Two days after facing Colo Colo of Chile in Santiago for the second leg of their Libertadores Cup quarterfinal series, Club America was back in action on the road — this time in Guadalajara against Atlas. The Eagles, who traveled 15 hours (including connections) to get from Santiago to Guadalajara, blew a lead three times against Atlas and settled for a 3-3 tie in the first leg of their quarterfinal series in Mexico’s Torneo Apertura.
Monthly Archives: May 2007
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Ze Roberto comes to Santos’ rescue in Libertadores Cup
Former Brazil national team midfielder Ze Roberto scored twice to lead Santos from 2-0 down to beat Caracas FC, 3-2, on Thursday and reach the Libertadores Cup quarterfinals, 5-4, on aggregate. Gremio beat Sao Paulo, 2-0, on goals by Tcheco and Diego Souza on Wednesday to win the all-Brazilian series, 2-1, on aggregate, while the Parana and Flamengo, other two Brazilian teams to reach the knockout phase, both are out.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Pariani, starter on 1950 U.S. World Cup team, dies
[OBITUARY] Gino Pariani, the inside right for the 1950 U.S. World Cup team that produced one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history, died on Wednesday at the age of 79 after a two-year battle with bone cancer.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. women’s streak on line against Canada
[AUCTION] The U.S. women’s national team carries a 40-game unbeaten streak into Saturday’s international friendly against Canada at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, live, 7 pm ET/6 pm CT).
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Filling a player’s ’emotional tank’
A player’s “emotional tank” is similar to a car’s gas tank. When the tank is full, the player runs well. With an empty tank, the player does not run at all. Coaches, parents and players can fill or drain tanks, depending on how they communicate.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Freddy Adu hit in head by golf ball
“I was scared — scared for him,” Real Salt Lake forward Jamie Watson told KSL TV after he witnessed teammate Freddy Adu get pegged in the head by a 300-yard drive on hole 9 at Sandy’s Old Mill golf course. “I didn’t want to be the guy who was with Freddy when he died. That’s what I was worried about mostly. I was like ‘Freddy please be all right.'” In fact, Adu continued golfing and shot 39 on the back nine.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
Article 21865
“Two finals in three years – not bad for a little club.”
— Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, whose team eliminated Chelsea in the European Champions League semifinals, chides Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho, who once referred to Liverpool as a “little club.” In the May 23 final, Liverpool faces AC Milan, which Liverpool beat for the 2005 crown. (BBC)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bradley makes cameo in Heerenveen win over Ajax
Midfielder Michael Bradley was an 82nd minute sub for Heerenveen in its 1-0 win over Ajax Amsterdam in the semifinal first-leg of the Dutch playoffs for a spot in next years European Champions League.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Gladbach turns down Keller’s offer to stay
Goalkeeper Kasey Keller is one of at least seven players leaving Borussia Moenchgladbach, which has been relegated to the German Second Division. Gladbach general manager Christian Ziege said he was surprised that Keller, 37, offered to stay with the relegated team, but said giving the 25-year-old Christofer Heimeroth the No. 1 keeper spot next season is part of the club’s rebuilding process.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Salt Lake hopes upswing continues vs. Rapids
[TV PREVIEW] What does a stirring comeback in the debut of Jason Kreis as head coach bode for the future of Real Salt Lake? Real scored more goals in its first game under Kreis than it had in its first four games of the season when Coach John Ellinger, was still in charge. On Thursday, against Colorado (9 pm ET, ESPN2), upbeat Real hopes to continue its progress with by winning its first game of the season. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney previews the “Rocky Mountain Cup” clash.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
FC Copenhagen repeats at Danish champion
FC Copenhagen clinched back-to-back Danish Super League titles when it beat Broendby, 1-0, on Wednesday to extend its lead over second-placed FC Midtjylland to 13 points with four games to play.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Mourinho slams EPL schedulers for meaningless clash
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho used the backdrop of Wednesday’s meaningless 0-0 draw in the top-of-the-table clash between champion Manchester United and his second-place Blues to rip the Premier League for its 2006-07 scheduling.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Sevilla and Roma win domestic cup matches
Roma scored four goals in the first 30 minutes to beat defending champion Inter Milan, 6-2, in the first leg of the Coppa Italia final on Wednesday. Sevilla reached the final of Spain’s Copa del Rey for the first time in 45 years by beating Deportivo Coruna, 2-0, at home to cruise into the final, 5-0, on aggregate.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Nantes relegated in France for first time in 44 years
Despite beating Bordeaux, 1-0, Nantes was assured of being relegated from the First Division after a record 44 consecutive years in the top flight.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
GOLAZO: Incredible ‘rabona’ strike by Andres Vasquez
[VIDEO ] Peruvian-born Andres Vasquez, 19, scored an unbelievable goal for Swedish club IFK Gothenburg in a 4-0 win over Oerebro on May 7. The long-range goal came with what in Spanish is called a rabona, whereby the player moves one foot behind the other to shoot. Vasquez, who moved to Sweden as a young child, has played for Sweden’s U-21 team in unofficial games but the goal has given him major publicity in his home country, prompting Peruvian coach Julio Cesar Uribe to promise him a national team call-up. “I’ve seen videos of Maradona shooting like that many times and I wanted to copy him,” said Vasquez of the goal.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
MLS Defends Player Salaries
The L.A. Times’ Graehme L. Jones spoke with MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis about the controversy that erupted after the MLS Players Union released the salaries of all 359 of the players in MLS. Gazidis called it “a little bit disingenuous for the union to disclaim ownership of those figures” after the union collectively bargained […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Galaxy Outlasts Red Bulls in Open Cup Thriller
For those able to travel to the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Tuesday night, the knockout bout between the L.A. Galaxy and New York Red Bulls in the (unbroadcasted) Lamar Hunt Open Cup was an eventful affair. According to MLSNet, the Bulls absolutely dominated the qualifying match but fell, 3-1, in overtime. Strikers Jozy […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beasley Set to Leave in Man City Clear-Out
It looks like DaMarcus Beasley will return to Dutch champion PSV Eindhoven after Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce made it clear he’ll be clearing house in the offseason. The on-loan American midfielder is likely to join a long list of players who failed to earn a permanent stay in Pearce’s revolving-door clubhouse. Last year’s temps, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Milan: Door Always Open for Sheva
By any account, it’s been a bad year for Andriy Shevchenko. One of the highest-rated players in the world less than a year ago, Sheva arrived at Chelsea last summer with huge expectations on his $60 million shoulders. Indeed, it must be hard after such a poor season to be constantly reminded of one’s astronomical […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dissecting West Ham’s Tevez-Mascherano Mess
BBC Sport takes an in-depth look at the complicated and controversial ruling by the English Premier League over West Ham United’s breach of rules in signing Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano from a group of third-party investors. Incidentally, there is nothing explicitly illegal about signing a pair of players whose economic rights are owned by […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
New Red Bulls youth boss hails from former USSR
New York Red Bull has named Armen Simoniants, who hails from the former USSR and has coached in USA for more than a decade, as its Youth Academy Director. He succeeds Giovanni Savarese, who headed the club’s hailed youth development program from 2005 until last March. Simoniants is the president of New Jersey-based United Soccer Master Course, an “international association of professional soccer educators.” He coached the MetroStars reserve team in 2000-03, has been a New Jersey ODP coach, and most recently coached Moldovan club FC Olympia Beltsy. Soccer America talked to Red Bulls technical director Jeff Agoos about the hiring.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
OFF THE POST: The high price of garlic in Japan
The J-League has suspended Kazuki Ganaha six games for shooting garlic up his veins (more or less). Ganaha used an intravenous drip to take a non-banned substance to combat cold symptoms. The supplement shot that is reportedly popular among Japanese athletes is known as a “garlic shot.” But any kind of intravenous infusion is banned by FIFA and, as of this season, the J-League.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS departures, absences raise questions
Just about one month into the season several prominent players are missing from MLS rosters, some by design, some not. Ridge Mahoney reports on new Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis’ prompt dismissal of its Panamanian striker and how MLS should treat Amado Guevara’s flight from Chivas USA.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
World Cup prostitute trafficking to Germany overestimated
Prior to the 2006 World Cup, Germany’s policy of legal prostitution came under fire from groups predicting the tournament would spur a trafficking of women from other nations, especially eastern Europe, forced into prostitution work during the month-long tournament. Media widely reported estimates of the trafficking of 40,000 foreign women. But the International Organization for Migration reports only five confirmed victims. “The estimate of 40,000 women expected to be trafficked was unfounded and unrealistic,” said the 48-page report.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
Article 3409
“Chelsea and Liverpool are the clearest, most exaggerated example of the way soccer is going: very intense, very collective, very tactical, very physical, and very direct. But, a short pass? Noooo. A feint? Noooo. A change of pace? Noooo. A one-two? A nutmeg? A backheel? Don’t be ridiculous. None of that. The extreme control and seriousness with which both teams played the semifinal neutralized any creative license, any moments of exquisite skill.”
— Jorge Valdano, Argentine 1986 World Cup winner as a player and former Real Madrid coach and sporting director, wasn’t impressed with how Liverpool advanced to the Champions League final. (The Guardian)