Extratime Radio

After eight years of heartache, Toronto FC are playoff bound. It’s worth repeating: Toronto FC have qualified for the MLS postseason, putting eight years of failure in the rearview mirror. The man who helped drag them there, Italian star Giovinco, unveiled a masterpiece against the Red Bulls. Watch his goal then listen to what Andrew, David and Matt have to say about all three Wednesday games and the year of the playmaker in MLS. In the second segment, get your Soccer Sunday breakdown then listen to Diego Pinzon’s interview with MLS legend Juan Pablo Angel. What does JPA think about Fabian Castillo’s nascent Colombia career? How about the Red Bulls’ success under new management? Plus, is old friend Juan Carlos Osorio the right man for Mexico? The mailbag starts with more United States national team talk before veering into MLS waters. What city will a fan in Madrid visit after falling in love with the league? You’ll have to listen to find out.

First the U-23s fell flat in their attempt to avoid an Olympic playoff. Then the senior team hung on against Mexico through 118 minutes before Paul Aguilar scored a goal nobody on either side of the rivalry will forget. Make no mistake about it, Saturday was a low point for U.S. Soccer. So what do the guys make of it? Andrew, David and Matt give their thoughts, then ESPN’s Doug McIntyre joins to chime in after a disappointing weekend followed by a friendly against Costa Rica. In the second segment, it’s all MLS as three midweek games with huge Audi MLS Cup Playoffs implications take over the airwaves. Toronto FC, with a win or draw against the Red Bulls, will make the playoffs. Yes, we said playoffs. Local boy Jonathan Osorio calls in to discuss the new culture at the club and dishes on what Giovinco’s taught him. Plus, Fabian Castillo…how much is he worth? In the mailbag, more USMNT controversy plus listener’s thoughts on the big game.

First, midweek action at Red Bull Arena and BC Place as the Impact give themselves an uphill climb to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and the ‘Caps booked their place in the big dance. After that, the main event – for this week at least – the CONCACAF Cup. Andrew, David and Matt break down the storylines surrounding the game, not least the mounting pressure on Jurgen Klinsmann. In the second segment, Eric Gomez (FutbolTotal) and Jeff Carlisle (ESPN) join the guys to preview both sides. Gomez takes Mexico, who are weathering an especially bumpy road as coach familiar to MLS fans gets ready to take over the team. The US has issues of it’s own, including an illness to one presumed starter. Plus, will the US and Canada book a place in the Olympics? It’s peanut butter and jelly time in the mailbag, then a little East-West debate before calling it a day. Send your CONCACAF Cup thoughts via Twitter and email for a chance to win prizes!

So what do we know about MLS with three rounds left? Well, four teams are safely in the playoffs – the Red Bulls, D.C. United, LA Galaxy and FC Dallas – and that’s about it. With eight Audi MLS Cup Playoffs spots still up for grabs, Andrew, David and Matt take a closer look at the weekend that was: Why is Lil’ B a Toronto FC and Giovinco fan? What’s wrong with Crew SC’s backline? Why hasn’t Plan B worked in Portland? Why didn’t Kekuta pass? Is FC Dallas MLS’ best team? In the second segment, the guys are joined by Chipotle’s No. 1 customer Kellyn Acosta, who explains why he doesn’t eat burritos before games, picks his FCD 3v3 team and gives fans outside of the Lone Star State insight into the Texas Derby. Acosta has USMNT dreams, but he’s still years away from playing in a game like CONCACAF Cup. Jurgen Klinsmann named his roster on Saturday, and the guys take a shot at the lineup that’ll take the field at the Rose Bowl. No mailbag. Instead, an extra special interview with Matt and Brooklyn Banks, the Sounder

As champagne soaked the visitor’s locker room at PPL Park, Sporting Kansas City belted out the old classic at the top of their lungs. Campeones, campeones! Olé, olé, olé! With help from captain Matt Besler, Andrew, David and Matt break down the US Open Cup final, a back-and-forth affair decided from the spot, the third time in four years Sporting did the the business via spot kicks. But what of the Union? And who helped Kansas City prepare for PK specialist John McCarthy? In the second segment, the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs race rages on, with plenty of weekend implications. Will Portland take advantage of Sporting’s USOC hangover? Can Vancouver break out of their slump? Who will take over first place in the Eastern Conference? What will the Red Bulls do without Matt Miazga? So many questions, and the guys have (some) of the answers. Where is Miazga, you ask? He’s with the United States Olympic team, who – along with Canada and six other CONCACAF qualifiers – is trying to book a place in Rio. See what’s at stake,

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 recor

The annual 24 Under 24 list is out, and the debate around MLS has been heated. Andrew and David are joined by this year’s 24U24 head honcho ETR regular Matt Doyle to discuss the best young players in MLS. Get the full story on the voting process, the missing players he still sheds a tear for and what has changed most since the series started in 2010. Following up on that conversation, Sporting KC assistant technical director and former USL executive and college soccer coach Mike Jacobs sits down with Andrew Wiebe to discuss the lay of the land when it comes to talent development in the US and North America. What are the most drastic changes in recent years as well as the most worrying trends? Will SKC be getting a USL team soon? You’ll have to listen to find out. In the final segment, get your full weekend preview as the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs approach. Which clubs could add their name to the list of teams in the big dance and which could fall out of the running?

Andrew and David sit down in studio with RSL super-fan and author of the "Believe" chant Branden Steineckert. They discuss his love affair with soccer and MLS plus the work he has done with some USMNT players. He tells the story of how "Believe" came to life from his world soccer travels to the first recording. And he discusses the trials and tribulations of following his club while on tour with Rancid.

Win or spend November at home. That’s where things stand as the season reaches fever pitch and the league sees it’s first coaching casualty in Chicago. On a weekend that saw the Red Bulls clinch the first spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, Crew SC fell just short – but not by their own doing. Ambitious winger Ethan Finlay joins the guys to talk fantasy football, Kei Kamara the alpha dog, his international future (hint: Canada is out) and Columbus’ status as the MLS Las Vegas.  New York may have booked a postseason place, but they didn’t lift a trophy in Cascadia. The Sounders did, though, going to Vancouver for a Cascadia Cup-clinching win that was doubly important as San Jose, a direct competitor, lost again. Plus, Real Salt Lake are roaring back with the help of a man named Burrito, and Montreal and Toronto got it done with the help of their stars.  In the mailbag, Rancid drummer Branden Steineckert describes how he fell in love with the beautiful game and RSL. Check back on Tuesday for the full interview.

verybody loves a little midweek action, and Andrew and David break it all down – from Frank Lampard’s first MLS goal to another missed opportunity for the Quakes – before New England’s Diego Fagundez joins to give MLS fans the lowdown on muddin’ with Lee Nguyen, the Revs late-summer runs and his decision to represent Uruguay. Plus, MLS clubs do the business in the CONCACAF Champions League.   In the second segment, the guys take a closer look at what’s turning into a back-and-forth MLS Cup playoff race. Who can clinch this weekend? Whose hopes are slowly dwindling? Can Drogba and Co. knock off the first-place Revs? Can Sporting Kansas City pull out of their recent nosedive? Is the Wiebe curse for real?   The mailbag starts with some CONCACAF Cup roster chatter (no Guardado? USMNT fans can hope), then rumors from around the Copa Centenario water cooler. Will it happen? Soccer fans in the US wait with baited breath. Plus, thoughts on LAFC’s name confirmation and Darlington Nagbe’s United States citizenship and

With David on vacation, Andrew calls in an old hand (Simon) to help break down the MLS weekend. Another impressive win for New England, this time in Toronto? Another disappointing loss for Sporting KC? That feeling you're getting is déjà vu as both teams begin to replicate their 2014 surge and slide. Kei Kamara is in the Golden Boot lead, but should he be MVP? Did Michel mean to score on his olimpico? Plus, why Montreal's scoreless draw in LA was the most surprising (and impressive) result of the weekend. In the second segment, Chicago Fire rookie Matt Polster drops by the studio to chat with Andrew, David and Matt Doyle about his emotional draft day, rookie life, Steven Gerrard fandom, the United States U-23s and his offseason plans, which hopefully include a training stint in Europe. The mailbag answers one question: Which club (not named the Galaxy) and its fans deserve to win MLS Cup? Be sure to make your opinion known by tweeting @ExtraTimeRadio or emailing the show at extratime@mlssoccer.com.

The MLS train chugs on as Matt Doyle joins the guys to break down the midweek action and look ahead to another weekend with serious MLS Cup Playoff implications. Things are going well in Red Bull land, but should fans feel secure? Are Orlando and NYCFC’s playoff hopes dead? Can Montreal keep the Galaxy from dropping a five-spot? How healthy in Giovinco and how will it affect Toronto’s late push?   In the second segment, it’s all Dax, all the time as the Red Bulls’ captain joins Matt and Andrew for a wide-ranging interview that touches on his engagement, famous dog, Thierry Henry’s New York legacy and the present and future of his new-look club. Plus, find out why New York fans shouldn’t worry about all that contract chatter.   The show concludes with a look at a USMNT loss to Brazil that Matt says was a real bummer and what Jurgen Klinsmann and Co. face ahead of the CONCACAF Cup on Oct. 10. Plus, a domestic MLS sighting and a fact-finding trip to Malta.

After a refreshing holiday weekend that included a truncated MLS slate and plenty of international action, the guys dive right in by discussing Didier Drogba’s historic night in Montreal. Then it’s on to FC Dallas, who knocked off Crew SC, 3-0, with a lineup that included five Homegrown players and two teenagers. Head coach Oscar Pareja says he knows playing kids can be a bit scary, but he’s committed to seeing his project through. The former Colombia international also chimes in on Fabian Castillo’s first call-up.     In the second segment, it’s all United States national team as the Yanks prepare for Mexico on Oct. 10 via friendlies vs. Peru (2-1 win on Friday at RFK Stadium) and Brazil (Tuesday night at Gillette Stadium). What have we learned so far? Is Jozy back in form? Is Matt Besler back out of the cold? Is Gyasi Zardes the key to the attack? Where should Jermaine Jones play? All that, plus a big win for Canada and some CONCACAF craziness.   The mailbag starts with a goalkeeper question that turns into

here may be half the normal MLS action this weekend, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to talk about. The guys start with the United States national team and Jurgen Klinsmann, who said some things that got MLSsoccer.com’s own Matt Doyle riled up. Then San Jose forward Quincy Amarikwa joins the show to talk about a new opportunity after his midseason trade from Chicago. In the second segment, NBC Sports and Travel Channel personality (oh, and former MLS and USMNT player) Kyle Martino sits down with Andrew to talk about his new gig, progress in MLS and the national team’s recent troubles. The mailbag starts with some gibberish about Dax McCarty before Dave steers the conversation to random MLS sightings (think Finland and Colombia) and a graduate student who needs a way to hold onto his fandom without the benefit of free time.

The guys gather to break down Heineken Rivalry Week, starting with an Atlantic Cup clash that saw the Red Bulls run over a D.C. United squad that's beginning to grow concerned about their current form. In Toronto, the Reds squeaked past the Didier Drogba-less Impact, a result that was the final nail in the coffin for Frank Klopas in Montreal. Mauro Biello is taking over on an interim basis, and RDS' Pat Leduc joins the guys to explain what's going on behind the scenes with the Impact. Plus, Seattle won by the skin of their teeth much to the chagrin of Caleb Porter, and San Jose have now won four straight after a California Clasico win vs. the Galaxy. Of course, there was plenty of action outside of Heineken Rivalry Week, most notably in the Bronx, where New York City FC lost to Columbus Crew SC and Jason Kreis questioned his team's commitment. Colorado won again to keep their playoff hopes alive, Vancouver lost for the ninth time in nine games in Texas and Fabian Castillo scored then got a Colombia call-up. S

Heineken Rivalry Week is upon us, but first the guys break down all the midweek action from the MLS regular season, Canadian Championship and CONCACAF Champions League. First up, an unexpected loss for the Red Bulls that confirmed Simon’s hot take on the Fire from Monday’s show. But what about that corner kick? PRO says no good, but Dave’s not so sure. While that was going down, the Vancouver Whitecaps lifted a cup and sealed their place in the CCL. Speaking of CCL, which MLS teams are positioned best to advance to the knockout stage? The weekend gets started with a classic, a Cali Clasico to be specific. Both teams are hot, but can San Jose really knock off the high-flying Galaxy? Then, on Saturday, Canada gets in on the act, as Toronto host Montreal in a matchup of two playoff hopefuls. The Impact need wins, but will they have Didier Drogba to help them get one? Soccer Sunday is the main course, and the Seattle Times’ Matt Pentz and Fox Sports’ John Strong break down #SEAvPOR and #NYvDC. In the mailbag, the

There’s still plenty to play for in the 2015 season, but can the new-look LA Galaxy be stopped? After the overwhelming display by the defending champions against New York City FC, Simon is ready to call them locks for MLS Cup 2015 except that David, Ben and Arielle aren’t taking the bait. The gang breaks down every matchup from a busy Week 25 in MLS: Drogba’s debut, to Toronto’s Jozy-less domination, San Jose’s reversing fortunes, and lots more.   In the second segment, David, Simon, and Arielle preview the upcoming midweek action highlighted by the Amway Canadian Championship second leg final. Can Vancouver finally break their tournament curse and win their first Voyagers Cup? Plus, we preview the two MLS midweek matches and the CCL group games on tap for this week as the Sounders and Brad Evans prepare for their rematch with Olimpia in Honduras.   And in the mailbag: another FIFA head-scratcher, Sounders fans take issue with Simon Borg (surprise) and what works best for the development of young players?

Poku-mania finally touches down in the ETR studio as the man himself joins the gang for the first time. Kwadwo discusses his run of form, the man who discovered him in the NPSL ranks (Eric Wynalda) and the advice that he’s getting from the other NYCFC stars. And we go from the player of the moment, to the result that has everyone talking: Right after Andrew calls them the best team in the league, Sporting Kansas City are humbled by the San Jose Earthquakes in midweek. Plus Simon asks how fans would react if the tables were turned in the case of the Brad Evans-Olimpia CCL brouhaha.   In the second segment, we look forward to a busy MLS weekend with plenty of questions. Is the West superior to the East as Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson claims? Who would you take: Kekuta Manneh or Fabian Castillo? Can NYCFC hang with the LA Galaxy on Sunday? And then there’s the big Didier Drogba debut happening on Saturday night. MLSsoccer.com's Montreal Impact beat writer Olivier Tremblay sets the scene ahead of the so

After a goal- and drama-packed weekend of the MLS action, the gang jumps in the studio to break it all down, starting with Sporting Kansas City’s historic comeback against the Whitecaps. Philadelphia, meanwhile, were on the other end of a see-saw match with Chicago that left one player bemoaning their lack of maturity. Plus, Robbie Keane is trying to weasel his way into the MVP race, Kaka’s gone missing, the Red Bulls rolled Toronto FC and Seattle and #TeamOba are back in business. In the second segment, D.C. United defensive stalwarts Bobby Boswell and Steve Birnbaum sit down with Andrew for a wide-ranging interview that includes the guys’ thoughts on Instant Replay and MLS refereeing, epic trash talkers, ideal MLS dinner partners and Targeted Allocation Money. Don’t miss it. In the mailbag, a listener wonders what MLS’ most interesting XI would look like, a D.C. fan gets some swag and the guys try to come up with theme songs for all 20 MLS clubs.

The battle for domestic cup silverware hit the final stretch on Wednesday. In Canada, the Impact and Whitecaps battled to a thrilling 2-2 draw that sets up winner-take-all match at BC Place at the end of the month. Down south, the Union booked their second straight US Open Cup final appearance. They’ll take on Sporting KC, and Philly captain Maurice Edu joins the guys to talk Meek Mill, Lamborghinis and the club’s playoff chances. In the second segment, the guys turn their focus to the MLS weekend. Are Colorado on the right track with their most recent signings? Can Toronto FC deal with the Red Bulls’ pressure after wilting against Sporting KC? Gio-mania in Dallas? Finally, are the Sounders set to turn things around after eight losses in nine? GM and president of soccer Garth Lagerwey says yes following a massive talent influx. Another fight involving a CONCACAF manager? This time it’s Costa Rica’s Paulo Wanchope, and the news prompts Andrew to share an embarrassing story from Brazil.