Salvadoran fans intend to wear protective face-masks to Cuscatlán stadium on Saturday when Mexico plays their national team to mock the Mexicans about the swine-flu outbreak that was centered in Mexico. “I do not care how they come out, if they make fun of us or not,” said Chicago Fire striker Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who was […]
Monthly Archives: June 2009
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Real Salt Lake starts slow, as usual
After last weekend’s 2-1 loss at San Jose, Real Salt Lake’s record now stands at 3-6-2. So much for the preseason optimism that the 5-year-old club would finally have a good start to a season. “Real Salt Lake’s rugged start is quite distressing. After all, things were supposed to be different this year. Following a […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Maurice Edu out for three months
U.S. midfielder Maurice Edu, after helping Glasgow Rangers win the league-cup double, will be out of action for the U.S. national team this summer and isn't expected back on the field for three months after undergoing a successful operation to repair knee ligament damage.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
USA ‘out-passed, outplayed and out-competed’
U.S. keeper Tim Howard, after the USA’s 3-1 loss at Costa Rica on Wednesday, said “We consider us probably the fastest, strongest team in the region but today we got out-passed, outplayed and out-competed in every sense. We have to hold our hands up – we were below average across the board.” Defender Carlos Bocanegra […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Embarrassing result leaves USA in uneasy situation
Steven Goff reports from San Jose, Costa Rica that, "A few hundred U.S. backers, mostly young and mostly dressed in colorful, patriotic garb, made their way into the steep upper deck and seemed to mix nicely with their hosts." But the U.S. fans weren't rewarded for the efforts to make the trip to Saprissa stadium. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
EPL Clubs’ Debt at $5 Billion
England's Premier League clubs have run up a debt of 3.1 billion pounds ($5.01 billion), and the big four Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal — are responsible for about two thirds of it. The figures come from Deloitte's Annual Review of Football Finance, which suggested the big four, despite all having qualified for the […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Enjoying Summer Freedom
Summer is arriving quickly and for many players, the soccer season will end with the school year. It is time for children to enjoy freedom and head outside to play amidst the nice weather. No more bells to direct them from classroom to classroom, no more homework to distract them from what they enjoy most – playing.
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Foreigners, Agents & Minors: FIFA’s Take
Uncertainty would seem to be the only certainty on the soccer scene as I write this. The doubts start at the very top where the normally confident Sepp Blatter has reluctantly admitted that the plans for his treasured 6+5 scheme will have to be put on hold for the moment.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Key figures in revival of San Jose and Dallas
[SA WEEK 11 TEAM OF THE WEEK] Rare wins for FC Dallas and San Jose earned players on those teams mention in Week 11, and the scoring form of Colorado forward Conor Casey got him another nod as well as Player of the Month honors from MLS.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Reeling Red Bulls head to RFK
[MLS PREDICTION] MLS has scheduled another nine-match slate of games despite this being a FIFA international double-fixture week, with the action kicking off Thursday at RFK Stadium, where D.C. United welcomes longtime rival (but seldom equal) New York.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“As a group tonight, we came up short in every way. I don’t think there was any area at all where we were good enough to win a game against a good team. We were under pressure from the start. We fell short. We recognize that, and we have a quick turnaround for the next game.”
— U.S. coach Bob Bradley after his team fell, 3-1, to Costa Rica in World Cup qualifying. The USA returns home to face Honduras on Saturday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Why the USA got crushed in Costa Rica
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] A crushing defeat in Costa Rica adds even greater importance to the next U.S. match in the Hexagonal, against Honduras Saturday in Chicago. At Ricardo Saprissa Stadium in San Jose on Wednesday, Americans were second-best for most of the match in all areas of the field and could have lost by a greater margin.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Worst of the worst
[MAKING A LIST] The 3-1 loss to Costa Rica marked the fourth straight time the USA has fallen to Ticos on the road in the Hexagonal. It was arguably the worst performance by the Americans in San Jose with their participation in the World Cup not yet decided. Indeed, it was the worst performance ever by the Americans against any foe in the first half of the Hexagonal.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Low grades for getting schooled
[COSTA RICA-USA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players and comments on their performance in Wednesday’s 3-1 loss at Costa Rica.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Sol extends lead with tie
[WPS] The Los Angeles Sol came from behind to tie the Chicago Red Stars, 1-1, and extend its lead at the top of Women’s Professional Soccer to nine points. The first midweek game in WPS history drew an announced crowd of only 3,832 on a cold and cloudy evening at the Home Depot Center.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
It’s all about ‘US’
[TV WATCH] If you believe ESPN2’s commentators, Costa Rica didn’t beat the USA by playing good soccer. The Ticos were simply fortunate that the Americans made a lot of mistakes. If you thought for a second that Costa Rica scored some brilliant goals, the ESPN2 experts quickly set you straight.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Weekday MLS action: Friday’s Chicago vs. Houston. USL’s Friday game: Charleston-Austin. On Saturday the USA comes home to face Honduras in another qualifier. Look for updates in Friday’s Soccer on TV.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Manchester United Gets New Shirt Sponsor
Manchester United confirmed today that it secured the most lucrative shirt sponsorship deal in soccer. The club signed a four-year deal with American insurance giants Aon that promises to net the club $32.5m per-season. United has been scouring the globe for a new sponsorship deal since its current sponsor, AIG, announced that it wouldn’t renew […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Birmingham City Ink Record Deal for Ecuadorian
Birmingham City has completed the signing of striker Christian Benitez from Santos Laguna for a club record fee. The Ecuador international signed a three-year deal at St Andrews ahead of next season's test in the Premier League. Although the club has yet to reveal the fee, it is set to surpass the $10m paid for […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Madrid Adds Toronto FC to Summer Tour
Real Madrid has added a preseason friendly in Canada to its North American tour this summer. On Wednesday, the club announced on its web site that it will play Toronto FC on Aug. 7 at BMO Field – two days before the previously announced game in Washington against DC United at Fedex Field. Real Madrid […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Feilhaber Back in U.S. Training Camp
Two years ago, Benny Feilhaber was on the cusp of stardom with the U.S. national team. After starring in youth teams, he scored a game-winning volley against Mexico in the 2007 Gold Cup, heroics he followed with a bright performance in Copa America. But Feilhaber dropped suddenly off the radar in 2008, when injuries and […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Costa Ricans Show Respect to USA
Despite the U.S. national team's terrible history in Costa Rica – one draw and six losses in qualifying matches – Costa Rican journalists have a lot of respect for the visiting Americans (TV: Wednesday, ESPN2, Galavision, 10 p.m. ET). "We have to make sure we respect the United States because the U.S. is the better […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Kaka Future Still Uncertain
AC Milan star Kaka's future remained unresolved Wednesday amid reports that he could be on his way to Real Madrid in a $92 million deal. After four hours of meetings between Milan vice president Adriano Galliani, Kaka's father-agent Bosco Leite, and Madrid president Florentino Perez, a deal was reached under which Kaka would get $13.5 […]
Posted inSoccer America Classifieds, Story
Soccer America Classifieds
Welcome to Soccer America Classifieds, Soccer America’s email newsletter connecting soccer companies and organizations to Soccer America members each week. Soccer America Classifieds feature soccer classified advertisements on the latest soccer job openings, soccer products and soccer opportunities.
Posted inStory, World Cup Watch
The Governator signs on
When it comes to folks who carry weight abroad, few American political figures can match Arnold Schwarzenegger, California’s Austrian-born governor who joined the board of directors of the USA Bid Committee seeking to bring the World Cup to the United States in 2018 or 2022.