Houston Dynamo vs. Sporting Kansas City | 2018 US Open Cup Match Preview

Houston Dynamo vs. Sporting Kansas City
U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals
BBVA Compass Stadum — Houston
July 18 - 8:30 pm ET
WATCH: USSoccer.com

For the fourth year in a row, the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City will meet in the U.S. Open Cup, with a berth in the semifinals on the line Wednesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.

A year ago, ike Opara and Gerso Fernandes scored second-half goals to lift eventual champion Sporting KC to a 2-0 win over Houston in the Round of 16.

In 2016, the Dynamo won, 3-1, in the Round of 16 on the strength of a Mauro Manotas brace after SKC were victorious, 3-1, in the 2015 quarterfinals.

• Wilmer Cabrera | Postgame at Colorado Rapids
• You Make the Call: Did Gerso deserve a penalty?
• Beyond The Box Score: Vermes adds another longevity milestone
• Dynamo hire Holocher to as academy director

Houston Dynamo    

The Dynamo reached the quarterfinals for the third time in four years by defeating Minnesota United FC, 1-0, in the Round of 16. Manotas scored the lone goal two minutes into the second half, heading in an Adam Lundqvist corner kick.

In league play on Saturday, Houston played the Colorado Rapids to a 0-0 draw at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park with Joe Willis making three saves to earn the clean sheet.

“When you go away and get the zero in the back and you’re solid, I think it’s important for the mentality of this group, understanding that we have a game on Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday,” Wilmer Cabrera said. “It’s a good beginning of these five games in two weeks, but we now have to focus on the next game.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - A.J. DeLaGarza (torn left ACL), M - Juan David Cabezas (left quad injury), M/D - Andrew Wenger (left calf injury), M - Arturo Alvarez (right hip injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Joe Willis — Adolfo Machado, Alejandro Fuenmayor, Philippe Senderos, DaMarcus Beasley — Eric Alexander, Darwin Ceren, Tomas Martinez — Alberth Elis, Mauro Manotas, Romell Quioto

Sporting Kansas City

Sporting booked their spot in the quarterfinals in dramatic fashion as Yohan Croizet struck for the winner in the 89th minute in a 3-2 victory over FC Dallas in the Round of 16.

SKC look to bounce back from a league loss to the New York Red Bulls by the same scorelineSaturday night at Red Bull Arena. Johnny Russell leveled four minutes after Bradley Wright-Phillips gave the Red Bulls an early lead and Roger Espinoza gave Sporting a 2-1 lead in the 51st minute. But Marc Rzatkowski came off the bench to score a pair of goals seven minutes apart late, as SKC lost for the third time in four games.

“I just think that we have to be much more difficult to play against,” Peter Vermes said. “I think we gave them too much time and space on the field. They were able to break through us on the lines, and they caused us a lot of problems with movement only because I think that we were reactionary, not anticipating.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Jimmy Medranda (knee injury), M/D - Cristian Lobato (knee injury), F - Khiry Shelton (right MCL tear, lateral meniscus tear), D/M - Brad Evans (Achilles injury); QUESTIONABLE: M - Felipe Gutierrez (sports hernia surgery), D - Ike Opara (hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Tim Melia — Graham Zusi, Graham Smith, Emiliano Amor, Jaylin Lindsey — Roger Espinoza, Ilie Sanchez, Yohan Croizet — Johnny Russell, Daniel Salloi, Gerso Fernandes

All-Time in U.S. Open Cup

• Overall: Houston Dynamo 14 wins, 42 goals … Sporting Kansas City SC 35 wins, 106 goals
• This is the fourth consecutive year the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City are meeting in the U.S. Open Cup. SKC has won two of the previous three encounters, including, 2-0, in the Round of 16 on June 28, 2017

Chicago Fire vs. Louisville City FC | 2018 U.S. Open Cup Match Preview

Chicago Fire vs. Louisville City FC
U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals
Toyota Park — Bridgeview
July 18 - 8:30 pm ET
WATCH: USSoccer.com

After knocking off Atlanta United in front of the largest crowd in U.S. Open Cup history on a Nemanja Nikolic goal in the 54th minute, the Chicago Fire return home for their 14th quarterfinal appearance in club history, good for third most in USOC history.

Louisville City FC became the first team from Kentucky to make the quarterfinals in tournament history by defeating Nashville SC, 2-1, in a battle of USL rivals.

This is the second USOC meeting between Chicago and Louisville City with Quincy Amarikwanetting the extra-time winner in a 1-0 victory in the Fourth Round of the 2015 tournament.

• On #CHIvLOU | Nemanja Nikolic
• Fire vs. Louisville City FC: Prep for Wednesday's Quarterfinal

Chicago Fire    

The Fire come into the match off a 3-1 loss at FC Dallas Saturday night.

Carlos Gruezo scored the lone goal of the first half and Kellyn Acosta and Reto Ziegler (PK) struck seven minutes apart to five FC Dallas a commanding 3-0 lead. That came after Drew Conner was sent off for his second bookable offense in the 70th minute.

Brandt Bronico scored a cosmetic goal four minutes from full time or the Fire, who dropped their third straight game.

“We had two difficult games in the first two rounds of the U.S. Open Cup against two really good teams away,” said Nikolic, who has three goals in two USOC matches this year. “We showed great character in these games and the next game on Wednesday will be really important for us, for the club, for the fans. We are prepared and of course our goal is to go to the next round.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: M - Djordje Mihailovic (right ACL surgery), F - Michael de Leeuw (left ACL surgery), D - Matt Polster (MCL surgery), GK - Patrick McLain (hamstring injury), F - Luis Solignac (left quad injury), D - Grant Lillard (right quad injury); QUESTIONABLE: D - Kevin Ellis (undisclosed injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Stefan Cleveland — Drew Conner, Johan Kappelhof Christian Dean, Brandon Vincent, Mohammed Adams, Dax McCarty — Elliot Collier, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Aleksandar Katai — Nemanja Nikolic

Louisville City FC

Louisville City are fourth in the USL’s Eastern Conference with an 8-4-5 record and enter the match following a 2-1 loss to the Charleston Battery at MUSC Health Stadium Saturday night.

The Battery raced out to an early lead when Ataullah Guerra scored inside five minutes on his own rebound and the hosts doubled their advantage when Neveal Hackshaw headed home from close range in the 27th minute.

Louisville City had late life on an own goal by Taylor Mueller, but all hope of a comeback was dashed when Oscar Jimenez was sent off deep in stoppage time.

“We have to learn from this and take action to not let it happen again,” Louisville player-coach Luke Spencer said. “We’re going to reflect on this game, learn from what we can do better, and move forward to Chicago.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: Richard Ballard (stress fracture), Luke Spencer (knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-4-1, right to left)
GK: Greg Ranjitsingh — Pat McMahon, Paco Craig, Sean Totsch, Oscar Jimenez — Paolo DelPiccolo — Niall McCabe, Magnus Rasmussen, Devon Williams, Kyle Smith — Cameron Lancaster

All-Time in U.S. Open Cup

• Overall: Chicago Fire 48 wins, 117 goals … Louisville City SC 5 wins, 16 goals
• This is the second all-time meeting in the U.S. Open Cup with the Chicago Fire beating Louisville City, 1-0, in the Fourth Round on June 16, 2015

Minnesota United FC vs. New England Revolution | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Minnesota United FC vs. New England Revolution
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 21
TCF Bank Stadium — Minneapolis
July 18 — 8 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

Two teams coming off disappointing performances in the final moments of their Week 20 matches meet on Wednesday night when Minnesota United FC host the New England Revolution.

The Loons defeated Real Salt Lake at home on Saturday, but Adrian Heath was anything but happy with the way they played, while the Revs surrendered a pair of stoppage-time goals in a 3-2 loss to the LA Galaxy at Gillette Stadium.

This will be just the second meeting in MLS play between Minnesota and New England. The first game between the two ended in a 5-2 home win for the Revolution last March.

• You Make the Call: Did Gerso deserve a penalty?
• Watch: MNUFC's Heath is heated in postgame presser
• Revs' Agudelo: Loss to LA one of the worst at home
• Farrell: Trip to Minnesota is "going to be a good challenge"

Minnesota United

Darwin Quintero scored a goal and set up two others as the Loons won for the second time in the last three games.

The Colombian Designated Player set up Ibson’s opening goal in the 51st minute, scored his seventh goal of the season in the 62nd minute and had the assist on Miguel Ibarra’s goal that put Minnesota (7-11-1) up 3-0 in the 68th minute. Instead of a cakewalk, the Loons had to sweat out the three points after Joao Plata struck for a late brace.

“Three points, we did our best to throw it away, tried to throw away 75 minutes of good work by people deciding that they know best, they’ll do what they want rather than doing what we know is right,” Adrian Heath said “It doesn’t matter who they are. We win together, we lose together. It’s the group. The group scored the goals, the group conceded the goals.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: M - Rasmus Schuller
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: M - Sam Cronin (cervicogenic dysfunction), M - Kevin Molino (torn left ACL), M - Ethan Finlay (torn ACL), D - Jerome Thiesson (right leg injury); QUESTIONABLE: D - Marc Burch (left knee injury), F - Abu Danladi (left leg injury), D - Eric Miller (left hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(3-5-2, right to left)
GK: Bobby Shuttleworth — Michael Boxall, Brent Kallman, Francisco Calvo — Miguel Ibarra, Ibson, Collen Warner, Rasmus Schuller, Alexi Gomez — Christian Ramirez, Darwin Quintero

• Notes: Quintero has scored three goals from outside the box since June 1. Only two players have scored more from outside the box in all of 2018. … The Loons have won five of their last eight MLS home games (2L-1D), keeping as many clean sheets during this stretch as they had in their previous 17 games at home (two).

New England Revolution

Like Heath, Brad Friedel was left to rue conceding late chances and it cost the Revs three points as Dave Romney and Chris Pontius scored one minute apart in stoppage time to lift the Galaxy to a 3-2 win Saturday night.

Five minutes after Cristian Penilla was sent off violent conduct, Diego Fagundez opened the scoring in the 28th minute and, after Pontius leveled in the 38th minute, Luis Caicedo sent New England (7-5-7) into halftime with a 2-1 lead.

Teal Bunbury’s toe-poke hit the post and had an attempt headed off the line, opening the door for the dramatic late Galaxy rally after Ashley Cole was sent off for his second bookable offense.

“Three individual errors on the goals and it cost us dearly, but there are so many good things to take out of the match, so many things we have been working on and some really good individual performances,” Friedel said. “We’ll have to take all the positives into our next two games and there were many.”

• Suspended: M - Cristian Penilla, M - Luis Caicedo, D - Antonio Delamea
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Chris Tierney (torn right ACL), F - Femi Hollinger-Janzen (dislocated elbow)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Matt Turner — Andrew Farrell, Claude Dielna, Jalil Anibaba, Gabriel Somi — Scott Caldwell, Wilfried Zahibo — Brandon Bye, Diego Fagundez, Kelyn Rowe — Krisztian Nemeth

• Notes: Fagundez is averaging 0.73 goals+assists per 90 this season. Only six Revs players have averaged more in a single season ( min. 1,000 minutes played). … New England has lost just one of their last six road games in league play (1W-4D). They are averaging 1.0 points per away game, which would be tied for their third highest in a season since 2010.

All-Time Series

• This is the second all-time meeting with the New England Revolution beating Minnesota United FC, 5-2, on March 25, 2017.

Officials

Referee: JC Rivero
Assistant Referees: Eduardo Mariscal
4th Official: Kyle Longville
VAR: Drew Fischer

Montreal Impact vs Vancouver Whitecaps | 2018 Canadian Championship Preview

Montreal Impact vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Canadian Championship Semifinal - First Leg
Stade Saputo — Montreal
July 18 - 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: CanadaSoccer.com, Yahoo Sports Canada

For the fifth time in the last eight years, the Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps FCmeet in either the Canadian Championship final or semifinals as their aggregate semifinal series kicks off at Stade Saputo Wednesday night.

The Impact have won the competition three times, including back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014, while the Whitecaps have reached the final seven times, winning just one Voyageurs Cup in 2015.

A year ago, Alphonso Davies and Nicolas Mezquida struck for first-half goals and David Choiniere pulled Montreal a goal back in the 62nd minute in a 2-1 Vancouver win in the first leg.

Ignacio Piatti scored twice from the penalty spot in the opening 28 minutes and Blerim Dzemaili made it 3-0 after 38 minutes in the second leg. Davies struck again for the Whitecaps, followed by what proved to be the decisive goal by Anthony Jackson-Hamel two minutes later as Montreal won 4-2 and advanced to the final 5-4 on aggregate.

• Report: Impact make offer to Argentine DM Zuculini
• This is the playlist that energized 'Caps Waston
• Another victory at Saputo Stadium

Montreal Impact     

The Impact bounced back from a 3-0 midweek loss at New York City FC to defeat the San Jose Earthquakes, 2-0, at Stade Saputo Saturday. It was their fifth win in their last six games and fifth straight at home.

Saphir Taider opened the scoring in the eighth minute, settling a pass from Piatti with his right foot before slotting home with his left. Piatti then added the insurance goal in the 74th minute, his 10th goal of the season.

“The fans, of course, because they give us strength and power,” Remi Garde said when asked about the keys to his team’s success at Stade Saputo. “Also I think we play with more confidence offensively when we play home. It gave us more chances, more opportunities. We can hold the ball collectively more easily at a home game than an away game.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Zakaria Diallo (ruptured Achilles tendon), D - Kyle Fisher (tibia injury), M - David Choiniere (ankle surgery), M - Louis Beland-Goyette (foot injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Evan Bush — Michael Petrasso, Victor Cabrera, Rod Fanni, Jukka Raitala— Shamit Shome, Samuel Piette, Saphir Taider — Raheem Edwards, Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Ignacio Piatti

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

The Whitecaps weren’t able to spoil the housewarming party, losing to D.C. United, 3-1, in the grand opening of Audi Field Saturday night.

Yamil Asad’s golazo in the 27th minute was the first goal scored in the newest soccer specific stadium and Paul Arriola added a second-half brace to put the hosts comfortably in front, 3-0, with 10 minutes left in regulation.

Davies scored a cosmetic goal in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time for the Caps, who lost for the third time in their last four games.

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: QUESTIONABLE: D - Kendall Waston (left groin strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2 right to left)
GK: Stefan Marinovic — Jakob Nerwinski, Jose Aja, Doneil Henry, Brek Shea — Cristian Techera, Aly Ghazal, Russell Teibert, Alphonso Davies — Anthony Blondell, Nicholas Mezquida

All-Time in Canadian Championship

• Overall: Montreal Impact 8 wins, 38 goals … Vancouver Whitecaps FC 14 wins, 44 goals
• This is the fifth time in the last eight years the Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps FC meet in either the Canadian Championship final or semifinals. A year ago, the Whitecaps won the opening leg, 2-1, at BC Place on May 23, 2017 before the Impact took the second leg, 4-2, at Stade Saputo on May 30, 2017 to advance to the final 5-4 on aggregate.

Ottawa Fury FC vs. Toronto FC | 2018 Canadian Championship Match Preview

Ottawa Fury FC vs. Toronto FC
Canadian Championship Semifinal - First Leg
TD Place Stadium — Ottawa
July 18 - 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: CanadaSoccer.com, Yahoo Sports Canada

For a second straight year, Toronto FC meet the Ottawa Fury in the Canadian Championshipsemifinals with the first leg set for TD Place Stadium in Canada’s capital Wednesday night.

The Reds are defending champions and have won the tournament six times. They are hoping to continue their dominance against an Ottawa Fury team that defeated Quebec outfit Blainville, 2-0, in the second qualifying round with former New England Revolution and New York City FCforward Tony Taylor and Carl Haworth scoring the lone goal in each leg.

A year ago, the Fury rallied to win the opening leg at home, 2-1, but TFC roared to a 4-0 victoryin the second leg at BMO Field to advance to the final 5-2 on aggregate.

• Toronto to face Tigres in Campeones Cup
• Vanney reacts to #ORLvTOR
• Hagglund: "You gotta move on to the next game the best you can"

Ottawa Fury FC    

Ottawa are 10th in the USL’s Eastern Conference standings with a 7-8-3 record and come into the match off a 2-1 victory over Penn FC Saturday afternoon in the second of five straight matches at TD Place Stadium.

After falling behind in the 56th minute on a headed goal by Kenny Tribbett, Taylor leveled in the 72nd minute with his first league goal before Steevan Dos Santos struck for the winner eight minutes from full time.

"As I said from the beginning, if we are not able to implement a good culture, it will be difficult to win games,” Ottawa coach Nikola Popovic said after the match. “Culture will always eat strategy and tactics for breakfast, always. One of the core values of our culture is belief, and I think today was the first sign that we are coming.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Maxim Tissot (knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Maxime Crepeau — Eddie Edward, Nana Attakora, Thomas Meilleur-Giguere, Onua Obasi — Jamar Dixon, Chris Mannela, Kevin Oliveira — Tony Taylor, Steevan Dos Santos, Adonijah Reid

Toronto FC

If Toronto FC want to return to the Concacaf Champions League after a run to the final earlier this year, they will have to put their poor league form behind them against a hungry Fury squad.

The Reds hit a low point of their season Saturday night, losing 2-1 at Orlando, their fourth defeat in six consecutive matches without a win.

Chris Schuler gave Orlando a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute with a close range header after Alex Bono spilled a Dom Dwyer shot in front of the goal. Dwyer then made it 2-0 three minutes into the second half. Nick Hagglund scored a cosmetic goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time.

“Getting back on the field in a competition of that sort, we think there’s a lot of pride in this group to defend our title from two times in a row, a group I know would like to get back in the Champions League and this is our way in,” TFC coach Greg Vanney said. “Obviously this first series against Ottawa is an important one and we have to match the intensity and the desire that they want and we’ve got to be clean about how we go about getting ourselves out to a good start on Wednesday and then coming back and trying to finish it off the following week."

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: F - Jozy Altidore (foot surgery), D - Drew Moor (quadricep strain), D - Chris Mavinga (hamstring strain), GK - Caleb Patterson-Sewell (elbow injury), D - Auro (hamstring strain), D - Jason Hernandez (hamstring strain), M - Victor Vazquez (knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Clint Irwin — Nicolas Hasler, Julian Dunn, Nick Hagglund, Ashtone Morgan — Aidan Daniels, Jay Chapman, Liam Fraser, Ryan Telfer — Jordan Hamilton, Tosaint Ricketts

All-Time in Canadian Championship

• Overall: Ottawa Fury FC 7 wins, 16 goals … Toronto FC 17 wins, 47 goals
• This is the third Canadian Championship meeting between Ottawa Fury FC and Toronto FC. Ottawa won, 2-1 at home in the first leg of the semifinals on May 23, 2017 and Toronto FC claimed a 4-0 victory on May 30, 2017 at BMO Field, advancing 5-2 on aggregate

Philadelphia Union vs. Orlando City SC | 2018 US Open Cup Match Preview

Philadelphia Union vs. Orlando City SC
U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals
Talen Energy Stadium — Chester
July 18 - 7 pm ET
WATCH: USSoccer.com

For the fifth time in their history, the Philadelphia Union are in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, after ousting rival New York Red Bulls, 2-1, in the Round of 16, while Orlando City SC reach the final eight for the third time in their history and first time since 2015, advancing on penalty kicks against D.C. United.

This is the first-ever USOC meeting between the Eastern Conference rivals and second encounter this season. Dom Dwyer and Chris Mueller scored seven minutes apart late in the first half to lead the Lions to a 2-0 victory at Talen Energy Stadium on April 13.

Philadelphia Union      

David Accam’s first goal for his new team came against his former team, a dramatic winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time to lift the Union to a wild 4-3 victory at Chicago last Wednesday.

Haris Medunjanin put the visitors in front in the 31st minute and, after Nemanja Nikolic leveled eight minutes later, Cory Burke gave the Union a 2-1 halftime lead. Burke’s second goal gave Philadelphia a 3-2 lead in the 73rd minute. Bastian Schweinsteiger headed home the equalizer in the fourth minute of stoppage time, but Accam secured all three points one minute later.

“I'm really proud of the group for the fight that they showed,” Jim Curtin said. “I thought that we could have laid down when it was 3-3 and try to get out of here with a point but credit to David Accam, he stepped up in a big way for us and got us a huge goal.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Josh Yaro (concussion)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: John McCarthy — Keegan Rosenberry, Jack Elliott, Mark McKenzie, Matthew Real — Derrick Jones, Haris Medunjanin — Marcus Epps, Anthony Fontana, David Accam — Cory Burke

Orlando City SC

Orlando City SC head to Chester with a huge monkey off their shoulders after beating Toronto FC, 2-1, to snap a nine-game losing streak, at home Saturday night.

Chris Schuler gave Orlando a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute with a close range header after Alex Bono spilled a Dwyer shot in front of the goal. Dwyer then made it 2-0 three minutes into the second half. Nick Hagglund scored a cosmetic goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time.

“[Philadelphia] have players that are very capable of hurting you. Whether they high press or whether they drop, they’re doing a combination of both really. So it will be interesting to see, do they come high-press or do they sit,” James O’Connor said. “It would be incredible. There’s a desperation from all of us to go as far as we possibly can in the competition. I think anytime we get an opportunity like that you want to really try and grab it.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: GK - Mason Stajduhar (Localized Ewing Sarcoma), D - Lamine Sane (quad injury), D - Jonathan Spector (hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Earl Edwards Jr. — RJ Allen, Chris Schuler, Amro Tarek, Mohamed El-Munir — Donny Toia, Will Johnson — Chris Mueller, Sacha Kljestan, Dillon Powers —Stefano Pinho

All-Time in U.S. Open Cup

• Overall: Philadelphia Union 17 wins, 47 goals … Orlando City SC 5 wins, 15 goals
• This is the first all-time meeting between the Philadelphia Union and Orlando City SC in the U.S. Open Cup

BRAZIL: Serie B

	StandingsBRAZIL: Serie B
	19:15		Avai	-	Atletico GO
	20:30		Sampaio Correa	-	Juventude
	20:30		Vila Nova FC	-	Brasil de Pelotas
	21:30		Guarani	-	Figueirense