Brotherly Game Daily Links: Curtin speaks to press from Mexico

Philadelphia Union News

Pressing Points | Union ready for next step in Concacaf Champions League
Philadelphia Union Head Coach Jim Curtin and captain Alejandro Bedoya addressed the media ahead of Thursday night’s first leg of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League Semifinal at Club América, which kicks off at 10 p.m. on FS1.

Philadelphia Union announces Davó loan from Corinthians
Davό has been on loan with Brazilian club Guarani FC in the Série B league where he has scored five goals and added four assists in 44 appearances (41 starts).

Union dreaming big against Mexico’s Club America in Concacaf Champions League semifinals
The semifinal winner advances to the Club World Cup to play alongside the winners of every continental club competition. An MLS team has never won in the Champions League era that dates back to 2008.

MLS News

2021 Secondary Transfer Window grades for all 27 MLS clubs
A quick explainer to this extremely straightforward, silly and unscientific exercise below: Everything in question is about relativity. Everything in question is about expectations, needs and flexibility. The Supporters’ Shield-leading New England Revolution not making a major signing is different than, say, the lack of movement from a team clawing far below the playoff line.

Midseason awards: Who could take home MLS honors in 2021?
A poll was done with the MLSsoccer.com editorial staff to project how year-end awards could go now that we’ve passed the 2021 season’s halfway point.

FC Dallas Homegrown Dante Sealy loaned to PSV Eindhoven
The 18-year old has worked his way up from the club’s academy, to signing an HGP deal with the team. He spent most of his 2019 season with North Texas SC in the USL League One as they went on to capture a league title in that season. So far in 2021, he’s found his way to the FC Dallas bench several times, scoring one goal against Portland back in May.

Concacaf News

Monterrey topped Cruz Azul taking the upper hand in the SCCL semi final
The home side was ahead early. Shortly after Cruz Azul goalkeeper Andres Gudiño put a header from Rogelio Funes Mori onto the crossbar to keep it out, Rayados were back in possession in the final third. Carlos Rodriguez had time to pick up a pass from midfield and elected for a cross into the box that Maxi Meza was more than happy to run onto and head past the approaching Gudiño.

NYCFC confident despite Leagues Cup exit to Pumas: “There was one team on the pitch”
The Norwegian manager’s remarks came as 2 am ET Thursday rolled around, following a match that included a three-hour delay due to persistent storms. As midnight neared, questions of whether the game would proceed became more realistic — though the go-ahead arrived as skies cleared.

Rest of the World News

Chelsea beat Villarreal in shootout with two Kepa saves to win UEFA Super Cup
Substitute Kepa Arrizabalaga made two saves in a penalty shootout as Chelsea beat Villarreal to win the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday night at Windsor Park after the game finished 1-1 after regular and extra time.