Red Bulls fans walk out to protest club’s handling of Vanzeir, Struber

Red Bulls supporters have seen enough

When it comes to Dante Vanzeir and Gerhard Struber, New York Red Bulls fans have seen enough.

Three of the largest Red Bulls supporters groups staged a walk out of Saturday night’s match against the Houston Dynamo, leaving en masse after the national anthem was played at Red Bull Arena.

Following the Belgian striker’s admission that he used a racial slur in last Saturday’s match against the San Jose Earthquakes, Vanzeir was suspended six games by MLS. That tepid response, a contrast to the league’s stated “zero tolerance” policy, has drawn intense criticism from fans, media, and former MLS stars like Charlie Davies.

Furthering the problem, Red Bulls head coach Gerhard Struber did not remove Vanzeir from play even after being exhorted to do so by San Jose boss Luchi Gonzalez. Struber admitted on Thursday that he had mishandled the situation at the time, though that admission has seemed to make little impact when it comes to the maelstrom the club has found itself in.

That includes a furious reaction from the club’s supporters, who have called for Vanzeir’s contract to be terminated and for Struber to be fired. Vanzeir’s suspension for less than 20% of the season has left fans feeling as though there’s no choice but to act.

Red Bull Arena’s “South Ward” is home of the club’s largest supporters groups, and it ended up being empty as fans left as a group moments before kickoff. That follows a plan the supporters’ groups spelled out in statements posted on social media Friday.

“It is the position of the South Ward that we will not provide active, in-stadium support at Red Bull Arena until Dante Vanzeir and Gerhard Struber are justly punished and held accountable for their actions,” read a joint statement from supporters’ groups Empire SC, Viking Army, and Torcida 96. “We plan to continue protesting RBNY and MLS until our conditions are met or we feel the organization has made meaningful and acceptable change.”

The statement called on MLS to revisit their suspension of Vanzeir and announce something more in line with the league’s stated anti-racist goals, and demanded that the club’s head of sport Jochen Schneider fire Struber immediately.

The supporters’ joint statement included a call for fans elsewhere to join the walk out, and to donate money to the Black Players for Change rather than spend it on concessions at Red Bull Arena.

As the match kicked off, fans began their departure from seats reserved for the supporters’ groups, leaving them nearly deserted.

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Davies slams MLS for ‘disheartening’ six-game Vanzeir suspension

The ex-USMNT striker said kicking the Belgian out of the league would “send a message to the world”

Charlie Davies has hit out at MLS for handing down a six-game suspension to New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir, saying the punishment was far too light.

Vanzeir has admitted to using a racial slur in last Saturday’s game against the San Jose Earthquakes, and has said he will step away from the Red Bulls for an indefinite period.

Davies was struck by the fact the Belgian striker had actually admitted to using the slur, something he said should have prompted MLS to follow its own words on being a league with zero tolerance for racism.

“I just think it minimizes the movement because there was this window, this opportunity that the league had. The momentum was going the right way. I wanted to believe it, I think all the players wanted to believe it,” former MLS and USMNT striker Davies said on “Morning Footy” on the CBS Sports Golazo Network.

“And you have time to come up with the right punishment, consequences. And now you plateaued. Six games and a small $10,000 fine. For me it’s just so disheartening. I slept on it and I thought about why would you go this direction after all this hard work to build up the league and build up the people who are usually marginalized and discriminated against across every aspect of life?

“I’m disappointed. I’m really disappointed in the league because I felt — that after the MLS is Back Tournament, every player kneeling, Black Players for Change, Soccer for All, inclusivity, equity, zero tolerance for racism — that the world was watching MLS.

“The window is open to finally make some real significant change and impact when it comes to dealing with racism in our sport. So the world is watching. This is the first time that I’ve ever heard in my life a player admitting to using a racial slur…They said zero tolerance, that’s a league wide statement.”

While Davies said kicking Vanzeir out of the league would “send a message to the world,” he added that he would have accepted a season-long suspension.

“I wanted to see 34 games, let’s set the precedent now,” Davies said. “Six games?!”

Meanwhile, Red Bulls supporters group Viking Army said they would stage a walkout following the national anthem before Saturday’s home game against the Houston Dynamo.

“Some things are bigger than soccer and we need to take a stand,” a statement read.

Watch the full clip below

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Vanzeir handed six-game suspension by MLS after racial slur

Vanzeir is suspended, fined, and banned from appearing in non-MLS competitions

New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir has been suspended six games for using a racial epithet during league play.

Following an investigation, MLS has announced that Vanzeir will also be barred from playing in the U.S. Open Cup, MLS Next Pro games, or exhibition matches until he completes the full suspension.

Vanzeir was accused by players from the San Jose Earthquakes of using a slur during their game at Red Bull Arena last Saturday. Officials stopped play for 19 minutes in an attempt to sort the situation out, but the match ultimately resumed with Vanzeir still on the field.

San Jose head coach Luchi Gonzalez was among those calling on Red Bulls’ boss Gerhard Struber to remove Vanzeir from the game, a situation Struber admitted on Thursday that he mishandled. MLS’s statement did not address any punitive action for Struber.

In the days following the incident, Vanzeir released a statement admitting his use of an epithet, adding that he would accept whatever punishment that MLS and the Red Bulls deemed appropriate.

In Thursday’s announcement, MLS said that Vanzeir has also been fined an undisclosed amount, and must “participate in additional league-mandated training and education sessions, as well as a restorative practices program.” It is not clear whether those aspects of his punishment must be completed before his suspension ends.

“MLS is working with both clubs and the MLSPA to provide impacted players and staff with support and resources and is committed to continuing to review and improve its in-game protocol,” concluded the league’s announcement.

Vanzeir will be eligible to return to play for May 20’s home game against CF Montréal.

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Red Bulls’ Struber regrets not substituting Vanzeir after racial epithet

Struber admitted fault, but some supporters may still want him out

HANOVER, N.J. — Gerhard Struber finds himself under fire for not taking action after last weekend’s match against the San Jose Earthquakes was marred by a New York Red Bulls player using a racial epithet.

The game was stopped in the second half when Earthquakes forward Jeremy Ebobisse claimed that a Red Bulls player, later revealed to be Dante Vanzeir, had used a slur.

During the elongated delay to investigate the claim, Struber did not remove the player from the pitch on his own, or after being exhorted to do so by San Jose head coach Luchi Gonzalez. The Red Bulls coach instead chose to keep the most expensive player on his roster on the field for over 30 more minutes.

Vanzeir has since admitted his offense and stepped away from the club. On Thursday, Struber addressed the situation — including his own underwhelming response — at length.

“Right now I can say very clear, with all my information now, I must bring Dante Vanzeir out, immediately,” said Struber. “For me this is a very, very new situation in my coaching career. I think it’s not so easy to handle always everything the right way, especially [because] this was the first time.”

It was certainly a difficult situation for Struber to navigate, but one that in many ways his own inaction made far worse. Had Struber stepped forward and removed Vanzeir, at least some of the damage to the Earthquakes and to his own club could have been mitigated.

The Red Bulls head coach didn’t focus so much on apologizing as he did on discussing how he could have better navigated the situation.

“Right now we have a situation that my boys, we’ve had many, many conversations this week with different player groups,” said Struber. “Of course with the team together so we can start the healing process. The situation hurts everyone. I feel very, very sorry for our supporters, I feel very, very sorry for our players.”

At times, Struber seemed emotional as he owned up to the fact that he failed in not pulling Vanzeir off the field after the accusations were made. Whether from an ethical standpoint or a more pragmatic one, the right thing to do would have been to substitute Vanzeir, even at the expense of a result.

One thing that became clear in the press conference is that that should Vanzeir ever return to the club, he faces an uphill battle not just to win the fans back at Red Bull Arena, but to earn a place back within the team’s locker room.

“I’m not sure what the specific consequences are for [Vanzeir],” said Red Bulls captain Sean Nealis when asked what the next steps should be. “I don’t know if they were announced or anything yet, but I think he’s got a long road to regain the trust and respect of guys in the locker room… We’ll see what the consequences are.”

On Wednesday night, Struber — along with Red Bulls general manager Marc de Grandpre — met with three supporters groups that make up Red Bull Arena’s ‘South Ward.’ Struber called it a productive and beneficial meeting.

It won’t be easy to win over the club’s ardent supporters after such a mistake. Prior to last weekend’s game, Struber was already on thin ice with some fans given the team’s lackluster start to the season. Now, following a situation where he appears to have placed points over morals, the cries from a sizable number of supporters are for the club to move on from the Austrian manager.

Struber’s future, and that of Vanzeir, remains unclear. The forward indicated he will step away from the club for an unknown period of time, and MLS has since issued a six-game suspension. Struber did not face any punishment from the league.

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MLS guaranteed a shot to defend CCL title after Union reach semifinal

Philadelphia set up an all-MLS semifinal against LAFC

It took 14 years for a MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions League. Now, the league will have the chance to lift the trophy in back-to-back seasons.

The Philadelphia Union drew Liga MX side Atlas 2-2 in Mexico on Wednesday night, advancing to the semifinal with a 3-2 aggregate win.

That set up an all-MLS semifinal against LAFC, which easily won its all-MLS quarterfinal against the Vancouver Whitecaps by a 6-0 aggregate score.

Whichever team emerges from the rematch of last year’s epic MLS Cup will have the chance to make it two CCL wins in two years for MLS, after the Seattle Sounders made the breakthrough by defeating Pumas in last year’s final.

The winner between LAFC and the Union will likely be facing another Liga MX team in the final. Club León has already reached the other semifinal, while Tigres took a big step toward the last four with a 1-0 away win over Motagua in their quarterfinal first leg.

“The Champions League is a really special competition,” Union head coach Jim Curtin said after defeating Atlas.

“It’s the biggest trophy on our continent and we want to push and try and go for it. Let’s be honest, it’s been a competition that has been completely dominated by Liga MX. We finally broke through and Seattle had a win last year, and our hope this year is that an MLS team can lift that trophy. I’d prefer it be us than LAFC.”

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Back with USMNT, Miazga laments being ‘screwed over in the past’

The FC Cincinnati defender received his first call-up in nearly two years on Wednesday

Matt Miazga was named to the U.S. men’s national team roster on Wednesday, his first call-up in nearly two years.

In the FC Cincinnati defender’s opinion, it never should have taken that long.

After his call-up, Miazga aired out his belief that he was deserving of a USMNT spot multiple times in the past, but ended up being “screwed over” by the coaching staff.

“I told you guys last time, I was screwed over multiple times in the past,” he told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “Yeah, I think it is what it is. I always felt like I should be a part of that group throughout my career, especially the last few years. And now that I’m back in this capacity, the state that we’re in with an interim manager, I’m grateful to be able to show face again and try to stamp my ground again.”

Miazga said last fall that he and former coach Gregg Berhalter “didn’t see eye to eye on a few things” in the past, which he believes prevented him from earning more caps.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, interim USMNT coach Anthony Hudson said that Miazga’s move to MLS last year has given him some much-needed stability after several loans across Europe during his time on Chelsea’s books.

“I think Matt coming over here has given him the opportunity to get consistency and to get games,” Hudson said. “He’s done well. He’s now an experienced player.

“I think he’s always been knocking on the door, right on the edge of coming in. And I think he deserves his chance to come in and be involved in this game.”

The USMNT will face Mexico on Wednesday in the inaugural Allstate Continental Clásico.

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The war back home: Struggle continues for Inter Miami’s Sergii Kryvtsov

The Ukraine defender is enjoying life in MLS, but his home country is constantly on his mind

The soldier’s face is obscured, mostly covered by a camouflage balaclava, as is the weapon he clutches close to his torso. Falling snow makes gentle pops as he speaks to the camera in an unspecified forest glen, clad in combat fatigues. It looks cold, remote. On first glance, it’s an ominous visual as far as most Instagram posts usually go. But this is a note of thanks.“Slava Ukraini,” he begins.That patriotic salute, once banned in the Soviet Union, has surged into the mainstream global consciousness thanks to Ukraine’s tenacious resistance to the Russian invasion of their land, which began last February.

The logistics of that struggle have become an inescapable daily reality for Ukrainians around the world like Sergii Kryvtsov, the veteran center back who joined Inter Miami over the winter and has started every game for the club so far this season.The anonymous soldier in the video, posted on Kryvtsov’s Insta feed last April, is expressing praise and gratitude to him, Taras Stepanenko, Mykola Shaparenko and many of their fellow Ukrainian footballers for raising funds to procure vehicles, body armor, weapons and other combat necessities.“When you watch some videos, photos, from Ukraine and you’re not there, it’s very difficult,” Kryvtsov told Pro Soccer Wire in a one-on-one conversation at IMCF’s Fort Lauderdale training facility. “Some football players from Ukraine created a foundation and bought some armor, bought some — I don’t know how to say in English — some weapons. I don’t want to say we are spending a lot of money, but we help.”The value of those contributions is both practical and inspirational.“You guys know better than anyone how to win,” says the soldier to his soccer-playing compatriots, “and how to fight. Now we’re following your example. We will do everything to bring victory to our little country.”Even thousands of miles and an ocean away under the warm sun and swaying palm trees of south Florida, the war is always front of mind for Kryvtsov. How could it be otherwise?“Every day. Every day,” said Kryvtsov, pulling out his phone to show his feed on the Telegram app, a key information source for this very modern, very online conflict. “I spend a lot of time on the news.”He, his wife Julia and their three young children had to flee Ukraine on short notice last year, traveling thousands of miles overland across multiple neighboring countries, living out of suitcases. Kryvtsov was separated from his family for months until they recently arrived in Miami after their visa paperwork cleared.

“It was difficult when we moved to Moldova, after to Romania, lived there six, seven months,” the 32-year-old explained, recalling the frantic exodus they made with a group of friends, eight adults and 10 kids in all — plus one baby who arrived along the way, by a very pregnant mother who had to gauge when and where it would be best to give birth.“I think it’s 500 kilometers — we drove 15 hours,” Kryvtsov added. “Yes, it was difficult because we had some roads, six lanes, and all six lanes in one direction. A lot of traffic. It was 15 hours, then we stopped, had some rest. We [went to the] west part of Ukraine, were there two, three days and moved into Moldova, and after Romania, because our friend was pregnant, and they decided to have the baby in Romania, because we have some friends from there.”Kryvtsov’s parents still live in his hometown of Zaporizhzhia, close to the front lines of the ground war as well as the Russian-occupied nuclear facility where the vicious conflict has repeatedly raised the specter of an atomic catastrophe.

A general view of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on March 29, 2023. (Photo by ANDREY BORODULIN/AFP via Getty Images)

“You know, I don’t watch football in Ukraine,” admitted Kryvtsov, despite the domestic league where he made his name having resumed last year. “Only news about war, only some video about war. Because my parents are living in Zaporizhzhia. It’s a small city. But my parents can’t move, because my father works in a factory and this factory helps our army, [manufacturing] armor and other things.”The family had already tasted the pain and stress of war well before many of their countrymen: As a standout for Shakhtar Donetsk since 2010, Kryvtsov, his family and his teammates were initially displaced by the violence in and around that eastern Ukrainian city by Russian-backed separatists in 2014. The 13-time domestic champions and 2009 UEFA Cup winners had to relocate to Lviv, then to Kharkiv and later on to Kyiv over the ensuing years, and remain required to play their UEFA continental matches abroad, currently in Warsaw.“I lived in Donetsk when this war started,” noted Kryvtsov. “Moved to Kyiv, lived there almost nine years … [Last February] I heard some sound of explosions. My kids also got it. I don’t understand how it’s possible in our days.”He cherishes his nation and its people. He’d spent his entire professional career there before joining Miami. He’s still not sure whether he’ll stay in the United States for the long term, or return home when the time is right. And there’s palpable ambivalence about his current situation, with friends and loved ones in the shadow of war, some actively fighting on the front lines.“It’s my country. I grew up there and I love this country. I’m very proud that I am Ukrainian, and I’m very proud of our brave people. We now help each other and I believe in our victory,” said Kryvtsov, who has 32 caps for the Ukraine national team.“I’m really happy to be here. I like this place, I like this team, I like my teammates, because we have a friendly team,” he added. “It’s awesome, but I don’t know what, where I will live. I don’t know. Maybe after two or three years here, I’ll want to stay here. I also love my country. Difficult questions.”

(Photo by SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images)

He’s thrilled to find himself at Inter Miami. He’d long taken an interest in the club, keeping an eye on its birth via the Instagram posts of part-owner David Beckham. He was dazzled when the Herons rolled out their bright pink kits last year. Then when his agent informed him of the club’s interest in him in December, right around the time he and Julia celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary — which in Ukraine is dubbed the “pink anniversary” — it felt like fate.“It’s a very good team, great team, a team who wants to be on top. It’s a great facility, great pitches. I’m really excited. Because I understand we can and must be on top and win trophies,” said Kryvtsov, who won a whopping 17 titles at Shakhtar. “When you win one trophy, you need a second, you need a third, you need a fourth. I won a lot of trophies in Ukraine, and I understand when you’re on the top, it’s very good for you, personally and for the team.”In that regard, he’s an ideal signing at this point in Miami’s growth.“He’s played at the very, very top level, when you’re scouting games he’s played in, he’s played against Celtic, Real Madrid, Champions League games,” head coach Phil Neville told the Miami Herald when Kryvtsov arrived. “You’re assessing him against the world’s top players and when you see his calmness, quality, composure and experience you see there’s a player there that can help this relatively young group.“When we had the conversations with Sergii, it’s like conversations we’ve never had before. He didn’t really want any of the fluff and BS. He just wanted to talk football, wanted to know his role, what the team was like and how to win. Since he’s come in, the boys have seen someone who’s deadly serious about football and has great experience.”

Kryvtsov hopes he can carry the banner in his own best way, by advocating for the struggle back home, and representing as one of the few Ukrainians ever to play in MLS.“I think I’m useful, more helpful for my country here, because I can help make some donations to my country and help some people,” he said. “I must show our Ukrainian spirit.”

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Vanzeir steps away from Red Bulls after admitting to racial slur vs. Earthquakes

The Belgian said he’d accept whatever suspension was coming his way

New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir has admitted to using a racial slur in Saturday night’s game against the San Jose Earthquakes, apologizing for his actions and later saying he’d be stepping away from the team “until further notice.”

After the game, Earthquakes forward Jeremy Ebobisse alleged an unnamed Red Bulls player used a a racial epithet in the second half. Replays showed that Vanzeir appeared to be the player in question, with Ebobisse and other Quakes players angrily confronting the Belgian.

In a Red Bulls statement released Monday night, Vanzeir offered an apology and said he’d accept whatever suspension was coming his way.

“I want to sincerely apologize to the players of the Earthquakes,” Vanzeir said. “I will do everything I can to be part of the change that needs to happen in this sport and our world.

“I also want to apologize to my teammates, coaches, the organization and our fans. I made a mistake and will take all the necessary steps to grow.

“I accept full responsibility for my actions. While I did not intend to cause any harm or offense with my language, I know that I did and for that I am deeply sorry.

“I will agree to any suspension, fine and counseling that is handed down by Major League Soccer and the club.

“I will use this opportunity to better myself, reflect and dedicate my time and efforts to work with organizations that tackle racial injustice.”

On Tuesday, the Red Bulls released another statement saying that Vanzeir “will step away from the club until further notice.”

In their first statement, the Red Bulls added that they “wholeheartedly apologize for the unacceptable events that transpired on Saturday night during the match with the San Jose Earthquakes.

“The words and inaction was inexcusable, and we believe there is never a place for it.”

Red Bulls head coach Gerhard Struber has been under fire for his decision to not sub Vanzeir out of the game — which Earthquakes coach Luchi Gonzalez said he’d requested.

Struber has now said that his decision to leave the forward in the game was a mistake.

“During our match on Saturday, I made a decision that I thought was best given the information I had at that moment,” Struber said.

“While there was a lot of uncertainty at the time, with the information that I now know, the right decision would have been to immediately remove Dante Vanzeir from the game.”

Vanzeir joined the Red Bulls this past offseason from Belgian club Royal Union Saint-Gilloise for a fee of over $5 million, making him the club’s second-highest signing ever.

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Galaxy defender Martín Cáceres earned a completely unnecessary red card while interfering with a video review

What are you doing, Martín Cáceres??

Los Angeles Galaxy veteran defender Martín Cáceres made an inexplicable mistake during his team’s Saturday contest against the Houston Dynamo.

While one of the game’s referees was in the VAR booth reviewing a sequence, Cáceres walked over to the booth and threw his hands up to contest the review. He also tapped the referee on the shoulder, which is a huge no-no.

As you well know, professional athletes of any sport are absolutely barred at any point from interfering with an official review. The referee wasn’t having Cáceres interfering, so he handed the defender his second yellow card and a red card.

The penalty put Los Angeles down to 10 men for the rest of the match while down a goal to Houston.

The Galaxy would lose to the Dynamo 3-0, only making Cáceres’ bizarre blunder that much harder to swallow.

It’s just not common to see a player like Cáceres just forget the basic rules of the game after spending years playing in the top leagues in soccer and for the Uruguay national team.

The Galaxy brings a veteran player like Cáceres over to set a tone on the pitch and in the locker room. Neither happened on Saturday as trying to dispute an officiating review while it was happening led to Cáceres earning one of the more ridiculous red cards you’re likely to see a player get.

Please enjoy this spectacularly dumb red card from Martin Caceres

It’s important to remember that video reviews are for referees, not for players

In the pantheon of dumb red cards, the second yellow for taking one’s jersey off after scoring is usually top of the list.

But on Saturday night, LA Galaxy defender Martin Cáceres introduced a new, possibly even dumber category: the second yellow for interfering with a referee during a VAR review.

It’s important to remember that video reviews are for referees, not for players. The referee, not the player, is called over to the monitor to review a play. Players don’t get to watch the replay and tell the referee what they think. The video control room is staffed with referees, not with players.

Cáceres is a veteran, and probably knew all of this. And yet, the Uruguayan defender still managed to earn one of the all-time dumbest (and funniest) red cards in MLS history in a 3-0 away defeat to the Houston Dynamo.

With LA down 1-0 in the second half, referee Alex Chilowicz was called over to the monitor to check out a potential penalty against the Galaxy.

Cáceres, who, it should be emphasized, has 116 caps for Uruguay and has featured in four World Cups, decided that Chilowicz needed a little help.

As it turned out, Chilowicz did not need a little help.

The Galaxy went down a man and two goals after the penalty was awarded and Houston converted. From there it was simply damage control for the visitors, who also saw Douglas Costa sent off in stoppage time for slamming Brooklyn Raines to the turf with the ball out of play.

Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney, as you might imagine, was not enthused with the unforced errors from two of his most experienced players.

“Yeah, it’s unacceptable. They know it’s unacceptable,” Vanney said in his post-game press conference. “They apologized to the group, but it’s not acceptable. It can’t happen. These guys are veterans in our team. They’re supposed to be leaders in our team. They need to set examples. They need to, again, control their emotions, and we need them available always, and they understand that, and it’s not acceptable.”

Vanney is right to be upset but for the neutrals, discovering a new category of dumb red card is nothing short of a resounding success.

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