Major Link Soccer: MLS Cup eve edition

The Cup

One more day, one more night. Then it's MLS Cup day. The Sounders' first chance to win the only league silverware missing from their trophy case. The preparations are all made and the team is in Toronto. Even some lucky fans are in Toronto. All that's left to do is feverishly consume the internet content about the game tomorrow, and that's where we come in.

Are you one of those lucky few who are headed to Canada's biggest city? SaH member jayw913 has created an open thread post for everyone here to communicate, share notes and tips, etc. Some of us will just be reading along with intense jealousy instead.

Of course, for those of you looking for a public place to watch, there is no shortage of viewing parties to attend. If you won't be heading to Queen Anne Beer Hall to take it in with Sounder at Heart, check out ECS' list of locations and events all over the country.

So, who are fans of the Sounders' rivals rooting for? Who Cares! But this is still an interesting read on how Montreal, Vancouver and Portland fans feel about the match tomorrow.

Part of what swings the pendulum for Timbers fans (not like they weren't rooting against us already) is that ex-captain Will Johnson is now sporting a Toronto kit and has a chance at winning two cups in two years, which would surely cement his position as one of Sounderdom's least-liked players.

Interested in knowing the history of TFC before the Sounders face them Saturday? On the Soccer Today! podcast (!!!), we have an oral history of Toronto soccer, with expert guests.

For a tactical look at the teams' two prolific strikers and how they will affect the game, the MLS site picks out some examples from Jordan Morris and Jozy Altidore's plays.

For a little scroll-y slideshow action, check out the Seattle Times recap of the wild year of Jordan Morris. In less than a year he won the Hermann trophy and MLS Rookie of the Year.

Major League Soccer

In an interview that covers pretty much anything you'd want to ask Don Garber, the commissioner talks to ESPN about the NASL, expansion, playoffs format changes, and even TAM.

For more on those potential changes to the playoffs format, league VP Jeff Agoos brings up ideas as different as group stages, single game elimination, and changing the tie-breaker to regular season record instead of away goals.

It's been covered before, but if you haven't noticed, Osvaldo Alonso is having one of his best years. He has stayed healthy, looked energized, and put up his familiar impressive stats. He's still the best DM in the league.

SB Nation's mock expansion draft is complete, and lets hope it's accurate, for the Sounders sake. The players selected would actually make most of a halfway-decent starting XI in MLS.

Other US Leagues

Is MLS' salary structure and the impending death of the NASL depressing wages overall for US Soccer players? Charles Boehm at the US Soccer Players makes the case.

As for the NASL and the New York Cosmos, news continues to trickle out. Giovanni Savarese, the Cosmos coach and sporting director is apparently still employed by the club in some capacity.

According to Fifty Five One's sources, the USL is working hard to absorb any NASL teams who want to join up, essentially ending the NASL, as the USL is not interested in a true merger of the two organizations.

As for FC Edmonton owner Tom Fath, he is still confident his team will be playing in a fully-functional NASL in 2017.

World

FC Barcelona have invited Chapecoense to the 2017 Joan Gamper Trophy in order to pay tribute to those who lost their lives and to assist the club in rebuilding itself.

Leeds FC owner Massimo Cellino is in trouble with the FA again, and he received an 18-month sentence for breaking agent regulations in the siging of Ross McCormack.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino says the plan to expand the World Cup to 48 teams was a big hit with all the federations.

But why don't they do this simple and inclusive format instead? Because that would be far too logical.