By Simon Evans WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major League Soccer and its players struck a deal "in principle" on a new collective bargaining agreement on Wednesday to avoid a work stoppage two days before the start of the season, MLS chief Don Garber said. Garber confirmed to Reuters the MLS Players Union (MLSPU) and the league had reached agreement after a day-long round of negotiations at the Washington offices of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. "We are not going into details tonight but it is great to be able to continue the momentum that we have been able to build for this league and do it in partnership with our players." With the 20th MLS season scheduled to open on Friday, labor talks were expected to go down to the wire as the two sides worked to hammer out a new five-year deal to replace the previous agreement which expired on Jan. 31. "The deal is done," Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando, the team's union representative, told Reuters as he left the talks. More...