More than a week prior to his arrival in Los Angeles, a source with ties to SUM said David Beckham won’t play against Chelsea Saturday and instead will debut for the Galaxy in the SuperLiga. Galaxy coach Frank Yallop says Beckham’s status is “day-to-day,” league and team officials have been noncommittal. But as of Wednesday night, the over-under on how many minutes Beckham will play Saturday is 10. He arrived in Los Angeles last Friday with a very tender left ankle and has trained only lightly with the Galaxy this week. He traveled here to Denver to make an appearance on the ESPN broadcast of the All-Star Game against Glasgow Celtic Thursday.
Author Archives: Ridge Mahoney
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
The Earthquakes revival
Less than four months after holding a press conference at the Oakland Coliseum stating the Earthquakes could return as early as 2008, Oakland A’s co-owner Lewis Wolff and San Jose Earthquakes, LLC are gearing up for an April kickoff. The MLS Board of Governors voted Tuesday to approve a San Jose franchise. By purchasing an expansion option from MLS, Wolff had also acquired the logos, colors, etc. used by the Quakes before AEG moved the team to Houston after the 2005 season.
Just about a year ago, negotiations with San Jose State University, where the previous Quakes played, regarding a new on-campus facility broke down.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
THOMAS RONGEN: ‘This one hurt more’
[Q&A] U.S. under-20 coach Thomas Rongen had just a few days to reflect on his team’s showing at the U-20 World Cup, in which the Americans lost in overtime to Austria, 2-1, Saturday in the quarterfinals. Before leaving Wednesday to join the U.S. teams at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Rongen spoke with Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney about whether any of his players are ready for the full national team, what American defenders are lacking, Freddy Adu’s progress, and how this quarterfinal elimination compared with the 2003 loss …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
New York plunges with loss to Revs
[MLS WEEKEND REPORT] In not many leagues can a team fall from first to fourth just by losing a game, but that’s what befell Red Bull New York when beaten, 1-0, at home by New England, which leapfrogged to the top spot. Also bypassing NYRB were Kansas City, a 1-0 winner over Real Salt Lake, and D.C. United, which squandered a 3-0 lead at home to end up tied at 3-3 with FC Dallas. Out West, Chivas USA tightened its grip on third place by ending the Crew’s six-game unbeaten streak, 2-1. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney reviews all the MLS weekend action …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Luck and fatigue finally catch up to Americans
[U-20 WORLD CUP] Two consecutive overtime matches took a severe toll on the U.S. under-20 team, which battled all the way but couldn’t summon the moment of magic or the ounce of luck they needed to stay alive in the FIFA U-20 World Cup. An early goal by Jozy Altidore, his fourth of the tournament, brought the USA a 1-0 lead Saturday but it conceded an equalizer just before halftime and in overtime, down to 10 men, succumbed to a second goal that swept Austria into the semifinals with a 2-1 win.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
With new coach, Chicago thumped by Houston
Teams change coaches, and coaches trade players, and still Houston rolls over all comers. Juan Carlos Osorio debuted as Chicago’s head coach Thursday night on national television and fortunately has more than a week to shrug off a 4-0 thumping inflicted by the defending champion before his team plays again. Houston’s rout include a brilliant goal by Joseph Ngwenya (video HERE). By the time Scottish club Glasgow Celtic lines up for a friendly July 22, Osorio will have Cuauhtemoc Blanco in uniform and perhaps a few answers to the harsh lessons taught by Houston. He might also have observed how a team that won the league title last year has further strengthened itself by intelligent tweaking.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA aims for U-20 World Cup semifinals
One win stands between the U.S. under-20 national team and only the second semifinal appearance by an American team in the 30-year history of this world championship. The USA meets Austria in Toronto Saturday at 2:15 pm ET (ESPNU, Galavision) and that last semifinal appearance might as well be ancient history. Goalkeeper Kasey Keller helped the USA to a fourth-place finish in 1989, the same year the youngest members of the current squad were born.
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MLS WEEKEND: New York faces Revolution threat
[TV PREVIEWS] Can Red Bull New York hold onto first place with the Revs in town? Will defender Adrian Serioux solidify the FC Dallas back line as it takes on D.C. United? Can Kansas City break its five-game winless skid at home against Real Salt Lake? Will anyone in Beckham-obsessed LA take notice that Chivas USA and Columbus meet at Home Depot with both teams above .500? Will Houston break the league’s all-time shutout streak by blanking Toronto? Ridge Mahoney previews this weekend’s MLS action …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Late heroics send USA to U-20 World Cup quarters
Coaches rhapsodize about talent, and sing the praises of the skillful, but what they relish above all else is toughness. If not for ample doses of resolve, the USA wouldn’t be among the eight survivors that play in the U-20 World Cup quarterfinals this weekend. Misfortune and circumstance piled up against the Americans, yet still they beat Uruguay, 2-1, in Toronto Wednesday night with an own goal and an overtime winner by Michael Bradley. Of obstacles there were plenty. A charley horse sidelined its stud goalkeeper. A central defender returned to the lineup sporting a gash under his left eye suffered in the first game of the tournament. A wild tackle knocked its specimen of a striker out of the game early in the second half.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Osorio’s first MLS test is a stern one
[MLS TV PREVIEW] Juan Carlos Osorio, presented just a few days ago as the Fire’s new head coach, admits that he needs some time to get back up to speed on MLS and its teams. Since no MLS opponent has been able to defeat the Dynamo in its last eight games, perhaps a fresh approach will help. And since the Fire is 1-9-1 since it beat Houston, 1-0, April 29, maybe the less he knows about his own team, the better. The Fire hosts Houston Thursday night (9 pm ET, ESPN2).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. U-20 scouting report — what makes Freddy and the boys go
The U.S. under-20s have made only two changes in the starting lineup after opening with an unimpressive 1-1 tie with South Korea. It recovered in its next two games to hammer Poland, 6-1, and stun Brazil, 2-1. Coach Thomas Rongen has used 14 field players but has yet to summon forwards Gabriel Ferrari and Andre Akpan, thanks to the excellent play of wingers Robbie Rogers and Sal Zizzo, and striker Jozy Altidore. Midfielder Dax McCarty and defender Amaechi Igwe have been used as subs. Tim Ward started the first game and has also come on as a sub. Barring any unforeseen changes, this is a rundown on the expected starters who face Uruguay Wednesday (7:45 p.m. ET, ESPNU, Galavision) …
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Penalty kick fireworks in MLS
[REF WATCH] Aside from perhaps the brandishing of a red card, no incident triggers more hot disputes than the shrill trilling of the referee’s whistle as he points to the penalty spot. Yet more often than not, the defending team has been guilty of lax tackling or lazy marking prior to the alleged foul that prompted the spot kick. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney reviews the six penalty kicks called in last week’s MLS action. …
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Beckham’s Star Power
David Beckham, marketing superstar, will arrive in America shortly. What can his new team, the league and American soccer fans expect?
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Beckham Will Do More Than Bend It
He didn’t want to be a savior, yet David Beckham may well arrive as one. The league he will play in is doing just fine, but his new team is on the skids.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
New York takes lead in tight MLS Eastern Conference race
[MLS WEEKEND REPORT] The Eastern Conference is tighter than ever — two points cover the top five teams — after the Crew and Red Bulls win, and the West is a two-horse race following Houston’s seventh victory in its last eight games.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
The Freddy and Jozy Show is big hit at the Under-20 World Cup
[EXTENDED U.S. U-20 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS] The USA has been the story of the Under-20 World Cup in Canada. It clinched first place in its group at the U-20 competition for the third straight time thanks to a pair of breathtaking performances: a 6-1 demolition of Poland and a 2-1 victory over Brazil, the first by an American men’s team against Brazil in a FIFA competition in 18 years. The goals, all golazos, left the Americans on top of the U-20 scoring charts with nine goals in three games. Once again, Freddy Adu was brilliant against Brazil, and the U.S. goals — both scored by Jozy Altidore — spectacular. For Ridge Mahoney’s report and all the video highlights …
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Making a case for the seven pending All-Star selections
MLS’s “First XI,” determined by voting, for the July 19 All-Star Game against Celtic is a solid group. Seven more players are to be picked — five by Coach Steve Nicol and two by Commissioner Don Garber — and there are far more candidates who merit serious consideration than allotted places.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Red-hot Houston and D.C. United meet on Sunday
[MLS WEEKEND PREVIEWS] Two hot teams collide as Houston hosts D.C. United; Chivas USA and the Revs stage a rematch; Toronto FC and Chicago square off to see who can keep pace in the East; the Crew can squeeze the standings even tighter at home against Real Salt Lake; the Rapids and Red Bulls hope to rebound after being blanked; and the revamped (again) Galaxy get a stern test against Kansas City.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. exercise at the Copa America ends pointless
A tough, rugged game against Colombia in which four U.S. players made their first Copa America appearance produced promising moments but nothing more than a 1-0 defeat and an 0-3 record in the competition. Finishing pointless in the standings is also how the entire exercise of taking a young, largely inexperienced team to so prestigious a competition will be deemed: pointless.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA to play for pride vs. Colombia in Copa
The USA has no chance of advancing to the second round of the Copa America when it meets Colombia on Thursday in Barquisimeto, Venezuela (TeleFutura, GolTV-English, 6:30 pm ET). Yet a case can be argued that sending this pool of U.S. players, many of whom had just a handful of caps if they had any at all, has already attained something. This group is not only a feeder group to the national team, it is also the foundation of the next Olympic team. Would Drew Moor otherwise be even a candidate at right back? Hasn’t this tournament sharpened the wits and talents of Ricardo Clark? Did his dismal appearance as a sub against Argentina consign Eddie Gaven to the nether regions of the player pool? What does the promising yet maddening showing of Justin Mapp mean in the short run as well as long-term?
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Freddy Adu hits hat trick for USA in U-20 World Cup
[VIDEO] A Freddy Adu hat trick, two excellent goals by Danny Szetela, and a nice finish from Jozy Altidore destroyed Poland, 6-1, and moved the USA atop Group D with four points in the U-20 World Cup.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Five MLS clashes on Independence Day
Five games on Independence Day and a Thursday night ESPN2 matchup gives every MLS team except New England a slice of midweek action. Of course, why would the Revolution, of all teams, play at home on Independence Day? Ridge Mahoney previews the action …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Two groups pursue Fire purchase
A consortium led by former Fire player Frank Klopas is just one of two groups seriously interested in buying the Fire from the Anschutz Entertainment Group, says a source close to the discussions being held. Of the two groups, the out-of-town group not fronted by Klopas has been performing due diligence for a couple of months, examining financial documents at the team and league level.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. U-20s face typical European obstacle in methodical Poles
[USA-POLAND PREVIEW] Before the FIFA U-20 World Cup started, U.S. coach Thomas Rongen described Poland, which the USA faces Tuesday in probably a must-win game in Montreal, as “a typical Eastern European country that’s going to be very hard to break down and very methodical in their approach.” To those attributes can be added opportunism and determination and resiliency. Poland upset Brazil, 1-0, on the opening day of play with a long-range free kick by Grzegorz Krychowiak and a staunch defensive display following the ejection of Real Madrid’s Krzysztof Krol in the 27th minute.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA pays for brain lock and squandered chances in Paraguay loss
Nothing redeems a mediocre performance more than clinical finishing. Nothing mars a commendable showing like squandered opportunities. Create, battle, and squander sums up the 3-1 U.S. loss to Paraguay Monday night in Barinas, Venezuela. The defeat left the Americans with a 0-2 record, a minus-5 goal difference, and a very slim chance to advance.