To the perplexing task of predicting which MLS team is best suited to running the gauntlet of playoff matches that determine the league champion can be added yet another variable: attrition from yet another competition.
Author Archives: Ridge Mahoney
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Argentina claims gold again
[OLYMPICS] As long as Argentina regards the Olympic soccer tournament as worth the resources and trouble it takes to field a world-class team that conforms to quirky age designations, nothing about the men’s competition needs to be changed.
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
One more look at the Ruiz deal
We all have our opinions about the Carlos-Ruiz-to-Toronto-so-Galaxy-can-sign-Eddie-Lewis deal, so here we go.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
No joy for Arena in Galaxy debut
David Beckham wasn’t in the house, but Landon Donovan arrived in time to watch from a luxury box and Eddie Lewis, the newest member of the Galaxy, observed from an adjoining suite. The former didn’t miss much and the latter pair probably saw more than they wanted to.
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Women’s Gold-Medal Game Coverage
Americans good as gold, again
Whether the U.S. women are better, weaker or about the same without Abby Wambach is no longer relevant. By squelching Brazil, 1-0, in the Olympic gold-medal match Thursday to complete a run of five straight victories, they took a giant step away from the legacy of past U.S. teams and up to their own place in history.
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Great effort from Lloyd and defense
[USA-BRAZIL REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players’ performances in their 1-0 win over Brazil in Thursday’s gold-medal game …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Colorado’s Clavijo is third coach to go in 2008
[MLS] When the season began, the two most tenuous head coaches were Fernando Clavijo in Colorado and Sigi Schmid in Columbus. One is riding high, the other just got dumped. With one-third of the season to go, Schmid is firmly entrenched, as is the Eastern Conference leading-Crew. A surprise firing in Dallas (Steve Morrow) and a shocking-yet-not-surprising dismissal (Ruud Gullit) in Los Angeles preceded the seemingly inevitable departure of Clavijo, who left the country last week to be with his seriously ill brother in his native Uruguay and on Monday officially terminated his tenure.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Big U.S. win in ugly game
[WORLD CUP 2010] The first USA foray into Central America for 2010 World Cup qualifying followed tradition in so many ways, except for one: the result. Guatemala 0, USA 1. Spectacular? No, but historic, yes. Never before in a qualifier, and only once in nine games, had the USA returned from this nation victorious.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bocanegra, Howard earn highest marks
[GUATEMALA-USA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players’ performance in their 1-0 win over Guatemala on Wednesday. …
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
NE Revolution: ‘Supah Shalrie’
Shalrie Joseph is the New England Revolution’s leader in its quest to finally win an MLS Cup title. He is the perfect package, combining size, strength, touch and vision, and could be MLS’s best player.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
LA Galaxy: Anatomy of a Meltdown
The news that both Alexi Lalas and Ruud Gullit had departed the Los Angeles Galaxy in early August came as a surprise, but the underlying problems at MLS’s most visible team were an old story.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Blowout wins send Nigeria and Argentina to final
[OLYMPICS] Both Nigeria (1996) and Argentina (2004) have won the Olympic soccer gold medal in recent history yet neither has won it twice. After Saturday’s final (midnight ET), either Nigeria will be the only African nation to attain that feat, or Argentina will the first nation since Hungary (1964 and 1968) to win consecutive Olympic crowns.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA faces ‘incredibly difficult’ road test
[WORLD CUP 2010] Not so long ago the U.S. hung a big number on Guatemala, but by all indications it won’t happen Wednesday in Guatemala City when the nations kick off the semifinal round of CONCACAF 2010 World Cup qualifying (TV: 10 pm ET on ESPN2 and Galavision.) The USA has won only once in nine trips to the Central American nation of 13 million people, and that lone 1-0 victory came 20 years ago on a goal by Jeff Agoos, a rarity indeed. It tied 0-0 three years ago and 1-1 in 2000 on its last two qualifying visits.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Donovan welcomes Arena arrival
When Landon Donovan comes back to MLS duty from Guatemala City, one of his former coaches will be his new head coach. Donovan left Sunday for Guatemala, a day before the official announcement of Bruce Arena‘s hiring as general manager and head coach of the Galaxy, which dismissed predecessor Ruud Gullit as well as president/GM Alexi Lalas last week.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
One game away from gold
[RECAP] A year ago in China, the U.S. women were thumped 4-0 by Brazil in the semifinal of Women’s World Cup. The controversy surrounding the benching by then-coach Greg Ryan of goalkeeper Hope Solo overshadowed the deficiences in the overall U.S. game against the dazzling Brazilians, who lost the final to Germany. While the USA downed Japan, 4-2, in Monday’s Olympic semifinal, the Brazilians sparkled even brighter as they downed Germany, 4-1. On Thursday, the USA defends its 2004 gold medal when it meets Brazil (9 a.m. ET, live on USA Network and the NBC Olympic Soccer Channel).
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
USA-Japan Women’s Coverage
Americans to meet Brazil again for gold medal
The injury loss of Abby Wambach and a terrible start against Norway notwithstanding, anything less than a berth in the gold-medal match would have been a disappointment for the U.S. women. By beating Japan, 4-2, in its semifinal Monday the Americans have attained those expectations and set up a showdown with Brazil, which also came back after conceding the first goal to thrash Germany by nearly the same scoreline, 4-1. Brazil and the U.S. will play in the final, a rematch of the 2004 gold-medal match won by the Americans, on Thursday (USA Network, 9 a.m. ET).
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
Hucles shines brightest
[USA-JAPAN REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players’ performances in their 4-2 win over Japan on Tuesday.
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Why has USA been passing on Cooper?
Many folks are a bit puzzled as to why U.S. coach Bob Bradley didn’t pick FC Dallas forward Kenny Cooper for the qualifier in Guatemala City on Wednesday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Men’s semis feature South American clasico
[OLYMPICS] Americans fans disappointed by the exit of their men’s team can take some solace in the quarterfinal accomplishments of Nigeria and the Netherlands, which finished ahead of the U.S. in Group B. Nigeria set up a semifinal meeting with Belgium by beating Ivory Coast, 2-0, and the Dutch stubbornly took Argentina into overtime before losing, 2-1.
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
USA-Canada Women’s Coverage
Dominant USA prevails in OT
Efficiency in the final third may have been lacking, yet still the U.S. women endured some nervous moments in their Olympic quarterfinal against rival Canada and prevailed, 2-1, in overtime. Angela Hucles and Christine Sinclair scored in regulation, which ended 1-1 after heavy rain and lightning forced play to be suspended for 99 minutes. Eleven minutes into overtime, substitute Natasha Kai — at least a tad offside when Shannon Boxx lofted a cross in her direction — stooped to head the ball past Canadian keeper Karina LeBlanc from point-blank range to provide the winning margin.
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
O’Reilly, Boxx strong in midfield
[USA-CANADA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players’ performance in their 2-1 quarterfinal win over Canada on Friday …
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Galaxy needs Arena, and vice versa
He may yet wind up as coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy, but Bruce Arena does have loftier goals to fulfill sooner or later in his life.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Kasey Keller comes home
Nearly two decades after dazzling the local soccer scene as a phenomenal teenage soccer player, Kasey Keller is coming home. Discussions regarding Keller coming to MLS had run hot and cold for the past few years, but once the entry of Seattle Sounders FC into MLS became official last December, the only uncertainty boiled down to when, not if, Keller came aboard.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bruce Arena attends Galaxy’s first post-Gullit game
The SuperClasico is supposed to be the most passionate rivalry in MLS, yet in some ways it played a reserve role Thursday night. With Bruce Arena in attendance at Home Depot Center in the luxury box used by Anschutz Entertainment Group president Tim Leiweke, Cobi Jones on the sideline making his debut as a head coach, and rumors swirling of Galaxy attempts to offload Carlos Ruiz to make room for U.S. international Eddie Lewis, the local teams played a sloppy yet riveting 2-2 tie.
Posted inSpecial Edition, Story
USA-Nigeria Men’s Coverage
Loss to Nigeria eliminates USA
Make that two kicks in the teeth for the U.S. men’s Olympic team, along with being booted out of the tournament in heroic yet heartbreaking fashion. Down a man for more than 90 minutes — counting stoppage time — courtesy of Michael Orozco’s wayward elbow shortly after kickoff, the U.S. succumbed to Nigeria, 2-1, to finish third in Group B at 1-1-1. With the U.S. trailing 2-0 in the 77th minute, Sacha Kljestan banged in a penalty kick to trim Nigeria’s lead in half, and in the final minutes Charlie Davies hit the crossbar with a header that could have propelled the U.S. into the knockout phase.