New England, Columbus and Colorado started the MLS season with impressive wins …
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS dream continues for youngsters
[SUENO MLS 2008] Briant Reyes, a 16-year-old Salvadoran-American midfielder from Downey, Calif., was selected as the Winner of Sueno MLS 2008: The Dream Continues by Chivas USA, while 16-year-old Gabriel Funes, an Argentine-born forward from Arlington, Texas, was selected by FC Dallas in the culmination of the reality show televised on Univision’s popular weekly sports show, Republica Deportiva.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Japanese World Cup player Suzuki signs with Timbers
[USL] The Portland Timbers signed 2002 Japanese World Cup player Takayuki Suzuki for the 2008 season. Suzuki, who has made 55 appearances and scored 11 goals for Japan, is considered the club’s most significant signing since joining the USL in 2001.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bermuda and Bahamas claim last Concacaf spots
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Bermuda, coached by former Howard University coach Keith Tucker, defeated the Cayman Islands, 3-1, Sunday to win their open stage series, 4-2, aggregate and advance to the second stage of World Cup 2010 qualifying in the Concacaf zone against Trinidad & Tobago.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer On TV
Major League Soccer kicks off its 13th season and this weekend’s games will be broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports en Espanol, Telefutura and the MLS Direct Kick package.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beckham is No Cristiano Ronaldo
England coach Fabio Capello invited a torrent of criticism from the British press when he compared David Beckham to Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo in a news conference on Thursday. Capello started by saying he had deployed Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney in the natural positions they play for their clubs, attacking center midfield and […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Why Hugo Sanchez Deserves the Sack
El Tri emerged victorious against Ghana on Wednesday, but some still think Mexico coach Hugo Sanchez should head for the exit. Goal.com’s Sergio Tristan says the 2-1 win overshadowed another tepid performance, and the Mexican fans’ attitude towards Sanchez best be summed up by a sign in the stands that read “Hugo, La Ultima y […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Is Guevara Deal Dead?
Honduran playmaker Amado Guevara, who had been in talks over a possible move to Toronto FC, will not be joining Major League Soccer, his U.S.-based agent Patrick McCabe confirmed on Friday. In an email, McCabe said the parties were close to reaching a deal but that “certain obligations could not be met within the requested […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Unknown Faces to Watch in MLS ’08
Anyone could pick David Beckham, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Juan Pablo Angel or Jozy Altidore as MLS players to watch in 2008, but Goal.com’s Pat Walsh provides us with a list of off-radar players to keep tabs on as the season kicks off this weekend. They are: strikers Ivan Trujillo (Kansas City), Franco Niell (D.C. United) and […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Offseason Moves
MLS’s imports grew during the offseason. Argentina led all countries with seven players — including former World Cup players Marcelo Gallardo (D.C. United) and Claudio Lopez (Kansas City) — joining MLS teams. Colombia was next with four players signing with MLS clubs. For all the team-by-team offseason player moves …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
The Pato Goal
[VIDEO] Alexandre Pato‘s spectacular goal — a curling shot from near the sideline — gave Brazil a 1-0 win over Sweden on Wednesday and has Brazilians comparing the 18-year-old to Pele and Ronaldo. Pato’s goal came 12 minutes into his debut. Pele scored 32 minutes into his debut, against Argentina, in 1957. Ronaldo hit the net after 51 minutes against Iceland in 1994.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Argentines lead MLS’s foreign contingent
[MAKING A LIST] While nearly 65 percent of MLS’s 2008 player pool is U.S.-born, the league’s 14 teams are fielding players born in 46 other nations. The foreign-born players are led by 19 players from Argentina. For a list of the most represented nations …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
International Weekend TV Schedule
On the first weekend of play in MLS, the schedule of international matches is a reminder of the competition MLS faces for fans. There are 24 foreign league games available live on cable or pay-per-view. Among the matches on tap are the Old Firm derby between Rangers and Celtic in Glasgow, and important matches in the English and Spanish league races, as well as all nine Mexican First Division matches.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Soccer confirms clash against world’s ‘No. 1’ Argentina
Fresh off its 3-0 at Poland, the U.S. men’s national team faces an ambitious schedule of friendlies as it prepares for the start of 2010 World Cup qualifying this summer. After playing England May 28 at Wembley and Spain June 4 in Santander, Coach Bob Bradley‘s men host Argentina June 8 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Argentina is currently No. 1 in the FIFA World Ranking , ahead of Brazil, Italy, Spain and Germany. The USA is ranked No. 28.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“It’s only been three and a half months and the injury’s supposed to be six months, so I am definitely ahead of schedule. I’m not going to rush anything – I’m going to take it day by day. … If I’m able to play by late April, early May, that’s fantastic. I’m aiming for that because I’ve been out for so long.”
— U.S. national team winger DaMarcus Beasley, who suffered severe knee ligament damage playing with Glasgow Rangers in November and couldn’t walk for five weeks after surgery in December. (The Herald)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS TV Schedule
MLS opens its 13th season with six games this weekend. Fox Soccer Channel kicks off its 35-match package with a live five-hour broadcast — including its first doubleheader (New England-Houston and Colorado-Los Angeles). The telecast begins with a half-hour pregame show at 7 p.m. ET. For all the weekend MLS action on TV …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Report: Idle Ronaldinho to Leave Barca This Summer
According to Spanish daily La Marca, Barcelona has given up hope of retaining Ronaldinho past this summer. At a Tuesday night board meeting, the Brazilian’s future was top of the agenda, and it was agreed that the player would leave the club at the end of the season. According to the Spanish paper, Barca’s directors […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Montreal MLS Bid Includes Liverpool’s Gillett
An Associated Press report confirms Liverpool co-owner George Gillett as the member of an investment group that would bring Major League Soccer to Montreal. Joey Saputo, the president and owner of USL first division club Montreal Impact, tells the AP: “I can confirm that we are in discussions with Gillett Entertainment Group as well as […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dynamo Should Sign Bravo as DP
The Houston Chronicle’s Bernardo Fallas thinks the time is right for the Dynamo to add a designated player. With Joseph Ngwenya and Nate Jaqua now gone, the team is still missing a forward. And since the Dynamo’s new owners want to reach the city’s Hispanic community, Fallas thinks they should aim for a player with […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
D.C. the Model for Latin American Expansion
In the past, it often happened that MLS clubs would sign big-name stars in the twilight of their careers who would come to the States looking for a golden retirement. Lothar Matthaeus and Youri Djorkaeff come to mind. L.A. Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas, who signed David Beckham last year, says he knows the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Becks’ Century Overshadows England Loss
France might have won the match, but it was all about David Beckham at the Stade de France last night, as the England legend became just the fifth player in his country’s history to reach 100 caps. Beckham started the match and played 63 minutes before leaving to a standing ovation in front of 78,500 […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“He is in the style of Ronaldo at that age. They both like to get involved and try to do what you tell them. You have to give players like that room to be creative. I don’t think he is a normal talent. There are some people that can make a big difference and he is one of those players.”
— Brazil coach Dunga on 18-year-old Pato, who scored the winner against Sweden on Wednesday with a curling shot from near the sideline. (AFP)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
International Friendly Results
Late goals from strikers Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Klaas Jan Huntelaar gave the Netherlands a 4-3 win over Euro ’08 co-host Austria, which had led, 3-0, after 35 minutes. A David Villa goal in the 78th minute gave Spain a 1-0 win over world champion Italy. Greece, which beat Euro 2004 host Portugal twice en route to the title, again got the better of the Portuguese when it won, 2-1, thanks to a pair of goals by Georgos Karagounis. AC Milan teenager Alexandre Pato scored on his debut for Brazil in a 1-0 win over Sweden. For all Wednesday’s results and goal scorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beckham joins England century club
[MAKING A LIST] David Beckham became only the fifth England player to earn 100 caps when he started in England’s 1-0 loss at France on Wednesday. The next player in line to reach 100 caps is Michael Owen, who played his 89th game for England on Wednesday. By contrast, 10 Americans have 100 or more caps, and Landon Donovan will join the century club when he plays his next game for the USA.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
2008 MLS National TV Schedule
Major League Soccer’s national networks — ABC, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Espanol, HDNet and TeleFutura — will combine to broadcast 113 games in 2008. The 2008 season kicks off Saturday, and regular season ends on Oct. 26.