It seems like every American soccer fan has become a proud parent with Sergiño Dest’s move to Barcelona – before he’s bumped down the order by Barcelona’s move for former Luton Town right back Max Aarons!
La Liga signings always have that elaborate on field unveiling in the full kit, showing of some skills. Dest did nothing for stereotypes of technical ability in American soccer…
But he did recover pretty well.
Capital Punishment
DC United are sweating over potential punishment from Major League Soccer after playing an ineligible player to cap off the comedy of errors that has become their 2020.
Russell Canouse subbed on at half time against Atlanta, but was never on the game day roster. Two minutes into the half, the referee stopped the game to look at the gameday roster on a phone, have the VAR call MLS HQ, and decide what should happen with Canouse.
<div class='fluid-width-video-wrapper'><iframe width='640' height='400' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen src='https://www.mlssoccer.com/iframe-video?brightcove_id=6197229400001&brightcove_player_id=default&brightcove_account_id=5530036774001'></iframe></div>Canouse was sent to the locker room and replaced by an eligible player to ‘complete’ the initial substitution.
FIFA laws call for the game to be forfeited, which would be a better outcome than the 4-0 loss. Jeff Larentowicz had a line worthy of a 3rd Degree T-shirt when he said ‘I don’t care where he [Canouse] is. He could be in a helicopter for all I care.’
Get Him to the Game
Speaking of game day roster chaos, one young goalkeeper was forced to be named against the same club twice in 12 hours.
Fernando Tapia started in goal for Club America’s U-20s in a 4-1 loss to Cruz Azul last Sunday morning. That evening, the 19-year-old settled down at home to watch the two senior teams play in the Clásico Joven when he gets a phone call to get to the stadium immediately because Memo Ochoa broke down injured in the warm up.
Tapia had to get changed in the stands to take his place on the bench. The young keeper was the highlight of Mexico City’s derby as the teams played out a goalless draw.
What a Finish
Hartford Athletic had what may be the best winning goal ever.
As the clock is about the hit 90, Danny Barrera deflects a kick from Philadelphia Union II goalie Mitchell Budler into the net to seal a 3-2 win.
Barrera is just far away enough not to have obstructed the clearance. Wow.
Self-inflicted Wounds
FC Copenhagen knocked themselves out of the UEFA Europa League with potentially the worst passage of play I’ve ever laid eyes on.
First, two defenders fail to win the aerial ball against a Rijeka player. Franko Andrijašević makes a nice run from the half way line but two of the Danish defenders take eachother out before Andrijašević’s shot hits the cross bar and bounces in off Peter Ankersen.
That was the only goal as HNK Rijeka won the qualifier to land in a group with AZ Alkmaar, Real Sociedad, and Napoli.
Kit Nerds Unite!
Queen’s Park may not have the stature of Rangers or Celtic, but Scotland’s oldest club is full of history. The owners of the national stadium, Hampden Park, as well as the club that brought Sir Alex Ferguson and Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson to light, and all while still playing as a completely amateur team.
The 153-year-old club is celebrating 120 years of Scottish League football with an away kit dubbed ‘the Most Historic Kit’.
More than 4,000 red, green, and orange dots chart every league result from 1900 to 2020 on the otherwise blue kit.
Staying Loyal
Landon Donovan’s San Diego Loyal have been in the news after forfeiting two games featuring racial and homophobic slurs.
After tying LA Galaxy II 1-1, SD Loyal forfeited the point in protest of Omar Ontiveros using a racial slur against San Diego’s Elijah Martin. He was later sent off for an unrelated offense, suspended for seven games, and was later cut by Los Dos.
San Diego’s frustration was in part at the lack of action from the LA bench and officials who heard the exchange, stating that they would not recognize a match where this type of behavior occurs. They stuck to their guns a few days later when playing Phoenix Rising.
Jamaican international Junior Flemmings directed a homophobic slur at Collin Martin – an openly gay player. Martin took the complaint to the referee who initially showed the former Minnesota United midfielder a red card mistaking the complaint for a comment directed at him.
In somewhat of a double standard, the referee then refused to show Flemings the card claiming not to know what the Jamaican slang term meant as coach Landon Donovan stood up for Martin in the clip below.
The great irony of Phoenix coach Rick Schantz claiming those slurs are part of the game is that the two teams were scheduled to stop play in the 71st minute for an anti-racism display.
Between the point earned against LA and the two-goal lead against Phoenix, the forfeits cost San Diego – and FC Dallas loanee Francis Atuahene – a playoff spot as they put principles before postseason.
What’s On
It’s the international break as Europe has its nations league, South America looks to the 2022 World Cup, and the US takes a break.
There’s three chances to watch FC Dallas, and I’ve picked a couple of NCAA women’s games that highlight some of DFW’s premiere talent. On Thursday, two of the best programs collide as UNC plays Virginia. Solar’s Sam Meza will be up front with Buzz’s favored number 1 jersey for UNC. FC Dallas products Diana Ordonez, Samar Guidry, and Taryn Torres star for Virginia with Emma Dawson (FCD) and Lauren Hinton (D’Feeters/Texans) also in the side.
Wednesday, October 7:
11:00am – Chattanooga Red Wolves v North Texas SC (USL-1) – ESPN+
1:45pm – Portugal v Spain (Friendly) – ESPN+
6:00pm – Atlanta Utd v Orlando City (MLS) – ESPN+
7:00pm – Houston Dynamo v FC Dallas (MLS) – FSSW / FCDallas.com/stream
9:30pm – LA Galaxy v Portland Timbers (MLS) – ESPN+
Thursday, October 8:
2:00pm – England v Wales (Friendly) – ESPN+ / TUDN
5:45pm – Uruguay v Chile (World Cup Qual) – Fanatiz
7:00pm – North Carolina vs Virginia (NCAA Women’s) – ACC Network
Friday, October 9:
1:45pm – Fleetwood Town v Hull City (EFL-1) – ESPN+
4:00pm – Orlando Pride v Houston Dash (NWSL) – CBS Sports / CBS All Access / Twitch
5:00pm – Kansas State v Texas (NCAA Women’s) – Longhorn Network
7:00pm – TCU v Oklahoma State (NCAA Women’s) – ESPN+
Saturday, October 10:
9:00am – Portsmouth v MK Dons (EFL-1) – ESPN+
11:30am – Sky Blue FC v Chicago Red Stars (NWSL) – CBS All Access / Twitch
1:45pm – Spain vs Switzerland (UEFA Nations League) – UniMas / TUDN / ESPN+
4:00pm – Inter Miami v Houston Dynamo (MLS) – UniMas / TUDN
7:00pm – OL Reign v Portland Thorns (NWSL) – Twitch
7:30pm – North Texas SC v Richmond Kickers (USL-1) – ESPN+
Sunday, October 11:
11:00am – England v Belgium (UEFA Nations League) – ESPN+ / TUDN
1:45pm – France v Portugal (UEFA Nations League) – ESPN / UniMas / TUDN
3:30pm – NYCFC v New England Revs (MLS) – ESPN+
6:00pm – LAFC v Seattle Sounders (MLS) – ESPN
7:30pm – FC Dallas v Minnesota United (MLS) – FSSW / FCDallas.com/stream
Tuesday, October 13:
1:45pm – Germany v Switzerland (UEFA Nations League) – ESPN2
2:00pm – Mexico v Algeria (Friendly) – Univision / TUDN
7:00pm – Peru v Brazil (World Cup Qual) – Fanatiz
Wednesday, October 14:
1:45pm – Croatia v France (UEFA Nations League) – ESPN+
1:45pm – Italy v Netherlands (UEFA Nations League) – ESPN2
3:00pm – Fort Lauderdale v Forward Madison (USL-1) – ESPN+
7:30pm – FC Dallas v Sporting KC (MLS) – FSSW / FCDallas.com/stream
9:30pm – LA Galaxy v SJ Earthquakes – ESPN+