Hey friends,

We’ve had a bunch of new readers join us in the past few weeks. So we wanted to introduce ourselves again. My brother Mason and I (Max) write this each week for diehard US soccer fans like ourselves. We’re stoked to have you along for the ride. Now to the good stuff…

• 🏆️ Round One of the Playoffs

• 🇺🇸 Yanks Abroad Update

• 🗓️ MLS Potential Schedule Change

• 💰️ MLS Salaries Released

• ⚽️ Goal of the Week

• 😂 Meme of the Week

Round 1 of the Playoffs

Only MLS would have a best of 3 opening round playoff series 🤷 

After pulling off one of the craziest wins in MLS playoff history against the Timbers, Vancouver went on the road again and lost 2-1 to LAFC. LAFC have now won 7 straight across all competitions but Olivier Giroud still hasn’t scored in MLS play. He’ll need to as the playoffs progress.

The LA Galaxy thumped the Colorado Rapids 5-0 on Saturday. It was a Rapids team that had lost 5 of their last 6 and were without Djordje Mihailovic but still this was embarrassing. Riqui Puig led the way with two goals and an assist for his 13th consecutive home game with a goal contribution. I don’t see any chance for the Rapids in this series.

Seattle and Houston fought to a 0-0 draw and then the Sounders prevailed in penalties. Coco Carrasquilla was red carded in the 66th minute and will miss the second game in Houston. With both teams lacking an elite finisher in the final third we may see more another scoreline like this.

FC Cincinnati dominated NYCFC from the get-go. It only ended 1-0 but FCC’s xG was 3.7 to NYCFC’s 0.3. Matt Freese continues to be indispensable in goal for the Pigeons but Cincinnati is likely going to be too much to handle.

Orlando City dismissed a hot Charlotte team 2-0. Facundo Torres scored the first and then Martin Ojeda added insurance. The series heads to The Bank for the Clubs first ever home playoff game. You know the crowd will be rowdy.

The New York Red Bulls go on the road and get a massive 1-0 win over the Crew. The Red Bulls came stumbling into this one after winning just 2 of their last 16 games in all comps. It was their first clean sheet since in 12 games and only the Crew’s 6th time getting shutout all season. I still expect the Crew to win this series. But wow… this was surprising.

Minnesota United and Real Salt Lake dueled to a 0-0 draw then the Loons prevailed in PKs. Dayne St. Clair was the star in this one making 6 saves. They’ve now conceded just one goal in their last six matches. The Loons head home with a chance to close out the series.

Yanks Abroad Update

A bunch of action from our fellas across the pond this week.

Cole Campbell is an 18-year-old Houston born former Iceland youth international who was approved of a one-time switch to the US by FIFA. The Borussia Dortmund winger became the the third-youngest American to debut in the Bundesliga, behind Reyna and Pulisic. He’ll provide more depth at the winger position if he continues to develop.

Weston Mckennie had a game-tying assist moments before Tim Weah slotted the go-ahead goal. Unfortunately, Juventus went on to lose. Only 5 Serie A players, one of which is Christian Pulisic, have more assists than Mckennie since the start of last season.

Ricardo Pepi scored a brace on his second start for PSV, including a sick volley (see below). He could’ve had a hat-trick but they awarded his third as an own goal after it hit the back of the keeper off the post. He has 12 Eredivisie goals in 832 minutes, averaging a goal every 69 minutes. He’s our most in form striker at the moment.

Malik Tillman scored in PSV’s 6-0 trashing with a strong header from the center of the box. PSV’s Americans continue to dominate and the team is top of the league.

Johnny Cardoso put in a Man of the Match performance in Real Betis win against Athletico Madrid. A defensive midfield masterclass with 5 tackles, 5 interceptions, 4 clearances, and 9/14 duels won. This is exactly who you want in front of the back line when playing a team with the quality of Athletico.

Haji Wright had another game-winner to give Coventry the win after being down 2-0 at the half. Wright continues his scoring form with 5 goals in 12 appearances this season.

Tyler Adams returned from injury and got his first minutes back at Bournemouth. A big return for a player marred by injury lately.

Potential MLS Schedule Change

Last week, Paul Tenorio reported MLS is considering changing to a Fall-Spring calendar as soon as 2026. The current Winter-Fall schedule would be scrapped in favor of one that aligns with the rest of world football.

There are three major benefits to doing this:

1. Most importantly, it will align the league's transfer windows with the rest of the world, allowing MLS to meaningfully engage in the global transfer market. MLS teams looking to buy would no longer have to do it in the middle of their season. And now, they can sell to the rest of the world when the players' value is at its highest.

2. The second big advantage is to allow for more visibility on the American sports calendar. The MLS Playoffs currently collide with MLB postseason, NFL and College Football, NHL, and NBA. There is much less competition for eyeballs in the Spring.

3. Finally, this would mean MLS would pause during all FIFA international windows allowing its players to play for their countries without missing important club games.

So what are the downsides?

A significant drop in attendance for the colder market teams is the major downside. Although the schedule would include a 5-week break from mid-December to early February there would be plenty of games played in snowy freezing weather for many of the league’s clubs.

Changes would also have to be made to tournaments like Leagues Cup and the US Open Cup. While this would be a massive change for MLS it’s becoming clear it’s one they have to make in order to become one of the world’s top leagues.

MLS Salaries Released

The MLSPA released player salaries last week. And as always we have fun gawking at how much these guys make. Oh to be a professional footballer.

Here are a few major takeaways:

• At $20.4M in guaranteed salary, Messi makes more than 22 MLS rosters

• The average salary is $596,266, up 12.4% over last season

• 9 of the 15 highest salaried teams in MLS made the playoffs

• 21 of 29 teams increased their salary spend from the spring release of this list to the fall

Goal of the Week

PEPIIIIII!

Tweet of the Week

Sincerely, East Coasters.

Quick Hits

• Rest in Peace to Philadelphia Union Goalkeeper Holden Trent 😢 (Link)

• Neymar Jr to Inter Miami rumors start after he purchases home in Miami (Link)

• Kevin de Bruyne to San Diego FC rumors heat up again (Link)

• San Jose Earthquakes are close to hiring Bruce Arena as head coach (Link)

• Austin FC name Nico Estevez as head coach (Link)

This edition took 7 hours to create. We would LOVE any feedback on what you like/don’t like so we can improve it for you. Please feel free to reply to this email. Thank you :)

Max & Mason