Monthly Archives: February 2002

American goalkeeper Jonny Walker, who was named in the top keeper in the Chilean League last season by Don Balon, celebrated a 3-1 Libertadores Cup win on Thursday. He helped Universidad Catolica down Flamengo, 3-1, in Rio de JaneiroGs Maracana Stadium. Catolica, which was opening its Group 8 play, had never notched a win in […]

Foreign arrivals – especially Chinese and Germans – boost the WUSA’s star power. When their players returned from their first seasons in the WUSA, China’s soccer authorities were thrilled. The players were sharper, bolder, better. “The area that stood out most was combativeness, physical risk-taking,” reports Lauren Gregg, the WUSA’s vice president of player personnel, […]

BY RIDGE MAHONEY, Senior Editor A spirited first half without reward, a sloppy second half during which a mistake was punished. For decades, teams have been losing to Italy in this manner, and so did the United States succumb, 1-0, Wednesday night in Catania, Sicily despite generating 15 shots to the host’s eight. Regardless of […]

Columbus Crew defender Mike Lapper suffered a knee injury in a exhibition game against Kansas City in Bradenton, Fla., on Wednesday. The club fears it could endanger his availability for the entire 2002 season. Lapper, 31, hurt his on a slide tackle. It was diagnosed initially as torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments by […]

Following their 1-0 loss to Italy on Wednesday, Coach Bruce Arena, captain Claudio Reyna, forward Landon Donovan and midfielder John OGBrien met the press. U.S. coach BRUCE ARENA: “We missed opportunities in the first half. With Italy making four changes at halftime, it made a big difference for them. There were many positive things for […]

South Korea’s winless streak was extended to six games when it fell to Uruguay, 2-1, at Montevideo’s Centenario Stadium. Both teams were without many of their first-team players. Feb. 13 in Montevideo Uruguay 2 South Korea 1. Goals: Abreu 6, 55; Kim Do Moon 26. South Korea — Lee Woon Jae, Choi Jim Cheul, Lee […]

It takes Herculean efforts for soccer to rise from the land of football, oil and George W. Bush. Last year Soccer America described the travails of players in El Paso, Texas, who traveled 10 hours to play ODP. We also featured the Flathead Force, a Montana team that drew players from all over that mammoth […]

Two MLS 6-year veterans got another lease on their careers in ThursdayGs waiver draft. The Los Angeles Galaxy picked up the U.S national teamGs all-time leading scorer Eric Wynalda, 32. The forward was waived by the Chicago Fire. He has played for New England, Miami and San Jose. D.C. United picked up left back Ivan […]

SOUTH KOREA WARMUP RESULTS Jan. 19 in Pasadena, Calif. USA 2 South Korea 1. Goals: Donovan 35, Beasley 90; Song Chong Gug 38. South Korea — Lee Woon Jae, Kim Tae Young, Kim Nam II, Song Chong Gug, Choi Yong Soo, Lee Chun Soo (Lee Young Pyo, 72), Lee Eul Young (Hyunj Young Min, 72), […]

ABC and ESPN2 will air 30 MLS games in 2002. ABC will televise four games: the season opener (Columbus-Chicago), the All-Star Game, one playoff game and the championship game. 2002 MLS national TV schedule ABC Sports Day Date Game Time (ET/pm) Saturday March 23 Columbus-Chicago 4:00 Saturday Aug. 3 All-Star Game 3:30 Sunday Oct. 6 […]

Alessandro Del Piero’s second-half goal gave Italy a 1-0 win over the United States Wednesday before a sellout crowd of 25,493 in Catania. Del Piero scored after David Regis was stripped of the ball by Gianluca Zambrotta in midfield. Chievo striker Massimo broke clear and fed Del Piero for an easy goal. The Americans had […]

Feb. 13 in Catania Italy 1 USA 0. Goal: Del Piero 62. Italy — Toldo, Iuliano, Cannavaro (Sartor, 82), Materazzi, Tomassi (Gattuso, 75), Asta (Zambrotta,46), Coco, Zanetti, Totti (Del Piero, 46), Vieri (Marazzina, 46), Di Vaio (Doni, 46). USA — Friedel, Sanneh (Hejduk, 59), Berhalter, Agoos, Regis, O’Brien, Armas, Reyna (Lewis, 80), Stewart, Donovan (Wolff, […]

Portugal, the first U.S. opponent at the 2002 World Cup, held neighboring Spain to a 1-1 tie in Barcelona in its first warmup game of 2002. The Portuguese took the early lead on Jorge Costa’s header off a Luis Figo free kick before Spain recovered on Fernando Morientes’ goal. Hugo Viana, 19, started in midfield […]

PORTUGAL WARMUP RESULTS Feb. 13 in Barcelona Spain 1 Portugal 1. Goals: Morientes 41; Jorge Costa 28. Portugal — Ricardo (Quim, 46), Frechault, Jorge Costa (Bento, 90), Fernando Couto, Rui Jorge (Dimas, 46), Vidigal, Viana (Andrade, 62), Figo (Capucho, 80), Conceicao (Simao, 46), Joao Pinto (Barbosa, 46), Pauleta (Nuno Gomes, 46). PORTUGAL WARMUP SCHEDULE March […]

POLAND WARMUP RESULTS Feb. 10 in Limassol Poland 2 Faeroe Islands 1. Goals: Zurawski 12, pen. 43; R. Jakobsen 26. Poland — Wierzchowski (Kowalewski, 77), Ciesielski (Bosacki, 46), Glowacki, Zielinski, Stolarczyk (Kielbowicz, 65), Kaczorowski (Sibik, 46), Lewandowski (Murawski, 46), Piekarski (Drumlak, 46), Kosowski, Moskala (Rasiak, 46), Zurawski. Feb. 13 in Limassol Poland 4 Northern Ireland […]

Poland won its second game in three games when it beat Northern Ireland, 4-1, in Cyprus Wednesday. The Poles, who had beaten the Faeroe Islands, 2-1, with a “B” team on Sunday, scored twice in the first 11 minutes against Northern Ireland. Pawel Kryszalowicz had two goals, and Radoslaw Kaluzny and Marcin Zewlakow also scored. […]

CHICAGO Training Feb. 12-27 — Rio Maior, Portugal. March 2-10 — Birmingham, Ala. March 10-15 — Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Games Jan. 28 — Univ. of Tampa (3-0). Feb. 4 — U.S. U-18 national team (2-0). Feb. 6 — Kansas City Wizards (1-4). Feb. 16 — at Portuguese union all-stars. Feb. 20 — at Benfica XI […]

The U.S. under-23 national team closed out its European tour with a 2-0 loss to Italy’s under-23 team in Messina. Massimo Maccarone (Empoli) and Emiliano Bonazzoli (Parma) scored for the Azzurrini. Glenn Myernick’s Americans finished with one win, one loss and two ties. ITALY-USA UNDER-23 SUMMARY: Feb. 12 in Messina Italy 2 USA 0. Goals: […]

Senior Editor Will Kuhns met with MLS Commissioner at the leagueGs SuperDraft in Florida on Feb. 10. INTERVIEW BY WILL KUHNS SOCCER AMERICA: Can you talk about the league’s philosophy as far as player movement, whether it be those entering the draft, foreign player signings or Americans going to and from Europe? DON GARBER: The […]

U.S. defender Steve Cherundolo, whom Bruce Arena did not call in for WednesdayGs match aganst Italy because of his Monday German Second Division game, celebrated a key win with his Hannover 96 club. With Cherundolo playing the whole 90 minutes at right back, league leader Hannover defeated second-place Mainz, 2-0. American forward Conor Casey did […]

U.S. women’s national team coach April Heinrichs called up 17-year-old forward Heather O’Reilly for the Algarve Cup March 1-7 in Portugal. The Americans face Sweden, England and Norway in the first round. U.S. ROSTER: Goalkeepers: LaKeysia Beene (San Jose CyberRays, 8/0), Solo Hope (Univ. of Washington, 7 caps/0 goals). Defenders: Kylie Bivens (Atlanta Beat, 2/0), […]

The Dallas Burn has signed Northern Ireland defender Steve Morrow. Morrow, 31, has 39 caps with the Northern Ireland. He spent the last four years with Queens Park Rangers in the English First (second tier) Division, playing in 91 league games, before a brief loan to Second Division Peterborough (11 games). Prior to joining QPR, […]

BY RIDGE MAHONEY, Senior Editor Sobering thought: Frankie Hejduk played more games for the United States at the Gold Cup than he has for Bayer Leverkusen reserve team this season. That he played every minute of the tournament at right back and performed well says something about his determination and resiliency. “I haven’t lost it,” […]

The Carolina Courage selected Santa Clara University defender Danielle Slaton as the No. 1 pick in the 2002 WUSA Draft. University of Florida forward Abby Wambach was selected second overall by the Washington Freedom. The Boston Breakers selected Jena Kluegel from the University of North Carolina third overall. All three players were in the U.S. […]

Claudio ReynaÆs Sunderland ended a 7-game winless streak with a 1-0 win at Derby. … Brad Friedel (Blackburn) and Joe-Max Moore (Everton) lost. Blackburn is in the relegation zone — three from the bottom — and Everton is only three points better off. … In Germany, Tony Sanneh picked up a win with Nuremberg. St. […]