The Los Angeles Galaxy’s first game under interim coach Cobi Jones is the Southern California derby against Chivas USA on Thursday night. It’s the third and final meeting of the season between the teams that share the Home Depot Center. The Galaxy defeated Chivas USA 5-2 and the teams tied the second meeting 1-1 in their earlier 2008 clashes. For all of this week’s MLS action on TV and the standings and leading scorers. …
Monthly Archives: August 2008
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“With everything that has gone on, there will be distractions. I’ve got to help those guys think about only one thing, and that’s about their play on the field. When you look at it, there have been changes from the top down through the coaching staff as well, but when it comes down to it, the players are the same.”
— Cobi Jones, interim head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy, which on Thursday faces Chivas USA (ESPN2, 11 pm ET) in its first game since the departure of Coach Ruud Gullit and general manager Alexi Lalas. (Los Angeles Daily News)
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
The Futile Pipe Dream of Olympic Glory
The Olympic Dream — this distracting chimera that American soccer inflicts upon itself every four years — is over. Once again, it has ended in failure. A lot of time and money and effort has been spent — slap-bang, one has to notice, in the middle of the MLS season — and there is absolutely nothing to show for it.
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Guzan heads class
[NIGERIA-USA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players in their 2-1 loss to Nigeria on Wednesday …
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
USA-Nigeria Men’s Coverage
Loss to Nigeria eliminates USA
Make that two kicks in the teeth for the U.S. men’s Olympic team, along with being booted out of the tournament in heroic yet heartbreaking fashion. Down a man for more than 90 minutes — counting stoppage time — courtesy of Michael Orozco’s wayward elbow shortly after kickoff, the U.S. succumbed to Nigeria, 2-1, to finish third in Group B at 1-1-1. With the U.S. trailing 2-0 in the 77th minute, Sacha Kljestan banged in a penalty kick to trim Nigeria’s lead in half, and in the final minutes Charlie Davies hit the crossbar with a header that could have propelled the U.S. into the knockout phase.
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Olympic Soccer TV Schedule
Soccer action resumes on Friday when the U.S. women face Canada in the quarterfinals. Complete soccer coverage is available on the NBC Olympic Soccer Channel and online at nbcolympics.com. Check with your television provider for the availability of the NBC Olympic Soccer Channel.
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Postgame from Beijing
[REACTION] Coach Peter Nowak and U.S. players discuss the disappointing loss against Nigeria, the red card to Michael Orozco that forced them to play a man down for 86 minutes, and on why they’re proud of their effort at the Games.
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Men’s Soccer Scoreboard
All Asian teams including host, and both Concacaf teams have been eliminated. The quarterfinal matchups are: Nigeria-Ivory Coast; Italy-Belgium; Argentina-Netherlands; and Brazil-Cameroon. For all the results and goal scorers …
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
What They’re Saying
“Those guys are my boys. They played so hard tonight and you can’t even express your feelings in the right way right now. For me, they won a gold medal in this game tonight. Of course, in the soccer world we still have to move on. There are a lot of things we can improve at the international level, but we’re going in the right direction. For those boys to play like that, it was quite a journey. The last five minutes with 50,000 people chanting ‘U-S-A’ was quite a feeling. … I’ll cherish this moment forever.”
— U.S. men’s coach Peter Nowak after his team was eliminated from the Olympic tournament with a 2-1 loss to Nigeria.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Rapids Pick Up Cory Gibbs
U.S. defender Cory Gibbs joined the Colorado Rapids Tuesday after the L.A. Galaxy passed up its chance to sign the player.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Keller To Join Sounders
In a long anticipated move, U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller, 38, is to join MLS expansion franchise the Seattle Sounders.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
EPL Captains Back FA’s ‘Respect’ Campaign
Which is easy to do off-field, perhaps less so in the middle of an intense professional game. We’ll see.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
‘Football Punk’ Magazine Aims For Slice Of U.K. Market
As English soccer becomes increasingly focused on money, weddings and celebrity wives, and less on the actual game, a new magazine aims to cash in on the decline of quality soccer journalism and lower the tone of the medium even further. ‘Football Punk magazine, owned by former Liverpool defender Phil Babb, is set to become […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Stoke Boss Gets Ready For EPL Reality
Last season Derby County was the EPL’s relegation favorite before a ball had been kicked. This season, newcomers Hull City and Stoke City are in the same position ahead of Saturday’s kick-off. Stoke’s manager Tony Pulis is realistic about the task ahead, and has spent the summer coping with the new realities of life in […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Diving Dusty Takes the Plaudits For Charleston
Meanwhile further south, United Soccer League Division One’s Charleston Battery reached its first ever Open Cup final by beating the Seattle Sounder on penalty kicks. The Battery hero was Dusty Hudock, who “literally saved the Battery’s chance at a national championship,” writes Andrew Miller. Hudock, who has been with the Battery 10 years, made two […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
United Reaps Reward Of Taking Open Cup Seriously
It's rarely been the case in recent years, but D.C. United has started taking the U.S. Open Cup seriously. It took the revolutionary step of fielding a first-choice lineup against New England Tuesday and reached the final with a 3-1 win. The Revs, by contrast, rested several players, with elimination the predictable consequence. "We have […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Gullit Was ‘Disrespectful,’ Says Donovan
David Beckham claimed that departed L.A. Galaxy coach Ruud Gullit was "comfortable with the players," but Landon Donovan was "less inclined to buy into that line of thinking," writes Grahame Jones. The forward spoke of being disrespected by Gullit, while acknowledging the difficulties for first-time foreign coaches of taking on a team in Major League […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Surf finishes 19th at Nike Manchester United Premier Cup
It took six games, but the San Diego Surf finally got a win at the 2008 Nike Manchester United Premier Cup in England.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Disney all-stars headed to Chelsea tournament
The Disney Soccer Showcase under-16 all-stars, chosen from players competing at the 2007 Disney’s Soccer Showcase, are headed to England to play in Chelsea’s inaugural youth cup Aug. 22-25 against seven other youth teams.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
RISING STAR: Ryan Kawulok
Ryan Kawulok won three state titles with the Colorado Storm before joining the Colorado Rapids academy program, who opened in 2007. He is headed to the University of Portland.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Well-known Arizona club Sereno’s officials suspended in forgery case
Two former members of the Phoenix area’s Sereno Soccer Club were suspended by the Arizona Youth Soccer Association following its investigation into what it concluded was the forgery of a player form that resulted in Sereno being kicked out of this year’s McGuire Cup finals.
Posted inYouth Soccer Reporter, Youth What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“It’s rare for a whole team of Sierra Leoneans to go abroad and come back. It goes to show what Sierra Leone can do when it puts its mind to it. We have managed to stick a feather in the cap for the country.”
— Kweku Lisk, legal adviser to Sierra Leone youth club, FC Johansen, the first African team to compete in the 27-year history of the Mittnorden Cup. Swedish Honorary Consul Arne Johansen vouched for the club, made up of underprivileged children, many of them orphaned during the country’s savage 1991-2002 civil war. His support prompted Sweden to lift its ban on on issuing visas to Sierra Leonean athletes. FC Johansen finished second in its age group. (Reuters)
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Fall Far West Regional League Entrants
While regional leagues have been part of the soccer scene in Regions I-III for several years, Region IV struggled to get a competition off the ground. But this fall Region IV has attracted many of the region’s top clubs that are competing in under-14 to under-18 boys and girls divisions over five weekends. For all the Fall Far West Regional League entrants …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Soccer Job Openings
[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] Soccer America provides the latest on employment opportunities for soccer-related positions. They also include college coaching opportunities, as well as opportunities in pro soccer, youth soccer, the soccer industry and television.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USL’s Battery heads to Washington
The Charleston Battery will travel to Washington for its first U.S. Open Cup final on Sept. 3 after knocking off the Seattle Sounders on penalty kicks Tuesday in the tournament’s other semifinal at Blackbaud Stadium.