SoccerWise - Weekend Recap USMNT/CANMNT, MTL Fire Laurent Courtois, Gotham Sign Geyse & More

Episode Date: March 24, 2025

Phew a wild weekend of soccer is in the books. David takes you through all the headlines including a bunch of breaking news across MLS & NWSL early on Monday morning.  1:25 CONCACAF Nations League Recap9:10 MTL Fire Laurent Courtois13:20 Highlights From The MLS Weekend18:50 NWSL Weekend Recap +Geyse Signing & Mark Kikorian Stepping Down Soccerwise Live 2pm ET Every Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday on Youtube/Twitch/Twitter

Hey everybody, welcome back to Soccer Wise. David Goss with you for your weekend recap. Tommy Scoops, Jordan Angeley will be back with me all week this week as we'll have your coverage of all things national teams, leagues, some big news dropping early on this Monday. I've had to come back and pre-re-record this because of all the news that has dropped across MLS and NWSL. So we'll have your coverage, of course, all week on all fronts there. Live back on Tuesday afternoon on YouTube with Tommy Scoops. Jordan back on Wednesday, Tom back on Thursday, and then we will work on some interviews as well for

this week. If you haven't listened yet listened yet go back last week we did a special episode about USL's announcement around promotion and relegation we had Jose Bautista the owner of Las Vegas Lights of course former MLB legend himself come on and talk about it and it was really interesting conversation he came on we had the president of Phoenix Rising we had Simon Evans as well, a journalist who covers all things business in soccer to talk about all of the different ways that this could work, all the different factors around this as well as the vote. So I highly recommend going back and listening to that episode. Now, if you wanted to, could also

listen to our episode on Friday where myself and Tom basically had the USMNT conversation that everyone is having once again right now coming off the weekend. Let's start with Cockicaf Nations League. If you don't know, you've been living under a rock. The United States men's national team fell for the second straight game in competitive competition in this first tournament under Mariso Pochettino losing this time to Canada at SoFi Stadium once again this time a 2-1 loss the winner falling for Jonathan David an unreal goal for Jonathan David one of the best if not the best players in CONCACAF right now and for the USMNT reaction for what's gone wrong,

what do you need to see, all of that, it's the conversation that me and Tom had on Friday, as I said. It's right now that feeling of a lack of bravery or will or desire, anything to really change the game. You saw some changes in the lineup for this match, for this USMNT squad, Diego Luna inserted into the lineup, Patrick Ajamai, Max Arfsten,

change at both center back positions as well. And you saw some differences. I think most people walked away from it feeling like Diego Luna and Patrick Ajamai had a little bit of grit to their game, especially Diego Luna, the way he throws his body around the way he has press moments and then counter press moments and second and third and fourth. There is a lot of effort in the way he

plays and right now there doesn't feel to be a ton of that across the USMNT. It's all the things we discussed. Nothing felt different about this game. It felt for pretty much the entire time, a team going through the motions and what we thought would be a get right game against the big opponent and an opponent that has sort of put you in their crosshairs and has talked about how they want to beat you and how they want to come after you and full credit and congratulations to the Canadian men's national team. It is a big win for them, even though it was not the tournament they wanted.

This is a national team program that hasn't lifted a trophy since 2000 when they won the gold cup. They wanted to lift a trophy here, but to bounce back from the loss against Mexico with a victory over the US. And again, it is in the US, so it is a road game as sparse as the crowd may be.

And the fact that it is technically a neutral site. None of that is true. So for Canada to bounce back, they show their depth a little bit with some rotation in their starting lineup and unfortunately the need to cover for an injured Alfonso Davies as he came off in the 11th minute with an ankle injury. All we heard post game was Mauro Bielo saying that they are still assessing him and that he was feeling a little bit of a knock from the Mexico game already and was forced to come out after the collision with Augemange but they

brought in Nico Seeger there they were able to swap Alistair Johnson Matthew Schwannier enter the starting lineup Tani Oluwase enters the starting lineup he gets his first goal for the Canadian national team So again, you're showing the depth of this program and this squad the ability to elevate in big moments the ability to challenge opponents of different styles and Still be able to find your game and I think just a lot of gamers right now for this Canada team Jesse Marsh, of course Ejected from this, yelling for a penalty kick

that was not a penalty kick, running out on the field. And so he got ejected for leaving, got the red card for leaving his penalty box. Then scenes as the cameraman followed him in the loop around SoFi Stadium. Often when you go to these NFL stadiums, the locker rooms are really far away from the tunnels. You enter and exit.

Part of that is because your secondary tenants, part of that's because there was four teams playing yesterday at SoFi. So you have to spread the four teams across all of the different locker rooms. So that's why you don't just walk straight out and have your locker room there. It would be my assumption. I've never been to SoFi, but I've been to facilities like this. So then Jesse's running around looking for a TV ends up in the box with his boss, Kevin Blue, who's had an unbelievable 12 to 14 months. He hired Casey Stoney to be the women's national team coach after the disaster that was. Drone Gate, which feels like a no brainer, hires Jesse Marsh.

Jesse Marsh gets them into a third place game at Copa America, gets them the victory here over the United States. So it has been a huge turnaround for this Canadian national team program. And this was what they wanted coming out of this window, not the trophy, but a bump, a moment to sort of continue to push this program forward, continue to put your program across a lot of eyes. Everyone's waking up in Canada today talking about the fact that the Canadian men's national team knocked off the US in this political environment in the fact that you are co-hosting a World Cup and what you know

Meaningful games you have to sort of show yourself off. This is one of the few and so for Canada This was a very big Match a good week for them as well and that they added some opponents coming up in the fall that they will be hosting Ivory Coast, Wales in there so a couple different styles of soccer some good programs that are all going to come play in Toronto as well. In the end the trophy was lifted by Mexico so Mexico sort of gets themselves back on track a little bit. Are they the giants of CONCACAF again? I don't think so. I think right now that's a tough competition because I don't think there is one. It's just a lot of people who are small right now

in the federation trying to get, or in the CONCACAF federation trying to get themselves right, but for Mexico, this is the best Raul Jimenez has looked since the head injury years ago. It's good to see him back at that level. He was supposed to be the next guy. And so for a program, yes, they sat around and kind of waited for him to get back. They never found ways to replicate what he did or change the system or progress the team

without him. But now he's back. Santi Jimenez is playing super high level soccer as well. Javier Aguirre found ways to get them both in the team for these two games And so you get a really early start against Canada as well here against Panama Maybe a little bit fortunate on the handball laid on to get the winner But it is a Mexico team that looks more cohesive more energetic more confident over this week than they have looked in years going back through 2022 World Cup qualifying. So that will be really positive for the Mexican Federation coming out of this

Nations League. And just, I don't know what you can say about Panama. I thought that they dominated the game against Mexico two years ago in the Gold Cup final at SoFi, not able to get over the hump. They give them an 88th minute goal in a stadium in which they're completely against the crowd and they lose. Now two years later it's almost the exact same thing. I thought they were the better team for most of this game, not as dominant but still very very good. They're very dangerous. So often you see the ability to hold possession under pressure to alleviate pressure and then start to move into the attack for a team that sits in their block and defends most of their

game. Most of the game. Thomas Christiansen, I said it last week, he was on our list when we talked about potential candidates for the US men's national team because of the success he's had in CONCACAF and what he's done. And he will continue, I think, to get discussed for bigger jobs going forward. But this is a Panama team that should be expecting to go to a World Cup and this is a Panama team that if they can make It they will be in their best spot in their history going into a World Cup. However, the groups end up looking

I'm still not totally sure what this ends up looking like but is a Panama team that can compete on the field with most other Opponents and that should be really really exciting for them but heartbreak once again in a final here in CONCACAF for this generation of players. Let's move into club action. Let's start in Major League Soccer, where surprisingly a coach has been let go. Laurent Courtois, head coach of CF Montreal up until this morning, has been fired by the club. They are winless so far this season, but of course CF Montreal do not have a winter ice stadium.

They do not have an indoor facility and so they start their season on the road for the opening six or seven games. They lost three zero to Nashville this week. They have not scored a goal in the last four games. One zero loss at Minnesota, two-zero loss at Vancouver, a nil-nil draw at DC United last week, and then the loss here to Nashville. So they still have two more road games

in Chicago and Columbus before they finally make their home debut against Charlotte on April 12th. They will not do so under Laurent Courtois, who ends up coaching the team for about a year and a half and continues what is a unfortunate churn for this club. They've had 10 head coaches since the 2012 inaugural season. None has lasted more than 100 regular season matches. Just four have gotten through 50 matches. Courto, I think finishes as the fifth all time in games played under him as a head coach.

Jesse Marsh was the original coach of this team. He quit after a year. The debacle that was hiring of Hernan Losada, Wilfred Nance pushing his way out after a coach of the year performance because he was unhappy with the relationship with ownership and the way ownership handled the team, he got himself to Columbus and won an MLS Cup in Columbus.

So this has been a chaotic situation for a long time. Is Laurent Quartier the best manager in the world? Probably not, although he did finish first in Paul Tenorio and Felipe Cardenas' anonymous GM survey for the athletic of other GM's perceptions of who the most underrated coach is. I think part of that becomes the phrase underrated, right? Who doesn't get talked about.

Also, those were three votes total, so it's not like it was an avalanche of people in support of him, but he won MLS Next Pro. He has worked in Columbus, then coming up into Montreal. He has some good soccer ideas. They have not looked fantastic. I think the problem with Montreal is, what are you leading towards?

You have not invested in the squad heavily. You do not have a ton of stability in the squad from a playing point of view. If you do not create stability and advantages through the coaching, then you are constantly going to sit in the same spot in the bottom of the team. Coaching matters. Jesper Sorensen has shown that coaching matters, right?

Bradley Carnell has shown that coaching matters in Major League Soccer. But the talent is and the stability of a club is going to be what is over that. And right now Montreal has none of that and so I don't think there's a next coach who fixes everything I don't think there's an ex coach who comes in and waves a magic wand and if they do then you're talking about Wilfred Nansen and they because it has been shown with the track record are not going to remain in Montreal in the conditions that the club is operated in because of the way ownership

functions and interacts with players as well as because of the funding and so I don't know where you go forward from here your assumption is that they will either go with someone who's Montreal local and Montreal connected because they have a connection to the club have a passion for it it's worked in the past although Mauro Bielo right now is standing as the technically the coach on the sideline in the third place match for Canada because he is Jesse Marce's head assistant after Jesse got the red card. So he's probably not looking for an opportunity to leave a national team going into a World Cup hosting. There are other people around Montreal that you could tap into whether it's former players

or other soccer entities in the city, but I Don't really know what works right now for this club because that's what they did once again with Wilfred Nance It worked pretty well and that he was out the door on the weekend in Major League Soccer Some blowouts in the early games Charlotte just running all over San Jose. If you listen to the Friday show, you know, there were over 100 players out because of international duty. Clubs that had nine players of consequence out,

clubs that have five, six starters out. So not a ton to take from this MLS weekend, but it was still fun to watch. Some of the high scoring affairs, Charlotte that 4-1 win over San Jose, as I said, Charlotte missing some pieces. Of course, Patrick Augemange the biggest one, but not as many maybe as San Jose, although two of the teams are not as heavily affected in this one. And then Orlando running rampant over DC United. Luis Muriel having a Gauss theorem season so shout out to him for keeping the name alive. Martino

Heda continuing to be fantastic for this Orlando side. Some 2-2 games to start the day in the standalone window. Cincinnati, Atlanta playing to a 2-2 draw. One game that was hit very heavily by international appearances and players not there. And then Minnesota LA Galaxy, an absurd finish. Minnesota scoring in stoppage time and then the Galaxy equalizing in the dying moments. Emilio Garces coming off the bench and scoring that equalizer. I thought Minnesota showed their depth in this game both because they had to fill in for some international absences, but then the ability to bring game changers off the bench really impressed me for Eric

Ramsey's side in that one. I mentioned Nashville, the 3-0 win for them. Philadelphia, very underhanded, a dominant performance at home against St. Louis. So they break St. Louis' shutout streak to start a year. Philadelphia gets another victory in what is a really good start for them this year. Portland a 3-0 win at Colorado. A Colorado team that was completely out of sorts, especially on the back line. Josh Atentio an unfortunate own goal, but that just shattered Colorado for some reason at home.

Dallas going on the road to RSL and getting a win. RSL picked up an early red card to Pioli, which I thought was a bad call. And then it went to VAR and it still stood, which confuses me. Then Dallas got a penalty kick. Cabrera ends up making a save on it. So it stays zero, zero.

And Lucha Acosta pops up at the end of the first half with a header on the far post for the lone goal to give them the 1-0 lead and the big result at the end of the night Chicago 3-1 win at Vancouver so the last perfect team falls Vancouver we talked about on Friday missing four starters from their team because of international call-ups Ali Ahmed getting the start Andre Kubas down in Paraguay And of course Brian White ending up getting the start for or excuse me getting the appearance for the USMNT at the end Of this game. I thought Vancouver looked good in general. I thought they still played the soccer

They wanted to play they gave up a goal in the opening 30 seconds basically to Hugo to Hugo Kipers goal in the opening 30 seconds basically to Hugo to Hugo Kipers really well set up for Chicago to get to the end line get it across the six maybe some mental mistakes there. Udvik getting the start at center back as well for this Vancouver team then they sort of put the pressure on Daniel Rios a gorgeous goal to equalize it looked like Vancouver was going to push and get themselves the next goal and go ahead to one. They played the same soccer they have played throughout, which is a credit to them. And then Zinkernagel able to take the ball off Ralph Prieso's foot in his own box where he sort of was just lackadaisical about clearing the ball,

roofs the shot, puts them up to one. And then Kuwame in his debut for the Chicago fire gets the third goal in the dying moments on the break in transition to make it three one big credit to Sam Williams has stepped in a homegrown that was acquired from the New York Red Bulls for his homegrown rights has stepped into the team a couple times already to start the year still just a teenager showing it really really well for this Chicago team in this game.

He was one of a number of young players who got opportunities across the league here this weekend. And while it's not ideal in the way to do it, it is nice to see some of these young players. Liam McKenzie, another one for the Vancouver Whitecaps who made his MLS debut as just an 18-year-old out of their academy. And I think there were some really good performances for some young players. One of the biggest one Owen Wolf. He is not an unknown, he's not a teenager anymore. I love his game. I think he took a ton of

heat because of his connection with of course his father who was the head coach over the last two years as if there was any nepotism around an 18 and 19 year old who was capable of doing the things he can do on the soccer field. He was able to set up the game-winning goal goal for Austin taking a free kick quickly while all of San Diego was asleep. It put John Gallagher through for the second goal after Brandon Vasquez scored his first goal for Austin and San Diego played really well in this game. Very depleted squad for them because of injuries.

Austin though was able to exploit them over the top. They were able to take advantage of the high line for San Diego, not a ton of pressure on the ball, multiple moments. And Austin somehow were not able to score a goal time after time after time. And they were put through in transition. Unbelievable that this game only ended 2-1. Luca Delatore, his first goal of his San Diego career. Let's go to NWSL side of things. There were some big games we were looking forward to with our preview. Last week it was the four semi-finalists from last year,

all facing off against each other, just in the opposite matchup. So we had the last two reigning champions in Gotham hosting Orlando. And then we had Kansas City going on the road to play at Washington. The Kansas City Washington game on Saturday night. Kansas City gets the victory penalty kick for Lola Bonta to open up the scoring. Washington really hampered by injuries right now and their attack is really suffering because of it. Overall, I think you saw for Washington,

the ability to spread the field wide and play through pressure. They started three centerbacks in this game with Esme Morgan alongside Bernal, as well as Tara McKeown. So a change in formation with all the pieces missing. The big one now added to the pieces missing this week was Hal Hirschfeld. So the change in formation with all the pieces missing. The big one now added to the pieces missing this week was Hal Hirschfeld.

So the change in central midfield and the adding of the third center back against a very dangerous Kansas City attack made sense, but they still lacking that final bite in the attack. Trinity Rodman a few more minutes off the bench. Croix Bethune was taken off the season ending injury list this week, so she is active now, which is huge news, but we still don't know how long she'll be out.

Ule Saar out, now Hal Hirschfeld added to that. So Washington continuing to struggle. And Kansas City, I think they showed their composure. They showed the steps they've taken defensively to be clean. Lorena has shown to be a difference maker in goal for them early on. And then Temwa Schoeninga gets the late tap in,

counter pressing. Showinga is unbelievable in games where Kansas City is leading because when you throw numbers forward, she can press us two players up top and finish off so many opportunities. It feels like she has no end to the amount of energy she has on the field.

So a huge win for Kansas City. I said a year ago, less than a year ago, this game to me was a bellwether for their season. They came out of the summer break, they went to Washington, they got completely ripped apart with their inability to close down and pressure Washington. Washington beat them 4-1 and then that was the way Kansas City played for about a month or so after that

to fall out of the shield race and all the way back down to the bottom into fourth place, which meant they had to go on the road in the postseason and ended up losing to Orlando. So I think this was a really big sign for them, even with the injuries to Washington to be able to show the steps they've taken over the last few months for Washington, some huge news dropping here

on this Monday afternoon. The president of soccer operations, Mark Krikorian, stepping down. His contract had run out, it turns out, in the end of February. He stayed on through the full off season for the club, and as he said specifically, to respect Michelle Kang. And now he is stepping away.

There is a sporting director and assistant GM that were working under him who will operate in the interim, but this is huge. Mark Krokorin, of course, formerly of Florida State University, one of the biggest programs in college soccer, helped take this Washington team that didn't qualify for the postseason two years ago, turned them into a finalist last year,

and of course, the core of that was the five rookies last year that he went out and got in the draft. His knowledge of the college game, massive for helping this team turn things back around. Now, of course, with Yonatan Giralde's in place, you look at this off season, you look at the last sort of nine months, Espe Morgan, Rebecca Bernal, Rose Kuasi,

they've moved much more international, which makes sense because of Michelle Kang's spending profile, because of the global aspirations that she has, as well as Yonatan Harald as his background. And so maybe it is the right time for Mark Krakorian to sort of be finished with this project and who knows if there's a next one for him, or maybe he wants to ride off into the sun

and sort of be done after all he's accomplished in the sport and in the game. But he clearly has his finger on the post still for this sport. He did incredibly well with this Washington team. I would be surprised if a number of other teams aren't banging down his door. I'd be surprised if national team programs around the world and in the United States Aren't checking in with him to see what his interests are what he wants to do if he still wants to be behind the scenes and no Longer a coach maybe a college program as well as what interests him to go back to the college scene But he has been a massive force multiplier for this Washington club

And it is just then a moment of unknown here for Washington as they move forward they're one of the strongest clubs top to bottom I mean to have an assistant GM and a sporting director already in place shows you how deep and how well funded this club is and they should be able to maintain the performances at a minimum this year because of the roster that they have. In the other semifinal matchup, Orlando picks up an own goal from the rookie, Lily Rial for Gotham in the opening 90 seconds at Sports Illustrated Stadium, formerly Red Bull Arena, to go up 1-0 and then a penalty kick, well

earned penalty kick in the dying minutes of the first half that Marta put away to make it 2-0 and Orlando able to take down Gotham in this one. Gotham right now struggling to create chances in the attack and there's no worse matchup then than to go up against this Orlando backline. Emily Sams has slotted in that right back this year and has not missed a beat in her ability to still dominate her 1v1 matchups. Now she's out wide, isolated more, playing against and Ella Stevens, one of the best dribblers in the league, a place that most centerbacks are scared to be and she is dominant

in that spot. Hafa Ela has stepped in and she has started immediately where she left off before the injury last year as one of the best centerbacks in the league. The midfield is so solid and strong right now built around Gautra and what Angelino is giving them on the left wing. Ali Watt continues to stretch the field. So another good day for Orlando. Gotham struggling to create chances. I think one of the things you look at with them is with Porcio in who's really technical and really clean, but losing the Lin Biendola's of the world from last year, losing the Crystal Duns of the world from last year, um, losing a number of their attacking pieces. Yes, me, right. There is not right now. It feels like a game breaker and it doesn't feel like they had the ability to

stretch the field and open things up. And so it feels like opponents can condense out on them because Esther really isn't an open field runner who's gonna break out over the top and stretch your shape. That doesn't seem like Porchio's game. You don't have Rose Lavelle in there who could do that out of midfield. And that is a big part of her game,

but she's injured right now. But there might be a little bit of help on the way. Brazilian international attacker, Jessa, from Manchester United has been officially brought in on loan today to Gotham for the end of this season with an option to make it permanent after this. She has been in a really tough spot right now with Manchester United, had gone back to Brazil on bereavement because of the passing of her brother. It felt like Manu was trying to move her

while she was gone without her permission. Over the last two months, she has talked about openly how it's hard to be in a place where you feel isolated and you're unhappy. And so she needs a fresh start. Gotham needs a little bit more of a different style in the attack. This is a player who likes to take players 1v1, who is a big finisher if you get her in the box, but also can get out into the

open field and stretch the game. And I think this is the perfect setup because she comes into a team that does have a set starting lineup. So it's not all on her shoulders where if she went maybe to a Chicago or Portland, they would insert her at center forward and a lot of the attack would fall on her immediately. She can sort of get her feet right once again and settle into this team and for Gotham they add this extra element and they add a little bit of depth to their squad. So big news dropping in the NWSL world on this Monday. We'll of course have all your coverage on Wednesday alongside Jordan Angeley. The other big notes from the weekend San Diego wins a wild game against Utah at home in their home debut. They went up 2-0. All of a sudden it's 2-2. They

end up finishing it off with a 3-2 win. Gia Corley, the American-born German raised attacker who had the goal in their first game against Angel City, does it once again. A goal and assist in this one. Adriana Leone gets her first start. The Canadian goal and assist in this one. Adriana Lyon gets the first start. The Canadian international coming over in this offseason at center forward and Cascarino and Maria Sanchez continue to be huge factors for the San Diego team. They're must watch right now because they're fun and they're a little bit chaotic and it's as a neutral. It's what you want to see. A massive victory for Seattle, their second ever win as a club at North Carolina.

It ended up being a Jordan Bug Screamer for the victory. Congrats to Jess Fishlock, 200th career goal for Fishlock. And then the teenager Bug with a 32.7 yard shot from distance to make it 2-0 in the start of the second half. It's the furthest goal for a teenager in NWSL history. It made it 2-0 and North Carolina, who were dominant at home last year, lose in their

home opener. It's early warning signs right now for North Carolina. I don't love a lot of what I'm seeing, especially when you look at the passing maps and the charts for this team, it shows you what the eye test says, which is everything is on the right side because Ashley Sanchez is starting out there.

She's ball dominant. Aline playing on the left side likes to come inside and sort of become a second forward, but it makes them predictable. It makes it easier for opponents to figure out where and when to pressure and where to trap them in. And right now, nothing is going north south. No one is turning and taking their player on the half turn when they get teams stretched

wide. No one is making penetrating passes and runs into the box to get in goal scoring areas. Everything is around the outside of the box. And so it's not goal dangerous for this North Carolina team. And it's not what I expected bringing Jayden Shaw into the squad. I thought she would help add that North South play. I thought her threat as well would open up the game for the other pieces in the attack. Uh,

and right now they're trying to figure out the combination of her playing as a 10 and as a nine and swapping in and out there and trying to change things up in the attack Final big result from the weekend bay two more bangers of goals But especially the rookie limas goal on the run late in the first half a 50 60 yard run in possession Lima puts her head down and just bangs one into the top right corner from outside the box to make it 2-0 against Louisville. Scary moments in this game as Savannah DiMillo off the ball, unassociated to the game, went down, had to be stretchered off. We haven't gotten official confirmation of anything for her, but she was smiling and waved as she went off the field.

So fingers crossed hoping for the best for her. But for Bay, their rookies continue to perform Huff had another good game Lima gets the goal and right now It feels like they are stepping into the few holes that this Bay team had Silkewitz another strong game in goal and it feels like this is the Bay team that we thought we'd see Ready to progress from the way they finished last year. So a big weekend of soccer of course across North America and that's what we're here for at Soccer Rise. We will have all of your coverage all week live 3 p.m eastern time on YouTube as well. If you want to join us, jump into the comments, interact with us. If not, subscribe to our Patreon. It gets you access to

our Discord and our depth charts. You can get into the discord and chat about all these teams all these games as well throw questions at us whatever is you want to do that's what we're here for so thank you all for listening and we'll talk to you again very very soon