D.C. United coaching search update, plus Washington Spirit and Loudoun United news, and more: Freedom Kicks for 10/20/2020

Well, I should have started writing this earlier than I did, so it’s a race against time to get this done before I just straight up fall asleep. Let’s get moving.

D.C. United had two players on the league’s Team of the Week, and I bet you already know who it is:

Donovan Pines and Chris Odoi-Atsem are on the list, while Moses Nyeman did not despite catching the eye. Why? My guess is that it’s really tough to make Team of the Week without scoring a goal or getting assists, because they have to get this team out so quickly after games have been played. This time, they put it out before everyone even played from this most recent pack of games (Union-Revs was last night).

Anyway that’s my grip. Moving on to the coaching search:

That’s Michael Nsien, the head coach of FC Tulsa in the USL Championship, but obviously we’re still a ways away from doing “D.C. United hires _______ as head coach” articles.

Washington’s Ashley Hatch talks Fall Series, USWNT training camp | Just Women’s Sports
Washington Spirit striker Ashley Hatch is mostly talking about the upcoming USWNT camp that she, Ashley Sanchez, and Aubrey Bledsoe are heading to.

National Women’s Soccer League announces winner of Verizon Community Shield | NWSLsoccer.com
The Spirit finished the Fall Series in third place, which means that Verizon is going to give DC Scores a $10,000 grant.

Kairou Amoustapha proving to be worth the wait for Loudoun | Black and Red United
Ryan Keefer wrote this up for us yesterday. Kairou Amoustapha was one of Loudoun United’s most dangerous players in 2020, and the winger went through an awful lot just to get here and play.

Loudoun was in the news in a different way, as striker Alioune Ndour’s loan from Czech club MFK Vyskov is apparently not going to be extended because he’s off to Portugal:

Staying in the USL Championship, this is just straight up bad news:

Rather than doing the smart thing after the Phoenix Rising-San Diego Loyal dispute (which, given San Diego’s principled forfeit, would be to award no points and simply consider the game abandoned), they gave Phoenix three points, which may well end up being a huge factor in who wins it all this year. USL, you guys can do what I just said, and not even give me credit. Make the right call.

Major League Soccer Announces Steps to Combat Racism and Increase Black Representation | MLSsoccer.com
The Black Players for Change have been calling on MLS to take concrete steps towards fighting racism and improving diversity in the league beyond the player pool, and MLS announced this round of actions they plan to take. Hopefully this isn’t a one-off, but rather the first round of many such announcements.

Defender Casey Short ruled out of upcoming U.S. Women’s National Team training camp due to hip injury | USSoccer.com
Well, this sucks.

As a change of pace, here’s the inevitable Monster Mash:

I’ve got at least three more Freedom Kicks to do in October!

U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone will run for reelection in 2021 - sources | Yahoo Sports
If you’re like me and you haven’t thought about the USSF having an election coming up...well here’s your reminder!

Fontana chip, Blake saves lead Union to another win over New England | Brotherly Game
Revolution 1, Union 2: Three thoughts | The Bent Musket
I’ve been saying that there’s a difference between the East’s four good teams and the New England Revolution, who I maintain are merely not bad. Well, if you’re good, you win home games against potential playoff competitors at this late point in the season. The Revs did not, losing 2-1 to the Philadelphia Union. They’re not actually good, y’all.

Alright, I’m done. I cede the rest of my time to Rebecca Lowe: