One of soccer’s greatest goalkeepers, Gordon Banks, passed peacefully in his sleep last night at the age of 81. Banks was a World Cup winner with England in 1966 and part of the original NASL revolution in the 1970s. Banks was the goalkeeper for the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers in their infancy playing on the NASL roster alongside a whole load of greats including Gerd Müller, Teófilo Cubillas, Elías Figueroa and George Best.
While it may not be El Clasico in 2018, Miami is rumored to host some major friendlies in the summer at Hard Rock Stadium. In a leaked set of games from the International Champions Cup 2018 schedule, it seems that Miami will be hosting two men’s matches in addition to the two women’s matches announced earlier in the month.
A short roundup of coverage about Miami soccer:
–MiamiHerald.com: Soccer fever is shaking up Peru as they set eyes on the World Cup
Andre Carrillo, with his hair dyed gray, booted in a first-half strike, and Edison Flores used his left foot to knock in a rebound in the second 45, much to the delight of the crowd of 46,893, which was dominated by red-and-white clad Peru fans.
Walter Villa of the Miami Herald writes a recap of Friday’s Peru-Croatia victory, where Los Incas dominated in front of a very pro-Peru crowd. But he also goes into greater detail about what Peru’s participation in the 2018 FIFA World Cup means to the fans.
A short roundup of coverage about Miami soccer:
–The11.ca: Trafford has become a key piece for the Miami FC juggernaut
And, in the midst of it all is Canadian Mason Trafford, who has been a regular starter with Miami FC since the team acquired him from the Ottawa Fury after the 2015 season. Trafford is a linchpin for the second-year franchise.
Steven Sandor, who is a color commentator for FC Edmonton and a writer at The11.ca, gives us a look at Mason Trafford, with a particular focus on his desire to play for the Canada men’s national soccer team.
A short roundup of coverage about Miami soccer in the news:
–THECUP.US: 2017 US Open Cup Round 4: Stefano Pinho’s hat trick earns TheCup.us Player of the Round
Pinho scored a hat trick in a 3-0 road upset of Orlando City SC (MLS) to become just the third Brazilian to win the award. The Player of the Round honor is voted on by the staff of TheCup.us and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters.
Neil W. Blackmon takes what could have been a press-release-style story and turns it into a really interesting look at Stéfano Pinho and his adjustment to change, specifically moving to a new part of the world and adapting to fatherhood.