Milan ease 3-0 past Lecce with quick-fire goalsIs this the best ever version of Christian Pulisic? Christian Pulisic kept up his scoring form as Milan netted three goals in five minutes shortly before half-time in a 3-0 win over Lecce in the Italian league on Friday. Álvaro Morata put the home side ahead with a glancing header from Theo Hernandez’s free kick after 38 minutes. Hernandez then ran on to a pass from Rafael Leão and lashed the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle two minutes later before Pulisic made it 3-0 just before halftime. Continue reading...

The burden of expectation has been heavy for years, but the American is having no problem carrying it for club and country right now Milan – and their under pressure manager Paulo Fonseca – simply had to win Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina and Christian Pulisic ensured they did. The American’s dribble and finish to open the scoring against Inter after only 10 minutes set the tone for the Rossoneri. It was the highlight reel moment of the match and Pulisic was the best player on the pitch too. Milan supporters are used to Pulisic being their best player by now. The winger registered 20 goal involvements (12 goals and eight assists) in his maiden Serie A season and has started this campaign in even better form, notching three goals and two assists in just five games. Fonseca has endured a difficult start as Milan manager, but it would have been much worse if not for Pulisic. Continue reading...

US Soccer are jumping into the unknown by appointing a great club-level coach who has no international experience A stodgy homegrown coach dismissed after a long tenure turned stale, replaced with an alluring foreign star who made his name among the elite of Europe? We’ve been here before. The appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the new US men’s head coach is exciting, bold and appears close to a best-case scenario given the middling status of the USMNT in world football and the shiny résumé of a tactician who’s successfully managed in the English Premier League, La Liga and Ligue 1. Continue reading...

Mauricio Pochettino's appointment as USA manager is being met with excitement and hope - but what challenges will he face?

USA 1-2 CanadaInterim coach laments Americans’ mental lapses Hoping to show their first-round exit at this summer’s Copa América was a fluke, the United States instead displayed an alarming lack of intensity that resulted in their first home loss to Canada since 1957. Jacob Shaffelburg and Jonathan David scored after US defensive misplays, and Canada dominated 2-1 in a friendly on Saturday for just their second win over the Americans in 27 matches on US soil. While Jesse Marsch, Canada’s American-born coach, glowed following a win over a team that bypassed him for the USMNT job, interim US coach Mikey Varas rebuked himself and his players. Continue reading...

USA legend Alex Morgan says she has "done her part" in "helping to gain respect for the women's game" following her retirement from football.

If there was any footballer that embodied US Soccer and its power status in women's football - it would be Alex Morgan.