[U.S. OPEN CUP] In third-round play next week, eight MLS survivors meet lower-division teams that have survived their own elimination tests. Fasten your banana peels.
Monthly Archives: June 2008
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Germany Marches Methodically On
I don’t think I’m revealing any deep secrets when I announce that the Germans have an image problem. A problem with wide ramifications — but I’m talking strictly soccer here. Only Germans root for Germany. Only Germans want Germany to win.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Ecuador club moves closer to history-making
[SOUTH AMERICA] LDU Quito moved a step closer to becoming the first Ecuadorian club to win the Copa Libertadores when it downed Brazil’s Fluminense, 4-2, in first leg final on Wednesday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Germans reach final over spirited Turks
[GERMANY-TURKEY REPORT CARD] With a squad depleted by injuries and suspensions, Turkey managed to outshoot Germany, 20-9 and had more possession. But the Germans prevailed, 3-2, in the Euro 2008 semifinal. Left back Philipp Lahm scorched a shot past Turkish keeper in the 90th minute to send the Germans into the final against the winner of Thursday’s Spain-Russia semifinal. Soccer America’s Mike Woitalla grades the players.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Tottenham eyes Brazilian ‘Octopus’
[TRANSFER TALK] Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes may move to Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League in a $20 million dollar move.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA books ticket to Under-20 Women’s World Cup
[YOUTH] The USA earned a berth to the 2008 Under-20 Women’s World Cup thanks to a 4-0 win over Costa Rica in the semifinal of the CONCACAF qualifying tournament at Estadio Cuauhtemoc in Puebla, Mexico.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Youth Soccer Region II Championships
MLS’s Kansas City Wizards (U-19 boys), Chicago Fire (U-15 boys) and Columbus Crew (its Grand Rapids affiliate in U-14 boys) became the first MLS teams to send teams to the US Youth Soccer National Championships thanks to victories at Wednesday’s Region II Championships in Rockford, Ill. Minnesota boarding school Shattuck-St. Mary won the U-18 boys title. On the girls side, Eclipse Select, the No. 1 team in the 2008 Soccer America Girls Top 25, won the U-16, U-17 and U-18 girls championships. Toro Bravo (U-14 girls) is the first girls team from Nebraska to advance to the national finals. For all the Region III results …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Youth Soccer Region III Championships
Dallas area clubs Andromeda, Texans Red and Sting each won two titles at the US Youth Soccer Region III Championships in Raleigh, N.C., on Tuesday. The Andromeda U-18 boys and Texans Red U-17 girls are both defending national champions. North Texas won eight titles, while South Texas and North Carolina captured two apiece. For all the Region III results …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I, a hardcore fan all my life, do hereby solemnly promise, before Marca, the country’s fans and the team, to shave every last hair off my Spanish head if the team wins Euro 2008.”
— A pledge sponsored by Spanish sports daily Marca that has been signed by more than 10,000 Spanish fans. Spain faces Russia on Thursday for a spot in the Euro 2008 final.(AP)
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
FIFA Rejects Iraq Call To Expel Qatar
Soccer’s world governing body FIFA has rejected a request by Iraq to expel Qatar from World Cup qualifying after it fielded an ineligible player. Although the player in question, Brazilian-born Emerson, has since been banned by FIFA, the Zurich bureaucrats say that Iraq’s complaint was filed too late to allow it to replace Qatar in […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Onalfo The Survivor
Kansas City Wizards coach Curt Onalfo is regarded by many as a possible future national team coach. After surviving a battle with Hodgkin’s disease in his 20s, writes Kristian Dyer, Onalfo certainly has the tenacity needed for the job. “My initial reaction was that I was scared,” said Onalfo of the time when he […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Understanding Arshavin
The other main Russian name in European transfer talk this week has been midfielder Andrei Arshavin. But why, asks Luke Harding, has it taken the rest of Europe so long to notice the qualities of the midfielder behind both Russian progress at Euro 2008, and the UEFA Cup and Russian title wins for his club […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Hiddink Backs ‘Sleeping Giant’ To Fell Spain
Russia were outplayed, 4-1, by Spain in the opening game of the European Championships, but no one will be expecting a similar result in Thursday’s semifinal rematch. In contrast to Spain, who looked tired and lacking in ideas against Italy in their quarterfinal, Russia appears to be hitting its stride just at the right time, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dropped Scurry Keeping Focus
The long-running saga of the goalkeeping spot on the U.S. women’s national team took its latest turn Tuesday when Briana Scurry was only named as back-up to the Olympic roster, behind Hope Solo and Nicole Barnhart. But Scurry says she’ll be going to China anyway, the only one of four alternates doing so, in order […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Youth Soccer Region III Championships
Four defending champions — the U-18 Andromeda boys, U-16 Lonestars Red boys and U-15 CASL Elite boys and the U-17 Dallas Texans Red girls — moved into the finals at the US Youth Soccer Region III Championships with semifinal wins on Tuesday. For all the semifinal results …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
LDU aims to make history for Ecuador
Ecuador’s LDU Quito hosts Brazil’s Fluminense in first-leg of the Copa Libertadores final on Wednesday (Fox Sports en Espanol, 8:30 pm ET). LDU Quito aims to become the first Ecuadorian club to lift the title. Fluminenses, in the final for the first time, would become the 14th Brazil club to take the title since the competition’s inception in 1960.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Youth Soccer Region II Championships
MLS clubs Kansas City, Chicago and Columbus (its Grand Rapids affiliate) all had youth teams advance to the boys finals at the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships in Rockford, Ill. Minnesota boarding school Shattuck-St. Mary had its U-18 boys won its semifinal match on Tuesday. On the girls side, Eclipse Select, the No. 1 team in the Soccer America Girls Top 25, went 3-3 in semifinal play — three teams moved on to the finals and three others lost. For all the semifinal results …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Sounders romp in Open Cup action
[U.S. OPEN CUP] The defending USL First Division champion Seattle Sounders moved into the third round of the U.S. Open Cup with a 6-0 win over Hollywood United. The only USL-2 teams still alive are the Richmond Kickers and Cleveland City Stars. For all Tuesday’s results and goal scorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Russian playmaker Arshavin’s dream team: Barcelona
[TRANSFER TALK] Andrei Arshavin is the emerging star of Euro 2008. The 27-year-old Russian has spent his entire career at his hometown club, Zenit St. Petersburg, which won the 2008 UEFA Cup, but he’s recently made clear his desire to move abroad for his club soccer.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
The Qatari multinational team
[WORLD CUP 2010] In a country where 89 percent of the labor force is foreign, it’s little surprise that Qatar’s national team, which has advanced to the final round of Asia qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, is a collection of imports.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
A taste for officiating
[REF WATCH/VIDEO] A 28-year-old soccer player attacked a referee after being sent off last Thursday night in a Delaware adult league match. The ref had just dismissed Rannord Jones when the player grabbed the referee and bit him on the chin, causing deep lacerations.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“He could come on toward the end as a substitute, as the last man in defense, or as a center forward.”
— Turkey coach Fatih Terim jokes that he might use goalkeeper Tolga Zengin as a field player in Wednesday’s Euro 2008 semifinal against Germany because Turkey has lost nine players to injuries and suspensions and is down to 14 men. Among those missing with injuries are captain Nihat Kahveci, who scored twice in the 3-2 comeback win over the Czech Republic. (The Times)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS midseason is a money muddle
Distracted, perhaps, by the spectacular show that is Euro 2008 and the required, if rudimentary, U.S. World Cup qualifiers against Barbados, little notice has been paid to the fact that season 13 of MLS is nearly halfway done. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney examines the chances of teams rebuilding in midseason with big-name transfers — Thierry Henry? Luis Figo?