Monthly Archives: December 1997

The Continental Indoor Soccer League announced today that it has ceased operations following the departures of Dallas, Portland and Houston at the end of the 97 season. However, the franchises live on.á Portland and Dallas have joined the newly-formed Premier Soccer Alliance. – – – – – – – – The official press release follows: […]

Soccer America is taking it’s annual two-week publishing break over the holidays, so we won’t be posting any new items until Jan. 5, 1998. Season’s greetings from all of us at SA.

Steve Sampson has called in the following players for the U.S. national team training camp Jan. 5-28 in Orlando, Fla. Goalkeepers — Mark Dodd (Dallas Burn), Brad Friedel (Liverpool, England). Defenders — Jeff Agoos (D.C. United), Marcelo Balboa (Colorado Rapids), Gregg Berhalter (Sparta Rotterdam, Netherlands), Mike Burns (New England Revolution), Paul Caligiuri (Los Angeles Galaxy), […]

Here are the 1997 Boys Youth all-Americas, compiled by NSCAA coaches from around the country: Dan Califf (Orange, Calif.) Nick Downing (Redmond, Wash.) Luis Gonzalez (Miami, Fla.) Alberto Gutierrez (Chino Hills, Calif.) Bryheem Hancock (Newcastle, Del.) Beckett Hollenbach (Havertown, Pa.) Gus Kartes (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) Marshall Leonard (Midland, Ga.) Mathew Monsibais (Bakersfield, Calif.) Brian Purcell […]

Here are the 1997 Girls Youth all-Americas, compiled by NSCAA coaches around the country: Pardis Ariazand (Salt Lake City, Utah) Danielle Borgman (Cincinnati, Ohio) Susan Bush (Houston, Texas) Tara Comfort (Carrollton, Texas) Leslie Gaston (Montgomery, Ala.) Anna Kraus (Mountain View, Calif.) Lori Lindsey (Indianapolis, Ind.) Samantha Meyers (Frederick, Md.) Mary Monroe (East Northport, N.Y.) Caroline […]

Championship Dec. 21 in Riyadh Brazil 6 Australia 0. Goals: Ronaldo 15, 28, 59, Romario 38, 53, (pen.) 75. Brazil — Dida, Cafu, Aldair, Roberto Carlos, Junior Baiano, Dunga, Cesar Sampaio, Denilson, Juninho, Ronaldo, Romario. Australia — Bosnich, Horvat (Bingley, 56), Lazaridis, Ivanovic, Tobin, A.Vidmar (Aloisi, 30), T.Vidmar (Muscat, 30), Foster, Kewell, Viduka. Att.: 65,000. […]

Goalkeepers — John Politis (Herricks, N.Y.), Ryan Sickman (Hudson, Ohio). Defenders — Brad Devilbiss (Carmel, Ind.), Nick Downing (Eastlake, Wash.), Blair Engel (Fayetville Manlius, N.Y.), Joe Hammes (Marquette U., Wisc.), Dana Kurttila (Stillwater Area, Minn.), Nelson Martelle (Burlington, Vt.), Greg Stunzenas (Marshfield, Mass.), Sanjee Weliwitigoda (Bullis School, Md.). Midfielders — John Andrade (East Providence, R.I.), […]

The following are the results of the 1997 NPSL Amateur Draft Montreal Impact — (Territorial Round) Sandro Grande (Vanier), (3) Jim Larkin (Va. Commonwealth), (4) Joe Mattacchione (UAB). Philadelphia Kixx — (Territorial) Cesidio Colasante (LaSalle), (1) Jason Cairns (Coll. of New Jersey), (2) Tom McLaughlin (Harvard), (3) Scott Pearson (American), (4) Ian Checcio (Rutgers). Baltimore […]

Goalkeepers — Katie Carson (Chagrin Falls, Ohio), Kristin DePlatchett (Harbor Creek, Pa.). Defenders — Jamie Anderson (Clear Creek, Texas), Lauren Bishar (Garden City, N.Y.), Meghan Chismark (Houston, Tenn.), Betsy Dopps (Westerville North, Ohio), Meghan Galbreath (Essex, Vt.), Lindsay Slomer (Springdale Pa.). Midfielders — Angeline Alexakos (Manchester, N.H.), Candance Bribiesca (Wichita Northwest, Kan.), Katie Brothers (Shepherd […]

The following players were selected to the U.S. Youth Soccer Girls Olympic Development Program National Pool. Selections were made in the 1980, 1981 and 1982 age groups at the interregional event held Nov. 26-30 in Bradenton, Fla. Selections were made by the USSF National Teams Staff. 1980 Girls ODP National Team Pool Meghan Anderson (Omaha), […]

The following players were selected to the U.S. Youth Soccer Girls Olympic Development Program National Pool. Selections were made by the USSF national teams staff at the interregional event held Nov. 26-30 in Bradenton, Fla. 1980 Boys ODP National Team Pool Aaron Biddle (Bordentown, N.J.), John Bradford (Winston-Salem, N.C.), Chris Carrieri (Stafford, Va.), Jonathan Cole […]

U.S. keeper Brad Friedel’s transfer to Liverpool appears to be set. The English Premier League club had filed an appeal with the Department of Employment, and received word Dec. 19 that Friedel would be granted a work permit. Friedel, who spent last season with the Columbus Crew of MLS, has had four previous applications for […]

Dec. 19 in Riyadh Brazil 2 Czech Republic 0. Goals: Romario 54, Ronaldo 83. Brazil — Dida, Cafu, Aldair, Roberto Carlos, Junior Baiano (Goncalves, 70), Dunga, Flavio Conceicao, Leonardo (Denilson, 46), Juninho, Ronaldo, Romario. Czech Rep. — Srnicek, Hornak (Poborsky, 80), Svoboda, Rada, Vlcek, Lasota, Nemec, Nedved (Ulich, 73), Bejbl, Kuka, Smicer. Att.: 28,000. Australia […]

The U.S. Men’s national team will host Sweden Jan. 24 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., U.S. Soccer announced Dec. 18. The match will be the U.S. team’s first of the year in preparation for World Cup ’98 and will be shown live on ESPN2 (2:00 p.m., ET). Sweden will be making its first […]

North Carolina’s Cindy Parlow and Creighton’s Johnny Torres were named the winners of the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Player of the Year award The winners will be honored at a dinner Jan. 9, 1998 at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis. Former MAC award winner and current U.S. international Alexi Lalas will be the […]

Group F and the USA’s Chances of Advancing TOM (galpy@mindspring.com) Honestly, I do not know whether to cheer or cry over the draw. Iran, on paper, is a somewhat easy task; however, we all know that they will be gunning for us with all their might. The Germany game does not scare me, simply due […]

Former U.S. national team coach Bora Milutinovic, recently fired by Mexico despite guiding them to the 1998 World Cup, has been named the new coach of Nigeria. Milutinovic, 53, will become the first person to coach four different teams in the World Cup. He previously led Mexico (1986), Costa Rica (1990) and the USA (1994). […]

The following is the schedule for the twelve MLS games that will be aired live on ABC in 1998: Note: the April 25 San Jose- MetroStars game will be aired on a four-hour time delay to the Pacific time zone; all other games will be aired live to the entire country. Date Matchup Time Sunday, […]

Features UCLAÆs Latest Star Shines In Final Four By Poul Swain Richmond Diary: When Powers Collide By Mike Woitalla Tab Ramos Toils For Spot In France By Mike Woitalla 1997 In Review By Paul Kennedy Getting Some Playing Time In Guayaquil By Ridge Mahoney New Ownership, New Players In San Jose? By Ridge Mahoney Soccer […]

Plans for a U.S. women’s pro league next year were scrapped when backers of the National Soccer Alliance pulled out. Most of the U.S. national team players had hoped to play in the new league. The NSA had plans to play in eight cities, commitments from most of the country’s top players and even a […]

Dec. 17 in Riyadh Czech Republic 6 UAE 1. Goals: Own goal 11, Nedved 22, 42, Smicer 31, 68, 71; Altalyani 78. Czech Rep. — Srnicek, Hornak (Lasota, 65), Svoboda, Rada, Vlcek, Nemec, Nedved, Bejbl, Siegl (Lokvenc, 82), Kuka, Smicer (Ulich, 75). UAE — Faraj, Mubarak, Rashed, Bakhit, A.Ahmed (Abdulla, 59), Altalyani, Salem (Aljunaibi, 46), […]

European Cup Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) vs. Real Madrid (Spain) Juventus (Italy) vs. Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) Bayern Munich (Germany) vs. Borussia Dortmund (Germany) Monaco (France) vs. Manchester United (England) (Matches to be played over two legs March 4 and 18; first team hosts first leg.) Cup Winners Cup Roda JC Kerkrade (Netherlands) vs. Vicenza (Italy) Slavia […]

Dec. 16 in Lakeland, Fla. Tampa Bay (MLS) 1 IFK Gothenburg (Sweden) 2. Goals: Shannon (Hejduk) 29; P.Andersson (Magnusson) 8, Par Karlsson 60. Tampa Bay — Busch, Frye, Yallop, Toste, Duhaney, Hejduk, Vasquez, Ralston, Hunjak, Shannon, Bell. Subs: Ravelli, Ziober, Gutierrez, McKnight, Graf. IFK Gothenburg — Ravelli, Petras, Johansson, Magnusson, Lucic, Lundstrom, Patrik Karlsson, P.Andersson, […]

Dec. 16 in Riyadh Saudi Arabia 1 Australia 0. Goal: Al-Khilaiwi 40. Saudi Arabia — Al-Deayea, Al-Dossari, Al-Khilaiwi, Zubromawi, Sulimani, Al-Harbi, Owairan (Al-Zahrani, 89), Al-Mowallid (Al-Temawim, 76), K.Al-Dossary, Al-Jaber, Mehalel (O.Al-Dossary, 67). Australia — Bosnich, Horvat, Lazaridis, Ivanovic, Tobin, Zelic, Slater, Foster, Skoko (A.Vidmar, 74), Mori (Viduka, 66), Aloisi (Kewell, 66). Att.: 30,000. Brazil 3 […]

Here are the 1998 home opener dates for the 12 MLS teams, announced today by commissioner Doug Logan. The remainder of the 1998 MLS schedule will be unveiled in January. Date Matchup Kickoff (ET) Sunday, March 15 D.C. United at Miami 4:00 p.m. (ABC) Saturday, March 21 Columbus at Tampa Bay 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March […]