Monthly Archives: July 2008

[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS/VIDEO] FC Dallas, whose crowd of 21,020 was twice that of the other three MLS games last weekend, rewarded its fans with a 4-0 rout over the Los Angeles Galaxy. For the weekend MLS highlights …

[YOUTH] The USA raced out to a 4-0 lead and held on to beat Costa Rica, 4-1, and win the first Concacaf Under-17 Girls Championship Sunday night at Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya, Trinidad.

The Puerto Rico Islanders moved to within one point of the Charleston Battery at the top of the USL First Division when they came back from two goals down to beat the Minnesota Thunder, 3-2, on Sunday. For all the weekend results and goal scorers …

Former U.S. international Christie Welsh had a goal and an assist to lead the Washington Freedom to a 2-1 overtime win over the host Atlanta Silverbacks in the W-League’s Eastern Conference final. Former WPSL power FC Indiana won the Central Conference title when the Lionesses beat the Ottawa Fury, 4-3. The Seattle Sounders will join Washington, FC Indiana and the regular-season champion Pali Blues at the W-League championship tournament July 31-Aug. 2 in Virginia Beach, Va. For all the W-League playoff results …

Led by two goals from rising U.S. U-20 star Felix Garcia, the defending champion Laredo Heat beat the Austin Aztex 3-1, to reach the semifinals of the Premier Development League. Two Canadian teams — the Thunder Bay Chill and Vancouver Whitecaps residency team — advanced to the final four, where they will also be joined by the Reading Rage. For all the PDL playoff results …

[NATIONAL CHAMPIONS-GIRLS] The Dallas Texans Red made history when they won three girls titles at the US Youth Soccer National Championships in North Little Rock, Ark. For a roundup of all the girls championships and all the results and goal scorers …

[NATIONAL CHAMPIONS-BOYS] North Texas teams swept the boys championships in the U-16 to U-19 age groups at the US Youth Soccer National Championships in North Little Rock, Ark. Its four boys titles were the most ever by teams from one state association in a single year. For a roundup of all the boys championships and all the results and goal scorers …

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Monaco finalized the loan deal that brings American Freddy Adu from Benfica to the French league. Jerome de Bontin, Monaco’s French-American president, said Thursday that the club has an option to buy Adu for 5 million euros ($8 million), and he was on the lookout to sign another American before the end of the French transfer window in August. Adu and de Bontin talked to Soccer America’s Paul Kennedy at the U.S. Olympic training camp in Palo Alto, Calif.

[YOUTH] The USA qualified for the 2008 Under-17 Girls World Cup in New Zealand, but it wasn’t easy. After cruising to three wins by a margin of 24-1 in group play, it needed a stoppage time goal by defender Crystal Dunn, to defeat Mexico, 1-0, in the semifinals at Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya, Trinidad. The other result was a stunner: Costa Rica, 2-0 over Canada.

The packed house of 20,844 at BMO Field for the MLS All-Star Game caused some consternation before kickoff when large sections booed and whistled during the U.S. national anthem. The fans wanted to hear the Canadian national anthem — just as they wanted to see their Canadian players. They were rewarded in the second half when Ontario favorites Jim Brennan and Dwayne De Rosario came on.

Disadvantaged by a lack of conditioning, West Ham United knew keeping pace with an in-season MLS All-Star squad would prove difficult. Yet flair and focus, as much as fitness, propelled the All-Stars past West Ham, 3-2, at a sold-out BMO Field Thursday. They pushed the pace early in the match and twice came back quickly from conceding a goal to score one of their own.