Brotherly Game Daily Links: Atlanta looking to loan Ezequiel Barco to Brazil

MLS News

MLS SuperDraft 2022 grades: Rating every team’s picks
Players selected in Tuesday’s 2022 MLS SuperDraft have plenty of work to do, and the launch of MLS NEXT Pro should provide another avenue to get minutes. That was another factor hovering over this draft, though plenty of teams still passed come the second and third rounds.

One big question facing each Eastern Conference team as 2022 MLS preseason begins
As usual, some of these will be THE big question – the definite article matters there – and some will be A (indefinite article!) big question. And it’ll be interesting, looking back, to suss out which was which.

LAFC sign veteran midfielder Ilie Sanchez
Sanchez, 31, joins after spending the last five seasons with Sporting Kansas City, where he was a key player throughout his tenure. All told, he made 144 league appearances with Sporting (134 starts), mainly playing as a defensive midfielder but also filling in at center back at times the past couple seasons.

Brasileirão side Internacional make loan offer for Ezequiel Barco with option to buy
Internacional finished its most recent season in 12th place with 48 points. It will open up the 2022 edition of the Campeonato Gaúcho, contested between the top-flight football clubs in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, on Jan. 22. Last year, it finished 2nd in the statewide competition as it fell 3-2 on aggregate to Grêmio.

Rest of the World News

Mali beat Tunisia as referee blows for full-time early at AFCON
The AFCON descended into farce on Wednesday as the referee twice blew for full-time before 90 minutes had been played, with Tunisia refusing to return to the pitch 40 minutes later in protest despite having lost 1-0 to Mali.

Gambia get AFCON debut win over Mauritania
Gambia’s Ablie Jallow scored early as they made an impressive debut at the Africa Cup of Nations finals by beating Mauritania 1-0 in their opening Group F encounter at Limbe Stadium on Wednesday.

Ivory Coast get 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea on Max-Alain Gradel
Gradel, captaining a powerful Ivorian team that had Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha on the bench, struck home a powerful effort from the edge of the penalty area in the sixth minute as they made a rapid start to the clash at the Japoma Stadium.