[DIGICEL CARIBBEAN CHAMPIONSHIP] Trinidad & Tobago, the only Caribbean nation still alive in World Cup 2010 qualifying, has been knocked out of the Digicel Caribbean Championship, which serves as Caribbean qualifying for the 2009 Gold Cup. Host Jamaica (loaded with MLS players), Grenada (which qualified for the first time), Cuba and Guadeloupe clinched berths in next summer’s Gold Cup.
Monthly Archives: December 2008
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
More U.S. defenders eye Europe
American fans love to romanticize about players who find jobs with European clubs, yet the success record of them moving up the U.S. national team depth chart is spotty at best. With the news of the Columbus Crew’s Chad Marshall testing the German market with Bundesliga 2 team Mainz 04 and New England’s Michael Parkhurst set to follow Heath Pearce to Danish club Nordsjaelland, their prospects are in flux, yet neither has attained status as regular call-ups for U.S. matches.
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Time for MLS and Donovan to get serious
For a few weeks, at least, Bayern Munich and MLS have been discussing what might be done with Landon Donovan: a short-term loan, a longer-term loan, an outright transfer, a transfer with a loan-back clause, etc.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Catch European Champions League in the midweek. FIFA Club World Cup Playoffs start on Thursday and continue on into the weekend. Men’s College Cup semifinals are on Friday and the final is on Sunday.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
McClaren Denies Interest In Sunderland Job
"It's nonsense. I have no interest whatsoever in returning to England at the moment." Relief for Sunderland fans as Twente Enschede and former England manager Steve McClaren, the man with all the charisma of a plate of mashed potato, denies he is interested in succeeding Roy Keane.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Recession Stalls EPL Club Sell-Off
"Another week, another club for sale. Having denied for several months that he is looking to sell up, Portsmouth's owner Alexandre Gaydamak has finally announced that he is looking for a buyer." But if no one wants to buy teams like Newcastle, Liverpool or West Ham, who would want to purchase Portsmouth?
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
City Ready To Spend, But Naming No Names
"We are looking for targets to balance the team. There are a lot of players out there who people are getting very excited about — some huge stars — but maybe not in the positions we are looking to strengthen." Manchester City manager Mark Hughes refuses to name any specific players that his cash-rich club […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
CL Qualification Could Get Tougher For ‘Big Four’
"To the big clubs who may miss out I would say tough luck. This is a sporting competition and there is no guarantee of success." UEFA General Secretary David Taylor backs new qualification rules which mean that a fourth-place English Premier League team could meet a team from Spain or Italy in the qualifying rounds […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dead End To Champions League Group Stage
"Leaving aside Chelsea's fate — and let's be honest, having to beat CFR Cluj at home to qualify is not exactly the stuff of cliffhangers — this is the drabbest conclusion yet to a group stage that, results-wise, has been as easy to predict as a North Korean general election." Sam Wallace fails to feverishly […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Cristiano Ronaldo ‘At Home’ With Man. United
Picking up the Ballon d'Or he won last week, Manchester United and Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo said at the weekend he is happy with United, despite the summer's thwarted transfer move to Real Madrid. "It's not the time to talk about other clubs at the moment," Ronaldo said. "I'm happy here [at Manchester United] and […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Chelsea’s Injuries Cause Scolari Concern
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari is worried that long-standing problems with the team's medical department is depriving him of key players as the west London team gears up to challenge for the Premier League and Champions League titles. "The Brazilian coach has been surprised and frustrated by the number of injuries suffered by his squad […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Sao Paolo Takes Third Straight Brazilian Title
Sao Paulo won the Brazilian championship for the third year running and for the sixth time overall with a 1-0 road win at Goias in the season's final game at the weekend. Striker Borges scored the first-half winner for Sao Paulo as it finished three points clear of Gremio. Figueirense and former South American champion […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Pitfalls Await Foreign Dabblers In MLS
Spanish giant Barcelona and its President Joan Laporta are tough competitors, writes Andrea Canales, but that doesn't mean they'll know how to succeed in Major League Soccer should they land the Miami franchise. "It's nothing new for foreigners to bluster into MLS full of confidence and flush with capital and success elsewhere," she writes. "That […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Galliani Hopes Beckham Falls In Love With Milan
AC Milan Chief Executive Adriano Galliani has said he hopes L.A. Galaxy midfielder David Beckham will fall in love with the Serie A club during his loan spell and decide to stay longer. “Let’s hope he falls in love, the problem is that he has lots of advertising contracts,” Galliani said. “Let’s hope feelings prevail, […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
St. John’s storms back to oust Indiana
St. John’s accomplished one of the great comebacks in the history of the NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament when it came back from two goals down with less than nine minutes to play and beat Indiana, 3-2, in overtime.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NAIA WOMEN: Lee snatches first title
Lee University of Tennessee won the NAIA women’s title with a 3-0 win over Concordia (Ore.) in Saturday’s final in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN: Messiah does the double again
Messiah gained revenge for its loss to Wheaton (Ill.) in last year’s NCAA Division III Tournament final with a 5-0 victory in this year’s final that denied the Thunder a three-peat.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN: Godoy and Charette, Seattle Pacific’s winning combo
Best known for its men’s soccer program, winner of five national titles, Seattle Pacific won its first NCAA Division II women’s championship on Saturday when the Falcons edged previously undefeated West Florida, 1-0, in final.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NAIA MEN: Tiny Bethel stuns top seeds
Fielding a team entirely comprised of foreign players, unseeded Bethel College of Tennessee completed its stunning march to the NAIA men’s title with a 4-0 win over No. 1 seed Oklahoma City in the semifinals and a 2-1 overtime win over No. 2 seed Rio Grande in the final at the 50th annual National Championships hosted by Fresno Pacific University.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NCAA DIVISION III MEN: MVP didn’t play a minute
Nick Blossey didn’t play a minute of the NCAA Division III Men’s Tournament but he was voted its Most Outstanding Player, coming off the bench in the shootout in the final to stop three shots and lead Messiah to a 3-0 win on penalty kicks after its game with Stevens Institute ended in a 1-1 tie.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NCAA DIVISION II MEN: Cal State Dominguez dominates in final
Cal State Dominguez Hills, best known as the home of the Home Depot Center, won its second NCAA Division II men’s title with a 3-0 win over Dowling Sunday at Tampa’s Pepin-Rodd Stadium
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Maryland rolls to 14th win in a row
Maryland is returning to the Men’s College Cup for the first time since winning the national title in 2005 thanks to a 1-0 win over Creighton on Saturday at Ludwig Field. The win was the Terps’ 14th in a row and gave them 21 on the year — a program-best.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Carolina gets hot at the right time
North Carolina picked the right time to get hot. The Tar Heels, who entered the NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament with a five-game losing streak, advanced to the College Cup with a 1-0 win over Northwestern on Saturday at Fetzer Field.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
TOURNAMENT WATCH: Wake wallops South Florida
Last week it was 7-0. This week it was 5-0 — 4-0 in less than half an hour. Wake Forest left doubt who is the favorite to win the Men’s College Cup with a win over Big East champion South Florida that sends the Demon Deacons to the final four for the third straight year.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
RECORD BOOK: North Carolina’s 19 titles
North Carolina has won 19 out of the 27 NCAA Division I women’s championships. The Tar Heels have never gone more than two years without winning a title. Five of the last eight UNC titles have come against Notre Dame in the final.