Defending champion Columbus is the only winless team in MLS. The Crew and 2008 runner-up New York are tied for last place in the Eastern Conference. For all the game summaries, standings, leading scorers and this week’s schedule …
Monthly Archives: May 2009
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Kelly Smith outduels Marta in Boston
[WPS] Marta‘s first trip to Harvard Stadium drew a crowd of 8,031, the second largest in Women’s Professional Soccer’s short history, but Englishwoman Kelly Smith won the duel of WPS’s two best strikers, scoring only two minutes into the game to help the Breakers down the Los Angeles Sol, 2-1. For all the WPS action …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Man. United remains on course
[EUROPEAN RACES] The top four teams in the English Premier League all won, leaving teams in the same places at the top of the standings with three weeks to play.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Real Madrid is puddy in Barcelona’s hands [VIDEO]
[SPAIN] On the one hand, former Barcelona star Luis Enrique called Barcelona’s display “a soccer orgasm.” On the other, it was called “the greatest of humiliations” for Real Madrid. For the first time in the 80-year history of Spain’s greatest rivalry, Barcelona scored six goals at Real Madrid, inflicting a 6-2 defeat on the Merengues that all but decided La Liga race for 2008-09.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Vancouver’s James enjoys memorable debut
[USL-1] St. Vincent & Grenadines international Marlon James enjoyed a memorable debut for the Vancouver Whitecaps, scoring a hat trick, including the winning goal on a penalty kick in the 90th minute, to give the defending champions a 3-2 win at Minnesota on Saturday. For all the weekend action …
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Revs Revert to a Reverie from the 1950s
In gentler, less clever days, there really wasn’t too much to know about soccer tactics. In England, anyway. Team formations were cast in concrete, immutable, a 3-4-3 with three fullbacks, four midfielders and three forwards. We never called it a 3-4-3 though. It was always a W-M formation.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Club, Not League, Wanted Carver ‘Downstairs’
Former Toronto FC coach John Carver said that one of the reasons he quit was because MLS ordered him to return to the sidelines after spending a game coaching from a private box, but Toronto FC general manager Mo Johnston said it was Toronto management who made the request. “John wanted to sit upstairs, we […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Slimmer Thornton Shines for Chivas USA
“At the beginning of the season, I didn’t even recognize him. He’d lost like 20 pounds. I told him, ‘Listen, you look good. It’s a good sign. Your reactions will be faster.’ You can tell now. Hopefully, he’ll continue to make good saves.” Chivas USA goalkeeper coach Zak Abdel, on veteran keeper Zach Thornton, who […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
El Clasico Will Stop Country This Weekend
This weekend Spain's two biggest and richest clubs, Real Madrid and Barcelona, clash in "El Clasico." During the game the country is expected to grind to a halt. "The country is paralyzed. Shops are shuttered, the streets are empty. For 90 minutes the country only thinks about soccer," said radio journalist Maria Bretones on Friday. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Israeli Club Punished for Anti-Arab Chants
Beitar Jerusalem, the defending champion of the Israeli Premier League, was penalized a point and ordered to play a home match in an empty stadium after fans shouted anti-Arab slogans at a game against Maccabi Petah Tikva in April. Earlier this season, the league deducted two points from Beitar for fan violence. These penalties have […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ferdinand Could Play Second Leg Against Arsenal
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand could be available for next week’s Champions League semifinal at Arsenal. Tests cleared the center back of a cracked rib and serious injury. “It’s good news with Rio – it is not a cracked bone,” said United head coach Alex Ferguson, whose team beat Arsenal, 1-0, in the first leg. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Round of 16 Set for Copa Libertadores
Boca Juniors of Argentina and Ecuador's Deportivo Cuenca clinched the last two places in the Copa Libertadores round of 16 on Thursday. Boca trounced Venezuelan club Deportivo Tachira 3-0 in Buenos Aires to top Group 2, while Cuenca qualified by finishing second in the group after drawing 1-1 at Guarani of Paraguay. The knockout round […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
New MLS Philly Franchise Takes Shape
Major League Soccer Philadelphia 2010 will unveil key pieces to the identity of the league’s newest club at Philadelphia’s City Hall on May 11. Hosted by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, the ceremony will unveil the club’s name, colors, logo and ticket pricing. “We’ve created an authentic brand that reflects Philadelphia’s deep-rooted history and the wealth […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Players’ Superstitions: From Russian Lit to On-Field Urination
As part of an ongoing series, FIFA.com delves into some of oddest, goofiest and most manic superstitions of players around the world – present and past. About his slew of habits, Chelsea captain John Terry says: “I always sit in the same seat on the team bus, I always wrap tape round my socks three […]
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Youth Beat: The Girls Game – Higher Expectations
Anson Dorrance, the USA’s first world championship coach, and Pia Sundhage, its latest, share their views on how American girls soccer can keep getting better.
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Cases that confound: Carver and Marrufo
I loathe announcers, be they soccer or otherwise, whose top-shelf method of conveying excitement or drama or surprise is to loudly wail the latest and lamest buzz-bellow, as in, “ARE YOU KIDDING MEEEEEE!?”
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Catch the USL Game of the Week on Friday as the Cleveland City Stars meet the Rochester Rhinos. The weekend includes a full slate of MLS action — including defending champ Columbus’ latest attempt to win its first game of the season, when it visits Toronto — and a WPS match between Washington and St. Louis. Americans in Europe in action this weekend include Michael Bradley, whose Borussia Monechengladbach faces Bayern Munich in its first game since the Juergen Klinsmann firing.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Top men’s college recruiting classes
The College Soccer Reporter returns with Soccer America’s top 15 men’s college recruiting classes, version 2.0, and all the Division I signings for schools who have released their 2009 signings. Akron is No. 1, though two ACC schools have moved up on our list.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MEN’S RECRUITING: Pac-10 to WCC
The Pac-10, Patriot, Summit, WCC and Independents men’s recruiting classes, as released by their respective schools …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MEN’S RECRUITING: Ivy League to Northeast
The Ivy League, MAAC, Mid-American, Missouri Valley and Northeast men’s recruiting classes, as released by their respective schools …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MEN’S RECRUITING: Big South to Horizon
The Big South, Big West, CAA, Conference USA and Horizon men’s recruiting classes, as released by their respective schools …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MEN’S RECRUITING: ACC to Big East
The ACC, America East, Atlantic Soccer, Atlantic South, Atlantic-10 and Big East men’s recruiting classes, as released by their respective schools …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SoCon teams load up on regional talent
All Southern Conference teams have also released their 2009 men’s signings. The Discoveries Soccer Club from South Carolina and Norcross Fury of Georgia, led all club teams with six and five SoCon signings, respectively.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MPSF classes offer promise
All schools in the MPSF except Air Force, which does not announce incoming freshmen until they arrive on campus due to the appointment process, have announced their men’s recruiting classes. Top recruits in the MPSF include Alex Tarnoczi (Denver) and Jonny Espinoza (UNLV).
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Michigan leads Big Ten
With the release of the Ohio State class on Thursday, the Big Ten is the first major men’s soccer conference in which every school has released its 2009 recruits. Players of note include U.S. U-18s Latif Alashe (Michigan) and Kevin Bick (Indiana) and 2008 NSCAA Division I Junior College Player of the Year Justin Meram (Michigan).