[REACTION] Pia Sundhage‘s reign as U.S. women’s national team coach began with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Canada Wednesday at the Four Nations Tournament in Guangzhou, China. The Swede was delighted with the USA’s new attacking look, in particular the play of USC’s Amy Rodriguez, who scored twice in her first start.
Author Archives: Paul Kennedy
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The Sundhage era begins
[U.S. WOMEN] The USA and Canada traveled halfway around the world to meet in new U.S. coach Pia Sundhage‘s debut on Wednesday. When the Americans left last Thursday for China, they were headed to Foshan, south of Guangzhou (Canton), but they learned in mid-flight that the Four Nations Tournament had been moved to Guangzhou itself. For a look at the USA and its first three opponents of 2008 …
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Barbados rallies for victory in warm-up
[WORLD CUP WATCH] Playmaker Norman Forde was the star, scoring once and setting up two other goals, as Barbados, the USA’s probable first opponent in 2010 World Cup qualifying, beat Antigua & Barbuda, 3-2, in its first warmup game of 2008 … Sweden, which faces the USA Saturday at the Home Depot Center, beat Costa Rica, 1-0, Sunday in a game that marked Paulo Cesar Wanchope‘s final match for the Ticos … Puerto Rico, coached by former MLS coach Colin Clarke, has called up a number of current and former MLS players for its qualifying campaign.
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Dorrance suit ends with settlement and apology
[COURTS] Almost 10 years after the lawsuit was initiated, University of North Carolina women’s head coach Anson Dorrance settled a sexual harassment suit filed by former Tar Heel Melissa Jennings.
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Brilliant debut for Milan’s ‘Ka-Pa-Ro’
[ITALY/VIDEO] How good were Kaka, Ronaldo and Pato Alexandre, their 18-year-old countryman, in their first game together? They combined for four goals — one more than Milan had scored all league season at home — in its 5-2 win over Napoli on Sunday.
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Teen ‘Alex the Duck’ set for Milan debut
[ITALY WATCH] When play resumes this weekend in Italy after the holiday break, all eyes will be on 18-year-old Brazilian Alexandre Pato, who could debut for reigning European champion AC Milan in its game against Napoli on Sunday (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, live, 2:25 pm ET). Pato is only 18 years old, but he is already being hailed as the Rossoneri’s savior.
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English clubs face mass losses
[ENGLAND WATCH] An influx of African players has poured into England in recent years, and English clubs will face a mass exodus of players headed to the African Nations Cup, beginning Jan. 20 in Ghana
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FA Cup: Stingy Liverpool stymied by Mad Hatters
[ENGLAND WATCH] The English FA Cup lived up to its reputation for high drama as four teams from the lower half of the third level of English soccer played Premier League teams over the weekend, and none of them lost. In the biggest surprise, Liverpool got what was coming to it when bankrupt Luton Town held the Reds to a 1-1 tie. The result followed the Reds’ refusal to donate their share of the game’s gate receipts to Luton, which has not paid its players in full in more than two months.
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Arsenal celebrates New Year with a bang
[WINNERS & LOSERS] The big question regarding the English Premier League’s hectic holiday season was whether surprise leader Arsenal could maintain its form, but the Gunners actually extended their lead over Manchester United. For all the holiday Winners & Losers …
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EPL nightmares for U.S. keepers
American keepers Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann will be happy to bid farewell to 2007 after combining to give up 10 goals in English Premier League action on Saturday. Countryman Brad Friedel ended an outstanding year with Blackburn in style on Sunday.
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Kaka gets more than he asks for
2007 FIFA Men’s World Player of the Year
AC Milan’s Kaka was named the 2007 FIFA World Men’s Player of the Year, finishing with more than twice the votes of runner-up Lionel Messi of Barcelona.
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Arsenal’s Gallas gains revenge against Chelsea
Arsenal captain William Gallas was the hero for the Gunners in their victory in their much-anticipated showdown against his old club, Chelsea. Elsewhere in England, Liverpool’s problems against Manchester United at Anfield. Bayern Munich’s lead has evaporated heading into the German Bundesliga’s winter break. In France, another coach was ousted.
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Wake Forest has unfinished business
[WAKE FOREST PREVIEW] Wake Forest is not only the sole returnee from last year’s Men’s College Cup, but it is the favorite to win its first national championship.
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Hokies build on first Wake game
[VIRGINIA TECH PREVIEW] The Hokies have had a varsity soccer program for 36 years, but only recently have they become national powers. This is the third straight year Virginia Tech is in the NCAA Tournament and the first time it is at the Men’s College Cup.
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England’s grand-slam weekend
[INTERNATIONAL HEADLINERS] It’s big weekend in the English Premier League with Liverpool-Manchester United and Arsenal-Chelsea on Sunday. In Spain, a rejuvenated Julio Baptista is finally enjoying himself at Real Madrid. In the Netherlands, the top-of-the-table clash between Ajax and PSV was threatened by a police strike.
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Sergeant Capello reporting for duty
To many Americans, Italian Fabio Capello, whom England hired Thursday as its new national team coach, is best known as the coach who benched David Beckham, prompting the English star to leave Real Madrid for the Los Angeles Galaxy. But Capello, who — irony of ironies — will be the one who will decide if Beckham again plays for England and achieves his 100th cap, is one of the most successful coaches of the last quarter century.
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Minutemen come from way back
[MASSACHUSETTS PREVIEW] Without a lot of scholarship money to offer, Massachusetts coach Sam Koch likes to recruit players with a passion for the game. Players who don’t mind training outdoors in the middle of the Amherst winter. Qualities have been big factors in the Minutemen’s unexpected ride to the Men’s College Cup.
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Buckeyes leave no doubt about credentials
[OHIO STATE PREVIEW] From last year’s disappointment of not being invited to the NCAA Tournament was born the motivation to succeed in 2007.
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The Liverpool juggernaut completes turnaround
Liverpool gained revenge for its embarrassing loss to Marseille at Anfield in October with a 4-0 win at the Stade Velodrome Tuesday on the final day of group play in the UEFA Champions League. The result sent the Reds, last year’s runners-up, to the round of 16 along with Group A winner Porto.
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Virginia Tech shocks UConn in mud
[ELITE 8] Virginia Tech pulled the biggest upset of the NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over No. 3 seed Connecticut Saturday afternoon before 5,495 fans in Storrs, Conn. The Huskies took a 17-game home winning streak into the game, but bad field conditions and bad luck conspired to knock them out. Instead, Virginia Tech is heading to the Men’s College Cup this weekend in Cary. N.C.
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Wake returns to Men’s College Cup
[ELITE 8] Wake Forest will be the only team at this year’s Men’s College Cup that played in last year’s finals in St. Louis. Indeed, the No. 2 seed Demon Deacons are the only team still alive to have ever played in a men’s final four. They moved into Friday’s semifinal against ACC rival Virginia Tech with a 1-0 overtime win over Notre Dame Saturday night before a record crowd of 4,589 at Spry Stadium.
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Against all expectations, UMass makes final four
[ELITE 8] Sam Koch will be the first to admit that he didn’t plan on Massachusetts going to the Men’s College Cup. The Minutemen coach went so far as to book a family trip to Disney World for Thanksgiving. Well, the trip came and went without him, and three weeks later, UMass is still playing. The Minutemen made sure of that with a 2-1 victory over UIC on Sunday at the place the Minutemen call Fort Rudd.
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Buckeye blitz ends Bradley run
[ELITE 8] Bradley had overcame one- and two-goal deficits to win at Indiana and Maryland in the second and third rounds, but there was no Braves’ comeback Sunday at Ohio State. Even the support of eight busloads of Bradley supporters who had made the trek from Peoria couldn’t help the Braves after they fell behind on a Xavier Balc penalty kick in the 58th minute. A four-goal blitz over 12 minutes sent the Buckeyes to the Men’s College Cup for the first time with a 4-0 win.
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Arsenal’s unbeaten run ends in EPL shocker
[WEEKEND HEADLINERS/VIDEO] Arsenal’s unbeaten streak in the English Premier League came to an end when it fell at struggling Middlesbrough, 2-1, on Sunday. Real Madrid maintained its four-point lead over Barcelona in Spain thanks to a gutsy win at Athletic Bilbao. French club Paris St. Germain’s road win at Auxerre was overshadowed by the disruptive behavior of its fans angry at its poor play. Bayer Leverkusen’s recent charge has turned the Bundesliga into a four-team race.