MLS management and union end talks

Negotiators for Major League Soccer management and players have ended two days of talks and agreed to keep up discussions with the federal mediation service.

George H. Cohen, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, convened talks Tuesday and Wednesday. The next session has not been set.

The league's first labor contract expired Feb. 25 after the MLS Players Union refused a third extension to the five-year deal, which originally was set to run out Jan. 31.

Unhappy with the single-entity structure that has the league negotiate all contracts, players want greater free-agent rights and a higher percentage of guaranteed deals.

The league schedule is set to start March 25.