Nery Castillo was absolutely everywhere on Wednesday night as Mexico upstaged Brazil 2-0 in Venezuela, catapulting El Tri to first place in Group B and within touching distance of the Copa America second round. Castillo scored perhaps the best goal of the tournament so far receiving a great chipped pass from Juan Carlos Chaco, which […]
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Liverpool-Torres Deal Comes into Focus
A Liverpool-Fernando Torres deal may be closer than you think: The Times reports that Coach Rafael Benitez has stepped up his pursuit of the Atletico Madrid striker and is considering throwing Luis Garcia in as a makeweight to patch up the difference between the clubs’ valuation. No official bid has been lodged, but one is […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Robben Set to Go as Chelsea Bids for Malouda
Chelsea, quiet by its standards in the transfer market so far, on Wednesday lodged a $24 million bid for Lyon winger Florent Malouda, according to reports in France, casting the future of the injury- plagued Arjen Robben into doubt. Malouda is a former teammate of Chelsea talisman Didier Drogba, who said he would “walk to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Keller the Big Veteran in Venezuela
As headlines like “Be Very Afraid” (SI.com) float around the Internet describing Argentina’s expected trouncing of the United States’ inexperienced American Copa America squad, one man will be carrying nearly all the weight of experience on his big shoulders tonight: goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who talks with the L.A. Times’ Grahame L. Jones. “If anyone can […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Capello Kicked Out at Real Madrid
Shades of 2003: less than two weeks after driving Real Madrid to its first major trophy in four years, head coach Fabio Capello was unanimously cast aside by the Spanish champion’s management. Four years earlier, former coach Vicente Del Bosque met the same fate after his team of galacticos lifted the La Liga title. “We’ve […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
The Coed Question
Prior to puberty, there is no gender-based physiological reason to separate males and females in sports competition. However, sex-separate programs may be appropriate because of non-gender differences in skill or experience.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
FIFA’s high-altitude tweak doesn’t help Bolivia
FIFA eased up on its ban on high-altitude games, raising the limit to 3,000 meters from 2,500 while applying the ban only to World Cup qualifiers. But Bolivia, whose president Evo Morales [photos] led the campaign against the ban, won’t be able to play in its capital, La Paz (3,600 meters above sea level). Brazil suffered its first ever World Cup qualifying loss in La Paz 14 years ago. Further defeats in the Andean highlands by Argentina and Brazil, which have seats on FIFA’s executive committee, prompted the ban.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Michigan Hawks-Wolves pounce at Region II youth finals
[REGION II YOUTH CHAMPIONS] Teams from the Michigan Hawks-Wolves club won four titles on Wednesday on the final day of the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. Two boys (Wolves) and two girls (Hawks) teams won championship matches. In the U-15 boys final, Sonny Saad scored four goals to lead the Wolves past the archrival Vardarstars. Another team from Michigan, the Bloomfield Force, will send its U-18 girls team to US Youth Soccer National Championships to be played July 24-29 in Frisco, Texas. Carmel United of Indiana won two girls titles. The NFC Bluejays defeated Ohio’s Internationals, 3-0, in the U-18 boys final to become only the second team from Nebraska to advance to the national championships.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
2007 Copa America TV Schedule
The USA opens play at the 2007 Copa America on Thursday at 8:30 pm ET against Argentina. The game will be broadcast live in Spanish on Univision and English on GolTV. For the complete Copa America TV schedule …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I’m a little small, but I’m fast, I like to get a touch of the ball, I like my left foot and I like to make things exciting. I’ll make runs and hopefully my style of soccer will suit the fans, and I can repay them for all the good things they’ve been saying about me so far.”
— DaMarcus Beasley, the 5-foot-8, 145-pound U.S. midfielder, upon signing with Scottish power Glasgow Rangers. (Ticker)
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Red Bulls to Revamp Defense?
The New York Red Bulls, porous at the back over the last few weeks, have taken the first of what The North Jersey Herald’s Ives Galarcep says could be a series of moves to shake up its “faltering defense” by trading left-back Todd Dunivant to Toronto FC in exchange for Kevin Goldthwaite. You’d think the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beasley Confirmed at Rangers
As expected, American winger DaMarcus Beasley has completed the switch from PSV Eindhoven to Glasgow Rangers, signing a three-year deal with the Scottish Premier League giant. Beasley was in Glasgow on Wednesday to put the finishing touches on the deal, which is now only subject to him receiving a work permit. The club said the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Protests in Madrid as Liverpool Eyes Torres
Atletico Madrid is staring at the prospect of a full-fledged fan revolt after reports in Spain revealed that star striker Fernando Torres is in advanced talks with English giant Liverpool. Angry fans gathered in a Madrid plaza to protest the sale of the 23-year-old, who was brought up in the ranks at Atletico and has […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Becks and Co. to Sell out RFK
Tickets for D.C. United’s Aug. 9 match against David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy are on pace to sell out, according to the Washington Times. United officials on Tuesday said that approximately 30,000 tickets had been sold to season-ticket holders, groups and fans who purchased muti-game packages for the game, leaving 12,500 upper-deck seats for […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Copa America a Big Test for Mapp
The American soccer press is largely disappointed at the squad Coach Bob Bradley has chosen to send to the 2007 Copa America; few expect the inexperienced side to make it past the group stage, and more than one reporter/columnist/blogger has already started cringing ahead of Thursday’s debut against a full-strength Argentina. Luis Arroyave of the […]
Posted inSoccer Business Insider, Story
A Naysayer View of Pro Soccer
Beckham is coming to America to lend his enormous global brand power to pro soccer, to underscore that the game has arrived here, and to help the former colonists grasp the gravity of the sport. Although I am a lifelong player and coach, and passionate about soccer, I believe “Beck’s” arrival will have even less impact on the pro game than did Pele’s in his era.
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Chicago hones in on new coach
The list of candidates to take over the head coaching position in Chicago – interim coach Denis Hamlett, former U.S. international Frank Klopas, ex-MetroStar assistant coach Juan Carlos Osorio, and Revs’ assistant Paul Mariner – does have a favorite. President and GM John Guppy, a native of England, has stated the coach will speak Spanish.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Two Americans on Gold Cup All-Tournament Team
Before the most important game of the Gold Cup – that would be the final – the CONCACAF Technical Study Group named its 2007 Gold Cup All-Tournament Team, which includes two members of the championship U.S. team. They are defender Frankie Hejduk, who missed the final with a yellow-card suspension, and Pablo Mastroeni, who was subbed at halftime in the final. Americans Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley were selected as “Honorable Mentions” by the Technical Study Group.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Gold Cup attendance average up by 11,000
The attendance average for the 2007 Gold Cup’s 13 game days was 37,598, an increase of more than 11,000 from the previous championship tournament of North and Central America and the Caribbean. The 2007 attendance average was the highest since 1993, when the USA co-hosted the tournament with Mexico. The 2005 was also co-hosted; the USA was lone host for the other seven Gold Cups. For Gold Cup attendance history:
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Rochester survives upset bid by Western Mass in U.S. Open Cup
[U.S. OPEN CUP RESULTS] The Rochester Rhinos needed an overtime goal from Aaran Lines to beat the West Mass Pioneers of the USL Second Division, 2-1, and avoid an upset in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Richmond Strikers, the 1995 Open Cup champions, and Harrisburg City Islanders are the lowest-ranked teams left in the final 16 of the competition. Both represent the USL-2. The USL-1 expansion California Victory got an overtime goal from Ricardo Sanchez to win, 1-0, at the Minnesota Thunder. Sanchez was ejected in the celebration that followed the goal for one of four red cards handed out in the game. For complete results and goalscorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS star Moreno scores for Bolivia in Copa America opener
Longtime MLS star Jaime Moreno celebrated his return to the Copa America after an eight-year absence by scoring by help Bolivia tie host Venezuela, 2-2, Tuesday on the opening day of the 12-team South American championship. In the other Group A opener, Peru shocked Uruguay, 3-0, on goals by Miguel Villalta, Juan Marino and Paolo Guerrero.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Former Germany coach Derwall dies at the age of 80
[OBITUARY] Jupp Derwall, who coached Germany to the 1980 European Championship title and 1982 World Cup final, died Tuesday at the age of 80 after a short illness. When Derwall was named West German national team coach in 1978, he was only its third full-time head coach, following the legendary Sepp Herberger, who led West Germany to the 1954 World Cup title, and Helmut Schoen, who led West Germany to the 1974 World Cup title and whom Derwall replaced.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
2007 Copa America TV Schedule
The 2007 Copa America continues Wednesday with two games, including the showdown between defending champion Brazil and 2007 Gold Cup runner-up Mexico, which will be shown in prime time on Univision, reflecting the huge interest in the tournament in Latino communities across the country. For the complete Copa America TV schedule …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Zimmerman replaces injured Smith on U-20s
Forward Preston Zimmerman has replaced Johann Smith on the U.S. U-20 national team roster for the Under-20 World Cup that starts Saturday in Canada. Smith suffered a third-degree strain of his right ankle in the U-20s’ 4-0 scrimmage win against New Zealand on Monday in Somerset, N.J. In January, Smith was a part of the U.S. team that qualified for the Under-20 World Cup, scoring a goal and an assist in one appearance in Panama. The 20-year-old forward plays professionally in England for Bolton Wanderers, for which he made his Premier League debut in 2006.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Only four defending champions left in Region II youth championships
[REGION II SEMIFINAL RESULTS] Only four defending champions advanced to Wednesday’s finals at the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships, and they are all on the boys’ side: U-15 Michigan Wolves, U-16 and U-18 Chicago Magic and U-17 FC Milwaukee. Eclipse Select of Illinois sent four teams to last year’s US Youth Soccer National Championships and looked to do the same this year, all four teams advancing to the semifinals lost. Michigan’s Bloomfield Force picked up the biggest win with a 4-0 victory over FC Milwaukee on a pair of goals each by Laura Heyboer and Amanda Bowery. For complete Region II semifinal results …