[AMERICANS ABROAD] In the Belgium First Division, U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu has played every minute of Standard Liege’s first four games – all victories in which Standard has scored four goals. Onyewu struck once, in the season opener against SV Zulte-Waregem.
Monthly Archives: August 2007
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
OFF THE POST: Soccer-ball goodwill gesture backfires
The U.S. military had hoped to foster goodwill and bring joy to Afghanistan children when it dropped soccer balls from a helicopter in the Khost province. But at least one of the balls had a small picture of the Saudi Arabian flag, which includes script with the words Allah and the Prophet Muhammad. Villagers were upset and angry, pointing out they found kicking something with the names of the Muslim icons on it offensive. The U.S. military spokesman said it regretted the incident. The balls were reportedly manufactured in China and bought by the U.S. military in a market in Kabul.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
FC Dallas’ bet on Denilson makes sense
Remember the wails of anguish from FC Dallas fans and a few pundits back in March when “negotiations” broke off with Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids? The two sides never got very close, according to a source. FC Dallas had offered in the neighborhood of $800,000; Davids had a sum closer to $2.5 million in mind, give or take a few guilders. There were some who believed Davids could be the missing piece to the puzzle of FCD finally reaching an MLS Cup. That was wishful thinking, since at the time, perhaps only Coach Steve Morrow had an idea what that puzzle might eventually look like.
A drastic revamping of the team’s midfield had already begun and would soon accelerate: Ronnie O’Brien and Simo Valakari, and eventually, Richard Mulrooney and Ramon Nunez, out; Juan Toja and Pablo Ricchetti, and just last week, Denilson, in.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Adu waits for league debut; club signs more midfielders
Freddy Adu stayed on Benfica’s bench again in his Portuguese club’s second game of the season, a 0-0 tie with Guimaraes that was the debut of new coach Jose Antonio Camacho. As was the case when Adu moved to Real Salt Lake, the coach who brought him was fired after the American attacker’s arrival. Fernando Santos was sacked as Benfica coach after the first league game. Shortly after Camacho was hired, Benfica signed two Uruguayan national team midfielders.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“This ridiculous schedule that we have been saddled with in an effort to appease everybody, on and off the field, has taken its toll. We have bent over backwards to help everybody but the Galaxy. A lot of people have made a tremendous amount of money on the back of what the Galaxy, with David, has brought to their markets this year and I hope that they remember that. The traveling, the number of games, the lack of consistent scheduling – no other team has had to put up with that.”
— Los Angeles Galaxy President Alexi Lalas, after his team’s fifth straight MLS loss, complains about a schedule that bunched Galaxy games into the latter part of the season in order to exploit David Beckham‘s drawing power throughout the league. (Times of London)
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
David Beckham hopes to be back to the field for Los Angeles when it faces Pachuca in the SuperLiga final on Wednesday (TeleFutura). The USA faces Germany in the round of 16 of the U-17 World Cup on Thursday, early morning U.S. time (ESPNU).
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Blanco’s Own Beckham Mission
Two months ago, the Chicago Fire had only won one of its last 12 games and was in danger of becoming the worst team in MLS, but a lot has changed at Toyota Park in the last two months. Juan Carlos Osorio replaced Dave Sarachan as head coach, Chris Rolfe returned from injury and the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
For Man United, A Flat Victory at Inflated Prices
Manchester United might have notched its first win of the season this weekend, but The Independent’s James Lawton says the Red Devils look a shadow of their former selves. Of course the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo (suspended) and Wayne Rooney (injured), who combined for nearly 50 goals last season, doesn’t help, but it would seem […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Klinsmann to Replace Yallop in L.A.?
Following back-to-back 3-0 defeats and a winless streak extending back to before the All-Star break, the L.A. Galaxy is operating in emergency mode. Coach Frank Yallop is still in charge despite guiding his team to just three wins in 18 MLS games. However, he may not be around for long, says the London Times, whose […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Sevilla Midfielder Still in Critical Condition
Since his collapse during FC Sevilla’s 4-1 win over Getafe this weekend, Antonio Puerta has remained in critical condition in a hospital in Seville. The midfielder lost consciousness twice during play, suffering cardiac arrest in both instances as well as after the match. “The patient’s situation, 36 hours after being brought in, continues to be […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Italian Giants Deliver on Opening Day
With the exception of Inter Milan, whose opening day celebrations evaporated with an inexplicable lapse of concentration from Julio Cesar, Italy’s giants looked giant indeed on the first day of the new Serie A season. Juventus picked up where it left off two seasons ago, scoring three goals in the last two minutes to brush […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Rossi scores in La Liga debut; Barca draws
[SPAIN] Giuseppe Rossi, a 20-year-old New Jersey product who now represents Italy, scored in his Spanish La Liga debut for Villarreal, converting a penalty kick in a 3-0 win over regional rival Valencia. Rossi left the USA at age 13 for the youth program of Italian club Parma, which sold him in 2004 to Manchester United. Last season he was back in Parma, saving it from relegation with nine goals in 19 games. Also on the first weekend of the La Liga season Sevilla defender Antonio Puerta suffered two cardiac arrests during his team’s 4-1 win over Getafe. And Barcelona disappointed.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Hamm, Foudy, Rothenberg & Smith in Hall of Fame
[PROFILES] Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Alan Rothenberg and Bobby Smith were inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Sunday. …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Young Yanks meet in Mexican league game
[AMERICANS IN MEXICO] Four days after U.S. product Edgar Castillo, who has dual citizenship, debuted for the Mexican national team, he helped Santos Laguna become the last Mexican League team with a perfect record with a 1-0 win over defending champion Pachuca. Both teams came into the game with a 3-0-0 record. Castillo went the full 90 in all four Santos’ wins. Texas-born Jose Francisco Torres, a 19-year-old, went the full 90 in his second start of the season for Pachuca.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beasley gets his first Scottish Premier League goal
[VIDEO] Making his third Scottish Premier League appearance, American winger DaMarcus Beasley notched his first goal since joining Glasgow Rangers in the offseason. In the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock, which keeps Rangers’ perfect after four games, Beasley scored in the 52nd minute after chasing down a loose ball and lofting it home from six yards. Jean-Claude Darcheville scored the winner after a Beasley effort popped the ball into his path in the 76th minute.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Second Division wins for Yanks
[AMERICANS IN GERMANY]. Defender Gregg Berhalter and attacker Josh Wolff helped 1860 München to a 3-0 win over 1899 Hoffenheim to keep their team on top of the German Second Division with a perfect record after three games. For fourth-place Mainz, 18-year-old defender Neven Subotic made his third start of the season in a 4-1 win over fellow 2006-07 relegation victim Borussia Moenchengladbach. In the First Division, both Americans who saw action came out on the losing end.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Keller starts, Dempsey scores for Fulham
[AMERICANS IN ENGLAND] Clint Dempsey, after three appearances off the bench, got his first start of the season for Fulham and scored in the 6th minute in a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa. Goalkeeper Kasey Keller, signed last week, also started, as did defender Carlos Bocanegra. Fulham’s fourth American, Brian McBride, is sidelined until December after undergoing surgery for a dislocated knee cap.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Win over 10-man Belgium keeps USA alive at U-17 World Cup
[VIDEO] A 2-0 win over Belgium in its third and final first-round was enough to send the USA to the second round of the U-17 World Cup despite having lost its first two games, to Tajikistan and Tunisia. The USA, which got goals through Kirk Urso and Mykell Bates, faces Germany in the round of 16 on Thursday. The Americans played with a man advantage for 54 minutes after Belgium’s Christian Benteke was red-carded for a high slide tackle on Sheanon Williams.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Red-hot Rapids add to Galaxy woes
[MLS WEEKEND REPORT] New England and D.C. United pull away from the pack atop the Eastern Conference; Toronto sets futility record; Red Bulls’ keeper Jon Conway gives up long-distance own goal; the Fire edges closer to the playoff octet by winning again, thanks to Cuauhtemoc Blanco; the 10-man Crew escapes from Houston with a point; Colorado pulls even with Columbus by rolling over the sorry Galaxy; and Chivas USA continued its dominance at home. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney recaps the weekend’s MLS action …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“You try to imagine the hysteria surrounding his arrival but when he’s here it’s so different. It’s not been easy. It’s been kind of testing, to be honest. At the start of the year there was so much anticipation that we would win every game and David wasn’t even here then. He wasn’t here for the start of the season either. Then we had injuries and it was: ‘Why aren’t you winning?’ Obviously we need to.”
— Los Angeles coach Frank Yallop in a Times of London article headlined “Klinsmann tipped for leading role in LA.” Southern California resident Juergen Klinsmann served as L.A. Galaxy technical adviser in 2004 before taking over as coach of Germany’s 2006 World Cup team. On Friday, the Galaxy named assistant coach Paul Bravo Director of Soccer. (Times)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. women hammer Finland in final tune-up
Shannon Boxx scored her fifth goal in as many games at Home Depot Center as the U.S. women completed their preparation matches for the Women’s World Cup by thumping Finland, 4-0, on Saturday. Boxx, who grew up in nearby Torrance, Calif., returned to action earlier this year after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in her right knee during a training session on July 17, 2006.
Posted inSoccer Business Insider, Story
Sponsorships and the RSVP Rule
It’s time to get real about the numbers we use to invite potential sponsors to the soccer “party.” Our industry’s reputation suffers every time a sponsorship proposal is built on claims that are not delivered.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Platini Breathes Life into Domestic Cup Competitions
Thanks to UEFA President Michel Platini, winning the F.A. Cup might mean something once again. The Frenchman has proposed to make the domestic cup winner from Europe’s biggest leagues an automatic qualifier for the UEFA Champions League; UEFA will consider the matter next week. Platini’s original intention was to reduce the number of entrants from […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Philadelphia Confident of Expansion Success
Major League Soccer will be doling out a pair of franchises before the end of the year, and Philadelphia officials believe their city is close to being one of them. As Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bob Ford points out, Philly, with one of the largest markets and a great sports tradition, has long been a target […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Things Get Uglier for the Galaxy
Chivas USA’s 3-0 second half drubbing of the L.A. Galaxy capped off what was a decidedly ugly evening for the David Beckham Show: the ill-tempered affair was marked by ugly defending, ugly attacking and the ugliest of team brawls involving the man himself. A “crude” foul against Beckham literally kicked it all off as the […]