Soccer is constantly immersed in a dynamic of strategic change and physical demand as players become stronger, faster, more agile, and fit at younger ages. Manufacturers of soccer cleats are now required to meet the needs of youth and adolescent players by integrating concepts previously reserved for the elite professional player.
Monthly Archives: August 2007
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
MLSNet Sees Beckham Bounce
MLSNet.com, the official Web site of Major League Soccer, has seen a 117 percent boost in Web traffic over the previous year since the arrival of David Beckham to MLS, according to comScore Media Metrix, which chronicles the flow of traffic to Web sites. According to the measurement firm, traffic to MLSnet.com hovered at 230,000 […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dein Leads New Arsenal Takeover Bid
English giant Arsenal, the club that famously said it would not be bought, is starting to look like a prime target for a takeover, says the Independent’s Sam Wallace. Earlier this week, the club’s former vice chairman, David Dein, sold his 14.58 percent stake in the club to an investment group in return for being […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Real-Villarreal Showdown Gets Top Billing
There has been no word yet that the Spanish league resolved its dispute with its television distributor, so don’t expect to see many La Liga games televised this weekend, but the show goes on, nevertheless. Without a doubt, this weekend’s headliner is the clash between Real Madrid and Villarreal at El Madrigal. The Yellow Submarine […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Denilson May Play for FCD Saturday
FC Dallas’ new designated player Denilson received his work permit on Thursday, which means the 2002 World Cup winner could make his MLS debut as early as this Saturday against D.C. United. However, before Denilson is cleared to play, FCD has to release one of the four players currently occupying its international slots. The Brazilian’s […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Puerta’s Heart Failure One of Many Cases
It’s a paradox that playing sports is supposed to be good for you, and yet some people die as a result of playing them, says Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune. Indeed, FC Sevilla’s Antonio Puerta was not the first soccer player to die from cardiac arrest while playing; he wasn’t even the only […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer On TV
Highlighting this weekend’s MLS slate is Cuauhtemoc Blanco‘s visit to the New York Red Bulls with the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Jepson’s streak at Duke to end
[MEN’S NOTEBOOK] Duke captain Tim Jepson, who has started every game since he became a Blue Devil and played all but 100 minutes in 2006, will be held out of Duke’s two games this weekend with a pulled muscle. For news on the Clemson-South Carolina clash and Northwestern and Ohio State …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Irish eyes on showdown with No. 1 UCLA
[MEN’S PREVIEW] Notre Dame will open the 2007 campaign Friday at the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic when the ninth-ranked Fighting Irish face No. 1 UCLA. It was at last year’s tournament in Bloomington that Joseph Lapira scored four goals in a 5-4 win over Indiana, beginning his remarkable campaign that resulted in his being named the Soccer America Player of the Year and Hermann Trophy winner. Notre Dame, which meets No. 7 Maryland on Sunday, is coming off a hot preseason during which it topped No. 18 New Mexico and No. 16 Northwestern by identical 3-0 scores.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Soccer America Men’s Top 25 Results & Schedules
No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 12 knocked of No. 1 UCLA at the adidas IU Credit Union Classic. Other upsets: Gonzaga over No. 4 UC Santa Barbara, Fairfield over No. 10 St. John’s, Ohio State over No. 13 West Virginia, Akron over No. 18 New Mexico, Monmouth over No. 21 Norh Carolina.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Move to name street after South Carolina’s Berson
There is Bryant Drive (named after the legendary football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant) that runs along the southern flank of the University of Alabama campus. The late Adolph Rupp and Dean Smith have basketball arenas named after them on the campuses of Kentucky and North Carolina. How about Mark Berson Way?
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Florida aims for record crowd — and win over might Notre Dame
[WOMEN’S PREVIEW] Florida is looking to set a school attendance record when the No. 12 Gators host No. 2 Notre Dame on Sunday afternoon at Pressly Stadium (TV: Sun Sports, FSN Florida, live, 1:30 pm). The game has been dubbed “Let’s Pack Pressly” and Florida is conducting several promotions, including Gator Soccer t-shirts courtesy of Sun Sports for the first 2,500 fans. Florida looks to be for real. The Gators beat No. 6 Texas A&M, 3-1, in an exhibition game and meet No. 7 Florida State on Sept. 9.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Soccer America Women’s Top 25 Results & Schedules
The 2007 NCAA Division I women’s season kicked with several big upsets, notably South Carolina’s 1-0 win at No. 1 North Carolina. No. 3 UCLA fell to No. 8 Texas on Sunday in Houston, and No. 2 Notre Dame had to settle for a 0-0 tie in its opener against Michigan.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Playoff implications for Crew and Rapids
Columbus and Colorado are tied for the eighth and final playoff spot with 27 points and both have eight games to play.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
A Meeting of MLS’s worst
Real Salt Lake goes for a second straight win at last-place (!) Los Angeles. Both teams have managed only three wins this season.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Blanco hits New York
In his five MLS matches, Cuauhtemoc Blanco has scored two goals and assisted on four others. On Saturday, he leads the Fire against the New York Red Bulls.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Hot clashes in Texas
[MLS GAME PREVIEWS]. Interconference play takes center stage this weekend, with the hottest action taking place in Texas: FC Dallas hosts D.C. United, and Kansas City travels to Houston. Might we see a preview of MLS Cup 2007?
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Germany ousts USA from U-17 World Cup
[VIDEO] The USA’s U-17 World Cup ended at the round of 16 stage with a 2-1 loss to Germany on Thursday. The Americans won only one game — a 2-0 over Belgium in which they played with a man advantage for 54 minutes — in their four outings in South Korea. Against the Germans, U.S. keeper Josh Lambo and slightly off-target shooting kept the Germans from translating their dominance into goals until Toni Kroos set up Richard Sukuta-Pasu for strikes in the 65th and 89th minutes. U.S. defender Mykell Bates‘ third goal of the tournament came two minutes into stoppage time.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Disappointing showing by CONCACAF teams
[U-17 WORLD CUP SCOREBOARD]. Two years ago, Mexico won the U-17 World Cup in Peru, but it failed to qualify for this year’s finals in South Korea. Of the CONCACAF region’s five representatives, two reached the second round and were eliminated on Thursday: the USA losing, 2-1, to Germany, and Costa Rica falling, 2-0, to Argentina. Haiti and Honduras, which had edged out the Mexicans in qualifying, exited in the first round without a win, as did Trinidad & Tobago. The quarterfinalists are comprised of four European teams (France, Spain, England, Germany) and two African teams (Ghana, Nigeria).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“Investigations confirmed he suffered a complete rupture of his quadriceps muscle in the areas where the quadriceps inserts into the patella. His recovery will be a steady process in the early stages, and we are hoping for a return some time around Christmas.”
— Fulham physiotherapist Jason Palmer on American forward Brian McBride, who suffered a separated kneecap on Aug. 18 while scoring. (AP)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
TV PREVIEW: International Weekend Headliners
Soccer America begins a weekly series, during the international club season, previewing the weekend’s big TV matches, with a look at the players, coaches and matches making headlines around the world. Today we look at Michael Owen, Roy Keane, the Hamburg-Bayern Munich match in Germany and Atlante-Santos in Mexico.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beckham bumps MLSnet.com visitors
What has the impact of David Beckham‘s signing with MLS’s Los Angeles Galaxy been online? Worldwide traffic to Major League Soccer’s web site, mlsnet.com, more doubled between July 2006 and July 2007 when Beckham debuted against Chelsea.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Chances of U.S.-hosted World Cup any time soon appear to shrink
If we were to project out the implications of a proposed in FIFA system’s to award World Cup hosts, don’t count on the World Cup returning to the United States any time before 2026. That appears to be the effect of the proposed new FIFA bidding process revealed by Reuters’ FIFA sources on Thursday in Monaco, where much of Europe’s top soccer brass was assembled for the ceremonial kickoff to the new soccer season, the UEFA Champions League draw and other UEFA events.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
UEFA Champions League Odds
Following Thursday’s draw in Monaco, Barcelona was installed by British bookmaker Ladbrokes as the odds-on favorite to win the 2008 UEFA Champions League. Barcelona was given 11-2 odds despite the fact the Catalan club was placed in Group D, arguably the toughest of the eight groups, along with six-time French champion Lyon and German Bundesliga champion Stuttgart. Chelsea and Manchester United are second favorites at 7-1, followed by Inter Milan and AC Milan at 9-1.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Under-17 World Cup TV Schedule
ESPNU and Galavision provide live provide live coverage of the U-17 World Cup from South Korea. This weekend’s action kicks off early morning Saturday U.S. time …