Author Archives: Ridge Mahoney

[U.S. SOCCER] His medical situation isn’t nearly as serious as those of teammates Oguchi Onyewu and Charlie Davies, yet U.S. defender Jay DeMerit will undergo eye surgery Monday in London.

[USA-COSTA RICA] The ejection of Costa Rica coach Rene Simoes and the time it took to send him away was one reason — in addition to Oguchi Onyewu having to be stretchered off after a knee injury — that enough stoppage time was added for the USA to get the tying goal for a 2-2 result that earned the Americans first place in the Hexagonal and denied the Ticos World Cup qualification. Here’s what infuriated Simoes before he stormed up to the fourth official and berated him so severely that referee Benito Archundia stopped the match in order to eject him.

BREAKING NEWS:
U.S. Under-17 World Cup team named

WEEKEND ACTION:
Men’s College Scoreboard
Women’s College Scoreboard

[USA-COSTA RICA REPORT CARD] Michael Bradley‘s goal — on a rebound of Landon Donovan‘s shot after faking out a Tico defender — put the USA on the comeback path. Jonathan Bornstein‘s header in stoppage time capped the evening. But not to be underestimated was right back Steve Cherundolo‘s performance in the USA’s  2-2 tie that earned it first place in Concacaf qualifying. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players and comments on their performance. …

[USA-COSTA RICA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players in their 2-2 win with Costa Rica. …

[2010 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING] There’s much to work on between now and the World Cup for the USA to have a real chance at success, but its mettle has passed another test. Jonathan Bornstein‘s goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time gave the USA a 2-2 tie with Costa Rica and snatched the Ticos’ direct ticket they had in the pocket to the World Cup. The result gave the USA the Hexagonal crown (ahead of Mexico, which tied Trinidad & Tobago, 2-2) and qualified Honduras (a 1-0 winner at El Salvador) for the World Cup. The Ticos will face Uruguay in a playoff next month. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney reports from Washington, D.C., on the USA’s spectacular comeback.

[MLS PREDICTION] The Red Bulls haven’t won on the road since they beat the Galaxy in May, 2008; Real Salt Lake hasn’t won since late August and comes into a must-win game without a win in its last three games. Coach Jason Kreis has used the long break from league play to address issues such as a defense that conceded six goals in three league matches.

[HONDURAS-USA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney graded the U.S. players in their 3-2 win over Honduras. Top marks went to Conor Casey and Landon Donovan.

[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] The USA played to its strengths and Honduras played to its weaknesses Saturday night in San Pedro Sula, and by the margin of a single goal did the Americans win, 3-2, to clinch their place in the 2010 World Cup. By using balls in the air effectively, the USA exploited a shaky central defensive pairing of Maynor Figueroa and Osman Chavez, and put enough pressure on keeper Noel Valladares that he misplayed all three goals to some extent.

[HONDURAS-USA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players in their 3-2 win over Honduras that clinched a spot in the 2010 World Cup for the Americans.

[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Not for the first time, the U.S. players and Coach Bob Bradley have talked about starting a game aggressively during their preparation for a vital Hexagonal match against Honduras Saturday (10 p.m. ET, closed-circuit) in San Pedro Sula. Such is rarely the case for playing a potent, dangerous team on its soil in front of roaring, frenzied fans, and the Americans know that the fast, pressuring Honduran attackers feed on that enthusiasm.

SATURDAY’S WORLD CUP QUALIFYING:
CONCACAF: Mexico is first to qualify
EUROPE: Four teams clinch
SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina wins in wild finish
AFRICA: Drogba leads Ivory Cost into finals

[MLS PREDICTIONS] Of the six teams in action Saturday, only the Quakes are out of the playoff chase, yet they can dent the hopes of D.C. United. New England sorely needs a win in the first of two late-season meetings with the Crew, but even more desperate are the Wizards, who are at Home Depot Center to face a Chivas USA team that can still capture the Supporters’ Shield. For details on this weekend’s matchups, all of Soccer America’s predictions, as well as TV viewing information.

[MLS] Three wins in a row, two more games to go. The improbable charge of FC Dallas toward an MLS playoff spot continued Wednesday as goals by Jeff Cunningham and David Ferreira downed San Jose, 2-1. A third straight victory and fourth in the last five games lifted FCD’s record to 10-12-6 and into a ninth-place tie in the overall standings with D.C. United at 36 points.

[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Given its choice, the USA would rather not go into the final day of Hexagonal play with its 2010 World Cup fate still in doubt. Unless it can beat Honduras Saturday in San Pedro Sula, the Americans – despite sitting atop the Hexagonal with 16 points — will likely take the field at RFK Stadium against Costa Rica Wednesday for its 10th and final Hexagonal match needing at least a tie to clinch a spot in the 2010 competition.

[MLS PREDICTION] They may be the bottom-two teams in the Western Conference, and might finish the season there, yet San Jose and FC Dallas have plenty to prove when they meet at Buck Shaw Stadium Wednesday night.

[MLS] A year removed from reaching MLS Cup 2008, Red Bulls’ forward Juan Pablo Angel will gladly put the disastrous 2009 season behind him. “We weren’t good enough this year in every way,” said Angel Saturday, after a 1-0 loss to San Jose snuffed the faint hopes that the Red Bulls (4-18-6) might catch the second-worst Quakes in overall points. “Hopefully this is a learning experience for us as players and for everybody, so that we don’t repeat this next year.

WEDNESDAY ACTION:
Men’s College Scoreboard

[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Add a Clint Dempsey shoulder injury to the factors complicating the selection decisions faced by U.S. coach Bob Bradley. Dempsey underwent an MRI evaluation Monday and has been diagnosed with a shoulder sprain, which rules him out of the Hexagonal match Saturday against Honduras in San Pedro Sula. Further evaluation will determine his status for the final Hexagonal game a week from Wednesday against Costa Rica in Washington, D.C.

TUESDAY ACTION:
Men’s College Scoreboard

[MLS PREDICTIONS] A big Friday night matchup on ESPN2 between kicks off the weekend schedule when Los Angeles hosts Chicago. On Saturday, former Crew coach Sigi Schmid returns to Columbus with Seattle, and teams bunched closely in the standings square off when D.C. United hosts Chivas USA and New England plays at Colorado. Surging Dallas has the weekend off, but one other team that refuses to go way, Kansas City, heads to Houston needing a win. For details on this weekends matchups, all of Soccer America’s predictions, as well as TV viewing information. …

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] After failing to win any of its first eight group games in the Concacaf Champions League, D.C. United is on a roll. D.C. moved into second place in Group B with nine points from five matches by routing San Juan Jabloteh (Trinidad & Tobago), 5-1, at RFK Stadium Wednesday. Christian Gomez and Thabiso “Boyzzz” Khumalo each scored twice, and Fred netted once as United, which had not win any of its group games last year and lost its first two of this year’s competition, rattled off its third straight win.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Playing against one of the best club teams in region, Houston played one of its best international games, yet still came out a loser. Mexico’s Pachuca rode its luck, some dogged defending, and the goalkeeping of Miguel Calero to escape Robertson Stadium with a 1-0 victory Wednesday in Group A of the Concacaf Champions’ League.

[MLS] FC Dallas kept its playoff hopes alive and dinged those of New England by beating the Revs, 1-0, at the Cotton Bowl Wednesday. Jeff Cunningham took over the league’s scoring lead by netting his 16th goal of the season; the depleted Revs struggled offensively and managed only five shots. They still hold the eighth and final playoff place with a 10-9-7 record and 37 points, just four more than surging Dallas (9-12-6, 33 points), which has been teetering on the precipice of elimination for more than a month but refuses to topple into the abyss.

[MLS PLAYOFF RACE] After the top two in each conference — which right now are Columbus and Chicago in the East, Houston and Los Angeles in the West — here’s how the MLS wild-card race stacks up, with teams ranked not by points, but rather their chances of joining the final eight.