Brotherly Game Daily Links: Curtin speaks ahead of Union playoff game

Philadelphia Union News

Pressing Points | So It Begins
Ahead of the Round One battle on Saturday afternoon Head Coach Jim Curtin spoke to the media about the effort the squad put in to get to this point and the key components to making an impact this playoff run.

MLS News

Charlotte FC thinks it can get a sold-out crowd for MLS home opener against LA Galaxy
A date is set for Charlotte FC’s long-awaited home debut. The city’s Major League Soccer team will host the Los Angeles Galaxy at Bank of America Stadium at 8 p.m. March 5.

FC Dallas Homegrown Ricardo Pepi wins 2021 MLS Young Player of the Year
The 18-year old led FC Dallas with 13 goals and three assists this season. His standout performances included his first MLS hat trick at 18 years and 196 days old, the youngest player to score a hat trick in FC Dallas and MLS history, as well as a pair of braces, against the Supporters’ Shield winners New England Revolution on June 27 and against new in-state rival Austin FC on Aug. 29.

Chicago Fire to hire Ezra Hendrickson as the club’s next head coach
The Fire wanted a coach with MLS or Liga MX experience, and Hendrickson brings a lot of it. He’s been in and around MLS for 25 years—13 as a coach and 12 as a player. During that stretch he won 15 major trophies, including the 2020 MLS Cup with the Crew.

Bob Bradley departs LAFC head coaching role
Bradley, LAFC’s first-ever head coach, posted a 58-34-32 record with the club, which included the first piece of silverware for the team, the 2019 Supporters’ Shield, a trip to the 2020 Concacaf Champions League final, and playoff appearances in three of his four seasons at the helm. Individually, Bradley was MLS Coach of the Year in 2019, his third such honor in his career.

Why each playoff team will (and won’t) win 2021 MLS Cup
Let’s take a look at why each of the 14 teams that made it to the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs will win MLS Cup – and why they won’t.

U.S. Soccer News

NBC Sports extends exclusive Premier League partnership
The new six-year deal will run from the start of the 2022-23 season until the end of the 2027-28 campaign.