Author Archives: Soccer America

Most soccer fans will have seen by now Scotland debutant Chris Iwelumo's notorious miss against Norway in Glasgow Saturday, when the striker fluffed a chance from two yards out with nobody to beat six minutes after coming into the 0-0 game as a substitute. Suffering fans in the stadium were not spared either. Despite having […]

FC Dallas suffered an average loss of over 2,000 spectators per game at home this season compared with 2007, reports Diego Aparicio. The team drew an average of 13,023 fans to its 20,500-seat stadium in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, compared with last year’s average of 15,145. Dallas ranks 13th in average attendance in MLS, […]

Europe’s soccer governing body UEFA has ordered La Liga’s Atletico Madrid to play its next two home Champions League games at least 300 kilometres (186 miles) outside Madrid because of racist chanting from spectators at the team’s home game with French club Olympique Marseille earlier this month. In a sign that it’s finally getting tough […]

After making a less than favorable impression during his ill-fated tenure as the L.A. Galaxy coach earlier this year, Ruud Gullit has been idly theorizing about the future of soccer in the United States. His considered verdict is that soccer will not be allowed to become popular in the U.S. due to a widespread fear […]

“Well, we live for another day. Ours is a simple formula — we have to win games. I’ve said all along I’ve not concerned myself with standings and points, because for us, we have win games.” L.A. Galaxy coach Bruce Arena is fully aware of the task at hand.

“It makes things a lot more complicated, tougher. Before this game we were right in the middle of everything, in a very good position but with this loss … it definitely makes the last two games must-win. We need some luck.” Colorado Rapids’ Ugo Ihemelu, who scored an own goal in his side’s 3-2 defeat […]

“He [Chicago Fire coach Denis Hamlett] told me to stop trying to beat the whole team and just be a target player. It was made very clear to me, and, thankfully, he pulled me aside and said it. Today [Sunday] was much better.” Brian McBride after scoring twice in the Fire’s 2-2 home draw with […]

“I ripped into them. All season long, we’ve been a team that didn’t take shortcuts. In the first half, we did take shortcuts. That was maybe our wake-up call.” Columbus Crew coach Sigi Schmid allowed for no complacency as his team trailed 1-0 in Chicago at the break. The final 2-2 result gave the Crew […]

“I’m really annoyed. The lads are devastated in there because they deserved to win the game. We should have been sitting here with three points in the bag. That decision at the end … takes three points away from you and kills you.” Toronto FC coach John Carver begs to disagree that FC Dallas should […]

Richard Williams describes England’s 5-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Kazakhstan in London at the weekend as “surely the least creditable 5-1 victory in England’s history.” And the problem once again was the inability of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard to gel in the midfield. Deprived of the injured Joe Cole, England manager Fabio Capello […]

The Italian soccer federation (FIGC) has banned its own fans from road games indefinitely following trouble at the weekend during the country’s 0-0 tie in Bulgaria. A section of the Italian support threw bottles at the Bulgarian fans, made fascist salutes and chanted fascist slogans, while three arrests were made by police after a Bulgarian […]

The Cuban national team’s visit to Washington D.C. for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier yielded two player defections, one of them described in dramatic detail by forward Reinier Alcantara, 26, to Steven Goff. Alcantara had received permission Thursday evening to hang out in the lobby of the Doubletree Hotel in Crystal City, Arlington, where the Cuban […]

New England Revolution forward Steve Ralston will miss 6-8 weeks after breaking his right fibula (calf bone) in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at the Kansas City Wizards, reports Monique Walker. The earliest possible return would be the MLS Cup final November 23, assuming the Revs progress that far. The injury was caused by a late tackle […]

Officials at Robertson Stadium, home of the Houston Dynamo, have banned “indefinitely” a fan who aimed a racist slur at D.C. United goalkeeper Louis Crayton after the United’s 0-0 tie in Texas Sunday. “I am saying hi to the fans,” Crayton told Steven Goff, “and he walked up to me and told me, ‘Hey, you’re […]