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Justin Horneker

@hornekerjustin.bsky.social

2.4K followers 520 following 7K posts

Curator of CITY SCene newsletter at stlmag.com // MLSSoccer.com contributor // NWSL and other soccer stuff elsewhere // read my newsletter. www.talkinsoccer.com

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · Aug 22

The Athletic report recapping Saturday's timeline is just one of multiple instances where NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman failed to care for player safety this season.

Something has to change.

New from me: The NWSL is failing to meet the moment.

talkinsoccer.substack.com/p/the-nwsl-i...

The NWSL is failing to meet the moment.

The NWSL’s growth mindset has continually come at the expense of player safety.

talkinsoccer.substack.com

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 9h

The Blues really do hate when I’m happy.

Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 10h

I was so sure of their rebuild too

Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 12h

They actually hand this poster out the first time you skip practice to go smoke a blunt, it’s in the burnout starter kit.

Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 12h

“Deeply uncool.”

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 13h

I’m sure this will all be above board

It’s Joncacaf @jonarnoldfc.bsky.social · 13h

Concacaf today confirms it received an application from the RFEF to host a La Liga match in Miami but says it will make a decision only after conducting "a thorough review of the application, including consulting key regional and global stakeholders."

www.concacaf.com/en/news/conc...

Concacaf Statement regarding RFEF’s application

www.concacaf.com

Reposted by Justin Horneker

LaNorris Sellers’ Heisman Trophy @socratescousin.bsky.social · 13h

why? Well, there’s some stuff in these 4 shots that is actually really good; Chilufya does move well between CB and FB, and half of her very few shots came from her ability to get on the wrong side of the FB and in the blind spots of the CB, like this.

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 13h

What I’m reading is Soccer > Calcio

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Reposted by Justin Horneker

xVibes Tracy @trebtracy.bsky.social · 13h

Honestly, last night’s win for #LAFC was probably their most impressive win during this insane run. A complete team performance and a defense that really has improved the last couple of months. Only a point off the top spot in the West with two matches left in the regular season.
⬇️ 📰

Angels on Parade @angelsonparade.bsky.social · 13h

Good afternoon, Los Angeles!

No Bouanga, No Son, no problem for #LAFC as they lean on defense and a complete team effort to secure three points. Six straight wins, three straight shutouts as the black & gold push for the top spot in the West.
🔗📰
angelsonparade.com/lafc-2-toron...

LAFC 2, Toronto FC 0: Third straight shutout for Los Angeles as win streak extends to six

LAFC put together a complete performance in another dominating win at home, this time without their two superstars at the front. The win makes it six straight.

angelsonparade.com

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 16h

Emma Sears has been one of the NWSL’s most impactful players not named Temwa Chawinga this year. The extension is already a win for Racing without even considering the jump that these players have been making in year 3.

Louisville needs helpers in the attack now.

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 17h

Lily has just recently started napping for 90+ minutes and I haven't quite gotten over the weird guilt I feel about having productive writing days while I'm parent on duty.

Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 18h

I wish two year olds understood that they're going to miss napping some day

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 19h

St. Louis CITY2 selects Ventura County as their first round opponent next weekend at Energizer Park.

John Hackworth rejected modernity to embrace tradition of the 1 vs 8 matchup.

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Reposted by Justin Horneker

Jeff Kassouf @jeffkassouf.bsky.social · 20h

#NWSL TRADE (and yes the intra-league window is still open for 28 more hours 😱):

Angel City GETS Zambian forward Prisca Chilufya and a 2025 international roster spot

Orlando Pride GET $50K transfer funds

Chilufya arrived in Orlando in January on transfer from Juarez and had a deal through 2027

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 22h

Gone but not forgotten

Reposted by Justin Horneker

Andrew Hammond @ahamm.bsky.social · 1d

A photo like this is going to inspire an entire generation of girls to hoop even more.

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 1d

On first glance:
$120(!) million with a pledge to build their own infrastructure.
Hsiao has been actively looking to buy into the NWSL.
Would be youngest principle owner in America sport.
I did not anticipate learning that Xiao Jianhua was allegedly abducted in Hong Kong before being put on trial.

Eben Novy-Williams @ebennovywilliams.bsky.social · 1d

SCOOP: The Houston Dash are in advanced talks to sell for $120M to RHC Group.

RHC's founder is Richard Hsiao, a 24 y/o Bucks superfan and son of a Chinese billionaire who disappeared from public in 2017 under sketchy circumstances. #NWSL

More at Sportico 👇
www.sportico.com/business/tea...

Dash Near $120M Sale to Group Led by Son of Disappeared Chinese Mogul

The NWSL's Dash are in talks to sell for $120M to Richard Hsiao's RHC Group. Hsiao, 24, is the son of imprisoned Chinese billionaire Xiao Jianhua.

www.sportico.com

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 1d

Staying up past midnight to watch a scoreless draw

Wes Burdine @wesburdine.bsky.social · 1d

A Wednesday 930 central kickoff between a Toronto that has drawn like 30 games in a row and an LAFC missing the only two men who’ve scored goals for them in the last century?
*deep inhale *
Oh hell yeah.

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 1d

Just begging for a new comms strategy

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 1d

It’s not important at all in the scheme of the league but how hard is it to not constantly blow hot air?

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 1d

Also in this interview, “If I’m not mistaken getting to 16 teams next season will make us the largest league in the world.”

Berman is mistaken, Liga MX Femenil — who the NWSL partnered with last year for the Summer Cup — has 18 teams.

“JN: Do you have a target in mind for when you'd hit full maturity in terms of league size?
JB: It's a little too soon for us to make that determination. If I'm not mistaken, getting to 16 teams next season, I believe, will make us the largest league in the world. We do have plans to continue for
2028. All of that will continue to be analysed and calibrated through the lens of making sure that we're maintaining the quality of our product.”

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 1d

Highway 64.

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 1d

Pronouncing street names like you actually would in French.

(Even though French spoken on the frontier had already diverged from mainland French but that’a not the point.)

Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 1d

What’s the word where you’re from that, when pronounced exactly as it looks, identifies a tourist immediately?

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Reposted by Justin Horneker

Charles Boehm ⚽️ @cboehm.bsky.social · 1d

I've gotten confirmation of this - Argentina vs. Puerto Rico is being relocated OUT of Chicago due to ongoing upheaval caused by ICE, National Guard.

Albiceleste will stay in Leo Messi's backyard (metaphorically) for both of this month's matches

Tim Hotze @thotze.bsky.social · 1d

Mailbox: Event promoters say that the friendly between Argentina and Puerto Rico for Oct 13 has been moved to Ft. Lauderdale for 10/14

No notice on socials or website from promoters or AFA.

Tickets remain on sale at pretty astronomical prices on Ticketmaster's website

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 1d

"I often say our country is the size of a continent" is giving Peggy Hill "The Friday after Thanksgiving is, in my opinion, the busiest shopping day of the year" energy.

"
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I often say our country is the size of a continent, so it’s not surprising that expansion is part of our growth strategy, not only because we can sell teams for large amounts of money but, more importantly for the long term, it gives us the ability to have a footprint across our country and continue to raise the bar when those teams come into the league." - Jessica Berman

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Justin Horneker @hornekerjustin.bsky.social · 1d

I do think this is just the typical NWSL summer break that's being framed in a "giving space to the World Cup" way.

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