Video Game: Dispatch

I have a lot to say about Dispatch but for conciseness’s sake and honest niceties, I’ll be frank. I didn’t think much about this game from the getgo when my manager at work started barking funny little references I didn’t understand, but when I went home, I caved and found something pretty nice. While there are a lot of narrative options I heavily disagree with, that’s the point of the game. Adopting the developers from Telltale Games, AdHoc Studios put together similar “choose your own adventure” elements in this superhero story from titles like The Wolf Among Us and Batman: the Telltale Series. What was put together, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful games to release in the last few years. The art direction is gorgeous and has this great comic book feel that most Telltale titles share, but Dispatch is so bright and colorful and lively like vintage superheroes. There are so many layers to the game and its characters that replaying even with roughly 12 hours worth of content feels new and fresh down to the third or fourth route.

Going online and seeing feedback on this game doesn’t do it justice, because the only way people know how to talk about Dispatch is by saying it isn’t dark enough to be profound like the inverted superhero tropes of Invincible or The Boys. But not everything needs to be dark and scary to have an impact on people. The speculative fiction aspect of Dispatch is meant more to reflect the everyman playing the game rather than be a massive political commentary. The characters act like your average coworkers, and the protagonist, Robert Robertson III (yes, that is seriously what they called him), is just some guy in his early thirties going through a transitional period in his life as he is essentially disabled out of being a superhero. There’s a lot of themes of grief, moving on, and finding peace through either contentment, or malice and revenge. Overall, a beautiful experience, would recommend playing it not only once, but a few times just to surprise yourself by making the “wrong” choices.

-Lee Nienhaus

TV Series: Peacemaker, Season 2

Peacemaker season two released at the tail end of the year, and was a sensation that built off the first season in amazing ways. They developed characters, expanded the DC Universe, and allowed for characters to take on heavy issues while still keeping that comedic element to the show. They pick up after the events of season one, with many members of the 11th Street Kids looking for new work, and trying to discover themselves in their professional and personal lives. The show faces various issues head-on, including themes of belonging, guilt, privilege, forgiveness, and grief. This show is set apart from other superhero media with how it handles its characters. They show honest growth throughout the series, with the start of this season focusing on Harcourt’s growth following the death of her ex, Chris’ dedication to become a ‘real’ hero, and Adebayo’s dedication to be taken seriously in her new job. Overall, the season is done well, with key comedic action and emotions always the centering point of the show. The one critique for the show held by many, is that the ending is seen as anti-climactic and boring. I personally disagree with this. I see the ending as a way to set up the future of the DC universe, and was a great way to wrap up the series.

-Will Clair

DJ Set: HOOCHIE MAMA MIX OF GHETTOTECH JUNGLE BALTIMORE CLUB JERSEY CLUB MIAMI BASS by girlypop princess

Ever had a bad day? I’ve got something to make sure you don’t have any more of those. 

In the year of our lord 2025, following the path set for me by many a screwtape, not to mention a growing fascination with DJ Kicks, Elevator Music, and NTS, DJ Sets occupied a considerable slice of my overall music listening. The internet is truly a wonder in running across such things, the vast expanses of SoundCloud proving my personal favorite- the depths from which this particular gem fell into my possession. An hour of lush, blissful ghettotech to keep your head high and your booty bouncing. I mean, really, what more could one ask? My favorite stretch goes around the 23-minute mark, featuring an absolutely electric jungle remix of Ciara’s Get Up that had me… well, getting up. A wise man once said, “The DJ got us fallin’ in love again,” and I live by that. In 2026, may a DJ help you fall in love again. Thank you, girlypop princess.

-Evan Raefield

Movie: Sinners

Released in April of 2025, Sinners took the film industry by storm, impressing both critics and audiences alike, rated with a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. And its reputation precedes itself. The movie is a vampire tale, blending southern gothic horror, drama and musical elements. It explores themes of racial oppression, ancestry, colonization, culture assimilation and spirituality. The film follows main character, Sammie as he abandons his duties as the preacher’s son and runs off to join his cousins, the Smokestack Twins, who want to open a juke joint of their very own. The twins are war veterans and gangsters who return to Mississippi in the hopes of giving back to their community. 

“Stack”, also known as Elias, is the approachable and outgoing brother, often depicted in red. Elijah, whose nickname is “Smoke”, is the serious and cynical brother, dressed in shades of blue. Together, they purchase a venue, gather materials and recruit musicians, cooks and dancers. During the opening night however, Sammie’s musical talent, which is so powerful it can transcend time and connect ancestors, attracts the attention of bloodsucking vampires who seek to harness that power. Therefore, the main characters must come up with a plan to survive the night or die at the hands of the supernatural evil that needs nothing but an invite to ruin their lives. 

Coogler really nails this film as both a horror and a well-developed drama: the characters are realistic and complex, the premise is simple yet effective, the vampire folklore is handled with expertise, and the cinematography is gorgeous. A standout moment in the film is when Sammie’s performance invokes different generations of musicians/performers, and as they join the fun, the screen extends beyond the standard widescreen and envelops the entire picture. It marks the transition to the second half of the movie and raises the stakes and horror elements without us even noticing it. Additionally, Sinner’s casting was exceptional, with the actors all giving award-worthy performances. Overall, it’s a beautifully crafted vampiric horror movie that is absolutely worth the watch.

-Clara Carrion

Video Game: No, I’m Not a Human

This year, I seem to have become the de facto video game journalist for the KRUI website. If you know me at all, you know I’m woefully unqualified for the position. I have no reputation as a gamer, having only started getting into gaming this year, and I’ve only played a measly few games that I got for free on Steam. In fact, my favorite game of the year, Trioskaz’s No, I’m Not A Human, is one I haven’t even played myself. I’ve only seen it played, over and over, by various streamers.

For those not familiar, No, I’m Not A Human centers around a dreary apocalypse: the sun is moving closer to the Earth, making daytime unbearably hot. Simultaneously, strange beings dressed in human skin (called Visitors) are emerging from the ground, trying to gain entry into people’s homes and murdering anyone they find alone. You just so happen to live alone. So, against your better judgement, you start accepting people in off the street who are searching for shelter from the sun. Except some of those people might not be people. So now you’re an investigator, trying to determine whether the people you let in at night are actually human or an alien Visitor in disguise. This is the main mechanic of the game, listening to your companions’ stories and checking them for signs that they might be Visitors. But the information you’re getting about what makes someone a Visitor is shaky at best. Visitors allegedly have red eyes, dirty fingernails, and perfectly straight teeth. But what if a human spent the night crying? What if a Visitor washed their hands? What if a human recently went to the dentist? There’s no foolproof way to tell if someone’s a Visitor, meaning you’re often forced to convict without enough evidence. Either that, or you let more innocents die.

The game’s art style and writing only heightens the tension of its premise. It’s tempting to decide who to let in based on looks alone, or maybe their general attitude. But, in this game, everyone who approaches your door, Visitor or human, looks uncanny. Not even humans look human, meaning your gut instincts on who to trust will often lead you astray. It’s hard to tell who’s honestly being nice and who’s faking it; every character has unique and well-written quirks, regardless of whether they’re human or Visitor.
When creating any piece of media, it’s hard to make your audience feel the specific emotion that you want them to feel. But I and every other person who has played or watched this game knows exactly the strain of paranoia that No, I’m Not A Human depicts so well. This is a game that will make you question everything. It will give you a piece of information, then immediately contradict it. It will introduce you to a sweet, lovable character, then force you to shoot them in the face before they kill again. In times of true unprecedented crisis, the only choices you can really make are shots in the dark. But who are the stray bullets going to hit?

Can you deal with the consequences?

-Bailey Vergara

World Cup Qualifier Match: Hungary v. Ireland, Nov. 16th

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is taking place across 16 cities in North America this upcoming summer, and boy am I excited. One of the final rounds of qualifiers for the UEFA (European) teams occurred this past November, where 12 nations have fully qualified, 26 have been eliminated, and 16 will continue to the vicious UEFA playoffs in March to compete for the 4 final available slots. Hungary hosted the final match for both Hungary and Ireland on November 16, 2025, neither team able to fully qualify, but both contending here for the playoffs. Hungary needed only a draw to move on, while Ireland needed a win.

At just 3 minutes, Hungary scored the first goal to set their immediate daunting lead. The match continued scrappy from that point on, high energy and desperation from both teams charging their playing. Neither country is favored to make it into The World Cup, with Ireland’s most recent appearance in 2002, and Hungary’s in 1986. This time around, both teams have strong players carrying national hopes on each side, Ireland’s hero with two goals against Portugal just three days prior, Troy Parrot, and Hungary’s captain the Liverpool star, Dominik Szoboszlai. The qualifiers are an incredible series of matches to see these fierce teams as they scrap it out, and play with a kind of energy and madness that really makes the game special. It’s not a clean or perfect match from either team, but that kind of toe-to-toe brawl into a last minute, game-deciding hattrick goal is the pure vision of drama that’s special to The World Cup.

Ireland will continue to the playoffs after the unbelievable last minute score from Troy Parrot crushed Hungarian dreams 2-3. They will face The Czech Republic on March 26, 2026. If they win, Ireland will need to beat Denmark or North Macedonia during the playoff final to finally advance to The World Cup

-Pauly

The post KRUI Staff Picks our Favorite Media of 2025 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The Bundesliga is the top division of German football. A win grants a team three points, while a draw grants each team just one point. A loss means no points. The team with the most points is crowned champion at the end of the season. The teams in the bottom two spots are relegated to the second division and replaced by the top two teams from the 2nd Bundesliga. The third worst team plays the third best team from the second division in the relegation playoff to see who will play in the upper league the next season. The teams in the top seven spots qualify for European competition.

The current league standings see an all too familiar face sitting at the top. Bayern Munich, the German “Rekordmeister” hold the position after a strong string of performances balancing out a shaky start. The cult club of Union Berlin sit just three points behind last year’s champions. The Iron Ones of East Berlin saw themselves sitting at the top of the table for several weeks before slipping down recently. The small club continues to surprise many after only reaching the Bundesliga for the first time in 2019. They stand with their zealous supporters backing them. 

Sharing the other two Champions League spots in the top four with them are clubs RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt. Both clubs come from winning titles last season with the DFB Pokal and UEFA Europa League, respectively. The two teams struggled early in the season but have since climbed the ranks after many good performances. Close behind them are Borussia Dortmund and SC Freiburg. Dortmund have been inconsistent after losing Norwegian striker Erling Haaland to Manchester City over the summer, that too paired with struggles in their defensive line. Freiburg continue their solid form from last season occupying the sixth position on the table, and in qualification for European competitions. The club from the Black Forest is also excelling in the Europa league. 

Among the midtable resides Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen, who both after horrendous starts have made their way back up the ladder. Wolfsburg closed out the first half with a 5-0 and a 6-0 victory skyrocketing them up seventh place. Leverkusen have turned around since the appointment of Spanish World Cup winner Xabi Alonso as manager. Behind them are Borussia Mönchengladbach who despite beating Munich early in the season have not been as compelling. It looks worse for them after losing their world class goalkeeper Yann Sommer.  

Underneath them are FC Köln who have not lived up to last year’s quality. Still, the team is in a much better position than they have been throughout the past decade. Newly promoted Werder Bremen make their return after a yearlong spell in the Second Bundesliga. A season characterized by late comebacks has made them an exciting team to watch. Their success in part has been thanks to league leading goal scorer Niclas Füllkrug. The German striker who has spent most of his time in the second division has been having a dynamic season, even making his debut with the German National Team at the World Cup. Rounding out the midtable is Mainz. The small club brought to success by Jürgen Klopp resides in the same position they typically do each season.  

Further below sits Hoffenheim who despite coming from relative obscurity have made a name for themselves in the Bundesliga. However, over the past few seasons they have slowly slipped down the table. With them is Augsburg, who look to continue their decade long spell in the topflight. The team has never suffered relegation. 

Among those in the relegation battle sit some giants of German football. Stuttgart and Bochum both sit low on sixteen points with the former in the relegation playoff spot based on a worse goal difference. Stuttgart have struggled most of the season even after a couple of electric performances at the beginning. Bochum has slowly started to improve and put in a few decent performances even after going winless in their first eight games.  

In the first guaranteed relegation place is the capitol club Hertha Berlin. The team that plays its home games in the Olympiastadion has found little success, and last season’s woes have only remained. Hertha has been outshined by Union, its smaller rival on the other side of the remnants of the wall, having lost to them in the Berlin Derby on the opening matchday and being on the opposite end of the table. At the bottom is Schalke, whose fall from grace has not ended even after winning the second division last season and gaining promotion a year after being relegated. They have fourteen points with only two wins and are in a dire situation. 

There is plenty of time left for the trends of every team to shift dramatically. The monopoly of Bayern Munich seems uncertain with solid challenges from teams like Union Berlin, Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig. Bundesliga matches can be watched on ESPN on weekend mornings for audiences in America. Below is the table of where results stood after Matchday 17.

The post A Mid-Season Bundesliga Recap appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Photo courtesy the18.com

***Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are my own. For more info on the UEFA Champions League, visit http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/index.html#/

The UEFA Champions League is down to the quarterfinals, and these are the questions I have for the final stretch of the tournament:

Who Will Win Juventus vs. Real Madrid?

It’s painfully obvious that this is not only a question I’m asking; it’s a question the whole world is asking. These two foes will tangle for the twentieth and twenty-first occasions in April, and Juve reminded fans not to be taken for granted, rallying back to beat Tottenham 4-3 on aggregate last round. Last year’s final was Juve’s only loss vs. Real Madrid in its last four encounters with Los Merengues (and Juve knocked out R.M. during that span in 2015).

Gonzalo Higuaín and Paulo Dybala continue to be goalscoring threats, with the former logging five goals in eight Champions League games and 15 goals in the Italian Serie A thus far. Despite that form, Juventus has the fewest goals of the remaining Champions League teams.

In terms of absences, Medhi Benatia and Miralem Pjanic are suspended for leg one while Cuadrado is the only player who isn’t likely to be fit in time for the matchup and Federico Bernardeschi is questionable. It’s critical for the midfield to control the games against Madrid, as the overall midfield hasn’t exactly dominated the tournament.  

Speaking of injuries, Giorgio Chiellini’s thigh injury is not thought to be serious according to the Juventus head coach, which should be relief as the 33-year-old continues to be a rock for Juve’s back line.

Take note of how Juventus balances league play with cup play; Juve is fighting for the Serie A title and hosts A.C. Milan three days before the Real Madrid matchup.

As for Real Madrid, the Spanish La Liga table doesn’t seem to affect morale. Los Merengues have scored the most goals of this season’s tournament than any team remaining, including 15 from CR7 (Cristiano Ronaldo). The squad is injury-free at the moment and firing on all cylinders. Ronaldo scored four goals in league play last weekend. The squad has the highest team rating of any team in the tournament. And the squad has averaged 60.6% possession through the tournament.

One stat that Juventus will appreciate seeing is that Real Madrid has missed several scoring chances in the tournament (despite converting on many as well). But Real Madrid will definitely be hard to beat in this series.

Is Sevilla the Real Deal?

It’s only just sinking in that Sevilla beat Man United over a two-leg aggregate series. And Los Sevillistas closed out that series at Old Trafford. Wissam Ben Yedder came off the bench to score both of their goals, they outshot the Red Devils and once again kept possession even. Joaquin Correa registered an assist, got six shots off and completed 29 passes. And while Romelu Lukaku put the defense under pressure, the underdog prevailed.

Sébastien Corchia has been a fantastic fullback and is easing back to full-fitness. Éver Banega is proving to be a valuable addition in midfield. And Franco Vazquez has been an effective attacking midfielder, with a 70% UCL dribbling success rate and 6 assists across all competitions. Add that to a 60%

possession/game rate and you’re looking at a tough midfield to beat.

Robert Lewandowski continues to rack up goals, with 32 across all competitions this season. And despite the ongoing conversations about where he might end up next season, he continues to lead a loaded attack that includes James Rodriguez and Thomas Müller.

This team is used to progressing far in this competition, while Sevilla is in its first Champions League quarterfinal in fifty years. Will experience prevail, or will Sevilla reach new heights?

Can Roma Pull off a Shocker?

A.S. Roma is in its first UCL Quarterfinal since 2008, and the team has the arduous task of going against Barca. Edin Dzeko continues to do Edin Dezko things, with four goals and three assists in the competition. Aleksandr Kolarov is doing big things, too. And Diego Perotti is helping Dzeko out with a solid pass-accuracy rate.

Roma had to battle back in the Round of 16 versus Shakhtar Donetsk to advance to the Quarters. “I Giallorossi” absorbed a lot of pressure and benefited from gritty defensive performances, especially from Konstantinos Manolas. They can expect a lot more defense being necessary against a Barcelona team that constantly puts opponents under siege.

Barcelona is hoping to remain undefeated in this year’s Champions League and advance in the process. The Blaugrana leads the tournament with 66% average possession and six clean sheets. In this tournament, Lionel Messi has six goals and two assists and Philippe Coutinho has five goals. This team is poised to improve upon last year’s quarterfinal exit, and its fans expect nothing less.

This attack has still been strong even despite Luis Suárez being held scoreless in the Champions League. That’s largely because a) Suárez has notched five assists and b) Messi is outta this world.

Barcelona will be the heavy favorite in this series.

Who Will Step Up Among Liverpool’s Supporting Cast?

Liverpool enters the quarterfinals as a team that has had a strong attack headlined by Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino. The pair have combined for 15 goals in the tournament, and Liverpool leads the tournament in goals per match as well as frequency of winning possession in the final third of the field. But a big question still remains: Who will step up among Liverpool’s supporting cast? The midfield will have to control the two legs and bolster the team attack. The team is pretty healthy right now, and it’ll be important that players like Georginio Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson win duels, give the Reds rhythm, and connect with the forwards. Salah and Firmino have been excellent this season (especially Salah), but Liverpool will need its midfielders to also boss the games vs. City if the Reds want to advance to the Semis.  

Manchester City has only lost four matches in all competitions this season, with two of them coming in Champions League matches that were basically meaningless for the Citizens. Liverpool is the only team to have beaten them in Premier League action when the Reds won 4-3 in January, and City’s only other loss came to Wigan in the FA Cup. At this rate, this will be the Citizens’ best season in club history; none of the four title-winning Man City teams of the past have been as dominant as this group. Sergio Agüero and Raheem Sterling are leading the way in goalscoring, the midfield has the highest pass-accuracy per game rate and the defense has helped Claudio Bravo earn four clean sheets. Beating Man City over two legs will require a great effort from any team, and it’s hard to find a weakness in this team.

The post My Quarterfinal Questions appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The soccer world is readying for men’s World Cup this summer in Russia. But 2018 isn’t just a big year in men’s soccer: it’s a big year in women’s soccer, too. Women’s World Cup Qualifying is in full-flight in Asia and Europe, and it won’t be long before the U.S. Women start their journey either (sure, it’s in October, but time goes by fast).

This year’s SheBelieves Cup served as a great opportunity for the U.S. Women to play against some of the top teams in the world. The annual U.S.-based invitational tournament didn’t lack any quality this year, as the U.S. was joined by Germany, England and France, ranked 2nd, 3rd and 6th respectively in the Women’s World Rankings. And while the U.S. may have won this year’s tournament, this was also a great learning experience for the team. Here are my takeaways:

The U.S. Women Are Battle Tested (Duh)

The U.S. won its opening game 1-0 vs. Germany in Columbus, Ohio, and maybe the biggest talking point here was the weather. The rain, snow and wind were all at play in this game against the second-ranked team, but it didn’t affect the U.S. performance: the Yanks outshot Germany 14-7, earned six corner kicks and created quality scoring chances. They did only have 43% of possession, but with a strong performance coupled with no bookings, the U.S. came out of the gates strong. Remember these elements if the team plays in frigid temperatures this autumn in Qualifying; we don’t know where CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying will be yet, but a game could very well be somewhere cold!

France Will Continue to be a Formidable Opponent

The U.S. had to settle for a 1-1 draw against France in this year’s SheBelievesCup, which isn’t revenge for a 3-0 loss to Les Bleus in last year’s tournament. France will host the women’s World Cup next year, and the women’s team has developed the pedigree of a dark horse title contender, finishing in fourth place at the 2011 Cup and reaching the quarterfinals in the 2015 Cup. The U.S. didn’t finish well, landing just 2 of 11 shots on target. But Les Bleus went toe-to-toe with the Americans and reminded them why they shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Be Wary of Getting Caught in Transition

The U.S. won the SheBelievesCup courtesy a 1-0 win over England on Wednesday. The Yanks had great chance creation and held 61% of possession over the Three Lions, but also had Lady Luck on their side on both Karen Bardsley’s own goal and Ellen White’s header nailing the post on the other end. England was able to catch the U.S. in transition on a couple of occasions in the second half, which led to decent scoring chances from players like Toni Duggan. The U.S. will remember to be careful about the risk of counterattacks when the team pushes upfield.  

The post Takeaways from the SheBelieves Cup appeared first on KRUI Radio.

After months of waiting, Major League Soccer is on its way back. CONCACAF Champions League has already begun and the United States’ domestic league returns on Mar. 3. Plenty of teams have received a complete facelift over the three-month break with coaches and players shuffling in and out.

There are five teams highlighted in this article that managed to revamp their rosters for March. Keep in mind that there is a summer transfer window in which all teams can buy and sell players for the rest of the season, so these lineups certainly won’t be completely intact by the playoffs.

Atlanta United

Full 2018 Roster:

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (33, American), Mitch Hildebrandt (29, American), Alec Kann (27, American)

Defenders: Mikey Ambrose (24, American), George Bello (16, American), Franco Escobar (23, Argentinian), Greg Garza (26, American), Leandro Gonzalez Pirez (25, Argentinian), Jose Hernandez (20, Venezuelan), Mikey Ambrose (24, American), Miles Robinson (20, American), Sal Zizzo (30, American)

Midfielders: Miguel Almiron (23, Paraguayan), Ezequiel Barco (18, Argentinian), Andrew Carleton (17, American), Chris Goslin (17, American), Julian Gressel (24, German), Kevin Kratz (30, German), Jeff Larentowicz (34, American), Chris McCann (30, Irish), Darlington Nagbe (27, American), Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu (23, American), Oliver Shannon (22, English)

Forwards: Josef Martinez (23, Venezuelan), Hector Villalba (23, Argentinian), Brandon Vazquez (19, American), Lagos Kunga (19, American), Romario Williams (23, Jamaican), Jon Gallagher (22, Irish), Gordon Wild (22, German)

– – – – –

Coming off of an exceptional first year, expansion side Atlanta United has improved its playoff roster with new additions on the pitch. The club is quickly becoming a polarizing sensation in MLS, garnering many supporters, but plenty of rivals along the way.

Darlington Nagbe, the 27-year old midfielder, was dealt to the Five Stripes from the Portland Timbers for over $1 million in targeted allocation money (TAM) back in December. While he played more on the left side for Bruce Arena in the Gold Cup, he’ll likely see most of his action as a holding central midfielder.

Nagbe may be tasked with less of an attacking role due to the already established prowess of Atlanta’s attack. He’s never been a pure goal-scoring winger, but his numbers should dive this season with most of his workload coming in a relatively ‘stat-less’ position.

United’s biggest addition came in January with the purchase of Ezequiel Barco. Arriving from Independiente for an MLS-record $15 million, the 18-year old attacking midfielder will fill the hole left by Yamil Asad. Barco’s strength on the left flank is also a big reason why Nagbe will likely be sent to the center this season.

The unexpected loss of Carlos Carmona will certainly hurt the team the most. He provided the squad with defensive stature in the middle and stopped plenty of counter-attacks during the 2017 season. Jeff Larentowicz will have to shore up the loss of their perfect CDM and Nagbe will shoulder some of the weight, as well.

Despite the losses of Tyrone Mears and Anton Walkes, the fullback position will still be in good hands. Greg Garza and his flair for the sidelines will see plenty of minutes on the left side while newcomer Franco Escobar will likely start on the right. Each of the defenders are younger than their predecessors and will continue the trend of youth and speed for the Five Stripes.

Projected Opening Day Squad:

FC Dallas

Full 2018 Roster

Goalkeepers: Jesse Gonzalez (22, American), Jimmy Maurer (29, American)

Defenders: Reggie Cannon (19, American), Jordan Cano (22, American), Maynor Figueroa (34, Honduran), Matt Hedges (27, American), Anton Nedyalkov (24, Bulgarian), Kris Reaves (22, American), Reto Ziegler (32, Swiss)

Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (22, American), Michael Barrios (26, American), Mauro Diaz (26, Argentinian), Carlos Gruezo (22, Ecuadorian), Jacori Hayes (22, American), Ryan Hollingshead (26, American), Roland Lamah (29, Belgian), Santiago Mosquera (23, Colombian), Paxton Pomykal (18, American), Brandon Servania (18, American), Victor Ulloa (25, Mexican)

Forwards: Tesho Akindele (25, Canadian), Max Urriti (26, Argentinian), Francis Atuahene (21, Ghanaian), Christian Colman (24, Paraguayan), Jesus Ferreira (17, Colombian), Adonijah Reid (18, Canadian), Bryan Reynolds (16, American), Ema Twumasi (22, Ghanaian)

– – – – –

FC Dallas began the long-term overhaul after one of the largest collapses in modern MLS history. After winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2016, the Toros came into the 2017 season on fire. Dallas was the last team to lose in the regular season and led the Shield race in mid-May.

However, a stretch spanning a full two months saw Dallas fail to win a single match as it plummeted out of the playoff picture. Its only two wins in the final three months came against the Galaxy and the Rapids, the two worst teams in the league by points.

By the transfer window, much of its back line was gone and the front office took the squad in a youthful direction. There are only two remaining members in their thirties while the owners continue to attract young, homegrown talent.

Despite the youth, however, two of the oldest players on the team will almost certainly be starting on opening day. Matt Hedges and Reto Ziegler should be starting in the center now that Walker Zimmerman, Atiba Harris and Hernan Grana are long gone. Reggie Cannon, the teen with only one cap last season, is looking like the starting right back.

Dallas’s greatest strength is in the midfield where it sports two of its Designated Players (DPs) as well as Kellyn Acosta. Gruezo and Acosta are likely the best pair of defensive midfielders in the league and the squad will have to operate around them. Those two will be ball-winning players in the center looking to feed Mauro Diaz in the attacking midfield role.

The front will sport old talent, as well, but the top goal scoring role is up for grabs. As of now, it’s between Christian Colman and Max Urruti considering Dallas will likely run two wingers with only one target man. Roland Lamah’s age should keep him on the bench as young DP, Santiago Mosquera, arrives from Millonarios FC.

Heading into this season, the biggest question mark will be about the back line. Zimmerman fell out of favor with manager Oscar Pareja and he’ll now start for LAFC out west. Dallas will need to keep the goals allowed tally below 50 again if it wants any shot at a return to the playoffs.

Projected Opening Day Squad:

Montreal Impact

Full 2018 Roster:

Goalkeepers: Clement Diop (24, Senegalese), Evan Bush (31, American), Jason Beaulieu (22, Canadian), Maxime Crepeau (23, Canadian)

Defenders: Victor Cabrera (24, Argentinian), Zakaria Diallo (31, French), Jukka Raitala (29, Finnish), Michael Petrasso (22, Canadian) Chris Duvall (26, American), Kyle Fisher (23, American), Daniel Lovitz (26, American), Thomas Meilleur-Giguere (20, American)

Midfielders: Ignacio Piatti (32, Argentinian), Raheem Edwards (22, Canadian), Dominic Oduro (32, Ghanaian), Samuel Piette (23, Canadian), Saphir Taider (25, Algerian), Jeisson Vargas (20, Chilean), Marco Donadel (34, Italian), Louis Beland-Goyette (22, Canadian), David Choiniere (20, Canadian), Shamit Shome (20, Canadian),

Forwards: Anthony Jackson-Hamel (24, Canadian), Matteo Mancosu (33, Italian), Michael Salazar (25, Belizean)

– – – – –

The Montreal Impact are a bit of a conundrum. Under Mauro Biello, the team made it to a conference final in 2016 and missed the playoffs altogether in 2017. Dominated by world sensations Didier Drogba and Blerim Dzemaili, the Impact were a bang or bust squad.

Former Lyon boss, Remi Garde, is now in charge and has already implemented a more Canadian style of football. More Canadian youngsters have entered the fold with nine of Garde’s 25 players from the Great White North. Consistency is key after Biello managed to lose nine of his final 10 matches while at the helm.

Much like FC Dallas, the questions are all at the back. The season has yet to begin and injuries plague the center back depth with Zakaria Diallo out for at least two months and Kyle Fisher nursing an injury with no real timetable. Because of this, Chris Duvall, a true right back, may see his first action in the middle alongside the Argentine, Victor Cabrera.

Thomas Meilleur-Giguere and Wandrille Lefevre, two unproven center backs returning from a loan spell with Ottawa Fury, may be asked to start in their place, as well. Jukka Raitala, though, will be the most experienced on the left side after 28 caps with Columbus last season.

If those holes can be plugged while Diallo and Fisher recover, the midfield and attack can do damage in the Eastern Conference. Ignacio Piatti is a mainstay in that Impact midfield, but newly signed DP, Saphir Taider, is capable of winning balls in the center and holding up attacks. His role will likely be as more of a facilitator alongside Samuel Piette, the true defensive midfielder.

The addition of Raheem Edwards provides a tricky scenario alongside Piatti. Both wingers have traditionally played on the left-hand side, but Edwards’ nature as a true winger may push Piatti into more of a ‘False Nine’ role in the center. This will also allow Dominic Oduro to continue to create chances from the right side like he did all of last season.

Anthony Jackson-Hamel proved to be a dangerous ‘super sub’ in 2017, coming on in relief of Matteo Mancosu. His goal-scoring prowess surpassed Mancosu’s and even dwarfed it when it’s seen as goals-per-90. This, coupled with Mancosu’s age, could see Jackson-Hamel be the starting target man by Sunday.

The Impact lost five key players from last season: midfielders Blerim Dzemaili, Ballou Tabla, Patrice Bernier and Hernan Bernardello as well as 2015 Defender of the Year, Laurent Ciman. None of these pieces are easily replaceable, but the functionality of Saphir Taider molds well into Dzemaili’s role. Ciman’s absence will be felt, especially in the early stages of the season, but the youngsters at the back have a perfect opportunity to prove their worth.

Projected Opening Day Squad:

Vancouver Whitecaps

Full 2018 Roster:

Goalkeepers: Brian Rowe (29, American), Spencer Richey (25, American), Stefan Marinovic (26, Kiwi)

Defenders: Marcel de Jong (31, Canadian), Tim Parker (24, American), Jakob Nerwinski (23, American), David Edgar (30, Canadian), Doneil Henry (24, Canadian), Brett Levis (24, Canadian), Aaron Maund (27, Trinidadian), Kendall Waston (25, Costa Rican)

Midfielders: Marco Bustos (21, Canadian), Alphonso Davies (17, Canadian), Deybi Flores (21, Honduran), Aly Ghazal (25, Egyptian), Efrain Juarez (29, Mexican), Nicolas Mezquida (26, Uruguayan), David Norman Jr. (19, Canadian), Yordy Reyna (24, Peruvian), Brek Shea (27, American), Tony Tchani (28, Cameroonian), Christian Techera (25, Uruguayan), Russell Teibert (25, Canadian)

Forwards: Kei Kamara (33, Sierra Leonean), Anthony Blondell (23, Venezuelan), Erik Hurtado (27, American), Bernie Ibini-Isei (25, Australian), Myer Bevan (25, Australian)

– – – – –

After Vancouver finished one of its most successful campaigns, it lost much of its depth to the transfer window. Leading goal-scorer, Fredy Montero, is gone; leading assister, Christian Bolanos, is gone and starting left back, Jordan Harvey, is gone. Combine that with Carl Robinson’s longing to employ the 3-5-2 and the Whitecaps have plenty of uncertainties swirling around Sunday.

Fredy Montero netted 13 goals, amassed six assists and was a large reason why the ‘Caps made it to the Western Conference Semifinals. Lacking a striker, the front office scooped up two additions: MLS veteran, Kei Kamara and Liga MX young talent, Anthony Blondell. The two will see action up top together and will try to fill the hole left by Montero.

Yordy Reyna missed the first four months of last season, but finished strong as a crucial attacking midfielder for his squad. He operates as more of a shadow striker, but with the addition of Kamara and Blondell paired with the loss of Bolanos, he’ll be tasked with creating chances from the interior, something dire in the 3-5-2 formation.

Young Canadian talent, Alphonso Davies, looks to solidify his place on the left wing, meaning 27-year old Brek Shea will continue to contribute his valuable minutes in late-game scenarios off of the bench. Despite being more of a goal-scoring threat than Davies, his production can’t match Davies’ pace.

One of the key reasons Vancouver will push the 3-5-2 method is the acquisition of Efrain Juarez, a Mexican CDM-RB hybrid. His place inside will be only in theory as he’ll likely address any chance creation on the right wing, allowing the right center back to stay home and guard the cross.

The starting goalkeeper may be the most contentious position after the trade for Brian Rowe. David Ousted started 28 of the 34 matches last season, but he was dealt to D.C. United back in January. The job is up for grabs between Rowe and Stefan Marinovic and it’s really a toss-up at this point.

Projected Opening Day Squad:

Columbus Crew

Full 2018 Roster:

Goalkeepers: Zack Steffen (22, American), Jon Kempin (24, American), Logan Ketterer (24, American)

Defenders: Milton Valenzuela (19, Argentinian), Josh Williams (29, American), Gaston Sauro (27, Argentinian), Jonathan Mensah (27, Ghanaian), Connor Maloney (22, American), Alex Crognale (23, American), Harrison Afful (31, Ghanaian), Lalas Abubakar (20, Ghanaian)

Midfielders: Wil Trapp (24, American), Artur (21, Brazilian), Federico Higuain (33, Argentinian), Mohammed Abu (26, Ghanaian), Ricardo Clark (35, American), Mike Grella (30, American), Niko Hansen (23, Danish), Hector Jiminez (29, American), Cristian Martinez (20, American), Pedro Santos (29, Portuguese), Eduardo Sosa (21, Venezuelan)

Forwards: Gyasi Zardes (26, American), Edward Opoku (21, Ghanaian), Adam Jahn (26, American)

– – – – –

The Crew played much of the 2017 season with the looming thought of relocation to Austin, Texas. When owner, Anthony Precourt, began speaking of it as a legitimate possibility, fervent opposition came forward in support of the club. The play on the pitch seemed to get better, too, as Columbus stormed to the Eastern Conference Final, losing by one to eventual champions, Toronto FC.

Since then, the roster in Columbus has gone through a complete shakedown, altering the starting eleven in numerous ways. Three of its top four leading goal-scorers all departed over the winter, leaving a barren front. Enter: Gyasi Zardes.

The 26-year old American speedster never reached his full potential for the U.S. national team, often overshadowed by the likes of Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey. Jurgen Klinsmann and Bruce Arena seemed insistent on utilizing his pace as a winger, but his production stalled and all he did was age.

Thus far, the preseason in Columbus has treated Zardes well. He’s resumed scoring goals, giving Columbus hope that he can translate it to the regular season and fill the hole left by Ola Kamara and Justin Meram.

Of course, Zardes (probably) can’t match Kamara and Meram’s combined 31 goals, so some of the weight will have to be shouldered by attacking midfielder, Federico Higuain. Higuain dished out 14 assists last season, but his tally of nine goals won’t be enough to power a high-caliber attack.

The central midfield is anchored by young American, Wil Trapp, who played all 34 regular season matches for the Crew. The unsung hero for Columbus last season, though, was Artur, a holding midfielder in on loan from Sao Paolo FC. He was secured for good and will provide a huge boost in the middle third.

The wings are a completely different story, bolstering two unproven players with only 11 starts between them last season. Niko Hansen and Pedro Santos will attempt to provide relief for a team missing Meram and Kekuta Manneh, a tall task for the two internationals.

Milton Valenzuela will likely get the start at left back with Jukka Raitala out of the squad. Designated Player, Jonathan Mensah, stays put in the middle, as does Josh Williams. Harrison Afful is now 31 year-old, but will still lock down the right back slot come Saturday.

Columbus travels to BMO Field to face Toronto in an Eastern Conference Final rematch to kick off the season. The biggest focus will be on Zardes and the completely new attacking corps, but Marky Delgado and Jozy Altidore will surely look to exploit Valenzuela and his inexperience.

Projected Opening Day Squad:

The post Five New-Look Teams for the 2018 Major League Soccer Season appeared first on KRUI Radio.

***Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are my own.

Stoppage time heroics, Champions League showdowns, and a massive upset in Wigan. Here are some of the top headlines in soccer this week:

The Magic of the FA Cup

The English FA Cup is like soccer’s version of March Madness; anything can happen. And we were reminded of that this weekend after two wild finishes.

Tottenham made the long trip north to League One Rochdale for a Sunday clash that turned out to be a nailbiter. Ian Henderson scored for Rochdale just before halftime for his sixth goal of the competition, second most of this tournament. Spurs didn’t take long in the second half to respond, as Lucas Moura scored his first goal in his first start since joining the North London squad in January, leveling the score. Spurs seemed to have the game in the bag after Harry Kane converted a penalty kick in the 88th minute. But super sub Steve Davies scored in the third minute of stoppage time to reignite the Rochdale faithful, tying the game 2-2. That was the final score as Spurs will have to work the extra shift again in this cup, with the replay scheduled for February 28th at Wembley Stadium.

But the pixie dust didn’t stop there. The very next day, another League One team gave a Premier League opponent a run for the money. Citizens fans certainly were wary of this matchup though; Wigan famously won the FA Cup final over City in 2013, and beat City again the next year. City went down a man after Fabian Delph lost his cool with an angry tackle on opponent Max Power. The ref initially seemed prepared to issue a yellow-card for the challenge, but decided to issue a red card instead. Despite being down a man, City dominated the game, holding a whopping 82% of ball possession and outshooting Wigan 29-4. But a defensive mistake by Kyle Walker allowed Will Grigg to tee up from 18 yards and score in the 79th minute. And this proved to be the game winner as Wigan shocked Man City for the third straight occasion. The English-third-tier squad handed City just its third competitive loss all season.

UCL and CCL Action

Chelsea and Barca Duel in London

The Blues and Barcelona met in the Champions League for the first time since 2012, with the former hoping for a good start at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea had the better of scoring chances in the first half despite Barcelona holding more possession. Willian had three shots in this game: two which were denied by posts and one that went in the net. His goal arrived in the 62nd minute when he found space from 22 yards out and scored with a low drive. But an Andreas Christensen error allowed for Andrés Iniesta to steal the ball and find Messi, who scored the equalizer for the visitors. Barcelona will return home to Camp Nou knowing that their opponents have a mountain to climb.

Bayern Thrash Beşiktaş

Bayern Munich took 42 minutes to score in this game, but before long it was a flurry at the Allianz Arena. Thomas Müller and Robert Lewandowski each scored two goals in this one and Kingsley Colman scored too, giving the German giants a 5-0 win in the first leg. It didn’t help for Beşiktaş that center back Domagoj Vida was sent off in the 16th minute by denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity. Barring a miracle, Beşiktaş will be eliminated after leg two.

Sevilla Say ‘Game On’ Versus Man United

Sevilla FC rode into this week on a three-game winning streak and the team refused to back down to Man United on Wednesday. The Spanish squad was the better attacking team in this game, putting eight shots on target to United’s one, holding 57% of possession for the game and amassing a whopping 12 corners. Sevilla forced United ‘keeper David De Gea into two big saves just before halftime, including his save on Luis Muriel’s point-blank range header. United’s defense was able to hold strong as Sevilla kept its foot on the gas pedal in the second half, keeping the score in tact at 0-0 after leg one.

The concerning news for United is Ander Herrera injuring his hamstring in the 16th minute, slamming his boot to the ground in frustration. Herrera just returned from a three-week absence due to a muscular injury, and United manager Jose Mourinho stated that this injury concerns the same muscular area as the previous injury.

Shakhtar Rallies Back Versus Roma

Shakhtar Donetsk remains a perfect three-for-three versus Roma in UCL knockout games. The team is also 4-0 at home in Kharkiv, Ukraine for Champions League games this season. But the Giallorossi struck first when Edin Dzeko found Cengiz Ünder in the 41st minute. Donetsk tied the game in the 52nd minute when Yaroslav Rakitskiy played a long-ball in stride for Facundo Ferreyra, who cut inside on center back Konstantinos Manolas and tucked the ball past the onrushing Roma keeper. This was a game in which both goalkeepers made some big saves, and Roma keeper Alisson Becker was particularly involved in the second half. But the breakthrough came in the 71st minute when Shakhtar drew a free kick from 25 yards out and slightly on the right wing. Brazilian midfielder Frederico Rodrigues de Paula Santos (Fred) placed the kick over the wall and under the near post to score a great goal. If it wasn’t for a goal-line clearance from defender Bruno Peres in second half stoppage time, Shakhtar would be up 3-1 on aggregate right now. But Peres’ heroics preserved the 2-1 scoreline going into leg two in Italy.    

CONCACAF Champions League Starts with a Bang

The opening match of the CONCACAF Champions League didn’t disappoint. Tigres traveled to Costa Rica to take on Herediano in a game that had a late plot-twist. The teams were pretty even in the stats department, with Herediano leading Tigres 16-12 in shots while Tigres held 57% of possession. The scoring opened when Francisco Meza poked in a flick-on from Timothee Kolodziejczak. The Mexican side doubled its lead in the 59th minute, when Jurgen Damm paced down the right-wing and crossed to Lucas Zelarayan, who volleyed the ball at the far post to give Tigres its second away-goal. But the comeback started in the 89th minute when Kolodziejczak committed a handball in the box to award Herediano a penalty kick. Yendrick Ruíz converted to put the home team on the board. Minutes later, Herediano earned a free kick on the right-wing. Elias Aguilar sent the ball to the mixer, the ball deflected towards the post, and Jairo Arrieta headed in the equalizer. The spirited comeback not only made for great entertainment, but also gives Herediano some hope going into the second leg. Herediano may have conceded two away goals, but the team confidence is certainly up after the comeback: final score, 2-2.

Toronto off to the Right Start

Toronto FC fought through frigid temperatures to win the first leg over the Colorado Rapids 2-0. But the Rapids had their chances. Colorado had a great chance to draw first blood when Dominique Badji split the Reds’ back line, but his shot was too close to ‘keeper Alex Bono, who made a routine save. Justin Morrow opened the scoring in the 55th minute by heading a Sebastian Giovinco cross to the far post. The Italian maestro was not to be held off the scoresheet in this one, as Giovinco scored an impressive scissor-kick goal via an Auro Junior cross in the 73rd minute. The Rapids were shut out as Toronto has a comfortable 2-0 aggregate lead going home into leg two.  

Tauro Edges Out Dallas

Tauro FC beat Dallas 1-0 in Panama to earn its first Champions League win since beating Dallas in 2011. The teams were pretty even-steven in the stats department, but Edwin Aguilar headed home the lone goal off a corner kick in the 57th minute. Dallas keeper Jesse Gonzalez got a piece of the header, which looked to be an intended-pass instead of a shot. But Gonzalez couldn’t field the ball cleanly as it deflected off his hands and rolled past the goal-line. Dallas will look for revenge next Wednesday night back in Texas.

Club América Crushes Deportivo Saprissa  

Last week, I discussed that it was imperative for Saprissa to control the tempo at home against Club América. And for the most part, they did: their passing was pretty accurate and 43% possession isn’t that bad. But somehow the Purple Monster got annihilated 5-1 in Costa Rica. América started off the scoring in the 2nd minute when Cecilio Domínguez broke free and rolled a shot past the keeper. Mateus Uribe smashed a half-volley into the net in the 35th minute to double the lead. Cecilio Domínguez got his brace in the 45th minute off a breakaway which resulted in him scoring from 16 yards out. Renato Ibarra made it 4-0 in the 59th minute by placing a low shot into the corner by the keeper’s left side from atop the penalty area. América’s shutout was snapped in the 74th when Ariel Rodriguez followed his rebound to score from six yards out. But América would get one more when Uribe got his brace with a low shot from near the top of the penalty area. Las Águilas should have this series all wrapped up. They’re the most successful team in CONCACAF history and they aren’t showing any signs of slowing down for this tournament.  

Rivero’s Wondergoal Separates Tijuana and Motagua

Tijuana leads Motagua 1-0 on aggregate with the goal counting as an away goal. This game was played at neutral site Edinburg, Texas. Ignacio Rivero scored a fabulous goal in the 71st minute, receiving a low cross from teammate Julio Angulo and lobbing the shot past the keeper. Jonathan Rougier made some big saves to keep the deficit at just 1-0 for Motagua.

Chivas Gets Late Insurance Goal

It looked like Chivas was going to bring a 1-0 lead vs. Cibao back to Guadalajara, Mexico. But they got a big second away goal in second half stoppage time courtesy 18-year-old Jose Juan Macias, who scored courtesy good one-touch passing. The first goal was scored by Jesús Sánchez, who drove a low shot to the near post from close range in the 40th minute. The Goats are in good shape versus the Dominican Republic side.

Santa Tecla vs. Seattle Sounders

The Seattle Sounders lacked a handful of starters due to injury for this game. But that didn’t stop the Rave Green from starting strong. Nicolás Lodeiro scored the goal of the tournament thus far in the 15th minute, when a Sounders attack prompted Santa Tecla keeper Joel Almeida off his line. A Santa Tecla player broke up a through pass, only for the ball to trickle right to Lodeiro, who placed a perfect lob over Almeida’s head and into the net from 40 yards out. But Santa Tecla stormed back in the second half, putting the pressure on the Sounders. And the Salvadoran squad tied the game in the 67th minute when Gerson Mayen pounced on a rebounded shot from right in front of goal. Santa Tecla drew a questionable penalty kick minutes later, but Mayen made no mistake from the PK spot, rolling the ball past Sounders keeper Stefan Frei to make it 2-1. The former U.S. U-20 international’s two goals give Santa Tecla a slim advantage going into leg two.   

Olimpia vs. New York Red Bulls

Olimpia and the New York Red Bulls tied 1-1 in Olimpia’s series home-leg at neutral site San José, Costa Rica. Daniel Royer is picking up where he left off last year, scoring via a header in the 31st minute from a great, long cross by Bradley Wright-Phillips. In the second half, Michaell Chirinos drew a penalty conceded by New York’s Aurelien Collin, and Brayan Moya converted the PK to make it 1-1. Olimpia created chances and was pretty even with New York in most regards, but the Red Bulls will be frustrated at the fact that Olimpia still tied them despite getting just one shot on goal. The Red Bulls lead the series for now by virtue of the away goal tiebreaker as the teams travel to New York for the second leg.   

The post In Case You Missed It: Top Stories in Soccer (February 17th-23rd) appeared first on KRUI Radio.

***Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are my own

For more info on the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League, visit https://www.concacafchampionsleague.com/

This week’s top soccer headlines may have been in Europe. But plenty of talent will be showcased on this continent next week.

That’s because the CONCACAF Champions League is just around the corner, and while it might not yield the same prestige as the UEFA Champions League, it’s just as important for the clubs involved. The winner not only claims supremacy of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (try saying that five times fast): it also books a ticket to the FIFA Club World Cup this December.   

Let’s take a look at the competition, which begins next Tuesday:

* Stats through Thursday, February 15th, 7:00 pm central time

** All times listed in central time

***First team listed for each matchup hosts first leg

Herediano vs. Tigres

First Leg: February 20th, 7 pm

Second Leg: February 27th, 7 pm

Tigres has taken major strides in the past eight years, going from the verge of domestic relegation to the edge of CONCACAF glory. “So close you can almost taste it.” This is a quote that Tigres won’t want to think about; the club has been runner-up for the last two editions of the Champions League. And while the club has vastly improved from near domestic relegation, these players really want the trophy. Tigres is currently winless in its last three games, sitting in 11th place in the Liga MX Clausura table. I expect them to play a conservative lineup versus Atlas on Saturday before traveling to Costa Rica.

Herediano is in 2nd place in the Costa Rican Primera División, and they also have a Saturday game. Herediano’s best run in this tournament was in 2014-2015, reaching the semifinals before defeat to eventual champion Club América. If recent history tells us anything, Herediano will be in trouble if it ties or loses this home game (especially if it loses); Herediano is winless in its last four Champions League road games. Watch attacking players like Yendrick Ruiz try to avoid falling into that trap on Tuesday.

Colorado Rapids vs. Toronto FC

First Leg: February 20th, 9 pm

Second Leg: February 27th, 7 pm

Toronto FC was the greatest team in MLS history in 2017. People can talk about D.C. United from ‘98 and the LA Galaxy of 2000, the only only MLS teams to win a CONCACAF title (from back when it was the Champions Cup era). People can talk about any of the other teams that had historic seasons. But simply put, 2017 Toronto FC won the domestic treble last year: Canadian Championship, Supporters Shield, MLS Cup.

The Reds amassed the most points in an MLS regular season last year. Sebastian Giovinco scored 20 goals across all competitions last year and is, by my account, one of the best set-piece specialists in the world. Jozy Altidore added 18 goals across all comp’s. And Michael Bradley silenced some haters with his brick-wall performances, especially in the MLS Cup final.

No MLS team has ever had a better chance to win the CONCACAF Champions League than Toronto FC this year. And no MLS team has won the CONCACAF Champions League. The Reds will be the heavy favorite for this matchup. They still aren’t the title favorite (I’d go with Club América). But as Toronto FC taught us last year, the sky is the limit.

The team has been playing exhibition games in Mexico, and will be aided by bringing in Gregory van der Wiel and Auro (the later of the two is currently on loan).  

The Colorado Rapids occupied the 2016 Supporters’ Shield berth for this tournament (Dallas won the Supporters Shield, but Colorado got the berth because Dallas was already qualified via the U.S. Open Cup). But we surely wouldn’t have known that after a dismal 2017 season. The Rapids had the third fewest points in the league last year, posting a horrific road record of one win, fourteen losses and two ties (you read that correctly). The team scored the second fewest goals in MLS and conceded the ninth most in MLS. They brought in Anthony Hudson as their new manager in November, and the former New Zealand national team coach has brought in New Zealand internationals Tommy Smith, Kip Colvey, and Deklan Wynne. The team has also declined contract options on a variety of players, including Alan Gordon. We’ll see what that means for this matchup.

Tauro FC vs. FC Dallas

First Leg: February 21st, 7 pm

Second Leg: February 28th, 7 pm

Tauro FC is the lone Panamanian representative. The team has had an odd run of one win and five draws to start the season. Tauro is still looking for its first Champions League point in history, going 0-4 in 2014-15 with just two goals to show for. The club plays its home games at Estadio Rommel Fernández, the venue where Panama’s national team earned its dramatic World Cup berth.

FC Dallas collapsed in the second half of the season, and for that reason, their MLS postseason absence was well-deserved. But it was a real shocker for a team that won the 2016 U.S. Open Cup, won the 2016 Supporters Shield, and reached the Champions League semis last year.

Dallas has brought in nine new players, including Designated Player Santiago Mosquera. The team will be favored in this matchup, but its players need to step up.

Saprissa vs. Club América

First Leg: February 21st, 7 pm

Second Leg: February 28th, 9 pm

Club América is the most successful team in CONCACAF history. Las Águilas have claimed seven Champions League titles, the most of any team. That included back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016.

Club América finished third in Mexico’s Apertura season before getting eliminated in the Apertura playoff semifinals. América is in first place in the Clausura seven games in. Oribe Peralta will continue to be the goalscoring menace to watch for in this series.

Saprissa is also a historically successful CONCACAF team. The Purple Monster won three Champions Cups (again, the old era) and has participated in the last three Champions League tournaments. Saprissa is currently third place in the Costa Rican league with a league home game on Sunday afternoon before hosting Ámerica on Tuesday. It’s imperative that Saprissa control the tempo versus Ámerica, given that this will be Saprissa’s third game in eight days. Watch for David Ramírez in this series; his six goals are tied for third in the early-going of this Costa Rican season.

Motagua vs. Tijuana

First Leg: February 21st, 9 pm

Second Leg: February 27th, 9 pm

F.C. Motagua is happy to be back in the fold for the second time in the last three editions of the Champions League, having missed out last time around. The Blue Cyclone hasn’t advanced from a CONCACAF two-leg aggregate series since 1993. But the team is in first place and undefeated in the Honduran league. What’s more? Their opponent isn’t the toughest matchup on paper; Tijuana is in 12th place in Mexico. Motagua has had plenty of notable players on their team in the past, and Román Castillo has four goals in eight league games. The Blue Cyclone will be poised to storm out of the gate in this series.

Tijuana will head south for what will be its second trip in three games. The team roster includes players like Miller Bolaños, Yasser Corona, and former American international Michael Orozco. Los Xolos will be keen to make the most out of this tournament; their only other appearance in the Champions League was in 2013-2014, when they reached the semifinals before falling to Cruz Azul. Despite being a mid-table team in Mexico right now, Los Xolos know that they can make a name for themselves in the Champions League.

Cibao FC vs. Chivas

First Leg: February 22nd, 7 pm

Second Leg: February 28th, 7 pm

Cibao FC is making its first Champions League appearance in its three-year club history after winning the 2017 Caribbean Club Championship. In the process, Cibao also became the first team from the three-year-old Dominican Republic league to reach the Champions League. If you are rooting for an underdog in this tournament, Cibao is your team. However, just as Tijuana has had a mediocre start in the Mexican league, so has Chivas. Captained by Rafael Flores, Cibao FC will aim to use the first leg to put itself in the best shape possible for the trip to Guadalajara, because Cibao is David in this series and Chivas is Goliath.

Chivas won the Mexican Clausura playoffs last spring, but things have been different since then. Captained by Carlos Salcido, The Goats failed to make the Apertura playoffs after finishing 13th place in the regular season. While they have been successful historically in Mexico, The Goats are not the G.O.A.T. in CONCACAF finals; they’ve claimed one Champions Cup in 1962. But don’t underestimate this team going forward. Chivas has a lot of game changers, like Orbelín Pineda and Rodolfo Pizarro. The Goats will look for a clinical start to Champions League play to consolidate for their thus-far underwhelming league-play.

Santa Tecla vs. Seattle Sounders

First Leg: February 22nd, 9 pm

Second Leg: March 1st, 9 pm

Like Cibao, Santa Tecla FC deserves credit for reaching milestones in its brief club history. Founded in 2007, Santa Tecla FC appeared in the 2015-2016 Champions League and has won three Salvadoran first-tier titles (and El Salvador’s first-tier league has been around since 1969). Santa Tecla is the lone Salvadoran team to qualify for this edition of the tournament. The club will look to its young but experienced defense to weather the storm against Seattle; three defenders are Salvadoran internationals aged 22 or younger. And 31-year-old Ricardinho is showing no signs of slowing down for this team, scoring five goals in seven league games.

Seattle is in its fifth Champions League tournament in club history. The Sounders qualified for this tournament by winning the 2016 MLS Cup, their first MLS Cup in club history. The Sounders will be favorites in this series, and while Toronto FC exacted revenge on them in MLS last year, bear in mind that the Rave Green have reached the Champions League knockout stage in three of their four tournament appearances, including in 2012 when they made the semifinals. One of the questions the Sounders will be asking themselves, not only for this series but for the whole season, is how to use Jordan Morris. The 2016 MLS Rookie of the Year scored just three goals in 23 league games last season, and both Seattle along with the US national team are still trying to figure out whether he’s best as a striker or a winger. Seattle has a lot of attacking talent in Clint Dempsey, Nicolás Lodeiro and company. Head coach Brian Schmetzer has a big task on his shoulders: setting up that attack to be more lethal in 2018.

Olimpia vs. New York Red Bulls

First Leg: February 22nd, 9 pm

Second Leg: March 1st, 7 pm

Olimpia is the only Honduran team to claim CONCACAF supremacy (winning the 1972 and 1988 Champions Cups). Los Leones reached the quarterfinals in 2011 and 2015. They finished third place in the Honduran Apertura playoffs in December, and are currently in second place early in the Clausura season. Olimpia will be a solid opponent for the Red Bulls. Defensively, Johnny Palacios and company have gone six games straight conceding less than two goals. As for the attack? Michaell Chirinos, Carlos Costly and Diego Reyes have combined for ten goals early in the Clausura season.

The New York Red Bulls are making their fourth appearance in the Champions League. They qualified for this edition of the tournament by finishing in first place in the MLS Eastern Conference in 2016. Last year marked the only time the club has reached the Champions League knockout stage, losing to the eventual runner-up Vancouver Whitecaps. The Red Bulls finished sixth in the Eastern Conference last season and were eliminated in the Conference semis, and just like last season, there’s reason for feelings to be mixed about 2018: Bradley Wright Phillips scored 24 goals in 42 games across all comp’s last year, Tyler Adams is a rising star at age 18, and Daniel Royer proved he can deliver in big moments. But Kljestan is with Orlando now, the center back situation is still in question, and simply put, this team needs to make a deep run like they did in this tournament last year. Sure, an Eastern Conference trophy is nice, and so are two Supporters Shields. But the Red Bulls have had plenty of MLS seasons where they dominated the regular season just to fall short in the MLS playoffs. The Red Bulls have zero MLS Cup titles and zero U.S. Open Cup titles. But a strong showing in this series and beyond in the Champions League can instill confidence for this team to win knockout games.    

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Chelsea vs. Newcastle, FA Cup 4^th round

Brazilian playmaker Kenedy will play for Chelsea knowing that he’s been heavily sought after by his opponent. Chelsea finally ended a four-match winless run with a 4-0 route of Brighton & Hove Albion. Watch for how manager Antonio Conte lines up his Blues side this weekend as they have a midweek clash in the Carabao Cup. This game will be Sunday at 7:30 am central time on Fox Sports 1.

            Newport County vs. Tottenham, FA Cup 4^th round

All I wanna say is this: Newport County is a League Two squad that has won four straight in all competitions. That includes an FA Cup win over Championship squad Leeds in which forward Shawn McCoulsky scored an 89^th-minute match winner. Spurs have won three of their last four in all comp’s, but they’ll hope that Danish international Christian Eriksen is fully recovered from the flu to bolster their attack. Known as “The Exiles”, Newport County hasn’t beaten a top-tier team in the FA Cup since 1964 (fotmob.com). Can the underdogs pull off the upset? You can find out on Saturday at 11:30 am central time on Fox Sports 1.

USA vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, International Friendly

It’s an ugly homecoming for the US men’s national team, three months after its World Cup Qualifying nightmare. The program will eagerly turn the page vs. a Bosnia-Herzegovina squad that is currently ranked thirty-eighth in the world. The US January Camp roster includes experienced players like Jordan Morris and Paul Arriola, as well as youngsters rising through the ranks such as Marky Delgado and Tyler Adams. But arguably the biggest headline involved losing budding star Jonathan Gonzalez to the Mexican national team. The CF Monterrey man announced his intent to file his one-time national team switch to El Tri. A lot is going against the US men right now. Look to see how the new players respond in this new chapter. The game is Sunday at 8:30 pm central time on… you guessed it, Fox Sports 1.

Mexico vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, International Friendly

El Tri bossed World Cup Qualifying, taking first place in CONCACAF’s final round while only losing one game. Time is running thin for any Ligamx players on the outside looking in with regard to making Mexico’s World Cup roster. That means for players like Orbelin Pineda and Henry Martin, now’s the time to step up to the plate. Even for the aforementioned Jonathan Gonzalez, there’s still work to be done before players like himself are named to that roster. As for players like Guillermo Ochoa and Nestor Araujo, the route to the final roster basically requires two things: don’t tank and don’t get injured. But while Ochoa and Araujo are near lock-ins, there are many regulars for Mexico who need to make their case over the next four months just like players lower on the depth chart. Bosnia finished a respectable third-place in their European World Cup Qualifying group, and despite that not being good enough for the main event, the Bosnians will now look to building towards European Championship Qualifying next year. This game will be on January 31^st.

The post Soccer Games I’m Looking Forward To- End of January 2018 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The international break is complete and players across the globe are making their way back to work. With the September round of the World Cup 2018 Qualifiers wrapped up, we can now delve into the thick of the Premier League season.

Matchweek 4 Preview:

After a thrashing of Arsenal at Anfield two weeks ago, Liverpool sit atop my PL Power Rankings. This may come as a surprise, pushing the Reds above 3-0-0 Manchester United, but Liverpool look the part. A 4-0 victory over league heavyweights Arsenal featuring exceptionally inspiring play between Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino from storesselectscanada.

I’m giving Manchester City one goal in this tie, but after seeing out an undeserved win versus a winless Bournemouth side, City have some questions to answer up front following Raheem Sterling’s red card. I see Sadio Mane continuing his exceptional form by netting yet another goal, but the winner comes from newcomer, Salah.

The Gunners need this more than ever. The consistent call for Wenger’s job is growing ever louder and, after shipping out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, something needs to be done. Of course, this is a match Arsenal should win with relative ease, especially due to the midfield. Bournemouth, coming off of an optimistic appearance against Man City, could play spoiler and officially get the Gunners boss canned.

We’ll see what Wenger does, but to grab all three points I feel that Alexandre Lacazette will need a much larger role. Entering the Liverpool contest – if you even want to call it a contest – in the 62nd minute was far too late for any damage to be done. Already down 3-0, Lacazette could only manage one shot; he’ll need a full 90 to push Arsenal past the finish line in this one.

Now named ‘The American Express Community Stadium’, Brighton has followed many clubs in the PL in selling off its stadium’s naming rights. Supporters will forever call the Gulls’ home ‘Falmer’, so I see little point in disagreeing. After managing a point on the road against Watford, Brighton come home to a surging, fifth-placed West Brom side. The Baggies, undefeated thus far, have conceded once in three tries.

However, a less than stellar match against Stoke leads me to a draw in this contest. Brighton hasn’t looked exceptional by any means, but Anthony Knockaert has fared well through his first three appearances, getting his first start and seizing it at Watford. After posting four shots, three key passes and 86% overall pass success, he’ll have a big impact on this home draw against a formidable Brom squad.

Known for slow starts, Spurs have now lost and drawn at Wembley after the opening road win against Newcastle. Everton were completely outclassed against Chelsea last match, but looked very promising in a win over Stoke and draw against Man City prior to the defeat. Now retired from international football, Wayne Rooney is showing glimpses of his old self with two goals in three games.

Tottenham will score twice for the first time since Aug. 13, but it still isn’t enough for all three points. Everton, with its multitude of midfielding acquisitions (see: Davy Klaassen, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Nikola Vlasic, etc.), will also find the back of the net twice, courtesy of Sigurdsson and Aaron Lennon – both former Spurs. Tottenham won’t statistically dominate like it did in the Burnley match, but Christian Eriksen will translate his Danish success to his club by scoring and assisting against Everton.

Leicester pushed Manchester United far into the match, but lost in inevitable fashion. The 2-0 match was United’s lowest margin of victory thus far, if that’s any solace for the Foxes to take into this tough home match. Chelsea allowed zero shots on goal against a determined Everton squad, so if Leicester can notch a goal versus the Blues, it’s all the more impressive.

The Blues are getting hot again. After the 2-3 stunner at home in the opener, Chelsea hasn’t allowed a goal scored by an opposing player since. Leicester lost a heartbreaker in its opener to Arsenal and will lose here despite an impressive showing.

Southampton has played three matches, scoring three and conceding two. Interestingly enough, all five of those goals came in its second match versus West Ham. Two disappointing draws to Swansea and Huddersfield leave much to be desired. Ironically, Watford has the same line of a win and two draws, yet the club looks to be in much better form. A 3-3 draw against Liverpool and a scoreless tie, while a man down, versus Brighton puts the Hornets in optimistic position for this one.

Five goals coming from five different players for Watford leads me to believe that goals can be scored when in dire straits. Southampton will put this team to the test with its high-pressure attacking midfield tandem, but Watford will respond with its imposing front three.

Two goals in three contests, Stoke leans on its stout defense to garner points. Manchester United is not weak in the back by any means, but it certainly doesn’t rely on it. A fiery attack has led to 10 goals in three matches and this contest doesn’t look good for the Potters.

The Red Devils will muster another three goals for their riot and, while they may not break the 103-goals record (they’re on pace for 127), it’ll take a battle-tested defense to keep the ball out of the net. Stoke will be outmatched in the midfield and the match will get out of hand if it can’t maintain possession at a reasonable rate.

Collecting three points on the road against Chelsea was a coming out party of sorts for Burnley. Managing a draw against Spurs was impressive as well, but if the club wants to compete it needs to clean house in these lower matches. Crystal Palace sits in the red with no points thus far and will need a tighter back line if it wants a chance in this one.

Burnley will notch its first home win while Palace will notch its first goal. These teams are trending in opposite directions and Burnley will capitalize on its goalscoring chances, unlike in the West Brom loss. Crystal Palace has played well in spurts, but it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Managing a goal is a good start, but with Southampton, Man City, Man United and Chelsea looming, things are looking bleak.

West Ham has already been punched this season, but a 3-0 loss to Newcastle was just a kick while it’s already down. The Magpies collected three well-deserved points in that contest and will look to bring some momentum into this one. Swansea took three from Palace Aug. 26, but something much bigger has happened since. Renato Sanches, Portuguese wonderkid and Bayern Munich benchwarmer, has been loaned to the Swans for the remainder of the season. He’ll likely get his first start against Newcastle and this completely alters the trajectory of Swansea’s campaign.

I doubt he’ll score, though that would be a storybook start for the 20-year-old, but Renato Sanches will command respect in the midfield against Newcastle. In doing so, he’ll open passing lanes for playmakers like Jordan Ayew and Leroy Fer. If Newcastle is to steal a point or three at Liberty, it’ll need more of the same magic from Christian Atsu and Matt Ritchie.

Seeing the Hammers’ additions in the transfer window and looking down the schedule, I chalked this one up as an automatic three points. The script has been completely flipped, with Huddersfield in third place having allowed no goals and West Ham in dead last with 10 goals conceded.

West Ham welcomed plenty of new faces in the transfer window, perhaps most notably Chicharito. Mexico’s all-time leading goalscorer tallied a brace in the loss to Southampton and he’ll get a third in this draw. Huddersfield, the Prem’s surprise through three matchweeks, will stay undefeated with this road point.

Power Rankings:

These rankings are intended to convey my opinion on how well a team is performing at the given moment. Not only is it the club’s form, but also how well the players are playing together, the level of competition they’ve played and the performance they gave despite the result.

Tier One: The Elite

1. Liverpool
2. Manchester United

Tier Two: The Contending

3. Manchester City
4. Chelsea
5. Tottenham

Tier Three: The Few Steps Away

6. Everton
7. Watford
8. West Brom

Tier Four: The Prove-Its

9. Huddersfield
10. Southampton
11. Burnley
12. Stoke City

Tier Five: The Fallen from Greatness

13. Arsenal
14. Leicester City

Tier Six: The Long Way Off

15. Newcastle
16. Swansea City

Tier Seven: The Relegation Candidates

17. Brighton and Hove
18. Bournemouth
19. Crystal Palace
20. West Ham

Free Kicks:

1. Champions League games begin next Wednesday and I went into more detail last week. Premier League teams in action feature Manchester United playing host to Basel, Chelsea hosting Qarabag, Liverpool hosting Sevilla, Manchester City visiting Feyenoord and Tottenham welcoming Dortmund to Wembley.
2. After a wild weekend of World Cup Qualifiers, some clear winners are Saudi Arabia, Syria, Costa Rica, Peru and Serbia. Thus far, there are eight nations that are directly qualified: Russia via hosting, Brazil via CONMEBOL, Belgium via UEFA, Mexico via CONCACAF and Iran, Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia via AFC.
3. The United States seems to be limping toward the finish line at this point, amassing one single point in the two games this matchweek. The Yanks followed up their first home loss to Costa Rica since 1975 with an uninspiring, yet somehow fortunate, draw in Honduras. Currently in the inter-confederation playoff spot of the Hex, USMNT has matches against Panama and Trinidad & Tobago remaining. Due to a massive goal differential, two wins in those matches would guarantee a berth in the world cup. However unlikely, slipping up could lead to a fourth place finish and a berth in the playoff against the winner of Australia and Syria; or, even worse, a collapse to fifth and the first World Cup absence since 1986.

Stoppage Time:

West Brom is off to a solid start with wins over Bournemouth and Burnley and, most recently, a draw against Stoke. The defense is looking exceptionally impressive, especially due to the fact that it was the Baggies’ biggest question mark opening the year. The team sits in fifth after three matches and has a favorable opening schedule. It faces two bottom-tier clubs in Brighton and West Ham to start the month of September before coming against Manchester City on Sep. 20. I see the club grabbing four more points before that pivotal City match and, if the club can hang around the top third of the table before that contest, it will enter the Europa League conversation.

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(Disclaimer): Opinions expressed are my own. For full coverage of the UEFA Champions League, visit http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/index.html

Cristiano Ronaldo scored five goals in two games as defending champs move on

Surprises were abound in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals; an 18-year-old scored three goals in two games, and a man with no international goals netted two goals versus Barcelona. But the only surprise in Ronaldo scoring his 100^th career Champions League goal was in how quickly it happened.

That’s because it indeed happened in the quarterfinals as Real Madrid beat Bayern Munich. The soccer celebrity scored both of Real Madrid’s goals in the first leg, and three of their four goals in the second-leg. But Bayern Munich put up a fight, and this ended up being the most dramatic second-leg of the quarterfinals.

Bayern put the pressure on early at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, eager to erase their 2-1 aggregate deficit. While right-back Dani Carvajal created some chances for Real Madrid in the first half, the German club put the pressure on early and sustained it for most of the match. The breakthrough came in the second half when Robben dashed into the penalty area and drew a controversial penalty kick, the first of multiple disputed calls from this contest. Nonetheless, Robert Lewandowski chipped in the penalty in the 51^st-minute for Bayern to get one step closer to a comeback.

Los Merengues responded with a goal in the 76^th-minute, as Casemiro shook off a challenge and sent a cross for Ronaldo, who got past the Bayern central defense and headed the ball in the net. Real Madrid seemed bound for the semis. But just seconds after the kickoff, Bayern forced a ball into the box that was deflected by Sergio Ramos into Real Madrid’s net for an own-goal. The series was back on even terms; 3-3 on aggregate, 2-2 on away goals.

The controversy came in the 84^th-minute as Bayern’s Arturo Vidal picked up a second yellow card to equate to a red card. On the replay, he seemed to have tackled the ball away and Casemiro seemed to arrive late as he tripped over Vidal’s leg. But the referee’s call was that Vidal took down Casemiro, and just like that, Bayern had to play the rest of the match shorthanded.

The match went into extra time, where Real Madrid took over. In the first half of extra time, Ronaldo scored his second goal in the 104^th-minute as he chested down a cross and kicked it in. In the second half of extra time, Marcelo breached the high-pressing Bayern defense and drew the goalie off his line. He threaded a ball to Ronaldo for a tap-in to make it 5-3 in the 109^th minute. That goal gave Ronaldo both a hat-trick and his 100^th career UEFA Champions League goal. Real Madrid put the icing on the cake as Marco Asensio split the defense and scored in the 112^th minute to make it 6-3 on aggregate to cap the scoring.

Real Madrid will take on Atlético Madrid in the semifinals in another two-leg series. The winner will play against the winner of the Monaco vs. Juventus series in the final. The final will be one match for all the marbles on June 3th in Cardiff, Wales.

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