Ibrahimovic drew a crowd to StubHub Center that was louder than Chargers games at the stadiumgetty images
Galaxy F Zlatan Ibrahimovic played his third home match Saturday since joining the team, and he "was everywhere," the image of his face "on the navy blue shirts worn by fans gathered at the gates of StubHub Center," according to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. TIMES. Everyone was there "to watch him and the Galaxy knew this, which is why merchandise stands were stocked with Ibrahimovic jerseys and shirts." The crowd at the game against Atlanta United "was engaged and the atmosphere was electric." The fans Saturday night "were louder than crowds at Chargers games in the same stadium this year -- and that includes the season finale against the Raiders." The soccer "wasn't at the level of the top leagues in the world but was unquestionably entertaining." The Galaxy lost the game, but the spectators "won, treated to a contest that featured eye-catching sequences from the several well-paid players on the field." This "wasn't the kind of game that was played in this league a decade ago." Ibrahimovic "doesn't have to score to leave a lasting legacy" in L.A. He could do that "simply by reintroducing the soccer fans in this country to MLS" (L.A. TIMES, 4/22).
CHANGING THE STIGMA: In L.A., Kevin Baxter writes under the header, "MLS No Longer A Retirement Home For Aging European Stars." It is not just about "where the players are from, but also the aggressive, creative and dynamic style of play they bring that is transforming MLS." FC Dallas MF Mauro Diaz said, "Since I've come to MLS I've noticed a distinct change. Players aren't coming to retire but to start their careers. This is making the league and the teams better." The players are "drawn by several factors, starting with pay," and there is also the "lifestyle in the U.S." But the biggest factor, many players say, is the fact MLS "provides both a place for them to improve while also offering exposure to the European leagues in which they someday hope to play" (L.A. TIMES, 4/22). But in Montreal, Jack Todd writes, "It may be called Major League Soccer, but it isn’t." MLS is still "distinctly minor league in ways that should have been ironed out a decade or more ago." The "biggest single difficulty, the one that MLS cannot seem to overcome, is its fourth-rate officiating." Todd: "Arrogant and inept, the level of refereeing is an enormous obstacle for anyone wishing to take the league seriously" (MONTREAL GAZETTE, 4/23).
