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Major League Soccer has postponed Wednesday's game between the Chicago Fire and Minnesota United due to a "suspected case" of COVID-19 from the Minnesota United squad.

The team will undergo further evaluation before resuming play.

Minnesota United was also forced to postpone this past Sunday's game against FC Dallas as a result of two positive tests for COVID-19. It was one of three matches postponed over that weekend along with the Colorado Rapids against the LA Galaxy and Orlando City against the Columbus Crew. 

MLS has been testing its players and staff members regularly but saw a rise in positive cases in recent weeks. After zero positives from Sept. 17-23, there were 17 positives from Sept. 24-30, including seven players.

The Colorado Rapids have especially had problems with four games postponed since its first positive test.

Minnesota United will hope to get back on track soon as it tries to lock down a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The team is currently in fifth place with 23 points in 16 matches.

The club is currently scheduled to face the Houston Dynamo on Sunday.

Chicago, currently sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference, is set to play Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.

Former United States national women's team coach Jill Ellis is among the possible targets for D.C. United in the club's search for a new manager, according to The Athletic's Pablo Maurer and ESPN's Jeff Carlisle.

Carlisle provided some more context: "The source cautioned that DCU's coaching search is in the 'early stages.' But if hired, Ellis would be the first woman to manage an MLS side."

Ellis' tenure with the USWNT ended in October 2019. Her 106 victories are the most ever, and she guided the squad to Women's World Cup victories in 2015 and 2019, making the U.S. the first country to successfully repeat as champions.

Prior to replacing Tom Sermanni in 2014, Ellis coached at Illinois and UCLA before working for U.S. Soccer, where she started by leading the women's youth teams.

The Washington Post's Steven Goff wrote Saturday the 54-year-old deserved to at least be considered by D.C. United. He acknowledged that Ellis has yet to coach a professional women's club, something that requires a different approach than leading a national team.

Still, the USWNT job presented Ellis with challenges of its own, and Goff argued she excelled in the role: "She managed big personalities and fragile egos, implemented tactical plans and adjusted to changing circumstances. She is a meticulous planner, and her teams usually play fun, progressive soccer. Twice she was voted FIFA women's coach of the year."

The relatively brief tenures of Sermanni and Greg Ryan illustrated that coaching the USWNT isn't as simple as showing up and letting the talent take over.

Maurer reported Jason Kreis and David Wagner might be on D.C. United's list as well. 

Kreis' stock has fallen since his days leading Real Salt Lake, but he comes with MLS coaching experience. While Wagner's stint at Schalke was a disappointment, he helped Huddersfield Town get promoted to the Premier League.

Neither would be a total surprise as the successor to Ben Olsen. Ellis getting hired—while history-making—would be done on merit as well.

Major League Soccer has postponed three contests on Saturday and Sunday following outbreaks of COVID-19 on multiple clubs. 

Scheduled matches between the Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles Galaxy, Columbus Crew and Orlando City as well as FC Dallas and Minnesota United have all been put on hold.

An undisclosed Rapids player tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this weekend.

Per an MLS statement: 

"The Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew match was postponed following two confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the Columbus Crew staff. Orlando City confirmed a positive test result among its first team roster earlier on Saturday.

"MLS also postponed the FC Dallas vs. Minnesota United match following two confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 among the Minnesota United player pool. …

"Another Week 17 match, Colorado Rapids vs. LA Galaxy previously scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, was postponed earlier on Friday after a new confirmed positive case of COVID-19 among the Rapids player pool. It was the fourth Rapids game that has been postponed since the first set of positive tests were returned for players and staff on Sept. 23.

"Further information about the new match dates and times will be announced at a later date."

Twelve staff members and five players in Colorado have tested positive since Sept. 24. The Rapids' match against the Galaxy is Colorado's fourth consecutive contest postponed for health and safety purposes. 

Orlando City had one player return a confirmed positive result following routine testing. The player, who is asymptomatic, has been isolated and all other players tested negative. 

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The players are back at Sporting Kansas City and more motivated than ever to fight for a spot on the starting lineup.

Episode 2 of The Academy premieres September 30. Watch Episode 1 HERE.

[From B/R Football x @Audi] #GoalsDriveProgress