MLS the Daily Kickoff

By Anonymous (not verified), July 11, 2023

From MLS:

By Sam Jones

Good morning, y'all. Your pal Sam here. Let's soccer.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Colorado Rapids sign DP striker Navarro from Palmeiras: The Colorado Rapids have acquired forward Rafael Navarro on a 12-month loan from Brazilian Serie A champions Palmeiras with a purchase option. Navarro, 23, will occupy a Designated Player roster slot in Colorado and is expected to help jumpstart the league's lowest-scoring offense (16 goals scored in 21 games).
New England Revolution acquire Argentine forward Chancalay: The New England Revolution have acquired forward Tomás Chancalay on loan from Argentine Primera División side Racing Club for the remainder of the 2023 MLS season. The deal includes options to purchase or extend the loan through June 2024. The 24-year-old Argentine arrives in New England with 35 career goals and 20 assists across 186 senior appearances. Chancalay, who most recently played with Emirati club Al-Wasl while on loan from Racing Club, played twice at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Chancalay could help fill a need that arose when Colombian international Dylan Borrero, New England's dynamic U22 Initiative attacker, suffered an ACL tear in late April.

PREPARE YOURSELF AL YE WHO WATHGRIDOMETER

A full Wednesday slate plus Gold Cup is on the way. It's not only crowded, it's deep. There are some phenomenal games on the way. This is one of the best slates of the season. Maybe the best? It's that good.*The Plusometer is a scientific way to quantify the potential watchability of any given game on Apple TV - MLS Season Pass, but can and will also be used for all other channels. Using the elements of "Potential for very good/entertainingly bad soccer," "Chances created," "Narrative," "Aesthetics" and "Totally subjective bonus points," I assign each element a score out of 10 and each game a score out of 50. Twenty-five is average potential. Fifty is greatest game of all-time potential. Yes, I do calculate each game. No, I don't know why. Respect for the form, maybe?TIER ONE: THE DELIGHTFUL HUM OF A SOCCER BROADCAST ON TELEVISIONSoccer is nice to have on. And sometimes you look up and see something fun.Chicago Fire FC vs. CF Montréal - Wed., 8:30 pm ETWATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season PassPlusometer Score: 27/50Chicago are looking to build off the momentum of a massive win over Nashville last weekend. Considering the fact that Montréal have lost two straight and have one win in 11 road games all year, it seems like Chicago have a great chance to do just that. Considering it's MLS, it almost definitely won't happen.Houston Dynamo FC vs. Minnesota United - Wed., 8:30 pm ETWATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season PassPlusometer Score: 29/50This one could end up being important in the long term. Houston are three points above the line, Minnesota are one point below it. When the dust clears in the West, this could be a game that one of these teams looks back on as a missed opportunity. TIER TWO: THE JOY OF STUMBLING ONTO A MATCH YOU PREVIOUSLY WEREN'T INVESTED IN BUT NOW AREEvery now and then, you go into a game not asking for much and come away with more than you ever imagined.New York Red Bulls vs. FC Cincinnati - Wed., 7:30 pm ETWATCH ON: Apple TV - FreePlusometer Score: 40/50That's right. A 40-pointer. In Tier Two. That's how stacked the rest of the night is. Don't get it twisted though. This is still an outstanding matchup. It offers a bit of revenge for New York after last year's playoffs and it pits the league's best team on points against perhaps the league's best team on underlying numbers. I know which one I'd rather be but that doesn't change the fact this game should rule. Even if it does feel a bit more like demolition derby than soccer.United States vs. Panama - Wed., 7:30 pm ETWATCH ON: FS1Plusometer Score: 35/50The USMNT are favored here but that means so very little in a Concacaf tournament semifinal. This one could get weird.Sporting KC vs. Real Salt Lake - Wed., 8:30 pm ETWATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season PassPlusometer Score: 30/50Y'all will be well aware of my feelings on RSL right now. But no MLS team should ever be favored on the road. Not even RSL, who just so happen to have more road wins than any other MLS team. Somehow, they're 6W-3L-2D. That's absurd. That's basically Seattle's home record. I'm not sure how they're doing this to be honest but until it stops it's going to make RSL's road trips fascinating.SKC could really use a win here, by the way, they've played more games than any team in the West and it feels like their playoff hopes have alright begun to slip jusssst a little.Jamaica vs. Mexico - Wed., 10:00 pm ETWATCH ON: FS1Plusometer Score: 38/50It's weird for El Tri right now but that doesn't stop this one from being an excellent matchup between two solid teams. Plus you get to watch Andre Blake frustrate a team that isn't your MLS team. Isn't that fun?San Jose Earthquakes vs. Seattle Sounders - Wed., 10:30 pm ETWATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season PassPlusometer Score: 38/50The Quakes have lost ground quickly as of late but I know there's still a good team buried in there. They went on the road last week and earned a point against LAFC, so they can take down Seattle at home. Although, I should note that Seattle have been finding a bit of rhythm here. Maybe they're easing their way out of a midseason slump. If that's the case, then San Jose and the rest of the West are in trouble.Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Austin FC - Wed., 10:30 pm ETWATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season PassPlusometer Score: 33/50Like Houston-Minnesota, this one could have long-term consequences down the line. Both of these teams are somewhere around decent-to-good and could really use some points. The good news for Austin and the bad news for Vancouver though is that the Verde & Black are on a heater. They've taken ten points from four games with blowout wins over Dallas, Houston and Minnesota. This weekend's rout against Minnesota came on the road. The Caps are far from safe here. They might even feel worse off at home after blowing a couple of leads to Seattle on Saturday.TIER THREE: THE SATISFACTION OF EXPECTATIONS BEING METSometimes you want the best and you get it.New England Revolution vs. Atlanta United - Wed., 7:30 pm ETWATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season PassPlusometer Score: 42/50These teams delivered one of the games of the season the last time these two met. A 3-3 draw that featured a two-goal comeback by Atlanta and a stoppage-time equalizer from Carles Gil to snuff it out. It ruled. The chance that they might deliver more of the same this Wednesday is plenty of reason to tune in.I should warn y'all though. Atlanta seems to have figured out how to keep games a little quieter. A shift to a three center back setup has allowed for back-to-back clean sheets. Nashville SC vs. Philadelphia Union - Wed., 8:30 pm ETWATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season PassPlusometer Score: 45/50I can't say for sure, but I feel like there still might be some bitterness from Nashville fans about the 2021 playoffs. Either way, this is a matchup of two of the best teams in the league. Both are looking to recover from losses over the weekend, but both are going to be just fine in the grand scheme of things. There should be a ton of intensity on display here and it might just feel like an early playoff game at GEODIS Park. It may not be beautiful but it will be fun.LAFC vs. St. Louis - Wed., 10:30 pm ETWATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season PassPlusometer Score: 46/50We've reached a point where this game may decide who wins the Western Conference? Maybe? It seems plausible at least. St. Louis have a five-point advantage on LAFC right now and it feels like they really need to take advantage of a potential six-point swing while LAFC are still running through their post-CCL gauntlet. You almost expect them to at this point though. Nothing has slowed them down yet.

AND OTHER THINGS

Orlando City sign homegrown goalkeeper Otero: Orlando City SC have signed homegrown goalkeeper Javier Otero through the 2024 MLS season with club options for 2025-26. Otero, 20, joined Orlando's academy in 2017 before progressing to Orlando City B in 2020.
Seattle Sounders FC's Chú named Player of the Matchday: Seattle Sounders FC's Léo Chú has been named Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 24 of the 2023 MLS season. Chu starred in their 3-2 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday at BC Place.
"Error was made" on New England Revolution no-goal vs. New York Red Bulls: The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) acknowledged an "error was made" in Saturday's Matchday 24 game between the New York Red Bulls and New England Revolution at Red Bull Arena. New England defender Andrew Farrell's would-be equalizer in the 93rd minute of the 2-1 defeat was incorrectly rescinded for offside following Video Review, according to PRO. After a Red Bull defender deflected Farrell's shot, PRO said "the goal should have been allowed."

THE READING RAINBOW

FC Cincinnati found a "great addition" in DP striker Aaron Boupendza.
Jonathan Sigal looked at the best young-player performers in Matchday 24.
Check out the upcoming 2023 All-Star Week fan events.
Voting for the AT&T 5G Goal of the Matchday is now open.
Here's your Team of the Matchday presented by Audi.
Take a look at previews for every Matchday 25 game.

FULL TIME

Good luck out there. Make the most of your opportunities.