Breakfast Links - April 25, 2022

It was a busy weekend in soccer so, let’s just right into the Breakfast Links.

Houston

The Dynamo let a late lead slip away in a 2-1 loss in Frisco. Dallas scored an equalizer in the 87^th minute and the match-winner in stoppage time. It’s probably best I don’t say a lot more about this. I’ll have player ratings on the game later.

The club did leave Frisco on a positive note as Houston Dynamo 2 won their fifth game in five tries, beating previously unbeaten North Texas SC 3-2. Diego Gonzalez and Talen Maples scored in the first half and MLS NEXT Pro leading scorer Beto Avila scored the winner late in the second half. Dynamo Dos are on the road again next week as they travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on Tacoma Defiance on Sunday.

Not much went right for the Houston Dash in this season’s NWSL Challenge Cup but, the ladies did end it on a winning note Sunday night. Houston beat Racing Louisville for the second time in the tournament, this time by a 2-1 score. Nichelle Prince and Ally Prisock scored for the Dash in the first half and the team held Louisville scoreless in the second half to secure the three points. The focus now turns to the NWSL regular season which kicks off for the Dash Sunday night against Alex Morgan and San Diego Wave FC at PNC Stadium.

MLS

The Seattle Sounders are in the CONCACAF Champions League Final, but you wouldn’t know it based on their results in Major League Soccer this season. Seattle suffered their fourth loss in seven games, falling to San Jose 4-3 on Saturday night. The Sounders now travel to Mexico for the first leg of that CCL Final against Pumas. All eyes are on the continental prize.

San Jose was not the only team that got a big under an interim coach this weekend. DC United, in their first-match post Hernan Losada, got a 3-2 win over reigning Supporters Shield winners New England Revolution. New Designated Player Taxi Fountas scored two goals and added an assist in his debut with the Black and Red.

After eight straight games on the road, Nashville SC will finally get to go home. Nashville will open GEODIS Park on May 1 against the Philadelphia Union. The Coyotes, as their known to their fans, finished their long road trip with a 1-0 loss to the LA Galaxy but did manage three wins and two draws during their travels.

Around the World

Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images

American Christian Pulisic scored a huge goal for Chelsea in the club’s fight for England’s top four. Pulisic scored in the 90^th minute to give the Blues a 1-0 win over West Ham over the weekend. The win keeps Chelsea in third place and five points clear of fourth-place Arsenal, who beat Manchester United on Saturday.

When Barcelona does something for “the first time in their history” you know they’ve done something big. Their latest feat isn’t something they will be proud of however, after they picked up their third consecutive loss at home for the first time in club history. Barcelona is still clinging to second place in La Liga but they are a distant fifteen points adrift of league leaders Real Madrid.