Author Archives: Soccer America

After going into the 2006 World Cup as a consensus favorite and falling in the quarterfinals, Brazil chose former hard man midfielder Dunga to put the Samba boys back on track. Dunga brought several new faces to the squad to play two friendlies in London and started two almost entirely different lineups in wins on […]

Police in Trenton, Ohio, arrested two women for allegedly smoking marijuana while at their children's soccer practice. The two soccer moms were accused of sharing a joint in a minivan in the parking lot, according to WLWT-TV in Cincinnati. The police, responding to complaints, smelled the marijuana and discovered a joint in one of the […]

Gunmen kidnapped Iraqi soccer star Ghanim Khudheyir just days before he was due to sign a transfer to a Syrian club to escape the raging violence in his homeland. The 22-year-old Khudheyir, a striker who helped Al Quwa Al Jawiya, the Iraqi Air Force club, win the first post-war championship in 2005, was taken from […]

After the Colorado Rapids beat Real Salt Lake, 1-0, in an ill-tempered game, Colorado's Pablo Mastroeni taunted the Salt Lake crowd and made obscene gestures on what was a Youth Soccer Night that drew more than 17,000 fans to Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mastroeni's behavior also prompted a confrontation with Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts that […]

France's emphatic 3-1 victory over Italy Wednesday night in Euro 2008 qualifying doesn't make up for its loss to Italy on penalty kicks in the 2006 World Cup. Nor does it mean the Bleus have clear sailing to the Euro 2008 final, which will take place in Austria and Switzerland. ''There are still 10 matches […]

Of the 10 women's conferences that sent two or more teams to the 2005 NCAA Division I Tournament and have played two full weeks, the ACC has the best record in non-conference play. Only the Big Ten has a sub-.500 record in non-conference action in games through Sept. 3. Of the 10 conferences, the Big […]

NCAA Division II men's regional power Tusculum canceled its season after several members of the team were accused of taking an undisclosed amount of money and food from concessions they operated as a program fundraiser at the recent NASCAR races at Bristol Motor Speedway. The money was returned and no charges were filed by law […]

For the second time in eight days, No. 3 Virginia beat a West Coast power. The Cavs (4-0-0) downed No. 10 UCLA, 1-0, Monday night on German star Yannick Reyering's goal from 10 yards off Nico Colaluca's corner kick in the 88th minute. It was the Cavaliers' fourth straight shutout, while the Bruins fell to […]

By Mike WoitallaExecutive Editor, Soccer America Argentina is second only to Brazil in supplying talent to leagues around the world, and now Argentine players are making their mark in MLS. Facundo Erpen (D.C. United)A GOOD FIT Elvira Erpen can be proud of her son. Facundo Erpen has been in the USA for a year and […]