Thrillers and Classics Headline MLS Heineken® Rivalry Week: This Week in MLS

MLS Communications

Thrillers and Classics Headline MLS Heineken® Rivalry Week
MLS is bringing fans a groundbreaking new way to experience the league’s fiercest rivalries and most thrilling head-to-head meetings during MLS Heineken® Rivalry Week, as media partners in the U.S., Canada and throughout the world showcase more than 20 classic rivalry matchups from May 11-17 on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, FS1, TUDN, TSN, TVA Sports, MLSsoccer.com and more.

Listing of Heineken® Rivalry Week Classic Matches

The robust slate of rivalry pairings includes a Wednesday night tripleheader on ESPN2 that features Atlanta United’s Josef Martinez breaking the single-season scoring record against Orlando City SC (Aug. 24, 2018) before a come-from-behind New York Derby victory for the New York Red Bulls over New York City FC (June 28, 2015). The evening concludes with Clash in Cascadia between the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders FC (June 25, 2017), who each overcame a deficit, and each scored a stoppage-time goal in alternate halves.

Throughout the week, MLS digital and social channels will celebrate rivalries through exclusive content and unique experiences that will virtually bring together passionate fans with live chats with MLS stars, rivalry-themed trivia nights, and more. MLS’s flagship programs, including Player Chat Live, The Kickaround, Extratime driven by Continental, and The Call Up, will also highlight rivalry-themed content and host a variety of fan-engagement opportunities.

Fans can join the conversation on social media by using #RivalryWeek, the official Heineken® Rivalry Week hashtag.
Additional MLS clubs begin voluntary individual workouts

Additional MLS clubs will begin voluntary individual workouts this week at club training grounds.
Broll, photos and soundbytes from players and coaches are available for editorial use byCLICKING HERE.

MLS Unites to Celebrate Creativity

From music, to art, to dance, and beyond, MLS clubs are sharing and encouraging the creative love that is needed now more than ever. Throughout the week, the league and clubs will also have a series of digital content showcasing ways our MLS community is celebrating creativity. A sampling is detailed below, with more to be featured on @MLS, @MLSWORKS, and club social platforms, as well as available
HERE
.

D.C. United – Midfielder Felipe Martins of D.C. United and his wife are having fun staying safe at home while dancing.
Portland Timbers – Diego Valeri shows off his guitar skills with his daughter Connie to raise money for the Oregon Food Bank.
Sporting Kansas City – From coloring pages and word searches, to mazes, crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles, Sporting’s Kid Zone helps the next generation of soccer stars keep their mental game strong during this challenging time.
Seattle Sounders – Sounders FC invited fans to take part in an opportunity to decorate their walls with truly one-of-a-kind pieces of art. Rave Green goalkeeper Stefan Frei and Roger Bennett, co-host of the popular podcast and NBCSN program Men in Blazers, came together to create portraits of one another for auction, with all proceeds supporting the Seattle Sounders FC Relief Fund, which has been established to provide financial support to individuals and small businesses in the neighborhoods surrounding CenturyLink Field that have been impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis.

This Wednesday: Howard Webb Joins MLS Weekly Media Availability

Professional Referee Organization (PRO) General Manager Howard Webb – a world-renowned former FIFA referee and the only official in history to oversee a UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup Final in the same year – will conduct media availability this Wednesday, May 13 at 3 p.m. ET.

After achieving a 98.35% accuracy rate in Video Review in 2019, MLS and PRO remain at the forefront of the Video Assistant Referee initiative (VAR), and Webb is ensuring that officials stay sharp by facilitating virtual PRO Training Camps and fitness regimens during the quarantine

Professional Referee Organization General Manager Howard Webb
Wednesday, May 13
3 p.m. ET

Video Media Conference Call Information
Register in advance & Join the conference on Wednesday using the following link:
Register/Join: https://mlssoccer.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yiJH3cm8SIuct31cYDpVTg
ID: 915 6859 5118
Password: 894843
Media Availabilities This Week Around MLS

Below are additional media availabilities from around the league.

Wednesday, May 13
1 p.m. ET – Orlando City SC Manager Oscar Pareja
Contact Jackie Maynard (jmaynard@orlandocitysc.com) to RSVP.

2:30 p.m. ET – Sporting Kansas City Manager and Sporting Director Peter Vermes
Video Media Conference Call | Join via Zoom
Contact Rob Thomson (RThomson@sportingkc.com) if planning to participate.

3 p.m. ET – Inter Miami CF Head Coach Diego Alonso
Video Media Conference Call
Contact Rafael Cabrera (Rafael.Cabrera@InterMiamiCF.com) for further information.
MLS Academy Products Meet in Highly Anticipated Soccer Return

As fans of the game around the world anticipate the return of the global game this weekend, 17-year-old New York City FC Academy product Giovanni Reyna of Borussia Dortmund will face off against rival FC Dallas Academy product Weston McKennie of Schalke in the first match played in over two months.

Reyna, son of Austin FC sporting director Claudio Reyna, spent four years in NYCFC’s academy before becoming the youngest American to appear in a UEFA Champions League match, registering an assist in his debut earlier this year. The 21-year-old McKennie, meanwhile, spent seven years with the FC Dallas academy before emerging as a star for Schalke.

Also returning to action will be RB Leipzig and Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls academy), who will host SC Freiburg on Saturday, while Bayern Munich and Alphonso Davies (Vancouver Whitecaps FC academy) will visit Union Berlin on Sunday. Adams, 21, and Davies, 19, each starred in MLS before heading to Germany on record transfers, both being named to the MLS All-Star Game presented by Target for their respective clubs.

Stage is Set for Championship Sunday of eMLS Tournament Specia presented by Coca-Cola
®
and Playstation
®

The final four is set for the eMLS Tournament Special Championship, after Atlanta United defender Franco Escobar and eMLS teammate Paulo Neto won Week 4 of the competition last Sunday. The champions will be decided this Sunday, May 17, with Atlanta United, Los Angeles Football Club, Sporting Kansas City and New York City FC facing off in EA SPORTS™ FIFA 20 competition.

Sunday's matches saw a pair of 4-0 results to start play, with Toronto FC midfielder Marky Delgado and eMLS competitor PhilB94 defeating Vancouver Whitecaps FC over two legs, and Escobar and Paulo Neto rolling past Orlando City SC. In the bracket final, Delgado and Escobar played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg, before Neto scored goals with both Pity and Josef Martínez to overcome an early TFC lead from PhilB94, and send Atlanta United to Championship Sunday.

Highlights From Week 4:

As part of MLS Unites, a league-wide platform designed to educate communities, entertain fans and elevate heroic efforts taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic, eMLS Tournament Special is a five-episode series that pits 16 MLS clubs against each other in EA SPORTS™ FIFA 20 competition. Four clubs competed each episode with the winning club advancing to the Champions Bracket. Clubs are represented by both an MLS player and eMLS professional FIFA player.

In Sunday's Champions Bracket, Escobar and Neto will face the winner of the Week 3 Tournament, NYCFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson and eMLS FIFA Pro Chris Holly. On the other side of the bracket, Week 1 winner LAFC (Adama Diomande and Martin ‘RemiMartinn’ Oregel) will face off against Week 2 winner Sporting KC (Wan Kuzain and Alexander ‘ALEKZANDUR’ Betancourt).

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