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MLS Team of the Week — Stars of Week 9

By Andy EdwardsMay 4, 2015, 3:30 PM EDT
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Week 9 of the 2015 Major League Soccer season is in the books, and while the overall scoring was down considerably from that of Week 8 (remember this ridiculousness?), the scoring of MLS’s biggest stars was up and accounted for a high percentage of the weekend’s goals.

That, of course, makes this week’s MLS Team of the Week a who’s who of MLS stars.

[ FOLLOW: All of PST’s Week 8 MLS coverage | Standings | Stats | Schedule ]

Matt Besler returned to his pre-2014 World Cup form to help Sporting Kansas City shutout the Chicago Fire, while Alvas Powell made nine tackles in helping the Portland Timbers secure a 0-0 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Meanwhile, Sebastian Giovinco was busy putting on a show all his own in Toronto FC’s 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union. Mauro Diaz was kind enough to remind us that, when healthy, he’s scary good and, along with 2015 MLS MVP-to-be Fabian Castillo, make FC Dallas a frightening opponent for any team. Then there were the goalscoring and dazzling shenanigans that Obafemi Martins was up to against New York City FC.

[ MORE: 2015 MLS Team of the Week archive ]

MLS Team of the Week — Week 9

Goalkeeper: Bill Hamid (D.C. United)

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Defenders: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Damien Perquis (Toronto FC), Alvas Powell (Portland Timbers)

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Midfielders: Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC), Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas), Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls)

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Forwards: Fabian Castillo (FC Dallas), Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders), Fabian Espindola (D.C. United)

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Matt Miagza injured early in Reading win over Huddersfield

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By Kyle BonnAug 24, 2019, 12:44 PM EDT
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Reading topped Huddersfield Town 2-0 on Saturday at John Smith’s Stadium, but for USMNT fans it was a net loss on the day as Matt Miagza came off injured just 10 minutes in, leaving the defender’s status in question less than two weeks before the upcoming friendlies.

Miazga was withdrawn after pulling up lame, with live reports claiming it appeared to be a hamstring problem, although nothing has been confirmed yet.

The potential injury blow is a big one to Gregg Berhalter with friendlies against Mexico and Paraguay coming up in early September before Nations League play starts in mid-October. Should Miazga confirm a strained hamstring, he would likely miss only the friendlies, while a more significant tear could leave his status for the first two Nations League group stage matches against Canada and Cuba in jeopardy as well.

The USMNT has struggled for consistency at center-back lately, with an injury to John Brooks leaving him out of action for the entire summer and the likes of Tim Ream, Aaron Long, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Walker Zimmerman filling in to mixed success.

With Miazga’s injury, Atlanta United defender Miles Robinson could see his way into the the USMNT squad as Berhalter looks for options. The Syracuse product has yet to earn his first international cap but has been mentioned occasionally as possibly in the mix. Brooks has since recovered from his summer knee problem, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in Wolfsburg’s 2-1 win over Koln to open the Bundesliga season last Saturday.

West Ham hands Watford another home loss as record-signing Haller shines

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By Nicholas MendolaAug 24, 2019, 12:22 PM EDT
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West Ham United’s record signing has manager Manuel Pellegrini feeling great and Watford boss Javi Gracia looking over his shoulder.

The Irons took care of Watford 3-1 at Vicarage Road on Saturday, with Sebastien Haller having a role in all three goals during a brace-bagging performance.

[ MORE: How did Pulisic perform v. Norwich? ] 

Watford falls to 0-3, high hopes sincerely grounded having lost to Everton, Brighton and Hove Albion, and now West Ham. Two of those losses came at home, a year after the Hornets remarkable 2018-19 season ended with eight losses at Vicarage Road.

[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ] 

Three things we learned

1. Seb’s star show: West Ham United fans will be watching their big center forward closely this season as the club hopes it has its long-sought answer to the center forward position. Haller’s sensational pass helped the Irons earn a third-minute penalty, and he raced to the doorstep to deposit Felipe Anderson‘s second-half cross. After 15 goals and nine assists for Eintracht Frankfurt last season, Haller is every bit the multi-faceted playmaker required for the position. Will he be able to keep it up.

2. Don’t forget Felipe: West Ham’s transfer record holder prior to Haller’s arrival was as electric as ever. The Irons holding onto him this summer may’ve had a little bit of luck involved, but it was also a stroke of genius.

3. Will Hughes the silver blonde lining: The 24-year-old midfielder was very decent in defeat, getting an assist on Andre Gray‘s clinical equalizer before it all went back to poor form for the Hornets.

Man of the match: Haller

Noble’s penalty came after a clearly-fouled Manuel Lanzini launched himself into the air for what was a stonewall foul.

Gerard Deulofeu smashed a shot off the cross bar in the 7th minute after a terrific cross-18 through ball.

West Ham looked wide open in the midfield and allowed Hughes to show a bit of wizardry in cueing up Gray for his well-taken goal.

[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ] 

The teams continued to battle well for the points in entertaining fashion, and it was West Ham’s all-time transfer buys who delivered the winner.

Anderson‘s cross through traffic met Haller at the back post for a hopeful winner, and Haller later made it two.

Djenepo stunner downs Brighton after Andone straight red

By Kyle BonnAug 24, 2019, 12:02 PM EDT
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It wasn’t that long ago that these two teams faced off in League One…nine years ago, to be exact. Now, both Southampton and Brighton & Hove Albion are established top flight sides and looking to build.

[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ] 

One of those building blocks for Southampton is young Mali international Moussa Djenepo who announced himself to the Premier League on Saturday with a thumping second-half goal that put Southampton through against 10-man Brighton 2-0, with Nathan Redmond adding the second late as Brighton was caught forward for an equalizer.

The win gave Southampton its first points of the campaign, while Brighton was dropped for the first time in the new season.

The Seagulls were the better side until Florin Andone earned a deserved sending-off for a horror challenge on Yan Valery. Dan Burn had the ball in the back of the net but VAR ruled it out for offside, and the halftime break saw Southampton regroup with the advantage and take charge for the final 45 minutes. Brighton, however, did have spells of possession throughout the second half that will worry Southampton supporters moving forward given the man and scoreline advantage.

Three things we learned:

  1. Brighton looks more dangerous than last season going forward, a positive sign for those who saw the Seagulls struggle to score last season. Before the red, they were by far the better side, and even after falling a man down they had moments of positivity despite being forced back. Graham Potter refused to bunker in after the red, something supporters will appreciate, and they had chances to get back in the game down the stretch.
  2. VAR continued to correctly apply the laws of the game. Lewis Dunk had a potentially stunning opener after going a man down, but it was disallowed as Dan Burn all alone and very offside backed goalkeeper Angus Gunn to the ground. It could have easily been given as a foul, but instead VAR wiped it off for offside, also a fair call as he interfered with play. While some may not like how intrusive the technology has been, it has done a solid job of applying the laws to the game, albeit in a somewhat clunky manner.
  3. Southampton will take the three points no questions asked, but there is no doubt the Saints need to improve. They were second-best for much of the game, even at times with the advantage, and could have been pegged back with an embarrassing result. They were out-passed in the attacking third and nearly doubled up in chances created despite an hour-long man advantage.

Man of the Match: Youri Tielemans

Brighton was the most dangerous team early on and had a number of chances in the opening 20 minutes. Off a set-piece, Neal Maupay got his head to a seventh minute corner at the back post but he didn’t have the necessary accuracy and goalkeeper Angus Gunn also got a slight touch to keep it out. They had another chance from a 3 v. 1 short corner off the training ground minutes later but Dan Burn whiffed on his open header at the doorstep. Then Martin Montoya put a long-distance header wide left on the 20-minute mark.

With the game calming down past the half-hour mark, out of nothing, the match turned on its head as Brighton’s Andone produced one of the most shocking challenges you will see, with a heavy touch on the ball followed by a studs-up lunge straight into the leg of Valery, who was lucky to come out of the collision unscathed. Referee Kevin Friend showed absolutely no hesitation in sending Andone off.

The opener came on 55 minutes when Djenepo collected the ball in space outside the top of the box and as nobody closed him down, he unleashed a fabulous curler that found the top corner and opened his Premier League account having just come off the bench two minutes earlier. He created the space required thanks to a slight touch inside to his right before

Nathan Redmond came close to putting Saints two-up and burying the game, but he put his low chance just wide right on 64 minutes. Jurgen Locadia had Brighton’s biggest chance to get back level, hammering the post with a volley on 87 minutes on a tight-angle chance he should have deposited in the back of the net. Southampton made them pay, killing off the game in the first minute of stoppage time as a low cross from Sofiane Boufal found a sliding Redmond at the doorstep for a 2-0 lead.

Palace stuns wasteful Manchester United at the death

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By Nicholas MendolaAug 24, 2019, 12:00 PM EDT
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Manchester United found a way to throw away a dominant performance through more penalty drama and a poor late concession from its well-paid goalkeeper.

Crystal Palace had not beaten Manchester United at Old Trafford since 1989, and never topped the Red Devils in the Premier League era, but now has a 2-1 Saturday win for its resume.

Daniel James‘ 89th minute goal seemed to have given United a result for its controlling effort, letting Marcus Rashford off the hook for a missed penalty, but De Gea allowed Patrick Van Aanholt to score a near post, stoppage time winner with poor goalkeeping after Paul Pogba was caught in possession and allowed Christian Benteke to spring a rush.

[ MORE: How did Pulisic perform v. Norwich? ] 

Marcus Rashford smashed an effort off the post less than a week after Paul Pogba saw his effort saved at Wolves.

VAR absolved Palace of a possible first half red card and seemingly clear second half penalty, and Jordan Ayew scored on the Eagles’ only true chance of the morning.

James set the game level with a gorgeous strike after quickfire, clinical passing in the 89th minute.

[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ] 

United has now won just three of 15 matches in all competitions since defeating PSG in the UEFA Champions League.

Three things we learned

1. MORE PENALTY DRAMA: Yes, all caps. Should we bold, too? After Anthony Martial raced to make sure Marcus Rashford would take United’s 70th minute penalty, the English youngster did what Paul Pogba did and missed his chance. Rashford smashed off the post.

2. Everyone can finish a glorious chance (even Palace): Roy Hodgson‘s goal-starved Eagles needed a bit of help to get on the score board, and Ayew’s finish came on Palace’s first touch inside the Manchester United 18. Victor Lindelof underestimated Schlupp in the challenge, and Ghanaian won a Vicente Guaita goal kick onto the path of Ayew. 1v1 with De Gea, he didn’t miss.

3. The kid’s got flair: Daniel James’ second finish in three PL matches for United was a beauty, a quickly snapped side-of-the-foot offering that swam over the gloves of a flailing Vicente Guaita. The 21-year-old’s $20 million transfer tag looks pretty justified early.

Man of the match: Martial

United was far and away the better team in the match, aside from Marcus Rashford’s penalty miss.

The Red Devils had VAR work against them on three separate occasions, and only one really passed the smell test. While we’ll acknowledge that the VAR crew knows what it’s watching far more than us, Gary Cahill getting off the hook for a take down of clearly through Anthony Martial and the same Frenchman being denied a penalty shout after Martin Kelly put off his shot effort with some since groping will be watched again and again.

[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ] 

Before all that, though, Ayew scored with Palace’s first touch in the United 18.