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My Journey to Watch CCL and Week 3 Preview

 On Thursday night the Vancouver Whitecaps played host to Honduran side Real Espana on something called Fox Soccer Plus. Hmm I wondered, is this a new app Fox Sports is using to promote soccer coverage? I searched the internet to see how to get Fox Soccer Plus and found out that it was a premium cable network not found on Sling TV or Hulu Live TV. 

In fact it was a premium sports add on network for YouTube TV and Directv. Not wanting to sign up for a free trial I looked at who was covering it in Spanish in the United States as I have had to watch a Gold Cup game or two in Spanish in my day. So I go to TUDN's website where they offer a free preview, but for only five minutes. After my venture into watching a CONCACAF Champions League game in a language I do not speak I dug deeper and found that Fox has an app called FOX Now. An app where they showcase all Fox operated networks. Here I found a free one hour preview on my phone that got me from the 30th minute to halftime before my phone died. So I got to see the Tristan Blackmon 21st minute goal in Spanish, but missed the onslaught of VWFC goals in the second half that will send them to Honduras for the 2nd leg with a five goal advantage. 

Luckily the LAFC game where they traveled to Costa Rica to play Alajuelense was on FS2, which is much more accessible. LAFC sent their best 11 on the road to set the tone against a team that has been wildly successful at home in this stage of CCL and CONCACAF Cup previously. Vela and Chiellini were in the starting line up and LAFC played a tough scoreless first half before breaking loose in the second half with a hat trick from Denis Bouanga. I think the Austin FC loss to Violette really opened the other MLS teams eyes to bringing more of your A squad on the road for the first leg. LAFC and Vancouver have comfortable leads heading into the second leg, Philadelphia and Orlando set themselves up with a road draw each, meanwhile Austin will be fighting to stay alive at home against a hungry Haitian side playing for everything. 

Looking ahead to MLS Week 2 the day gets started with Atlanta facing a Charlotte side that is off to a rough start. The 4 pm Central window has Dallas coming off a good game against the LA Galaxy playing at those same Whitecaps who are coming off an impressive CCL win, but have yet to win a league game this season. The biggest 6:30 start game that I will be watching is Seattle at FC Cincinnati. FCC have let to lose and Seattle have taken away a maximum 6 points from their first two matches. Sporting KC will still be looking for their first goal against the Galaxy. For a SKC side that struggled to score last year, this one isn't off to a promising start. I will be drawn to St. Louis City traveling to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Portland Timbers. Portland has a great atmosphere and a tough side, things won't get any easier for the hot start expansion side moving forward.

Week 2 Picks 

Atlanta over Charlotte

Orlando City- DC United DRAW

Miami over NYCFC

Nashville over Montreal

Portland over St. Louis

Seattle- FCC DRAW

SKC over LA Galaxy 

San Jose- Colorado DRAW

LAFC over Revs

Dallas over Vancouver 

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