The Summer of Soccer Rolls On: Velocity, Egypt, and the World Cup

Benji and Mike catch up on everything that's happened in the three long weeks since we last recorded, beginning with Velocity FC's recent run of results. After three straight League One defeats, Spokane bounced back with an entertaining (and convincing) 2-1 win over Westchester SC at ONE Spokane Stadium. They then briefly recap the USL Cup win over AC Boise before diving deep into what changed against Westchester, including beautiful buildup play, standout performances from Medgy Alexandre and Derek Waldeck, and why Velocity's attacking tempo made all the difference.Then it's USMNT and World Cup time. Benji and Mike compare notes on the U.S. Men's National Team after wins over Paraguay and Australia followed by a dead rubber match loss to Türkiye. They also discuss Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Gio Reyna, the emergence of Sebastian Berhalter, and their expectations for the knockout stage match vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina.Finally, the show turns to one of the most memorable soccer moments for Benji and Mike: Egypt's national team training at Gonzaga’s Luger Field. Benji and Mike reflect on watching Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush and the Pharaohs train just minutes from downtown Spokane before Benji shares the story of attending his very first FIFA World Cup match, Egypt vs. Belgium at Lumen Field. Benji describes why it became one of his favorite sporting experiences ever and Mike compares it to watching Brazil vs. Ghana in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. CHAPTERS(00:00) Spokane's Summer of Soccer(04:45) Recap of Velocity FC's win vs. AC Boise (13:45) Velocity's Three-Game Slide in League One(16:20) Westchester Match Breakdown(30:10) Medgy, Derek, & Velocity's Standouts(37:10) League One Standings & Looking Ahead(40:00) USMNT Through the Group Stage(51:45) Egypt Trains in Spokane(57:45) Benji's First FIFA World Cup Match(01:02:40) Spokane Shadow & Closing Thoughts--💸Support the Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.spokanesoccershow.com/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠🏟️Match Schedule:⁠⁠https://www.spokanesoccershow.com/matches⁠⁠🔔 Stay Updated:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/spokanesoccershow/⁠⁠