[EPL AMERICANS] Four days after giving up six goals in Reading’s 6-4 loss to Tottenham, Marcus Hahnemann committed a terrible blunder early in the Royals’ game against Portsmouth. In the 9th minute, with Reading already a man down, the 35-year-old American let Sulley Muntari’s free kick slip through his gloves and watched Sol Campbell put the ball away for the first goal in a 2-0 Pompey victory. It’s been a long season for Hahnemann.
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Brad Friedel the PK King; Howard shines for Everton
[EPL AMERICANS] Brad Friedel, who in 2002 became the first goalkeeper to save two penalty kicks at a World Cup, saved a penalty kick for Blackburn on New Year’s Day in a 1-0 win over Sunderland to mark his second spot-kick save in two straight English Premier League games. On Dec. 30, Friedel stopped Steve Howard’s effort in a 2-1 win over Derby. Sixth-place Everton, with Tim Howard in goal, downed Middlesbrough, 2-0.
Friedel’s penalty-kick saving feats date back to his freshman year in college, when he helped UCLA win the NCAA Division I title by making saves in semifinal and final PK shootouts.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“To have to go to the United States, to have to make a big spectacle of playing in InterLiga to select two [teams], I don’t like it.”
— UNAM Pumas coach Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti complains about the USA-based eight-team InterLiga tournament for Mexican clubs that serves as part of Mexico’s Libertadores Cup qualification. Pumas opened Wednesday with a 1-0 win over Monterrey in Frisco, Texas. On Thursday, Toluca faces Atlas and Morelia clashes with Club America in Houston in games aired on Fox Sports en Espanol beginning at 8 pm ET. (Los Angeles Times)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Soccer Job Openings
[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] Soccer America provides the latest on employment opportunities for soccer-related positions.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
The English FA Cup round of 64 includes four matchups involving English Premier League teams, notably Aston Villa against Manchester United on Saturday. Spain’s La Liga is back after its New Year’s break and Gol TV provides Barcelona on Saturday and Real Madrid on Sunday. The InterLiga, the USA-based Libertadores Cup qualifying tournament for Mexican clubs, enters its second game-day this weekend.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Disney’s Soccer Showcase Boys Showcase Results
CASL Elite won a pair of Showcase championships in the boys division at the Disney’s Soccer Showcase in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The North Carolina club beat English club Chelsea’s academy team in the U-16 final. (Chelsea is the tournament’s presenting sponsor.) The surprise of the Showcase divisions was Vermont’s Synergy FC’s semifinal placement in the U-15 division. For the boys U-15 to U-18 Showcase results …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Accent on attack
[U.S. WOMEN’S ROSTER] Lauren Cheney, the 2007 Soccer America Women’s College Player of the Year, is among seven collegians whom new U.S. women’s national team coach Pia Sundhage called up for a six-day training camp Jan. 3-8 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Berbatov might leave Tottenham in January
[TRANSFER TALK] Two days after Dimitar Berbatov scored four goals for Tottenham in its 6-4 win over Reading in the English Premier League, his agent said the Bulgarian would be prepared to leave Spurs in January’s transfer window if a suitable club made an offer.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Scotland mourns Phil O’Donnell
[OBITUARY] Scottish soccer was in mourning following the death of Motherwell captain Phil O’Donnell, who died after collapsing during Saturday’s Scottish Premier League game with Dundee United.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
La Paz FC signs American Zenoni for Libertadores Cup debut
[AMERICANS ABROAD] La Paz FC, the surprise of the 2007 Bolivian season, has signed 23-year-old American Kyle Zenoni for its first Libertadores Cup campaign that will begin with a first-round two-game series against the runner-up of Mexico’s Interliga that begins Wednesday in the United States.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“In hindsight, I probably made the wrong decision.”
— Texan Tom Hicks, owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team and Dallas Stars ice hockey team and co-owner of Liverpool, on his decision to not purchase Major League Soccer’s FC Dallas. (AP)
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
The English Premier League and Dutch Eredivisie are in action this weekend.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
UEFA Champions League Draw
The draw for the first knockout phase of the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League produced several tantalizing matches: defending champion AC Milan against English leader Arsenal and last year’s runner-up Liverpool against Inter Milan, which is on course toward a third straight Italian league title. For the entire draw and schedule …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
DATEBOOK: English Premier League Holiday Season
The English Premier League returns to action on Wednesday with its traditional Boxing Day program and continues with games over the weekend and on New Year’s Day. Here’s the schedule for the big three …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Tim Howard falls in first game against Man. United
A valiant effort by Tim Howard, playing his first game against Manchester United since being transferred to Everton, was spoiled Sunday by a needless foul by South African Steven Pienaar that led to a penalty kick and a 2-1 Manchester United victory.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Dempsey’s late goal saves Fulham against Wigan
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Clint Dempsey scored his first goal in seven weeks to give Fulham a 1-1 tie with Wigan Saturday in the English Premier League club’s first game since Manager Lawrie Sanchez was fired.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Inter completes sweep of AC Milan
Most years, the Inter Milan-AC Milan derby has Scudetto implications, but Sunday’s derby was for bragging rights only. With its 2-1 victory, Inter opened up a 25-lad on AC Milan heading into the holiday break.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Real Madrid stuns Barcelona
Real Madrid stunned Barcelona with a 1-0 win at the Nou Camp Stadium on Sunday to open up a seven-point lead in La Liga. Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster played down the big lead, while Barca coach Frank Rijkaard defended the play of embattled star Ronaldinho.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“We didn’t play so direct. It was like a weight lifted off our shoulders. We were able to express ourselves a bit more and the guys enjoyed that. We weren’t able to get the win, but we were the better side.”
— Clint Dempsey, who scored for Fulham in its 1-1 tie with Wigan Saturday, its first English Premier League game since Manager Lawrie Sanchez was fired. Assistant coach Ray Lewington took charge while the Cottagers search for a new manager. (London Times)
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Gullit to Capello: Keep Becks, Ditch Shearer
The London Telegraph interviews L.A. Galaxy coach Ruud Gullit about his views regarding the recent appointment of Fabio Capello as England head coach. Gullit actually played for Capello in the great AC Milan side of the early 1990s. The Dutchman offered this advice for the Italian coach: pick David Beckham, not Alan Shearer. In his […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Zimmerman Stays at Hamburg; Chivas Adds Harris
Bundesliga club Hamburg signed Preston Zimmerman to a full professional contract that would keep the young American at the German club until 2009. Zimmerman’s agent told Yanks Abroad that the 19-year-old, who currently plays for Hamburg II, could be given the opportunity for first-team action early next year, as Hamburg loses several first-team players to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Castillo Lands at Man. City
Mexico’s Nery Castillo set the international stage alight this summer with a series of fantastic performances at both the Gold Cup and Copa America, but the 23-year-old’s club career has been spent in “relative obscurity” at clubs like Olympiakos in Greece and now, Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. Having only just signed with the Ukrainian giant […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Fulham Sacks Sanchez
Fulham, English Premier league employer of Americans Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey and Kasey Keller, on Friday fired Manager Lawrie Sanchez, placing assistants Ray Wellington and Billy McKinlay in charge of the club until a new manager is appointed. Sanchez lasted just eight months on the job after replacing Chris Coleman in April. Fulham […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Liverpool, Arsenal Handed Tough CL Draws
Three matches stood out in particular following the UEFA Champions League draw in Nyon on Friday. Liverpool drew two-time Italian champion Inter Milan, Spanish champ Real Madrid was paired with Italian giant Roma, and EPL leader Arsenal will square off against World and European club champion AC Milan. The other second round matches are as […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Happy Holidays!
College Soccer Reporter will return in January.