MLS Not Returning Before June Due to Coronavirus

Major League Soccer

NEW YORK CITY – Major League Soccer has announced that it is “extremely unlikely” to resume play in Mid-May like originally planned in its last update around the COVID-19 shutdown.

Originally Major League Soccer had extended its stoppage for eight weeks, this would have set up the resumption of play on May 10th with a training morotorium of April 24th. That now means that play shouldn’t be expected before June.

In the statement MLS says that they will be looking at possibilities for getting as many games as possible in to complete the full 2020 season.

“Our goal remains to play as many games as possible, and while we currently have enough dates to play the entire season, we recognize at this time that it may become difficult to do so. We continue to learn more every day from the medical experts, and we expect to have additional details in the coming weeks regarding when we can return to play.”

As the delay continues to mount, there will be several options on the table for MLS, including condensing the season in fewer cities, cutting matches, pushing back MLS Cup final date and moving to a European schedule.

Covid Statement 2
Orlando City SC

That last option is definitely one that some fans have been pushing for over many years and MLS would not be unique in doing so. The former Australian National Soccer League switched from a non-European schedule to a European schedule in 1989, playing a 1989 and 1989-90 season.

READ MORE: Coronavirus Forces MLS and USL to Extend Season Suspensions

That didn’t happen in Australia where the European schedule change was permanent. It would mean that if that option was chosen by MLS it would mean either a very short off-season or a very long off-season to get back in to sync, assuming that a full season was played in 2020-21.

There are lots of decisions to be made for MLS before returning to the pitch, but the most immediate concern is safety and thus there will be no play for the foreseeable future.

Orlando City Provides Protective Equipment for Those Fighting Coronavirus

Air Force volunteers make face masks for other members and the public (Photo: Altus Air Force Base)

ORLANDO – With so many great initiatives happening to help with COVID-19 in Florida, Orlando City SC has jumped on board with the Million Mask Challenge to provide masks for the medical professionals fighting coronavirus.

The club donated just under 1000 pieces of OCSC and Pride apparel to help those involved in the challenge to make masks. The merchandise will be converted to masks and then given out to Orlando Health to help local medical professionals stay safe.

“We are honored to be able to contribute materials to the Orlando community to help battle this pandemic. Since we are unable to wear our jerseys on the field and t-shirts in the stands, we are happy we are able to put our gear to even more important use in order to help protect our local members and healthcare workers. We are continuously proud to be part of this community and to bring Orlando City from the sidelines to the frontlines.”

Orlando City SC CEO Alex Leitão

Giving so much merchandise will allow the volunteers to create approximately 5,000 masks from the clothing, with up to 30 members of the challenge creating the masks over the Easter weekend. The apparel is being split evenly between the members of the challenge to maximize productivity.

Mask Story
Graphic: Orlando City SC

Protective equipment has been in short supply across the country and this effort will help not only protect the medical professionals but also the patients in their care who are not already infected.

Orlando City SC Announces Plan to Help Local Businesses During Coronavirus

Church Street in Orlando, right by the stadium (Photo: Trip Advisor)

ORLANDO – With so many businesses right around the Orlando City SC home, Exploria Stadium, frequented by fans on matchdays, the club has found a way to help out those businesses that are now closed full time due to coronavirus.

The Lions announced the #ALLforORL campaign, a virtual campaign to help out all the small businesses around the stadium. With the stay-at-home order now in effect for Florida these businesses, already suffering from the matches being postponed, have been shut down and the club needs the businesses to survive to provide services that they don’t.

“Whether you’re a local bar along Church St. or a City Pub in Altamonte Springs that hosts watch parties on away days, we know many small businesses rely on our game days for an uptick in guests, so we want to do everything we can to remotely recreate our match days. The Greater Orlando area continually supports one another and comes together when tested, and Orlando City SC is proud to always play a big part in uniting Central Florida through our shared love of soccer. Even though we can’t be together right now, we know soccer will be back and we will all be able to cheer on our teams soon.”

Orlando City CEO Alex Leitão

Orlando City created a virtual march to the match, which allows fans to recreate their route to Exploria Stadium and stop at their usual venues. At the stops supporters will be able to donate or buy items from their favorite facilities. The businesses can be visited any time of day on any day but OCSC has encouraged fans to visit on what would have been matchdays.

READ MORE: Orlando Pride’s Ivi Cassagrande Helping Her Community Through Coronavirus

Fans can visit the virtual march to the match here.

The club has also invited businesses to register for participation through this form.

Orlando Pride’s Ivi Cassagrande Helping Her Community Through Coronavirus

Photo Ivi Casagrande

ORLANDO – With the NWSL in a coronavirus enforced training moratorium Orlando Pride Strength and Conditioning Coach, Ivi Cassagrande, has found herself in a position she never thought she would be in, working from home.

That change has shifted her role from coaching to monitoring, checking in on player’s health and fitness which has meant she has missed the coaching aspect of her job. But with her apartment complex full of people in a similar position, working from home, and lacking access to their usual fitness routines, Cassagrande decided to use her skills to help and scratch the itch for coaching.

Impacting Others: Ivi Casagrande
Graphic: Orlando Pride

After working things out with residents of her complex the coach positioned herself in the courtyard and proceeded to stage a group workout session with the residents out on their balconies.

“I started to realize that I wanted to give back to the community in any way I could. It is extremely rewarding to impact people and give them something to be distracted from the anxiety of what is going on around us.”

Ivi Cadagrande

Originally things started out with just three of the residents but as the sessions continued, now up to five days a week more and more balconies have been joining.

To further the impact of her coaching workouts the Pride strength and conditioning coach has been uploading her workouts to twitter.

For the Pride, Cassagrande has been working on developing personal programs with the players, using an app to give them running and fitness programs. She says the players have bought in and are following the programs which will allow them to hit the ground ready to go when the moratorium ends.

Orlando Pride Signs Jade Moore

File:England Ladies v Montenegro 5 4 2014 826.jpg
Jade Moore in action for England (Photo: James Boyes/Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License)

ORLANDO – England National Team midfielder Jade Moore has signed a one-year contract with Orlando Pride ahead of the 2020 National Women’s Soccer League season the club announced on Wednesday. Moore joins the club from English FA Women’s Super League team Reading FC where she’s been since 2017.

“Simply put, Jade is the complete midfielder, she possesses a great skill to travel quickly in small spaces, control the pace of the game and her ability to, not only read the game well, but destroy attacks before they start will bring a much needed dynamic to our midfield. We’re very excited to bring her into the Club and look forward to seeing her in purple when we get back to play.”

Orlando Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner

At 29 Moore is still at the peak of her career which made moving out of England a good opportunity as she could make a move out of the country for the first time in her career.

“I think one of the biggest things for me is that this is a fresh challenge, a new league. Obviously, back in the UK I’ve played in the league for over a decade and you kind of get used to the same things, the same teams, the same player pool. So I’m really excited about that, coming overseas, and taking me out of my comfort zone to play against different players and play against the best players in the world,” Moore said.

Orlando Pride Acquires English Midfielder Jade Moore
Grphic: Orlando Pride

With Reading Moore managed eight goals in 54 appearances before joining Reading at the end of the 2017 season Moore played with Notts County, an iconic English club which folded shortly after her joining. Moore played eight times for the club before joining Reading.

Read More: Haley Kopmeyer Waived by Orlando Pride

Skinner has a previous tie with Moore, having played under him while he was an assistant and then Head Coach at Birmingham City. While at Birmingham City she managed 99 appearances and scored six goals, with Moore claiming the FA Cup in 2012.

As an England national team player Moore has played 50 times, competing at the 2013 Euros and 2015 and 2019 World Cups.

MLS Unites to Create Soccer Community While Social Distancing

Graphic: MLS

NEW YORK CITY – Major League Soccer and the MLS Players Association has united to create a new platform, MLS Unites, which highlights the efforts that players, coaches, clubs and the league are taking to address the Coronavirus pandemic.

The platform will seek to educate and inform about safety, providing fun and engaging content during the shutdown and showcase and celebrate the heroes in the local communities who are fighting the pandemic.

To educate MLS is consulting with the Centers for Disease Control in the United States and Health Canada along with infectious disease specialists to share information on staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With that MLS has created a guide with information, including prevention, coping tips, mental-health advice and ways to support relief efforts. That guide can be viewed here. The guide contains symptoms, how teams are dealing with social distancing, resources for coping with stress and messages from current and former players.

As there is no play MLS is seeking to provide entertainment in other ways airing classic matches, player interviews, live workouts, and eMLS events with pro esports players and pro athletes.

MLS Unites will also share content that aims to lift up those that have been on the front lines of the Coronavirus fighting for all the fans. That began back on Monday as MLS clubs praised medical professionals on National Doctors Day.

Rodolfo Pizarro Claims Inter Miami CF FIFA 20 Stream Aid Tournament

Rodolfo Pizarro in action for Inter Miami CF (Photo: World Football Index)

MIAMI – Inter Miami CF hosted a player on player FIFA tournament hosted on Twitch as part of Stream Aid 2020 to raise money for the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Rodolfo Pizarro and Lewis Morgan teamed up to form Team Heron White while Julian Carranza and Lee Nguyen were Team RosaNegra for the occasion. Fernando Palomo of ESPN joined to be the commentator for the tournament. The competition consisted of five preliminary matches and a title decider.

It was not an even contest at all as Team Heron White dominated the preliminary matches setting up an all-Heron final from the very early stages. Morgan came back from 1-0 down in both qualifying matches winning 2-1 against Carranza and 4-1 against Pizzaro. His teammate came back from that heavy loss to beat Nguyen 3-1 and then taking out Carranza 2-1.

Pizarro Winner Stream Aid 2020
Graphic: Inter Miami CF

That set up the final between Pizzaro and Morgan, with Morgan favored after winning the preliminary match up between the two teammates. Despite the previous result Pizzaro had obviously learned his lessons taking a 2-0 lead. Again Morgan rallied, coming back and equalizing in the second half for a 2-2 final.

With a 2-2 draw in the final a one-half replay was called for, again Pizzaro taking the lead 1-0 only for Morgan to rally late and make it 1-1. Just when it looked like the replay was also going to be a tie the Herrons’ midfielder took it out getting a 2-1 win to claim the individual and team titles.

It’s still possible for fans to donate to the WHO fund through Twitch charity here.

Inter Miami CF Changes Club Crest for Coronavirus Message

Altered Logo for COVID19
The new Miami CF crest practicing social distancing (Miami CF)

FORT LAUDERDALE – With the Coronavirus putting a suspension on the Major League Soccer season Inter Miami CF made a change to its crest on Monday to promote social distancing.

The club’s crest for its inaugural season contains two white herons standing back to back with their tail feathers touching and their legs entwined. To help promote what is needed to stop the spread of Coronavirus even the crest is practicing social distancing as the herons have now been separated to limit the potential of infection.

“COVID-19 has stopped the world in its tracks and as a result it has never been more important to heed the advice and direction of the authorities to stand for unity and participation in social distancing. Inter Miami CF wants to leverage the reach of our Club, players and ownership group to amplify and share this message with those who follow us in South Florida and around the world.”

Inter Miami CF VP of Community Engagement Chris Allan

The suspension of the league is particularly hard on Inter Miami which was about to play its maiden home game against Los Angeles Football Club at its new stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Right now there’s been no reduction to the MLS schedule for the 2020 season but that could all depend on how long the season is suspended.

READ MORE: Orlando City to Stream Classic Games During MLS Coronavirus Suspension

Miami will also be adding some content to the membership app featuring players and staff and hwp they’re dealing with the shutdown of the league and keeping safe.

For more information on how to remain safe during the Coronavirus epidemic please visit the CDC Website.

Orlando City to Stream Classic Games During MLS Coronavirus Suspension

Orlando City celebrate a goal in its 2015 match against LA Galaxy (Photo: Orlando City SC

ORLANDO – With Coronavirus forcing most Americans to stay home and the Major League Soccer season to be suspended Orlando City SC has decided to re-air some classic games on their website.

Beginning this Sunday with the team’s match against LA Galaxy from 2015, matching up with the week that the team played that infamous match.

Graphic: Orlando City SC

Galaxy came in to the match as the defending MLS Champions and were highly fancied but Kaka led Orlando to a memorable victory this weekend five years ago. Galaxy was also the next scheduled opponent for OCSC before the suspension.

There’s not a lot of “classic” memories for a team that has only existed for five years as an MLS club and has never qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs but this match certainly qualifies as a big memory for Lions fans.

READ MORE: Coronavirus Forces MLS and USL to Extend Season Suspensions

With only two soccer leagues, the Australian A-League and the Turkish Super Lig, currently playing there is a dearth of soccer for fans to watch, especially with the time difference to Australia making it hard for US fans.

This is one way for Orlando City to cater for its fans as much as it can, unfortunately just because the league is suspended doesn’t mean that the MLS broadcast rules don’t apply, as such the game will only be viewable for fans that are in the Orlando area.

The stream can be viewed from 6PM ET on the Orlando City SC website. The club hasn’t revealed what will be happening next week but no doubt something will be found from the vault for next week to help everyone get through a difficult time.

Coronavirus Forces MLS and USL to Extend Season Suspensions

The United Soccer League and Major League Soccer have extended their Coronavirus enforced break of their seasons pushing the suspension until May 10th.

After initially suspending play for 30 days the leagues have extended that out for another few weeks which is in line with the Center for Disease Control which recommended not gathering in groups of 50 or more for the next eight weeks.

After both groups suspended their season for an initial 30 day period last Thursday it was USL that actually led the way here, extending the suspension on Wednesday, releasing a statement which specifically referenced the CDC guidelines.
With the season delayed further it means a bigger delay for the inaugural season for Fort Lauderdale CF which was set to begin its first USL League One season later this month.

READ MORE: All Professional Soccer in the United States Suspended

MLS followed suit one day later announcing the exact same extension to its suspension on Thursday. One big difference between the USL and MLS statements was the commitment from MLS to play out the full 2020 season, given so few matches have been played that didn’t seem in doubt but it may be a sign that they’re anticipating an even longer delay.

“MLS remains focused on playing the entire 2020 season and is evaluating all options, including pushing back the end of the season and playing MLS Cup in December, as the league did prior to the 2019 season”

MLS Statement

NWSL had never released a specific date for when their delay would end, a wise decision that allows the league to not face a deadline. As the season hasn’t started yet NWSL can wait for the pandemic to end and then begin a full home and away season from that point with an extended off-season. That extended off-season has allowed three Orlando Pride players to compete in the W-League Grand Final this weekend in Australia and not miss any pre-season.

With over 7,000 confirmed cases and one of the highest mortality rates in the world for the disease the United States needs to take COVID-19 seriously. Social distancing and self-isolation is the best way to avoid the spread of the virus, so the suspension of the three biggest men’s soccer leagues in the country will help avoid that.

For more on staying safe while Coronavirus is still a pandemic please visit the CDC website.

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