Two women’s soccer programs, seeking to find their footing after years of misfiring, meet on at Cobb Stadium on Sunday night, as the Miami Hurricanes and FIU Panthers face off in a crosstown derby.
In a tectonic shift for the world of international soccer, LaLiga announced Thursday morning that it intends to bring league matches to North America as part of “LaLiga North America,” a partnership between the league and the Miami-based Relevant Sports. While no announcements of specific cities has been made, it’s virtually a certainty that Miami will host some of these games.
After being postponed from its originally scheduled date at Broward College South Campus in Pembroke Pines on Sunday, the American Premier Soccer League semifinal match between FC Kendall and Red Force FC will be played at Tropical Park tonight at 8:30 p.m.
Hard Rock Stadium announced Monday that the Perú and Chile national football teams will face off in Miami Gardens on Oct. 12.
Fútbol Miami MLS confirmed through its Twitter account Wednesday morning that Paul McDonough, formerly of Atlanta United, will be joining the team as Sporting Director.
“Paul shares our dream for making Miami the League’s Global Team,” co-owner Jorge Mas said through the team’s Twitter account. “And is uniquely positioned to recruit and develop the talent on and off the field to make this a reality.”
“Paul played a critical role in the building of our club and we are very appreciative of his hard work and dedication in making Atlanta United a success,” Atlanta United president Darren Eales said in a statement released by the club. “We wish him and his family all the best moving forward.”
Response
Reaction to the hire was generally positive.
Paul McDonough was an instrumental piece in Atlanta United’s success. He now joins David Beckham’s Miami MLS team as sporting director https://t.co/suFnPJcbP2 pic.twitter.com/mS0HStjynI
— Planet Fútbol (@si_soccer) August 2, 2018
Soccer in Miami just scored big! Congrats to friend and new Sporting Director Paul McDonough…and welcome to my town!#MLSMiami @futbolmiamimls #MLS
— Gabriel Gabor (@MLSGabor) August 2, 2018
Paul McDonough loves him some expansion action. Good luck to the former Orlando City man (but it’s Miami, so not TOO good of luck). https://t.co/DCM9sBl2Cy
— The Mane Land (@TheManeLand) August 2, 2018
In a game in which both managers balanced youth and experience, Manchester United earned its first win of the preseason, beating Real Madrid 2-1.
Roberto Sacca, general manager of Miami United FC, categorically denied any connection to the US Premiership, a new club league launched on Monday.
Contrary to some circulated reports on Twitter on Tuesday, Sacca stated the club has no intention to have any affiliation with the league, either involving its senior team or a reserve team.
“No truth,” Sacca told Magic City Soccer on Tuesday night. “We don’t have anything to do with that.”
The Palm Beach-based Premiership has acquired the Texas Premier Soccer League.
Real Madrid will start its United States tour in Miami on Tuesday night, while Manchester United will be wrapping it up. Real Madrid and Manchester United, literally heading in different directions, will meet at Hard Rock Stadium on Tuesday night.
The North Carolina Courage won the first International Champions Cup Women’s Tournament match Thursday night, defeating Paris Saint-Germain Féminines 2-1 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
Fans of Bayern Munich in Miami-Dade County have a lot to be excited about this week. Die Roten are playing at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday night, facing off against Manchester City. But for some of the Bavarian faithful in the Magic City, it’s a long-awaited return appearance.
While the Cityzens have never played in Miami, Bayern Munich has. In 1991, as part of the Miami Cup, Bayern played two matches. On Feb. 1, Bayern and the Colombian National Team (club vs. country friendlies were much more common at the time than they are now) squared off at the Miami Orange Bowl. In a tense matchup, the teams drew 0-0.
Bayern spanks the Yanks
In the team’s second match of the Cup, also at the Orange Bowl, they easily dispatched the U.S. Men’s National Team. The Americans, fresh off their appearance in the 1990 World Cup, fell 4-0.
“The Untied States — basically a collegiate all-star team — played on the of the world’s finest club teams. Bayern Munich has six players from the West German World Cup championship team,” Steve Wyche wrote in the Miami Herald after the game.
“We’re not technically as sophisticated as they are or as tightly knit as a team,” U.S. coach Bob Gansler said after the game. “Those guys have been playing forever; this is just our second game this year.”
Roland Wohlfarth scored twice in 13 minutes before halftime (25′, 38′) to seal the game, but Manfred Schwabl (39′) and Roland Grahammer (76′) also got in on the action.
The Miami Cup would never be held again at the Orange Bowl, replaced by a Joe Robbie Cup in 1994 at then-Joe Robbie Stadium. That tournament would run through intermittently through 2001, never again attracting a European club the size of Bayern Munich. It took more than 25 years for another Miami-based tournament, the International Champions Cup, to bring the club back.