Major Link Soccer: Toronto FC is going back to the MLS Cup

MLS

Jozy Altidore got hurt, got some ankle tape, and went back out and scored the winner to send Toronto FC into their second straight final. Hopefully we see them there.

Columbus was just knocked out of the MLS Cup Playoffs, and now they have plenty of tough roster decisions to make. The first one is likely whether they will they bring Artur back or not, as their option to buy expires today (November 30th) and São Paulo FC wants him back.

Portland is currently looking for a new head coach, but while they work through that they are teasing fans with a new jersey. A white secondary kit for 2018 was tweeted by the club and hopefully it’s cursed like the Olympic Whites were here.

Meanwhile, the coaching search will aim for a progressive, bilingual coach preferably, according to Gavin Wilkinson.

Included in Chicago Fire’s cuts were three homegrown players; no word on if the club has any intention to bring them back.

Montreal Impact’s utility defender Hassoun Camara is retiring. The 33 year old Senegalese defender is calling it quits after over 10,000 MLS minutes.

DC United’s declined options included the 11th pick of the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, Julian Buescher. Bill Hamid and Chris Rolfe are leaving the club as well, for different reasons.

It’s official, Seattle native Anthony Hudson will lead the Colorado Rapids in 2018. He’s never had a winning record at any of his stops, and as a Western Conference foe I’m not going to actively wish that to stop.

MLS is getting convoluted in announcing the next four expansion teams, but what we do know is that four are competing for the two next spots. Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, and Sacramento are your current finalists.

FC Cincinnati’s bid got a boost with their infrastructure deal passing.

Nashville, another final four side, may have hit a snag in their stadium deal, with a group suing over the fairgrounds land that they’ll be using.

USA

After firing their head coach in May and sticking it out with an interim for the remainder of the season, the Houston Dash have a new boss. Vera Pauw, the former South African National Team manager, will take over the Texas side.

Pauw will take over a team with at least one player in the top 50 of American women’s soccer players. The Reign have a few in the 50-41 release, as well.

Everything you need to know about the US Soccer Presidential candidates is in their answers from the candidate forum. If you don’t want to listen to it, here’s a recap.

Merritt Paulson and his neighbors don’t get along - not his downtown ones, his Multnomah County next to his personal home neighbors. He put decorative rocks where he shouldn’t, and now the government is telling him what to do with them.

World

Heard of the Dakar Rally? Well, the 2018 edition of the grueling race that is largely off-road and runs through Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina this year will include Andre Villas-Boas. The manager is leaving Shanghai SIPG to race for Team Overdrive.