D.C. United is one step closer to having its own soccer-specific stadium.
The District of Columbia, along with the MLS club, announced that it had filed papers to seize two acres of land at Buzzard Point. If completed, the team could move ahead with its plans to begin construction on the land.
“The District of Columbia and D.C. United are moving forward on a soccer stadium that will transform a neighborhood on the banks of the Anacostia and generate hundreds of new jobs for District residents,” the D.C. government and franchise said in a statement. “We have created the best deal for the District, its residents, D.C. United and its fans.”
Here are some more news and notes from MLS:
DUE TO ARTIFICIAL TURF, DROGBA MAY SIT OUT VS. ORLANDO CITY
Many star players that have joined MLS have decided not to lace up on artificial turf, and Didier Drogba may do the same Saturday.
According to La Presse, head coach Mauro Biello said the red-hot Ivorian international may not dress for the Montreal Impact in Saturday’s important Eastern Conference clash with Orlando City SC.
“He is not comfortable with the idea of playing on artificial turf,” Biello told La Presse Wednesday. “He’s never played on this type of surface during his career.”
The Impact sit four points ahead of the Lions in the sixth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Montreal does have two games in hand as well.
ORLANDO CITY MAJORITY OWNER HOPES TO ADD RONALDO IN 2016
Orlando City SC has been chasing the signatures of the world’s elite since it kicked off its MLS campaign in 2015, and that desire has not gone away.
Orlando City majority owner Flavio Augusto Da Silva said adding Cristiano Ronaldo interests him more than Argentine star Lionel Messi, and he hopes the Portuguese playmaker can join his team starting next year.
“Truthfully, we like Cristiano Ronaldo a lot. We’d sign him without thinking about it,” da Silva told Spanish outlet Marca. “Physically, he’s more complete than Messi, and he’d make more of an impact on a marketing level in MLS than the Argentine. Hopefully, we can sign him for this upcoming season. We’ve always heard that he’d like to come to the United States to play.”
The Lions signed former Real Madrid midfielder Kaka before the inaugural season, and the team has previously been linked to adding Brazilian international Robinho and Mexican forward Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez.
NEMETH TO JOIN HUNGARY FOR EURO 2016 QUALIFICATION
Fresh from helping Sporting Kansas City win the U.S. Open Cup Wednesday, Krisztian Nemeth received some more good news Thursday.
Hungary has called in the dynamic midfielder for the nation’s pair of UEFA Euro 2016 qualification matches.
Hungary will play host to Faroe Islands on Oct. 8 and travel to play Greece on Oct. 11. His nation currently sits in third place in Group F, three points behind Romania and four points behind Northern Ireland in first. Only the top two teams from each group automatically advance, with third-place teams having to play in a two-legged playoff round in November.
Nemeth, 26, has been a member of the Hungarian national team during their past three European Championship qualification runs. He has made 19 appearances all-time for his nation.
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What do you think about D.C. United filing papers to seize the land? Think Drogba will play against Orlando City? Will Ronaldo join MLS in 2016?
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