ExtraTime Radio: Peter Vermes (Sporting KC), Matt Doyle
It figures. Just when you think you’ve got MLS all figured out, the league turns itself inside out with an unpredictable weekend that saw expansion Orlando trounce the high-flying Red Bulls, Portland snatch a huge road win in Columbus and a precocious Sporting squad nearly knock off the a Sounders squad full of World Cup vets. The Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle joins Andrew and David to break it all down as the race of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs reaches fever pitch.
There’s a trophy up for grabs this week, too, as Kansas City head to Philadelphia to take on the Union in the 102nd Lamar Hunt US Open Cup final. There are goalkeeping questions on both sides, while form favors the home team. Visiting manager Peter Vermes joins the guys to talk history, second-half swoons and the balance between the Eastern and Western Conference. Plus, one team swept the guys’ predictions. Was it SKC or the Union?
In the mailbag, David wraps up the opening weekend of the USL playoffs, then it’s shots, shots, shots as a unique record gets broken. Finally, what does a MLS-run USL squad (or not) actually mean for a club?