MLS-led U.S. begins FIFA U-20 World Cup against Ukraine on Friday

• MLS-led U.S. begins FIFA U-20 World Cup against Ukraine on Friday
• Memo delivers: Dynamo midfielder relishing breakout campaign
• Fan voting launches Thursday for 2019 MLS All-Star Game Fan XI presented by Target
• Week 13 Notes

Top Things to Know about MLS This Week
MLS stars polishing up Gold Cup rosters:
A total of 78 MLS players were named to the initial 40-man Concacaf Gold Cup rosters, with the 24 repping the U.S. Men’s National Team leading all countries. A complete list is available on
MLSsoccer.com
.
U.S. and Mexico met in U-17 thriller:
The 2019 Concacaf U-17 Championships Final went down to the wire between the U.S. and Mexico, but the Stars and Stripes fell 2-1 in extra time. The U.S. and Canada qualified for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup as top-4 finishers at the tournament.
#WondoWatch for more:
After San Jose and U.S. MNT icon Chris Wondolowski broke the all-time MLS scoring record on a four-goal outing, he sits tied with Landon Donovan’s game-winning goals record (41), and is only one hat trick away from matching Josef Martinez’s all-time career record (6) set last year.
Young players getting it done:
Last week’s scoring featured goals by six players ages 23 or younger, including two game-tying goals and two game winners.

Rising above:
Formerly last-place Atlanta is now No. 4 in the East and the sixth-place New York Red Bulls are above the playoff line for the first time this season. In the West, the LA Galaxy have dipped to fourth, while Sporting Kansas City took the hardest fall over a six-week span, sliding from a seventh-place playoff position to second from the bottom of conference standings.
Philadelphia still DOOPing the doubters:
 The Union are on a six-game unbeaten streak and entering their third straight week tied atop the Eastern Conference with D.C. United.
Montreal is in the mix:
Impact midfielder Ignacio Piatti missed the first 13 games of the season, but after returning last week, the No. 3 Eastern Conference team has some added firepower against the league’s No. 1-ranked LAFC.
MLS-led U.S. begins FIFA U-20 World Cup against Ukraine on Friday
Led by 18 MLS academy products among its 21-man roster, the United States begins play at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland on Friday against Ukraine (2:30 p.m. ET, FS1). Among the 18 academy products include 10 current MLS players signed to Homegrown Player contracts. The U.S. is looking for a strong repeat performance in the tournament after falling to eventual runner-up Venezuela in the quarterfinals of the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
FC Dallas leads all MLS clubs with three current players in
Paxton Pomykal
,
Edwin Cerrillo
, and
Brandon Servania
, while
Chris Richards
developed in the FC Dallas academy before transferring to Bayern Munich.
Elsewhere in MLS, Atlanta United midfielder
Ezequiel Barco
suits up for Argentina in the tournament, while several players on MLS-affiliated USL squads will represent both Panama (five players) and Honduras (four players).  
Alan Kelly, the 2018 MLS Referee of the Year, has been assigned as a VAR for the tournament, and joining him from the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) will be referee Ismail Elfath and assistant referees Kyle Atkins and Corey Parker.
2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup – Group D Schedule – USA

Memo delivers: Dynamo midfielder relishing breakout campaign
Houston Dynamo 23-year-old midfielder
Memo Rodriguez
has come a long way since his original stint for the club four years ago. The native Texan ranks among the club’s top three in both goals (5) and assists (2) this season, and Rodriguez’s efforts have lifted Houston into third place in the Western Conference standings.
The Dynamo academy product was waived by the club after the 2015 season, but the following year Rodriguez worked his way back in high-flying fashion as one of the top stars for United Soccer League affiliate Rio Grande Valley, who were coached by
Wilmer Cabrera
.
Cabrera then brought Rodriguez back to the MLS fold in 2017 as the newly appointed Dynamo head coach, and Rodriguez has since rewarded him and the club with career-best scoring numbers and key moments in 2019. Rodriguez recently fueled the Dynamo to a 2-1 comeback win against D.C. United on Saturday, sparking an offense that played most of the match without an injured
Alberth Elis
.
If Rodriguez continues this upward trajectory, the Dynamo are putting themselves in a good position to return to the postseason for the first time since 2017.
Fan voting launches Thursday for 2019 MLS All-Star Game Fan XI presented by Target
Fan Voting for the 2019 MLS All-Star Game Fan XI presented by Target launches on Thursday on MLSsoccer.com, through the free
MLS app
, and via the EA SPORTS™ “More Than a Vote” Challenge. Fan voting will run until 11:59 p.m. PT on June 13.
The MLS All-Stars are set to take on 10-time Spanish champions Atlético Madrid at Orlando City Stadium in Orlando on July 31 in the 2019 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target. The summer showcase will air on FS1, UniMás, TSN and TVA Sports domestically as well as across more than 170 countries globally.
Fans will have the opportunity to vote online at MLSsoccer.com and through the free MLS app for 10 players – one goalkeeper, three defenders, four midfielders and two forwards. The players with the most votes, by position, will be named to the 2019 MLS All-Star Game Fan XI presented by Target. The 11th player will be determined by the EA SPORTS™ “More Than a Vote” Challenge.
MLS Regular Season: Week 13 Notes
Wednesday, May 22
New York Red Bulls vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 8 p.m. ET (TSN)

• The Red Bulls won a second consecutive match, defeating Atlanta United 1-0 at Red Bull Arena on Sunday afternoon. Tom Barlow scored his first career goal in MLS, making his second career league appearance.
  
• Whitecaps FC started their road swing with a second consecutive result on their travels, reaching a 1-1 draw with Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday evening. Derek Cornelius scored his first career goal in MLS for the late equalizer.
  
• The teams reached a 2-2 draw in their lone meeting a year ago, Aug. 18 at BC Place. The draw ended a two-game Red Bulls winning streak in the series, which are their only two victories vs. Whitecaps FC in eight meetings all-time in league play.
  
• Vancouver had won the three previous meetings, each year from 2013-15; the first three encounters between the clubs were all 1-1 draws.
  

Friday, May 24
Orlando City SC vs. LA Galaxy, 7 p.m. ET (UniMás, Twitter)

• Orlando City put an end to a three-game losing slide in emphatic fashion, defeating FC Cincinnati 5-1 at Orlando City Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• Nani scored a pair of goals for OCSC, the second two-goal game of his MLS career, now with seven goals for the season. Tesho Akindele also netted a pair of goals, the fourth multiple-goal game of his MLS career.
  
• The Galaxy suffered a fourth consecutive loss with a second consecutive shutout, falling 1-0 to the Colorado Rapids at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday evening. The four-game losing slide is the club’s longest since 2017, three games shy of the club record.
  
• Home form has ruled in the all-time series. The Galaxy have won both meetings in Carson, Calif., including a 4-3 win last July 29 in the only encounter last season. The Galaxy also claimed a 4-2 triumph on Sept. 11, 2016.
  
• Orlando City have won both meetings played in Florida, including a 2-1 victory on April 15, 2017, in the last meeting at Orlando City Stadium. OCSC also took a 4-0 win in the first meeting ever between the teams in 2015.
  

Real Salt Lake vs. Atlanta United, 9 p.m. ET (UniMás, Twitter)

• Real won a second consecutive game, defeating Toronto FC 3-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday evening. Sebastian Saucedo scored a goal and added an assist, the second time in his MLS career he’s had a goal and an assist in the same game.
  
• Atlanta United saw their five-game winning streak put to an end, falling 1-0 to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on Sunday afternoon. The Red Bulls goal put an end to the Atlanta United shutout streak after 521 minutes, tied for the seventh-longest in MLS history.
  
• Atlanta United have won both meetings between the teams in their histories. ATLUTD took a 3-1 win in their first encounter on April 22, 2017, at Rio Tinto Stadium, then claimed a 2-0 win last Sept. 22 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
  

Los Angeles Football Club vs. Montreal Impact, 10:30 p.m. ET (TSN, TVA Sports)

• LAFC extended their undefeated streak to six games with a third draw in that time, playing to a 1-1 result with FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium on Sunday evening.
  
• Carlos Vela scored for a second consecutive game, now with 14 goals in 14 games for the season to lead the MLS Golden Boot standings.
  
• The Impact were held without a goal for a second consecutive home match, reaching a goalless draw with the New England Revolution at Stade Saputo on Saturday afternoon.
  
• LAFC won the first meeting ever between the clubs in a wild match last April 21 at Stade Saputo, taking a 5-3 win. Ignacio Piatti scored a hat trick before halftime for Montreal, but LAFC uncorked an MLS-record 18 shots on target to come back for the victory.
  

Saturday, May 25
Chicago Fire vs. New York City FC, 3:30 p.m. ET (Univision, Twitter)

• The Fire had their two-game winning run put to an end, falling 4-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes at Avaya Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Aleksandar Katai netted the Fire’s lone goal, a second consecutive game with a goal; he has two goals and two assists over the past four games.
  
• NYCFC return to action after a weekend off, extending their undefeated streak to seven games in their last match, a 2-0 win against the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park on May 11. The seven-game undefeated run is one game shy of the club’s record, set over the end of the 2017 season and start of 2018.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Valentin Castellanos netted the game’s only goal after nine minutes, giving NYCFC the victory on April 24 at Yankee Stadium.
  

• The Fire won in the last meeting in Bridgeview, Ill., a 3-2 victory last June 30, ending a six-game NYCFC undefeated streak in the series. It was the Fire’s first win since a 1-0 victory on April 24, 2015 in Bridgeview in the first-ever encounter between the teams.
  
• The Fire have never won at Yankee Stadium. NYCFC have won the past four meetings between the teams in the Bronx, their first home wins in the series after the first two meetings ended in draws.
  

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. FC Dallas, 7 p.m. ET (TSN)

• FC Dallas put an end to their three-game losing slide but still saw their winless streak reach five matches, reaching a 1-1 draw with the Los Angeles Football Club at Toyota Stadium on Sunday evening. Ryan Hollingshead scored the lone FCD goal, his second of the season.
  
• The teams met twice a season ago, with FC Dallas gaining points from both. FCD took a 2-1 win on Sept. 23 at BC Place; the teams reached a 2-2 draw on May 19 at Toyota Stadium.
  
• The home team has not won in the series since 2016. The FCD win in Vancouver last year ended a seven-game home undefeated streak for Whitecaps FC in the series, going 3-0-4 over the span.
  
• Whitecaps FC have come away with points on their last two trips to Toyota Stadium. Their 4-0 win there in 2017 was the club’s first ever in Frisco; FC Dallas had won the first seven meetings at home, outscoring Vancouver 14-2.
  

FC Cincinnati vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m. ET

• FC Cincinnati weren’t able to build upon a first win in eight matches, falling 5-1 to Orlando City SC at Orlando City Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Darren Mattocks scored his second goal of the season for FCC; the five goals were the most conceded by the club in its MLS history.
  
• Luis Robles was credited with two saves in recording his second shutout of the season in the Red Bulls’ 1-0 win vs. Atlanta United, his second shutout of the season. Robles now has 65 shutouts for his league career, moving past Pat Onstad for eighth-most all-time in MLS.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season and in their history. Connor Lade scored the game’s only goal in the 38th minute as the Red Bulls took the victory on April 27 at Red Bull Arena.
  

New England Revolution vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. ET

• The Revolution gained a second successive result in interim coach Mike Lapper’s second game in charge, playing to a scoreless draw with the Montréal Impact at Stade Saputo on Saturday afternoon.
  
• D.C. United had their away winless run extended to three games, falling 2-1 to the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday evening. Wayne Rooney scored his seventh goal of the season; he has been involved in 11 of United’s 18 goals (also with four assists).
  
• Each team won on their home ground in the two meetings between the clubs a year ago. The Revolution took a 3-2 win on June 30 at Gillette Stadium, then D.C. United claimed a 2-0 win on Aug. 19 in the first meeting ever at Audi Field.
  

• The Revolution have a seven-game undefeated streak alive at home in the series in league play (3-0-4); United’s last win there came in 2012. United had won the final five league meetings at RFK Stadium between the MLS Original clubs, with shutouts in four, dating back to 2014.
  
• The teams have also met four times in the MLS Cup Playoffs, with United winning three of the four series all-time, last a 2-1 win at RFK Stadium in the Knockout Round in 2015. They have met five times in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the Revolution winning three, last in 2017.
  

Philadelphia Union vs. Portland Timbers, 7:30 p.m. ET

• The Union extended their undefeated streak to six games, reaching a goalless draw with Seattle Sounders FC at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The six-game streak is the longest since the club-record eight-game run without a loss from April 23-June 1, 2016.
  
• The Timbers return to action for the final match of their 12-game road odyssey to open the season, their last contest a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium on May 15. Brian Fernández scored the goal in his Timbers and MLS debut.
  
• The Timbers have won the past three meetings between the teams over the last three seasons, including a 3-0 win in the lone meeting a year, Aug. 4 at Providence Park.
  
• The Union’s lone victory in the series came on their home ground, in 2015; the teams reached scoreless draws in each of their first two meetings in Chester, Pa., in 2011 and 2013.
  
• The Timbers have never lost to the Union in Portland, winning four of the five meetings between the teams.
  

Minnesota United FC vs. Houston Dynamo, 8 p.m. ET

• Minnesota United put an end to a two-game winless skid, defeating Columbus Crew SC by the game’s only goal at Allianz Field on Saturday evening. Ethan Finlay netted the MNUFC goal, his first goal since March 10, 2018, when he tallied a pair vs. Orlando City.
  
• The Dynamo snapped a two-game winless run, coming from behind to defeat D.C. United 2-1 at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday evening. Memo Rodríguez scored his fifth goal of the season and Tommy McNamara added his first, the goals coming in successive minutes midway through the second half, matching the quickest span of goals in the club’s history.
  
• The teams split their two league meetings a year ago, each winning on their home ground. Minnesota United took a come-from-behind 2-1 win on April 28 at TCF Bank Stadium, their first victory vs. the Dynamo. Then, the Dynamo captured a 3-0 victory July 7 at BBVA Compass Stadium.
  

• The teams met three times a year ago in MNUFC’s inaugural MLS season, and the Dynamo claimed the only win, a 2-1 victory on Sept. 30 at Houston. The teams played to draws in the first two meetings, once at each ground – a 2-2 result on April 15 at BBVA Compass Stadium, and a goalless match July 19 at TCF Bank Stadium.
  
• The Dynamo also won in a U.S. Open Cup fifth-round meeting between the clubs last year, a 1-0 win in Houston.
  

Colorado Rapids vs. Columbus Crew SC, 9 p.m. ET (TSN)

• The Rapids put an end to their winless start to the season after 11 games, with Andre Shinyashiki scoring the game’s only goal for a 1-0 win against the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park. The 11-game start to a season without a win matches the longest in MLS history.
  
• Crew SC suffered a second consecutive defeat, their seventh in the past eight games, falling 1-0 to Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field on Saturday evening.
  
• Crew SC won the lone meeting between the teams a year ago, a 2-1 win on Sept. 22 at Mapfre Stadium, their first home victory in the series since 2011. The Rapids had come away with points on their previous two trips to Columbus.
  
• The Rapids won the last meeting at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, a 2-1 win on June 3, 2017, their first home win in the series since 2012. Crew SC have now scored goals on their past three trips to Commerce City, Colo., after going from 2009-12 without scoring there, a span of 396 minutes between goals.
  

Sunday, May 26
Sporting Kansas City vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 6 p.m. (FS1, FOX Deportes)

• Sporting put an end to a two-game losing slide but still saw their winless run extended to seven games, reaching a 1-1 draw with Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday evening. Krisztian Nemeth scored SKC’s goal; the winless streak is the club’s longest since 2016.
  
• Sounders FC extended their undefeated run to six games with a fourth draw in that span, reaching a goalless draw with the Philadelphia Union at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• The teams met twice a season ago. Sounders FC won 3-0 at CenturyLink Field on Sept. 1, their consecutive win in the series at home; Sporting’s win there in 2016 was just their second win ever in Seattle, after SKC won 1-0 in 2009, the first meeting ever between the clubs.
  
• The teams reached a 2-2 draw in the first meeting last year, April 15 at Children’s Mercy Park, the result ending a four-game winning streak for Sporting at Children’s Mercy Park, over four seasons. Sounders FC last won in Kansas City in 2013.
  

Toronto FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 7:30 p.m. ET (TSN)

• TFC had their winless stretch extended to four games with a third loss in that time, falling 3-0 to Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
  
• Chris Wondolowski became the all-time leading goalscorer in MLS history, netting all four goals in San Jose’s 4-1 win against the Chicago Fire at Avaya Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Wondolowski now has 148 goals for his MLS league career, matching and surpassing the total recorded by Landon Donovan (145 goals) on the historic afternoon.
  
• Wondolowski also became the 12th player in MLS history to net four or more goals in a game. It was the fifth hat trick of his MLS career, tied for second-most in MLS history, and he recorded his 41st game-winning goal, tied for the most in league history. It was his 21st multiple-goal game, tied for fourth in the league annals.
  
• The Quakes are undefeated in the last four home meetings in the series, following a 1-1 draw last Aug. 18 in the lone meeting between the teams. TFC last won in northern California in 2010, a 3-1 win at Buck Shaw Stadium.
  
• Toronto FC have won four consecutive home matches in the series, including a 4-0 victory on Sept. 9, 2017, at BMO Field in the last meeting there. The Quakes had come away with results in their first five trips to BMO Field (2-0-3), winning there last on March 24, 2012.