Brotherly Game Daily Links: Union resume rivalry with Red Bulls

Philadelphia Union News

Pressing Points | Jersey Bound for Thursday Night Clash
Philadelphia Union aim to bounce back from Saturday’s 1-0 loss away to Nashville SC when they visit the New York Red Bulls on Thursday night. Union Head Coach Jim Curtin spoke to the media to preview the rivalry match. 

Know Your Enemy | Rivalry renews on Thursday night
The Red Bulls have won six of their last seven home matches including the last four in a row. New York has scored in its last 10 matches at Red Bull Arena after going three in a row without finding the net at home in September 2020.

Sergio Santos needs to step up for the Union while Cory Burke is with Jamaica at the Gold Cup
Santos has scored just one goal in 700 minutes across 15 games this year, and hasn’t played a full 90 minutes since March 1 of last year.

MLS News

MLS Scoreboard: Sounders beat Dynamo, stay unbeaten, LAFC tops Austin FC, and more
Wednesday’s busy MLS schedule also featured Toronto FC winning its first match since the firing of former head coach Chris Armas, while the Chicago Fire made it two wins in a row with an impressive victory against Orlando City.

Nashville SC signing forward CF Monterrey’s Aké Loba for club-record $6.8 million
Since arriving in Mexico’s Liga MX in 2019 from San Martín in Peru, Loba has scored 18 goals – 11 on loan with Querétaro F.C. in 2019 and seven with Monterrey. He notably scored in a CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal against Columbus Crew in April.

Inter Miami, looking for offensive spark, signs Aston Villa’s Indiana Vassilev on loan
Vassilev, son of Bulgarian immigrants and named after the movie character Indiana Jones, grew up in Savannah, Georgia, and trained at the IMG Academy in Bradenton before signing with Aston Villa’s youth teams in 2018. He played for their U18 and U23 teams, scoring 11 goals and six assists in 54 matches.

Charlotte FC has hired its first head coach. Here’s what you should know about him
Ramírez was formerly a manager at Independiente del Valle, a club in Ecuador’s top Serie A league. He helped guide the team to its first international championship in 2019 by winning the Copa Sudamericana, which is South America’s second-tier soccer tournament.

Concacaf News

2021 Leagues Cup schedule and Liga MX participants announced
Major League Soccer and LIGA MX announced Wednesday the participants and schedule for the 2021 Leagues Cup, the annual single-elimination tournament that will again feature clubs from MLS and Mexico’s top-flight leagues, building on the rivalry between both leagues.

USMNT to face Haiti in Gold Cup opener
The group stage in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup is set, with Haiti joining the U.S. men’s national team in Group B after an emphatic win in Gold Cup qualifying on Tuesday. Trinidad & Tobago also narrowly won to qualify for the group stage.

Rest of the World News

England beat Denmark with Harry Kane extra-time goal to reach Euro final
In the first period of extra time, Kane knocked in the rebound after Denmark’s Kasper Schmeichel had saved his initial spot-kick attempt to give England the lead and earn them a berth in the Euro final on Sunday.