Breakfast Links - October 10, 2022

Happy Monday! Yeah, I know what you are thinking, “I hate Mondays”. However, let’s be positive today, let’s make it a positive week. Here are the links, but if you need encouragement, hit me up!

Houston

The Houston Dynamo officially closed out the 2022 season Sunday night. It was another disappointing season ended with no playoffs, but we already knew that coming in to the weekend. The LA Galaxy and Chicharito came to town and just beat down on the Dynamo, earning their first home playoff game since 2016. Make sure to read our recap or watch for highlights later today. Now, playing GM is what every Dynamo will be doing as the off-season begins. Vamos Dynamo!

Make sure you check out the latest episodes of the Dynamo Theory Podcast, available everywhere you get you podcasts.

Major League Soccer

The 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs field is set after an action-packed Decision Day, with Round One games beginning Oct. 15. The Philadelphia Union (Eastern Conference) and LAFC (Western Conference) have byes into the Conference Semifinals on Oct. 20 (FS1 & FOX Deportes) as the respective No. 1 seeds, but the remaining 12 teams will soon enter single-elimination territory. In Canada, all games will be broadcast on TSN and TVA Sports. View the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs bracket

Nashville SC midfielder Hany Mukhtar has brought home the 2022 MLS Golden Boot, tallying a league-high 23 goals and 11 assists in a tightly-contested race that came down to Decision Day.

After Atlanta United concluded their 2022 season with a 2-1 home loss against New York City FC, star forward Josef Martinez wasn’t in the mood to talk following what could be his final game with the Five Stripes. When approached by reporters on Decision Day, Martinez told the group to “talk to Bocanegra and Pineda instead.” Carlos Bocanegra is the club’s vice president and technical director, while Gonzalo Pineda is the head coach. Martinez has one year left on his contract (runs through 2023) and has been unhappy over the last few months as rumors swirl over his future.

Around the World

Erik ten Hag is hopeful Cristiano Ronaldo’s goals will “flow” after he got the 700th in his club career in Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Everton. Ronaldo came off the bench at Goodison Park to score his second goal of the season and with it reach the impressive milestone.

Pedri’s first-half goal gave Barcelona a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo at Camp Nou on Sunday to move them back to the top of LaLiga. Barca are level on 22 points with Real Madrid after eight games, but have the better goal difference before the pair face each other next Sunday in El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Arsenal continued their blistering start to the season with a crucial 3-2 victory against Liverpool to return to the top of the Premier League table at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Gabriel Martinelli struck in the first minute and Bukayo Saka followed with a brace to sink Liverpool to their second Premier League defeat of the season and into 10th place in the table.