FIFA President Sepp Blatter is pushing ahead with his efforts to introduce a rule requiring soccer clubs to field no more than five foreign players, despite repeat warnings from the European Union that it will contravene EU law, writes Mark Ledsom. Blatter said Monday he was "satisfied" by an informal meeting in Biarritz last week […]
Monthly Archives: December 2008
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Hall of Fame Avoids Re-Run Of Voting Fiasco
Ballots for the 2009 National Soccer Hall of Fame election are due Wednesday, and this year the rules have been changed after last year's embarrassment when no one was inducted, writes Frank Giase. No 2008 candidate polled the necessary 75 percent of the vote required for induction. Preki Radosavljevic topped the list with 67.97 percent. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The New Italian On The U.S. U-20s
There was an unfamiliar Italian name on the roster when the U.S. Under-20 team held a Spanish training camp a few weeks back, writes John Mantia. Giuseppe Nazzani, it turns out, is an 18-year-old prospect at Serie A club Bologna. He doesn't speak English, but thanks to his mother he qualifies for a U.S. passport. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
What Will Soccer Bring To Chester, Pa.?
Passing the home of the Philadelphia Eagles, Lincoln Financial Field, on the way to Monday's groundbreaking ceremony for a new soccer stadium in Chester, Pa., Karen Heller mused upon the fact that the stadium had been built "on so much promise and public financing," but is "a place where most fans can't score an Eagles […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Report: Tottenham Targets Hahnemann
Tottenham Hotspur is lining up a bid to sign Reading's U.S. goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, reports James Nursey. "[Tottenham manager Harry] Redknapp's scouts have contacted agents for Hahnemann about a bargain switch," he writes. Tottenham's Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, signed from PSV Eindhoven in June for $11.7 million, has been in erratic form all season, and […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SCOREBOARD: NAIA Men’s National Championship
Making its first appearance in the NAIA Men’s National Championship, Mt. Vernon Nazarene upset Lindsey Wilson, 1-0, on Adam Worrall‘s second-half goal. The Blue Raiders went into the game with 35 national championship wins, the most of any current NAIA program. Top-seed Oklahoma City needed a goal from Stephen Sheffield in the second overtime to earn a 2-1 victory over the host school, Fresno Pacific. For all the results and goal scorers …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
LEADERS: NCAA Division I Men’s Scorers
Akron sophomore Steve Zakuani maintained his lead among NCAA Division I men’s scorers in points (47) and goals (20). The only player with a realistic shot of catching him is Wake Forest’s Cody Arnoux, who has 39 points and 17 goals. For all the NCAA Division I leaders …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
COACHING CHANGES: Thompson leaves Bowling Green
Bowling Green men’s coach Fred Thompson handed in his resignation on Monday.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SCOREBOARD: NAIA Women’s National Championship
Top-seed Lindsey Wilson won its opening game at the NAIA Women’s Championship with a 3-0 win over McKendree in Daytona Beach, Fla. The higher seeds won all four games on Monday. For all the results and goal scorers …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
LEADERS: NCAA Division I Women’s Scorers
Cynthia Morote-Ariza of Loyola (Ill.) and Milwaukee’s Sarah Hagen remain the NCAA Division I women’s leaders in points and goals, respectively, but they can be overpassed by North Carolina’s Casey Nogueira and Notre Dame’s Keri Hanks, who will be competing in the Women’s College Cup. For all the NCAA Division I leaders …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
RISING STAR: Stanford’s Kelley O’Hara
SOCCER AMERICA profiles Stanford junior Kelley O’Hara, the elder in one of the nation’s most prolific attacks. O’Hara will lead the Cardinal (22-1-1) as it moves into Friday’s Women’s College Cup semifinals for only the second time.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
TOURNAMENT WATCH: Top-notch frontlines
No Women’s College Cup has ever featured the depth of talent in the frontlines of the four participants. They include an Olympic gold-medalist (UCLA’s Lauren Cheney) and a former Hermann Trophy winner (Notre Dame’s Kerri Hanks). For a look at the North Carolina, Notre Dame, Stanford and UCLA frontlines …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I don’t want to diminish anyone who travels on the bus, but I haven’t done that for a long time.”
— Manchester City’s Brazilian star Robinho denies widely published media reports that he was spotted taking public transportation. (Irish Times)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Positive Developments in Philly
[MLS] Politicians, executives, and fans gathered Monday to witness the official ground-breaking for a stadium that will house the Philadelphia MLS franchise starting in 2010. League commissioner Don Garber and lead investor Jay Sugarman wielded shovels for a photo opportunity that followed about a month of actual work, once site preparation had been completed, in Chester, Pa.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Generation adidas squad headed to England
[MLS] A squad of young American players, all members of the Generation adidas program, are headed to England next week for eight days of training and matches.San Jose Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop is in charge of the 16-player roster, which will face the reserve teams of West Ham, Chelsea and Aston Villa and also attend Premier League and Champions’ League matches during the stay.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Cristiano Ronaldo wins 2008 Golden Ball
[AWARDS] Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d’or (“the Golden Ball”) as the 2008 Player of the Year. Cristiano Ronaldo, who led United to the Premier League and Champions League double, outdistanced Argentine Lionel Messi and Spaniard Fernando Torres as the 53rd recipient of the award, formerly known as the European Player of the Year.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Real Madrid poised to sign Ajax striker Huntelaar
[SPAIN] Real Madrid has moved to solve its striking problems by signing Ajax Amsterdam’s Dutch forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, according to Spanish media reports.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Lackluster Liverpool held by Hammers
[ENGLAND] Liverpool went one point clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League Monday, despite being held to a 0-0 draw by West Ham United.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Holder North Korea and Germany advance
[UNDER-20 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP] Japan and Brazil, the only unbeaten and untied teams left in the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, fell in Monday’s quarterfinals.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. women’s semifinal streak at world championships
[MAKING A LIST] With its 3-0 win over England in Sunday’s quarterfinal at the 2008 Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Chile, the USA kept its record intact of reaching the semifinals of every women’s world championship it has entered.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Olympics ’08: Argentine Gold
Argentina repeated as Olympic gold-medalist in men’s soccer with a narrow win over Nigeria.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
The Concacaf Conundrum
The introduction of the Concacaf Champions League taxes the participating MSL teams in 2008. The international schedule only gets worse next year when the Confederations Cup and Gold Cup are added to the mix.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
MLS: The Designated Player Experiment
MLS clubs increased their spending on players with the introduction of the Designated Player in 2007. The investment in high-priced players has produced mixed results.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Euro ’08: Where Are They Now?
It was six months ago that fans were treated to a scintillating European Championship. Here’s a look at how the leading actors of Euro ’08 are now faring.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Pia Sundhage: No Ordinary Coach
Pia Sundhage, a guitar-playing, folk song-singing Swede, guided the U.S. women to Olympic gold one year after their World Cup debacle. The feat came despite the absence of four key veterans and an opening-game loss in China.