Breakfast Links - March 10, 2023
(image via Houston Dynamo FC/Twitter)
It’s Friday and many in the Houston area will be out enjoying Spring Break soon. But before we get too ahead of ourselves, here are your Breakfast Links.
Houston
The Houston Dynamo are on a bye week as the rest of MLS will see action this weekend. The next time that we see the Dynamo, it will be in a brand spanking new version of Shell Energy Stadium as they will host Austin FC on March 18th. Make sure to get your tickets and be part of the atmosphere. Let’s go Dynamo!
The Houston Dash are back in Houston after spending some days in San Diego and playing a few friendly matches. The ladies will be hosting a preseason game tomorrow, open for the public at Shell Energy Stadium. It was initially scheduled that the match would be against TCU but now the opponent is to be determined. DTFO!
Houston Dynamo 2 took on York United FC from the Canadian Premier League at Houston Sports Park midweek as they continue to get ready for the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season. The team added two players to the roster yesterday as well. The boys have one last preseason match on Saturday, March 18th against North Texas SC at AVEVA Stadium. Vamos Dyna Dos!
Make sure you check out the latest episodes of the Bayou City Soccer Podcast, available everywhere you get your podcasts.
Major League Soccer
The Leagues Cup 2023 match schedule and bracket were announced Thursday, setting up the inaugural edition of the official Concacaf competition that sees all 47 clubs – 18 from LIGA MX and 29 from MLS – compete in a World Cup-style tournament from July 21 to August 19. The competition’s top three finishers will qualify for the 2024 Concacaf Champions League, with league competition paused throughout. All matches will air on MLS Season Pass, while select games are also on TelevisaUnivision, FOX Sports, TSN and RDS in the United States and Canada.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC are in the driver's seat following Leg 1 of their Round of 16 Concacaf Champions League series against Honduras’ Real España, taking a resounding 5-0 victory at BC Place on Wednesday evening on the strength of a dominant second half. Reigning MLS Cup champions LAFC also have one foot in the next round after Denis Bouanga’s hat trick led the Black & Gold to a dominant 3-0 win over Alajuelense of Costa Rica.
Eduard Löwen is happy. It’s an undeniable vibe flowing through his voice when he speaks and flowing through his play, leading St. Louis CITY SC to an improbable 2W-0L-0D start to life in MLS. That elusive feeling we’re all chasing is something Löwen is not taking for granted. It indeed eluded him for the last few years, when a transfer to Hertha Berlin didn’t quite work out as planned and he was sent on a pair of loans elsewhere in Germany.
Around the World
Manchester United totally outclassed a quality Real Betis side in a 4-1 Europa League round-of-16, first-leg win on Thursday night. With the snow falling at Old Trafford, Marcus Rashford and Ayoze Perez traded first-half tallies before United hit top gear in the second stanza with goals from Antony, Bruno Fernandes and Wout Weghorst staking them to a comfortable lead ahead of the second leg at the Benito Villamarin Stadium on March 16.
LaLiga has filed a complaint with Spanish authorities after former player Aday Benitez said he was offered a bribe to lose a second division game while on the books of Girona. Benitez, 35, retired from the game in the summer of 2021 after spending seven seasons at Girona.
Paul Pogba was dropped for Juventus' match against SC Freiburg on Thursday in the Europa League due to "disciplinary reasons," the Italian club said. Juventus did not elaborate in its statement to The Associated Press amid reports the midfielder arrived late for a team retreat Wednesday night.
Mikel Arteta has warned Arsenal have to "dramatically improve" their defending at set-pieces and avoid conceding cheap goals to stay on track this season. The Gunners were held to an entertaining 2-2 draw in their Europa League round of 16, first leg clash with Sporting Lisbon on Thursday.