Author Archives: Soccer America

German club Bayern Munich reports that prized new winger Arjen Robben could return from injury as early as this weekend, just two weeks after he had surgery on his right knee. The surgery was originally supposed to sideline Robben for at least three weeks. But Coach Louis Van Gaal said that Robben should be back […]

Everton has been assured that attacker Marouane Fellaini will be available to play against Wolves this weekend despite an attempted appeal to FIFA from the Belgian soccer federation. Belgian authorities tried to invoke FIFA's 'five-day' rule because Fellaini missed Belgium's World Cup qualifier against Estonia due to a tooth operation. The rule allows FIFA to […]

Orane Simpson, a defender on the Jamaica national team, was fatally stabbed in Kingston on Tuesday after having a quarrel with a man. No arrests have been made while police investigate the case in Tivoli Gardens, the sprawling neighborhood that was the country's first government housing project. Simpson also played with the Tivoli Gardens team […]

On a snowy night in Chorzow, Slovakia got the 1-0 result it needed against Poland to qualify for its first World Cup since independence. Poland defender Seweryn Gancarczyk slid an own goal past goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek that proved the decisive goal of the match. Jan Mucha – who plays his club soccer for Legia Warszawa […]

After Argentina qualified for the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Uruguay, Diego Maradona let fly with the sort of sexually charged and defiant gestures that have defined much of his relationship with the press. “You take it up the a**,” he said, scanning the locker room before adding, “if the ladies will pardon […]

Seattle can clinch a playoff spot with a win Saturday against Kansas City. A win would give the team 44 points to earn one of four wild-card berths. Another win in the regular season finale Oct. 24, plus some favorable results in other games, could send Seattle to a higher seed in the Western Conference. […]

With a 1-0 victory over rivals El Salvador, Honduras qualified for its first World Cup in 28 years. The country's only previous appearance came in Spain in 1982. Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda was sent to the stands in the 35th minute for criticizing a foul called against one of his players. In the 64th minute, […]

Fans at RFK stadium showed an outpouring of support for striker Charlie Davies, who suffered serious injuries in an automobile accident that jeopardize his career. In the ninth minute of the final U.S. World Cup qualifier, against Costa Rica, thousands of fans held up white cards inked with a No. 9, Davies’ jersey number. Other […]

Notts County has denied that Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson received an offer to coach North Korea at the 2010 World Cup. The club's chief executive Peter Trembling said: "We wish to make it clear that Notts County have not received any approach nor had any discussions whatsoever with the North Korean FA in relation to Sven-Goran […]

Michael vaan Praag, the president of the Dutch soccer federation, revealed he plans to begin lobbying for a new North Atlantic League, an idea that UEFA shot down at the end of the 1990s. The league would allow Scottish powers Rangers and Celtic to compete against clubs from the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal and Scandanavia. Vaan […]

After retiring from international duty in 2006, AS Roma attacker Francesco Totti says he would consider returning for Italy's national team for the 2010 World Cup. The 33-year-old told Tuesday's Gazzetta dello Sport: "It depends on coach (Marcello Lippi's) choices and my condition. I owe (Lippi) a lot." "Totti is a great person and a […]

ESPN's Kristian Dyer makes his case for the MLS playoffs, saying, "Anyone who thinks Major League Soccer needs to scrap its current format in favor of a single table that crowns a champion based on regular-season performance needs a lobotomy." The MLS playoffs provide a unique format, foreign to most the rest of the world. […]

With two weeks left in the MLS season, nine teams remain in contention for four playoff spots. Chivas USA became the fourth team to book its place after beating the Kansas City Wizards 2-0 on Saturday. The win moved Chivas USA into a three-way tie for first in the Western conference with the Houston Dynamo […]