News Roundups are posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning with quick hits on what you may have missed and what is still to come in The Beautiful Game.

Here’s what you may have missed and what is still developing. And, as always, here’s to helping bring you, the Fan, up to speed and Ahead of the Game.

High School Soccer 

PIAA 4A Playoffs

No. 24 Penn Wood was edged by No. 9 Unionville, 1-0, in the opening of the PIAA District I 4A Playoffs on Tuesday night. Unionville senior forward Tom Kelly added the game’s winning goal. Kelly’s goal came inside the first 11 minutes.

Penn Wood (12W, 7L) outshot Unionville (14W, 1L, 1D) nine to seven on the night, but the Patriots were unable to break the Indians’ staunch backline through the remaining 80 minutes of Tuesday’s game. Penn Wood finishes its season having won the DelVal Title for a fifth time in six years while Unionville advances in the tournament.

Next up for the Indians is a pivotal match on Thursday night against No. 8 Harrison, the lowest ranked of the remaining four Central Athletic League teams represented in this year’s tournament.

No. 20 Haverford fell to Cesar May and No. 13 Downingtown East, 2-1, on Tuesday night. May played both hero and helper, scoring on a free kick in the 54th minute before assisting on the game’s eventual winner later in the contest. Fords’ senior Alex Reardon notched the lone goal for the visitors in the 80th minute.

Downingtown East (14W, 1L, 1D) advances to play No. 4 Abington on Thursday night while Haverford’s (11W, 8L) season comes to an end.

Entering the District One tournament along with top-seeded Conestoga on Thursday are Central Athletic League rivals No. 5 Lower Merion, No. 7 Radnor and No. 8 Harriton.

Conestoga will begin its quest for another PIAA State Championship when it hosts No. 16 Council Rock North at Teamer Field on Thursday night.

Lower Merion will play host to No. 12 Owen J. Roberts.

Radnor will host No. 10 West Chester Henderson, in what is a touted matchup of two district giants.

Harriton will welcome in-form Unionville.

Check out the rest of the PIAA District I 4A bracket here.

College Soccer 

Nothing Separating Temple, Penn on Tuesday

There was nothing to separate the men’s soccer teams of Temple University and The University of Penn after 110 minutes of scoreless, grueling soccer played at Temple’s Sports Complex on Tuesday night.

Temple nearly notched the game’s winning goal in the 110th minute, but senior Belal Mohamed was deemed offside just moments after. Penn edged Temple in shots (16 to 14) on the night, but the Quakers were unable to beat Owls’ keeper Simon Lefebvre. Lefebvre earned his sixth clean sheet of the campaign.

Temple (4W, 8L 4D) will play its last game of the season on Saturday, October 27, an American Athletic Conference game against Tulsa. Before the game, the Owls’ program will recognize its six seniors for Senior Night. Kick off is slated for 7:00 PM EST.

Next up for the Quakers (2W, 4L, 6D) is an important Ivy League game at Rhodes Field against Brown. Penn currently sits winless at the bottom of the Ivy League. A win would see the Quakers move past the Bears in the league.

Senior Day, Soccer Six Showdown Between Drexel and St. Joe’s

Drexel University Men’s Soccer team will recognize its seniors tonight, at 6:00 PM EST, before hosting their season finale at Vidas Field. Tonight’s game is a crucial Soccer Six showdown with city rivals Saint Joseph’s University.

Drexel (8W, 5L, 3D) will be playing for more than just pride and its seniors in the Dragons’ last game. A share of the Philadelphia Soccer Six league championship is still at stake.

Saint Joseph’s (8W, 5L, 2D) enters tonight’s contest having won eight games during the current campaign. It is the program’s most wins in a season since 2003. Saint Joe’s offense features three of the four best scorers in the city and is led by Alvin Dahn. Dahn has bagged seven goals and eight assists this year.

Drexel leads the all-time series with Saint Joseph’s, with 30 wins, 13 defeats and four draws. In the last meeting at Vidas Field, on September 22, 2015, the Hawks and Dragons settled for a scoreless draw.

Philadelphia Union 

Homegrown Trio Receive Under-20 Call-Ups

On Tuesday, Philadelphia Union’s Homegrown triumvirate, comprising defenders Matt Real and Mark McKenzie as well as midfielder Anthony Fontana, received call-ups to the United States Under-20 National Team. Philly’s trio will represent the U20s in their upcoming World Cup qualifying campaign. Qualifying will run from November 1 to 21 in Florida.

Head coach Tab Ramos selected the three Union players to his list of 20 players that have been called upon to represent the USYNT in its campaign to qualify for the 2019 U20 World Cup.

Real, McKenzie and Fontana will link up with former Philadelphia Union Youth Academy teammate, goalkeeper C.J. dos Santos who is currently plying his trade in Portugal with the S.L. Benfica U19 team.

Philadelphia, with three players in Ramos’ squad, is the most represented of any Major League Soccer team. Only FC Dallas has more than one player selected to represent the top-seeded Americans in the qualifying tournament.

Only the top-four teams, in the qualifying campaign that consists of 34 nations, will qualify for U20 World Cup in South Korea. The World Cup will be played from May 23 to June 15.

Major League Soccer

MLS Players’ Association Releases Updated Salary Guide

Last night, the MLS Players’ Association released its updated Players’ Salary Guide for the current season. It is the sixth straight year that the MLSPA has disclosed the Guide.

MLSPA’s Players’ Salary Guide contains salary information of every player under contract in the league (as of September 15). Check out the complete guide, comprising MLS players’ base salary and annual average guaranteed compensation here.

Atlanta’s Martino Denies Contract Extension

It’s official.

Ending weeks of speculation, Atlanta United announced that head coach Tata Martino will not be returning to The Five Stripes in 2019. Martino has denied a contract extension that was proposed by the club.

Following United’s playoff run, Martino and Atlanta will part ways and explore other options. According to the club’s release, Martino made the decision to move on due to “personal reasons.”

No further comments have been made regarding his future. Martino has been rumored for the Mexican National Team job. Atlanta United is currently first in the Eastern Conference with 69 points and on pace to win the MLS Supporters’ Shield.

U.S. Soccer

Sargent Scores Game-Winner in Bremen Friendly

Weeks after scoring the lone goal for the United States Men’s National Team in its friendly against Peru, Josh Sargent, 18, scored a winning goal for his club, Werder Bremen.

Sargent’s goal came in the 86th minute of a friendly against Bundesliga 2. outfit DSC Arminia Bielefeld, and it looked a little something like this:

Thank you for checking out Wednesday’s News Roundup. Check back here, on Friday morning, for all the latest happening in The Beautiful Game. Until then, Cheers.

 

News Roundups are posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning with quick hits on what you may have missed and what is still to come in The Beautiful Game.

Here’s what you may have missed and what is still developing. And, as always, here’s to helping bring you, the Fan, up to speed and Ahead of the Game. 

Philadelphia Union

Najem Called Up to Afghanistan National Team

Philadelphia Union and Bethlehem Steel FC midfielder Adam Najem received his first-ever international call-up on Tuesday, with an offer to from the Afghanistan Football Federation to represent the country in an upcoming international friendly.

Najem, 23, will travel to the Afghan capital of Kabul later this week. There, the Union player will suit up for Afghanistan in a friendly, which is to be played on Sunday, August 19 against the territory of Palestine.

Najem has featured and started in 14 games for Steel FC this season, scoring and assisting twice. He becomes the 13th player from the Union to receive an international call-up.

Major League Soccer

MLS: Wahlberg’s Comments “Nothing Substantive” 

Major League Soccer was quick to respond to the comments made by actor Mark Wahlberg on Monday, which indicated that the star was interested in purchasing Columbus Crew SC.

Wahlberg has recently described himself as a “huge” soccer fan following the 2018 World Cup, and was asked by ABC6 and FOX28 whether the actor would be interested in buying Crew SC.

“Actually, you know what, I certainly would,” Wahlberg replied. “My dear friend Bob Kraft has not only [owns] the [New England] Patriots, but he owns the New England Revolution as well. I have a bunch of people who are involved. I think that may be something we need to discuss.”

A spokesperson for the league called the actor’s comments “not substantive.”

Columbus’ owners, Precourt Sports Ventures, have been working on moving the Crew to Austin, Texas for the last 10 months. Perhaps substantive, it is expected that the Austin City Council will vote on a term sheet today, outlining details for a proposed $200 million, 20,000-seat stadium in North Austin, Texas.

U.S. Soccer

Cameron Set to Leave Stoke 

United States Men’s National Team defender Geoff Cameron is expected to leave English club team Stoke City FC by the end of this month, with several European teams reportedly interested in the American.

Cameron, 33, has spent the last six seasons with the Potters, making over 160 Premier League appearances for the club, which was relegated to the English Championship division last season.

Since Stoke’s relegation from the Premier League, Cameron has been searching for greener pastures, with European outfits Odense BK (Denmark), Werder Bremen (Germany), and Rayo Vallecano (Spain) all reported destinations for the former Houston Dynamo star.

Cameron has a $9.5 million release clause in his contract with the Potters. It has not been activated as of today, and it remains to be seen whether Stoke will sell the American international for less than that.

Global

Usmanov: Everton Investment a “Possibility”

Last week, Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov agreed to sell his 30 percent stake in Arsenal to majority owner Stan Kroenke, who also owns the Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles Rams.

This week, Usmanov has told Bloomberg that he would consider the “right proposal or possibility” to purchase a stake in Liverpool-based club and Premier League side Everton.

Usmanov is a friend of Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, and the Russian’s company, USM Holdings, is a major sponsor of the Toffees’ Finch Farm Training Ground.

Ronaldo Returns to EA Sports FIFA 19 Cover

Returning to the cover of EA Sports FIFA 19 video game is global football icon Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be joined this year by Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar.

Last year, Ronaldo and rival Lionel Messi traded places as the face of the EA Sports football game, with the Portuguese star signing a lucrative agreement with the Canadian-based game developer.

FIFA 19 will now feature Ronaldo and Neymar, with No. 7 donning the black and white of his new club team, Juventus. Neymar isn’t the only debutant, with the UEFA Champions League also making a first cameo in the latest installment of the popular game.

Thank you for checking out Wednesday’s News Roundup. Check back here, on Friday morning, for all the latest happening in The Beautiful Game. Until then, Cheers.

News Roundups are posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning with quick hits on what you may have missed and what is still to come in The Beautiful Game.

Here’s what you may have missed and what is still developing. And, as always, here’s to helping bring you, the Fan, up to speed and Ahead of the Game. 

Philadelphia Union

ICYMI: U in Review

It was certainly a “good few days” for head coach Jim Curtin and his team. Although, certain people on this site would argue that this is only the beginning of a period of many “good days” for the club.

But that’s for another time. Here is what happened in and around the Philadelphia Union this week, a “good week,” might we add.

Cup Bound

Following a three-nil drudging in the Rose City to the Portland Timbers, the Philadelphia Union returned home to Talen Energy Stadium on Wednesday night, to face the Chicago Fire in the Semi-Finals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Powered by two goals from Jamaican international Cory Burke, a stand-out performance by captain Alejandro Bedoya and staunch defending by the young backline, the Union defeated the visiting Fire, 3-0, to advance to the Open Cup Final for the third time in five years.

Philadelphia will travel to Houston on September 26, to face the Houston Dynamo in the Final. Houston defeated Major League Soccer newcomers LAFC on penalties to advance to the Final.

Earnie Out, Ernst Tanner In

Following a resounding Semi-Final victory, the club formally introduced a replacement for new United States Men’s National Team General Manager, Earnie Stewart, naming Ernst Tanner as the club’s third-ever Sporting Director.

Tanner, 51, is currently serving as the Academy Director for Austrian giants Red Bull Salzburg, a position he has held since 2012. Under the direction of Tanner, Red Bull captured the UEFA Youth League title in the 2016/2017 season, beating youth clubs from the likes of Manchester City to FC Barcelona.

Moreover, the senior club has retained the league title for the last five seasons, capturing four straight Austrian cups as an added compliment.

Prior to Salzburg, Tanner, a native of Germany, quickly shot up the ranks of Bundesliga outfit TSG Hoffenheim in just three years at the club. There, Tanner started as Academy Manager, before moving up to Director of Football and later club CEO.

Several notable players have come through Hoffenheim’s ranks during Tanner’s tenure there, including Brazilian Roberto Firmino, Iceland star Gylfi Sigurdsson and Bayern Munich defender David Alaba.

Tanner will finish his duties with Salzburg, before officially joining the Union in his new role. Currently, the German is undergoing the immigration process to the United States, and is rumored to join the club in mid to late September.

Union Bag Six-Pointer in New England

Topping off a “good” week was a great individual performance from central defender Jack Elliott, who bagged two goals in the Union’s pivotal away victory over the New England Revolution on Saturday night.

Elliott, filling in for the injured Mark McKenzie, first scored a cheeky back heel goal before adding a poacher’s goal a few minutes after.

Fafa Picault converted from the spot later in the game to seal a nervy 3-2 win for the Union in Foxborough, MA. Philly and New England, separated by just a point in the table, will meet again in Chester on August 25, in what will certainly be considered another crucial six-point game for both sides.

Major League Soccer 

Must Watch: Rooney’s Late-Game Heroics Help D.C. Defeat Orlando

Sunday’s Eastern Conference game between D.C. United and Orlando City S.C. at Audi Field looked destined to end in a stalemate, after both teams traded a pair of goals.

But that was before United captain Wayne Rooney made a blistering 40-yard run, bone-crunching tackle and played a 60-yard pass to the head of teammate Luciano Acosta for the game’s winning goal.

Head referee JC Rivero turned to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) following the dramatic goal, presumably assessing either a foul by Rooney on Orlando’s Will Johnson or offsides on the part of Acosta.

In the end, the Argentinean’s third goal of the contest was awarded, and United won, 3-2.

U.S. Soccer

Weah Scores First League Goal For PSG

Budding United States National Team forward Timothy Weah scored his first-ever Ligue 1 goal for French giants Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, with the second half substitute pouncing on a lapse in judgement by Caen keeper Brice Samba.

Weah, 18, entered the game for PSG in the 82nd minute, with the Parisians up two goals to nil and the American starlet replacing global football star Neymar. It took Weah just seven minutes to score his first-ever league goal.

Global

Reports: Leicester City Eyeing Henry, Martinez For Manager Role

According to sources close to ESPN FC, Leicester City is currently mulling replacements for under-fire manager, Claude Puel, with Belgium National Team boss Roberto Martinez reportedly topping the Foxes’ list.

Per the sources, who confirmed an earlier report by the Mirror, Martinez including his assistant for Belgium, Thierry Henry, are both under “consideration” from Leicester, should the former English champions decided to sack Puel.

Last month, reports heavily linked Henry as a replacement for Steve Bruce who currently manages English Championship side Aston Villa.

Thank you for checking out Monday’s News Roundup. Check back here, on Wednesday morning, for all the latest happening in The Beautiful Game. Until then, Cheers.

News Roundups are posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning with quick hits on what you may have missed and what is still to come in The Beautiful Game.

Here’s what you may have missed and what is still developing. And, as always, here’s to helping bring you, the Fan, up to speed and Ahead of the Game. 

Philadelphia Union

Trusty, Fontana Start Homegrown Game; McKenzie Captains Side  

Union defender Auston Trusty started at left fullback for the MLS Homegrown team on Tuesday night in Atlanta, anchoring behind midfielder Anthony Fontana, who played in an advanced role to begin the game.

At full time, the MLS Homegrown team drew the visiting Tigres UANL Under-20 side 1-1, with Canadian Liam Frazier of Toronto Football Club scoring the lone goal for the league’s brightest. 

It was expected that Trusty, 19, would start for the Homegrown team, as the Media, PA native has played every minute for the Union this season (the only player in the team to do so).

However, the admission of Fontana, 18, to the Starting XI did come as somewhat of a surprise, as the native of Newark, DE hasn’t featured much for the Union since the start of the 2018 campaign.

Mark McKenzie, Trusty’s partner in the matchday backline for the Union, captained the Homegrown side in the second half, joining the action alongside Matthew Real who slotted into his favored left fullback position.

Real nearly played a match-winning pass for the Homegrown team at the end, but Tigres managed to clear the ball and avert the danger.

Major League Soccer

Major League Soccer All-Star Game Preview

No Union players were selected to represent the club at this year’s Major League Soccer All-Star Game, which will be played tonight between Italian giants Juventus and, of course, the MLS All-Star Team.

Nevertheless, PFD has a preview for everything you, the Fan, need to know before tonight’s event.

MLS All-Star Team: Complete Roster

Here is the complete roster for this year’s MLS All-Star Team, which is captained by Los Angeles Football Club forward Carlos Vela and coached by Atlanta United boss Tata Martino.

Juve Captain Giorgio Chiellini is Most Excited to Play This MLS Player 

Hint: the player that Chiellini refers to in his exclusive sit-down interview with MLS has never played in a top European league (not yet at least). Hear who the Italian cannot wait to go up against.

Notable Roster Emissions, Additions

Perhaps two of the most notable emissions from the All-Star Game are that of Juventus’ big summer signing, Cristiano Ronaldo, and LA Galaxy hit-man Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Ronaldo, 33, ruled himself out of Juve’s American tour shortly after his high-profile move from Real Madrid and Portugal’s exodus from the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Ibra, on the other hand, was ruled out by his club on Monday, with Los Angeles citing a heavy slate of upcoming league games and the extent of travel required to and from Atlanta.

In the statement released by the club, the Swede mentions his disappointment in playing one of his former clubs.

“I am disappointed to miss the 2018 All-Star Game against Juventus, one of my former clubs,” Ibrahimovic said. “I want to thank the fans for voting me to the team. My main focus is to score goals and help the LA Galaxy to the playoffs.”

Joining the All-Star team in the absence of Ibra as well as New York City Football Club captain David Villa are Minnesota United midfielder Darwin Quintero and New York Red Bulls phenom Tyler Adams. Both players were named to the team on Monday.

Kickoff for the 2018 MLS All-Star Game is set for 7:30 P.M. ET, and will be broadcasted on ESPN and UniMás. 

U.S. Soccer

Caen Approach Chelsea About Miazga Loan Deal

French side Caen has, according to source close to ESPN, made a formal offer to take United States National Team and Chelsea defender Matt Miazga on loan for the entirety of the 2018/2019 season.

Get French Football News and independent journalist Mohamed Toubache-Ter was the first to report the Ligue 1 side’s interest in the American defender, claiming Miazga was set for a medical with Caen on Tuesday.

However, according to the ESPN source, other clubs are also chasing Miazga and, “no final decision has been made” with regard to Caen’s alleged offer.

Miazga, 23, joined Chelsea from the Red Bulls in January 2016, but the Clifton, NJ native has spent the last two seasons on loan in Holland with the Blues’ affiliate club, SBV Vitesse.

Alvarez: “I Could Still Play For the U.S.”

Budding Galaxy star Efrain Alvarez only just turned 16, but is already considering his senior international future.

Alvarez was called up to the Mexican Under-17 National Team earlier this summer. However, the highly touted teen is still mulling who he’ll play for at the senior level in the future.

“I’m not closing the door on anyone,” Alvarez told MLSsoccer.com. “I could still play for the U.S. or I could keep playing for Mexico. But I’m with Mexico right now and that’s my focus.”

Alvarez was born and raised in California, and has represented the U.S. at the Under-15 level. He has impressed playing for the Galaxy’s reserve team in the second-tier USL. There, Alvarez has scored eight goals in as many games this season.

Global

Managers in England Now Subject to Cards

On Tuesday, the English Football Association announced a new ruling, which now permits officials to issue managers within the technical area yellow and red cards for misconduct during competitive fixtures.

Now, cards can be issued during games in the FA Cup, Football League, EFL Cup, EFL Trophy and National League, with managers and coaches in the Premier League being the only exception to the ruling. Instead, verbal warnings will be given to PL gaffers in place of cards.

According to the FA, misconduct and “irresponsible behavior” encompasses actions such as kicking or throwing water bottles, clothing, such as coats, or any objects in a show of dissent toward an official, opposing player, coach or fan.

Per the FA, an automatic one game suspension will be handed down when that individual accumulates four warnings. After eight, coaches and managers are subject to a two-game ban, with 12 warnings resulting in a three-game suspension.

Thank you for checking out Wednesday’s News Roundup. Check back here, on Friday morning, for all the latest happening in The Beautiful Game. Until then, Cheers.

News Roundups are posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning with quick hits on what you may have missed and what is still to come in The Beautiful Game.

Here’s what you may have missed and what is still developing. And, as always, here’s to helping bring you, the Fan, up to speed and Ahead of the Game. 

Philadelphia Union

Ayuk to Trabzonspor

Last night, Union Rumors picked up a Tweet from Free Kick Turkey, which is reporting that Philadelphia Union fringe player Eric Ayuk is rumored to be on the verge of signing for Turkish club Trabzonspor.

Pictured below is Ayuk and Senegalese player Zargo Toure, who the Turkish club signed from French side FC Lorient earlier this morning. It is expected that Ayuk will be the next signing announced by Trabzonspor, who announced another signing after confirming Toure’s arrival to the club. 

Ayuk, 21, spent last season on loan with Swedish club Jönköpings Södra IF. He has yet to feature for the Union this season, spending the majority of his time with Philly’s USL affiliate, Bethlehem Steel FC. There, the Cameroon youth international has appeared in just four matches.

MLS Homegrown Game Preview

Philadelphia is sending not one, not two, not three, but four of its younger players to the 2018 Major League Soccer Homegrown Game, which will be played tomorrow night at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground.

Since 2014, the MLS Homegrown Game is an exhibition match that has been played between the most promising selected Homegrown players in Major League Soccer and a selected opponent.

Union defenders Auston Trusty (Media, PA), Mark McKenzie (Bear, DE) and Matthew Real (Drexel Hill, PA) have been selected alongside midfielder Anthony Fontana (Newark, DE) to represent the club in the game against the Tigres UANL Under-20 team.

Kick off for the Homegrown Game is set for 8:30 P.M. ET, and will be broadcasted on Univision Deportes Network (UDN) as well as streamed live on Twitter, a first in the four-year history of the event. 

It is just the second time that a MLS club has sent four players to the Game, which debuted at Providence Park in Portland, OR back in 2014. Real Salt Lake was the last club to do so, sending four players to the event in 2016.

Perhaps most impressive, all four Union players are under the age of 20 and have featured for the club in the league this season.

While all four players will feature against the Mexican champions on Tuesday night, Trusty is a player pegged most likely to start the Game, having played every minute for the Union so far this season (1890). He is the only player to play every minute.

Major League Soccer

Report: Adi, Alashe to Sign For Cincinnati

FC Cincinnati has yet to play a MLS game, but that hasn’t stopped the league’s newest expansion club from reportedly getting an early start on building its first-ever Major League Soccer roster.

According to sources close to ESPN’s Taylor Twellman, Cincinnati, set to play its first season in 2019 as the league’s 24th club, is reportedly set to announce the signings of two MLS fringe players, Portland Timbers forward Fanendo Adi and San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Fatai Alashe.

Adi, 27, has racked up 54 league goals and 14 assists during his time in Portland, but the Nigerian forward has been limited to just 823 minutes over 14 appearances this season under first-year coach Giovanni Savarese.

Alashe, 24, is a No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft and has featured regularly during his first two seasons in the league. However, the midfielder has seen his playing time diminish after a public argument with new Quakes’ manager Mikael Stahre.

Cincy, under head coach Alan Koch, currently sits atop the United Soccer League Eastern Conference table, with an overall record of 13W, 5D, 3L.

ICYMI: Davies Scores Insane Goal For Vancouver

Last week, it was announced that Vancouver Whitecaps star midfielder Alphonso Davies had signed for German giants Bayern Munich for a league record $13.5 million.

On Saturday, Davies showed why he is the league’s most expensive outgoing transfer, showing off his quick feet and finishing ability in a standout, two-goal performance for the ‘Caps against visiting Minnesota United.

Here are both of Davies’ goals, which helped Vancouver defeat Minnesota 4-2: 

And just when you think that goal couldn’t be topped, well, take a look at this one: 

ICYMI: Rooney Scores First Goal, Suffers Broken Nose 

D.C. United‘s splash summer signing, Wayne Rooney, scored his first-ever goal for the United on Saturday night, helping the club to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Colorado Rapids.

To say Rooney, 32, left a mark on the game would be disingenuous, as it was the game that ultimately left a mark on the Englishman. Rooney, captaining United in his fourth-ever appearance for the club, broke his nose later in the match, which required five stitches afterward.

U.S. Soccer

Lederman Leaving Barcelona For Gent

It’s, admittedly, a slow news week for U.S. Soccer. So, ICYMI, here is an update on one of the United States’ up and coming players.

United States youth international Ben Lederman has announced his decision to leave FC Barcelona on social media, with sources close to the American player confirming he will soon sign with Belgian side K.A.A. Gent in the coming days.

Lederman, 18, confirmed on Twitter last Thursday that he was cutting ties with Barça, the club he has played for in its youth set-up since first joining La Masia in 2011.

“After seven years, it’s time to say goodbye to the best club in the world,” Lederman wrote.

“It’s been a unique and unforgettable experience at Barcelona. I want to thank all my teammates, coaches, physios, delegates and, above all, La Masia. You have all helped me improve as a footballer and as a person.

“A great spell in my life now comes to an end, but a new one begins — it’s time to keep fighting for my dream.”

Global

Juventus Reportedly “Targeting Pogba Return” 

According to British national, daily tabloid newspaper The Mirror, Italian champions Juventus are currently considering a move to re-sign World Cup winner and current Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba.

Pogba, 25, featured in more than 120 games for Juve from 2012 to 2016, and is rumored to return to Turin, per The Mirror who writes, “the sale of players including Miralem Pjanic, Gonzalo Higuain, Daniele Rugani and Mattia Caldara would raise £200m in a bid to finance the kind of deal that would test United’s resolve.”

Also, the report says the Serie A champions have, “told Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola that they [Juventus]are interested in bringing back the midfielder they sold to United for £89 million two years ago.”

Tabloid or not, Juventus has already tested the resolve of a major club this summer, landing Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo in the beginning of July.

Thank you for checking out Monday’s News Roundup. Check back here, on Wednesday morning, for all the latest happening in The Beautiful Game. Until then, Cheers.