women's World Cup: All you need to know
- Full Women's World Cup fixtures schedule

Isha Johansen, who sits on the Confederation of African Football executive committee and is president of the women's soccer body, says she is "proud of our African female teams" in the tournament.

But Johansen believes the game "reflected badly not only on African women's football but African football on the whole" and wants punishments imposed.

"It is an issue which will be addressed and dealt with at the appropriate levels of governance," she added on Monday.

According to the official from Sierra Leone, the CAF should take action even if FIFA doesn't pursue a case against the Cameroon team.

As Cameroon players seethed and wept at times on the field, there was at least one high-profile advocate of their behavior: the head of the FIFA administration.

FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura tweeted that the Cameroon players "inspired many young girls,'' with "passionate and talented play on the field that made your fans proud and your country is proud of you.''

The view from the Confederation of African Football was very different. But Samoura endorsed the conduct of players who openly undermined the authority of referee Quin Liang by forcing delays to restarts as they huddled to protest against England goals.

The loss was marked by three decisions that Cameroon felt were unjust, with two involving the video assistant referee (VAR). The first incident was a call by Liang to award England an indirect free kick for a back pass in the 13th minute that led to Steph Houghton's opening goal.

Ellen White gave England a 2-0 lead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time with a goal awarded after an offside call was correctly overruled by the VAR. Cameroon vehemently protested the call, having seen it replayed on the video screen.

Rather than immediately restarting play after the goal, the Cameroon players all gathered together in a huddle and spoke to each other for a few minutes before finally taking the kickoff.

Cameroon players were angered again at the start of the second half when Ajara Nchout's goal was denied because of another VAR review for offside. Cameroon's players came to the touchline and were visibly upset at the call, and play was temporarily halted again.

ESPN's Tom Hamilton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Towards the end of his seven-year stint as manager of Borussia Dortmund, Jürgen Klopp would often wonder "what if?"

What if Nuri Sahin, Mario Gotze, Robert Lewandowski and Shinji Kagawa had remained on his team instead of being seduced away by Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester United respectively? What if that supremely talented, young and cohesive team he constructed were able to develop together for a few more seasons? It was natural for Klopp to wonder because to him, the answer was obvious: BVB would have celebrated at least one Champions League triumph having lost the 2013 final to Bayern and counted more Bundesliga titles than the two they won in that period from 2008-15.

While the 52-year-old has a larger-than-life appreciation of the chaos created by football through its unpredictability and emotional pull, what the Liverpool manager truly covets is much more sensible: consistency and continuity. At Anfield, those two things are crucial to a side that registered a club-high 97 league points last season before winning a sixth European Cup by overcoming Tottenham in Madrid, the first trophy under Klopp.

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- Marcotti: Liverpool's UCL win is just the beginning

While Dortmund could never quite shelter themselves from football's mega-spending predators, a powered-up Liverpool have been able to tie down their major assets with minimal fuss.

Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Jordan Henderson, Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson have signed new, extended contracts with Liverpool over the past year. Virgil van Dijk wants to agree a new deal and Divock Origi has been offered new terms, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Joel Matip and James Milner among those expected to be next in line. In a market where many of the game's chief forces like Real, Bayern, Barcelona and Man United have to spend considerably to reconstruct their squads, the Merseysiders have prioritised a policy of retention.

As one source explained to ESPN FC: "Those clubs would happily trade places with Liverpool. We have stability at a time when so much is left up in the air around Europe, especially with regards to the future of some big players [Neymar and Paul Pogba to name just two], which makes the landscape volatile."

Liverpool's security is a product of the collaborative relationship between Klopp, sporting director Michael Edwards and Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon. It's made the club an easy sell to top targets and a place where their existing superstars believe they can achieve their ambitions. It's also in sharp contrast to the previous regime, in which former captain Steven Gerrard would literally be texting the names on Liverpool's wishlist to encourage them to move. (At one time, with a mix of hope and embarrassment, he reached out to Toni Kroos, Willian and Alexis Sanchez in this fashion.) The legend was the club's biggest draw but given that the Reds weren't consistently in the hunt for top honors at home or in Europe, lining up alongside him was not a viable reason for high-calibre players to join.

How Liverpool built this team

Since his appointment in October 2015, Klopp has made Edwards' job easier through his clear vision for the on-field product. Liverpool have a stylistic profile to recruit for, and Klopp has made the sales pitch and negotiation process smoother. Their mutual respect and trust -- Edwards and Klopp have an "open-door policy" at the office -- allows the club to enact a unified strategy: there are no competing egos or agendas at play. Where politics, a lack of transparency, flaws in structure and no coherent plan can reign supreme at an elite level -- Man United being a case in point -- there is one vision at Liverpool that everyone subscribes to.

Gordon, owner FSG's main representative at the club, can therefore underwrite the pair's transfer plans with complete conviction in their process. Along with Klopp and Edwards, he believes Liverpool's roster is one of the most valuable, harmonious and enviable in Europe.

The key pieces have been acquired steadily over time, but the past two years have seen the majority of players arrive as Klopp's vision for the on-field tactics has taken root.

Left-back Robertson, signed from Hull City for £8 million in July 2017 -- the bulk of his cost settled by squad player Kevin Stewart moving in the opposite direction -- would now fetch over £65m given the valuation of Man United target Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Firmino, Salah and Mane, brought in for less than £100m combined, are among Europe's most feared and productive forwards.

Liverpool made Van Dijk the world's most expensive defender at £75m but could demand nearly treble that for him if a team made inquiries. Both midfielder Fabinho (£43m) and his countryman goalkeeper Alisson (£65m), pivotal in winning the Champions League, were recruited at a fraction of what they'd be worth in 2019. Pundits and fans have cited the purchases of the Brazilian pair and Van Dijk as a reason for the club to reach deep into their pockets again but in each of those transfers, they did not spend for spending's sake.

There was a long-held need to secure an aerially dominant centre-back, comfortable in possession and defending large spaces, as well as a pedigreed goalkeeper and a progressive midfield anchor. All three players signed were Liverpool's premier targets in those respective positions, their prices offset by the departure of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona last January for £142m.

Those ins, and one substantial out, marked a sea change for the club compared to the recent past, when they would be paralysed by big sales. Inadequate replacements were signed when Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano and Luis Suarez left. These days, they're ready to fortify once their star players are sold.

With the Klopp-Edwards-Gordon triumvirate, Liverpool have been measured rather than manic in the market. They didn't get flustered when Southampton accused the club of tapping up Van Dijk in the summer of 2017, which forced them to publicly apologise and withdraw interest. While there was overwhelming pressure for the Reds to move on from the embarrassing saga and secure any other centre-back that summer, they chose instead to patiently work behind the scenes on successfully repairing the relationship with Saints at the highest level in order to make the transfer happen. Liverpool were ridiculed for not bringing in an alternative in that window, but the transfer of Van Dijk last January has arguably been the most significant signing of the Klopp era.

This new-found patience has been applied to other business. When Roma looked to take advantage of Loris Karius' errors in the Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in Kiev just over a year ago, demanding £90m for Alisson that May, they did not blink. Liverpool refused to operate out of desperation, negotiating to seal a total package £25m below the asking price in mid-July.

As Nabil Fekir's £53m move from Lyon crumbled at the final stage during the same window due to a medical that flagged the extent of underlying damage to his right knee, Klopp was not panicked into sourcing another expensive playmaker, despite Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain being expected to miss nearly all of 2018-19. Xherdan Shaqiri joined for £13m from relegated Stoke City to provide squad depth as the manager rotated his front three throughout the season, while the fullbacks were empowered to become the team's key creative source.

Liverpool are undoubtedly an attractive proposition given their continental success, upward trajectory and the feel-good factor around the place, but it is the no-waste approach that allows them to strike if another "transformer" -- the word used at Melwood to describe Van Dijk and Alisson -- is within reach in the future.

Why the Reds will be quiet this summer

Klopp does not feel "the best squad he has worked with" is greatly in need of a blockbuster buy in 2019. Summer business expected to be minimal, largely centred around squad depth and dependent on exits. The club are equipped to act should opportunities arise that blend into their long-term picture, but the manager is convinced there is automatic room for improvement within the existing group.

Fabinho and Naby Keita, who needed months to adapt at Anfield after moving from Monaco and RB Leipzig respectively, don't need a settling-in period again this summer. Oxlade-Chamberlain, restricted to just four matchday squads last season as he recovered from multiple ligament damage, is close to optimum condition and is a major feature of Klopp's future plans.

The performances of Gomez and Matip alongside van Dijk have created proper competition at centre-back, where Dejan Lovren has fallen to fourth choice. The Croatian, valued at £25m, wants to be a regular starter, but Liverpool have fielded no concrete offers for him as yet, and he could ultimately decide his best option is to remain and fight his way back up the hierarchy. Simon Mignolet, too, could stay as backup to Alisson if no suitable club emerges for his services.

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Burley: Griezmann would be fantastic for Liverpool

Craig Burley makes the case that Atletico Madrid and France star Antoine Greizmann would be just what Liverpool need to challenge Manchester City further next season.

More can be expected from Shaqiri and Adam Lallana, who suffered an injury-plagued 2018-19, and stayed behind at Melwood after the Champions League final to do extra fitness work. The midfielder has opted for a shorter offseason break in order to return to peak physical state, with Klopp and assistant manager Pep Lijnders informing him his versatility will be an important asset during a packed schedule.

Origi, scorer of several defining Liverpool goals last term, like the 96th-minute winner against Everton, a double in the phenomenal Champions League comeback against Barcelona and the decisive strike to seal the Champions League final, will not be sold in this window. The highly rated Rhian Brewster, 19, will step up after striker Daniel Sturridge's release, and there will be no blockage to the pathway of exciting prospects like 17-year-old defender Ki-Jana Hoever.

Liverpool had hoped to sign Lloyd Kelly from Bristol City to deputise for Robertson at left-back but were trumped to the £13m deal by Bournemouth, who could guarantee more minutes. There is still a necessity to strengthen there, even though James Milner and Gomez can both fill in. Nathaniel Clyne could cover both fullback positions but is primed to depart permanently after having spent last season on loan at Bournemouth.

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With City planning a £120m push for Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri and full-back Joao Cancelo from Juventus after their domestic treble, there has been a demand for Liverpool to match their rival's spending. But the champions of Europe aren't about to copy and paste the approach of others. Liverpool have faith in their processes, and Klopp has complete confidence in his squad.

A month before the Reds departed the Allianz Arena with a 3-1 win over Bayern in March, the Bundesliga giants arrived at Anfield for the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie with an obstructive approach, aiming to contain the explosiveness of Salah, Firmino and Mane rather than underscore their own strengths. Klopp felt it was the highest compliment they could pay Liverpool, likening it to the respect Man City had shown his side at the same ground in a goalless Premier League draw earlier in the season.

"We have to start looking at ourselves like how other teams see us," he said. "They have a lot of respect for us, but I am not sure we always have the same amount of respect for ourselves."

After Liverpool were crowned Europe's best in Madrid, Klopp told his backroom staff that the team believing in themselves was one of the most fundamental and enjoyable development processes he had overseen during 18 years of management. Now he will hope everyone sees what the opposition and the squad themselves do, regardless of the money that changes hands in this window.

We're a little lost here at the rankings. After the Gold Cup break which Major League Soccer instituted to (checking notes...) limit the damage done by international call-ups during the month of June, the league is back at it. Week 16 (as it turns out) brought six games involving 12 teams.

It wasn't a full schedule, but it was enough to cause some waves in the Power Rankings and leave some scratching their heads. Aren't all the internationals still away?

You get a pass if you missed most of the six-game slate, considering that the USMNT was playing at the same time as five of the games on the schedule. Do try to catch up!

Previous rankings: Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1

1. LAFC (11 wins, 4 draws, 1 loss)

Previous ranking: 1

Next MLS match: June 28 at Colorado, 10 p.m. ET, live on ESPN+

The talk of Tinsel Town this week was LAFC's win over Portland in the U.S. Open Cup and the chase for three trophies. No American MLS club has ever won the U.S. Open Cup, the Supporters Shield, and the MLS Cup in the same season. The odds are long but Bob Bradley might have the team to do it.

2. Philadelphia Union (9-4-4)

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: June 26 vs. New England, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Union handled the loss of Corey Burke due to a visa issue well enough, but the Jamaican's departure left a hole at striker that needed to be filled. Philadelphia did that this week with the signing of German-American Andrew Wooten. Wooten's output in the 2.Bundesliga was impressive -- will it translate to MLS?

3. New York City FC (5-8-1)

Previous ranking: 4

Next MLS match: June 29 vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Dome Torrent & Co. scored an Open Cup win in D.C. during the Gold Cup break, a nice boost of confidence ahead of the resumption of the schedule on June 29 against Philadelphia. Torrent might be the happiest man in the Bronx now that NYCFC is playing with, as he says, "personality."

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1:50

NYCFC take down Rooney & D.C. to advance to quarters

Alexandru Mitrita and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi scored to cancel out Wayne Rooney's opener as NYCFC booked their spot in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals.

4. LA Galaxy (10-1-6)

Previous ranking: 5

Next MLS match: June 29 at San Jose, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

When the question of who will score the goals for the Galaxy besides Zlatan Ibrahimovic comes up, no one answers "Emmanuel Boateng." The speedy winger is only good for a smattering of goals a year, so counting on him for big contributions is questionable. That smattering has to happen sometime, though ... like on the road in Cincy to lead LA to a win.

5. Atlanta United (8-2-5)

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: June 26 at Toronto, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The bad news is that Atlanta will still be missing Josef Martinez when the schedule resumes in Toronto on Wednesday. The good news is that Brandon Vazquez might be a fine option for Frank de Boer in Martinez's stead fresh off a two-goal performance in United's Open Cup win in Columbus.

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FC Dallas shake off Open Cup upset by cruising past Toronto

Dominque Badji's two-goal night helped FC Dallas move past their midweek loss to USL Championship side New Mexico United by beating Toronto FC 3-0.

6. FC Dallas (7-4-6)

Previous ranking: 10

Next MLS match: June 26 vs. Vancouver, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN+

FC Dallas's young guns handled short-handed Toronto FC on Saturday and again reaffirmed FCD's position as the best developer of talent in MLS. Luchi Gonzalez rolled out a lineup with six homegrown players (while three other FCD alums appeared for the USMNT), but it's not known if he threw them a pizza party after the game.

7. Houston Dynamo (7-3-4)

Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: June 29 at New England, 7.30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Pity the Dynamo, who took a trip to Portland missing a couple of key players to play a Timbers team missing ... nobody. Facing the crowd and the absence of Alberth Elis, the task for Wilmer Cabrera's team was always going to be difficult. What matters now is not letting the loss -- and the poor defensive showing -- carry over into future games.

8. DC United (7-6-4)

Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: June 26 vs. Orlando, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

United dropped out of the Open Cup in midweek via a depressing home loss to NYCFC. Wayne Rooney's goal from open play was the lone bright spot for a team that has lived in the land of mediocrity for two months. Everyone in D.C. is eyeing Wednesday's home date with Orlando as a way to break out of the doldrums.

9. New York Red Bulls (7-3-6)

Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: June 28 vs. Chicago, 8 p.m. ET

RBNY's five-game unbeaten run came to an end just before the break with a loss in Philly, albeit with a makeshift group beset by injuries and international call-ups. Bradley Wright-Phillips' injury is in something like it's 83rd month with no end in sight, giving an "overachieving" vibe to everything happening in Jersey.

10. Montreal Impact (8-3-7)

Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: June 26 vs. Portland, 8 p.m. ET

How weird is this Montreal Impact season so far? Despite sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference as the schedule resumes post-Gold Cup break, Remi Garde's team has a -7 goal differential and can claim a single winning streak -- all of two games -- up to this point.

11. Seattle Sounders (7-5-4)

Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: June 29 vs. Vancouver, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Sounders lost an Open Cup match to the hated Timbers, but the bigger blow they suffered during the break was losing Will Bruin to a season-ending knee injury. Until Raul Ruidiaz and Jordan Morris return from international duty, that leaves 17-year old Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez as the Sounders' lone forward.

12. Orlando City (5-3-7)

Previous ranking: 13

Next MLS match: June 26 at DC United, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

It's been just over a year since the Lions fired Jason Kreis and brought in James O'Connor as his replacement. At the time of Kreis' ousting, Orlando City was 6-1-8 for a total of 19 points. In 2019 under O'Connor, the club is 5-3-7 through 15 games for a total of 18 points. Maybe it's not just the coach?

13. Colorado Rapids (4-4-9)

Previous ranking: 18

Next MLS match: June 28 vs. LAFC, 10 p.m. ET

The Rapids' start was so poor that even a six-game unbeaten run hasn't lifted them from the foot of the Western Conference table for long. That move might be coming soon, though, with Portland just a point ahead and three teams within striking distance. Colorado can even dream of the playoffs -- seventh place is just four points away.

14. San Jose Earthquakes (5-4-6)

Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: June 26 vs. Houston Dynamo, 10.30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

We'll say it: The Quakes are fascinating. Does that mean they're good? The jury is still out on that. Even if Matias Almeyda doesn't turn San Jose into world beaters, there's enough happening in NorCal to think they'll be around come playoff time. The way of the warrior leads to the postseason?

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Portland put on a show in rout of Houston

Four different scorers found the back of the net for Portland as they cruised to victory at home against the Houston Dynamo.

15. Portland Timbers (5-2-7)

Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: June 26 at Montreal, 7.30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The bare minimum for Portland in their second home game of the year against a weakened Houston side was a win. The 4-0 romp (that included Brian Fernandez's fourth-straight game with a goal to start his Timbers career) was much more than the bare minimum. It might even be a launching pad.

16. Minnesota United (6-3-7)

Previous ranking: 12

Next MLS match: June 29 vs. FC Cincinnati, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPNdeportes

The Loons are one of the teams hoping Open Cup success carries over into the MLS schedule. United executed a thrilling second-half comeback on the road in Houston to secure a place in the Open Cup quarterfinals, with Darwin Quintero leading the way. Getting the Colombian back to his best is big.

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Katai and Chicago settle for draw against RSL

Aleksandar Katai's free kick put Chicago ahead, but Albert Rusnak's penalty ensured Real Salt Lake went home with a point on the road.

17. Real Salt Lake (6-2-8)

Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: June 29 vs. Sporting KC, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

RSL didn't get the Fire much on the road in Bridgeview, but neither did they create much themselves. One point is probably good enough, but there can't be much comfort in Utah for a team play so close to the playoff margins. The good news is that RSL is back home to play Sporting on Saturday after three straight trips east.

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Vancouver storms back to steal a point against Colorado

Fredy Montero and Yordy Reyna helped Vancouver overturn a two-goal deficit to earn a share of the points against the Colorado Rapids.

18. Vancouver Whitecaps (4-7-6)

Previous ranking: 22

Next MLS match: June 26 at FC Dallas, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Maybe it's just the way it seems, but the 'Caps appear to have quite a few comeback draws in their own building. Vancouver needed a late equalizer (after a glorious free kick from Yordy Reyna) to get a point against Colorado on Saturday and while that's better than losing, it's not quite good enough.

19. New England Revolution (4-4-8)

Previous ranking: 20

Next MLS match: June 26 vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Bruce-olution in New England is as much about the vibe around the team as it is about selection or tactics. There's a long-term project to be led, but Bruce Arena is already making a difference just by being Bruce. Wednesday will be a big test of that difference with the first-place Union in town.

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FC Dallas shake off Open Cup upset by cruising past Toronto

Dominque Badji's two-goal night helped FC Dallas move past their midweek loss to USL Championship side New Mexico United by beating Toronto FC 3-0.

20. Toronto FC (5-4-6)

Previous ranking: 14

Next MLS match: June 26 vs. Atlanta, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Reds will just try to hold on until Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore, and Jonathan Osorio return from the Gold Cup. So far, not so good with a 3-0 loss in Frisco. Next up is a Wednesday clash with Atlanta at BMO Field, a tough ask for Greg Vanney's team.

21. Sporting Kansas City (4-7-5)

Previous ranking: 21

Next MLS match: June 29 at Real Salt Lake, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Peter Vermes was never one for style points anyway, so it's fine that Sporting can't afford to be worried about them. Sunday's win over Columbus on the road in Ohio won't win any awards for aesthetics considering the poor finishing on the display. Luckily for Vermes & Co., it doesn't matter how you win, just that you do.

22. Chicago Fire (4-7-6)

Previous ranking: 23

Next MLS match: June 29 at NY Red Bulls, 8 p.m. ET

One point, at home, against a team traveling across the country and missing a key player. That doesn't feel much like a response to recent comments from both Dax McCarty and Veljko Paunovic about commitment and effort, especially since the Fire forced Salt Lake keeper Nick Rimando into a single save.

23. Columbus Crew (5-2-10)

Previous ranking: 17

Next MLS match: June 29 vs. Orlando, 7.30 p.m. ET

Last week, we mentioned the whiff of desperation in the air ahead of Sporting's visit to Columbus. SKC left with three points and the clouds descended further for the Crew. The USMNT contingent won't be back for awhile and Federico Higuain won't be back at all. Now David Accam might miss time. There's no easy way out.

24. FC Cincinnati (3-2-12)

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: June 29 vs. Minnesota, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPNDeportes

It's not getting better in Cincinnati, at least in terms of results. Progress can be difficult to measure when losses are coming fast and furious, but it does look like FCC has improved under Yoann Damet. At some point, though, that progress has to manifest as victories.

Injured Andre Russell out of rest of the World Cup

Published in Cricket
Monday, 24 June 2019 08:05

West Indies allrounder Andre Russell has been sidelined from the remainder of the World Cup with a knee injury. Top-order batsman Sunil Ambris, who hit a career-best 148 in the tri-series in Ireland last month, has been approved by the ICC as Russell's replacement.

ALSO READ - Kimber: West Indies have gambled on Russell's knees, and it hasn't worked

Russell has had a history of knee issues, and was seen limping heavily during his 2 for 4 against Pakistan in what was only his second ODI since the 2015 World Cup. Although he returned for the game against Australia, his knees didn't make it through his second spell. He bowled only two overs against England and then six overs against Bangladesh. His wonky knees then ruled him out of the game against New Zealand in Manchester, where Carlos Brathwaite replaced him and nearly powered West Indies home with a stunning century.

Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo were among like-for-like replacements for Russell in West Indies' reserves, but they have opted for a possible opener in Ambris, who was the second-highest scorer in the tri-series against Bangladesh and Ireland, with 278 runs in four innings at an average of 92.66 and strike rate of 101.83.

Ambris could cover for Evin Lewis, who had hurt his hamstring in the field in the first over of the match against New Zealand and consequently limped off the field. He returned to bat at No. 8 and bagged a three-ball duck.

West Indies have won just one of their six matches, meaning they are unlikely to qualify for the semi-finals. They next face one of the tournament favourites, India, at Old Trafford on June 27.

West Indies' updated squad: Jason Holder (capt), Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Carlos Brathwaite, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope (wk), Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Nicholas Pooran, Kemar Roach, Sunil Ambris, Oshane Thomas

Slow over rate leaves Kane Williamson on thin ice

Published in Cricket
Monday, 24 June 2019 07:34

The nail-biting win over West Indies at Old Trafford was the kind of result that gives teams a lot of self-belief, but it has come at a significant cost for New Zealand. Their main batsman, the only one to have scored more than 200 runs at this World Cup, is now on notice because they failed to maintain a good over rate in those tense final moments. Captain Kane Williamson is now one over-rate offence from being suspended for a match.

Williamson has been fined 20% of his match fee for New Zealand's slow over rate against West Indies, and the other players 10% of theirs. Another over-rate breach during the tournament will be deemed a second offence, which will bring with it a suspension for Williamson.

It will be particularly disappointing for New Zealand that it has come to this: the last time New Zealand were tardy with their overs was way back in the Champions Trophy in 2017. Behind India - who are immaculate with their over rates - New Zealand are the most disciplined side in the world when it comes to finishing their overs in the allotted time. And in the first match in which they batted first at this World Cup and were put under pressure while defending their total, New Zealand were found to be slow. In the matches between their two offences, the closest match they had when batting first was a 15-run win. It will be a small concern that they were slow when put under that pressure.

"We will be talking about that, it's certainly something we don't want," Gary Stead, New Zealand's coach, said. "Our record's been really good, and I think the moment the other night was something that probably got to everyone. It was so noisy, and the atmosphere was so good that it was really hard and difficult to hear. When you get in those pressure moments, sometimes you need to take a bit of extra time to be clear on it, but the West Indies were slow as well."

On the clock, even West Indies were at least 26 minutes late in finishing their overs, but the ICC match referee makes allowances for injury breaks and other timeouts before handing out these fines. West Indies were deemed to be just in line with the over-rate requirement, and New Zealand to have exceeded it. And they finished the innings off in 49 overs. Had the match gone the distance there might have been a bigger penalty coming their way.

However, New Zealand sound confident they don't need to do anything dramatic. They won't suddenly start playing two spinners just to maintain over rates. Stead knows the last time it happened was when he wasn't even the coach. He knows they just need to reinforce the little disciplines to make sure they are on the right side of that ledger. It is just more significant because it is Williamson, who has been streets ahead of the other New Zealand batsmen in this tournament, with 373 runs at an average of 186.50 and two Man-of-the-Match awards to his name, for two masterful centuries in difficult conditions.

"I understand the ICC have got things they need to clamp down on as well, that's part and parcel of it, but we don't want to lose Kane so that's something we'll be chatting about," Stead said.

The ICC has come down hard on over-rate offences in limited-overs tournaments. In this World Cup, a captain cannot be absolved of over-rate responsibilities even if the team decides to switch captains, like Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene did at the World T20 in 2012.

The relevant ICC playing condition says: "If the Team Captain plays in a match without being the nominated Captain for that match, he will be deemed to be the Captain should any penalties be applied for over rate breaches under the ICC Code of Conduct unless he is off the field for wholly acceptable reasons for the entirety of his team's fielding innings."

However, should New Zealand feel that their last league match will have no bearing on their final standing in the league table, they can rest Williamson if they want to be extra safe. But, as Stead said, it hasn't caused any panic in the ranks because they know they have managed it for two years. They just need to be mindful of it when the pressure is on.

Manpreet Gony, the 35-year-old medium-pacer from Punjab, has officially announced his retirement from all forms of cricket except overseas short-format leagues. He also signed up for Toronto Nationals in the Global T20 Canada league, following in the footsteps of his statemate, Yuvraj Singh.

Gony made his first-class debut in 2007 as a hit-the-deck quick and started out in the shorter formats in domestic cricket the following year, while also picking up a contract with Chennai Super Kings in the inaugural season of the IPL. He was Super Kings' joint leading wicket-taker that season along wish Albie Morkel and earned an India call-up soon after. The stint with the national team, however, didn't go too well as he played just two games in the 2008 Asia Cup, not getting a bat and picking up just two wickets.

It was a career plagued with injuries, and while he continued to play, he cut down on his pace in a big way, losing his effectiveness. He featured in the Indian domestic circuit in the 2018-19 season recently, playing all three formats for Punjab.

"He had the speed and accuracy and that helped him make his debut for Punjab against Andhra in 2007 and later saw him play for India and for various teams in IPL," Sukhwinder Tinkoo, Gony's coach, told the Indian Express. "He was one of the fastest and accurate bowlers for Punjab. If he had not faced injuries, he would have played in more matches and picked up more wickets."

Gony ended with mediocre numbers: 1226 runs and 196 wickets in 61 first-class matches, 479 runs and 77 wickets in 55 List A games, and 501 runs and 96 wickets in 90 T20s. He still shares the record - with four others - for most maiden overs in a four-over T20 spell, for his 3 for 5 for Punjab against Madhya Pradesh in a Syed Mushtaq Ali match in 2012.

"Manpreet Gony has been a wonderful cricketer for Punjab, he was one of our fastest bowlers when at his prime, and one of the most potent weapons in our arsenal," Sushil Kumar, the Punjab Cricket Association spokesperson, told ESPNcricinfo. "It's sad to see him go, but he has had a lot of injuries and was struggling.

"He was also very upset at not getting an IPL team this year. Unfortunately, being an international cricketer, he had a high base price, and no one picked him.

"He will now play in Canada, and maybe in other leagues, that's fair. It's sad for us, but it's good for him. Players must make money where they can. He can still bowl his overs and use the long handle well, so he can still add value to T20 teams."

Morgan plays down England's pressure fears

Published in Cricket
Monday, 24 June 2019 09:35

Eoin Morgan has insisted he has no doubts about his side's ability to perform under pressure.

Morgan, the England captain, believes nerves played no part in England's defeats at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka. And while those results have left his team facing a slightly more nervous final three group games than he might have preferred, he does not feel Tuesday's match against Australia is "must win."

"The guys have performed under pressure for a long time," Morgan said. "They have performed as favourites in series, both home and away, for the last two years. I've no questions of us performing under pressure.

"I don't think nerves played a part at all in the defeats against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. We've shown throughout the World Cup we can perform under pressure."

Despite Morgan's protestations, it did look as if pressure was playing its part when England's fielders fumbled the ball at The Oval - Jason Roy's dropping of Mohammaed Hafeez on 14 may have been the game's pivotal moment; he went on to top-score with 84 - or when their batsmen struggled to chase that low total in Leeds. And with their qualification now looking more uncertain and the opposition looking more daunting, there is no obvious reason why the remaining games in the tournament should be any less pressurised.

For that reason, then, it is perhaps not surprising that Morgan sought to minimise the pressure going into this match. It's not as if a World Cup encounter with Australia at Lord's needs any extra hype, after all.

"It's not a must-win game yet," he said. "We don't need to win every game to get to the semi-final. It's another game where we have to try and produce a performance that's worthy of playing at Lord's against Australia."

His calculations are correct. England can still qualify for the semi-finals if they lose on Tuesday. They might well be able to qualify even if they lose on both Tuesday and Sunday. But it will leave them looking at their final group match, against New Zealand, as a must-win encounter and susceptible both to rain and the results of other teams. Besides, it will surely be better for confidence to win such encounters.

Perhaps, though, more than the pressure of the big occasions, England's problems have simply been the surfaces. England's recent record - the huge scores, the quick hundreds, the record number of sixes - has been built on the back of flat tracks. Their batting line-up has often looked at its best when able to attack without compromise. Generally, only when they have come up against surfaces where they have had to take a slightly more sophisticated approach - notably at Lord's in 2017, when they were 21-6 about half-an-hour into the match - have they faulted.

The pitches in this tournament have not, on the whole, been like that. Partially due to the weather and partially due to the early starts (World Cup matches are starting 30 minutes earlier than usual day-time ODIs in England and Wales), there has been just a little more in the surfaces for bowlers. It's not as if the ball has swung, but it has sometimes not come on to bat with quite such the predictable nature of recent seasons. As a result, England are taking a slightly more cautious approach to their innings: batsmen are playing themselves in with the aim of keeping wickets in hand for a late acceleration. There had been talk, before the tournament, of the possibility of 500 being scored; to date, we are yet to have a 400. Only four times have teams reached 350.

The Lord's surface on Tuesday may not be entirely straightforward for batsmen, either. With the ground needing to reuse the track on Saturday, there has been a greater covering on grass left on the surface than might be expected. Officials at the ground are confident the pitch is dry and will play less green than it looks but, at least on Monday afternoon, it appeared very much a bowl-first track. Rain is forecast over night, too, which will do nothing to change that.

It is a much-repeated myth that the ICC takes control of pitch preparation before World Cup matches. While they do have, in theory, the authority to oversee preparations, in practice they have no involvement whatsoever. The same team of groundstaff at the same venues working to the same criteria are preparing these surfaces, as has been the case for several years. But with multiple games to be played and the window for preparation narrowed by poor weather, the tracks are not exactly as England were expecting. A combination of that and the nerves of the big night appear to have discomforted them somewhat.

Three months ago, David Warner and Jonny Bairstow were lighting up the IPL with a record-breaking partnership for Sunrisers Hyderabad. On Tuesday their bromance will be forgotten as they plot each other's downfall when England and Australia meet at Lord's. Such is the nature of the modern game where players regularly swap T20 franchise jerseys for national colours.

Bairstow has used his Telegraph column to question the fairness of Australians asking fans to cease booing Warner and Steven Smith in light of previous calls by the then Australia coach Darren Lehmann for fans to show less charity towards England players, Stuart Broad in particular. While that may seem incongruous after their feats as team-mates in India, Aaron Finch says it's a natural part of the T20 era.

"I think that's the great thing about domestic tournaments around the world is that you get an opportunity to play with guys you might have had perception on, just from playing against them, about how they play, what kind of bloke they are, or something like that," Finch said.

"I think that's opened up everyone's eyes to [the idea that] 99 per cent of people that you play with are good blokes, regardless of what tournament it is or who you're playing for. But that's pretty easy to flick back into international mode, no doubt. It's a game representing your country. There's a lot of pride on the line. There's a couple of points in a World Cup, which is so tightly contested."

Finch has in some ways had a similar, albeit reversed, relationship with Warner; they have been opponents when playing for their states in domestic competitions in Australia and T20 tournaments abroad, while also combining forces to form a dynamic and aggressive opening partnership for Australia.

"Yeah, I think a bit like anyone who plays with Davey," Finch said. "They see a side of him and they play against him and they see one when they play with him, and he's a great man. He's someone that obviously Jonny and him have had some run-ins on the ground, too. It's good to see that when you do get an opportunity to get to know somebody, that you take that advantage."

The other facet of the T20 era is that players come back from tournaments into the national side with far more knowledge about franchise teammates' strengths and weaknesses, something Finch actively aims to exploit.

"Absolutely," Finch said. "Everyone is involved in sort of planning meetings and things like that. You get an opportunity to talk, whether it's in a structured meeting or over coffee or dinner or a beer or whatever it might be. I think as cricketers, we're all nuffies at the end of the day for the game; so you're always talking about the game and coming up with different strategies and things that you've seen over time.

"A lot of times, that changes. When a guy has come in as a youngster into international cricket, their game changes dramatically over a period of time, so you always have to be adapting, and that's what's a great thing about these domestic T20 comps, is that you get to play with so many players that you wouldn't have had the access to in the past, that you do get to see more of them."

African soccer wants action against Cameroon

Published in Breaking News
Monday, 24 June 2019 07:01

VALENCIENNES, France -- The head of women's soccer in Africa wants Cameroon to face punishment for the conduct of players in their Women's World Cup loss to England.

The Cameroon team rebelled against three officiating decisions in a 3-0 loss to England in the round of 16 on Sunday. After the game, Cameroon manager Alain Djeumfa accused officials of a "miscarriage of justice."

- Cameroon blasts officials after loss to England
- FIFA Women's World Cup: All you need to know
- Full Women's World Cup fixtures schedule

Isha Johansen, who sits on the Confederation of African Football executive committee and is president of the women's soccer body, says she is "proud of our African female teams" in the tournament.

But Johansen believes the game "reflected badly not only on African women's football but African football on the whole" and wants punishments imposed.

"It is an issue which will be addressed and dealt with at the appropriate levels of governance," she added on Monday.

According to the official from Sierra Leone, the CAF should take action even if FIFA doesn't pursue a case against the Cameroon team.

As Cameroon players seethed and wept at times on the field, there was at least one high-profile advocate of their behavior: the head of the FIFA administration.

FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura tweeted that the Cameroon players "inspired many young girls,'' with "passionate and talented play on the field that made your fans proud and your country is proud of you.''

The view from the Confederation of African Football was very different. But Samoura endorsed the conduct of players who openly undermined the authority of referee Quin Liang by forcing delays to restarts as they huddled to protest against England goals.

The loss was marked by three decisions that Cameroon felt were unjust, with two involving the video assistant referee (VAR). The first incident was a call by Liang to award England an indirect free kick for a back pass in the 13th minute that led to Steph Houghton's opening goal.

Ellen White gave England a 2-0 lead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time with a goal awarded after an offside call was correctly overruled by the VAR. Cameroon vehemently protested the call, having seen it replayed on the video screen.

Rather than immediately restarting play after the goal, the Cameroon players all gathered together in a huddle and spoke to each other for a few minutes before finally taking the kickoff.

Cameroon players were angered again at the start of the second half when Ajara Nchout's goal was denied because of another VAR review for offside. Cameroon's players came to the touchline and were visibly upset at the call, and play was temporarily halted again.

ESPN's Tom Hamilton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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