CH14 doubles Zlatan's sales
Soccer: Chicharito's MLS impact, USWNT perfect in Olympic Qualifying, Houston in talks to host Concacaf Nations League
Feb 4, 2020, 6:59 am
Photo: LA Galaxy
Liverpool continue to run rampant in England, Real Madrid have taken a solid hold of the top spot in Spain and transfer talk continues in Major League Soccer with less than a month left from the beginning of the 2020 season.
Houston Dynamo announce Liga MX friendly; GK Marko Maric arrives
👋 @CruzAzulCD See y'all March 27! https://t.co/z59jyZ0tSJ— Houston Dynamo (@Houston Dynamo) 1580490191.0
It looks like Alberth Elis and Mauro Manotas are here to stay after another transfer window has passed and both went unsold to European suitors. The Dynamo will need every bit of firepower they can get as they kick off the season on Feb. 29 against the LA Galaxy.
Offseason signing Marko Maric has arrived to the club and is expected to be the starting goalkeeper this season. You can learn more about the Croatian international in his interview on Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis.
Houston Dash continue offseason roster turnover
𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐇-𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧, @sheabayy2 and @meganoyster 🤘 We’ve acquired forward Shea Groom and defender Megan Oyster in a trade with Reign FC.— Houston Dash (@Houston Dash) 1580756484.0
The Houston Dash have traded away fan favorites Amber Brooks and Sofia Huerta, both starters in 2019, to add to the offseason turnover that saw Kealia Ohai also traded earlier this offseason. What looks like a fresh start for all involved is shaping up to be James Clarkson's most challenging season yet in only his second year in the women's game.
USWNT open 2020 with sweep in Olympic Qualifying group matches in Houston
PERFECT IN GROUP PLAY ✨ See you in Los Angeles on Feb. 7! https://t.co/JkWDq3x2et— U.S. Soccer WNT (@U.S. Soccer WNT) 1580787094.0
As expected, the United States Women's National Team went three for three at BBVA Stadium to start their Olympic Qualifying campaign. They await either Canada or Mexico in the semifinals for a spot at Tokyo 2020.
Results:
- January 28 - USA 4-0 Haiti
- January 31 - USA 8-0 Panama
- February 3 - USA 6-0 Costa Rica
Upcoming Matches:
- February 7 - USA vs. Canada/Mexico [win punches ticket to Tokyo Olympics]
- February 9 - Olympic Qualifying Tournament Final
USMNT open 2020 with 1-0 win over Costa Rica
Eighteen-year-old Ulysses Llanez scored his first international goal in the U.S. Men's 1-0 win over a "B-team" Costa Rica in a non-FIFA date friendly at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California over the weekend. It was the first friendly of the year for the USMNT who culminate their annual January Camp with a W.
Impact of Chicharito arrival, another Mexican star could be heading to MLS
Los Angeles has been waiting. @CH14_ is 🔵⚪️&🟡.— LA Galaxy (@LA Galaxy) 1579624158.0
The Mexican star and the national team's all-time goalscorer has been the talk of the MLS offseason with his arrival to the Los Angeles Galaxy. The former Chivas of Guadalajara, Manchester United and Real Madrid striker is slated to be the highest-paid player in league history and has already had "double" the impact on season ticket sales than when Zlatan Ibrahimovic joined the Galaxy. LA open the season on the road in Houston on Feb. 29.
Hernandez might not be the last Mexican star joining the league this winter as David Beckham's Inter Miami CF is about to sign Monterrey's Rodolfo Pizarro, according to reports including The Athletic's Paul Tenorio. MLS also signed reigning Liga MX joint goalscorer Alan Pulido this offseason, joining Sporting Kansas City.
Houston to host Concacaf Nations League semis in June
Hearing that the @CNationsLeague doubleheader will take place in Houston June 4th with @USMNT v. @FenafuthOrg… https://t.co/pJeE9nxrPk— Glenn Davis (@Glenn Davis) 1580776490.0
The Men's national teams of USA, Mexico, Honduras and Costa Rica are heading to Houston this summer for the semifinals of the Concacaf Nations League, as first reported out of Honduras. The latest report locally (from Glenn Davis) is that the matches could be hosted in two separate venues on the same night - as opposed to the usual doubleheaders at NRG for Concacaf Gold Cup action.
The Dynamo's BBVA Stadium would host USA vs. Honduras while Mexico vs. Costa Rica would take place at the Texans' NRG Stadium. The final would be at the Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. Negotiations are still taking place but an official announcement could come as early as this coming week, according to reports.
English Premier League
Top six: 1. Liverpool (73), 2. Man City (51), 3. Leicester City (49), 4. Chelsea (41), 5. Tottenham (37), 6. Sheffield (36)
Bottom three (relegation): 18. West Ham (24), 19. Watford (23), 20. Norwich City (18)
Scoring leader: 17 - Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
Assists leader: 15 - Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)
Spanish La Liga
Top six: 1. Real Madrid (49), 2. FC Barcelona (46), 3. Getafe (39), 4. Sevilla (39), 5. Valencia (37), 6. Atletico Madrid (36)
Bottom three: 18. Leganes (18), 19. Celta Vigo (17), 20. Espanyol (15)
Scoring leader: 14 - Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
Assists leader: 8 - Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
German Bundesliga
Top six: 1. Bayern Munich (42), 2. RB Leipzig (41), 3. Dortmund (39), 4. Monchengladbach (39), 5. Bayer Leverkusen (34), 6. Schalke 04 (24)
Bottom three: 16. Werder Bremen (17), 17. Fortuna (16), 18. Paderborn (15)
Scoring leader: 22 - Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Assists leader: 12 - Jadon Sancho (Dortmund), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)
Italian Serie A
Top six: 1. Juventus (54), 2. Inter Milan (51), 3. Lazio (49), 4. Atalanta (39), 5. Roma (39), 6. Cagliari (32)
Bottom three: 18. Genoa (16), 19. Brescia (15), 20. SPAL (15)
Scoring leader: 25 - Ciro Immobile (Lazio)
Assists leader: 11 - Luis Alberto (Lazio)French Ligue 1
Top four: 1. PSG (55), 2. Marseille (43), 3. Rennes (40), 4. Lille (34)
Bottom three: 18. Amiens (19), 19. Nimes (18), 20. Toulouse (13)
Scoring leader: 15 - Wissam Ben Yedder (Monaco)
Assists leader: 8 - Angel Di Maria (PSG)
Liga MX
Clausura 2020
Top eight: 1. Leon (9), 2. Queretaro (9), 3. Pumas (8), 4. Juarez (7), 5. Necaxa (7), 6. Guadalajara (6), 7. Atletico San Luis (6), 8. Atlas (6)
Scoring leader: 5 - Angel Mena (Leon)
Throwback moment: First MLS Jersey Unveiling
It's called fashion, sweetie. Look it up. #NYFW https://t.co/45CRRhzXDr— Major League Soccer (@Major League Soccer) 1550004698.0
Ahead of this week's jersey unveiling in New York City for MLS' 25th season, here's a look back at the first ever jersey announcement. Current Houston Dynamo Head Coach Tab Ramos was the model for the NY/NJ MetroStars.
TV news: FOX Sports locks down Concacaf broadcasting rights
FOX Sports and Concacaf announce an exclusive multi-year agreement, highlighted by the 2021 and 2023 Gold Cups, the… https://t.co/ilAhubyhbC— FOX Sports PR (@FOX Sports PR) 1580137906.0
TV listings (All Times CT):
For full info on soccer TV listings and streaming services in the United States, visit worldsoccertalk.com
11:30 a.m. - [German Cup] Frankfurt vs. RB Leipzig (ESPN3, ESPN Deportes)
1:30 p.m. - [German Cup] Werder Bremen vs. Dortmund (ESPN3)
2:00 p.m. - [Ligue 1] Nantes vs. PSG (beIN Sports)
2:00 p.m. - [English FA Cup] Oxford United vs. Newcastle (ESPN+)
2:00 p.m. - [Copa del Rey] Granada vs. Valencia (ESPN+)
Wednesday, February 5
11:30 a.m. - [German Cup] Bayer Leverkusen vs. Stuttgart (ESPN3)
1:45 p.m. - [German Cup] Bayern Munich vs. Hoffenheim (ESPN3)
1:45 p.m. - [English FA Cup] Tottenham vs. Southampton (ESPN+)
1:45 p.m. - [Serie A] Lazio vs. Hellas Verona (ESPN+)
Thursday, February 6
12:00 p.m. - [Copa del Rey] Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad (ESPN+)
2:00 p.m. - [Copa del Rey] Athletic Bilbao vs. Barcelona (ESPN+)
Friday, February 7
1:30 p.m. - [Bundesliga] Frankfurt vs. Augsburg (FS2, TUDN)
1:45 p.m. - [Serie A] Roma vs. Bologna (ESPN+)
9:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Puebla vs. Santos Laguna (TUDN)
9:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Tijuana vs. Toluca (FS2)
Saturday, February 8
6:30 a.m. - [Premier League] Everton vs. Crystal Palace (NBC Sports)
8:30 a.m. - [Bundesliga] Wolfsburg vs. Dusseldorf (FS1)
8:30 a.m. - [Bundesliga] Schalke 04 vs. Paderborn (TUDN)
11:30 a.m. - [Premier League] Brighton vs. Watford (NBC Sports)
11:30 a.m. - [Bundesliga] Bayer Leverkusen vs. Dortmund (FS2, UniMas, TUDN)
1:45 p.m. - [Serie A] Hellas Verona vs. Juventus (ESPN+)
5:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Cruz Azul vs. Pachuca (UniMas, TUDN, ESPN Deportes)
7:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Tigres vs. Chivas (Univision, TUDN, ESPN Deportes)
9:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Leon vs. Monterrey (Univision, TUDN)
Sunday, February 9
8:00 a.m. - [Serie A] Napoli vs. Lecce (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
8:00 a.m. - [Premier League] Sheffield United vs. Bournemouth (NBC Sports)
8:30 a.m. - [Bundesliga] Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Cologne (FS1)
10:30 a.m. - [Premier League] Manchester City vs. West Ham (NBC Sports)
11:00 a.m. - [Bundesliga] Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig (FS2)
12:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Pumas UNAM vs. Club Atletico de San Luis (Univision, TUDN)
1:45 p.m. - [Serie A] Inter vs. AC Milan (ESPN+)
6:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Queretaro vs. Club America (TUDN)
8:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] FC Juarez vs. Necaxa (TUDN)
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As of 9:42 Central Daylight Saving Time Friday night, the Astros (and all other baseball players) are officially the Boys of Summer, officially so far as the season is concerned anyway. When the summer solstice arrived last year the Astros were nine games off the lead in the American League West. So in addressing the rhetorical axiom “what a difference a year makes,” the difference in the Astros’ case is a whopping 14 games as they start the weekend atop their division by five games. At this point in the season last year the Astros’ record in one-run games was a brutal 5-14. In 2025 they are 13-7 in games decided by the narrowest of margins.
That the Astros are just 4-5 in road games against the two worst teams in the American League is no big deal, other than that every game counts in the standings. Still, just as was losing two out of three at the pathetic White Sox earlier this season, it is no doubt disappointing to the Astros to have only gotten a split of their four-game set with the Athletics. The A’s had gone 9-28 in their last 37 games before the Astros arrived in West Sacramento. The former-Oaklanders took the first game and the finale, as the Astros’ offense played bi-polar ball over the four nights. Two stat-padding explosion games that totaled 24 runs and 35 hits were bookended by a puny one-run output Monday and Thursday’s 5-4 10-inning loss. Baseball happens. Nevertheless, as the Astros open their weekend set versus the Angels, they have gone 17-7 over their last 24 games to forge their five-game division lead.
The New York Yankees’ offense has been by a healthy margin the best attack in the American League so far this season. The reigning AL champions snapped a six-game losing streak Thursday. The Yankees mustered a total of six runs over those six losses, including being shutout in three consecutive games. The baseball season is the defining “it’s a marathon not a sprint” sport. With 162 games on the schedule, combined with the fact that the gap in winning percentage between the best teams and the worst teams is smaller than in any other sport, making much about a series, or week or two of games is misguided, apart from all the results mattering.
The future is now
Without context, statistics can tell very misleading stories. Cam Smith is having a fine rookie season and has the looks of a guy who can blossom into a bonafide star and be an Astro mainstay into the 2030s. But it’s silliness that has anyone talking about the big month of June he’s having. Superficially, sure, going into Thursday’s game Smith’s stat line for the month read a .321 batting average and .874 OPS. Alas, that was mostly about Smith’s two monster games in the consecutive routs of the Athletics. Over those two games Cam went seven for nine with two home runs and two doubles. Over the other 14 games he’s played this month Smith is batting .213 with an OPS below .540.
Cam Smith is a long-term contender for best acquisition of Dana Brown’s tenure as General Manager. If his career was a single game Smith is still in the first inning, but if his career was a stock it’s a buy and hold. If the Astros were for some reason forced to part with all but two players in the organization, I think the two they would hold on to are Smith and Hunter Brown. Jeremy Pena would be another strong candidate, but he turns 28 in September and is two seasons from free agency (unless the rules change in the next collective bargaining agreement). Smith is 22 and under Astros’ control for another five seasons, he’s not even presently eligible for salary arbitration until the 2028 season. Brown turns 27 in August and is currently ineligible for free agency until after the 2028 season.
Angels in the outfield
Hunter Brown pitches opposite Yusei Kikuchi Friday night. Kikuchi was Dana Brown’s big in-season move last season, and Kikuchi was excellent with the Astros which set up to get the three-year 63 million dollar deal he landed with the Halos. After a slow start to his season Kikuchi has been outstanding the past month and a half, with a 2.28 earned run average over his last nine starts. Brown’s 1.88 season ERA is second-best in the big leagues among pitchers with the innings pitched to qualify in the category. Only Pirates’ stud Paul Skenes has a better mark, barely so at 1.85.
Kikuchi was a stellar rental who helped the Astros stretch their consecutive postseasons streak to eight. There was an absurd amount of vitriol over what Dana Brown gave up for him. Joey Loperfido is 26 years old and having a middling season at AAA. Will Wagner is 26 years old and back in the minors after batting .186 with the Blue Jays. Jake Bloss is the one guy who maaaaaybe some day the Astros wish they still had. Bloss is out into 2026 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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