Breakfast Links - January 27, 2023
(image via Houston Dash/Twitter)
Thank goodness Friday has arrived. I can smell the weekend already and it smells great! Here are your Breakfast Links to get it started.
Houston
The Houston Dynamo will continue their training at Houston Sports Park today and tomorrow before departing for Mexico City on Monday. The Dynamo will face off against Toluca FC, Tlaxcala FC, and Pumas UNAM while in Mexico. The games are set to be played closed to the public. We will keep you updated as the scrimmages take place. Let’s go Dynamo!
The Houston Dash ladies have arrived back in the H after a long offseason. The work starts now as the preseason begins for the 2023 NWSL season. There are lots of new faces and lots of new last names as some of the ladies got married this offseason. DTFO!
Make sure you check out the latest episodes of the Bayou City Soccer Podcast, available everywhere you get you podcasts.
Major League Soccer
Claudio Reyna has resigned as Austin FC’s sporting director, the club announced Thursday, adding he’ll transition into a technical advisor role before the club’s third MLS season. In addition to continuing as head coach, Josh Wolff will serve as Austin FC’s chief soccer officer on an interim basis. Sean Rubio, who was Austin FC’s director of player personnel since August 2020, has been promoted to interim sporting director as part of the restructuring.
LAFC have signed midfielder Daniel Crisostomo and goalkeeper Abraham Romero through the 2023 MLS season with options for 2024-25, the club announced Thursday. Both players spent last season with Las Vegas Lights FC, the Black & Gold's former USL Championship affiliate.
Leadership of the US men’s national team is in overhaul mode, as U.S. Soccer announced Thursday that Earnie Stewart is leaving his role as sporting director and returning to the Netherlands to join Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven. Additionally, the federation confirmed USMNT general manager Brian McBride has moved on from the program after holding the role for three years. He informed U.S. Soccer of the decision before the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The US men’s national team will conclude their annual January camp on Saturday, visiting the LA Galaxy's home stadium for an international friendly against traditional South American contender Colombia. The game can be seenon Telemundo and Peacock at 8:30 PM CT.
Around the World
Diego Simeone blamed the referee's decision to send off defender Stefan Savic for Atletico Madrid's 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in their Copa del Rey quarterfinal on Thursday. Alvaro Morata put Atletico 1-0 up in the 19th minute of the derby at the Santiago Bernabeu before Rodrygo Goes equalised late in the second half to take the game to extra time. Savic was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Eduardo Camavinga, leaving a tiring Atletico with 10 men, and goals from Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior put Real into the semifinals.
Dutch champions Ajax Amsterdam have fired coach Alfred Schreuder after a 1-1 draw with Volendam on Thursday extended his side's winless run to seven league games, the club said. Schreuder was appointed on a two-year contract in May to replace Erik ten Hag after he left the Amsterdam-based club to take over as Manchester United manager.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr were knocked out of the Saudi Super Cup on Thursday after a 3-1 semifinal loss to Al Ittihad in Riyadh. The 37-year-old Portugal international, five-times Ballon D'Or winner, had a couple of chances to score but was well shackled by the Al Ittihad defence for most of the match.
