Monthly Archives: February 2008

FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Tuesday issued a shocking proposal that the 2010 World Cup could be played on artificial turf. After witnessing the awful condition of the grass fields at the African Nations’ Cup in Ghana, Blatter said, “I think it’s now time in this region to think about artificial turf,” as many African […]

Milan Looking to Climb into Fourth

A resurgent AC Milan could climb into the fourth Champions League qualifying spot in Italy’s Serie A on Wednesday with a win at home to Livorno. The Rossoneri have won six of seven games in Serie A since the beginning of the year, and are now fifth in the table with a game in hand […]

How Egypt Beat the Odds

For all the talk about the brilliant individual stars of the Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Ghana, it was Egypt, a team whose players play mostly at home, that once again emerged victorious in Africa’s continental championship. En route to their second consecutive ACN triumph, the hard-working, tactically superior Egyptians brushed aside tournament favorite Ivory Coast, […]

When Earthquakes Collide

After a two-year absence, the Earthquakes have returned to Major League Soccer, but Ann Killion of the San Jose Mercury News points out that the team never really left: the former Quakes just moved to Houston, where they won back-to-back MLS titles in their first two seasons. Which means it will be an odd affair […]

Crew Needs a Local Owner

Philadelphia, St. Louis, Portland, Vancouver and Miami are all vying to secure the rights to a 15th MLS expansion club, and the Columbus Dispatch’s Bob Hunter points out that many citizens of Columbus are probably wondering what the big deal is. “This is unfortunate and understandable,” Hunter says, because the Crew has been terrible for […]

Noyola leads U.S. U-20 women past Chile

[YOUTH] The U.S. under-20 women’s national team opened play at the Four Nations Tournament in La Serena, Chile, with a 1-0 victory over England on a goal from midfielder Teresa Noyola.

Arsenal opens up five-point lead

[ENGLAND] Arsenal beat Blackburn Rovers on Monday to open a five-point lead over Manchester United with 12 games to play at the top of the Premier League after beating Blackburn Rovers, 2-0, at the Emirates Stadium.

USA to serve as Euro ’08 sparring partner

[DATEBOOK] The U.S. national team will play a pair of friendlies in Europe this spring, traveling to face Poland and Spain, which are preparing for the Euro ’08 finals.

Toronto’s Johnston moves upstairs, but stays on sidelines

by Ridge MahoneyFebruary 12, 2008

[MLS TEAM PREVIEWS] So many players stormed through the ranks of Toronto FC’s roster last season, more than a dozen played fewer than a dozen games. Those players who survived the 6-17-7 season and interminable stretches without scoring have emerged from the rubble to train under the gaze of ex-head coach and manager/director of soccer Mo Johnston, and his appointee, John Carver, of whom little is known and much will be discovered.

Winter Transfer Moves

University of Central Florida freshman Matt Luzunaris became the third U.S.-based player to sign with an Austrian pro club this winter when he signed with second division SC Schwanenstadt. Luzunaris had trained with first division Rapid Vienna before accepting an offer from Schwanenstadt. The Houston Dynamo’s Nate Jaqua and Joseph Ngwenya moved to Rheindorf Altach and Austria Kaernten, respectively. For all the winter overseas transfers involving Americans …

Feilhaber copes with limited action

by Mike WoitallaFebruary 12, 2008

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Benny Feilhaber, who turned 23 in January, has already made 15 U.S. national team appearances. He scored the 2007 Gold Cup winner and has been in Europe since 2005. But he’s now struggling for playing time at English Premier League last-place club Derby. Soccer America’s Mike Woitalla spoke with Feilhaber after his 27 minutes of action against Mexico last Wednesday.

Soccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

“From our perspective, it’s business as usual. The board has decided not to look at this.”

— Hartwick men’s coach Ian McIntyre after the small New York school’s trustees tabled a proposal from President Richard P. Miller Jr. and Board Chairman Karl E. Mosch to transition its storied men’s soccer program from Division I to Division III by the 2009 season. (Oneonta Star)

Capello Boost for Becks

Fabio Capello said he would include a fit and match-tested David Beckham in his future England plans, starting with the Lions’ friendly against France next month, which comes three days before the start of the Major League Soccer season on March 29. Even though the Los Angeles Galaxy won’t have played an official match, Capello […]

U.S. Soccer Considering Six Venues for First World Cup Qualifying Stage

The U.S. Soccer has announced that it’s considering six venues for the three possible home matches in the semifinal stage of 2010 World Cup qualifying. Four of the six venues belong to Major League Soccer clubs: Toyota Park, home of the Chicago Fire, Crew Stadium, home of the Columbus Crew, Pizza Hut Park, home of […]

Houston, D.C. Have Heaviest Schedules in ’08

ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle says that Los Angeles Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas “is probably the happiest man in the league right now,” following the release of the 2008 MLS schedule, but it won’t be for some other clubs — notably those playing in the CONCACAF Champions League and the SuperLiga, two competitions which L.A. did […]

Gazidis: MLS Welcomes EPL Expansion

MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis talks to Sky Sports News about the Premier League’s plan for global expansion through an “international round” of matches, saying he would support the measure as long as it gets FIFA approval. However, Gazidis noted that the decision to tack on a 39th game played in international venues would have […]

United Blames International Fatigue for City Loss

Manchester United assistant Carlos Queiroz addressed the press instead of his boss, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, following the Red Devils’ 2-1 home defeat to Manchester City, blaming the midweek international matches on his players’ poor form. “We believe the team was affected by international call-ups,” said Queiroz. “But talking about that would be an […]

Soccer on TV., Story

Soccer on TV

Midweek action includes UEFA Cup, Libertadores Cup and Mexican league games.

United falls at home in Manchester derby

[EUROPEAN RACES] On a day it marked the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash that killed 23 people, including eight United players, Manchester United fell to Manchester City, 2-1, to further threaten its title hopes. In Spain, Real Madrid extended its lead, while the top-of-the-table clash in Germany between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich ended in a 1-1 tie.

Incredible debut for Milan teenager

[ITALY/VIDEO] Forget Alexandre Pato. AC Milan fans have a new darling: Alberto Paloschi. The 18-year-old Paloschi scored with his first touch in a Serie A game when he struck a superb goal to give Milan a 1-0 win over Siena.

Cherundolo back in action

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Steve Cherundolo, who was reported injured and unavailable for the USA’s 2-2 tie with Mexico last Wednesday, played the full 90 minutes for Hannover 96 in its German Bundesliga 2-2 tie with Karlsruhe. Fulham, Reading and Derby County, three EPL clubs stocked with Americans, now fill the relegation zone, while in Italy young Danny Szetela made his debut with Brescia.

Norwegian exchange gains steam

by Ridge MahoneyFebruary 11, 2008

[MLS] Traffic between MLS and Norway is flowing both ways. The transfer of FC Dallas defender Chris Gbandi to second division club FK Haugesund has finally been formally announced, while deals sending defenders Ramiro Corrales and Nat Borchers back to MLS are in the works.

Bradley & Mathis score in Europe

[VIDEO] After a defense-minded performance for the USA in its 2-2 tie with Mexico on Wednesday, Michael Bradley went back to his scoring ways on Saturday when his 13th goal of the Dutch Eredivisie season earned Heerenveen a 1-1 tie at leader PSV Eindhoven. It was the sixth straight game Bradley has scored for Heerenveen. Also on target was Clint Mathis, in his home debut with Greek club Ergotelis.

U.S. Youth Soccer awards