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SPORTS Thursday 24 OcTOber 2019
MLS top coach Bradley leads LAFC's daily quest for greatness

By GREG BEACHAM 2016, although he is clearly
AP Sports Writer confident he could have
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bob succeeded with more time
Bradley rocks in his chair to implement his ideas.
under the sizzling Southern "They're so far in the rear-
California sun and gives view mirror," Bradley said of
an exaggerated New Jer- all his past stops. "Every day
sey shoulder shrug. The Los brings you that new chal-
Angeles FC coach can use lenge. You enjoy that part,
his entire body to make you feel good about it, and
a point, and he's empha- I believe in the way I do
sizing what's actually im- things. I love to engage the
portant about individual people around me to bring
accolades, such as being something out of them,
named Major League Soc- and hopefully in doing that,
cer's Coach of the Year for they can bring more out of
the third time. me."
"Individual awards are rec- Deep into his second year
ognition of the team," Brad- in charge at LAFC, his play-
ley said, naming LAFC gen- ers have grown accus-
eral manager John Thor- tomed to Bradley's style.
rington and "everybody The same coach who de-
else I get a chance to work In this March 4, 2018, file photo Los Angeles head coach Bob Bradley walks across the pitch signed the sophisticated
with every day." before an MLS soccer match against the Seattle Sounders in Seattle. offense that allowed Car-
"I think we've created a Associated Press los Vela to score an MLS-
good environment," he the LA Galaxy. Bradley has been trying Bradley will be honored record 34 goals also nags
added. "I think we chal- Instead, it's about build- to build that ideal team with the Sigi Schmid Coach his players to clean up after
lenge each other every ing a team that vigorously for the past 25 years, ever of the Year Award on themselves when they eat
day. The most important pursues excellence, never since his decade in charge Wednesday after guiding at the LAFC training com-
part is you create an envi- reaching perfection and of the Princeton men's soc- a 2-year-old franchise to plex, believing that sloppi-
ronment where people en- never stopping. With Brad- cer program propelled the best regular season in ness at the lunch table can
joy what they're doing. Ev- ley telling the story, the him around the world on a league history. LAFC (21-4- translate into imprecision
erybody feels part of it. Play- mundane day-to-day work coaching odyssey includ- 9) reached the MLS records on the field.
ers know when they show of professional soccer is ing stops in MLS and with for points (72), goals (85) "It's not the bigger picture
up every day that there's an epic quest that prob- national teams in the U.S. and goal differential (plus- with him," defender Steven
been a lot of thought that ably won't be completed, and Egypt, followed by 48) while dazzling the con- Beitashour said. "It's so mi-
goes into what we do, and but should always be em- professional sides in Nor- tinent with an aggressive, nuscule. It's the smallest lit-
the culture that we're try- braced. way, France and Britain. cohesive brand of soccer. tle details. ... It all correlates
ing to build. For me, it's only "Look, trophies become His latest stop has arguably Less than three years after to the game. It's all about
recognition of all that." part of that, but it's about brought him closer to per- the first American coach just trying to improve, and
To Bradley, this sport is not football," Bradley said. "It's fection than ever before. A in Premiership history was not showing up just to be
about awards. It's only part- something the fans can lifetime of coaching knowl- fired by Swansea after just here. There's so many indi-
ly about championships, see. Every time you step on edge has combined with 11 games, he sits atop MLS viduals that I'm not going
even when LAFC is about the field, there's something LAFC's eager ownership, with one of the best teams to mention that improved
to start a potential three- real there. There's some- smart player selection, a ever assembled. Bradley so much, that I would never
game run at its first MLS thing different there. There's beautiful stadium and an rejects any notion of I-told- have thought could be at
Cup title with the biggest something that if you already robust fan culture you-so satisfaction after the level they are, unless
game in franchise history watch, you want to come to create something spec- his abrupt dismissal at the they were under his system.
on Thursday night against back and see again." tacular in record time. Welsh club in December He sees everything."q

Pozuelo scores twice, Toronto

advances to conference final

NEW YORK (AP) — Alejandro Pozuelo converted a penalty kick in the 90th minute for
his second goal of the game and Toronto FC beat top-seeded New York City FC 2-1
on Wednesday night in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Playing without striker Jozy Altidore (quad) and defender Omar Gonzalez (hamstring),
Toronto advanced to face the winner of Philadelphia-Atlanta game Thursday night
on Oct. 30 for a spot in the MLS Cup.
It’s Toronto’s third Eastern Conference final in the last four seasons.
Pozuelo scored in the 47th by intercepting an ill-advised header to the goalkeeper
and sliding it inside the post.
On the winner, he sent Sean Johnson diving the wrong way with a chip shot down
the middle.
Ismael Tajouri-Shradi tied it in the 69th, sending home Maximiliano Moralez’s cross at New York City FC's goalkeeper Sean Johnson stops a shot
the back post. on the goal during the first half of an MLS Eastern Conference
The game was played at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, because of the Yan- semifinal soccer match against Toronto FC on Wednesday,
kees’ playoff run.q Oct. 23, 2019, in New York.
Associated Press