Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez displayed some theatrical humor when asked what he thought about the referee’s overall performance in Liverpool’s 2-1 loss against Tottenham on Sunday. He took off his spectacles and held them up for inspection. After Liverpool received a penalty for a foul by Tottenham goalkeeper, Heurelho Gomes, the referee ignored two other […]
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Chivas Ends Long Scoring Drought
Saturday’s game against the last-place New York Red Bulls came at a good time for Chivas USA. Before Saturday, Chivas hadn’t scored since June 14, in 335 minutes of play. Maykel Galindo‘s first half goal ended the dry spell for Chivas, which won, 2-0. “We found a way to get a goal after a long, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Crew Winning With Depth
The reigning MLS champion Columbus Crew is winning no matter which players it puts on the field. The team has played its last four games without last season’s MVP, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, due to a hamstring injury. The Argentina playmaker came on in the 90th minute against FC Dallas, but the 2-0 win was already […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Another Referee Blunder Gives Support to Goal-line Tech Argument
An embarrassing refereeing decision during a Championship League game in England has reignited support for the introduction of goal-line technology. Referee Rob Shoebridge robbed Crystal Palace of a clear goal against Bristol City when he awarded a goal kick after a shot from Freddie Sears bounced back into the field of play after hitting the […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Women’s Preseason Top 25 out tomorrow
PRESEASON RANKINGS … Here’s the schedule for the release of Soccer America’s Preseason Top 25 rankings and All-Americans in Soccer America Daily:
— Women’s Preseason Top 25: Tuesday;
— Women’s Preseason All-Americans: Wednesday;
— Men’s Preseason Top 25: Aug. 25
— Men’s Preseason All-Americans: Aug. 26.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“When you throw yourself into that kind of tackle, there’s a chance you’re going to get sent off. He’s been in enough rodeos [to know that].”
— Galaxy coach Bruce Arena on the David Beckham‘s red card in a 2-0 loss to Seattle. (Los Angeles Times)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Charlie Davies scores twice [VIDEO]
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Three days after scoring for the USA against Mexico at Azteca Stadium, Charlie Davies scored twice for Sochaux — his first two goals in France’s Ligue 1 — in a 3-2 loss to defending champion Bordeaux. In his second appearance, Davies came off the bench at halftime.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
International Results
Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal hasn’t exactly gotten off to a great start at Bayern Munich. Bayern’s 1-1 tie with visiting Werder Bremen was its second tie in two games … Rangers and Celtic both won on opening day in Scotland … For all the weekend action abroad …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Results
Seattle moved back into second place in the Western Conference with its 2-0 win at Los Angeles. Meanwhile, D.C. United dropped to ninth place in the overall standings, behind Toronto FC and Chivas USA when Toronto beat D.C., 2-0, and Chivas won by the same score at New York. For all the weekend summaries, standings and leading scorers …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
EPL in 2009-10: ‘Far More Than Fergie vs. Rafa’
With ESPN picking up the UK rights to broadcast the English Premiership for the 2009-10 season, perhaps it's only fair that we let ESPN Soccernet senior editor John Brewin and fellow "experts" to express their opinions and post their predictions about all things EPL as the eagerly-awaited campaign kicks off tomorrow. With the new season […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Frei Earning Elders’ Respect in Toronto
Count 23-year-old Toronto goalkeeper Stefen Frei as one of the few athletes these days who is happy to have stayed in school. "I know it's very important to be confident in goal and I decided I wanted to stay one more year (in school) and get that confidence," said Frei, who opted out of the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Soccer Hall of Fame to Close?
File under: say it ain't so. According to the Oneonta Daily Star, "losing the National Soccer Hall of Fame's Oneonta facility is a possibility as the organization confronts continuing financial problems." Although there isn't a timeline on any decision by the Hall's Board of Directors, president and CEO Jonathan Ullman acknowledged, "how we operate here […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Vagenas, Schmid Ready For Galaxy Reunion
No, the story about Saturday's match between the Galaxy and Sounders FC isn't all about David Beckham or Freddie Ljungberg or Landon Donovan's bout with swine flu. Part of what will be interesting to watch is the return to the Home Depot Center for veteran Seattle midfielder Pete Vagenas, a Galaxy veteran of nine years, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Art of Subsitution
"Throwing on a substitute in a soccer game can be like throwing dice: You win some, you lose some," writes the New York Times' Rob Hughes, but "the gambles Wednesday in World Cup qualifiers and friendly games alike provided some career-changing benefits" as well as dramatic victories, with Mexican coach Javier Aguirre being "the biggest […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of U.S. Summer
While the Summer of Soccer was a huge victory for the sport in America, unfortunately for the U.S. men’s national team and all its highs in South Africa, it ends with a pretty low low and “the bitter taste of yet another loss to Mexico at Estadio Azteca.” SI.com’s Jonah Freeman looks at what has […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Mexico Grabs Momentum Back in Border Rivalry
As much as domestic soccer fans might not want to admit it, what is clear coming out of Wednesday's wince-worthy letdown, coupled with the 5-0 Gold Cup catastrophe, is that whatever psychological edge the USA once had over its border rivals during these last several years is all but gone. "Beating the Americans in consecutive […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Rooting for Two-Boys …
MEN’S NEWS … The annual Hermann Trophy Watch List came out, and Creighton’s Byron Dacy achieved a first by earning a fourth listing. He’s a fifth-year senior, having red-shirted in 2007 with an ACL tear.
* The player we’re pulling for: UAB senior Two-Boys Gumede. Full name: Two-Boys Gladstone Gumede. South African-born. Came to the United States on an exchange program and played for Javanon in Louisville. Also missed the 2007 season … he returned home to see his ill mother and grandmother for the first time in six years and South African authorities, he says, then wouldn’t allow him to leave.
* Look for men’s conference polls next week.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Biggest English Premier League deals
[TRANSFER WATCH] It’s been a relatively quiet summer on the English Premier League transfer market. The spender has been Manchester City, which has been involved in five of the 10 biggest deals involving EPL buyers. City has spent $155 million on summer signings and the transfer market is not yet closed.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Arsenal player offers shirt refunds
[OFF THE POST] Arsenal’s Danish forward Nicklas Bendtner changed his number from 26 to his lucky number 52 – and is offering to reimburse fans who bought replica jerseys with his old number.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Club-by-club summer moves
[ENGLAND] Though they are not expected to see regular first-team action any time soon, a pair of U.S. collegians Anton Peterlin (Cal Poly) and Cody Arnoux (Wake Forest) signed this summer with Everton. For all the summer moves in the English Premier League …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“Judging by how I felt during other flus and colds [in the past], this doesn’t seem as bad, so maybe I got a mild strain of it. The [doctors] don’t know a ton, so I’m just trying to keep myself away from people and just go by how I feel each day.”
— U.S. midfielder Landon Donovan, who said he found out on Thursday, the day after he played 90 minutes in the USA’s 2-1 loss to Mexico, that he has been diagnosed with Swine Flu (H1N1 virus). He was tested on Sunday at the U.S. training camp in Miami because he “felt real bad.” Donovan assisted on the USA’s goal but lost the ball before Mexico’s first goal and was beaten by Efrain Juarez when he assisted on the gamewinner. (SI.com)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beckham’s World Cup quest
[ENGLAND] The Los Angeles Galaxy’s David Beckham started for England in its 2-2 friendly home tie with the Netherlands on Wednesday. He was subbed at halftime, when the Dutch had a two-goal lead. The Mirror said Beckham’s performance proved he deserved a spot in the 2010 World Cup squad, but other reviews weren’t quite as flattering.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
The English Premier League season kicks off this weekend. In USL action, Miami hosts Minnesota on Friday. WPS playoffs start on Saturday when Sky Blue takes on Washington. MLS and Mexican matches will be played throughout the weekend.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Hey England, ‘Put a Sock In It’
Leave it to the British press to give a post-match report the headline "Time for England to just put a sock in it and play …", but so read the Daily Mail as Martin Samuel took England to task for a less than overwhelming effort in a 2-2 comeback against the Netherlands and called for […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Romario Return to Fulfill Father’s Final Desire
After he'd "hung up his boots over a year ago, after a long and distinguished career spanning 23 years and over 1,000 goals by his personal count," 43-year-old Brazilian legend Romario "has confirmed he is coming out of retirement to fulfill his late father's wishes and play for Rio de Janeiro club America," according to […]