Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

“We will provide this franchise with players from our academies around the world and the ones we will build in the States in order to make a profitable franchise that shareholders will be compensated for our efforts. We want profits but the most important thing will be to make a competitive team. That will go to the heart of supporters. We think we know how to do it.”

— Joan Laporta, president of Spanish club FC Barcelona, which has submitted a bid for an MLS expansion franchise in Miami. (SportsBusiness Journal)

Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story

Arena: We Were Outfought

“There were segments in the first half where we were just physically manhandled. It wasn’t as much about the soccer as it was about running harder, competing better. They were more alert, more physical, more aggressive.” L.A. Galaxy coach Bruce Arena explains his side’s 3-0 loss at Houston that finally ended the team’s lingering playoff […]

Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story

Miami Bid A Long Way From Perfect

Not everyone, however, agrees with the generally positive media response to the Barca bid. “If Barcelona wasn’t involved in this deal, then there would be a lot more naysayers regarding Miami’s chance of seeing a MLS team come to South Florida again,” writes “The Gaffer.” He lists a number of problematical stadium issues surrounding the […]

Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story

Tottenham’s Bad Decisions

Tottenham Hotspur’s disastrous start to the English Premier League campaign, with just two points from its first eight games, can be traced back to poor decision-making, writes Paul Doyle. The weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Stoke City left the team, which had seriously talked preseason about challenging for a Champions League spot, three points adrift at […]

Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story

Toronto Needs A Leader

“It was endearing to watch the entire Toronto FC team and front office staff congratulating one another on the field after Saturday’s win over Chicago,” writes Ryan Johnston. “But amid the festivities I held a silent vigil for a season lost.” Johnston says it was “excruciating” to think back on the points that Toronto squandered […]

Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story

The Galaxy Needs A New Owner

Grahame L. Jones calls for a change of ownership at the Los Angeles Galaxy after another miserable regular season, with the wannabe Superclub missing the playoffs for the third successive season. Owner AEG’s head man, Galaxy President Tim Leiweke, has “tinkered with [the team] to the point where it now bears not the slightest resemblance […]

Posted inSoccer on TV., Story

Soccer on TV

&artEuropean and CONCACAF Champions League action is back during the midweek. In the MLS Thursday night game, Chicago hosts New York. MLS rounds out the regular season this weekend. The Mexican league’s weekend matches and Gol TV’s weekend schedule will appear in Friday’s Soccer on TV e-letter.

Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story

CROWD COUNT: Big West match draws 11,075 fans

The crowd of 11,075 at Spanos Stadium for the Cal Poly-UC Santa Barbara match on Friday was third largest on record to witness a regular-season soccer game. The Gauchos won the Big West match, 1-0, on Chris Pontius‘ overtime goal shortly after two bottles were thrown in the direction of UC Santa Barbara goalkeeper Kristopher Minton , forcing a delay in the action. For the top crowds of 2008 …

Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

“Some fans were probably coming out for the first time tonight, and we put on a good show in the first half and taught them a little bit about soccer in the second half and how to manage a game.”

— Houston defender Craig Waibel after a crowd of 30,361 watched the Dynamo defeat a David Beckham-less Los Angeles Galaxy with three first-half goals to clinch first place in the West and eliminate the Galaxy from playoff contention. (Houston Chronicle)

Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story

Angel and Ching hit 13-goal mark

[MLS] Juan Pablo Angel struck twice for New York to keep the Red Bulls in playoff contention. Like Angel, Brian Ching hit the 13-goal mark, as Houston eliminated Los Angeles with a 3-0 win. Yura Movsisyan, Will Johnson and Robbie Findley scored Real Salt Lake’s 3-1 win over FC Dallas, which will miss the playoffs. For MLS game summaries, standings, leading scorers and TV schedule.

Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story

Danny Cepero: Red Bulls’ goalscoring goalkeeper (VIDEO)

[MLS] The limitations of the MLS Reserve Division have prompted some teams to send players out on season-long loans, and in the case of Red Bull goalkeeper Danny Cepero, that small investment paid off boxcars. He scored the first goalkeeper’s goal in league history and played a solid all-around game in a 3-1 defeat of Columbus Saturday that preserved New York’s playoff hopes with one round of games to go.

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