Major Link Soccer: Time to start anew

Seattle

The University of Washington Men's soccer team is going to the dance as a number 11 seed.  48-team field consists of 16 seeded programs. The top 16 squads receive byes, therefore not playing in the first round. Washington (13-6-0) will face the winner of first round matchup between the University of Portland (12-5-1) and New Mexico (12-6-2) at Husky Soccer Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 5 p.m.

Speaking of UW soccer, Seattle United and Sounders Academy product and current University of Washington starlet Handwalla Bwana has been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. The dynamic attacking player tallied four goals and seven assists for the Huskies.

Four Seattle Sounders competed in World Cup qualifiers for their respective nations on Tuesday. All four players are expected to return to Seattle by the end of the week and be available for the first game of the Western Conference Championship.

U.S. Soccer

Losing two World Cup qualifiers in any other country would put a national team coach on the hot seat or possible force him to lose his seat (on the bench). Will America ever have a standard of expectancy for their national team? All of the evidence piling up points to one logical outcome for U.S. Soccer: The time has come to move on from Jurgen Klinsmann.

If we have learned anything by Jurgen Klinsmann's experiment with a 3-5-2 is that it does not work! The lost to Costa Rica was the biggest losing shutout margin in a qualifier since the U.S. fell 6-0 away to Mexico in 1957. Combined with Friday's 2-1 loss to Mexico at Columbus, Ohio, the U.S. finds itself with an early deficit in the Hexagonal, which resumes in March.

The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team drew 0-0 with reigning European Under-19 champions France to open Group C play at the 2016 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup. The USA will face New Zealand in its next match on Nov. 17 in Papa New Guinea.

World Soccer

Edin Dzeko did his best "Pants on the Ground" impression in last week's Bosnia-Greece game. The only problem for Dzeko is that pulling another players pants down instead of his own had ramifications he couldn't believe.

Argentina announced their intentions of not sitting out a World Cup with a resounding 3-0 victory over Colombia. Lionel Messi scored the first goal in the 57th minute with a curling free kick.

England blows a 2-0 lead and ends with a draw against Spain. It was only a friendly, but a win could have carried the momentum England gathered in their victory over Scotland. Spain for their part never quit and a great individual effort by Isco in the 95th minute secured the draw.

Major League Soccer

Steven Gerrard was a much better tourist than player for the LA Galaxy. The former England captain was a shell of his old playing self during his time in LA and gave the impression he valued the Californian sunshine more than playing in MLS.

If your a betting man then Ladbrokes has a bet for you. If you're a soccer fan and broken down English players coming to the MLS is not for you.

Andre Blake wins Goal's Goalkeeper of the Year award. The Jamaica international was the rock between the sticks for the Union, making big stops on a weekly basis and shoring up a back line that had a wealth of inexperience between rookie defenders Keegan Rosenberry and Joshua Yaro.

The new Atlanta United jersey brings to mind memories of AC Milan. Will Atlanta play like Milan in their first year is a whole other discussion.

Benny Feilhaber re-signs with Sporting Kansas City. He recorded seven goals and 13 assists in 30 regular season appearances in 2016, and has 24 goals and 38 assists in regular season play during his Sporting career. Most Sounders fans will remember Feilhaber and his fit of rage in the knockout round of the playoffs.

Real Salt Lake are building it in hopes that the future will come. Owner Dell Loy Hansen is creating a half dozen regional training centers in hopes that home grown players will lead the way in the future.

Goals of the Week: Long Distance, Free Kicks, and Flying Volley!