Club America aims to bring the Copa Sudamericana title to Mexico for the second straight year, but must overcome a 3-2 first-leg deficit when it faces Argentina’s Arsenal in Buenos Aires in the second leg on Wednesday (TV: Fox Sports en Espanol, 7:30 pm ET). Arsenal has never won an international title or even an Argentine championship in its 50-year existence, and has never placed a player on the Argentine national team.
Monthly Archives: December 2007
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Romario blames balding for failed doping test
Brazilian star Romario says hair-loss medicine made him fail a doping test. The Vasco da Gama striker, a World Cup winner in 1994, had tested positive for finasteride after the game against Palmeiras on Oct. 28. "I’m losing some hair and I have been taking this product for a while," the 41-year-old said.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Pia Sundhage sets first camp for U.S. women
The first training camp conducted by recently hired U.S. women’s national team camp Pia Sundhage will be brief, but it will be important. She has just eight months to repair the effects of a goalkeeping controversy and a humiliating 4-0 loss to Brazil in the Women’s World Cup semifinals before the Americans defend their 2004 Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Games in Beijing.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
More South America shopping by D.C. United
The pursuit of Argentine midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron by D.C. United has reached the stage that Veron’s wife has reportedly been hunting for homes in the area. Veron, 32, has been playing in Argentina for Estudiantes while D.C. tries to work out a deal that won’t necessarily cost the club a DP slot. But it doesn’t have the big chunks of allocation money it had last winter when it acquired Brazilians Fred and Luciano Emilio, and it may or may not have additional salary cap space that would be created by the possible departures of Bolivian Jaime Moreno (unlikely) and Argentine Christian Gomez (possible).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“Ribery can do what he wants after he has scored a goal, everything is perfectly correct.”
— Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld says he had no problem with his French striker Franck Ribery making a shut-up gesture to Arminia Bielefeld fans, who had been taunting him with an offensive chant before his winning goal last weekend. (AFP)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Simoes returns to coach Reggae Boyz (and Girlz)
Brazilian Rene Simoes, who coached Jamaica to its greatest achievement when it played in the 1998 World Cup, is returning as coach of the Reggae Boyz.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Celtic loses but advances in UEFA Champions League
Scottish champion Celtic fell to defending champion AC Milan, 1-0, in their final Group D game on Tuesday but advanced to the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League, beginning in February, thanks to Benfica’s 2-1 win at Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk
Posted inGrassroots Soccer Biz, Story
What If I Have To Fire A Volunteer?
Volunteers are an important resource, but what if it doesn’t work out?
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NCAA Division I Tournament Schedules
The college season moves into the home stretch with the men’s quarterfinals Saturday and Sunday and the Women’s College Cup this weekend in College Station, Texas.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Buckeye seniors lead nation’s hottest team
The hottest men’s team in the last month has been Ohio State, unbeaten in its last 13 games. A trio of senior stars — Xavier Balc, Eric Brunner and Casey Latchem, all home-grown players — have carried the Buckeyes on their march to the quarterfinals, where they will host Bradley on Sunday.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NAIA star Campos drawing MLS attention
Brazilian Pablo Campos, who helped Fresno Pacific reach the quarterfinals at the recent NAIA men’s national championships, is drawing interest from MLS clubs.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NCAA Division 1 Men & Women Coaching Openings
[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] The 2007 college season is not yet complete, and there are more than a dozen head coaching openings at NCAA Division I men’s and women’s soccer programs. For a list of coaching openings and job postings …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Hornbacher steps down at Iowa State
Rebecca Hornbacher, the winningest women’s coach in Iowa State history, has resigned after six seasons.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Bramble leaves Clemson for ‘Bama women’s job
Todd Bramble, who led Clemson to the quarterfinals of the 2006 NCAA Division I Women’s Tournament, has been named the head women’s coach at Alabama.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Man U downs Fulham
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Clint Dempsey played the first 64 minutes for Fulham but teammate Carlos Bocanegra stayed on the bench as the Cottagers fell, 2-0, to Manchester United on two goals by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. U-15 boys national team squad of 32 players
[ROSTER] Under-15 boys national team coach Jim Barlow has called 32 players into training for the Development Academy Nike Friendlies in Bradenton, Fla. The U-15s will be split into two teams, Blue and White, which will each play three games over the four days against Under-15/16 Development Academy clubs. The players, all born in 1993, will be vying to be apart of the Under-15s first training camp of 2008, in which 28 players will train at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. in February.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Select Academy squads for Nike Friendlies
[ROSTERS] U.S. national team coaches selected 29 Academy players for two U.S. National Training Select Teams participating in this week’s Development Academy Nike Friendlies. The Under-15/16 National Team Training Select team will be comprised of Academy players born in 1992 and will be coached by Keith Fulk. The Under-17/18 National Team Training Select team will be coached by Raul Diaz Arce and be comprised of Academy players born in 1990 and 1991 as well as current Residency players born in 1990.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
FSC to air U-17 Nike Friendlies games
Fox Soccer Channel is televising all three U.S. U-17 ’92 boys national team games from the 2007 Development Academy Nike Friendlies at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.: vs. Russia, Thursday (3 pm ET); vs. Brazil, Saturday (2:30 pm ET); vs. Turkey, Sunday (8 pm ET).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Olympic team takes shape
Aside from notable absences, including Freddy Adu, the players summoned to Home Depot Center this week by U.S. U-23/Olympic coach Peter Nowak are expected to fill a few vital slots in the squad he’ll take to Beijing in August, assuming the U.S. qualifies.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA-Mexico tickets going fast
One week after going on sale to the general public, 26,000 tickets have been sold for the USA’s friendly against Mexico Feb. 6 at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
OFF THE POST: Butt trap ignites riot in Peru
A Peruvian game was abandoned by referee Percy Rojas after fighting in the stands spilled onto the field. The chaos started when Universitario players tried to beat up Sport Ancash midfielder Efrain Viafara – igniting a brawl between the squads — because they felt he insulted them by controlling a pass with his buttocks. The on-field melee inspired the opposing fans to have at it while Ancash led, 2-1.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
ODP Boys Interregional adidas all-stars
The adidas all-Star teams from the recently completed US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Interregionals were selected for the ’92, ’93 and ’94 age groups.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
UEFA Champions League TV Schedule
Because of AC Milan’s commitments at the Club World Cup in Japan, the deciding Group D matches in the UEFA Champions League have been moved up to Tuesday. For what’s at stake and the TV listings …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I like the money, but of course teachers should get more than us. I’m not saying footballers should save the environment and change the NHS [National Health Service], but if we portrayed ourselves 15 percent better then it would help.”
— Longtime American English Premier League goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who has created a soccer self-help manual provisionally titled “Bling Free Zone.” (Times)
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Midweek action includes two European Champions League games; the Copa Sudamericana final between Mexico’s Club America and Argentina’s Arsenal, which won the first leg, 3-2; and the first leg of the Mexican League Apertura 2007 final between Atlante and UNAM Pumas.