[MLS] The Red Bulls wound up their preseason by beating one of only two teams to top them last year in elimination matches. At the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., New York defeated Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2) with goals by Khano Smith at the tail end of the first half and ex-Palace midfielder Matt Mbuta early in the second period.
Monthly Archives: March 2009
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
UEFA Cup Results
Goals were scarce in the first leg of the round of 16 in the UEFA Cup: only 12 in eight games. Marcus Tracy, the 2008 Hermann Trophy winner, was an unused sub for Aalborg in its 2-0 loss at Manchester City. For all the results and goalscorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. oldies in fine form
[WPS NOTEBOOK] It’s only 16 days until the Women’s Professional Soccer opener, and clubs are busy at work in preseason camps, beginning the cuts to get their rosters down to 22 players (including four developmental players). U.S. national team veterans Kristine Lilly, Tiffeny Milbrett and Brandi Chastain have set the tone with goals in early action.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I grew up an Everton fan, my whole family are Everton fans and I grew up hating Liverpool. And that hasn’t changed. Liverpool have been brilliant and put up a good challenge, but it will be great if on Saturday we can finally finish that challenge off.”
— Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney looks forward to ending Liverpool’s EPL title chances when the teams clash on Saturday. (The Sun)
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Torres: Spanish Soccer Too Slow for Liverpool, EPL
"I think we prepared the game better than them. The boss was brilliant in explaining how to play against them. The plan before the game was to play with intensity and with a high-tempo. Spanish soccer has quality but it is slower, so we knew it would be difficult for them if we played with […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Eriksson Enthused About Mexico Blowout
“I believe this was very important for us because as everyone knows we had not been scoring or getting results. It was also good to see players move when they were away from the ball. They ran a lot. They always tried to be on top of the opponent, which is something we did very […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Arena Asking Donovan to ‘Do a Little Bit More’
"One of the building blocks of our team is now here. I think it's absolutely critical to have Landon and his quality. This time around, we expect him not only to do what he does on the field, but we're asking him to do a little bit more. He needs to be the leader of […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
EPL 3, Serie A 0 in UEFA Champs League
Marking the first time in seven years that Italy has not placed a team in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League, all three Serie A representatives were eliminated this week, and all at the hands of superior English Premier League teams. Coupled with the ousting of AC Milan and Sampdoria in the UEFA Cup […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ottawa MLS Team ‘Guaranteed’ to Be Success
Not to be left out of all the MLS expansion talk and recent developments in other bid cities, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk made a rare appearance at City Hall on Wednesday to remind city officials of his experience in establishing a healthy NHL franchise and basically guarantee that an MLS team would be successful […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
St. Louis Bid Gets Boost From Budweiser
The ownership group looking to bring an MLS franchise to St. Louis received a lift on Wednesday when officials from local giant Anheuser-Busch announced that it would sign over their Soccer Park complex in suburban Fenton, Mo., as a potential stadium site. Despite having already reached a deal for a proposed stadium and youth soccer […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Portland Dual Stadium Deal Passes, With An Asterisk
After a six-hour hearing on Wednesday, Portland expansion bid leader Merritt Paulson, with dozens of Portland Timbers scarf-wearing fans in attendance to provide their support, watched city officials vote 3-2 in favor of a deal that could bring an MLS expansion team to the city in 2011 based on renovations of downtown’s PGE Park and […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Blatter Calls on MLS to Align Season
FIFA President Sepp Blatter had some choice words on a number of topics related to American soccer on Wednesday, reminding MLS that its March-November schedule is “not in the right season” compared to most other leagues around the world and stating that the “basic problem with MLS” is that “the best American players are playing […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
What’s Wrong with the Rich?
In its 16 years of existence, the English Premier League has been won by only four different clubs. You could really make that three — for Blackburn’s win in 1995 was something of an aberration. Otherwise, it’s been Arsenal (3 wins), Chelsea (2) and Manchester United (10) all the way.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
TFC and RSL set up Challenge Cup final
[MLS/USL] The second day of play at the Carolina Challenge Cup separated its four participants into the haves and the have-nots. Toronto FC and Real Salt Lake won their second games of the competition Wednesday and will face off for the tournament title on Saturday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Chivas USA signs Guadalajara native
[MLS] A few days after its spiritual and emotional leader, defender Claudio Suarez, announced his retirement, Chivas USA regained a measure of its Guadalajara tradition by signing a forward born in that city.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Fergie fumes after ‘suicide’ effort
[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson could have gloated after a big win over his former nemesis Jose Mourinho Wednesday night, but he chose to blast his players after escaping against Inter Milan in what he termed a “game of suicide.” Barcelona, Arsenal and FC Porto also advanced to the quarterfinals.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Red Bulls add some Spanish flair
[MLS] Red Bull coach Juan Carlos Osorio‘s success last year rebuilding his team with midfielders and defenders from South America and Concacacf was mixed, so he’s turned to Europe, specifically Spain.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“There was a commitment I had to make and it’s something I didn’t think twice about, because at the end of the day, my career’s never been about the financial side or the money side. I think leading up to the World Cup, I need to play in Europe to give myself a chance of being involved in that World Cup and after then we’ll see.”
— David Beckham on being committed to playing a little bit more in MLS between his AC Milan service. [VIDEO]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago advance to Egypt ’09
[CONCACAF UNDER-20 CHAMPIONSHIP] Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago will join the USA and Honduras as the Concacaf representatives at the 2009 Under-20 World Cup. The Ticos won Group B with a 2-1 victory over Canada on Wednesday. Host T&T will face the USA in Friday’s semifinals after tying Mexico, 2-2, to finish second and qualify for the U-20 finals for the first time since 1991.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Funding snag clouds positive Portland vote
[MLS] It seems appropriate that an ambitious plan melding soccer and baseball facilities would toss up a curveball. By a 3-2 vote, the Portland City Council Wednesday approved a funding plan by which more than $60 million in public monies would be loaned so Merritt Paulson — owner of the USL-1 Timbers and minor-league baseball Beavers — can build new stadiums for both teams. However …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Swedes knock off USA in shootout
[ALGARVE CUP] The USA’s bid for a third straight Algarve Cup championship was thwarted when it fell to Sweden on penalty kicks in Wednesday’s final after a 1-1 tie. The only other time in the last seven years the Americans failed to win the Portuguese tournament was in 2006 when they fell to Germany in a shootout.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Mexico gets confidence boost [VIDEO]
[HEXAGONAL WARMUP] Mexico beat Bolivia, 5-1, in a friendly before a standing-room crowd of 18,296 at Colorado’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to break a three-game losing streak and win their second game after just one win their previous six games, providing a confidence boost ahead of their second final-round World Cup qualifying game.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Real ‘Pulverized … Splattered and Dispersed’
"Pulverized. There is no other word for it. Fittingly, for a team nicknamed The Meringues [Los Merengues], Real Madrid were splattered and dispersed over a wide area of Anfield in the manner of an airy fairy dessert. One that has been run over by a steamroller. Then another one. Then a herd of rampaging elephants. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Cristiano Ronaldo on Italy’s Attributes
"Will I ever play in Italy? Never say never in life. I do gladly travel there, like I did last summer, because there are the most beautiful and sexiest girls in the world … ?All jokes aside, I truly admire your brand of soccer and you are world champions." ManU superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, showing what […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dunga on Ronaldo Return For Brazil: ‘Why Not?’
"If he becomes the Ronaldo of old, why not? He has the will to become the great player that he once was. He feels pleasure playing soccer." Current Brazil coach and former World Cup teammate Dunga, speaking to Cultura TV about the chance of 32-year-old to play for his country again.