Monthly Archives: December 2002

The Chicago Fire traded four-season veteran Dema Kovalenko, 25, to D.C. United for 18-year-old Justin Mapp, a Project-40 midfielder who logged 28 minutes during is rookie season in 2002. ''Unfortunately, due to our situation he [Kovalenko] became a player we had to take a hard look at,'' said Dave Sarachan on his first trade since […]

The MetroStars acquired defender Eddie Pope, striker Jaime Moreno and midfielder Richie Williams from D.C. United last week in exchange for defender Mike Petke, the MetroStars' second 2003 MLS SuperDraft first-round pick (No. 5 overall) and an allocation. The trade is the MetroStars' first since Bob Bradley took over as the coach in late October. […]

Bruce Arena called up 28 players for the first U.S. national team training camp of 2003. They will assemble Jan. 4 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., in preparation for the international friendly against Canada on Jan. 18 at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. All 10 MLS teams are represented for the two-week […]

Jovan Kirovski, who didn't earn a start for Birmingham until December, scored twice over the holidays and was a bright spot for the Blues in a loss to Manchester United. ENGLAND * Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL) vs. West Ham, 2-2 (Dec. 28). Started: 90 minutes. Friedel was the victim of a Martin Taylor own goal […]

* Greg Vanney (Bastia, D1) vs. Nantes, 3-1 (Dec. 20) Started: 90 minutes. After being limited to three appearances as a sub, Vanney ended the year with three straight starts. * Oguchi Onyewu (Metz, D2) vs. Amiens, 1-0 (Dec. 19) DNP * David Regis (Troyes, D1) vs. Rennes, 0-1 (Dec. 20) DNP NOTE: The French […]

March 27: Clint Mathis scored two goals for the United States in a 4-2 loss to Germany in Rostock, touching off speculation that he would be snapped by a European club before the World Cup. Like milquetoasts in red, white and blue, Bruce Arena's men wilted against waves of Germans attacks. Only Clint Mathis could […]

February 24: After John Harkes (Sheffield Wednesday, 1991) and Kasey Keller (Leicester, 1997), goalkeeper Brad Friedel became the third American to win the English League Cup when he led Blackburn Rovers to a 2-1 victory over Tottenham. What must the folks at England's Department of Employment and at Liverpool be thinking now? After repeatedly being […]

January 8: Major League Soccer announced that the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion will immediately cease operations, reducing the league to 10 teams. For the second year in a row, the New Year began with talk of contraction in MLS. Unlike 2001, this time around league executives pulled the plug. Tampa Bay, as a […]

Clarence E. Goodson IV can tell you that getting kicked in the groin hurts, but not as much as getting kicked out of school. This time last year, Goodson sat on his couch alone and watched the College Cup on television. Plenty of other players, confined to their living rooms, wished they were in Columbus, […]

Do you like soccer? There's a simple question with as many answers as hexagons on the ball – if you want a specific response. In this country, millions may play but don't care much for watching. Many adults who spend enormous spare time watching their children play – ''Oh, I love soccer'' – couldn't care […]

The Los Angeles Galaxy won its first MLS final after three runner-up finishes when it beat New England, 1-0, in overtime before an MLS Cup-record crowd of 61,316 at Gillette Stadium. Since the inaugural MLS season in 1996, the Los Angeles Galaxy had worn the stigma of failure. The Galaxy lost the first MLS Cup, […]

Led by first-year German Birgit Prinz, the Carolina Charge completed a remarkable worst-to-first campaign by beating Washington, 3-2, in Founders Cup II, the WUSA final. The WUSA championship was Birgit Prinz's fourth title of 2002: DFB-POKAL FRAUEN. The German striker's hat trick carried FFC Frankfurt past Hamburger SV, 5-0, in the May 11 final at […]

A day after the United States fell to Germany in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, Landon Donovan was back in action for MLS's San Jose Earthquakes. The World Cup ended, and 20-year-old Landon Donovan took on another job: soccer salesman. He didn't need to go door-to-door, but he'd probably have been willing. Instead, he […]

Defensive midfielder Chris Armas, a stalwart in the U.S. World Cup qualifying campaign, was ruled out of the finals less than four weeks before the opening game when he suffered a knee injury during a friendly against Uruguay. To many teammates and fans, Chris Armas was the heart and soul of the U.S. World Cup […]

Goalkeeper — Laurie Franklin (Malone). Defenders — Julie Baird (Western Baptist), Cheryl Balogh (Mt. Vernon Nazarene), Heather Ellis (Trinity International), Courtney Porter (The MasterÆs). Midfielders — Jessica Bents (Trinity International), Emily Ouimette (Olivet Nazarene), Bethany Seiffert (Mt. Vernon Nazarene), Amy Wolf (Roberts Wesleyan). Forwards — Julie Herbst (Malone), KeriAnn Lawson (Western Baptist), Ashley Palmer (Indiana […]

Goalkeeper — Aaron Hoxie (Philadelphia Biblical). Defenders — Clifton Barth (Faith Baptist Bible), Greg Fanus (Philadelphia Biblical), Kyle Rodell (Manhattan Christian). Midfielders — Thomas Bates (Clearwater Christian), Phil Luukkonen (Simpson), John Scott (Northland Baptist Bible), Mark Smith (Manhattan Christian), Gonzalo Vergara (Grace Bible). Forwards — Nathan Grube (Grace Bible), Andy Schmitt (Baptist Bible), Joe Schutte […]

Goalkeeper — Trevor Knowles (Mt. Vernon Nazarene). Defenders — Hamlet Diaz (Roberts Wesleyan), Damian Francis (Judson), Masayuki Yokota (Grace). Midfielders — Joaquin Camargo (Piedmont), James Chase (Roberts Wesleyan), Fabio Dos Santos (Oklahoma Wesleyan), Josh Ray (Bryan). Forwards — Stephen Andrew (Piedmont), Anderson Browne (Indiana Wesleyan), Rafael Perez (Bethel), Marcos Silva (Oklahoma Wesleyan), Joe Phiri (Union, […]

First Team Goalkeeper — Andrew Bayliss (Mobile). Defenders — Jamie Ferguson (Mobile), Gavin Oldham (Lindsey Wilson), Eric Ongao (Park). Midfielders — Sigthor Juliusson (Auburn-Montgomery), Jasmin Kadric (Embry-Riddle), Siemon Mulama (Park), Chris Williams (Mobile). Forwards — James Gledhill (Mobile), Boyzzz Khumalo (Lindsey Wilson), Michael Ritch (Auburn-Montgomery). Second Team Goalkeeper — Oliver Sanders (Rio Grande). Defenders — […]

First Team Goalkeeper — Julie Greenlee (Embry-Riddle). Defenders — Sally Cole (Oklahoma City), Abby Odom (Embry-Riddle), Jen Sousa (Azusa Pacific). Midfielders — Ana Bruni (Union, Ky.), Coco Callebaut (Lindenwood), Missy Clark (Concordia, Ore.). Forwards — Erin Arbizu (Azusa Pacific), Patience Avre (Robert Morris, Ill.), Kristi Sullivan (Westmont), Alessandra Tavoloni (Union, Ky.). Second Team Goalkeeper — […]

George Van Linder, who last month nearly guided SMU into the NCAA women's soccer Sweet 16, was introduced Friday as Baylor's new women's soccer coach. Van Linder replaces Nick Cowell, who resigned in mid-November to seek out opportunities in other fields. Cowell was 40-32-6 in four seasons in Waco, Texas, including an 8-9-2 mark in […]

Bruce Arena called up 27 players, all from MLS teams, for the first U.S. national team training camp of 2003. They will assemble Jan. 4 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., in preparation for the international friendly against Canada on Jan. 18 at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. All 10 MLS teams are […]

ENGLAND * Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL) at Liverpool, 1-1 (Dec. 26). Started: 90 minutes. Friedel conceded a 17th-minute goal to John Arne Riise. Blackburn is in 10th place. Holiday schedule: Dec. 28, vs. West Ham; Jan. 1, vs. Middlesbrough. * Kasey Keller (Tottenham, PL) vs. Charlton, 2-2, (Dec. 26) Started: 90 minutes. Keller conceded two […]

Blackburn thrilled its home crowd with its first victory over Manchester United in eight years, a 1-0 win. Jonny Walker's team, Universidad Catolica, meanwhile, fell short of winning its second Chilean title this year. CHILE *Jonny Walker (Universidad Catolica, D1) vs. Colo Colo, 2-3. Started: 90 minutes. Red cards doomed Catolica's bid to be ''bi-campeon'' […]

Two goals in the first 21 minutes gave Canada a 2-0 win over the United States in the first of two men's under-23 friendlies. Dec. 19 in Ft. Lauderdale USA 0 Canada 2. Goals: Canizalez 1, Matondo 21. USA — Countess, Lewis (Yi, 46), Gray (Akwari, 46), Oliver (S.Thompson, 46), Carroll (Wingert, 75), Beckerman, Martino […]

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