Minnesota United FC to unveil gem Allianz Field - This Week in MLS

• Minnesota United FC’s Wonderwall becomes an Allianz Field reality
• LAFC on pace to eclipse Galaxy for record goalscoring campaign
• Top academy players in North America head to 2019 Generation adidas Cup
• MLS academy stars depart U.S. U-17 camp with World Cup in sight
• Gold Cup groups and schedule to be announced this Wednesday
• Week 7 Notes

Five things to know about MLS this Week
1. Carlos Vela is on a tear:
Vela’s league-leading seven goals in LAFC’s first six games are tied for third-most of any player in that span to start the season, and his .65 career goals per game currently rank among the top 10 in MLS history.
2. Don’t sleep on Seattle:
While everyone is talking about No. 1 LAFC, the unbeaten Western Conference No. 2 Sounders FC are within reach of the top spot, with a game in hand and the league’s fewest goals against (3).
3. A 16-year-old does it again:
Sporting Kansas City Academy product Gianluca Busio is making the most of his meaningful minutes, becoming the youngest player ever to score in consecutive games.
4. Minnesota United FC to unveil a gem:
MNUFC will inaugurate their brand-new home at Allianz Field this Saturday (5 p.m. ET, ESPN2), marking the 20th stadium built or transformed for MLS.
5. Concacaf Gold Cup reveal this week:
Representatives from the 16 qualified teams will be on hand in Los Angeles this Wednesday for the unveiling of the groups and schedules for the 15th edition of the region’s premier soccer tournament taking place from June 15 to July 7.
Minnesota United FC’s Wonderwall becomes an Allianz Field reality
With the acoustics to support Minnesota United FC fans belting out their version of the Oasis classic “Wonderwall,” the sparkling new 19,400-seat Allianz Field will open this Saturday as the league’s 20th stadium built or renovated for Major League Soccer, when the Loons host New York City FC (5 p.m. ET, ESPN2) at this privately-funded $250 million stadium.
Allianz Field is the league’s fifth stadium opened in a three-year span (2017-19), and this Twin Cities spectacle boasts a 96-tap Brew Hall with a 60-foot bar, while embracing the true environmental elements of the Midwest. The open-air stadium has a 2,800-capacity, safe-standing supporters’ section, dubbed a literal Wonderwall, overlooking a natural grass field with heated pipes below it to maintain a temperate playing surface.
Among local sports venues, Allianz Field has a seating capacity that would outshine the attendance of professional basketball and hockey for sellout crowds in the Twin Cities.

LAFC on pace to eclipse Galaxy for record goalscoring campaign
Second-year side Los Angeles Football Club is on a goalscoring tear like no other six games into the 2019 campaign. LAFC’s 19 goals in six matches (3.17 goals per game) is the top scoring output in MLS and the most in MLS history through the first six games of the season. At this rate, the club would accumulate approximately 108 goals during a 34-game regular season. Toronto FC is also off to a hot start with 3.00 goals per game (12 goals in four matches).
If either team maintains this trajectory, they would surpass the 1998 LA Galaxy who hold the top offense in league history with 2.66 goals per game (85 goals in 32 matches).
Mexico National Team star
Carlos Vela
and 21-year-old Uruguayan
Diego Rossi
posted back-to-back hat tricks for LAFC against the San Jose Earthquakes (Vela: 3 goals in 5-0 win) and D.C. United (Rossi: 3 goals in 4-0 win). This was just the seventh time in MLS history such a feat has occurred, and it was the first time a team has netted back-to-back hat tricks on the road. Vela (7 goals) and Rossi (6 goals) are first and second, respectively, in the MLS Golden Boot race, and Vela’s seven goals tie for third-most of any player through his club’s first six games of the year.
Can the league’s top goalscoring duo continue this torrid pace Saturday when MLS newcomers FC Cincinnati arrive at Banc of California Stadium?
Top academy players in North America head to 2019 Generation adidas Cup
The future stars of MLS will test their skills against some of the most renowned professional academies in the world at the 2019 Generation adidas Cup, taking place at the Toyota Soccer Center at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas from April 13-20. Previous MLS academy products to participate in the tournament in recent years include
Efrain Álvarez
(LA Galaxy / LA Galaxy Academy),
Weston McKennie
(Schalke 04 / FC Dallas Academy),
Djordje Mihailović
(Chicago Fire / Chicago Fire Academy),
Paxton Pomykal
(FC Dallas / FC Dallas Academy), and
Gianluca Busio
(Sporting Kansas City / Sporting Kansas City Academy), among others.
MLS U-17 clubs will face off against heralded international academies including England’s West Ham United, France’s Olympique Lyonnais, Spain’s Valencia, Argentine power River Plate, Brazilian side Flamengo, and Croatian giant Dinamo Zagreb. Current top international stars to have previously played at the Generation adidas Cup include
Diego Lainez
(Real Betis / Club América Academy),
Lucas Paquetá
(AC Milan / Flamengo Academy), and
Han-Noah Massengo
(A.S. Monaco / A.S. Monaco Academy).
In addition to the U-17 tournament, this year’s Generation adidas Cup sees the addition of a U-15 MLS-Liga MX showdown pitting four clubs from each league against each other. Mexican sides Club América, Monterrey, Tijuana, and Deportivo Toluca will face MLS clubs Los Angeles Football Club, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, and Toronto FC each once, setting up the top performing club from each league in a winner-take-all title match.
Click here
for a full schedule of all 2019 Generation adidas Cup matches.
MLS academy stars depart U.S. U-17 camp with World Cup in sight
With 18 MLS academy products called into the 26-man squad, the United States U-17 team departed camp on Monday in its final preparations for the 2019 Concacaf Championship, the regional qualifier for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil. The U.S. will once again report to camp later this month ahead of group stage matches against Canada (May 2), Barbados (May 4), and Guatemala (May 6) in Bradenton, Fla., as the team is in search of its 17th appearance at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, a mark that would equal the most in the tournament’s history.
Among the players expected to lead the U.S. is Sporting Kansas City 16-year-old midfielder
Gianluca Busio
, who this past weekend became the youngest player in MLS history to score goals in back-to-back matches. Busio did not report to the latest U.S. camp due to his first team duties, but looks to join a long list of current MLS players at the Concacaf Championship. Current MLS first team players who participated in the U.S. camp include
Griffin Yow
(D.C. United),
Gilbert Fuentes
(San Jose Earthquakes),
Joe Scally
(New York City FC) and
Damian Las
(Chicago Fire).
Click here
for the full list of players called into the U.S. camp.
Gold Cup groups and schedule to be announced this Wednesday
On Wednesday, Concacaf will host an event at Banc of California Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Football Club, to unveil the full groups and schedule for the region’s premier soccer tournament, to be played this summer from June 15 to July 7. The event, hosted by John Strong and Adriana Monsalve, will feature coaches and technical staff from the 16 qualified teams, and will be a key moment in the lead up to the tournament, as fans will finally know which cities their teams will head to this summer.
Seeded teams Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and the United States will finally learn who their rivals will be in what is slated to be the biggest-ever edition of the event, with more participating nations (16 up from 12 in 2017), more host countries (three, including first-time matches in Costa Rica and Jamaica), and more stadiums (17 up from 14 in 2017, eight of which are in contention to become a 2026 FIFA World Cup venue).
MLS Regular Season: Week 7 Notes
Tuesday, April 9
D.C. United vs. Montreal Impact, 8 p.m. ET (TVA Sports)

• D.C. United had their four-game undefeated run to start the season come to a crashing halt, falling 4-0 to the Los Angeles Football Club at Audi Field on Saturday afternoon. It was the heaviest defeat for United since a 4-0 loss at Portland on Oct. 15, 2017.
  
• The Impact rebounded from a club-record defeat to Sporting Kansas City to gain a third result in five games, reaching a goalless draw with New York City FC at Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
  
• D.C. United put an end to a six-game winless streak in the series in the last meeting between the teams, a 5-0 victory at Audi Field on Sept. 29, the largest victory by either team in the matchup. It was United’s first win vs. Montréal since Aug. 8, 2015, a 1-0 victory at Stade Saputo.
  
• The teams also played to a 1-1 draw at Stade Saputo on Aug. 4. The Impact have a four-game undefeated streak alive in Montréal, United’s last victory there coming in the 2015 win.
  

Wednesday, April 10
Colorado Rapids vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 9 p.m. ET

• The Rapids suffered a third loss in a row as their winless start to the season continued, falling 4-3 to Orlando City SC at Orlando City Stadium on Saturday evening. Kei Kamara netted a goal for a second consecutive match, now in sole possession of fifth place on the all-time MLS league goalscoring list with 115.
  
• Sounders FC remained undefeated on the season with a fourth win in five outings, getting the game’s lone goal from Nicolas Lodeiro for a win against Real Salt Lake at CenturyLink Field on Saturday evening.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Kelvin Leerdam and Raúl Ruidíaz staked Sounders FC to a two-goal lead after just eight minutes in a 2-0 victory on March 9 at CenturyLink Field.
  
• Sounders FC have won the past five meetings between the teams, over the last two seasons, including both meetings a year ago – a 2-1 win on July 4 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, and a 4-0 victory on Sept. 29 at CenturyLink Field.
  
• Sounders FC have won five of the past six meetings in Commerce City, Colo., in both league and MLS Cup Playoffs competition, dating back to 2014. The Rapids had a two-game winning streak at CenturyLink Field before Sounders FC wins there the last two years – Colorado’s only wins ever in Seattle.
  

Friday, April 12
Chicago Fire vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 8:30 p.m. ET (TSN)

• The Fire gained a result for a second consecutive match, reaching a 2-2 draw with Toronto FC at BMO Field on Saturday afternoon. CJ Sapong scored his third goal of the season, while Nemanja Nikolic added his first of the year.
  
• Whitecaps FC had their winless start to the campaign continue with a fourth loss in five starts, dropping a 2-0 decision to the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park on Friday evening.
  
• Whitecaps FC won the lone meeting between the teams a year ago, a 3-2 victory on July 7 at BC Place. The Whitecaps have won all four matches vs. the Fire at home, scoring 12 goals (allowing six).
  
• Whitecaps FC have been shut out on four of their five trips all-time to Bridgeview, Ill., last in a 4-0 Fire win July 1, 2017. When the ‘Caps won 1-0 there on March 14, 2015, it was their only win ever at SeatGeek Stadium, as Octavio Rivero put an end to a 355-minute goalless drought there with the game’s lone goal.
  

Saturday, April 13
Montreal Impact vs. Columbus Crew SC, 1 p.m. ET (TVA Sports)

• The Impact are making their home season bow for 2019, after starting the year with six away matches. The Impact have a four-year undefeated streak in home openers, with a 3-1-3 record in their first home match over their MLS history.
  
• Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush was credited with four saves in making his first shutout of the season in the Impact’s goalless draw with NYCFC at the weekend.
  
• Crew SC won their second game on the trot, both by shutout, defeating the New England Revolution 1-0 at Mapfre Stadium on Saturday evening. Zack Steffen was credited with two saves in keeping the clean sheet, extending his personal shutout streak to 444 minutes, now the second-longest in Crew club history (behind his 525-minute stretch set last year).
  
• The teams split their two meetings a year ago, each winning on their home ground. Gyasi Zardes scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner in stoppage time, to give Crew SC a 3-2 win on March 10 at Mapfre Stadium, then the Impact eased to a 3-0 win on Oct. 6 at Stade Saputo.
  
• The Impact victory ended a three-game Crew SC winning streak and five-game undefeated streak in the series, their first victory vs. Columbus since April 9, 2016, a 2-0 win in Montréal. Crew SC have won seven of the 10 meetings all-time in Columbus, with two draws; the lone Impact win there came in 2015.
  

Houston Dynamo vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 3 p.m. ET (Univision, Twitter)

• The Dynamo return to action after a weekend off, winning for a third consecutive match in their last game, a 4-1 victory against the Colorado Rapids at BBVA Compass Stadium on March 30. Memo Rodríguez scored for a third consecutive game, with four goals over that span, while Alberth Elis scored for a second game in a row.
  
• The Quakes snapped their four-game losing run to open the season, gaining a 3-0 win against the Portland Timbers at Avaya Stadium on Saturday evening. Cristian Espinoza scored his second goal of the season and added his first assist in MLS to pace the San Jose win, which put an end to a 12-game winless streak dating back to last Aug. 29.
  
• The Dynamo took a 3-2 victory in the last meeting between the teams, last Sept. 29 at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Quakes have won once at BBVA Compass Stadium in seven meetings, a 1-0 win in 2015. The Dynamo have won two of the five meetings between the teams (with one draw) at Avaya Stadium, the last meeting there a 2-2 draw last April 14.
  
• The two teams have shared a pitched rivalry since the Earthquakes returned to the league in 2008, after the Dynamo moved to Houston from San Jose in 2006. The Dynamo have won 11 meetings and the Quakes seven, with three draws.
  

Seattle Sounders FC vs. Toronto FC, 4 p.m. ET (TSN)

• Sounders FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei was credited with four saves in recording his second shutout in a row and third of the season (in five starts) in Sounders FC’s win vs. Real Salt Lake. It was also the 103rd goalkeeper win of Frei’s career, now in sole possession of eighth place all-time in MLS league play.
  
• Toronto FC had their winning streak to open the season put to an end, but still remained undefeated on the year, reaching a 2-2 draw with the Chicago Fire at BMO Field on Saturday afternoon. Jozy Altidore scored for a third consecutive match, also adding his first assist of the year.
  
• The teams met once a season ago, with Sounders FC taking a 2-1 win on May 9 at BMO Field. Sounders FC have now come away with points on their past four league visits to Toronto, dating back to 2011.
  
• TFC have won two of the past three meetings between the teams at CenturyLink Field, including a 1-0 win there in 2017 in the last matchup in Seattle.
  
• The teams also met in consecutive MLS Cup Finals in 2016 and 2017, both times at BMO Field. Sounders FC won on penalty kicks following a goalless draw in 2016 MLS Cup, then TFC took a 2-0 victory in 2017. It marked the third time in MLS history the same teams had met in back-to-back MLS Cups.
  

Minnesota United FC vs. New York City FC, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)

• MNUFC put an end to a brief two-game losing slide, defeating the New York Red Bulls 2-1 at Red Bull Arena on Saturday evening. Romario Ibarra netted his second goal of the season, while Abu Danladi netted his first.
  
• The game will be the opening of Allianz Field, MNUFC’s new home stadium. The club returns home having won three of five games on the road to start the year – already matching the most away wins in a season in their MLS history.
  
• NYCFC is still looking for a first win on the season with a fourth draw in their opening five games, following a goalless draw with the Montréal Impact at Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Sean Johnson was credited with one save in recording his second shutout of the season.
  
• The teams have met twice all-time, each winning on their home ground. MNUFC won the lone matchup between the clubs last year, a 2-1 victory on Sept. 29 at TCF Bank Stadium; New York City FC won the first meeting between the teams, a 3-1 victory on June 29, 2017, at Yankee Stadium.
  

New England Revolution vs. Atlanta United FC, 7:30 p.m. ET

• The Revolution weren’t able to build upon a first win of the season in five starts, falling 1-0 to Columbus Crew SC at Mapfre Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• Atlanta United return to league play after a weekend off, their last match a 2-0 defeat by Columbus Crew SC at Mapfre Stadium, which extended their season-opening winless run to four games (0-2-2).
  
• Atlanta United have never lost to the Revolution in their history, with two victories and two draws all-time. Both wins have come at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a 2-1 win last Oct. 6, and 7-0 victory on Sept. 13, 2017, in a match that equaled the all-time MLS margin of victory, the most goals ever scored in a single game by an expansion team.
  
• The teams have played to a pair of draws at Gillette Stadium, a 1-1 result there last May 30, and a goalless draw Sept. 30, 2017.
  

FC Dallas vs. Portland Timbers, 8 p.m. ET

• FC Dallas had their two-game winning streak put to an end, falling 2-1 to the Philadelphia Union at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday evening. Reto Ziegler scored FCD’s lone goal directly from a free kick, his second direct free kick in his two MLS seasons.
  
• The Timbers saw their losing run reach four games, still winless on the new season, following a 3-0 defeat by the San Jose Earthquakes at Avaya Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• The teams reached a pair of draws in league play a year ago, a 1-1 result on March 24 at Toyota Stadium, and a goalless draw on Sept. 29 at Providence Park. The Timbers are undefeated in the past four regular season meetings between the teams (with three draws), following a four-game FCD winning streak in the series.
  
• The Timbers have won once in 11 league visits all-time to Toyota Stadium, in 2014, though the last two matchups there have ended in draws. When FC Dallas won 3-1 at Portland on April 13, 2016, it was their first victory ever at Providence Park; the Timbers had won four of the first six league meetings there with two draws.
  
• The teams also met in the Knockout Round of the MLS Cup Playoffs last year, the Timbers taking a 2-1 win at Toyota Stadium on their way to an eventual appearance in MLS Cup.
  

Colorado Rapids vs. D.C. United, 9 p.m. ET

• United are undefeated in the last eight meetings in the series, with four victories and four draws, dating back to May 14, 2011, following a 2-1 win in the last meeting, last July 28 at Audi Field.
  
• United won 1-0 on their last visit to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Aug. 19, 2017, the first for United in Commerce City, Colo., since 2010, and their first victory in Colorado since 2000. United have a five-game undefeated streak alive in Washington, with three wins and two draws; the Rapids’ last win there also came in 2010 at RFK Stadium, their first triumph in the nation’s capital since 1999.
  
• Cole Bassett netted a goal and added an assist in the Rapids’ 4-3 loss to Orlando City; Bassett last year became the youngest player in Rapids club history to score a goal, aged 17 years, 92 days when he scored his first professional goal in the season finale.
  

Real Salt Lake vs. Orlando City SC, 9 p.m. ET

• Real Salt Lake went down to their fourth consecutive defeat, falling 1-0 to Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field on Saturday evening. The four-game losing run is tied for third-longest in the club’s history.
  
• Orlando City claimed a second win in three games in dramatic fashion, coming back from a one-goal deficit in the final 10 minutes for a 4-3 victory against the Colorado Rapids at Orlando City Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• Nani scored a pair of goals – his first in MLS, including the game-winning penalty kick a minute before the end of regulation time – and also added an assist, his fourth in MLS, tied for the league lead.
  
• Orlando City SC have never lost to Real Salt Lake in four meetings all-time, winning the last two, once at each ground. OCSC won the lone meeting between the clubs a year ago, a 3-1 victory May 6 at Orlando City Stadium.
  
• Orlando City won the last meeting between the teams at Rio Tinto Stadium, winning by the game’s only goal June 30, 2017.
  

LA Galaxy vs. Philadelphia Union, 10:30 p.m. ET

• The Galaxy won their third game in a row, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2-0 at Dignity Health Sports Park on Friday evening. Zlatan Ibrahimović scored his fourth goal of the season, his third in the past two games, and added his first assist of the season.
  
• The Union won their third game of the season, defeating FC Dallas 2-1 at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday evening, netting the tying and game-winning goals after the 85th minute.
  
• The Galaxy won the lone meeting between the teams a year ago, a 3-1 victory on July 21 at Talen Energy Stadium. The Galaxy now have a six-game undefeated streak alive in the series, having outscored the Union 18-6 over that time.
  
• The Galaxy have won seven of the 11 meetings all-time between the teams, with three draws. The Galaxy have won four of the six meetings all-time at Dignity Health Sports Park; the lone Union victory in the series came on July 4, 2012, a 2-1 win in Carson, Calif. The Union have never defeated the Galaxy at home, losing three times with two draws in five all-time meetings in Chester, Pa.
  

Los Angeles Football Club vs. FC Cincinnati, 10:30 p.m. ET

• LAFC remained undefeated on the season through six matches, winning their third game in a row, defeating D.C. United 4-0 at Audi Field on Saturday afternoon. LAFC have won back-to-back games on the road with a goal differential of plus-9 (after the 5-0 win at San Jose last weekend), an all-time MLS best.
  
• Diego Rossi netted a hat trick, his first in MLS, a week after Carlos Vela netted a triple at San Jose. It was the seventh time in MLS history a team had hat tricks in back-to-back games, the first time ever they came in back-to-back road games.
  
• FC Cincinnati gained a fourth result in six games to start their MLS history, reaching a 1-1 draw with Sporting Kansas City at Nippert Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Darren Mattocks scored FCC’s lone goal, his first with club, converting the club’s first penalty kick.
  

Sunday, April 14
Sporting Kansas City vs. New York Red Bulls, 7 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Deportes)

• Sporting extended their undefeated streak to four games, coming back for a 1-1 draw with FC Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Gianluca Busio scored his second goal of the season, his second in as many league games.
  
• The Red Bulls went down to a third consecutive defeat, falling 2-1 to Minnesota United FC at Red Bull Arena on Saturday evening. It’s the first time the Red Bulls have lost three games in a row since May 3-14, 2017.
  
• The Red Bulls won the lone meeting between the teams a year ago, a 3-2 victory on July 14 at Red Bull Arena, their first win vs. Sporting since 2014, ending a three-game winless run in the series.
  
• Sporting won the last meeting between the teams in Kansas City, a 2-0 victory on May 3, 2017, at Children’s Mercy Park, which ended a five-game winless streak for Sporting in the series on their home ground, their first win in Kansas City since 2011.
  
• Sporting have come away with points on four of their last six visits to Red Bull Arena since 2012, winning three.