Breakfast Links - March 24, 2023
(image via Houston Dynamo FC/Twitter)
It’s Friday, Friday. Gotta get down on Friday…. That’s some Rebecca Black for you, hopefully you can get it out of your head now. Ha! Here are the Friday Breakfast Links!
Houston
The Houston Dynamo are set for another home match this weekend. NYCFC will be visiting Shell Energy Stadium Saturday night and the Dynamo will look to continue their unbeaten record at home (after one game). Coco Carrasquilla will not be available as he was called up to his national team, so we will see what coach Ben Olsen rolls out with tomorrow. Let’s go Dynamo!
The Houston Dash season kicks off this weekend and the hype is at all time high. Everything is ready for Sunday when the ladies will be hosting Racing Louisville for their first home match at Shell Energy Stadium. Oh and make sure to look for Dash preview dropping later today. DTFO!
Houston Dynamo 2 are getting the party started for the weekend as the boys will be taking on Austin FC II tonight. Dos had a heck of a year during the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season and will hope to go further in year two with coach Kenny Bundy back at the helm after a short spell as the first team’s interim manager. The match can be watched on Apple TV at 8 PM. 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
Forget the future. Thiago Almada is a player for Argentina’s present. Atlanta United’s star midfielder scored a 78th-minute game-winning goal in La Albiceleste’s first match since winning the FIFA 2022 World Cup, slotting home the rebound from Lionel Messi’s free kick that struck the crossbar. Almada, 21, subbed into Thursday's 2-0 win over Panama at halftime for Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister – only to bag his first senior-level international strike while earning his third cap.
Fueling St. Louis CITY SC’s historic first month in MLS is a dual-thrust from stars and role players alike. Headlines have centered around Eduard Löwen, João Klauss and Roman Bürki, and rightfully so. All three were expected to lead the group, and they have, to the tune of four wins in four matches, the best start by an expansion club in league history.
The Philadelphia Union have secured defender Nathan Harriel for the long-term, announcing Thursday they signed their homegrown player to a new contract. The 21-year-old right back's new deal will keep him at the club through the 2025 MLS season, with options for 2026 and 2027.
After an incredible inaugural season, MLS NEXT Pro returns today for its second campaign, bigger and better than ever. The league’s second season will feature 27 clubs, including seven new ones. The 2023 schedule is available on mlsnextpro.com and consists of 378 regular-season matches, with each squad playing 28 matches.
Around the world
U.S. men's national team interim coach Anthony Hudson has confirmed that he held talks with striker Folarin Balogun in Florida this week, amid a serious push from U.S. Soccer for him to switch his international allegiance from England. Balogun has been pictured in Florida, where the U.S. had been training preparing for Nations League matches at Grenada on Friday and against El Salvador in Orlando on Monday.
Bayern Munich have sacked manager Julian Nagelsmann and are ready to bring in former Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel as his replacement, sources confirmed to ESPN's Julien Laurens on Thursday. Sources said that Tuchel will sign a contract in the next few days that will run until 2025 with the Bundesliga giants and added that he had also been in touch with Tottenham in recent days about possibly replacing under pressure coach Antonio Conte.
Cristiano Ronaldo tucked away a penalty and slammed home a free kick as he set a new record for the most international caps in Portugal's 4-0 win over Liechtenstein in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier on Thursday. Ronaldo celebrated his 197th cap, surpassing Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa, with a double as he returned to the starting lineup for their Group J qualifier at the Jose Alvalade Stadium.
Striker Harry Kane has overtaken Wayne Rooney to become England's all-time record goal-scorer after reaching 54 goals for his country in their European Championship qualifier against Italy on Thursday.
Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus said he has submitted a bid to buy Manchester United that would see him put up half the funds with the other half coming from the club's fans. Zilliacus, owner of Finnish champions HJK Helsinki, said his bid was submitted through XXI Century Capital, an investment firm owned by his holding company.
