Nebraska, a national power for more than a decade, is making a spectacular comeback after enduring a 5-10-4 season in 2007 and opening the 2008 campaign with four losses. The Cornhuskers are undefeated in their last seven games after opening the Big 12 play last weekend with a 2-1 win over Kansas and 3-2 win over Missouri — both overtime victories achieved after they rallied to equalize late in regulation.
Monthly Archives: September 2008
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: Big West showdowns on tap
It will be a big week in the Big West, which had three teams — No. 16 UC Santa Barbara (5-3-0), No. 20 UC Davis (8-1-0) and No. 25 UC Irvine (7-0-2) — move into the Soccer America Men’s Top 25. UC Irvine hosts UCD on Wednesday and UCSB on Saturday.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
AWARDS: Soccer America Men’s Team of the Week
Austin da Luz, who played a key role off the bench in Wake Forest’s 4-2 win over Maryland in the battle of No. 1 and No. 3 teams, is the Soccer America Men’s Player of the Week. For all the Men’s Team of the Week selections for games played Sept. 22-28 …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
INTERVIEW: Harvard’s Andre Akpan
SOCCER AMERICA talks with Harvard’s Andre Akpan, one of the most exciting players in college soccer. The lone sophomore on last year’s Soccer America MVP first team, Akpan is considered one of the top pro prospects in the college game, but the former U.S. U-20 has resisted the temptation to leave Harvard early and turn pro.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
LEADERS: NCAA Division I Women’s Scorers
Michigan State freshman Laura Heyboer took over the lead in points among NCAA Division I women’s scorers. For all the NCAA Division I leaders ..
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
LEADERS: NCAA Division I Men’s Scorers
Doug Demartin of Michigan State and Swazi MfanaFuthi Bhembe of Alabama A&M joined South Carolina’s Sam Arthur as the NCAA Division I men’s points leaders. They are among six players tied for the national lead in goals. For all the NCAA Division I leaders …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
AWARDS: Soccer America Women’s Team of the Week
Meghan Lenczyk, who scored two critical goals in Virginia’s ACC wins at Florida State and Miami (Fla.), is the Soccer America Women’s Player of the Week. For all the Women’s Team of the Week selections for games played Sept. 22-28 …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Wambach: Eight More Years
“Relationships suffer, parents, your family, birthdays, weddings, vacations … that’s what makes what I do so special, because I sacrifice a lot to do it, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Eight more years. That’s my goal, to get to 2016 — if my body allows me to.” Abby Wambach sets out her […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Puyol Defends Barca Celebrations
“In those moments of tension, when your pulse is going 180 a minute, we were happy because we had scored a goal and we only intended to celebrate it with the fans, because in this section we also had friends and family.” Barcelona defender Carles Puyol defends his team’s rejoicing after a late penalty-kick winner […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ferguson Takes Vow Of Silence
“I gave you access in South Africa and I shouldn’t have given you access. It won’t happen again. From now on, no matter how many miles you travel to get an interview, you won’t get one.” Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson claims he’s never speaking to the press again, ever. So there.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Newcastle Getting Cheaper
Multi-chinned Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has reportedly reduced the asking price for his club from $810 million to between $504-540 million. In case you’re interested.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Maltese Ref Suspended After UEFA Cup Bribe Attempt
If you’re going to fix a game, then you should try and aim for one that no one cares about. At least that might have been the philosophy behind a reported attempt to fix a UEFA Cup game last month between Marsaxlokk of Malta and visiting Croatian team Slaven Belupo. The Malta Football Association has […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Eriksson ‘Wanted Foreign Players In England Team’
Not that Sven Goran Eriksson was desperate for fresh talent or anything, but a forthcoming book from former English Football Association Executive Director David Davies claims that the ex-England coach wanted to naturalize four EPL foreign players so that they could play for the national team. In ‘FA Confidential,’ Davies writes that after Euro 2004, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Huge Difference In Attitude Between L.A. Teams
Both of Major League Soccer’s L.A. teams have had their struggles this season. But with just a handful of games left in the fight for a Western Conference playoff spot, there is a markedly different mentality between the L.A. Galaxy and Chivas USA. At Chivas, coach Preki said after the weekend’s hard-fought 2-1 in over […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Few Questions Asked On Salt Lake’s Rio Tinto Deal
When it comes to putting money into soccer, business is business, while environmental causes and workers' rights are the domains of naïve idealists. This must be the case given the reaction of Utah's local media to the announcement Monday that mining company Rio Tinto has bought the naming rights to Real Salt Lake's new stadium […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Caligiuri, Crew Play Down Report Of Imminent Deal
The story that broke Monday in the Sports Business Journal about the Las Vegas Sports and Entertainment Group buying an undisclosed stake in the Columbus Crew was an exaggeration, according to both the team and Paul Caligiuri, the former U.S. national team player who is spokesman for the investor group. Shawn Mitchell reports both sides […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“He has stepped over his dog on the stairs and his ankle just gave way and he went over on it. The initial scan has shown no break but we have sent him back for another X-ray to make sure.”
— Stoke City coach Tony Pulis explains why midfielder Liam Lawrence may miss the team’s game against Portsmouth on Sunday. (The Guardian)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Weighing Bradley’s Choices
[MY VIEW] In the next few days, names of players summoned by U.S. coach Bob Bradley for the next two Concacaf World Cup qualifiers will begin to leak out, with the inclusion or lack thereof of Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore, Eddie Johnson and Kenny Cooper drawing the most interest.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
RSL set to open in … Rio Tinto!
Mock it if you will, but the naming-rights deal announced today for its new stadium moves Real Salt Lake up another notch in the business sector, more than a week before it unveils its new home on national television.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
UEFA Champions League TV Schedule
The UEFA Champions League resumes with Day 2 of group play. Tuesday’s marquee game is last year’s UEFA Cup champion, Zenit St. Petersburg, against Real Madrid. For all the games on television …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Financial meltdown could hit EPL hard
[ENGLAND] Just two days after Hull City’s stunning 2-1 victory over Arsenal, the Tigers’ chairman, Paul Duffen, issued a warning about the state of the English Premier League. And it wasn’t about the race for the 2009 championship.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Own goal of the season (VIDEO)
[ARGENTINA] River Plate defender Facundo Quiroga scored with a spectacular overhead kick at the weekend. Typifying the club’s fortunes so far this season, it went into the back of his own net.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Davies Learns To Be A Pro
“It’s been a great season, especially compared to last, which was such a learning experience for me.” U.S. national team player Charlie Davies of Swedish club Hammarby talks to Ravi Ubha about coming to terms with being a professional.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The What Level?
“I would say the electric level in our heads was not high enough.” Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger offers a novel theory to explain why his team lost at home to Hull City at the weekend.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Everton To Appeal Cahill’s Red Card
As part of an increasingly predictable trend, Everton is to appeal the straight red card shown to Tim Cahill for a late and clumsy tackle against Liverpool on Saturday.