Author Archives: Ridge Mahoney

Distracted, perhaps, by the spectacular show that is Euro 2008 and the required, if rudimentary, U.S. World Cup qualifiers against Barbados, little notice has been paid to the fact that season 13 of MLS is nearly halfway done. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney examines the chances of teams rebuilding in midseason with big-name transfers — Thierry Henry? Luis Figo?

Goalkeeping didn’t cost the USA the championship at last year’s Women’s World Cup, but it sure caused quite a storm, one that head coach Pia Sundhage has already addressed in naming her 18-player squad for the Olympic Games women’s soccer tournament this summer. The absence of Briana Scurry will briefly roil the waters of controversy once again yet down the road, the other tough decisions Sundhage had to make will have much greater effect. She’s had to replace veteran Kristine Lilly, who is taking time off to have a baby, and midfielder Leslie Osbourne and defender Cat Whitehill, who both suffered ACL tears in their left knees in the past month.

[TURKEY-CROATIA REPORT CARD] Turkey added yet another unbelievable comeback to its Euro 2008 adventure by equalizing (1-1) in stoppage time of extra time, and then dispatching Croatia on penalties, 3-1, to qualify for its first semifinal. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the players.

[USA-BARBADOS REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players’ performance in their 1-0 win over Barbados on Sunday. …

[NETHERLANDS-ROMANIA REPORT CARD] Italy’s win over France rendered the result moot in any case, yet while Romania’s hopes of advancement were still flickering, it seldom raised its game enough to trouble an under-strength yet confident Netherlands and went down, 2-0. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the players.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] A regional confederation that often conducts its competitions and draws in Byzantine fashion on Monday completed its “draw” for the the inaugural Concacaf Champions League by releasing the makeup of the four groups that commence play in September.

FC Dallas announced longtime SMU coach Schellas Hyndman as its new head coach on Monday,  but he isn’t the only significant addition to join the MLS club’s organization.

[AUSTRIA-POLAND REPORT CARD] Co-host Austria replied to a controversial goal with one of its own in stoppage-time to tie Poland, 1-1, and retain slim hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals. Substitute Ivica Vastic stepped to the penalty spot after Polish midfielder Mariusz Ledwandowski allegedly pulled down Sebastian Proedl as they grappled for position awaiting a free kick. He drove the ball past keeper Artur Boruc, whose spectacular saves frustrated Austria during a furious onslaught during the first 30 minutes, after which Poland took a 1-0 lead when Roger Guerreiro, who looked to be a shade offside, tucked away a pass from Marek Saganowski. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the players.

Two years ago began a changing of the guard for the U.S. men’s national team, with the retirement of several veterans following a disappointing showing at the 2006 World Cup. On the eve of qualifying play for the 2010 tournament, not all of the questions that faced the national team at that time have been answered. A promising crop of midfielders has emerged to supplant Claudio Reyna, a solid group of central defenders has taken over for Eddie Pope, and the search continues for a rugged targetman in the mold of Brian McBride. The campaign begins Sunday (5 p.m. ET, ESPN2, Galavision) at Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., against Barbados in a two-game series, with the second leg set for June 22 in Bridgetown.

The Revs have depth up front and in goal, and the Dynamo doesn’t. New England extended its unbeaten regular-season run against the two-time defending champs to six games by winning, 2-0, at Robertson Stadium Thursday with goals by veteran Steve Ralston and rookie Kheli Dube, and a penalty-kick save by Matt Reis

[SWITZERLAND-TURKEY REPORT CARD] Turkey rallied on a rain-sodden field to eliminate one of the hosts, 2-1, with second-half goals by Arda Turan and substitute Semin Senturk after Hakan Yakin had pushed home a puddle-slowed service from Eren Derdiyok for a 1-0 halftime lead. The Swiss succumbed to the roars of their fans to push forward despite a tie being enough to keep alive their hopes of advancing. Those hopes died when right back Hamit Atintop‘s long ball led to Arda’s deflected shot beating keeper Diego Benaglio. Switzerland is out because it has lost to both of the teams, Czech Republic and Turkey, that it could tie for second place with three points. The first tiebreaker is head-to-head results. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the players.

[PORTUGAL-CZECH REP. REPORT CARD] Portugal broke open a tight game just after the hour mark with a superb Cristiano Ronaldo finish and added a clinching goal by Ricardo Quaresma in stoppage time to beat Czech Republic, 3-1, Wednesday and earn a spot in the Euro 2008 quarterfinals. A powerful Libor Sionko header tied the game nine minutes after Deco scored during a scramble in the eighth minute. Petr Cech punched away a Ronaldo drive and both Milan Baros and Sionko were a yard shy of turning a Tomas Ujfalusi flick into the net before Deco played a square ball that Ronaldo lashed into the net from just inside the box. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the players.

In the eyes of most American soccer fans, playing Barbados in a qualifying round is a formality, yet U.S. Soccer has named a 21-man roster stocked with players who’ve just faced England, Spain and Argentina in preparation games. The U.S. hosts Barbados Sunday (5 p.m. ET, ESPN2 & Galavision) at Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., in the first leg, with the second leg scheduled for June 22.

[NETHERLANDS-ITALY REPORT CARD] Spurred by a controversial Ruud van Nistelrooy goal scored while opposing defender Christian Panucci lay just off the field after a collision, the Netherlands added breathtaking counterattack goals by Wesley Sneijder and Giovanni van Bronckhorst while thrashing four-time world champion Italy, 3-0. The Dutch thus take control of Group C. The Italians must climb out of the basement with no points and a minus-3 goal difference. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the players.

[REF WATCH] Did Swedish referee Peter Frojdfeldt and his officiating crew blow it Monday night in Berne by not disallowing Ruud van Nistelrooy‘s goal for offside in a spectacular 3-0 Dutch defeat of Italy, or did he properly interpret the nuances of what he should do when a defending player, in this case Christian Panucci, leaves the field of play?

Officially, American keeper Tim Howard earned Man of the Match honors for his superb work in a 0-0 tie with Argentina at the Meadowlands Sunday night, but truth be told he really rated nothing more than second-best. In just 45 minutes of work, Lionel Messi dazzled the sellout crowd and befuddled the USA. By escaping the kicks and tackles of Pablo Mastroeni and Michael Bradley and clipping balls over and through central defenders Oguchi Onyewu and Danny Califf, Messi repeatedly unhinged the Americans. Only some desperation tackles by Onyewu, Califf and Steve Cherundolo, and the amazing work of Howard kept Argentine forwards Julio Cruz and Sergio Aguero from scoring.

[USA-ARGENTINA GRADES] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players’ performance in their 0-0 tie with Argentina on Sunday.