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It's been billed as "The Rematch".

That's a bit of a misnomer, of course; Canada and the USA have met in women's soccer dozens and dozens of times. They played three times in 2012 alone. But the friendly at BMO Field on June 2 has special significance. It's the (long-overdue) homecoming for the Olympic bronze medallists, and ostensibly a chance for revenge after the controversy of the semifinal showdown in London.

And even though both sides will sport some familiar faces (the quasi-retired Melissa Tancredi is back for the first time since the Games), there will be a somewhat-unexpected injection of youth into the Canadian squad.

"The blend (of youth and experience) is very similar to what I've been working with over the last eight, nine games for Canada," head coach John Herdman said Wednesday. "We're working with the players that we think, potentially, will be there in 2015."
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LLDLLDLLDLLLDLLWLDDDDLLLL

That’s Toronto FC’s form over the last 25 games. I’ll save you the math. It’s 11 points, or 0.44 points per game. Over a 34 game MLS schedule it’s on pace for 15 points.

A 15-point season in a 34 game schedule would be the worst season in MLS history. The 1999 MetroStars had 15-points in 32 games, which is the current low water mark in MLS history.

It’s bleak. We all know it’s bleak. Everyone knows it’s terribly bleak.

But, it’s still shocking to see in print. ONE win in 25. Absurd.
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It's just about time for the kinda-sorta "rematch"!

USA women's national team head coach Tom Sermanni has released the roster of 21 players who'll travel to Toronto for training ahead of the friendly on June 2 -- of which 18 will make the game day roster.

And while 11 of the 14 players who took part in last summer's epic Olympic semifinal will be part of that squad -- including Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan and Brett Lawrie's ex-girlfriend -- there will be some very notable exceptions, including Hope Solo (injury) and Megan Rapinoe (club commitments).

Still, this is an American squad that comes into town with a whole lot of depth and a ridiculously one-sided all-time record against Canada (44 wins in 52 matches) -- so any thoughts of Canada being on a clear path to an upset should be immediately put aside.
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An extension to Canadian Soccer News’ MLS Week in Review, this article provides a closer look at the performances of the Canadian players who saw the pitch this week.

Kyle Porter and Will Johnson claim the top two spots this week, while the third will be left unmanned, rather than shoehorning in some undeserving soul.

That’s not to belittle the contributions of the other candidates, more a recognition that none did anything to particularly distinguish themselves from the pack this week.

Find out what Porter and Johnson did to deserve recognition, as well as who else earned their keep this week. ...

It's official. As we wrote about earlier, Manchester City has partnered with MLS and, surprisingly, the New York Yankees to buy the 20th league team. The club is to be called New York City FC.

The move completes Don Garber's long-time dream of adding a second team in the New York market. He reiterated how important a second New York area team was for the league's long-term plans. "This was part of our original business plan in 1996," Garber said.

Pointing to the early days of the Chivas v Galaxy rivalry, Garber said that he envisioned all of MLS, including the Red Bulls, to draw strength from NYCFC.

"We will work (with the Red Bulls) to make sure the rivalry will be very valuable and exciting to all," Garber added.
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Simeon Jackson will be looking for a new club after Norwich City released the Canadian striker today.

In the end, the move up to the Premiership may have been a step too far for Jackson, after he had a solid few years in the lower tiers.

Jackson scored 26 goals in 86 appearances for Norwich, including the goal that saw the Canaries promoted two years ago.

Another Canadian will likely be looking for a new club after being transfer listed today. Stevenage is looking to sell Marcus Haber. The club expects him to play at a higher level.

Also placed on the transfer list by Stevenage was former TFC defender Andy Iro.
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Our weekly, sometimes offbeat, look at the best and worst of the week's MLS action. We took your suggestions on board and either embedded videos of our best/worst selections or included links. So what did week 12 of the 2013 season throw up for us?


Games This Week:

Ten games played this week. Montreal had yet another bye week, Toronto lost again and Vancouver got a draw that felt like a loss and leaves them looking up still at most of the rest of the west.
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The twelfth round of MLS took place this holiday weekend and what a weekend it was; a lone midweek fixture followed by nine matches through Saturday and Sunday culminating in 29 goals – three own-goals and one from the spot, the return of the red card – five plus a second yellow to Chicago’s Well Thompson, resulting in three draws and four away wins, including a pair of 1-4 results.

The regular goal-scorers – Jack McInerney, Tim Cahill, Will Johnson, Dominic Oduro, Diego Fagundez, and Seattle’s trio of Eddie Johnson, Lamar Neagle, and Obafemi Martins - keep on scoring, while some old familiar faces contributed unexpectedly – Ned Grabavoy with a brace and Nathan Sturgis – and a handful of firsts for players just rounding into form – Kyle Porter, Joao Plata, Martin Chavez, and Robbie Findley (who should have had more, but wastefulness is what it is).
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These are the images and emotions from Toronto FC's 1-0 loss to Columbus. All photos are courtesy of Chris Hazard at Hazard Gallery.

You can purchase these and other photos here.

I feel like some people are still licking their wounds from this one....
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[Updated 9.30pm with post game reaction from both dressing rooms]

Report:

May was highlighted to be a month of firsts for Vancouver Whitecaps. The goals were clear. To achieve their first win over LA Galaxy, to win their first ever Voyageurs Cup and to beat one of their Cascadian rivals in MLS action for the first time.

Despite two wonderstrikes from Camilo Sanvezzo and Gershon Koffie, Vancouver are still searching for that elusive derby win, with Portland coming away with a share of the spoils thanks to a Will Johnson penalty and a controversial late equaliser for the ten man Timbers by Jose Valencia.
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Eight to five. If success in football were measured in numbers of head coaches Toronto FC would be leading the Columbus Crew by a baseball score. (Granted, being TFC, they’d surely find a way to lose in the bottom of the ninth to a walk-off grand slam – “Tobiiiiaaaasss!” - but that’s another story!)

Since Robert Warzycha succeeded Sigi Schmid in 2009 for a second spell in charge, after the Crew’s league and MLS Cup double of 2008, Toronto FC has managed to burn through six of the seven men tasked with leading them in that same time. Carver, Cummins, Preki, Dasovic, Winter, Mariner, and now Nelsen; as of Saturday evening, Warzycha will have faced all of them. ...