Monthly Archives: August 2008

[MY VIEW] You have to respect Foppe De Haan for his honesty. The Dutch coach, who before his team’s game against the USA dismissed the Americans as an ordinary team, admitted afterward that he didn’t have a “real team.” As surprising as the U.S. effort was after four straight pre-Olympic games without a goal and an opening game in which it won on a rare sortie, the Dutch no-show in Game 2 was a shocker.

[RECAP] The days of the USA’s total dominance in women’s soccer are over. In its second game at the Olympics, the USA eked out a 1-0 victory over Japan — a scenario that would have been heretofore unimaginable. But after the 2-0 loss to Norway in its opening game, the Americans will take it. With New Zealand on tap for Tuesday, the U.S. women are in good shape to advance to the quarterfinals, but the damage of the Norway loss has been done. They’ll probably have to play Germany or Brazil in the quarterfinals.

[RECAP] The USA was denied of one of its greatest victories in Olympic men’s soccer history when a stoppage-time goal by Gerald Sibon spared the European U-21 champion Netherlands the embarrassment of losing to the Americans. Sunday’s 2-2 tie left the Americans in first place, ahead of Nigeria on total goals, in Group B, but instead of being assured a berth in the quarterfinals, they will probably need a result against Nigeria on Wednesday to advance. A task made all the more difficult because Freddy Adu, excellent against the Oranje, and Michael Bradley will be suspended.

In what could be the last meeting between these Pacific Northwest rivals, the Seattle Sounders beat the Portland Timbers, 1-0, before 12,332 fans at Portland’s PGE Park. The Sounders move to MLS in 2009. Portland intends to apply for one of the two MLS franchises that will be awarded for the 2011 season. For all the results, goal scorers and standings …

[PDL] The Thunder Bay Chill completed one of the greatest turnarounds in the history of the Premier Development League when it won the 2008 title with a shootout victory Saturday over the defending champion Laredo Heat in the final before 3,451 fans at Texas A&M International University. In the process, the Chill became the first Canadian team to win a PDL title.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Oguchi Onyewu and Carlos Bocanegra, the first-choice central defenders on the U.S. national team, had contrasting fortunes with their European clubs. Onyewu scored two goals within 15 minutes and almost had a third as Standard Liege won the Belgian Super Cup with a 3-1 victory over Anderlecht. Bocanegra was less fortunate, earning a miserable rating of “3” — on a scale of 1-10 — from France Football for his French Ligue 1 debut in Rennes’ 4-4 tie with Marseille.