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Monthly Archives: October 2007
Do-or-die for Rapids, Crew and Galaxy
[MLS WEEKEND PREVIEWS] Colorado, Columbus and Los Angeles must win to keep their playoff hopes alive, Kansas City can clinch a postseason spot by beating New York, and Chicago will greatly enhance its playoff chances with a victory on the penultimate weekend of the MLS regular season. Chivas can clinch the Western Conference crown by beating the Rapids on Sunday.
Euro ’08 qualifying moves into home stretch
[PREVIEW] The first of the two remaining double fixture weekends in Euro ’08 qualifying begins on Saturday. Here’s a look at seven key matches …
Euro ’08 Qualifying TV Schedule
With four games to play, action heats up in Euro ’08 qualifying. Of the 21 games scheduled for Saturday, 11 are available live or on delay on cable or pay-per-view.
Deja vu in South American qualifying
[WORLD CUP 2010] South America officials didn’t wait until the 2010 World Cup qualifying draw to begin the long road to the finals in South Africa, and they didn’t waste time figuring out the schedule. If the 2010 qualifying schedule looks familiar to fans, it’s because it is the same as was used for the 2002 and 2006 qualifiers! That means Argentina hosts Chile Saturday and Brazil travels to Colombia Sunday in this weekend’s top matches. For previews of this weekend’s opening qualifiers …
What They’re Saying
“I believe that my feeling of being offended is the same one felt by the majority of women in Trento. I would hope that the team — which also receives public funding — would want to find a remedy for this situation as soon as possible.”
— Iva Berasi, a councilwomen of the Italian city of Trento, is not too pleased that the city’s Fourth Division club, Trento Calcio 1921, signed a sponsorship deal with Austrian-based brothel Casa Bianca. (UPI)
Dida suspended for milking fan attack
[VIDEO] AC Milan’s Brazilian goalkeeper Dida has been banned for two Champions League games for exaggerating the effects of a light slap to the face by a field invader in Glasgow during AC Milan’s 2-1 loss to Celtic last week.
The Celtic fan, who received a lifetime stadium ban from the club, ran onto the field after Dida gave up a goal and delivered what looked like a gentle strike. Dida started to pursue the culprit for a few steps before dropping to the ground.
‘The game has to come naturally’
Feedback from Soccer America readers on “Reviving the Pickup Game,” by Sam Snow, US Youth Soccer’s Director of Coaching Education.
The Emerging Michael Bradley
Grant Wahl of SI.com has a lengthy article on the coach’s son, national team midfielder Michael Bradley, who Wahl says is arguably the most improved U.S. player in the past year. He’s also played a heck of a lot of soccer: in addition to the nine months Bradley’s put in for Heerenveen, he’s also made […]
South Africa 2010: So Far, So Good
To the surprise of many — including a few sportswriters who live in the country — South Africa continues to pass FIFA’s regular progress inspections in preparation for hosting the 2010 World Cup. During the most recent visit, South African organizers brought executives from the game’s world governing body on a tour to the four […]
Altidore Could Be Out the Door When He Turns 18
Jozy Altidore stars in another “Next Big Thing” article, this one from ABC News. This could be his last season in MLS. Altidore turns 18 on Nov. 6, making him eligible to move abroad. And after a string of impressive performances for both the New York Red Bulls and the U-20 national team at the […]
Another MLS DP Slot for Next Season?
As long as you’re not worried about the immense salary gap it causes between the few MLS-haves and the multitude of MLS have-nots, the Designated Player Rule has been a resounding success. New York DP Juan Pablo Angel has unquestionably been one of the league’s best players, while Chicago’s mid-season arrival Cuauhtemoc Blanco just may […]
NAIA Women’s Top 25
Lee was named No. 1 in NAIA Women’s Top 25 Poll for the third consecutive week. For the complete Top 25 …
NAIA Men’s Top 25
Concordia (Calif.) held at No. 1 for the fourth straight week, while Berry made the biggest jump, moving up seven spots to No. 7 in the NAIA Men’s Top 25 Poll. Berry beat then-No. 6 Lee, 3-2, in double overtime last Friday. For the complete Top 25 …
NCAA Division I Men’s Wednesday Results
Defending America East champion Binghamton needed overtime for the second straight game to win in conference play. It beat UMBC, 1-0, on Justin Leskow‘s goal in the 99th minute. For all scores from Wednesday’s action in the America East, Big East, Big West, Conference USA and Missouri Valley, as well as in non-conference play …
Player of the Year candidate White powers No. 1 UConn
O’Brian White is an early favorite for Men’s Player of the Year honors. The Jamaican youth international via Ontario scored a hat trick for the second straight game and led No. 1 Connecticut to a 3-0 win over Providence Wednesday night at Morrone Stadium.
FIU’s Eketebi gets first win after 11 games
It took Munga Eketebi 11 games, but he finally got his first win as Florida International men’s coach. Eketebi, who was promoted after long-serving coach Karl Kremser retired, had endured an 0-8-2 start as head coach until Wednesday’s 3-2 win over UCF.
Top 25 powers Notre Dame and BC knocked off
[TOP 25 MEN’S ACTION] Four Top 25 men’s teams, including No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 5 Boston College, lost on Wednesday night. Notre Dame’s nine-game unbeaten streak come to an end as Michigan State topped the Irish, 1-0. Senior Laurent Manuel‘s golden goal gave No. 14 Brown a 1-0 overtime victory over BC.
NCAA Division I Women’s Wednesday Results
Harvard improved to 8-3-1 under first-year coach Ray Leone thanks to a 2-0 win over Vermont (1-11-1). For all scores from Wednesday’s women’s action …
OFF THE POST: Not such a clever way to fix a game
During a Cameroon First Division game, Bamboutos FC’s coach calls Federal SC captain Nkoun a Rim to the sideline for a chat late in the second half after Federal tied the game, 2-2. Shortly afterward, Bamboutos captain Koss Roger hits the floor and acts injured. In full view of the spectators, already suspicious because of the sideline conference, Bamboutos’ trainer hands Roger an envelope. Roger returns to action and hands the envelope to Nkoun a Rim, who makes a lackluster effort in the play that leads to Bamboutos’ winning goal. Cameroon’s federation has relegated Bamboutos FC two divisions and has banned the officials and players involved in the incident for at least two years.
Brazil finally plays at home again
Brazil, which has taken to playing its friendly games abroad, will play its first home game in more than two years when it faces Ecuador in World Cup qualifying on Wednesday. Its last home game was 3-0 win over Venezuela Oct. 12, 2005 in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. The game against Ecuador also marks its first at Maracana Stadium since a 5-0 win over Bolivia in 2000.
Hope Solo back with USA
Goalkeeper Hope Solo, who was kicked off the U.S. team during the Women’s World Cup, has been invited back by Coach Greg Ryan for the team’s three-game series with Mexico, which kicks off Saturday in St. Louis. After being benched for the USA’s semifinal against Brazil and replaced by Briana Scurry, Solo lashed out at Ryan and said she would have saved the goals Brazil put past Scurry in the 4-0 loss. Scurry is also on the 20-player roster for the Mexico series.
Edgar Castillo back with Mexican national team
Edgar Castillo is still eligible to represent the USA because his appearance for Mexico in an August friendly against Colombia wasn’t official FIFA competition. But Castillo, who starts at left back for Santos, the Mexican league’s top team this season, is back in camp with the Mexican national team, which is preparing for friendlies against Nigeria on Sunday and Guatemala on Wednesday.
Chivas USA aims for top in Big D
[MLS TV PREVIEW] These Western Conference foes haven’t played since the Fourth of July, when a 2-0 Dallas victory over Chivas USA at Pizza Hut Park reversed a loss by the same score in late May at Home Depot Center. Since that last meeting, Brazilians Denilson and Ricardinho have relocated in Texas, a player has been traded from one team to the other, Carlos Ruiz has picked up a suspension that rules him out of Thursday’s game, Dallas has clinched a playoff spot, and Chivas USA has climbed up the overall standings to challenge for the league’s best record.
Fiji fumes over World Cup visa snub
Fiji’s soccer federation says it will seek to take the New Zealand government to court over its refusal to grant a visit to starting goalie Simione Tamanisau for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier, the opening game of the final round of qualifying in what is also the OFC Nations Cup final round.
