Major Link Soccer: Jordan Morris defeats Canada

Seattle

Let's get this out of the way: The Reign fell just short of their prize again. Of course, again, it was FC Kansas City who packed it in and shut down Seattle's attack. For those counting, that brings the trophy count this week for Kansas City to two. Not that I'm counting, angrily.

Kansas City gets a slight reprieve from hate because it hosted the US vs. Canada U23 Olympic Qualifying match yesterday, in which the Yanks were the victors to the tune of 3-1. Sounders Academy product Jordan Morris snagged a brace with two very nice goals.

Dave Tenney's evil hamstring-destroying training methods will now be turned onto the Sounders Academy youths. Just joshin', but the extensive data collection and tracking used on the first team will be making it's way to groups as young as U14.

Los Angeles has jumped to the top of the aggregate power rankings over at RSL Soapbox. The Sounders haven't budged from 7th, but there's nothing like beating that team at the top to change all that.

Stop what you are doing right now and buy a Clint Dempsey plush doll. I'm sorry, Bleacher Creature.

Major League Soccer

Nick Sakiewicz, Philadelphia Union CEO, is finally on the outs. Losing the Open Cup Final at home for the second straight year was I guess the last straw. Plus, you know, they've been pretty bad for a while. Majority owner Jay Sugarman apparently used a Union practice field as a parking spot for his helicopter while he watched the final, which is a pretty rad move.

Some DC United stadium drawings have been released, showing a very standard but handsome stadium with a big old bar in it.

Here's an interesting look at the changes in MLS salaries since the players'union started releasing numbers, and the changes in distribution as well. Plus infographics for us visual learners.

Chicago Fire fans are wallowing in the mud pit of fandom hell, but they've become so irrelevant in the Chicago sports landscape that it doesn't even move the needle of a casual sports fan anymore. [Registration req'd]

New York City FC and LA Galaxy are supposedly keen on picking up Aritz Aduris, who has 141 goals in 396 La Liga matches. Currently 34 and playing with Bilbao, he's still making several million Euros, so he would likely command a pretty penny.

World

I don't know what prompts one to do a two-footed leaping tackle at someone's ankles in Sunday league, but if you do it in Manchester, you will (rightly) go to jail for assault. If you very much dislike seeing surgical hardware sticking out of legs, don't bother clicking.

Were you worried that maybe Michel Platini would not be able to run for the FIFA presidency if he is too caught up in the criminal investigations? No worries, his buddy Sheikh Salman of Bahrain will have his back and run instead.