Author Archives: Ridge Mahoney

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] Techniques and skills and physical attributes may vary, but in any high-level competitive sport, nobody excels without withstanding pressure. U.S. coach Bob Bradley knew his players would be tested by a Confederations Cup semifinal with Spain on Wednesday, for the Spaniards’ swift, flowing fleet of attackers can apply pressure anywhere in the attacking third, and its midfielders and defenders are tough to evade when in pursuit of the ball.

[MLS] Whatever might cure Red Bull road ills it won’t be found north of the border. For the second time in 11 days, New York visited BMO Field, and the outcome didn’t differ. Paulo Vitti and Dwayne De Rosario scored on either side of halftime in a 2-0 TFC win that extends New York’s winless streak in all competitions to nine games.

[MLS] Colorado maintained its unbeaten home record (3-0-3) at home by tying FC Dallas, 1-1, Wednesday, but needed a late strike to earn that point after fluffing a bunch of chances.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] As a reward for stunning Egypt, 3-0, in its final group game and squeaking into the semifinals, the USA gets a date with European champion Spain, whose run of 15 straight wins includes a 1-0 victory over the Americans just over a year ago. And, apparently, Spain coach Vincente del Bosque has a higher opinion of the U.S. team than do many American fans.

[MLS PREDICTIONS] Of the six games scheduled for Week 15, the two played in midweek feature intraconference matchups of teams in the middle with those nearer the bottom.

[MLS] “After a week off to complete its obligations in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, Toronto FC resumes its MLS schedule Wednesday against New York at BMO Field.” That bland, generic followup to last week’s match at Stade Saputo in Montreal would have sufficed, except that TFC didn’t go gentle into the good night of heroic yet futile performance. It blasted the Impact, 6-1, overturning a hefty advantage held by Vancouver in goal difference to nudge past the Whitecaps into the 2009-10 Concacaf Champions’ League as the Canadian representative.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] Unlike its depressing defeats against Italy and Brazil, in beating Egypt, 3-0, the USA. exploited flaws and characteristics it had detected, but only because its execution and spirit matched the occasion.

[USA-EGYPT REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players and comments on their performance in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Egypt in the Confederations Cup.

[BRAZIL-USA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players and comments on their performance in Thursday’s 3-0 loss to Brazil at the Confederations Cup.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] He went with his veterans against two of the best teams in the world and they let him, and the country, down with a crashing thud. All along, we can surmise, Coach Bob Bradley‘s plan was to take his strongest squad to the Confederations Cup and tinker at the Gold Cup, assuming he could juggle the schedules and commitments of domestic and international players without too many complications by injuries.

[MLS PREDICTIONS] With four teams participating in SuperLiga play, only five weekend league games are scheduled. (Toronto takes the week off from league play.) California Clascio rivals Los Angeles and San Jose square off in the Oakland Coliseum for the second time this season, Seattle crosses the country to play New York, Houston gets a chance to separate itself from Western co-leader Chivas USA when it hosts Real Salt Lake, and Eastern leader D.C. United continues its road trip in Colorado. For all of Soccer America’s predictions, as well as TV viewing information, and to see how we’ve fared so far this season. …

[MLS] Thrills, suspense, wild emotional swings, and comic relief are all elements of great entertainment, the field in which Seattle Sounders FC majority investor Joe Roth and minority partner Drew Carey impart their real jobs.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] To keep alive its slim hopes of advancing to the Confederations Cup semifinals, the USA must at least accomplish something it has never done at this level when it faces Brazil Thursday (9:55 a.m. ET, ESPN2, TeleFutura) in Tshwane/Pretoria.

[MLS] Toronto FC announced Tuesday that it has waived 22-year-old American forward Johann Smith, and director of soccer/manager Mo Johnston confirmed the team will announce the signing of a striker “within 24 hours.”

[MLS PREDICTION] ESPN2 televises a pair of games this week, starting with an interconference match Wednesday between four-time MLS champ D.C. United and expansion Seattle.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] The best teams are the best at punishing miscues, as the U.S. national team learned once again Monday at the Confederations Cup in South Africa. Errors of technique, positioning, and judgment enabled world champion Italy to rally from a 1-0 deficit and smack the Americans, 3-1, as the nations opened play in Group B in a rematch of the 1-1 tie they played three years ago at the World Cup.

[ITALY-USA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players and comments on their performance in Monday’s 3-1 loss to Italy at the Confederations Cup.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] Nearly three years after they tied, 1-1, at the 2006 World Cup, the USA and Italy meet again Monday to open their schedules at the 2009 Confederations Cup (2:25 p.m. ET, ESPN, TeleFutura). Oguchi Onyewu, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan are the only U.S. holdovers who played in that match against the eventual world champion, though keeper Tim Howard watched from the bench. The Americans are missing several regulars for the Confederations Cup, including right back Steve Cherundolo and Pablo Mastroeni, who also played in the Kaiserslautern match that featured an own goal, an equalizer by Alberto Gilardino, and three players sent off.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] There should be more pressure on the U.S. national team to get results in the next two months, but there really isn’t. On Monday, Coach Bob Bradley’s men begin Confederations Cup play. As will be the case during the Gold Cup later this summer, determining which players will best serve the World Cup campaign will be of most interest.

[MLS PREDICTIONS] Teams bunched closely together in the standings — or by geography — highlight several matches during the 13th weekend of league play, with Eastern Conference leader Chicago hosting second-place D.C. United, and the Wizards and the Revs – two of four Eastern teams locked together with 16 points – set to play at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. For all of Soccer America’s predictions, as well as TV viewing information, and to see how we’ve fared so far this season. …

[MLS] To the critics of slow starts, which have been the rule rather than the exception since the team moved from San Jose to Houston, Dynamo players, coaches and fans reply thusly:

[TEAM OF THE WEEK] Players who reprised their former positions took center stage to help their teams win in Week 12 and head Soccer America’s MLS Team of the Week for Week 3.