Whitecaps win streak ends, Leon kicked out of CWC and Mexico takes the Nations League
Kick your Monday off with all the news from this past weekend
Good morning!
With Europe’s top leagues on international break, the focus this weekend was on national teams.
The CONCACAF Nations League turned out to be a big disappointment for the United States following a 1-0 defeat to Panama in the semifinals. In Sunday’s third-place match, the USMNT lost 2-1 to Canada, putting the team at a crossroads ahead of next year’s World Cup.
Over in MLS, the Vancouver Whitecaps are no longer perfect, while Mexican side Leon were kicked out of this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
Here’s a look at the major storylines from this past weekend:
MLS: Trio helps Chicago beat Whitecaps 3-1
Hugo Cuypers scored in the first minute, Philip Zinckernagel had an assist and his first MLS goal and Rominigue Kouame added a third in his debut as the Chicago Fire handed the Vancouver Whitecaps their first defeat of the season with a 3-1 victory at BC Place on Saturday night.
For Chicago. it marked the first time since 2009 that they had won three straight road games.
Cuypers scored 53 seconds into the game to put the Fire ahead for five goals this season. Vancouver hadn’t allowed a goal in 231 minutes until Cuypers’ strike.
Daniel Ríos pulled the Whitecaps even in the 14th minute with his first goal in his first start and fourth appearance this season.
For all the MLS results from this past weekend, click here.
CWC: FIFA boots Mexican club Leon
Mexican team Leon was kicked out of the Club World Cup on Friday after FIFA’s appeals committee upheld a decision that it violated a rule that forbids multi-club ownership.
Leon and fellow Mexican club Pachuca both qualified for this summer’s Club World Cup in the United States but have the same owner, Grupo Pachuca.
“After having evaluated all evidence on file, the chairman of the FIFA appeal committee has decided that CF Pachuca and Club León failed to meet the criteria on multi-club ownership,” FIFA said in a statement.
Leon’s replacement has yet to be named.
During their appeal, Grupo Pachuca argued that the clubs operated independently. It also promised to sell Leon, but has not yet done so.
CNL: Mexico beats Panama 2-1 to lift another trophy in Los Angeles
Raul Jimenez scored his second goal on a penalty kick in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, lifting Mexico to a 2-1 victory against Panama 2-1 to win the CONCACAF Nations League tournament for the first time.
Jimenez, the 33-year-old Fulham striker, dominated the week at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles with all four of Mexico’s goals in El Tri’s two games.
The tournament was the latest chapter in Jimenez’s remarkable comeback story. Jimenez suffered a serious head injury while playing for Wolves in November 2020. After fracturing his skull in a collision, he survived a life-threatening brain bleed and returned to competition nine months later.
“It’s fantastic to come back after what I’ve been through,” Jimenez said. “I’m really happy. This is just a great example that you never have to lose faith, and continue. You know what you’re capable to do.”
Despite Panama’s dominance for long stretches of the game, Mexico stepped up to claim another trophy in the same stadium where it won the 2023 Gold Cup, once again before a large pro-Mexico crowd.
In other news: Juventus fired manager Thiago Motta on Sunday and appointed their former player Igor Tudor, following two straight heavy defeats in a disappointing season, with the club fifth in the league standings. Motta had been hired last June on a three-year contract after impressing last season when he led Bologna to Champions League qualification. … Erling Haaland helped Norway make a positive start to its World Cup qualifying campaign by scoring the team’s second goal in a 5-0 rout at Moldova on Saturday. Norway’s third and last World Cup appearance was back in 1998, two years before Haaland was born. … The UEFA Nations League final four is all set. France, Germany, Portugal and Spain qualified after winning their two-legged quarterfinal ties. Germany will play Portugal on June 4, followed the next day by Spain taking on France. The final will be played on June 8 in Munich.