Tag: Soccer

MLS postpones opening match of tournament after several FC Dallas players test positive for COVID-19 — 360APROKO

Major League Soccer announced Saturday that it would be postponing the first match of the MLS is Back Tournament scheduled for Thursday after several FC Dallas members tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Florida. MLS issued a statement announcing that the game between FC Dallas and Vancouver Whitecaps FC would be postponed to an […]

MLS postpones opening match of tournament after several FC Dallas players test positive for COVID-19 — 360APROKO

Major League Soccer announced Saturday that it would be postponing the first match of the MLS is Back Tournament scheduled for Thursday after several FC Dallas members tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Florida.

MLS issued a statement announcing that the game between FC Dallas and Vancouver Whitecaps FC would be postponed to an undisclosed later date after 9 players and one coach on Dallas tested positive for coronavirus.

FC DALLAS SEES 9 PLAYERS TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 AHEAD OF MLS TOURNAMENT: REPORT

The league also said that Vancouver was delayed in arriving at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World in Orlando earlier this week after two players’ test results came back inconclusive for COVID-19 during the teams pre-travel screening.

The results eventually came back negative and the team will arrive on Monday.

The decision to cancel the first match of the tournament comes just after news broke that several members of FC Dallas tested positive upon arriving for the tournament.

The club initially confirmed Wednesday that six players were infected but reports emerged later that day that three more players and one coach had also tested positive.

“In consultation with MLS medical officials, FC Dallas took proactive steps to isolate the newly affected players as well as all FC Dallas players and staff in Orlando out of an abundance of caution. All members of the club delegation are following MLS health and safety protocols and will remain quarantined in their hotel rooms pending the results of further COVID-19 testing,” the statement read.

Both teams will play their first game on July 15.

“The later match date will allow both teams additional training days in Orlando in advance of their first match,” the league said in a statement.

Toronto FC hoping players can hit the BMO Training Ground by Monday — Toronto Sun

Toronto FC GM Ali Curtis said on Friday that he is hoping that TFC players can begin individual training at the BMO Training Ground as early as Monday. Read More

Toronto FC hoping players can hit the BMO Training Ground by Monday — Toronto Sun

oronto FC GM Ali Curtis said on Friday that he is hoping that TFC players can begin individual training at the BMO Training Ground as early as Monday.

“Should we have approval from appropriate government authorities and MLS, we’ll be ready to go,” Curtis told the Toronto Sun on Friday.

On Wednesday, Major League Soccer opened the door to individual player workouts outdoors at team training fields but only under strict guidelines, including social distancing. TFC officials first have to gain clearance from all three levels of government before they can give the players the green light to begin individual training at the Downsview training site. All three levels of government in Canada have posted lock downs because of the current COVID 19 crisis. The City of Toronto declared a state of emergency on March 23. A number of MLS clubs have already begun training at their respective training grounds including: Atlanta, Colorado, Inter Miami, Los Angeles FC, Nashville, Orlando City, Portland, Real Salt Lake and Sporting KC.

This week, MLS commissioner Don Garber told Nashville SC television that the league’s thinking regarding how to return to the field this year has evolved in the last month, making him more hopeful that the league will come up with a way for the 2020 season to be played.

“We’re more optimistic about what a return to play plan could look like,” Garber said. “I think a month ago we were very pessimistic. I think our country has done a pretty good job of flattening the curve, which is what the objective was. We need to be mindful of and focused on continuing to follow local guidelines because flattening the curve requires us all to be very focused and committed to all the guidelines local health authorities set out. So I would say we’re cautiously optimistic.”

MLS suspended the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic on March 12, closing all team facilities. A league-wide moratorium on team training remains in effect May 15 and it’s unclear when the season might resume. TFC played two regular season games before the 2020 season was suspended, opening the schedule with a 2-2 draw at San Jose on Feb. 29 and defeating New York City FC 1-0 in their home opener last Saturday at BMO Field.

A number of the world’s top soccer leagues are getting ready to return to action as various lock downs are being eased. The Bundesliga will return on May 16 and the German Football Association (DFL) hope to complete the season by June 30.

SBuffery@postmedia.com

Twitter @Beezersun