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Annenberg Media •

Don’t call it unexpected: the rapid rise of Savannah DeMelo

An iced vanilla latte with oat milk and light ice from Quills.

Just one year ago, it was a Starbucks caramel iced latte with caramel drizzle for Savannah DeMelo, still donning the cardinal and gold in her final season in Southern California.

But the former has now become her go-to order, as DeMelo goes to work in the violet and lavender for Racing Louisville.

It’s a 12-month stretch that’s seen her go from All-American to American international, from senior leader to Rookie of the Month, from
Richmond Kickers •

Stuart Ritchie: Back On His Feet

A thousand miles and a thousand days later, it’s just the beginning for Stuart Ritchie

It had been 1,615 days since Stuart Ritchie left the United States at just 15 years old.

26 minutes had passed and the Kickers trailed South Georgia Tormenta FC by a goal at City Stadium.

Jonathan Bolanos collected a long ball from Leonardo Baima, held off a defender, and played in an onrushing Ritchie who met it with his right foot at the penalty spot.

Ritchie popped it over the diving Tormenta keeper at
Annenberg Media •

The ‘why’ behind Jane Alukonis

Nov. 5, 2021. The Pac-12 soccer world descends on Westwood for the Crosstown Showdown between No. 8 USC and No. 3 UCLA that will decide the conference title.

The Bruins take the night and the title — for the 13th time. USC head coach Keidane McAlpine rallies his team in the southwest corner as UCLA head coach Amanda Cromwell lifts yet another Pac-12 Championship trophy in front of the sellout crowd.

In the middle of the celebration is UCLA assistant coach Jane Alukonis, and while that moment w
Annenberg Media •

Let Boogie cook – and wear his Kobes

Apr. 8, 2019. Tre Jones announces he’s returning to Duke for his sophomore season, stepping back into the starting point guard role that then-Blue Devil commit Boogie Ellis was once destined to fill.

Less than a month later, Ellis decommitted from Duke, opting instead to play point guard for Penny Hardaway at Memphis. He earned AAC Sixth Man of the Year honors in his second season and led the Tigers to an NIT title.

But Ellis wanted to start. He knew he could start.

Ellis has never been shy a
Annenberg Media •

Facial hair and fullbacks: Why Keidane McAlpine’s shaving tradition, and his team, have a new look for this postseason run

Dec. 4, 2016. Avaya Stadium. San Jose, Calif. USC defeats West Virginia 3-1 to claim its second NCAA National Championship.

That Trojan team was led by head coach Keidane McAlpine, in his third season with the program, and his thin yet noticeable gray beard.

The playoff beard — it’s the intersection of competition and superstition. McAlpine says he’s done it every year, delaying that elusive shave until his team is ultimately eliminated.

Senior midfielder Savannah DeMelo describes the Pac-12

The Striker News

Los Angeles Lakers

Lakers Supporting Cast Eager To Assist

As Reaves was gearing up to fight for a roster spot, Patrick Beverley was ready to help a young Minnesota Timberwolves team to the playoffs. It’s a feat the veteran guard has accomplished in each of his nine healthy seasons in the league, and he’s looking to bring that winning effort to this Lakers team.

His message since arriving earlier this month has been consistent: do whatever it takes on either end of the floor to do just that. Beverley even added, “It might be me getting kicked out of a

Coach Ham Discusses Westbrook and Beverley Backcourt

Also in attendance was Russell Westbrook. The pair’s history speaks for itself – neither shying away from a provocation from the other – but Ham and Beverley expressed, in specifics, an optimism for their union.

“I wouldn’t want to be in the backcourt and having to deal with these two guys,” Ham said, “So it’s going to be a lovely experience.”

“I was asked this question two, three years ago,” Beverley said, “About someone I’ve always wanted to play with. And [Westbrook] was the first name.”

“

Richmond Kickers

Richmond Kickers •

Preview: Kickers return home for matchup with FC Tucson

Kickers look to build on two-match winning streak

Richmond, Va. – The Richmond Kickers (9-6-4, 31 pts) take on FC Tucson (3-9-4, 13 pts) for the third and final time this season at City Stadium on Saturday night.

Richmond’s five wins and plus-6 goal differential over Tucson are both the Kickers’ best marks against any USL League One opponent since joining the league in 2019. And after picking up wins in their first two meetings this year, the Kickers will look to complete the season sweep this
Richmond Kickers •

Match Recap: Kickers Move Within One Point Of First Place With Second-Straight Road Win

SEVERANCE, Colo. – The Richmond Kickers (9-6-4, 31 pts) earned a hard-fought 1-0 win on the road against Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (5-7-7, 22 pts) Tuesday night in Severance, Colo. The win moves the Kickers within just one point of the top of the USL League One table.

Akira Fitzgerald – who picked up his fifth clean sheet of the season – was called on early amidst the rain, and responded with a brilliant save in the 7th minute. The league leader in saves dove to his left, fully extending t
Richmond Kickers •

Preview: Kickers ride into Northern Colorado

Kickers look to close out season series unbeaten versus the Hailstorm

Richmond, Va. – The Richmond Kickers (8-4-6, 28 pts) round out their three-game road trip with their third and final matchup with Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (5-7-6, 22 pts) Tuesday night in Severance, Colo.

Picking up a win and a draw in their previous two meetings, Richmond is unbeaten in their inaugural season series with Hailstorm.

Most recently, the Kickers earned a 3-2 home win on June 18 that saw them hold serve a
Richmond Kickers •

Match Recap: Kickers Score 2 In Stoppage Time to Stun North Carolina FC

CARY, N.C. — Emiliano Terzaghi and Dakota Barnathan scored stoppage-time goals to deliver the Richmond Kickers (8-6-4, 28 pts) a stunning 3-2 come-from-behind victory to clinch the season series against rivals North Carolina FC (5-9-3, 18 pts).

In the first stoppage minute, the Kickers’ leader in chance creation and their leading goal-scorer combined to find the equalizer. Nil Vinyals sent a cross into the box that curled late as Emiliano Terzaghi dove for the ball and headed home his eighth go
Richmond Kickers •

Preview: Kickers road trip rolls into North Carolina

Kickers head to Cary, N.C. for a rubber match at North Carolina FC

Richmond, Va. – The Richmond Kickers (7-6-4, 25 pts) head to Cary, N.C. for their third and final matchup with North Carolina FC (5-8-3, 18 pts) on Wednesday night.

The two sides have split the two previous meetings this season. North Carolina took the first contest 2-1 in Cary on May 28 while the Kickers struck back with a 4-1 beatdown at City Stadium on July 2.

Last time out, the Kickers dropped a 3-1 result in Fresno, Calif
Richmond Kickers •

Preview: Kickers head out west for first-ever matchup with Central Valley Fuego FC

The Kickers kick off a three-game road trip Saturday night in Fresno

RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Kickers (7-5-4, 25 pts) open a three-game road trip against Central Valley Fuego FC (5-5-5, 20 pts) on Saturday night in Fresno, California.

This weekend’s contest will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides and the first of three on the season. The Kickers will travel back out to Fresno on Aug. 20 before Fuego FC come to City Stadium to round out the season series on Sept. 24.

Buoying t
Richmond Kickers •

Match Recap: Kickers Fall in Top of the Table Clash with Greenville

RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond Kickers (7-4-5, 25 pts) fell 1-3 to Greenville Triumph SC (9-4-4, 31 pts) in Saturday night’s top-of-the-table showdown at City Stadium. The result keeps the Kickers in second place as they drop just their second contest in the last 50 days.


Jonathan Bolanos had scored or assisted in his last seven appearances but was forced off with a pre-match warmup injury just seconds before kickoff. The back-to-back team of the week honoree was replaced by Leonardo Baima at
Richmond Kickers •

Preview: Kickers Host 1v2 Matchup Against Greenville

The rivals are set to play during the Kickers’ Pride Night celebrations

RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Kickers (7-4-4) play host to USL League One leading Greenville Triumph SC (8-4-4) in a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday night at City Stadium.

This weekend’s fixture is the first of three contests between the Triumph and Kickers – first and second in the league respectively. By virtue of a league-best goal difference of plus-13, a win would see the Kickers return to the pole position in Leagu
Richmond Kickers •

Stuart Ritchie: Back On His Feet

A thousand miles and a thousand days later, it’s just the beginning for Stuart Ritchie

It had been 1,615 days since Stuart Ritchie left the United States at just 15 years old.

26 minutes had passed and the Kickers trailed South Georgia Tormenta FC by a goal at City Stadium.

Jonathan Bolanos collected a long ball from Leonardo Baima, held off a defender, and played in an onrushing Ritchie who met it with his right foot at the penalty spot.

Ritchie popped it over the diving Tormenta keeper at

Game Recaps

Annenberg Media •

Revenge not served for Trojans in Pac-12 Championship Game

On week one of the college football season, the task could not be more clear: win them all, and you’re in.

A one-point loss at Utah on Oct. 15 thrust USC’s fate into the hands of the committee, and just as destiny had finally been delivered back to Southern California, the boogeyman from Salt Lake City returned to send the Trojans’ playoff fate right back to a meeting room in Grapevine, Texas.

No. 4 USC fell 47-24 to No. 11 Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game at Allegiant Stadium Friday night
Annenberg Media •

Trojans silence Bruins in top-20 rivalry showdown

For UCLA redshirt senior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, it started with a promise of 60 points, sideline taunts and post-play shoulder checks. Then came the turnovers — four of them — the last of which ensured the Victory Bell will be receiving a new, cardinal coat of paint.

No. 7 USC came from behind to top No. 16 UCLA 48-45 Saturday night at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Trailing by as many as 14 points, the Trojans found the end zone on four of their final five drives to take the
Annenberg Media •

Trojans complete season sweep of Sun Devils

Jordan Wilson’s 20th swing of the night found the floor, and USC found its first win in two weeks. After suffering their first losing stretch of the season, this new-look Trojans group took a big step toward getting back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.

USC came from behind to top Arizona State 3-1 Friday night at Galen Center. The Trojans missed just five of their 94 attempts from behind the line on the night, taking the last three sets to hold off the Sun Devils.

“I thin
247Sports •

No. 14 USC women's soccer shuts out No. 1 UCLA for first win in seven years over the Bruins

Seven years. That’s how long it had been since USC had won the Crosstown Showdown. Head coach Jane Alukonis was on the other side for four of those, and after the 2022 edition, she remains perfect.

No. 14 USC played spoiler to No. 1 UCLA’s Pac-12 title three-peat hopes Friday, topping the Bruins 2-0 at McAlister Field. It’s the Trojans’ first win over the No. 1 team in the nation since a 2019 victory against Florida State, and the results improves them to 4-0 on the season against ranked opposi
Richmond Kickers •

Match Recap: Kickers Move Within One Point Of First Place With Second-Straight Road Win

SEVERANCE, Colo. – The Richmond Kickers (9-6-4, 31 pts) earned a hard-fought 1-0 win on the road against Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (5-7-7, 22 pts) Tuesday night in Severance, Colo. The win moves the Kickers within just one point of the top of the USL League One table.

Akira Fitzgerald – who picked up his fifth clean sheet of the season – was called on early amidst the rain, and responded with a brilliant save in the 7th minute. The league leader in saves dove to his left, fully extending t
Richmond Kickers •

Match Recap: Kickers Score 2 In Stoppage Time to Stun North Carolina FC

CARY, N.C. — Emiliano Terzaghi and Dakota Barnathan scored stoppage-time goals to deliver the Richmond Kickers (8-6-4, 28 pts) a stunning 3-2 come-from-behind victory to clinch the season series against rivals North Carolina FC (5-9-3, 18 pts).

In the first stoppage minute, the Kickers’ leader in chance creation and their leading goal-scorer combined to find the equalizer. Nil Vinyals sent a cross into the box that curled late as Emiliano Terzaghi dove for the ball and headed home his eighth go
Richmond Kickers •

Match Recap: Kickers Fall in Top of the Table Clash with Greenville

RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond Kickers (7-4-5, 25 pts) fell 1-3 to Greenville Triumph SC (9-4-4, 31 pts) in Saturday night’s top-of-the-table showdown at City Stadium. The result keeps the Kickers in second place as they drop just their second contest in the last 50 days.


Jonathan Bolanos had scored or assisted in his last seven appearances but was forced off with a pre-match warmup injury just seconds before kickoff. The back-to-back team of the week honoree was replaced by Leonardo Baima at
Annenberg Media •

Women’s professional soccer’s triumphant return to the City of Angels

Tonight was always going to be a celebration. A jubilant recognition of Angel City FC’s creation, its owners, its supporters, its brand.

The investors were applauded on the field. Julie Foudy led a booming rendition of the infamous, now ACFC adopted, “three clap.” The players entered through smoke and fireworks as “Still D.R.E.” accompanied the moments leading up to kickoff.

But more often than not, that’s where the energy peaks on night one for an expansion franchise. Tonight was different. A
Annenberg Media •

Trojans tame the Huskies in a back-and-forth Pac-12 Tournament thriller

Survive and advance – it’s the name of the game in March basketball and the theme for the majority of the USC basketball season. And on Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the Trojans did exactly that.

No. 3 seed USC escaped with a 65-61 victory over No. 6 seed Washington in Thursday night’s Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals. The win improves the Trojans to 3-0 in quarterfinal action as a top-four seed under head coach Andy Enfield.

“I know it’s late, but we didn’t want anybody to lea
Annenberg Media •

USC men’s basketball comes from behind to edge Oregon State

No. 5 USC avoided its second consecutive loss with an 81-71 victory over Oregon State on Thursday at Galen Center. After suffering their first defeat at the hands of Stanford on Tuesday, the Trojans came back from as many as 10 points down to secure their 14th win of the season.

“Tonight was a very intense, physical basketball game,” head coach Andy Enfield said after the game. “I thought Oregon State played really well, but we did what we had to do late in the game to get the victory.”

The Tr
Annenberg Media •

USC falls in penalty shootout to Penn State

No. 3 seed USC women’s soccer lost an NCAA Tournament instant classic Friday in a penalty shootout to Penn State at McAlister Field. On a day that saw five overtime games and three penalty shootouts across the tournament, the Trojans found themselves on the wrong side of the bedlam in round two for the second time in less than seven months.

USC struggled out of the gate, conceding a shot and two corners while creating none for itself in the game’s opening 20 minutes. Penn State even found the b
Annenberg Media •

USC cruises past GCU into the second round

No. 3 seed USC women’s soccer took care of business Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, dismantling Grand Canyon 6-0 at McAlister Field. The six goals match a postseason program record for the Trojans, who have won their last three first-round home matches by five goals or more.

“The energy was great,” head coach Keidane McAlpine said after the game. “We started to get in rhythm and people got to see the ball hit the back of the net. More importantly, we got to see a lot more pl
Annenberg Media •

USC rolls over CSUN in season opener

USC men’s basketball took care of Cal State Northridge 89-49 Tuesday night in their season opener at Galen Center. The returning Trojans received their Elite Eight rings before the game, and USC played in front of the Trojan faithful for the first time in nearly 20 months.

“It was super cool seeing all of those highlights and finally getting to cherish that memory with all of the fans,” junior forward Isaiah Mobley said of the ring ceremony. “It wasn’t that easy to click back in game mode, but
Annenberg Media •

USC falls in Pac 12 title showdown at UCLA

No. 8 USC fell to No. 3 UCLA 3-1 on Friday night in a de facto Pac-12 title match in front of a sellout crowd at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. A poor first half was too much for the Trojans to overcome, and the Bruins were crowned Pac-12 champions for the 13th time.

“The atmosphere was fantastic,” head coach Keidane McAlpine said of the packed house. “I was a little disappointed that we didn’t play better having already experienced those kinds of crowds, but we’re going to learn from it and use it.
Annenberg Media •

USC storms back to take down Stanford in overtime thriller

No. 10 USC soccer scored three unanswered goals in the second half and overtime to defeat No. 9 Stanford 3-2 on Sunday at McAlister Field. Junior attacker Croix Bethune assisted on one and scored two, including the match-winner, to extend the Trojans’ program-record unbeaten streak to 15.

“The halftime message was ‘If you want to show that you’re a great team, you have to take these moments and really push back and fight back,” head coach Keidane McAlpine said after the match. “This is a massiv
Annenberg Media •

Trojans right the ship with win over the Golden Bears

No. 8 USC soccer defeated Cal 2-0 on Thursday at McAlister Field. The victory extends the Trojans’ unbeaten streak to a program-record 14 straight and guarantees they will hold at least a one-point lead in the Pac-12 when the night is done.

The Trojans were still without senior forward Penelope Hocking for the second consecutive match after a massive collision knocked her out of the closing minutes of regulation against Washington State one week ago.

After injury kept her out of the last two c
Annenberg Media •

Trojans can’t find a winner, settle for draw against Huskies

No. 5 USC soccer played to its second consecutive draw on Sunday against Washington at Husky Soccer Stadium. The 2-2 result extends the Trojans’ unbeaten streak to 13 consecutive matches, but the pair of stalemates has seen their Pac-12 lead shrink to just one point.

The Trojans were without both of their regular starting wingers in senior Penelope Hocking and redshirt senior Jada Talley against the Huskies.

Hocking, the program’s all-time leading goal-scorer, was knocked out of their last con
Annenberg Media •

USC survives tough road test against Oregon

No. 5 USC soccer stayed on top of the Pac-12 with a 3-1 victory over Oregon on Thursday in Eugene. The Trojans have now won 11 straight games, breaking a program record set back in 2016 when they went on to win the national championship.

Oregon’s press made life difficult at times for the USC backline, especially in the first half. A 10-minute stretch of sustained pressure in the Trojans’ half culminated in a 41st minute goal off a corner that brought the Ducks level at 1-1 going into the break
Annenberg Media •

Trojans use relentless attacking effort to dispatch Utes

No. 11 USC soccer rolled to a 7-0 victory over Utah on Sunday at McAlister Field. The Trojans completely dominated in possession, outshooting the Utes 22-3 en route to their 10th consecutive victory.

Utah is still yet to win its first conference match, but it stole a 1-1 draw on the road against No. 3 UCLA on Thursday. This Trojans team, however, was locked in from the outset, conceding just a single corner kick in the match’s opening 45 minutes.

“Utah, historically, is a team that causes us a
Annenberg Media •

USC soccer opens Pac-12 play with comeback win over Oregon State

After falling behind early, the USC women’s soccer team rallied from one goal down to edge Oregon State 2-1 on Sunday at Soni McAlister Field. A late goal with just five minutes to play saw the Trojans’ winning streak extended to six games.

Coming into Sunday’s match with four consecutive clean sheets, the Trojan defense struggled out of the gate. The press was ineffective and the backline was disorganized, and the Beavers pounced for the opening goal just 14 minutes in.

Oregon State had outsh
Annenberg Media •

Victorious Trojans celebrate on Senior Day

USC women’s soccer raced past Cal State Northridge 4-0 on Sunday afternoon at Soni McAlister Field. It was Senior Day for an accomplished group of Trojans that includes multiple All-Pac-12 honorees, Pac-12 individual award winners and national award semifinalists.

“It’s a special group,” head coach Keidane McAlpine said. “We’ve become a lot more stable. We’ve become consistent in terms of our performances and our level. I think every year, people are looking at our program as one of the best in
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Columns

Annenberg Media •

Stoppage Time: The games have to matter

“Stoppage Time” is a column by Samuel Reno about NCAA Women’s Soccer.

If you’re reading this in November of 2022, then you know Stanford just lost – eliminated from the NCAA Tournament on penalty kicks by sixth-seeded BYU.

On the surface, there’s nothing notable about the No. 3 seed Cardinal dropping a result to a top-20 Cougars team no stranger to postseason success. But Stanford, after losing just twice all year, had to play this home game in Chapel Hill, N.C.

That’s the difference between
Annenberg Media •

Stoppage Time: It’s time for the Pac-12 to add a postseason tournament

At 5:38 p.m., San Diego State and Utah State – knotted at a goal apiece – began a decisive penalty shootout in a Mountain West Tournament quarterfinal contest.

25 minutes and 44 penalty kicks later, junior goalkeeper Alexa Madueno came up with the match and shootout-winning save for the Aztecs at 6:03 p.m.

Yup… 44 penalty kicks – 37 of which found the back of the net.

That Mountain West showdown was just one of 10 different games across the country on Sunday decided on penalty kicks, and anot
Annenberg Media •

Stoppage Time: The title contender no one is talking about

“Stoppage Time” is a column by Sam Reno about NCAA women’s soccer.

Last season’s edition in the Evergreen State proved to be the difference in a Pac-12 title race decided by a singular point between USC and UCLA.

It was a test the Trojans failed in 2021, leaving Washington with just two points while their neighbors in Westwood escaped with a four-point weekend. Sure, UCLA’s head-to-head win on the final night made it official, but surviving the weekend away from home could have rendered the re
Annenberg Media •

Winner Stays: Suns or the field?

There are few types of sports content as engaging as a good debate, and that’s exactly what “Winner Stays” is all about. Here’s how it works: Each week, two of Annenberg Media’s many excellent sports journalists will go head-to-head in debate over a certain topic. When we tweet the article from the @ANNMediaSports account, we’ll let you — the readers — decide who argued their point better via a simple Twitter poll. You’ll have 24 hours to cast your ballots. That week’s winner will stay on and de
Daily Trojan •

Simone Jackson can make a mark in the USWNT

The United States Women’s National Team is the standard in the world of soccer — women’s and men’s.

They’ve won half of the FIFA World Cups ever played, four of seven possible Olympic gold medals and never fallen below No. 2 in the official FIFA world rankings.

The U.S. talent pool is fed by products of the NCAA women’s soccer system, home of the best young prospects in the sport.

So why hasn’t a program like USC — winners of as many or more national titles than all but four schools in the co
Daily Trojan •

Made in McAlister: Louisville FC’s offseason changes shows it’s ready for a title

Racing Louisville FC finished nearly twice as far from playoff qualification as it did the bottom of the National Women’s Soccer League a season ago. While it was only the club’s inaugural season, leadership wasted no time moving the entire organization into a different direction.

Back in August, Racing traded USWNT superstar Christen Press to new 2022 expansion franchise Angel City FC in exchange for the rights to the second overall pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft.

One month later, the club fired
Annenberg Media •

Winner Stays: Is the Pac-12 a four-bid league for men’s basketball?

There are few types of sports content as engaging as a good debate, and that’s exactly what “Winner Stays” is all about.

Here’s how it works: Each week, two of Annenberg Media’s many excellent sports journalists will go head-to-head in debate over a certain topic. When we tweet the article from the @ANNMediaSports account, we’ll let you — the readers — decide who argued their point better via a simple Twitter poll. You’ll have 24 hours to cast your ballots. That week’s winner will stay on and d
Annenberg Media •

Winner Stays: Who won the James Harden for Ben Simmons Trade?

There are few types of sports content as engaging as a good debate, and that’s exactly what “Winner Stays” is all about.

Here’s how it works: Each week, two of Annenberg Media’s many excellent sports journalists will go head-to-head in debate over a certain topic. When we tweet the article from the @ANNMediaSports account, we’ll let you — the readers — decide who argued their point better via a simple Twitter poll. You’ll have 24 hours to cast your ballots. That week’s winner will stay on and d
Annenberg Media •

Winner Stays: How ‘in’ should you be on USC men’s basketball this year?

There are few types of sports content as engaging as a good debate, and that’s exactly what “Winner Stays” is all about.

Here’s how it works: Each week, two of Annenberg Media’s many excellent sports journalists will go head-to-head in debate over a certain topic. When we tweet the article from the @ANNMediaSports account, we’ll let you — the readers — decide who argued their point better via a simple Twitter poll. You’ll have 24 hours to cast your ballots. That week’s winner will stay on and d
Annenberg Media •

CONCACAF Chronicles: No, the qualification is not unfair to UEFA countries

“CONCACAF Chronicles” is a column by Sam Reno about North American soccer.

The draw for the 2022 UEFA World Cup Qualifying Playoff took place last week, featuring twelve nations vying for just three available spots. The countries are split into three pods of four, featuring single-match playoff ties to determine the qualifiers.

While a slight deviation from the format of last cycle, the group stage into playoff format is nothing out of the ordinary across the board in World Cup Qualifying. Nob
Annenberg Media •

CONCACAF Chronicles: Counting down the best moments of the USC women’s soccer season

“CONCACAF Chronicles” is a column by Sam Reno about North American soccer.

This column is self-described as “about North American soccer,” which, despite the title, is not limited to official CONCACAF competitions.

With the next World Cup Qualifying window nearly two months away, let’s step away from CONCACAF this week and take a look at the season that was for USC women’s soccer.

My personal favorite, senior forward Penelope Hocking’s 70th minute goal against CSUN on Senior Day will not soon
Annenberg Media •

CONCACAF Chronicles: World Cup Qualifying third window review

“CONCACAF Chronicles” is a column by Sam Reno about North American soccer.

Normally, these World Cup Qualifying previews and reviews take the form of a list of things to watch for and things we learned. But with five points now between the fourth-place — playoff qualification — and fifth-place nations, the four leaders have created a sizable amount of separation.

While the gap between the top and bottom halves has swelled, the fight for the throne in the ocho is tighter than ever. Just four po
Annenberg Media •

CONCACAF Chronicles: World Cup Qualifying third window preview

“CONCACAF Chronicles” is a column by Sam Reno about North American soccer.

Six matches before, six matches after and two matches within.

Let’s take a look at the two biggest things to watch in the third window of World Cup Qualifying.

USA vs. Mexico 2021 Part 3: Do the Americans have enough?

The United States famously got the better of Mexico in not one — but two finals over the summer, besting El Tri in the CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup.

The results signaled changing times in the re
Annenberg Media •

CONCACAF Chronicles: Midweek madness in MLS as the playoffs approach

“CONCACAF Chronicles” is a column by Sam Reno about North American soccer.

Just five points separate fifth from ninth in the Western Conference as we enter the final week of the season. LAFC, who occupy that ninth spot, more importantly trail Vancouver, owners of the seventh and final playoff position, by just three points.

Tuesday night’s stakes are simple: Vancouver clinches a playoff berth with a win while LAFC would jump past crosstown rivals LA Galaxy into sixth with a victory of their ow
Annenberg Media •

CONCACAF Chronicles: Selecting the host venues for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

“CONCACAF Chronicles” is a column by Sam Reno about North American soccer.

In June 2018, it was announced that the United States, Mexico and Canada had won their joint bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In recent months, FIFA has been sending officials on visits to the candidate cities across the three nations.

FIFA wishes to utilize two venues in Canada, three in Mexico and 11 in the United States for a total of 16 unique sites. The list of candidates in both Mexico and Canada has already b
Annenberg Media •

CONCACAF Chronicles: World Cup Qualifying second window review

“CONCACAF Chronicles” is a column by Sam Reno about North American soccer.

The second window of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying concluded last week, and the four qualifying positions remain unchanged. Mexico still leads the pack on 14 points, the United States and Canada follow on 11 and 10, respectively, and Panama’s eight points are good enough for a spot in the inter-confederation playoff.

Let’s take a look at three takeaways from the results of the last three WCQ match days.

This Canada tea
Annenberg Media •

CONCACAF Chronicles: The unholy matrimony of U.S. Soccer and the tenth of October

“CONCACAF Chronicles” is a column by Sam Reno about North American soccer.

Anibal Godoy’s header in the 54th minute gave Panama a 1-0 lead they would not relinquish on Sunday against the United States. The win was Los Canaleros first-ever World Cup Qualifying victory over the U.S., and it came four years to the day they qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time.

Of course, a certain match in Trinidad and Tobago also on Oct. 10 paved their way to qualification in 2017, and Sunday’s ga
Annenberg Media •

CONCACAF Chronicles: Examining the Leagues Cup makeover

“CONCACAF Chronicles” is a column by Sam Reno about North American soccer.

I begin this week begging for the allowance of nuance, as just last week I argued against placing an emphasis on success in international club competition. None of that has changed, but one of those tournaments, the Leagues Cup, just got an unprecedented facelift.

Originally pitting the best four teams from MLS that didn’t qualify for the Champions League and the top four Liga MX sides not currently alive in the CCL, Le
Annenberg Media •

CONCACAF Chronicles: The CONCACAF Champions League is Major League Soccer kryptonite

“CONCACAF Chronicles” is a column by Sam Reno about North American soccer.

Philadelphia Union crashed out of the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League with a pair of 2-0 losses against Club América on Aug. 12 and Sept. 15, officially eliminating all MLS clubs from the competition once again.

As has been the case for each season of the Champions League, the winner will hail from Liga MX with Monterrey and Club América contesting the final on Oct. 27. A campaign that began with so much pro
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The 91st Minute: US Soccer’s venue dilemma

With World Cup qualifiers rapidly approaching, the U.S. has begun announcing the host venues for the seven home matches the U.S. men’s national team will play during the qualifying cycle. The first four have already been released, with Nashville (Nissan Stadium), Austin (Q2 Stadium), Columbus (Lower.com Field) and Cincinnati (TQL Stadium) getting the nods so far.

Many of the difficulties in host site selection are made evident within this short list of four we already have. The intended use of
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The 91st Minute: Stock up, stock down and questions still unanswered for the USMNT

The 91st Minute is a column by Sam Reno about professional soccer.

After scoring just 20 seconds into their match on Sunday — the fastest goal in US Men’s National Team history — the Americans defended their way to a 1-0 victory over Canada in Kansas City. The win saw them finish atop Gold Cup Group B and sent them on to the quarterfinals, where they will take on Jamaica Sunday night.

This year’s Gold Cup is an audition for many players hoping to break into the 23-man roster for World Cup Qual
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The 91st Minute: Why the 2021 Ballon d’Or debate should go just two deep

With the conclusion of the Euros and Copa América, the best footballers in the world have their first significant break since COVID-19 halted play around the globe last March. With the summer transfer market yet to come alive on the heels of the tournaments, the conversation has turned toward the fruitless, yet endlessly entertaining, midseason Ballon d’Or race.

There are a few reasons, however, that this year’s debate seems to be more prominent. Just by reading Twitter, with many grains of sal
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The 91st Minute: The top of the Premier League is only getting stronger

The 91st Minute is a column by Sam Reno about professional soccer.

For two consecutive seasons, the top four finishers in the English Premier League have been the same: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.

Of course, it should also be noted that this race has ultimately been decided on the final day of each season, with Leicester City missing out by the narrowest of margins to Chelsea in each campaign.

Outside of Leicester, there are no other sides in the league that hav
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The 91st Minute: The Euros might finally be coming home

The 91st Minute is a column by Sam Reno about professional soccer.

The “thirty years of hurt”, as the song “Three Lions” puts it, has slowly become 55 years for supporters of the English national team. “It’s coming home. It’s coming home. Football’s coming home,” they hopefully shout as each new international tournament kicks off.

Of course for England, football has not come home since the 1966 FIFA World Cup, and, as it pertains to this year, the English have never before been crowned Europea
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