Short takes
• The USA Cup youth soccer tournament begins this week at the National Sports Center in Blaine, and while it's still the largest soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere, the team numbers came up just short of a record. This year's event has 1,168 youth teams — 10 fewer than last year — representing 15 countries and 17 U.S. states.
• MLS named its starting XI for next month's all-star game against Real Madrid, after a month of fan voting. The team is heavy on big-name designated players. Defender Greg Garza, from Atlanta United, is the only starter who doesn't fall into that group. Chicago coach Veljko Paunovic will select 11 reserves and MLS Commissioner Don Garber will add two other picks.
• Dom Dwyer's goal against Ghana for the USA, his first for his adopted country, made him and Sydney Leroux the answer to a trivia question: Who is the only married couple in which both husband and wife have scored for the USA? Dwyer and Leroux are the fourth couple to represent both national sides.
