Slumping TFC betting favourite in home date with Orlando City

Toronto FC will be trying to avoid their first three-match losing streak in league action since 2015 when they hit the pitch against Orlando City SC on Friday as -160 home favourites on the MLS odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

The Reds put on a dismal first-half performance in last weekend’s 3-2 loss to the new England Revolution as +270 road underdogs to remain stalled in 10th place on the Eastern Conference table going into Friday night’s matchup at BMO Field.

TFC has endured major struggles in recent weeks, compiling a meagre 1-2-7 win-draw-loss record in its past 10 matches across all competitions. The slump has taken its toll on Toronto’s 2018 MLS Cup odds, which have dipped to a long +1400 after opening as a heavy +350 bet to repeat as league champions.

The Reds got off to a slow start in last weekend’s loss in New England, surrendering three unanswered goals in the first 46 minutes, and have allowed 19 total goals during their 10-game swoon. However, Toronto has dominated in recent dates with Orlando City, going 3-1-0 in four meetings with the Lions, allowing just two total goals in four all-time league clashes at BMO Field.

Despite dropping a 2-1 decision to Atlanta United as +575 underdogs last Sunday, the Lions have enjoyed a strong start, posting wins in six of their past seven matches to climb to fourth place in the East.

Saturday’s MLS league action has the Vancouver Whitecaps visiting FC Dallas as big +500 underdogs on the MLS odds, while the Montreal Impact will welcome Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the LA Galaxy to Stade Saputo for a holiday Monday matchup as +130 favourites.

Wins have been scarce so far this season for the Whitecaps, who have gone 1-2-4 in their past seven outings, and have been outscored by a 9-1 margin in three straight road losses. Vancouver claimed a 4-0 victory as a +550 bet in its last trip to Dallas on July 29, but has otherwise struggled in road dates with the Toros, falling to defeat in its previous eight visits while getting outgunned by a 16-3 margin.

The Impact will try to bounce back from back-to-back shutout losses to the Philadelphia Union and Chicago Fire in Monday’s contest. Montreal fell 2-0 to the Union as -120 home chalk last weekend, to fall to 3-7-1 in its last 11 home dates.

Pegged as +195 underdogs in Monday’s tilt, the Galaxy ride a four-match losing streak, and are winless in three previous visits to Montreal, but remain a respectable +2000 bet on the odds to win the MLS Cup.

Sergio AGUERO trains with Argentina team

Sergio AGUERO is back training with the Argentina National Team.

As we mentioned on Wednesday, Argentina coach Jorge SAMPAOLI has reportedly already told five players that they will be in the squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Manchester City’s Sergio AGUERO was among one of those five who were told. However, AGUERO did not train with the group yesterday, instead, he trained separetly.

The news coming out on Thursday, directly from the AFA is that AGUERO trained with the rest of the team today. He is pictured training alongside Javier MASCHERANO.

Selección Argentina

✔@Argentina

[SELECCIÓN MAYOR] Con @aguerosergiokun en campo, hoy, volvieron a entrenarse los cinco futbolistas en el predio de #Ezeiza.

11:50 AM - May 17, 2018

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AGUERO’s recovery has been an issue of concern lately but his comeback appears to be on time and all the signs point that he will be healthy to go come Argentina’s first match at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Chelsea’s Nathan set to extend loan with Portuguese club Belenenses — report

Back in the summer of 2015, a pair of young players from Brazil arrived at Chelsea’s training centre at Cobham. and Atlético Paranaense, respectively.

One of them, from Fluminense, got plenty of fanfare as he was immediately integrated into the first-team by José Mourinho (after utilizing the work permit loophole), although often playing out of position, which has ultimately stunted his growth.

The other, from Atlético Paranaense, has trod a more standard path, first taking his talents to Vitesse for two seasons before moving to French club Amiens last year. That season-long loan was cut short in January as Nathan had only played nine minutes of Ligue 1 football. He switched to Portuguese club Belenenses instead for the second half of the season, a move that thankfully proved to be a smart one.

Nathan had not featured an outrageous amount for Belenenses, with only 492 minutes of playing time over 13 appearances, but the two goals he’s scored were massive, helping the team to a draw with Benfica and a win against (eventual) Primeira Liga champions Porto. No wonder all parties involved want Nathan to stay in Belém for another season, as per a report from Portuguese newspaper O Jogo.

There will always be questions about why Chelsea were even paying attention to Nathan in the first place — he had done little to warrant a transfer to England, especially when compared with Kenedy — but he certainly isn’t the first or last young player to join Chelsea as a long-shot (and/or as a favor to an agent). Still, while he may never become a player with enough quality to be part of the senior squad, his successes are still our successes for now, and in the end, he may yet contribute to the club’s bottom of line. Every little bit helps!

Gameiro va a una cena de celebración... ¡que el club había anulado!

El francés se plantó junto a su pareja en el Asador Donostiarra en el que en un principio estaba previsto que el Atlético celebrara la consecución de la Europa League; sin embargo, la cena había sido anulada y Gameiro no se había enterado

Kevin Gameiro ha protagonizado la anécdota en las horas posteriores a la consecución de la Europa League por parte del Atlético de Madrid. El club había organizado de inicio una cena para este jueves en el Asador Donostiarra de Madrid, al cual estaban invitados los miembros de la plantilla con sus respectivas parejas.

Sin embargo, la cena ha sido cancelada horas antes de que se llevara a cabo y se ha informado de ello a los jugadores. Eso sí, uno de ellos no se ha enterado: el francés. Gameiro se ha plantado en la noche de este jueves en el restaurante junto a su mujer. Eso sí, tal como ha entrado ha tenido que salir, puesto que, lógicamente, ninguno de sus compañeros se encontraba en el local.

Así será la celebración del Atlético por las calles de Madrid

El Atlético de Madrid, campeón de la Europa League 2018, será recibido este viernes por la Comunidad y el Ayuntamiento de Madrid y, posteriormente, plantilla de jugadores y cuerpo técnico, se trasladará a la plaza de Neptuno para culminar, con su afición, el homenaje al título logrado en Lyon.

En el homenaje, que también recibirá la plantilla del equipo de fútbol femenino, campeón de liga, el Atlético partirá desde la ciudad deportiva del club en Majadahonda, donde saldrán sobre las 16:15 horas, a la sede del Ayuntamiento de Madrid, donde serán recibidos por la alcaldesa Manuela Carmena y ediles de la corporación.

De ahí partirán hacia la catedral de la Almudena, pasando por la plaza de Cibeles, las calles Alcalá y Gran Vía, la plaza de España, la calle Bailén, la plaza de Oriente y el recinto eclesiástico, adonde tienen previsto llegar sobre las seis. A continuación, los jugadores y las jugadoras del Atlético de visitarán la Comunidad de Madrid, donde está previsto que les reciba el recién investido presidente Ángel Garrido a partir de las 19:15. De Sol partirán a la cita con su afición en Neptuno (plaza de Cánovas del Castillo), donde llegarán tras recorrer la Carrera de San Jerónimo, la calle Cedaceros, la calle Alcalá, la Plaza de Cibeles y el Paseo del Prado.

SUPERLIGA ARGENTINA 2017/18: PLAYER OF THE SEASON

With the Superliga season now over and Boca Juniors crowned champions once again, it’s time to look back over some of the best individual displays from the past 27 rounds of matches. All five on the shortlist were included in our Team of the Season and after consistently impressing at their respective clubs could be in line for moves in the not too distant future.

Feel free to comment below on who you think was the Player of the Season…

Santiago García – Godoy Cruz

The talent has clearly been there since Santiago García formed a dangerous attack with Abel Hernández for Uruguay’s under-20s back in 2009 and burst into the Nacional side at around the same time. However, Godoy Cruz had only really seen flashes of that until this season.

García’s 17 goals from 26 appearances made him the Superliga’s top goal scorer but it was the nine that came in the last seven games as Godoy Cruz discovered an incredible run of form that almost pushed El Tomba to the title. The club had to settle for a best-ever second placed finish and a place in the Copa Libertadores but had it been a short championship, the Mendocinos would have been celebrating a title and the goals of El Morro would have been the catalyst.

Martín Campaña – Independiente

The Uruguayan international has been a consistent performer as El Rojo have gone from strength to strength under Ariel Holan. After helping the club to the Copa Sudamericana in December, since Nicolás Tagliafico’s subsequent departure, Campaña has been Independiente’s captain, proving to be an on-field leader as well as a safe pair of hands.

Campaña has proved an outstanding piece of business for Independiente since joining from Defensor Sporting in 2015 and while the club might have missed out on a Copa Libertadores spot on goal difference, the 28-year-old has been worth several points.

El Rojo would have qualified for the Libertadores if issues at the other end of the pitch had been resolved as with Campaña in goal, Holan’s team had the best defensive record in the league but simply did not score enough.

Cristian Pavón – Boca Juniors

A place in Jorge Sampaoli’s World Cup squad may well be Cristian Pavón’s reward for a tremendous campaign at Boca Juniors. The 22-year-old’s talent has been widely acknowledged for a long time but the moments of frustrating indecision have decreased and instead Pavón dragged Boca over the line with a string of inspirational displays.

Racking up almost 70 consecutive starts, there was perhaps no more important player in Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s side and it was enough to win the title.

With pace to burn, Pavón ended the season with eleven assists, the most in the Superliga and his six goals were of great importance to the title triumph too. Darío Benedetto previously said that he owes half his goals to Pavón and had the Boca number nine stayed fit, the league would have been far more straight-forward. Whether driving down the right or cutting in off the left, Pavón will cause defences problems and despite his release clause of $30 million it is likely Boca will be fending off interest in this window.

Cristian Lema – Belgrano

Belgrano’s final day collapse against Temperley saw El Pirata miss out on Copa Sudamericana football in 2019 but the efforts of Cristian Lema can’t be faulted over the course of the season. Pablo Lavallén’s side were sound defensively (for the most part) particularly in Córdoba and in addition to Lema playing a key role in that, the 27-year-old scored a mightily impressive eight goals.

Averaging more than 3 interceptions per game and six clearances, Lema was without question one of the Superliga’s top defensive performers and according to WhoScored’s ranking was the best player in the league.

Lema finishing as the club’s top scorer is telling and ahead of next season’s relegation battle, Belgrano must do everything to ensure that the Puerto Madryn native remains at the club.

Lautaro Martínez – Racing Club

Atlético Madrid may well live to regret quibbling over the price of Lautaro Martínez when in discussions with Racing Club about a year ago because as of now the $20-plus million that Inter have paid for the 20-year-old looks like a steal. No player out of the Argentinian top flight has perhaps been as exciting since Sergio Agüero departed Racing’s fierce rivals, Independiente for Atleti in 2006.

An absolute thoroughbred striker, Martínez is a natural goal scorer but with his quick burst of pace, terrific technical ability and deceptive strength on the ball, there is a far greater all-round game than merely what he is capable of in the penalty area. 13 goals in 20 Superliga appearances, five in five in the Copa Libertadores and already a full Argentina international, El Toro may not be part of the World Cup plans in the end but is set for a huge future.

Canadian Premier League reveals Calgary team “Cavalry FC”

They join York 9 FC as the league’s first two clubs.

The Canadian Premier League officially unveiled its second club, Cavalry FC, based out of Calgary, at an event at the Gallery on the Green Congress Hall in Spruce Meadows. The club joins York 9 FC as the two that have been announced by the CPL ahead of its stated kickoff date of Spring 2019.

Calgary’s CanPL team will be owned by the new Spruce Meadows Sports & Entertainment Group, at the helm of which are CEO Linda Southern-Heathcott and COO Ian Allison. The club also introduced its technical director, Tommy Wheeldon Jr., who had been technical director of the Calgary Foothills PDL team since 2008.

The name Cavalry pays homage to Lord Strathcona’s Horse regiment. The official unveiling event saw several horses and men in cavalry garb as part of the festivities.

Cavalry FC@CPLCavalryFC

A Crest that represents Quality and Tradition. The Flag of The Lord Strathcona’s Horse, the Chevron at the Heart, and the Football. A nod to the Past and Future. #CavsFC #CanPL

7:15 PM - May 17, 2018

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We already effectively knew that Calgary would be playing at Spruce Meadows, which is (if Google Maps hasn’t done me wrong) about half an hour outside the city’s main core. It is also a well known equestrian site within Canada, a fitting venue considering the club’s name, and will host a 5000 seat soccer venue come next spring.

The club’s official website can be found here. Waking the Red will continue to update readers as more information becomes available about the league and Calgary’s team.