“That’s clearly not true. I’ve got a lot of Mexican friends.”
— Landon Donovan reacts to Mexico forward Aldolfo Bautista‘s statement that “Landon Donovan hates Mexicans very much.”
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA’s Michael Bradley brings Dutch roll to Mexico battle
Mike Woitalla reports from Houston
Both coaches agree that controlling midfield play is likely to decide Wednesday’s USA-Mexico game (TV: ESPN2 and Univision, live, 9 pm ET). For 20-year-old Michael Bradley, currently the USA’s hottest commodity thanks to a scoring streak in the Netherlands, it means testing himself against veteran Mexican midfielders Pavel Pardo and Gerardo Torrado.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA-MEXICO: Viewing Parties
USA-Mexico is one of the biggest games of the year for American soccer fans. They will be outnumbered at Reliant Stadium, but they will be out in force at bars and pubs across the country. For information on viewing parties near you …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA-MEXICO: Television
U.S. fans can get in the mood for Wednesday night’s USA-Mexico with a replay of last year’s 2-0 U.S. win Glendale, Ariz. For all the coverage of the Border Showdown …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA-MEXICO: Teams
The USA called in 12 European-based players for Wednesday’s match against Mexico in Houston. The Tri was left with six foreign-based players after midfielder Andres Guardado was injured playing for Spanish club Deportivo Coruna last weekend. U.S. coach Bob Bradley called up two teenagers, Freddy Adu and Jozy Altidore, while Mexico’s Hugo Sanchez has three teens — Cesar Villaluz, Giovani Dos Santos and Carlos Vela — in his squad. For the complete rosters …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Soccer Development Academy Results
[DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY] The Colorado Rapids’ youth teams made their U.S. Soccer Development Academy debut with a win and tie against teams from Southern California power Pateadores on the road. The Rapids tied, 2-2, in U-15/16 play and won, 2-1, in U-17/18 action. Real Colorado began its Development Academy with four wins in four games at the Pateadores and Irvine Strikers. South Charlotte improved to 5-0-3 with a 3-2 win over Empire United on Sunday. For all the Development Academy results …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
International Friendlies TV Schedule
Fabio Capello‘s reign as England national team coach begins with a friendly against Switzerland at Wembley. Televised Euro ’08 tuneups include Italy-Portugal, Croatia-Netherlands, Turkey-Sweden and Czech Republic-Poland. Ireland hosts Brazil in another friendly of note. For all the televised friendlies …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Soccer Job Openings
[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] Soccer America provides the latest on employment opportunities for soccer-related positions. This week’s listings include openings at several high-profile college program.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Kaka’s Legacy Under Threat
Kaka, AC Milan’s brilliant Brazilian playmaker, was universally recognized as the best player in world soccer in 2007, winning FIFA’s World Player of the Year, France Football’s Ballon d’Or and “Player of the Year” honors from FIFPro (the international organization of professional soccer players), UEFA (the European soccer federation) and Italy’s Serie A. Paul Gardner, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Crew Miss Out on Poland Striker
As the dust settled last Friday, the day after the European transfer window closed, The Columbus Dispatch was all but certain the Crew would be naming Polish striker Maciej Zurawski as its new designated player. But then, “without warning,” the paper says the man they call “Magic” did an about-face and accepted a deal with […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
New Management, New Day at RSL
In an interview with Goal.com’s Kyle McCarthy, Garth Lagerway, the new general manager at Real Salt Lake, argues that his team is ready to make the jump from MLS playoff spoiler to perennial contender. A former goalkeeper with Kansas City, Miami and Dallas, Lagerwey, a lawyer, succeeded Steve Pastorino as RSL GM last year. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Galaxy Thankful for a Fresh Start
Ruud Gullit’s Los Angeles Galaxy opened preseason training on Monday, and the Associated Press was on hand to interview — who else — star midfielder David Beckham. Asked what he wanted most this season, Becks responded, “To win something … We can’t afford to be in the position we were in, where we ended up […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Inter Marches Toward Title as Roma Collapses
Serie A title pretender Roma failed to take maximum points from Tuscan opposition for the fourth time this season, losing 3-0 away to Siena. On the other three occasions, the Giallorossi had managed to come away with a point. Unfortunately, says the Guardian’s Richard Aikman, nine dropped points against the likes of Empoli, Fiorentina, Livorno […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“This year it’s a lot more calm, a lot more relaxed. [Last year] was frustrating. But it’s a new season, a new start, a new manager, some new players in as well. It’s exciting. We’ve got to prove that we can play and we can win things. It’s a fresh start for us.”
— David Beckham on Monday’s opening of preseason training with the Los Angeles Galaxy. The first day was certainly more relaxed — there was no media mob — though the Galaxy has preseason trips planned to Hawaii, South Korea and China. (Long Beach Press-Telegram)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA-Mexico: Tri is flawed favorite
Mike Woitalla reports from Houston
In the FIFA World Ranking, Mexico is 15th and the USA trails at No. 20. El Tri’s corps of European-based players includes two Barcelona players and two who won titles last season in the Netherlands and Germany. The majority of the crowd in Houston on Wednesday will be Mexico supporters. So why will it be foolish to bet on Mexico when it faces the USA (TV; ESPN2 and Univision, live, 9 pm ET)?
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
How January transfers affected ‘Yank’ clubs
Ridge Mahoney examines all the moves
[ENGLAND WATCH] While the transfer sagas of Eddie Johnson (to Fulham) and Brad Guzan (not to Aston Villa) occupied the attention of U.S. fans, numerous other moves were made by the English Premier League clubs for which American players toil. Here’s a brief look at how EPL teams with current U.S. players used the January transfer window.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
NBA star Steve Nash buys into women’s league
[WPS] Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash and former Yahoo! President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Mallett will become investors and part owners of Women’s Professional Soccer, the women’s league scheduled to begin play in 2009.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Egypt and Cameroon complete semifinal field
[AFRICAN NATIONS CUP] Defending champion Egypt beat Angola, 2-1, in the quarterfinals of the African Nations Cup to set up a rematch of the 2006 final with Ivory Coast in Thursday’s semifinal. Host Ghana will meet Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions, who knocked out Tunisia, 3-2, in overtime.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Offseason Player Moves
Chivas USA signed Swiss midfielder Raphael Wicky, a 2006 World Cup veteran with over decade’s professional experience in Germany, Spain and Switzerland. The 30-year-old Wicky has more than 70 international appearances for the Swiss national team. For all the team-by-team offseason player moves …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Mascherano Close to Permanent Liverpool Deal
Javier Mascherano expects to be made a permanent Liverpool player by the end of the week, the Argentine told reporters on Monday. The 23-year-old has been playing at Anfield for over a year on a long-term loan from rights holder, Media Sport Investment. Because he’s owned by an agency and not a club, the deal […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Barca Eyes La Liga Comeback
Barcelona left it very late on Sunday, beating Osasuna 1-0 with an 88th-minute strike from midfielder Xavi. The win helped the Catalans gain three crucial points on league leader Real Madrid, which lost, 2-0, to Almeria on Saturday. Real is now six points ahead of Barca at the top of the La Liga standings. The […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ferguson Uncovers Manucho
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is once again looking like a genius for signing one of the world’s best young talents. Manucho, the 24-year-old Angola striker Manucho terrorized defenses at the African Nations Cup, scoring four goals in four games in an impressive quarterfinal finish for outsider Angola, who on Monday lost, 2-1, to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Transfers Underscore MLS Evolution
MLS is no longer on the outside looking in at the European transfer window, says Yahoo Sports’ Martin Rogers. In fact, no longer will MLS clubs be allowed to look at it from that vantage point, he says. Indeed, MLS-related news has died down now that the transfer window has been closed shut, as barely […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Pressure’s on Mexico’s Sanchez
Will it be three strikes and out for Mexico coach Hugo Sanchez? The Tricolores have already played the United States in the United States twice during Sanchez’s short tenure, yet for all his talk about how Mexico is the better team with the better players, the USA bested Sanchez’s Mexico in both meetings last year. […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
The slew of midweek national team friendlies includes the USA’s clash with Mexico, Ireland-Brazil and England-Switzerland.