A taped conversation implies that FIFA and UEFA Vice President and President of the Royal Spanish Football Association, Angel Maria Villar, was aware of match fixing in La Liga, writes Stine Alvad. The conversation, between the captain (Inaki Descarga) and President (Julio Romero) of Levante, relates to an allegedly fixed match on the final day […]
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Worst Celebrity Fans
U.S. soccer is so desperate for the game to get positive publicity that we generally welcome it when a Drew Carey or a Steve Nash declares himself a soccer fan. It’s different in the more skeptical U.K., where The Times newspaper has come up with a highly entertaining Top 50 list of the worst celebrity […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
New Zealand Cools On Beckham
Auckland Regional Council is so keen to fill the 32,000-capacity Mount Smart Stadium for the L.A. Galaxy's game against the Oceania All-Stars this weekend that it's offering two tickets for the price of one, local radio reported. So far only 15,000 tickets have been sold. Last year David Beckham and his team sold out the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Homeless World Cup Another Success
This year's Homeless World Cup in Melbourne, Australia, has been another success at providing life skills for recovering addicts and changing public attitudes toward homeless people, writes James Smith. Even the annual criticism that the $1.5 million spent organizing the events could have been better spent on other projects for the homeless has been muted. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Toronto Keeper Sutton Berates CSA
Toronto FC goalkeeper Greg Sutton has joined Canadian national team colleagues Jim Brennan and Dwayne De Rosario in criticizing the way that Canadian soccer runs its men's national team program, and demanded change after Canada's failure to make the Concacaf final qualifying round for the 2010 World Cup. Sutton told Neil Davidson that the Canadian […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Madrid Youth Coach Quits, Slams Club Policy
Real Madrid youth coach Michel has resigned and criticized the club for failing to look after its young homegrown prospects. The former Spanish international told Spanish radio that club President Ramon Calderon, who this week said Barcelona had been more successful at developing youth players, "knows absolutely nothing about what goes on" at the club's […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer On TV
The NCAA Division I Women’s College Cup kicks off of Friday with semifinal games. Also on Friday, a top-of-the standings Bundesliga clash. The USA faces North Korea in the final of the U-20 Women’s World Cup at 4:30 pm ET. TV info was not available at press time; check USSoccer.com over the weekend.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Surf Thanksgiving Tournament Champions
Sereno White of Arizona and Aztecs FC Premier won the under-15 and under-14 boys divisions, respectively, at the 2008 Surf Thanksgiving Tournament in the San Diego area. For the results of the finals …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Nomads Thanksgiving Tournament Champions
Rush Nike teams from California and Arizona won titles at the 2008 Nomads Thanksgiving Tournament in the San Diego area. For the results of all the under-14 to under-19 premier finals …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Development Academy Showcase Schedule
All 148 teams representing 74 clubs will participate in the second annual Development Academy Winter Showcase being held through Monday at the Lancaster National Soccer Center in Lancaster, Calif. For many of the teams, the showcase will mark their first games after being off for the fall prep season. The New England Revolution will be the last of the 12 new teams to make their 2008-09 debut at this weekend’s showcase. For the complete schedule …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Dallas Texans girls champs win USYS National League openers
The U.S. Youth Soccer National League kicked off its 2008-09 girls season with the first of two days of play at the WakeMed Soccer Park and WRAL Soccer Center in North Carolina. The defending national champion Dallas Texans Red won in the U-17 and U-16 divisions, while the defending national champion San Juan Spirits Blue were held to a 1-1 tie by the D’Feeters in U-15 play. For an update on all the Day 1 games …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Region II team impresses at U.S. Youth Soccer ODP girls event
The 1992 Region II A team was the only regional team to finish with a perfect record at the U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Girls Thanksgiving Interregional held in Coral Springs, Fla. The 1993 Region II team came close, finishing with two wins and a tie. For all the results and goal scorers …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Parity reigns at Boys Thanksgiving Interregional
Parity reigned at the U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Boys Thanksgiving Interregional held at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena, Vista, Fla. All 10 teams competing at the annual event won at least one game. For all the results and goal scorers …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
U.S. U-17s face Brazil Friday afternoon on Fox Soccer Channel
Fox Soccer Channel will air the the U.S. under-17 boys national team’s Red squad in action against Brazil’s U-17s at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT) on the first day of the 2008 Nike International Friendlies, which are being held in conjunction with the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase at the Lancaster (Calif.) National Soccer Center.
Posted inYouth Soccer Reporter, Youth What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“It’s relatively recession-proof. We have not experienced a downturn during poor economic times. Recreation is a relatively inexpensive way and a very healthy way for kids to occupy themselves.”
— Tom Teager, owner of Fore Kicks and Fore Kicks II indoor sports facilities in Massachusetts. Fore Kicks II in Marlborough is the largest facility of its kind in New England (135,000 square feet) with six indoor turf fields with lined boundaries, one boarded field and two outdoor lighted turf fields. (Boston Globe)
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SCOREBOARD: Small College Final Fours
The semifinals will be held Friday for NCAA Division II men, NCAA Division III men and women and NAIA men and women. For the complete schedule …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SMALL COLLEGES: West Florida and Seattle Pacific reach D2 women’s final
West Florida and Seattle Pacific advanced to Saturday’s final (TV: CBS College Sports, live, 3:30 p.m. ET) in the NCAA Division II Women’s Tournament with convincing wins Thursday at Tampa’s Pepin Stadium.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
TOURNAMENT WATCH: Men move into quarterfinals
The four quarterfinals in the NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament will all take place on Saturday. For more on Wake Forest-South Florida, Maryland-Creighton, St. John’s-Indiana and North Carolina-Northwestern …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Player red-carded for tripping fan [VIDEO]
[OFF THE POST] Argentine midfielder Adrián Jesús Bastía of Greek club Asteras Tripolis was red-carded for tripping a field-invading fan.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
A Dive For The Ages [VIDEO]
[OFF THE POST] Emerson “Piojo” Acuna of Colombia’s Atletico Junior managed to draw a penalty kick with a truly audacious dive during a game against America Cali.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“We’ve had up to 15,000 tickets go out – and we actually want to fill the stadium … we want to get up to capacity, up to 32,000. We want as many Aucklanders as possible to take the opportunity to see these players.”
— Lance Vervoort, general manager of ARC Parks, which is promoting the Los Angeles Galaxy (with David Beckham) game against Oceania All-Stars in Auckland, New Zealand, announcing a two-for-one ticket deal in which anyone who has purchased a ticket can now get another one for free. (NewsTalk ZB)
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
South Africans To Receive Free World Cup Tickets
"We will give away 120,000 tickets to South Africans for the first round of the World Cup. This will include 40,000 tickets to the workers at the various World Cup stadiums." FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke announces a handout from world soccer's governing body.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Clubs Reap Euro Payout
"It is a testament to the new harmony in European soccer, and the willingness of associations and clubs to cooperate for the good of the game, that we are able to deliver to the clubs a tangible benefit for their contribution to UEFA Euro 2008." UEFA President Michel Platini announces that UEFA will pay $55 […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Feilhaber On The Mend
"My knee feels a lot better, but the doctors tell me we have to make sure with an MRI or possibly an exploratory scope to see what's going on inside the knee to be 100 percent sure." U.S national team and AGF Aarhus midfielder Benny Feilhaber hopes to resume training soon after missing most of […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Austin Aztex Coach Looks To Future
"The difference between now and when the likes of Pele, Bobby Moore and George Best came over, is night and day. It was almost like a circus then, with players at the end of their careers, but everything is geared to the future now." Former Everton midfielder Adrian Heath looks forward to his first season […]