Russia’s Dutch coach Guus Hiddink engineered the demise of his native country in Saturday’s quarterfinal, illustrated by the willingness of his team to learn new methods, writes Martin Samuel. Russia’s improving performances and its 3-1 defeat of the much-fancied Netherlands destroys the myth that it is impossible for a national team coach to impose a […]
Monthly Archives: June 2008
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Toothless Toni Behind Italian Exit
There were few voices in the media lamenting Italy’s departure from the European Championships after its quarterfinal exit to Spain on penalties Sunday. The blame for its defeat was placed not just on the team’s dour, defensive tactics, but the failure of striker Luca Toni to score in any of Italy’s four games. Defender […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
D.C. United rolls on; Donovan strikes twice
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] D.C. United is making up for its slow start to the season. It has scored 14 goals in a five-game unbeaten streak, which includes Sunday’s win over the struggling Earthquakes. The Los Angeles Galaxy remains the league’s highest scoring team – its 31 goals seven more than the next most prolific team, D.C. United – but it couldn’t get the win this weekend despite hitting three goals for the third game in a row.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Results
New England lost at Salt Lake and Los Angeles was held to a 3-3 tie at home by Columbus, but the Revs and the Galaxy remain atop the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively. For the up-to-date MLS standings and leading scorers, all the weekend summaries and this week’s schedule. …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Freddy Adu heads class
[USA-BARBADOS REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players’ performance in their 1-0 win over Barbados on Sunday. …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA subdues feisty Barbados
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] With not much at stake other than for a few players to get their first taste of World Cup qualifying, albeit a Caribbean stadium basking in a crowd of picnic proportions and mellow mood, the USA beat Barbados, 1-0, in Bridgetown to complete a 9-0 aggregate win in the two-match series.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USL-1 Results
The first-place Vancouver Whitecaps had to settle for a 1-1 tie with visiting Miami FC in USL First Division action on Sunday night. For all the results and goal scorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
EURO ’08: Spain ends the jinx of June 22
[SPAIN-ITALY REPORT CARD] Spain was the only group winner to avoid defeat in the quarterfinals of the European Championship, but it wasn’t easy.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Champions crowned at U.S. Youth Soccer Far West regionals
[YOUTH REGIONALS] Slammers FC won three girls titles at the US Youth Soccer Region IV championships in Honolulu. The So Cal Blues captured two girls championships. The Blues’ U-16 girls, the defending national champions, were the only team to successfully defend their regional title. For all the results in the knockout phase …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“Like all the Spanish camp I’m delighted by this victory. But we’ve done nothing more than win a small battle. … We did the job and in Spain we have always talked about not getting past the quarters, but now we have a chance of getting to the final. The team is convinced they can win this.”
— Spain coach Luis Aragones after his team beat Italy on penalty kicks to move into the semifinals of Euro 2008. Spain had not reached the semifinals of a major tournament since it lost the 1984 European Championship final to France. (Reuters)
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Advice from The Crumpet: You Never Can Tell
Euro 2008 cannot seem to quite make up its mind — whether it’s going to upset all the logical assumptions, or whether it’s going to conform. The first three quarterfinals gave us the wrong winners — all three group leaders were beaten by the second-place finishers. How likely is that? But in the fourth game, some sort of order was restored when group D winner Spain saw off Italy. But that wasn’t right either, because Spain never beats Italy in a game that matters, hasn’t done so for 88 years.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
World Cup 2010 Qualifying Results
Reigning Asian champion Iraq was knocked out of World Cup 2010 qualifying when it fell to Qatar, 1-0, on the final day of the semifinal round of qualifying in the Asian zone. For all the African and Asian qualifying results …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA to face T&T, Cuba and Guatemala
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Trinidad & Tobago overcame a 2-1 deficit from its loss at home to Bermuda in the first leg of their Concacaf second-round series to win, 2-0, away in the second leg and advance in World Cup 2010 qualifying. The Soca Warriors, Guatemala and Cuba will join the USA in Group 1 of the semifinal round on Concacaf qualifying, which begins in August. The only unseeded teams to advance were Suriname (over Guyana) and El Salvador (over Panama with three goals in the last 20 minutes!).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA romps in Concacaf U-20 women’s qualifying
[YOUTH] The USA moved into the semifinals of the Concacaf qualifying tournament for the 2008 Under-20 Women’s World Cup with a 9-0 win over Cuba on Friday and 3-0 win over host Mexico on Sunday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
EURO ’08: Tenacious Turks claw past Croatia
[TURKEY-CROATIA REPORT CARD] Turkey added yet another unbelievable comeback to its Euro 2008 adventure by equalizing (1-1) in stoppage time of extra time, and then dispatching Croatia on penalties, 3-1, to qualify for its first semifinal. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the players.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
EURO ’08: Russia downs the Dutch
[RUSSIA-NETHERLANDS REPORT CARD] The Netherlands joined the group winners to go down in the quarterfinals after surrendering, 3-1, to overtime goals by Dimtri Torbinski and Andrei Arshavin after Ruud van Nistelrooy had nodded home a free kick to tie the match, 1-1, late in regulation. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the players.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA extends streak with Peace Queen Cup triumph
[OLYMPIC COUNTDOWN] The U.S. women’s national team won its fourth tournament of the year and improved to 17-0-1 under first-year coach Pia Sundhage with a 1-0 victory over Canada in the final of the 2008 Peace Queen Cup.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
On Sunday, the USA defends its eight-goal lead when it visits Barbados for the second leg of their World Cup 2010 qualifying series. The winner advances to Concacaf semifinal group play. The Euro 2008 final four takes shape with this weekend’s quarterfinals, starting with Friday’s Croatia-Turkey clash. There’s also five MLS games on Saturday and one on Sunday.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Homesick Colombano Leaves Wizards
For every one of Major League Soccer’s South American signings heralded as a harbinger of technique and quality to MLS, there seems to be a corresponding failure. Argentine midfielder Eloy Colombano left the Kansas City Wizards Thursday “by mutual consent.” “He’s very homesick,” technical director Peter Vermes said. “He got married this past offseason, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ottawa Bid For MLS?
Soccer’s all the craze in Canada these days, so it’s no surprise to see Ottawa added to the list of Canadian cities considering a bid for a Major League Soccer franchise. In the light of Toronto FC’s popularity and the healthy attendances at last year’s U-20 World Cup, Ottawa Senators’ owner Eugene Melnyk “is exploring […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
German Power Pips The Portuguese
After starting the tournament as one of the favorites, Germany beat Poland with competence, played miserably against Croatia, then ground out the necessary result against Austria. Few gave the Germans a chance against in-form Portugal, but “this was a victory for size, power and some smart strategy,” writes Duncan Castles. The Portuguese “succumbed to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Schweinsteiger Obeys His Chancellor
Germany’s hero of Thursday’s riveting 3-2 quarter-final win over Portugal at the European Championships has a secret adviser. Sebastian Schweinsteiger (or ‘Swinesteiger’, as the ESPN commentators insist on calling him) received a few words of wisdom from German chancellor Angela Merkel while sitting out a suspension in the stands at Germany’s final group game against […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Kroenke Could Be Poised For Arsenal Takeover
Stan Kroenke, the billionaire owner of both the Colorado Rapids and the Denver Nuggets, is “in advanced talks” with English Premier League giant Arsenal that would put him in a strong position for a future takeover of the team, writes Nick Harris. Kroenke, who currently owns 12 per cent of the London club’s shares, “will […]