The Minnesota Thunder Academy executive board removed Mark Abboud as the club’s technical director after he ordered the players on his under-12 Thunder East team to miss their penalty kicks on purpose so their opponents, the favored U-13 Thunder, could win, which happened.
Author Archives: Soccer America
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Clubs dominate at state championships
Beadling (Pennsylvania West), Brentwood Premier (Tennessee), Empire United (New York West), Minnesota Thunder Academy (Minnesota) and Seacoast (New Hampshire) were among the big winners at recent U.S. Youth Soccer state championships. For the results of the under-14 to under-19 boys and girls groups in Connecticut, Delaware, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York West, Ohio North, Pennsylvania West, Tennessee and Wisconsin …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Region IV finals set to begin
Five girls and three boys teams will seek to defend their titles at the US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships that begin Monday at the Lancaster National Soccer Center in Lancaster, Calif.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Powers wins Gatorade national award
Dillon Powers, whose Andromeda team won the 2008 US Youth Soccer Under-17 national championship and led Plano Senior High School to the 2009 Texas Class 5A state championship, is the 2008-09 Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Derby County Wolves rank No. 1
The Derby County Wolves — the Michigan Wolves’ academy program sponsored by English club Derby County — is ranked No. 1 in both the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s Under-17/18 and Under-15/16 age groups. For the Top 10 rankings, based on points per game …
Posted inYouth Soccer Reporter, Youth What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I’d come back here again, I don’t want to be anywhere else. I still want to make this facility work and if the economy hadn’t gone the way it did, we’d still be working right now.”
— American goalie Brad Friedel, whose Ohio-based Premier Soccer Academies, the first full-scholarship youth soccer academy in the United States, were forced to scale back operations because of the downturn in the economy. (Morning Journal)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Ocean City pulls upset
[U.S. OPEN CUP] The Ocean City Barons became the first PDL team to beat a higher ranked team in the U.S. Open Cup when they beat Crystal Palace Baltimore of the USL Second Division, 3-0. In Wednesday’s other makeup game, USL2’s Real Maryland edged the Aegean Hawks, 1-0, in a game cut short by lightning.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“It was something I’ve been waiting for a long time. Something that I always dreamed about, playing with the national team and scoring with them. A great feeling.”
— Giuseppe Rossi, who was born in New Jersey and lived there until age 13 when he moved to Italy to join Parma’s youth system in 2000, on scoring his first goal for the Italian national team on Saturday in a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland. Rossi is at the Confederations Cup with Italy, which plays the USA on Monday. (New York Times)
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Qatar Out; Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and North Korea In Hunt
Qatar needed to win its final game to stay alive, but could only muster a 1-1 draw away at already-qualified Japan. Bahrain, which lost to Australia, needs only one point from its final home game against Uzbekistan to clinch third place in Group A, which would secure a playoff against the third-place Group B team. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Australia Maintains Perfect Qualifying Record
Australia maintained its unbeaten record in the final round of Asian World Cup qualifiers with a 2-0 win over Bahrain at the Olympic stadium on Wednesday. Despite making seven changes to the starting lineup, Australia maintained its impressive record of not conceding a goal in any of seven games so far in the last stage […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Most Annoying Things Coaches Say
Goal.com produced a list of the top 10 most annoying things coaches say. Our favorites: No. 9: “At the end of the day.” Every day ends, we know this. There is no need to tag this onto the start of a sentence. No. 6: “We showed character.” Translation: We played absolutely rubbish, the opposition hit […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Analysts: Real Madrid Spending Not So Savvy
"Real Madrid's transfer market spending spree will inflate prices and wages and sets a poor example in a sport struggling with debt mountains and dwindling revenue in the deepest global recession for six decades," writes Iain Rodgers of Reuters. This week Real president Florentino Perez kicked of a wanton raid for the world's best players […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Toronto FC Defends Pricey Real Madrid Visit
The Real Madrid friendly is causing real headaches for Toronto FC fans, notably regarding exorbitant ticket prices and the installation of real grass that the club hasn't provided its own team. Ticket prices will range from $140 to $215 plus other fees, though subscribers and those on the waiting list get a "loyalty discount" starting […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Setanta Refused Lifeline
On Tuesday night, Setanta held an emergency board meeting to discuss efforts to stave off administration, or a legal procedure that allows a business in financial trouble to keep operating without being forced to sell off assets to pay debts. Setanta's founders Leanord Ryan and Michael O'Rourke are in talks with backers to secure financing […]
Posted inSoccer America Classifieds, Story
Soccer America Classifieds
Welcome to Soccer America Classifieds, Soccer America’s email newsletter connecting soccer companies and organizations to Soccer America members each week. Soccer America Classifieds feature soccer classified advertisements on the latest soccer job openings, soccer products and soccer opportunities. Read Soccer America Classifieds each Wednesday.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
In Friday’s USL action, Puerto Rico hosts Austin. Catch a full slate of MLS action on the weekend. The WPS Game of the Week features Boston and St. Louis. Also, the FIFA Confederations Cup starts on Sunday. The USA faces Italy on Monday. Look for updates in Friday’s Soccer on TV.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Former MLS players earn top honors
[USL TEAMS OF THE WEEK] Tyler Hemming, who helped lead the undefeated Charleston Battery to a win and a draw at Austin after earning his first cap for Canada earlier in the week, and Western Mass goalie James Thorpe, who had big games in wins over Crystal Palace Baltimore and Real Maryland, earned the USL First Division and Second Division Player of the Week honors, respectively. For the USL-1 and USL-2 Teams of the Week …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“So far, there have only been speculations. There is nothing concrete and I haven’t received any offers. The only thing I can say is that Barcelona are a great team and everybody would love to play for them.”
— Manchester City’s Brazilian star Robinho. (Goal.com)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Winner gets the watts
[OFF THE POST] Harvard student Jessica Lin designed a soccer ball that captures impact energy when the ball is kicked and stores it to charge lights and batteries. Lin and her team of students received a grant from the Clinton Global Initiative University to bring the energy balls to Nigerian farmers.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Mexico Fears Fan Boycott
Nestor de la Torre, president of the commission for Mexico's national teams, has asked the press not to encourage Tricolor fans to boycott Mexico's upcoming World Cup qualifying match against Trinidad and Tobago. "We are in the same boat to go together to the World Cup and to be encouraging situations that divide I do […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Newcastle Misery Compounded by Joke Offers
Newcastle United has been inundated with joke offers after owner Mike Ashley invited anyone interested in buying the club to make contact via email. Supporters of Newcastle's local rivals, Sunderland, took particular delight in responding to a statement on the relegated club's website which said that potential purchasers could go through the unusual process of […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Scolari Gets Job in Uzbekistan
Former Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has been named coach of Bunyodkor, the Uzbek champion announced on Tuesday. The 60-year-old former Brazil World Cup-winning coach, who was sacked by the London club in February, has agreed an 18-month contract with the Uzbek side. "Uzbek soccer is on an upswing right now while Bunyodkor is a […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Argentina Needs Altitude Adjustment
Argentina, beaten 6-1 by Bolivia at 3,600 meters (11,811 feet) above sea level in April, faces another high-altitude World Cup qualifier in Ecuador on Wednesday. Coach Diego Maradona appeared to underestimate the effects of the altitude against Bolivia. The result marked the team’s heaviest defeat in 15 years and Lionel Messi was among players who […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Madrid Get Kaka; Cristiano Ronaldo is next?
Immediately after completing the $96 million capture of Kaka, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez warned Manchester United that Cristiano Ronaldo was next on his hit list. Perez said last week that he would not jeapordize his relationship with United to sign Ronaldo, but he appeared in a bullish mood after the success of the Kaka […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beasley Enters Crucial Summer Stretch
At 27 years of age, DaMarcus Beasley should be in his athletic prime. However, the Fort Wayne native, once a "golden child" of U.S. soccer, finds himself at a crossroads. Although he played every minute of the first four matches of World Cup qualifying, Beasley has failed to find a consistent position. Against Honduras, Beasley […]