Klose is brimming with confidence, by far the most vital element in a scorer’s psyche. With him as a pointman, the more mobile Lucas Podolski can check back and roam underneath to latch onto balls played by Ballack and Bastian Schweinsteiger and Bernd Schneider, who is one of several role players neatly slotted into the […]
Monthly Archives: June 2006
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
2. CSR HEADLINE for Jeff Test
The players believe. The coach believes. And maybe now, most of the nation believes. Germany swayed many Germans who doubt their team can win the World Cup by easing past Ecuador, 3-0, to finish atop Group A on Monday. As they streamed out of the Olympiastadion, site of the final July 9, fans bubbled with […]
Posted inSoccer America Site, Story
U.S. CLUB SOCCER: Region E Champions
Super Group Boys Region E Champions U13 – South Coast Bayern Italia (CA) U14 – Nomads Academy (CA) U15 – De Anza Force 90 Blue (CA) U16 – Arsenal FC (CA) U17 – San Diego Surf White (CA) Premier Boys Region E Champions U12 – LAFC Rampage (CA) U16 – Santa Cruz County Premiere Futbol […]
Posted inSoccer America Site, Story
U.S. CLUB SOCCER: Region C Champions
Super Group Boys Region C Champions U15 – Bridge FA 90 Gold (SC) U16 – FUTSOC USA Enigma (FL) Premier Boys Region C Champions U12 – SoccerOP 93 (NC) U13 – CASL Elite 92 (NC) U14 – Roanoke Star (VA) U15 – Central Brevard Soccer (FL) U16 – South Charlotte Soccer Association 89 Gold (NC) […]
Posted inSoccer America Site, Story
YOUTH: U.S. U-15 split squads finish 6-2-0
The U.S. under-15 boys national team went 6-2-0 during its stay at the Home Depot Center. The U-15sÆ 37 players were split into two teams. The U-15s kicked off the first matchday on June 12 with a 3-2 win against the U-16 Rampage squad, with two goals from Paul Islas and one from Scott Caldwell. […]
Posted inSoccer America Site, Story
YOUTH: U.S. U-17 boys are 2-1-0 during HDC camp
The U.S. U-17 boys national team lost to the Chivas USA Reserves, 4-1, before winning two games during its stay at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Brendan King scored the USAÆs only goal against Chivas. The U-17 squad followed up with a 2-0 win against the U.S. under-15 boys on goals from Taylor […]
Posted inSoccer America Site, Story
U.S. WOMEN: U-21s go 2-0-1 against W-League opponents
U.S. U-21 WOMEN WIN TWO, TIE ONE IN MARYLAND; NORDIC CUP NEXT: The U.S. Under-21 womenÆs national team won two games and tied one in three matches against W-League teams last week during a training camp in Maryland: 5-0 win over the Northern Virginia Majestics, 1-0 win over the defending champion New Jersey Wildcats and […]
Posted inSoccer America Site, Story
MLS STATISTICS (through June 19)
STANDINGS Eastern Conference Team W-L-T PTS D.C. United 7-1-5 26 Kansas City 6-4-2 20 Columbus 4-6-2 14 New England 3-4-4 13 New York 2-2-7 13 Chicago 2-4-5 11 Western Conference Team W-L-T PTS FC Dallas 7-2-3 24 Houston 6-3-3 21 Colorado 5-4-2 17 Chivas USA 5-5-1 16 Real Salt Lake 3-7-2 11 Los Angeles 2-10-2 […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Spain Hails Substitutes in Comeback Win
Perhaps it’s Spain, and not Brazil, that’s turning into the neutral’s favorite at this year’s World Cup. For 70 pulsating minutes, the Spaniards searched and searched for an equalizer you knew had to be coming. And it was Raul, the out-of-form legend, who brought the group favorites back in control of a game they thoroughly […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
‘Cinderella’ Ukraine Poised for Next Round
After a demoralizing 4-0 debut loss to Spain, Ukraine brought itself back to parity by thumping Saudi Arabia by the same score. The win, followed by the good news that Spain beat Tunisia, means the Ukrainians are now likely to qualify with just a point from their final match against the North Africans. “It’s a […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Black Market Booms for World Cup, FIFA Exec Sent Home
Predictably, the black market for World Cup tickets is booming. Equally predictable is FIFA’s lax attitude about the reselling of tickets, which is illegal, officially. Tickets to World Cup matches sold in advance for between 45 and 100 euros; outside the stadiums they’re selling for between 200 and 500 euros. Tickets to the final are […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Column: World Cup Certainties
Like “tedious old friends” or “nagging, recurring injuries,” there are a few things you can expect from every World Cup, writes Dave Hill of the Guardian. One of these, which definitely receives way too much attention from the press every time, is the specially designed ball, which every year goalkeepers complain is inclined to swerve […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Globalization: Good for the World Cup?
Some may argue that globalization is bad for club soccer, but it’s great for the World Cup, writes Andres Oppenheimer of the Arizona Star Daily. He says up and coming countries are doing reasonably well at this tournament: Trinidad & Tobago’s brave performances against England and Sweden, Ecuador’s 2-0 win against Poland, and Ghana’s comprehensive […]
Posted inSoccer America Site, Story
WORLD CUP: Culture Clash
By Mike Woitalla in Hamburg In Saudi Arabia, the law bans alcohol, pork and pornography, and women aren't allowed to drive. In Germany, drinking in public is legal, major newspapers feature naked bodies on their front pages and policewomen drive patrol cars. ''It seemed pretty odd for the first few days,'' said Abdullah Alaraifi, a […]
Posted inSoccer America Site, Story
WORLD CUP: A match of fluctuating fortunes
USA-ITALY ANALYSIS By Ridge Mahoney in Kaiserslautern Tactical and personnel adjustments were made by the USA before and after kickoff of the Group E match against Italy played Saturday that ended 1-1, yet the primary changes were emotional, spiritual and psychological. An American team that had been overwhelmed by the Czech Republic, 3-0, this time […]
Posted inSoccer America Site, Story
WORLD CUP: Serious Foul Play
By Mike Woitalla in Hamburg It's not often that the United States produces a player like Pablo Mastroeni, an excellent defender with superb attacking skills. He was born in Argentina but immigrated to the USA with his family at age 4 and played his youth soccer in Arizona. His ball-winning ability, combined with a clever […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
2. Florida Gulf Coast to add men’s and women’s soccer
NCAA Division I men’s soccer will welcome its first new program in seven years when Florida Gulf Coast launches men’s and women’s soccer (along with women’s swimming) in 2007 as part of jump from Division II to Division I. “Soccer in Southwest Florida is a no-brainer,” Florida Gulf president Bill Merwin told the Naples Daily […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
1. MAKING A LIST: Underclassmen turning pro
DIVISION 1 Indiana *Lee Nguyen (F) 18, Dallas Jacob Peterson (F) 19 Portage, Mich. Jed Zayner (D) 21 Orland Park, Ill. UCLA Patrick Ianni (D/M) 20 Lodi, Calif. Marvell Wynne (D) 19 Poway, Calif. Cal State Northridge Willie Simms (F) 21 Los Angeles Clemson Nathan Sturgis (D) 18 St. Augustine, Fla. North Carolina Dax McCarty […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Jeff test for an MLS newsletter
DISCIPLINARY MEASURES. MLS has suspended Chicago forward Andy Herron for six games without pay in the aftermath of his ejection from last season’s semifinal playoff loss to New England. Herron protested vehemently when referee Terry Vaughn disallowed a stoppage-time equalizer by Gonzalo Segares after referee assistant George Gansner raised his flag for offside. Herron jostled […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Jeff TEST on television
(All times Eastern unless noted. TV programming is always subject to change. Check your local listings and http://www.soccerTV.com) MONDAY, June 12 ESPN2 World Cup 2006 AUSTRALIA-JAPAN, Group D (live), 9 am. World Cup 2006 USA-CZECH REP., Group E (live), noon. World Cup 2006 ITALY-GHANA, Group E (live), 3 pm. UNIVISION World Cup 2006 AUSTRALIA-JAPAN, Group […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Swiss Almost Through; Togo Definitely Out
Group G is definitely not the Group of Death. Not because the results don’t indicate that it could be (they do), but for the mere fact that few World Cup watchers give any of the teams in itsave France, though even that’s in doubt nowa serious shot at winning the World Cup. Nevertheless, Switzerland’s solid […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Column: Brazil, France Fail to Inspire
AP columnist Robert Millward says France and Brazil better learn that the favorites can’t just ride their legacy through to the final and expect to win the World Cup. “The trophy will be going somewhere else unless Brazil’s defenders stop handing easy chances to their opponents and the French stars remember how to score enough […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Predictably, Press Burn French
It would seem that the job of the press during the World Cup is to laud the national team to the skies for good performances and turn away from them like a disowned child after bad ones. France has an unquestionably talented squad that is capable of great things, but the national team cannot seem […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
On Saturday, Soccer Arrived
If it’s being said in Texas, of all places, then it must be so. After Saturday’s gritty draw against the Italians, The Houston Chronicle declares that Americans are getting wrapped up in this World Cup stuff after all. “Even those who never ‘get it’ might be becoming soccer fans. It seems to be catchy,” writes […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
No Place for Technology in World Cup, Yet
France, following a poor display against South Korea yesterday, are claiming they were denied a second goal yesterday due to some poor officiating, after Patrick Vieira’s header was cleared off the line by Korea’s Lee Woon Jae. Replays suggest that France, despite their poor performance, could have a case. But we’ll never know: it was […]