Author Archives: Soccer America

Brad Friedel's Blackburn Rovers remain alive in England's FA Cup thanks to a late goal by Dwight Yorke that tied Sunderland. In Germany, Gregg Berhalter and Energie Cottbus blanked host Bayer Leverkusen, 3-0. ENGLAND FA Cup, Fourth Round * Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL) vs. Sunderland, 3-3. Started: 90 minutes. An extra-time goal by Dwight Yorke […]

Host China scored two first-half goals to beat the United States, 2-0, Sunday before 40,000 fans at Wuhan Sports Center Stadium. China's WUSA stars proved to be the difference. China dominated the first half and was rewarded with goals by San Diego Spirit defender Fan Yunjie (off a corner by Zhao Lihong of the Philadelphia […]

Ben Ashwill, New Mexico (F) Finished as the top scorer in the MPSF (12 goals) to lead the Lobos to a school-record 18 victories and second straight NCAA Tournament berth. Mehdi Ballouchy, Creighton (M) Moroccan by way of Henry Gunn High in Palo Alto, Calif., scored five goals and added four assists for the NCAA […]

Stanford defender Chad Marshall is Soccer America Men's Freshman of the Year. Marshall arrived at The Farm with impeccable credentials. The product of Rubidoux (Calif.) High School and Irvine Strikers was Soccer America's top-rated men's recruit in 2002. The U-20 star's influence on the Cardinal grew as the season went on, leading it to the […]

The U.S. under-23 national team concluded its first camp of the year with a 3-1 loss to Mexico before a crowd of 5,236 at Harris Stadium in Homestead, Fla. The Americans played the last 42 minutes with 10 men after the ejection of U.S. defender Heath Pearce. The U.S. team will return to South Florida […]

The United States finished second at the Vale do Tejo under-23 tournament in Portugal when it fell to the host country, 4-2, on penalty kicks Thursday in the final. The game, played in front of a packed house of approximately 5,000 fans at the Municipal Stadium in Abrantes, ended in a 1-1 tie. Nate Jaqua, […]

ENGLAND (LEAGUE CUP, Semifinals, Second Leg) * Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL), vs. Manchester United, 1-3. Started: 90 minutes. Blackburn's bid to repeat as League Cup champion when up in smoke when it fell to Manchester United at home, to go out, 4-2, on aggregate. Blackburn had a two-goal lead on aggregate before a pair of […]

Santa Clara University star Aly Wagner set up all three goals to lead the United States past Norway, 3-1, on the first of the four-nations tournament in China, site of 2003 Women's World Cup. Thori Bryan scored her first goal in 62 games for the United States, opening the scoring in the 24th minute. Boston […]

Teen sensation Lindsay Tarpley, who captained the United States to the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship and helped lead the University of North Carolina to the NCAA College Cup final four, has been selected the nation's top freshman by Soccer America magazine. Tarpley, equally adept up top or in midfield, led the Tar Heels in […]

Coach Bruce Arena has called back all the players who saw action in the USAÆs 4-0 thumping of Canada last Saturday for his training camp in preparation for a Feb. 8 match against Argentina in Miami and a Feb. 12 encounter with Jamaica Feb. 12 in Kingston. All 23 members of the roster are MLS […]

MLS will be conducted the 2003 SuperDraft Jan. 17 in Kansas City. For the first time, the public was allowed to watch the proceedings at the SuperDraft, which was held in conjunction with the NSCAA Convention. Here's your picks for the top college and youth national team prospects by position. Voting ran through January 15, […]

The following is the transcript of the speech given by Cliff McCrath at the NSCAA Coaches Convention in January in Kansas City for Raymond Cieplik, the 61st recipient of the NSCAA Honor Award. By C. Clifford McCrath Every organization has its cornerstones and every cornerstone has a symbol, motto or mission statement reminding its viewers […]

By SCOTT FRENCH, Senior Editor Savior or not, no question Chinese businessman Xu Ming is the biggest thing to happen to the WUSA since the league kicked off nearly two years ago. The 31-year-old industrialist and owner of Dalian Shide, the top men's soccer club in China, is in discussions with WUSA brass to become […]

Let's set aside the marketing and iconic appeal of Landon Donovan. As important as they are, his development into a great player is crucial and it can't be done if he stays in MLS indefinitely. As a league entering its eighth season, MLS ain't bad and is getting better. As a testing ground for brilliance, […]

ENGLAND * Brian McBride (Everton, PL) vs. Sunderland, 2-1. Started: 90 minutes. McBride, who last week scored 10 minutes into his English Premier League debut, followed up in the second game of his three-month loan spell with two goals in six minutes. McBride equalized the game in the 51st minute when his bicycle kick, from […]

* Brian McBride (Everton, PL) vs. Sunderland, 2-1. Started: 90 minutes. McBride, who last week scored 10 minutes into his English Premier League debut, followed up in the second game of his three-month loan spell with two goals in six minutes. McBride equalized the game in the 51st minute when his overhead volley of a […]

The Unites States opened its 2003 international season with a 4-0 win over Canada before 6,549 fans at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Mathis and Chris Klein scored to give the Americans 3-0 lead after 32 minutes. The goals for Bocanegra and Klein were the first of their international careers. Sub […]

ROUND 1 1 D.C. United — F Alecko Eskandarian (Univ. of Virginia, Jr.). 2 MetroStars — M Ricardo Clark (Univ. of Furman, Soph.). 3 Chicago — M/F Nate Jaqua (Univ. of Portland, Jr.). 4 MetroStars — F Mike Magee (U.S. under-20 national team) (1). 5 D.C. United — D David Stokes (Univ. of North Carolina, […]

ROUND 1 1 D.C. United — F Alecko Eskandarian (Univ. of Virginia, Jr.). 2 MetroStars — M Ricardo Clark (Univ. of Furman, Soph.). 3 Chicago — M/F Nate Jaqua (Univ. of Portland, Jr.). 4 MetroStars — F Mike Magee (U.S. under-20 national team) (1). 5 D.C. United — D David Stokes (Univ. of North Carolina, […]

BY RIDGE MAHONEY The top two choices didn't surprise anybody. The consensus is that #1 Alecko Eskandarian is far enough along in his development that he won't struggle to contribute offensively as many first-round picks have done and #2 Ricardo Clark has the quickness, speed and tenacity to anchor a midfield. #3 Nate Jaqua has […]

1 D.C. United — F Alecko Eskandarian (Univ. of Virginia, Jr.). 2 MetroStars — M Ricardo Clark (Univ. of Furman, Soph.). 3 Chicago — M/F Nate Jaqua (Univ. of Portland, Jr.). 4 MetroStars — F Mike Magee (U.S. under-20 national team) (1). 5 D.C. United — D David Stokes (Univ. of North Carolina, Jr.). 6 […]

The USA plays it first game of 2003 tomorrow in Ft. Lauderdale, where Bruce ArenaÆs squad faces Canada in a friendly at Lockhart Stadium. The 7:30 pm ET game is available to DirectTV subscribers for $19.95 (1-800-531-5000). The North American neighbors last met in the 2002 Gold Cup semifinals, a 0-0 tie in which the […]

Florida International University announced on Thursday that it is eliminating its men's soccer program, which was one of FIU's five charter intercollegiate programs when the University opened in 1972. The demise of Coach Karl Kremser's highly successful program coincides with the arrival of football to the FIU campus. Fielding a football team, the most costly […]

ROUND 1 1 D.C. United — F Alecko Eskandarian (Univ. of Virginia, Jr.). 2 MetroStars — M Ricardo Clark (Univ. of Furman, Soph.). 3 Chicago — M/F Nate Jaqua (Univ. of Portland, Jr.). 4 MetroStars — F Mike Magee (U.S. under-20 national team) (1). 5 D.C. United — D David Stokes (Univ. of North Carolina, […]

Twenty-nine MLS games will be televised on national networks in 2003. ESPN2 will broadcast 26; ABC has the league opener, All-Star Game and MLS Cup 2003. The schedule (all times Eastern) ABC Saturday, April 5 — Los Angeles at Columbus 4:00 pm Saturday, August 2 — MLS All Star 3:30 pm Sun., Nov. 23 — […]