Breakfast Links - August 19, 2022

Happy Friday, I hope that the first week of the school year went well for you and yours. If that doesn’t include you, then watch out for not speeding during school zone times! Here are the Breakfast Links on this Friday.

Houston

The Houston Dynamo will try to snap their 4 game losing streak as they travel to face off the Colorado Rapids tomorrow. Mathematically, the Dynamo are still in the running for a chance to make the playoffs, but for that to happen, Houston needs to start picking up handfuls of points. The game is set for 8:00 PM from Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Vamos Dynamo!

The Houston Dash are red hot, as they haven’t been beaten in their last 5 matches. They are currently in second place in the table, matching the same amount of points with Portland who are ahead due to a better goal difference. The Dash will take on San Diego Wave FC, who got the best of the Dash in the first ever meeting between the clubs earlier this season. Kickoff is set for 9:00 PM tomorrow from Torero Stadium in San Diego. DTFO!

Houston Dynamo 2 are the only hometown team that will be on break this weekend. Currently they are in 3rd place in the Western Conference with only 4 matches of the regular season to be played. Let’s go Dyna Dos!

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

Major League Soccer

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Decision Day is still seven weeks away (on October 9), but the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs bracket can lock in its first team in Week 26. LAFC can clinch a Western Conference playoff spot this weekend.

Enjoying his time as an assistant with the US men’s national team and fully focused on preparations for the 2022 World Cup, Luchi Gonzalez didn’t expect to make a decision on his future anytime soon. Gonzalez is a sought-after coach, though. And the San Jose Earthquakes have long wanted to make him their next manager. Interest turned into interviews and further talks over the last couple of months. Visions aligned, Gonzalez says he got assurances from ownership that spending will increase and the fit a strong one.

FC Dallas homegrown star Jesus Ferreira is ensuring he’ll have a say in this year’s Golden Boot race. The 21-year-old scored FCD’s lone goal in Wednesday night’s 1-0 win over Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Union, moving him into a tie for second place in 2022’s battle to be Major League Soccer’s top scorer.

Around the World

Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

Christian Pulisic is set to hold talks with the Chelsea hierarchy over his future and will push to leave the club if his prospects of regular first-team football look bleak, sources told ESPN. The possible arrivals of attacking duo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona and Everton’s Anthony Gordon in particular would affect Pulisic, who sources suggest is concerned about playing regularly enough to ensure he heads to the World Cup finals in Qatar with the United States national team in the best possible shape.

Casemiro wants to join Manchester United, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed, saying the midfielder wants “a new challenge” away from the Bernabeu. ESPN reported on Thursday that the Brazil international midfielder — who has won five Champions Leagues and three LaLiga titles in nine years at Madrid — was considering an offer from United, with a decision imminent.

Nottingham Forest have signed midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a five-year deal, the newly promoted Premier League side announced on Friday. Forest did not provide details, but the club will pay £25 million ($29.69m) for the 22-year-old, according to reports, in a deal that could to £42.5m when add-ons are included.