Soccer

The fifth-tier Welsh side has become a fan favorite since Hollywood stars Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought it and launched a documentary series, “Welcome to Wrexham.”
This season marks a new beginning for the club and Wright, who will serve as team captain in the absence of U.S. national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.
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The lone winless Eastern Conference team entering Saturday’s match at Inter Miami, the Fire played well at Philadelphia and should have beaten FC Cincinnati but also have been plagued by familiar issues.
The Fire were up 3-1 through 83 minutes, but Cincinnati’s Sergio Santos scored in the 84th before Junior Moreno’s second of the game in the 87th deprived the Fire of their first win of the season.
The Fire led 3-1 but allowed two late goals to miss out on their first win of the season.
While the team’s business side and the city will have to weather the controversy and any public-relations backlash coming from the project, the benefits to the Fire’s soccer side are obvious.
Terens was the Fire’s TV voice on WGN since 2020, but with MLS making all of its games available on Apple TV, local announcers are a thing of the past. Now a worldwide voice, he’s back to call the Fire’s game Saturday at Soldier Field.
Chicago’s next mayor will have to live with the controversial zoning change Mayor Lori Lightfoot muscled through the City Council allowing the Chicago Fire soccer club to build an $80 million training center on CHA land formerly occupied by the CHA’s ABLA Homes.
Dave Baldwin is trying to get to know the team’s supporters and strengthen links with corporate partners.
Improving the attack has been a focus for the Fire, who compiled 12 shutouts last year but missed the playoffs.
We also wanted to know — or did we? — how interested you are in the Fire, whose season begins Saturday against New York City FC at Soldier Field. The results of that poll, in a word: Oof.
After a somewhat-quiet offseason, the Fire are widely picked to finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs again.
It’s a new era for MLS, which moved all of its games to Apple TV. Much like when the Fire put their games on ESPN+ in 2018, fans must subscribe to MLS Season Pass, though three games will be free.
Brady said his preparation hasn’t changed even though his role could this year.
Japan, which defeated Canada 3-0 in the earlier match at Toyota Stadium, was runner-up in the four-team, round-robin tournament. All four SheBelieves Cup teams will play in Women’s World Cup this summer in Australia and New Zealand.
An opening “wild card” round will feature matches between the eighth- and ninth-seeded teams in the Eastern and Western conferences at the stadium of the higher seed.
Gimenez is no longer a designated player, and said the new deal benefits both him and the Fire.
Mueller recharged during the offseason after almost three years without a lengthy break.
The USL Championship, where Dean spent the last three seasons, is the second tier of American soccer but hasn’t yet become a pipeline of talent for MLS.
Torres struggled with injuries last year, and underwent surgery to stabilize a stress fracture in September.
The sale Tuesday of striker Jhon Duran to Aston Villa was the Fire’s second eight-figure transaction with an English Premier League club in the last year, but the franchise isn’t selling players off successful teams.
The 19-year-old Durán scored eight goals in 22 appearances for the Fire last season and has played three times for Colombia.
Hendrickson said the Fire were close to making the playoffs in 2022. When the team has its first training session Monday, it’s Hendrickson’s job to make sure the Fire close the gap.
“Our biggest sales pitch [to free agents] is transition breeds opportunity,” Lomnicki said.
Mahomes joins a list of current and former NFL players who have a stake in the women’s professional soccer league, including Bears guard Michael Schofield who is part of the Red Stars ownership group.
Cech joined Hawks practice on the ice Tuesday after some soccer antics with Mrazek and teammates Monday. The 40-year-old former Chelsea and Arsenal star now plays third-division professional hockey in England.