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Philadelphia Union News
Tactical Preview: Columbus Crew
Philadelphia Union have a difficult task ahead of them if they want to undo an organized Columbus Crew defense. Under Caleb Porter, the Crew set up in a 4-4-2 that uses the front two to shadow lanes into the center and allows the wingers to tuck in defensively when the ball is played inside.
Sources: Marco Fabián to be suspended for Columbus game
Union playmaker Marco Fabián will be suspended for Saturday’s game against the Columbus Crew as supplementary discipline for his red card from the Kansas City game.
MLS News
Five Players primed to step up during the international break in MLS
Over the weekend’s five matches, some clubs are more heavily impacted than others by international duty. That void creates prime opportunities for players to rise to the occasion and stake a claim to playing time.
Nashville SC to open new stadium in 2022
Nashville SC will play at Nissan Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, until the stadium is complete. Ayre said the design will work inside out “so that it is first and foremost fit for purpose.”
Soccer chants illustrate the evolution of MLS supporter culture
Right across MLS, every team has a song book, albeit not necessarily printed on the back of a pamphlet. Along with TIFOs and marches, it has become an integral part of the sport’s culture in North America, contributing to the color and variety of a league growing faster than any other soccer league on the planet.
US Soccer News
US defeats Ecuador 1-0 thanks to Gyasi Zardes
An Ecuador squad with players representing clubs in Europe, Latin America, and MLS took on the US Men’s National Team in the first friendly for the Stars and Stripes with a full contingent of top choice players representing clubs in Europe, Latin America, and MLS available for Gregg Berhalter. Ultimately, the US would come away with a 1-0 win on the back of a late goal from Gyasi Zardes.
Rest of the World News
A Union fan takes in a Nottingham Forest game
A look at how the game day experience in Chester differs from that of a storied English club.