A few months after leaving MLS to return to his native Costa Rica, striker Alvaro Saborio has retired. He announced his retirement on Twitter in Spanish on Friday. Here is an Englishtranslation: “Yesterday I took the decision to retire from from playing professional soccer. First of all I give thanks to God for all he […]
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Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Moves: Ian Harkes doesn't stray from D.C. backyard
Missing out on a MAC Hermann Award winner who just happens to be the son of a club icon would have tarnished the reputation of D.C. United for some time to come. Fortunately, on Monday cameconfirmation that weeks of negotiations had yielded a Homegrown Player contract for midfielder Ian Harkes, whose father John helped transform […]
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MLS Moves: Jeffrey signs new deal with D.C. United
After setting career highs for games played and starts in a season since leaving Germany for MLS in 2013, midfielder Jared Jeffrey has agreed to a new contract. Jeffrey, 26, playedseveral roles in central midfield while starting 14 of 21 appearances and scoring two goals. “Jared is coming off of his best season at our […]
Posted inSoccer World Daily, Story
Copa Centroamericana: Ortiz scored twice in Tico debut
Recent D.C. United signing Jose Guillermo Ortiz scored two goals in his international debut to lead Costa Rica to a 3-0 win over Belize on Sunday at the Copa Centroamericana. Minnesota Unitedacquisition Johan Venegas scored the third goal. The only other MLS player to start for the Ticos was Portland signing David Guzman. Rubilio Castillo […]
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USMNT: Injured Hamid forced to withdraw again
There’s more bad luck for D.C. United keeper Bill Hamid. For the third year in a row, he’s been called up or was expected to be called up to the U.S. national team for its January camp but hadto drop out because of an injury. In 2015, Hamid was suffering from a shoulder injury,the same […]
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MLS Moves: United trades Martin to Minnesota
D.C. United has traded one of its Homegrown Players, midfielder Collin Martin, to Minnesota United for a draft pick. Since his MLS debut in August, 2013, a month after signing hisHomegrown contract, Martin had played 15 games (in all competitions) for D.C., which received a fourth-round pick in the 2018 SuperDraft in the trade. Martin, […]
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MLS Positional Awards: Bingham takes top goalkeeping spot
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) It was a strange year for goalkeepers in MLS. Colorado conceded the fewestgoals with two keepers splitting time right down the middle and the keeper that had backstopped Portland to the 2015 MLS Cup title, Adam Kwarasey, left the league. Several teams,such as New York City FC, were strong in […]
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MLS Positional Rankings: TFC duo heads the pack at outside back
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) MLS teams don’t spend much on outside backs. They’ve been only marginallyaffected by increases in the salary cap, none are Designated Players permitted per team, and no team has yet spent any Targeted Allocation Money to sign one. The ideal outside back cantrack and tackle tenaciously, effectively protect the back […]
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MLS Positional Rankings: Birnbaum and Van Damme command the centerback slots
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) The three-man back line is gaining favor in MLS as well as around the world, but the standardfour-back system prevails. Occasionally, a player will toggle between the central slots, but most players and coaches prefer to establish one side as their own. Steve Birnbaum hasplayed well enough to earn callups to […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
MLS Positional Rankings: Lodeiro and Piatti dominate the flanks
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) The importance of a strong spine is just as vital in soccer as any other team sport, yet there’salso no doubt wide play is crucial, particularly in the attack. Not many MLS teams field a truly dominant winger or wide midfielder; two that did, Seattle and Montreal, reaped thebenefits. Midseason arrival […]