Monthly Archives: March 2009

[MLS] The MLS Players Union has released the list of 2009 player salaries and much of the inevitable interest is focused on two categories: the new Designated Players, and some high-profile signings not in the DP range, at least officially. Only Seattle has signed a new Designated Player, to wit Swedish midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, who will earn $1.3 million in base salary. That’s twice as much as the DP deal awarded to the Crew’s Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who after winning dual MVP awards – regular season and MLS Cup – while leading Columbus to its first MLS title, has been bumped up to $650,000 in base salary ($775,000 in guaranteed compensation). He earned a base salary of $250,000 and $375,000 guaranteed last year.

[ALGARVE CUP] In just her second international start, Chicago Red Stars forward Megan Rapinoe scored to give the USA a 1-0 victory against Norway in their final group game at the Algarve Cup. The Americans had already clinched a berth in Wednesday’s final against Sweden, a 3-2 winner over Germany on Monday.

Five of the eight round-of-16 games in the UEFA Champions League will be broadcast live on cable. Action includes Tuesday’s second legs between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield and Juventus and Chelsea in Turin. For all of television action …

[MLS] The four U.S. Open Cup play-in matches for MLS teams have been finalized with the pairing of Real Salt Lake and expansion club Seattle, to be hosted by the Sounders at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila on April 28.

[MLS] If “uneasy lies the head that wears a crown,” as the king himself utters in “Henry IV, Part II,” the word hasn’t been passed to members of the Columbus Crew.

[2009 GOLD CUP] Concacaf will hold the 2009 Gold Cup in 13 different U.S. cities — a record for a continental championship and once less than the 14 different Spanish cities that hosted games for the 1982 World Cup, a record for an international championship hosted by a single country.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Eddie Johnson scored his first goal since moving from MLS to Britain in January of 2008. Landon Donovan nearly scored in the last game of his loan stint with Bayern Munich. Michael Bradley celebrated a big win with his last-place Bundesliga club. For a wrap-up of U.S. players in foreign leagues last weekend. …

[ALGARVE CUP] The USA advanced to the final of the Algarve Cup for the seventh time in a row thanks to a 1-0 win over Iceland Friday on a spectacular goal by forward Natasha Kai in the last minute of regulation time.

[CONCACAF UNDER-20 CHAMPIONSHIP] The USA had a chance to clinch Sunday to clinch a berth at the 2009 Under-20 World Cup in Egypt, but it was badly outplayed by Honduras and had to settle for a 0-0 tie that means it must earn at least a point against El Salvador on Tuesday to qualify unless Jamaica and Honduras tie.

Lyon’s 2-0 loss at Lille allowed Paris St. Germain to move to within one point of the lead in France. AZ extended its lead in the Netherlands to 11 points.

[GERMANY] Ukrainian striker Andrei Voronin, a bust at Liverpool, has rediscovered his form since returning on loan to the Bundesliga. He upped his total to 10 goals this season with a hat trick in leader Hertha Berlin’s 3-1 victory at Energie Cottbus that moved it four points ahead of Bayern Munich, Hamburg, Hoffenheim and Wolfsburg, all tied for second place.

[ITALY] Days after Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho dissed its main rivals, the Nerazzurri came through with a a 2-0 win over Genoa that kept in in first place with a seven-point lead over second-place Juventus.

[MLS] Chivas USA lost a preseason scrimmage Saturday and may have also lost veteran defender Claudio Suarez to retirement.