Calos Vela Out, NWSL Goes On

WALKING THE BEACH IN SANTA BARBARA  -- Losing a team in the tournament hasn't stopped the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) from continuing their Challenge Cup in Utah with 8 of their 9 teams.  The Orlando Pride withdrew June 22 due to 6 positive COVID-19 player cases and the tournament still kicked off June 27 with 8 teams.  The NWSL was the first major team sports league to get started back up in the USA.  Though you never hear about it.

So the MLS, with five teams still left to travel to Florida, may still be able to start July 8th as planned with 25 of the 26 teams after FC Dallas withdrew.  It could be Group B will just have 2 games per team with just the top 2 of the now 3 team group advancing.  As for the regular season, FC Dallas will be 3 games short and Seattle, Vancouver, and San Jose will be one game short (knockout matches do not count towards regular season records).

Meanwhile the reigning MLS MVP, LAFC's Carlos Vela will skip the tournament with a newborn on the way.  Considering players have to be quarantined for 30 or more days with no contact with family is tough and Vela being across the country from his wife made this a respectable decision in these pandemic times.  So we've lost one team and one superstart... who's next?