Are Bruce Arena’s best days behind him? That’s what Goal.com’s Pat Walsh thinks in assessing Arena’s first full season in charge of the New York Red Bulls. During Arena’s tenure with the U.S. national team, Walsh says you could seldom see the kind of frustration visible on his face as the Red Bulls battled fruitlessly […]
Monthly Archives: October 2007
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Problems Abound with Brazilian World Cup
In the end, Brazil was the obvious choice for FIFA to host the 2014 World Cup, but that’s mostly because it was the only choice, writes the Independent’s Glenn Moore. While there’s definitely an element of romance in the beautiful game’s most important tournament coming to the land where it’s played most beautifully, Moore says […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
MLS Should Adopt Away Goals Rule
Three total goals in four first-leg playoff games means that MLS ought to consider modifying the playoff format, says the Boston Globe’s Frank Dell’Apa. Teams currently play each other home and away, with the higher seeded team hosting second in case of extra time, and the one with the better record over two legs advances […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Henry Defends Barca Form
Thierry Henry has come under heavy criticism for failing to recapture his Arsenal form since joining Barcelona over the summer. The Frenchman has visibly struggled to adapt to the slower pace of the Spanish game, which emphasizes vision and close control over pace and power, which Henry was accustomed to in the Premiership. In an […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
England’s Rep, Field Ruined
It’s been a bad couple of days for England’s national team. First it was revealed that Wembley’s turf had been destroyed following the NFL game between the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins last weekend. The game, played in a torrential downpour, was held barely three weeks before England’s final Euro 2008 qualifier, which it […]
Posted inSoccer Business Insider, Story
Why I’m Not Likely to Own a Women’s Pro Team
But here’s where I’d start if I did own a team…
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
No. 1 UCLA loses supersub Mac Kechnie for season
After playing sparingly in her first two seasons, UCLA midfielder Caitlyn Mac Kechnie was enjoying her best season yet. She was tied for the team lead in assists with seven and tied for third in points with 15 when she was injured in the No. 1 Bruins’ 2-0 win over USC last Friday. Mac Kechnie is out for the season after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Transfers have big impact at major programs
[FEATURE] Alejandro Bedoya is making a strong case for ACC Player of the Year honors at Boston College after transferring Fairleigh Dickinson. California JC star Oscar Castillo has been an invaluable addition to the UConn backline. Andrei Gotsmanov, son of a former Soviet international star, has emerged from a two-year layoff to star at Creighton. Virginia Tech took the unusual route of bringing in 6-foot-6 Englishman Robert Edmans and Germans Georg Zehender and Stefan Hock from European universities. All are first-year transfers, and all are playing big roles at Top 10 programs.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Men’s & Women’s Small College Rankings
With one week to go before NCAA Tournament pairings are announced, there was little movement in the NSCAA/adidas rankings. Teams remained the same in the top three spots in Men’s Division II and III, the top five spots in Men’s Division III and the top seven spots in Women’s Division III. For all the Top 25 rankings …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NCAA Division I Women’s Tuesday Results
UC Irvine’s Kim Conlan scored from 35 yards out from the far left wing to give the Anteaters a 1-0 win over Long Beach State on Tuesday evening. Cal State Fullerton (15 points) and Cal Poly (15) remain in first place, followed by UC Irvine (13) and LBSU (12) in the tight Big West race. Monmouth clinched a Northeast Conference Tournament berth with a 2-1 win over Central Connecticut in a top-of-the-table clash. For all Tuesday’s scores …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NCAA Division I Men’s Tuesday Results
Freshman C.J. Sapong scored two goals, including the game-winning goal in overtime, to give surging James Madison a 2-1 win over Towson in a key CAA game, extending the Dukes’ winning streak to four games. The loss snapped the Tigers’ 16-game home unbeaten streak, dating back exactly two years. For all Tuesday’s scores …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Freddy’s first Portuguese league goal
[VIDEO] Click HERE video of Freddy Adu’s first goal for Benfica in Portuguese league play, the winner in a 2-1 victory last Sunday over Maritimo. Adu scored six minutes after entering the game in the 80th minute.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
1860 Munich advances in German Cup
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Defender Gregg Berhalter and forward Josh Wolff helped 1860 Munich down fellow Second Division club Mainz 05, 2-1, in the second round of the Germany Cup. Right back Steve Cherundolo played 120 minutes for Hannover, which went down, 2-0, to fellow First Division club Schalke 04 in overtime. Defender Heath Pearce, who hadn’t seen action in more than a month for First Division Hansa Rostock, started in midfield in a 6-0 win over Second Division Kickers Offenbach. In England, defender Jonathan Spector was a halftime sub for West Ham in its 2-1 fourth-round League Cup win over second-tier Coventry.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
FIFA postpones extra ref experiment
FIFA has decided not experiment with extra assistant referees to monitor penalty area action at December’s World Club Cup, having decided the Japan-hosted tournament, which features the six continental club champions, was too high profile. The experiment, in which an additional linesperson would stand behind each goal and assist the referee with decisions on penalty-area incidents, will instead be carried out at next year’s women’s U-17 World Cup in New Zealand or the women’s U-20 World Cup in Chile.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Will depth, or disaster, determine playoff outcomes?
Don’t blame the playoff system, or fate, or injuries for the tricky tasks facing the higher seeds in the conference semifinals. Blame the policies of MLS that restrict teams to an 18-man roster and a $2.1 million salary cap despite a burdensome schedule of regular-season, Open Cup, playoffs and international club competitions. With more competitive games come greater chances for injury to attacking players and a commensurate loss of offensive punch.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“Two backs, I need two midfielders and I need two quality strikers. I think this club and its supporters need different kinds of players to excite them.”
— Toronto FC coach Mo Johnston, whose contract was renewed despite the team’s last-place finish in MLS, announces slight changes to the squad he put together for the club’s inaugural season. (MLSNet.com)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Germany 2011: ‘Welcome back’
[WOMEN’S WORLD CUP] Germany beat out Canada for the right to the host of the 2011 Women’s World Cup.
The decision, announced by FIFA president Sepp Blatter following a meeting of the executive committee on Tuesday in Zurich, comes exactly one month after Germany successfully defended its Women’s World Cup title, beating Brazil, 2-0, in the final in Shanghai. FIFA’s decision was another setback for Canadian soccer, rocked by upheaval within the Canadian Soccer Association and charges of CSA mismanagement.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
The Brazil World Cup 2014 challenge
[MY VIEW] FIFA’s decision to abandon the rotation system for awarding future World Cups might very well cost the USA the chance to host the World Cup in the near term. The flaw with FIFA’s policy of awarding the World Cup to countries from different confederations was very much evident in the choice of Brazil as host of the 2014 finals. Brazil was not the overwhelming choice to host the 2014 finals. Brazil was FIFA’s only choice, and its bid was accepted, holes and all.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Who deserves MLS individual honors?
MLS has announced three finalists for each of its end-of-season awards. Juan Pablo Angel, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Luciano Emilio are the candidates for MLS MVP and the new Newcomer of the Year Award. There’s also Rookie of the Year, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year and Coach of the Year honors. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney reveals his picks …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. U-18s fall in France
In its first action of the two-year cycle leading up to the 2009 Under-20 World Cup, the U.S. U-18 boys national team fell to host France, 3-1, on Tuesday night at the Limoges Tournament.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Soccer Development Academy Weekend Report
With a 4-2 win over South Florida rival Schulz Academy, Miami FC Kendall moved to 5-0-1 in the U-15/16s division in the inaugural U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Other weekend highlights included hat tricks by Cesar Avalos for Birmingham and Matthew Tobin for the Clearwater Chargers in the Chargers’ 6-4 win and Austin Savage‘s Academy-leading eighth goal of the season for South Carolina’s Bridge FA in a 2-2 tie with the Virginia Rush. For all the weekend game reports …
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Who deserves the honors?
MLS has announced three finalists for each of its end-of-season awards. Here’s the view on the major honors from this perspective.
Posted inGrassroots Soccer Biz, Story
Creating partnerships key to grassroots success
Partnerships with businesses, cities, schools and other soccer organizations will build your success.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Roma-Lazio: Must-See TV
All eyes will be on the Eternal City Wednesday night for the biannual derby between AS Roma and Lazio (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, live, 3:25 pm ET). One of the world’s great rivalries alongside Rangers-Celtic in Glasgow or Boca-River in Buenos Aires, form means absolutely nothing when these two bitter enemies square off. In fact, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Arena Criticizes Angel’s Performance
Red Bulls coach Bruce Arena criticized star striker Juan Pablo Angel following Saturday’s first-leg playoff clash with the New England Revolution, telling reporters the Colombian “could have done a better job of making himself available” during the 0-0 draw. Despite having the majority of possession, New York had a hard time creating meaningful chances — […]