Author Archives: Soccer America

Big Apple Soccer does the math following the departures of Dema Kovalenko and Francis Doe, figuring that the New York Red Bulls now have at least $800,000 of cap room to fill, as seven players have left the team since the end of last season. However, the figure doesn’t include new money for players like […]

Real Madrid’s lead over Barcelona shrinks

[EUROPEAN RACES] Last year it was Barcelona that blew a big lead, allowing to Real Madrid to overtake it and capture La Liga title. This year it’s Real Madrid that’s in danger of collapsing. On Sunday, Real Madrid lost to Madrid club Getafe, 1-0, at home, reducing its lead over Barcelona, a 5-1 winner over Levante, to two points from eight just a week ago. Spanish manager Juande Ramos, who won five cups at Sevilla, needed only five months to win his first cup title at Tottenham. Spurs edged defending champion Chelsea, 2-1, to win the English League Cup title on Sunday.

Haitian legend Sanon dies at 56 (VIDEO)

[OBITUARY] Like fellow Haitian Joseph Gaetjens, Emmanuel Sanon scored a legendary goal in World Cup history. But unlike Gaetjens, whose goal gave the USA a 1-0 victory over England at the 1950 World Cup, the goal by Sanon, who died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 56 Thursday at his home in Florida, did not hold up.

Nike snares France contract from adidas with megadeal

[BUSINESS] After almost 40 years, the French national team will be leaving adidas for Nike. The value of the deal to supply French soccer federation teams with Nike apparel is more than four times the current adidas deal and is believed to be more than three times the value of the most lucrative deal in international soccer, Nike’s agreement with Brazil.

Relegation woes for EPL Americans

[AMERICANS IN ENGLAND] Reading, Fulham and Derby, which have a total of eight Americans in their rosters, occupy the three spots in the English Premier League’s relegation zone. The debut of striker Eddie Johnson on Saturday, when he replaced compatriot Clint Dempsey in the 76th minute, couldn’t prevent Fulham’s 1-0 loss to West Ham.

Own goal by Cherundolo; Bradley’s Heerenveen slides (VIDEO)

[AMERICANS IN EUROPE] Defender Steve Cherundolo‘s unlucky own goal contributed to Hannover 96’s 2-1 loss to relegation threatened VfL Bochum in Germany. In the Netherlands, Michael Bradley‘s team, Heerenveen fell 3-2 to Nijmegen and slipped to sixth place. In Belgium, Standard Liege with Oguchi Onyewu, slipped out of first place.

Soccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

“All I remember is that when I fell, I looked down at my foot and it had turned the other way. The rest is just a blank. My concentration is on making as quick a recovery as possible. I am determined to overcome this injury.”
— Arsenal’s Brazilian forward Eduardo, whose leg was shattered by a foul committed by Birmingham’s Martin Taylor. (BBC)

Preview: Carling Cup Final

The first major trophy of the English season is up for grabs this Sunday, as Chelsea takes on Tottenham Hotspur in the Carling Cup final at Wembley Stadium (Setanta Sports USA: 9:30 am EST). Chelsea is the competition’s holder, beating Arsenal in last year’s final, while Spurs has not won a major title since winning […]

Ronaldo Admits Future is Uncertain

AC Milan striker Ronaldo admitted that he does not know whether he will be able to play again after undergoing major knee surgery for the third time in his career. “I have the will to carry on playing, this is what my heart is telling me to do. But my body is giving me signs […]

FA Calls EPL Expansion Proposal ‘Unsustainable’

The English Premier League’s proposal to add to its schedule a 39th game that would be played in international arenas across the globe received its latest, and possibly last, blow on Thursday after the Football Association declared the scheme “unsustainable.” Following a five-hour meeting, the FA board told league CEO Richard Scudamore the matter needed […]

Red Bulls Send Kovalenko to RSL

The New York Red Bulls made some significant changes to their roster on Thursday, trading midfielder Dema Kovalenko to Real Salt Lake and waiving Liberian forward Francis Doe. The moves clear up around $250,000 in cap room for the Bulls, who are still looking to add a central defender, a left-winger and an attacking midfielder. […]

Soccer on TV., Story

Soccer on TV

Americans could meet in EPL play when Fulham (Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra, Eddie Johnson, Kasey Keller) faces West Ham (Jonathan Spector) on Saturday. Houston takes on Japan’s Gamba Osaka for the Pan-Pacific Championship while Los Angeles and David Beckham compete in the consolation game against Sydney FC.

UEFA Cup Draw

[ROUND OF 16] The top four teams in the current German Bundesliga standings advanced to the UEFA Cup final 16. England’s Bolton upset Atletico Madrid of Spain, whose only round of 16 representative is Getafe.

UEFA Cup Results

With American Tim Howard in goal, Everton thumped Norwegian club Brann, 6-1, to advance to the UEFA Cup round of 16. Freddy Adu stayed on the bench for Benfica, which was headed toward elimination against FC Nuremberg until Oscar Rene Cardozo’s 90th minute goal rescued the Portuguese club.

Gascoigne committed to psychiatric hospital

Former England star Paul Gascoigne was arrested and ordered into compulsory mental health custody after he refused to evacuate following a 3 a.m. fire alarm at the Gateshead Hilton Hotel. During his stay at the hotel, according to sources cited by the Telegraph, Gascoigne had wandered around with three battery-operated plastic parrots that said “Give us a kiss” to other guests; ordered plates of raw liver to his room; and answered his room door while naked.

U.S. keepers among EPL top savers

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahemann may have given up 53 goals in 26 games – only last-place Derby has conceded more (55) – but the American also leads the English Premier League in saves. Compatriot Brad Friedel is the EPL’s third busiest keeper.

Soccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

“Years ago, men thought nothing of spending the whole day playing golf — maybe Saturday and Sunday both. Today, he is driving his kids to their soccer games.”

— Richard Rocchio, the New York regional director of the National Golf Course Owners Association, offers one reason for golfing is in decline in the USA. (New York Times)

International Weekend TV Schedule

Tottenham faces Chelsea in the English League Cup final on Sunday. Also on Sunday, Barcelona hopes to continue shrinking the gap between it and leader Real Madrid when it faces Levante. In Germany, first-place Bayern Munich hosts third-place Hamburg SV. For televised weekend international action …

Sheva’s Milan bus ride significant?

Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko, who’s fallen to third choice behind Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba in the Stamford Bridge pecking order, was spotted on the AC Milan bus following the Rossoneri’s 0-0 draw against Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday. Shevchenko attended the game and then left on the Italian team’s bus, prompting further […]

Barca, Benzema Draw Praise

Barcelona played fantastic, free-flowing soccer in its 3-2 come-from-behind win at Celtic Park last night. The Hoops scored two goals from two chances, while the Blaugrana peppered the Celtic goal all night. It would have been a bigger scoreline but for some heroic goalkeeping from Artur Boruc. Celtic manager Gordon Strachan summed it up at […]

Pan-Pacific Poses Questions for Gullit, Answers for Kinnear

Ruud Gullit’s Los Angeles Galaxy was thoroughly outplayed by Gamba Osaka in Honolulu last night, losing by a 1-0 scoreline that flattered the MLS club. But things couldn’t have gone more differently for Dominic Kinnear’s Houston Dynamo, which strolled to a 3-0 win against Sydney FC. David Beckham went 90 minutes but forwards Landon Donovan […]

MLS set to welcome Philly next week

Several news outlets are reporting that Philadelphia next Thursday will be unveiled as the 16th Major League Soccer franchise in a live news conference from Chester, Pa., site of a proposed 18,500-seat stadium to be built beside the Delaware River. The Philadelphia Inquirer broke the news, citing sources close to both MLS Commissioner Don Garber […]

Feilhaber demands too much for MLS?

SI.com’s Jonah Freedman reports that the only thing standing between Benny Feilhaber and a move to MLS is … Benny Feilhaber. According to one of Freedman’s sources, Feilhaber (or Feilhaber’s agent, Henner Janzen) is demanding “designated-player like money” to return to the U.S., where he has never played professional soccer. The only way that would […]

‘Gringo’ Padilla plays for Chivas in Libertadores Cup

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Californian Jesus Padilla came on as a substitute for Mexican club Guadalajara in its 2-0 win over San Jose of Bolivia in Libertadores Cup action on Wednesday.

Barca Fantastico!