Breakfast Links - July 19, 2023
(image via Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports)
Its Wednesday my dudeees! Here is your midweek update to get your morning going with our Breakfast Links.
Houston
Houston Dynamo FC kickoff Leagues Cup play at Orlando City SC on Friday, July 21 before hosting Santos Laguna on Tuesday, July 25 at Shell Energy Stadium.
Houston Dash will travel to Kansas City on July 22 to take on the Current for the second game in 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup group play at 7:00 PM CT.
Houston Dynamo 2 will host MNUFC2 SC at SaberCats Stadium on Sunday, July 23 at 6:00 PM CT. Be there and show your support!
Make sure you check out the latest episodes of the Bayou City Soccer Podcast, available everywhere you get your podcasts!
Major League Soccer
Arsenal's class was on full display in the 2023 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T 5G, knocking off the MLS All-Stars, and Dynamo captain Hector Herrera, via a 4-1 edge in all five competitions Tuesday evening.
Crown Legacy FC goalkeeper Isaac Walker took home the win in MLS All-Star Goalie Wars. While his three MLS All-Star Goalie Wars (featuring MLS NEXT Pro goalies) competitors occasionally mixed in throws with their kicks in attempts to score, only the Crown Legacy FC goalkeeper consistently tallied points that way, which made the difference in Goalie Wars on Tuesday night at Audi Field. Dynamo goalkeeper Xavier Valdez was beaten in the semifinal round.
The MLS All-Star Game is tonight, featuring the MLS’ best teaming up take on English Premier League giant Arsenal at DC United’s Audi Field. The game can be seen at 7:30 PM CT on MLS Season Pass.
Around the World
The 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is set to kick off, tomorrow, July 20, with the final slated for Aug. 20 in Sydney. It's the first time the tournament will have 32 nations competing for the world title, and viewers could be in store for the most entertaining matches in the history of the women's game as the United States defend their back-to-back trophies, England comes off a Euros 2022 win and Haiti, Portugal and Republic of Ireland among eight teams make their World Cup debut.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to terminate his contract at Chelsea and join Marseille on a free transfer, sources have told ESPN. Aubameyang is close to agreeing a three-year deal to join the Ligue 1 side, sources added.
Benjamin Mendy has signed for Ligue 1 side Lorient, the club announced on Wednesday, days after he was found not guilty at a retrial on one count of raping a woman and the attempted rape of another woman.
Bayern Munich started their preseason in style on Tuesday with a 27-0 win over FC Rottach-Egern in a tuneup game against the ninth-tier German side.
