Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has reportedly handed in a transfer request while speculation continues over a possible move to Real Madrid. Liverpool has so far refused to lower its price tag on the Spain midfielder, in the region of $49.5 million. But Alonso's stated intentions could affect his transfer price. Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has […]
Monthly Archives: July 2009
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Hearts Has Debts To Pay
Scottish club Hearts has some bills to pay, or it will be forced into bankruptcy. The club confirmed today that HM Revenue and Customs has launched a petition at the Court of Session because of the club's unpaid debts. The club issued a statement on its website to assuage fears of over its debts. It […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Panama Clubs Wins After Rough Week
Kendall Jagdeosingh scored the lone goal in the second half to give the Puerto Rico Islanders a 1-0 win over MLS club Toronto FC in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions' League preliminary round Wednesday. Jagdeosingh rounded Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei in the 68th minute to finish easily for the Islanders, semifinalists in last […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
A Fine Day for Tim Howard
The MLS All-Stars outshot Everton, 21-6, but could beat Everton's American keeper, Tim Howard, just once. Howard, the top goalkeeper for the U.S. national team, made six saves for the match – several of the spectacular variety – and three more in the shootout. He was a nearly unanimous choice for MLS All-Star Game MVP. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
MLS All-Star Game Defies Tradition
In theory, All-Star games are supposed to be exhibitions of flair, talent and goals. But that's not the way Wednesday night's game played out between the MLS All-Stars and Everton FC. "This was a real game," the Los Angeles Galaxy's Landon Donovan said. "You could tell by the way they were playing. There were a […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Live Grenade Found Outside Dalglish Home
Bomb disposal experts removed a live hand grenade from the garden wall outside the home of former Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish. Simon Lewis Ignacio, 28, of Lee Park Avenue, Belle Vale, and Carl Higgins, 29, of Helston Green, have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder. They are due to appear at Liverpool Crown Court […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“Dear david beckham, I kno u heard about my shaq vs show, anyway u will never score a goal on me, I challenge you lil man. … dnt make me tweet to 2 million people that yur scared of shaq, u betta respnd, if u scared get a dog.”
— Basketball star Shaquille O’Neal uses his Twitter account and shows off his command of the language to court David Beckham onto his reality TV show. (Goal.com)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bad night for Onyewu [VIDEO]
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Oguchi Onyewu‘s preseason with AC Milan didn’t get any better after his appearances in losing performances with his new club in the USA. After the central defender came on as a 64th minute substitute for Alessandro Nesta at Bayern Munich, AC Milan conceded three more goals in a 4-1 loss.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Tiebreaker needed for MLS All-Star Game
[MLS] An All-Star Game is a spectacle, and as such the wisdom of using penalty kicks to decide an exhibition does make some sense, since entertainment is the first priority. Fans at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, ran through the gamut of emotions, facial expressions and gestures, and most of them left disappointed at the result. As bizarre as it might have seemed for Everton players to step up to the penalty spot after playing 90 minutes in a friendly, at least a few – and not the least, U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard – got it right. After a 1-1 tie in regulation, Howard saved three shots as Everton took the shootout, 4-3, to end a five-match winning streak posted in All-Star action against foreign teams.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Run Ref, Run [VIDEO]
[OFF THE POST] After referee He Zhibiao ejected three Tianjin FC players in its 3-1 loss to Beijing in a third-round Chinese Cup He had to run to safety.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Villa’s Lichaj making mark in Peace Cup
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Young American Eric Lichaj has earned starts in back-to-back games for English club Aston Villa at right back at the Peace Cup in Spain.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Aguirre rewards Gold Cup heroes
[MEXICO-USA] Mexico coach Javier Aguirre rewarded El Tri’s heroes for the 5-0 dismantling of the USA in the Gold Cup final, calling up all but two starters for the Aug. 12 showdown with the USA in World Cup 2010 qualifying. Barcelona star Rafael Marquez was one of eight players in the 20-players squad who played last season in Europe. The Chicago Fire’s Cuauhtemoc Blanco was also recalled for the game at Azteca Stadium.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
TFC falls under Islanders’ spell
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] After a spectacular 6-1 thumping of Montreal in June that captured the Nutrilite Canadian Championship and with it a spot in the Concacaf Champions League, Toronto FC players and Coach Chris Cummins emphasized how important it was for them to represent Canada and do well in the regional club competition. But TFC left itself a huge task by losing the first leg of its two-match preliminary series, 1-0, to Puerto Rico Islanders Wednesday at BMO Field.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Freedom overtakes Boston with win
[WPS] Abby Wambach‘s second-half goal gave the Washington Freedom a 1-0 win over the visiting Boston Breakers that propelled it into third place ahead of the Breakers and eliminated last-place FC Gold Pride from playoff contention.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Wynalda replaces Cohen on Fox talk show
[TELEVISION WATCH] Former U.S. national team star Eric Wynalda, replaced by former teammate John Harkes as the lead color person on ESPN2’s MLS coverage, will be returning to the air as Nick Webster‘s co-host of Fox Football Fone-In, replacing the controversial Steve Cohen.
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
No excuse for USA’s Gold Cup performance
It’s the guys at Concacaf — not the Americans — who have most reason to feel aggrieved at Mexico’s 5-0 walloping of the USA in the Gold Cup final.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
U.S. under-14 girls identification camp roster
U.S. Soccer’s annual under-14 girls identification camp has kicked off at Cal Poly Pomona in Pomona, Calif., with 101 under-14 girls gathered for a week of training and games at the camp headed by U.S. Soccer national staff coach Mike Dickey. For almost all the players, this is their first introduction to the national team program. For the complete list of players in camp and their club affiliations …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
National Championships headed to Kansas
The U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships will be played in Kansas for the first time when the 2010 championships will be held in Overland, Park, Kan., following regional play at sites in Barboursville, W.Va., Beavercreek, Ohio, Baton Rouge, La., and Albuquerque, N.M. For all the 2010 venues and dates …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
U.S. U-18s drop Milk Cup opener
The USA dropped a 2-1 decision to Denmark in its opening game of the U-18 Elite division at the 2009 Milk Cup in Northern Ireland. A goal by Virginia-bound Will Bates was all the Americans could muster after conceding two goals to the Danes in the first half hour of the game.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
U.S. U-20s undefeated in Argentina
The U.S. under-20 men’s national team beat Argentine club CA Tiro Federal, 2-0, and defeated Uruguay in a shootout in its first two games at the Copa Ciudad de Rosario in Argentina.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
National Cup VIII champs crowned
Teams from eight different states claimed boys titles at U.S. Club Soccer’s National Cup VIII Finals at the Hampton Roads Soccer Complex in Virginia Beach, Va. North Carolina’s Jamestown SC Jammers Gold was the only club with multiple teams playing in Tuesday’s championship.
Posted inYouth Soccer Reporter, Youth What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“We had to change routine and now just say ‘hello’ to each other, run past each other, but we don’t shake hands.”
— Terje Lund, deputy chief of the Norway Cup, which banned the shaking of fans because of concerns about the H1N1 flu outbreak. An African player came down with H1N1 flu, and four other participants were also suspected of carrying the virus. The youth tournament features 30,000 players. (Reuters)
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Adu Trying to Navigate Future
According to Freddy Adu's Twitter account, he is in Lisbon to sort his future with Benfica, the Portuguese club Adu joined from Real Salt Lake in 2007. Reports indicate that Adu is not part of Coach Jorge Jesus' plans. Adu has been linked with another loan spell, in the Netherlands, a move that he and […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Gambling a Solution to Argentine Woes?
The Argentine soccer federation (AFA) has decided to push back the start of the top-flight Apertura tournament because of the financial problems facing a number of clubs. A players union has listed seven clubs that have debts totaling $10 million: San Lorenzo, River Plate, Independiente, Newell’s, Huracan, Racing Club and Rosario Central. “All the AFA […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Kolo Toure Set to be Latest Man City Millionaire
Kolo Touré will undergo medical tests today ahead of completing a $23 million move to Manchester City. Touré's move from Arsenal is the second piece of business the two clubs have done this summer, following Emmanuel Adebayor's arrival earlier this month. The deal marks City's sixth of the offseason following the signings of of Roque […]