Charles Boehm

A spirited crowd of 46,080 spectators cascading noise across a future World Cup venue. Rosters packed with elite talent from across the hemisphere and beyond. The parry and thrust of two wealthy, ambitious clubs, one with the résumé of a true continental giant and the other determined to reach that level in record time.

Amid all the remarkable things Inter Miami CF have been involved in over their brief history, it sometimes seems they're chronically allergic to normalcy.

Charles Boehm Wednesday, Aug 14, 2024, 01:44 AM Tuesday night's Leagues Cup Round of 16 duel with Inter Miami CF was three-quarters

Summer transfer windows can be a carnival, a dizzying merry-go-round of rumors, reports, projections and buzzy press conferences for fans to spin through. But MLS's Secondary Transfer Window slammed shut Wednesday night and, after all that euphoria, it's about to get real.

It’s a juicy concept for anyone, and practically irresistible when it crops up in sporting contexts, which was definitely the case at midweek for both LAFC and the Columbus Crew when the two sides booked their places in Sunday’s Leagues Cup final at Lower.com Field (7:15 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Univision).

Chicago Fire FC host Inter Miami on Saturday evening (8:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass ), with a bumper crowd expected at Soldier Field and an urgent need for a victory as they hunt a late surge into the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.

Pat Onstad will admit that he occasionally gets stressed out by the boldness and flair of the Houston Dynamo side he played a leading role in building, first and foremost by the confidence of their captain, Héctor Herrera

With local bragging rights and likely the Western Conference No. 1 seed on the line, both sides of Los Angeles have been keenly anticipating Saturday night's El Tráfico showdown, the third of the season, between the

Start with Argentine intellect and passion honed under Marcelo Bielsa, mix in some English charm, add some soaring ambition reminiscent of the Wilfried Nancy playbook, sprinkle in a bit of Ted Lasso-esque positivity and garnish with a slice of Jürgen Klinsmann-style new-age charisma.

We got all the color, contrast, spirit and spite we've come to expect from Hell is Real, ranging from The Bailey supporters section's noir-themed “Cin-City” tifo to the 28 fouls and generally edgy tenor on the pitch.