Avram Grant may have led Chelsea to its first-ever Champions League final, but speculation continues to swirl around his future. Nevertheless, Grant maintains that his relationship with club owner Roman Abramovich is good. When asked if he had spoken to Abramovich following Chelsea’s 4-3 aggregate victory over Liverpool, Grant replied, “Yes, but it was a […]
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Costly, Confusing Trip to Moscow
The Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester United, which will be held at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on May 21, could prove to be the costliest ticket of many fans’ lives, after the Russian Foreign Ministry said that visitors from the UK would indeed need to obtain a visa in order to attend […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dynamo Stars Need to Step Up
The Houston Dynamo, Major League Soccer’s two-time defending champion, is last place in the league with three points from its opening five matches. And yet, thanks to the weakness of the West, the Dynamo find themselves just five points outside of first place. That’s the good news. But the stat sheet doesn’t lie, says Bernardo […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Struggling to Adapt, Gomez Seeks United Revenge
On and off the field, Christian Gomez’s transition to the Colorado Rapids has been a difficult one. For one thing, injuries to the likes of Connor Casey, Jovan Kirovski and Herculez Gomez mean that the Argentine playmaker has yet to play with the Rapids’ first-choice front line, and the results — the team is 2-3-0 […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Weekend action starts Friday night when USL-1 defending champ Seattle faces Atlanta. The MLS kicks off Saturday with New England hosting Chicago — two of the four teams tied behind East leader Columbus on 10 points. Americans in England continue their fight against relegation on Saturday: Reading hosts Tottenham and Fulham hosts Birmingham.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS TV: Revs to test Chicago D
Chicago, with the league’s stingiest defense (3 goals allowed), travels to New England. … Argentine stars Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Claudio Lopez face off when Columbus hosts Kansas City. … Winless defending champ Houston hosts Chivas USA, which has lost three straight. … The Galaxy‘s David Beckham makes his first Salt Lake appearance. … San Jose plays its first game at its new home on Santa Clara University’s campus when it hosts FC Dallas, the West Conference leader. … On Sunday, Colorado‘s Christian Gomez makes his first appearance against D.C. United, for which he played in 2004-07. For all the weekend’s MLS action on TV. …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“The closed-circuit cameras do not film this part of the stadium because it’s not considered an area of conflict. We know it came from this area because you don’t find ice cubes of that size in other parts of the stadium.”
— Boca Juniors president Pedro Pompilio after a linesman for its Libertadores Cup game with Cruzeiro suffered a cut on his forehead from an ice cube thrown from the “private box” section of Boca’s Bombonera stadium. Pompilio is asking fans to identify the culprit. (Reuters)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Rangers and Zenit reach UEFA Cup final
[UEFA CUP] Rangers and Zenit St. Petersburg will meet in the final of the UEFA Cup on May 14 in Manchester after pulling upsets on Thursday. Rangers, with a former U.S. college star, beat Fiorentina, 4-2, in a shootout after the second leg, like the first, ended in a 0-0 tie. Zenit beat Bayern, 4-0, at home to advance, 5-1, on aggregate.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bradley’s Heerenveen falls in Dutch playoffs
[AMERICANS ABROAD] The bid of Michael Bradley‘s Heerenveen to reach next year’s Champions League third qualifying round suffered a blow when it fell at home to Ajax, 2-1, on Thursday in the first leg of their semifinal series.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Fight for garlic proves costly for striker
[OFF THE POST] Japan striker Kazuki Ganaha has spent about $100,000 in legal fees fighting the J-League’s ban on intravenous garlic infusions. Ganaha was suspended for six games for shooting garlic up his veins to battle the flu last year. Although the pungent onion relative isn’t a banned substance, the J-League prohibits intravenous treatment.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
International Weekend TV Schedule
UEFA Champions League finalists Manchester United and Chelsea, tied for the English Premier League, are in action on Saturday and Monday, respectively on the next-to-last-day of the season. Inter Milan can wrap up the Serie A title when it faces city rival AC Milan on Sunday. The races can also be decided in Germany and Spain. In Argentina, the Buenos Aires clasico between Boca Juniors and River Plate takes place on Saturday. For all the weekend international action on television …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. under-20 men’s national team roster
[YOUTH] U.S. under-20 men’s national team head coach Thomas Rongen is taking 18 players to Manchester, England, for a week-long training camp. One of the assistant coaches on the trip is former MLS great Marco Etcheverry. For the U-20 roster …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
High Stakes in Milan Derby
This weekend’s Milan derby is being touted as one of the most important in the city’s history: Milan, currently fifth in the Serie A standings, absolutely has to secure three points to maintain any hope of playing in the Champions League next season. Fiorentina is two points ahead of the Rossoneri in the coveted fourth-place […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Europe Taking Notice of ‘Mature’ Altidore Performances
Ever since Juan Pablo Angel suffered an injury in the first game of the season, 18-year-old Jozy Altidore has been leading the Red Bulls’ front line. And he’s done so admirably, says Yahoo Sports Martin Rogers, scoring two goals in three starts in addition to drawing the decisive penalty in a 2-0 win over San […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Barca Director: Expect Major Changes
Barcelona sporting director Txiki Begiristain confirmed there would be personnel changes as a result of the Catalan club’s failure to win a trophy for the second consecutive season. In an interview with Barca TV, Begiristain described Barcelona’s performances this season as “poor,” adding: “If we had got to [the Champions League final in] Moscow, almost […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Chelsea’s Terry: Questioning Grant is ‘Unbelievable’
Chelsea captain John Terry said he finds it “unbelievable” that Avram Grant’s position as head coach is still being questioned by critics after the Blues defeated Liverpool, 3-2, at Stamford Bridge and, 4-3, on aggregate to advance to the club’s first-ever Champions League final. Two goals from Didier Drogba and a penalty from Frank Lampard […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Real Salt Lake thumps San Jose
[U.S. OPEN CUP] Real Salt Lake won its “play-in” against San Jose, 4-0, with a pair of goals by Kyle Beckerman and one apiece from Yura Movsisyan and Andy Williams. Salt Lake faces Columbus May 27 and the winner of that game faces the Chicago Fire for a spot in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
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Pachuca, with Texas product, celebrates regional crown
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP] Mexico’s Pachuca successfully defended its Concacaf Champions Cup title with a 2-1 home win over Costa Rica’s Saprissa for a 3-2 aggregate victory. Pachuca’s Jose Francisco Torres, a 20-year-old Texas product,didn’t see action in the second-leg of the final on Wednesday, but started and played 62 minutes in the first leg, and saw action in both semifinals.
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OBITUARY: Bill Goaziou
Bill Goaziou, U.S. Soccer’s treasurer during its period of rapid growth since the 1994 World Cup, passed away Wednesday, at the age of 68 after battling emphysema. Goaziou first took office in 1994 and was re-elected three times as teasurer in 1998, 2000 and 2004, making him one of the longest-serving federation officers of the modern era.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS TV SCHEDULE
Toronto FC is no longer MLS’s worst thanks to the arrival of Amado Guevara, who faces his former club when TFC hosts New York Thursday (live on ESPN2, 7 pm ET). Guevara, who played in New York in 2003-2006 and ranks third on the club’s all-time list in goals-scored with 32 and is tied for first in assists with 36, aims to help TFC notch a club-record fourth straight win. For this week’s MLS TV listings and standings …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS’s Beckham is world’s top-earning player
Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham was the world’s best paid soccer player in 2007, according to Forbes, which reported his income as $49 million. Of that, $12 million came from his Real Madrid and Galaxy salaries, and $37 million was from image rights, including a portion of the proceeds from 300,000 Beckham Galaxy jerseys sold. For the Forbes Top 20 list …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“Shut up! You keep quiet and get on with the game. Die!”
— What Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura said to Oita Trinita defender Taikai Uemoto during a J-League game, according to several players. The Japan Football Association is investigating. (Reuters)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. under-17 girls national team roster
[YOUTH] The U.S. U-17 girls national team will continue preparations for CONCACAF qualifying for the first U-17 Women’s World Cup with a week-long training camp beginning Thursday in Sunrise, Fla. For the U-17 girls roster …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Rijkaard: ‘I Have No Intention of Leaving’ Barcelona
The Spanish press is predicting that, starting with the coach, heads will roll at the Nou Camp now that Barcelona is guaranteed another trophy-less season, but following Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal defeat, the Dutch tactician said the thought of quitting hadn’t entered his head. “I have no intention of leaving,” Rijkaard affirmed. “It would be […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Roma Fans Petition Owners to Sell
More than 15,000 Roma fans have signed a petition urging the club’s owners to sell the Italian soccer club to George Soros following reports that the American billionaire had backed out of talks. Italpetroli, Roma’s majority shareholder, met with representatives of Soros’ firm Inner Circle Sports about a possible sale last week, but media reports […]