March 2008 – Page 3 – Soccer America Archives

USA’s Olympic wild-card dilemma

by Mike WoitallaMarch 26, 2008

The Olympic men’s soccer tournament is one of the most peculiar competitions in sports: an under-23 tournament that allows each team to field three overage players, although these so-called wild-cards don’t take part in the qualifying play. It means U.S. coach Peter Nowak can make significant changes to the team that qualified for the 2008 Games in China with a second-place finish in Concacaf. So what are his options?

Can Wizards, or anyone, challenge top two?

by Ridge MahoneyMarch 26, 2008

[MLS COUNTDOWN] Parity may reign in MLS, at least theoretically, but in the past three seasons D.C. and New England have finished one-two atop the Eastern Conference, in either order. The Revs have reached MLS Cup in each of those seasons, only to lose each time. D.C. – which finished second to the Crew in 2004 yet prevailed in the playoffs to win its fourth championship – hasn’t returned to the final despite posting the best regular-season record in two of those three seasons. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney offers a team-by-team preview of the Eastern Conference

Soccer America Daily, Story

International Friendlies TV Schedule

by Soccer AmericaMarch 26, 2008

The USA’s clash with Poland is one of nine international friendlies available live or delayed on cable or pay-per-view on Wednesday. Other matches of note include France-England, featuring David Beckham, who is expected to earn his 100th England cap in the game. For all the international friendlies on TV …

Soccer America Daily, Story

U.S. Soccer Development Academy Results

by Soccer AmericaMarch 26, 2008

LAFC moved into first place in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s Under-15/16 So Cal Division with a 4-0 win over the Nomads on Saturday. LAFC’s U-15/16 team remained unbeaten with a 2-0 victory over the Nomads. For all the weekend U.S. Soccer Development Academy scores and goal scorers …

Soccer America Daily, Story

Soccer Job Openings

by Soccer AmericaMarch 26, 2008

[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] Soccer America provides the latest on employment opportunities for soccer-related positions, They include college coaching opportunities, as well as opportunities in pro soccer, youth soccer, the soccer industry and television.

Soccer America Daily, Story

German tint to Poland-USA friendly

by Ridge MahoneyMarch 26, 2008

[PREVIEW] When the USA and Poland national teams renew their biennial international series Wednesday in Krakow (3:30 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel), the match will be shaded by the influences of a third country. Players of both nations play in Germany or have done so in the past, the teams last met two years ago in Kaiserslautern, and Poland is using the friendly to prepare for its opening game in the 2008 European Championship: a June 8 date with, you guessed it, Germany. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney looks at how both teams will approach the game.

Soccer America Daily, Story

2007 MLS Statistical Leaders

by Soccer AmericaMarch 26, 2008

D.C. United’s Luciano Emilio won the goal scoring title. New England’s Steve Ralston led MLS in assists. Chris Klein ended up playing two games above the maximum of 30 following his trade from Real Salt Lake to Los Angeles. For all the 2007 MLS statistical leaders …

Soccer America Daily, Story

2008 MLS Eastern Conference in Brief

by Soccer AmericaMarch 26, 2008

Here are numerical rosters by position with each player’s career MLS statistics and schedules for all seven MLS Eastern Conference teams …

Soccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

by Soccer AmericaMarch 26, 2008

“The standards are growing each year and I genuinely believe we are at the stage now where the top [MLS] sides could survive in the English Premiership.”

— FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow, a former English Premier League player with Arsenal. (Yahoo!Sports)

Section 2 Around the Net, Story

TFC Coach: ‘The Worst Performance I’ve Ever Seen’

by Soccer AmericaMarch 25, 2008

Toronto FC capped off a poor showing in the Carolina Challenge Cup with a 2-0 loss to tournament host Charleston Battery of the United Soccer League. The MLS club finished winless and in last-place with a 0-2-1 record behind the San Jose Earthquakes (3-0-0), the Battery (1-1-1) and the New York Red Bulls (0-1-2). Last […]

Section 2 Around the Net, Story

Injured French Face Questions Against England

by Soccer AmericaMarch 25, 2008

Fabio Capello’s England will be near full strength for Wednesday’s friendly at the Stade de France, but France coach Raymond Domenech is faced with an injury list a mile long. The most notable absentee, perhaps, is Lyon striker Karim Benzema, who was carried off over the weekend against Paris Saint-Germain. Veterans Thierry Henry of Barcelona […]

Section 2 Around the Net, Story

Host Team in Disarray Ahead of 2010

by Soccer AmericaMarch 25, 2008

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa is now 800 days away, and while progress is being made on the ground, the host team is in disarray, says Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune. A miserable 71st in FIFA’s world rankings, South Africa doesn’t even crack Africa’s top ten. With a series of poor […]

Section 2 Around the Net, Story

Seattle, RSL Add Former NFL Execs

by Soccer AmericaMarch 25, 2008

Two former National Football League executives are making the move to Major League Soccer, according to separate reports. Seattle Seahawks vice president Gary Wright will become Senior Vice President of Business Operations for the new MLS team in Seattle, which isn’t set to join the league until 2009, while former Philadelphia Eagles vice president Bill […]

Section 2 Around the Net, Story

Becks Needs a Better Supporting Cast in ’08

by Soccer AmericaMarch 25, 2008

In his 2008 MLS preview, Houston Chronicle columnist Glenn Davis says the criticism David Beckham received for his on-field performances last year were unfair. Not that those performances were spectacular, but Davis implies that the media ought to overlook that aspect considering the visibility Becks brings to the league. Not only does his “spotlight shine […]

Soccer America Daily, Story

Picking Donovan is a chance lost

by Ridge MahoneyMarch 25, 2008

Of the 18 players named to the U.S. roster to face Poland Wednesday in Krakow, perhaps the most obvious selection is the one who should have been omitted: Landon Donovan. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney explains.

Soccer America Daily, Story

Houston Texans lift U-16 crown at Dallas Cup

by Soccer AmericaMarch 25, 2008

[CORRECTION] Texans FC Red from Houston, coached by Carl Fleming, won the Dallas Cup U-16 crown last weekend, beating the Rampage Blue (Calif.), 2-0, in the final and the Lonestars Red (Texas), 3-1, in the semis. Led by Marcos "Junior" Escobar‘s eight goals, Fleming’s team scored 14 times in its six games en route to the title.

Soccer America Daily, Story

Proposing a no-go zone

by Soccer AmericaMarch 25, 2008

[REF WATCH] Recent incidents in the English Premier League have Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson saying, “The haranguing of referees is ridiculous, we know that” and Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the players’ union (PFA) suggesting an "exclusion zone" around referees.

Soccer America Daily, Story

Toronto comes off nightmare weekend

by Ridge MahoneyMarch 25, 2008

Building depth is one of Toronto FC’s tenets for its second MLS season but based on results and the comments of Coach John Carver at the Carolina Challenge Cup just having enough bodies doesn’t mean you have a deep squad.

Soccer America Daily, Story

Quakes down Bulls en route to Carolina Cup title

by Ridge MahoneyMarch 25, 2008

San Jose and Red Bull New York were supposed to meet Saturday on the opening day of the season but renovations to the Quakes’ temporary home, Buck Shaw Stadium, couldn’t be completed in time, and so both teams instead will have a bye this weekend. They did meet in late March regardless.

Soccer America Daily, Story

Wizards’ Real win build confidence ahead of D.C. clash

by Ridge MahoneyMarch 25, 2008

[MLS COUNTDOWN] Last year, Kansas City pounded D.C. United, 4-2, to start a season that eventually produced the Wizards first postseason appearance in three years. The Wizards will open against D.C. again when the 2008 season kicks off this weekend, and tuned up for their repeat performance by beating Real Salt Lake, 1-0, Saturday at the Saturn Cup in Norman, Okla.

Soccer America Daily, Story

Freddy Adu leads the class

by Soccer AmericaMarch 25, 2008

[OLYMPIC QUALIFYING GRADES] U.S. under-23 national team coach Peter Nowak got a look at all 20 players on his roster during Concacaf Olympic qualifying that concluded Sunday. Every player who was with the team for the duration played at least two games. Top marks for players who played two or more games went to Freddy Adu, Stuart Holden, Maurice Edu and Dax McCarty. For all the average grades …

Soccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

by Soccer AmericaMarch 25, 2008

“In all my years in the game, that’s probably the worst performance I’ve ever seen.”

— Toronto FC’s first-year coach John Carver after last season’s worst MLS team finished its 2008 preseason with a 2-0 loss to the USL’s Charleston Battery. (National Post)

Section 2 Around the Net, Story

Juve Does Scudetto Race a Favor

by Soccer AmericaMarch 24, 2008

“Everything left to play for,” the Corriere dello Sport’s Alessandro Vocalelli declared after Juventus beat Inter Milan, 2-1, to cut Inter’s lead over AS Roma to four points. Earlier in the day, Roma did its part, scraping past relegation-fighter Empoli by the same score with just 10 men. But Juventus really Roma the bigger favor, […]

Section 2 Around the Net, Story

Drogba Is Grant’s Unlikely Vindicator

by Soccer AmericaMarch 24, 2008

With Chelsea trailing 1-0 with 20 minutes to play against Arsenal, respect for Chelsea manager Avram Grant was in short supply. The Blues were staring down their first potential defeat at Stamford Bridge in almost two years. Off came Michael Ballack and Claude Makelele for Nicolas Anelka and Juliano Belletti, as the crowd started chanting […]

Section 2 Around the Net, Story

Becks Aiming for 2010

by Soccer AmericaMarch 24, 2008

During an interview with reporters, David Beckham revealed that he plans to keep fighting for his England place long after he reaches 100 caps for England against France on Wednesday night. “I never thought a year or two ago that I would make 95 caps, never mind 100,” the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder said. “I’m […]