Lodeiro, Antuna among MLS players shining at international tournaments

• Lodeiro, Antuna among MLS players shining at international competitions
• FC Dallas defender Reggie Cannon steps into crucial role with U.S. MNT
• Galaxy’s Antuna, Impact’s Piette square off in Mexico-Canada Gold Cup clash
• Week 16 Notes

Top Things to Know about MLS This Week
MLS returns from Gold Cup break:
MLS action resumes this weekend with six games, including the New England Revolution’s chance to sneak closer to the playoff line against Eastern Conference leaders the Philadelphia Union.
MLS prominent in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16:
MLS clubs will go head-to-head in six of eight U.S. Open Cup matchups this week. All games are available on ESPN+. The schedule is available
here
.
Rapids could be rising:
 Going 11 games without a win to start the season, the Colorado Rapids are one spot out of the Western Conference cellar, but they’re gaining momentum after snapping an eight-game losing streak with four wins and a tie over their past five games.
ICYMI, expansion club Austin FC already breaking records:
The 2021 expansion club
announced more than 30,000 season ticket membership deposits sold
last Wednesday for the largest number of deposits secured in a single day in MLS history.
Injury replacement Antuna nets Gold Cup hat trick:
A late add to Mexico’s Gold Cup roster, the LA Galaxy’s 21-year-old Uriel Antuna scored his first international goal to kickstart El Tri’s 7-0 routing of Cuba with his hat trick last Saturday.
Sounders FC teammates square off in Gold Cup:
Seattle’s Roman Torres of Panama and Joevin Jones of Trinidad & Tobago will meet on opposing sides in a Gold Cup Group D matchup this Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1).
Lodeiro, Antuna among MLS players shining at international tournaments
Players across MLS are shining for teams in the top domestic tournaments of the summer as a record number of the league’s stars are competing in the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup and 2019 Copa América. A record 60 MLS players made final rosters for the Gold Cup, while the 11 MLS players is a record for any Copa América tournament that did not include the United States as a participant.
Seattle Sounders FC midfielder
Nicolás Lodeiro
scored an
incredible opening goal
in Uruguay’s 4-0 victory over Ecuador on Sunday in Copa América action. MLS players also featured in Venezuela’s draw against Peru on Saturday where D.C. United midfielder
Júnior Moreno
and Real Salt Lake midfielder
Jefferson Savarino
played for Vino Tinto, while Portland Timbers midfielder
Andy Polo
came off the bench for Peru.
LA Galaxy 21-year-old midfielder
Uriel Antuna
dazzled in Mexico’s 7-0 win over Cuba on Saturday with

in only his third international cap. The match also saw former Real Salt Lake academy product
Carlos Salcedo
put in a strong 77-minute performance for Mexico. Canada also began the tournament in dominant fashion with a 4-0 victory over Martinique on Saturday, featuring five MLS players. Los Angeles Football Club midfielder
Mark-Anthony Kaye
and Montreal Impact midfielder
Samuel Piette
each registered an assist in the victory.
Elsewhere in Gold Cup action, FC Cincinnati’s 23-year-old midfielder
Allan Cruz
helped Costa Rica to a 4-0 victory over Nicaragua on Sunday by scoring a

and providing the

. LAFC’s 21-year-old midfielder
Peter-Lee Vassell
meanwhile provided the

in Jamaica’s 3-2 victory over Honduras on Monday. The match featured three MLS players in each team’s starting lineup.
A number of MLS players are expected to contribute tonight when the United States takes on Guyana (10 p.m. ET, FS1 / FOX Sports Go / UniMas / UDN / TSN 1 / TSN 3) and when Panama faces Trinidad and Tobago (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1 / FOX Sports Go / UniMas / UDN / TSN 3) in their respective opening matches at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minn.
FC Dallas defender Reggie Cannon steps into crucial role with U.S. MNT
After being called into the U.S. Men’s National Team as a last-minute injury replacement,
Reggie Cannon
has a chance to step into a crucial role for
Gregg Berhalter
’s Concacaf Gold Cup squad. The 21-year-old FC Dallas academy product could step into the hybrid right back/midfield role open after
Tyler Adams
’ injury. The United States opens Gold Cup play today against Guyana at Allianz Field (10 p.m. ET, FS1 / FOX Sports Go / UniMas / UDN / TSN 1 / TSN 3).
Cannon received his first call to the U.S. MNT in October 2018 following a tremendous second professional season in which he started 33 matches for FC Dallas. This season, Cannon has played in 15 of 16 matches for the fifth-place team in the Western Conference.
Galaxy’s Antuna, Impact’s Piette square off in Mexico-Canada Gold Cup clash
LA Galaxy 21-year-old midfielder
Uriel Antuna
, a late addition to Mexico’s roster for the Concacaf Gold Cup, drew rave reviews following his hat trick against Cuba on Saturday in Pasadena, Calif. That performance sets the table for an intriguing MLS vs. MLS clash when Mexico faces Canada in Group A play on Wednesday (10:30 p.m. ET / FS1, Univision, UDN, TSN).
Mexico takes on a heavy MLS-laden Canadian roster led by 24-year-old Montreal Impact defensive midfielder
Samuel Piette
. Piette, competing in his third Gold Cup, assisted Canada’s second goal during a dominant 4-0 win against Martinique to open the tournament. Piette has appeared in every minute of the Impact’s 2019 season, and the Montreal native has led his hometown team into second place in the Eastern Conference.
In LA, Antuna has two goals and two assists in 16 games during his first MLS season with the Galaxy, also helping his club move into second in the Western Conference. Mexico manager and former Atlanta United head coach
Gerardo “Tata” Martino
applauded Antuna’s performance
and “excellent attitude.”
Mexico’s Gold Cup success (seven-time champion) is vastly ahead of Canada’s lone 2000 title. Will Antuna and El Tri continue their tournament dominance, or can Piette and Canada post a massive statement win in the group stage?
MLS Regular Season: Week 16 Notes
Saturday, June 22
FC Cincinnati vs. LA Galaxy, 7:30 p.m. ET

• FC Cincinnati suffered a fourth consecutive loss in league play last time out, falling 5-2 to New York City FC at Yankee Stadium on June 6. FCC have lost nine of their past 10 games, with one win over their last 12 dating back to March 30.
  
• Both FCC goals came through own goals, the seventh time in MLS history (and third time this season) a team received two goals through own goals in the same match.
  
• The Galaxy return to league play after having their two-game winning run put to an end in a 2-1 loss to the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium on June 2.
  
• Zlatan Ibrahimović scored for a second consecutive match after missing two games through suspension, now with 11 goals for the season, second in the MLS Golden Boot standings.
  
• The teams are meeting for the first time in their histories, the only league meeting this season.
  

Chicago Fire vs. Real Salt Lake, 8 p.m. ET

• The Fire return to league play after their winless streak was extended to four matches with a second loss in that time last time out, suffering a 2-0 loss to Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on June 1.
  
• Real suffered a second consecutive defeat on the heels of a three-game winning run in their last league contest, falling 4-0 to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on June 1. RSL was blanked at the attacking end for the first time since April 6.
  
• Real won the lone meeting between the teams last year, a 2-1 win on Aug. 4 at Rio Tinto Stadium. It was their second consecutive home win in the series, after a two-game winless streak vs. the Fire in Sandy, Utah.
  
• The Fire won the last meeting between the teams in Bridgeview, Ill., a 2-0 victory on March 11, 2017. It was their first win overall vs. Real Salt Lake since 2011, ending a five-game winless streak in the series. The win also ended a three-game home winless streak for the Fire.
  

FC Dallas vs. Toronto FC, 8 p.m. ET (TSN)

• FC Dallas gained a second result in a row last time out, reaching a 2-2 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes at Toyota Stadium on June 8.
  
• Francis Atuahene scored just 42 seconds after coming on for his first MLS game, the second-fastest goal by a player making his league debut in league history. FC Dallas also gained a goal from an own goal, their third in two games.
  
• Toronto FC reached a second consecutive draw but still saw their winless run reach seven games, playing to a 2-2 result with the San Jose Earthquakes at BMO Field. It’s the club’s longest winless streak since the 2013 season.
  
• FC Dallas have won the past two meetings between the teams, including a 1-0 win last May 25 at BMO Field in their lone matchup. TFC has won twice in 17 matches in the all-time series – just once over the last 16 meetings – the last victory coming on May 7, 2016, a 1-0 win at BMO Field.
  
• FC Dallas have never lost to TFC in Frisco in league play, holding a 7-0-2 record there, with victories in the past three meetings at Toyota Stadium, including a 3-1 win on July 1, 2017, in the last matchup. TFC did win 3-0 in Frisco in the Concacaf Champions League group stage in 2011.
  

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Colorado Rapids, 10 p.m. ET (TSN)

• Whitecaps FC return to league play following a three-week break after extending their undefeated run to four games with a third draw in that span, reaching a 1-1 result with Toronto FC at BC Place on May 31. Fredy Montero scored the Whitecaps FC goal, his second in the last three games.
  
• The Rapids extended their undefeated streak to five games on the heels of an 11-game winless run to start the season – winning their fourth over that span – defeating Minnesota United FC by the game’s only goal at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on June 8.
  
• Kei Kamara scored his eighth goal of the season, now tied for fourth place in the MLS Golden Boot standings. It was his 120th career league goal, fifth-most in MLS history.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Andy Rose netted the game-winner three minutes from full time to lead Whitecaps FC to a 3-2 win on May 3 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
  
• The Rapids won the last meeting at BC Place, a 1-0 victory there last July 1. It was their first win over their past six trips to Vancouver, their previous win there coming on April 5, 2014.
  
• Whitecaps FC have come away with points on each of their last four trips to Commerce City, Colo., winning twice (in both 2017 and 2018) – just their second and third wins ever at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The only other Whitecaps FC win in Commerce City came in 2012.
  

Portland Timbers vs. Houston Dynamo, 11 p.m. ET

• The Timbers finally made their long-awaited season debut at Providence Park in their last league match, suffering a hard-fought 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Football Club on June 1. The defeat came after the 12-game road swing to open the season (where the Timbers went 4-6-2).
  
• Brian Fernández scored his fourth goal in three games since coming to MLS and the Timbers in the loss to LAFC.
  
• The Dynamo remained undefeated on their home ground for the season in their last league match, reaching a 1-1 draw with Sporting Kansas City at BBVA Compass Stadium on June 1. Alberth Elis netted his fifth goal of the season.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Mauro Manotas gave the Dynamo a first-half lead, but Brian Fernández netted the second-half equalizer on his Timbers and MLS debut, leaving the teams in a 1-1 draw on May 15 at BBVA Compass Stadium.
  
• The Timbers have a six-game undefeated streak at Providence Park alive in the series, winning the past three, including a 2-1 win there last July 28 in the lone matchup in Portland. The Dynamo’s lone league win there came in the first meeting between the teams in Portland in 2011.
  
• The Dynamo have never lost to the Timbers at home. The Dynamo have won three of the seven meetings all-time in Houston, with four draws, with the first meeting this year ending a two-game home winning streak in the series.
  

Sunday, June 23
Columbus Crew SC vs. Sporting Kansas City, 5:30 p.m. ET

• Crew SC return to league play after putting an end to a three-game losing skid in their last match, a 2-2 draw with New York City FC at Mapfre Stadium on June 1. Gyasi Zardes and Pedro Santos each scored for a second consecutive match, Zardes now with six on the season and Santos with four. Crew SC have one win in the last 10 league games.
  
• Sporting KC reached a second draw in a row as their winless run hit three games, playing to a 2-2 result with Toronto FC at BMO Field on June 7. Felipe Gutíerrez scored both SKC goals, both from penalty kicks, the third two-goal game of his MLS career and the second this season (also April 27 vs. New England, his last goals scored).
  
• The teams have reached draws in their two meetings over the last two seasons, once at each ground. They played to a scoreless draw last May 27 at Children’s Mercy Park.
  
• Crew SC have won once at home in the last six meetings between the teams in Columbus, a 3-2 win on Aug. 22, 2015, which snapped a five-game Sporting winning streak (and six-game undefeated streak) in the all-time series. The teams played to a 1-1 draw in their last meeting at Mapfre Stadium on Sept. 10, 2017.
  
• Sporting are undefeated in the past five meetings at Children’s Mercy Park, with four consecutive wins before last year’s draw. The last Columbus victory in Kansas City came on July 28, 2012.