Category: Section 2 Around the Net

France might have won the match, but it was all about David Beckham at the Stade de France last night, as the England legend became just the fifth player in his country’s history to reach 100 caps. Beckham started the match and played 63 minutes before leaving to a standing ovation in front of 78,500 […]

In an interview with ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle, U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley discusses how to manage the plight of regular national team players not getting sufficient playing time with their respective club teams. In the case of Fulham’s Carlos Bocanegra, the U.S. captain, and Benny Feilhaber of Derby County, Carlisle says the situation “is […]

All eyes will be on the MLS Cup 2007 rematch between the Houston Dynamo and New England Revolution when league play opens this weekend, but the Houston Chronicle’s Bernardo Fallas says that Houston could be forgiven for looking beyond Saturday’s match-up toward next Wednesday’s Champions Cup semifinal first leg against Saprissa of Costa Rica. Indeed, […]

It may be a long shot, but the Seattle Post Intelligencer’s Matthew Gaschk reports that “Seattle Sounders” isn’t dead yet as one of the possibilities for naming Major League Soccer’s new expansion team. On Tuesday, the names Seattle FC, Seattle Alliance and Seattle Republic were announced as the options for the online ballot that will […]

Three days after pronouncing his team’s loss to the USL’s Charleston Battery as “the worst performance I’ve ever seen,” Toronto FC coach John Carver reassured fans that he wouldn’t be heading for the exit anytime soon. “I’m not here for the short term. I’m here to build something,” Carver tells the Toronto Sun. The former […]

Few would contest that the quality of play in MLS has improved markedly since the league’s inception 13 years ago, but FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow thinks the league has improved so much that, “I genuinely believe we are at the stage now where the top sides could survive in the English Premiership.” And while […]

In his 2008 MLS preview, Houston Chronicle columnist Glenn Davis says the criticism David Beckham received for his on-field performances last year were unfair. Not that those performances were spectacular, but Davis implies that the media ought to overlook that aspect considering the visibility Becks brings to the league. Not only does his “spotlight shine […]

Two former National Football League executives are making the move to Major League Soccer, according to separate reports. Seattle Seahawks vice president Gary Wright will become Senior Vice President of Business Operations for the new MLS team in Seattle, which isn’t set to join the league until 2009, while former Philadelphia Eagles vice president Bill […]

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa is now 800 days away, and while progress is being made on the ground, the host team is in disarray, says Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune. A miserable 71st in FIFA’s world rankings, South Africa doesn’t even crack Africa’s top ten. With a series of poor […]

Fabio Capello’s England will be near full strength for Wednesday’s friendly at the Stade de France, but France coach Raymond Domenech is faced with an injury list a mile long. The most notable absentee, perhaps, is Lyon striker Karim Benzema, who was carried off over the weekend against Paris Saint-Germain. Veterans Thierry Henry of Barcelona […]

Toronto FC capped off a poor showing in the Carolina Challenge Cup with a 2-0 loss to tournament host Charleston Battery of the United Soccer League. The MLS club finished winless and in last-place with a 0-2-1 record behind the San Jose Earthquakes (3-0-0), the Battery (1-1-1) and the New York Red Bulls (0-1-2). Last […]

“Team America,” or Fulham FC, lost again this weekend, and with just seven games left to play in the English Premier League season, relegation is looking more and more like an inevitability. As USSoccerPlayers’ Graig Carbino says, “barring a mini-miracle,” Fulham will be playing second division soccer next season, which means that most of its […]

It’s one thing to spend a hoard of cash and a designated player slot on a player like David Beckham or Cuauhtemoc Blanco, but the majority of MLS clubs searching for (cheap) international talent are simply trying to fill their rosters, says Nick Firchau of the Southtown Star. As such, men like Frank Klopas, technical […]

During an interview with reporters, David Beckham revealed that he plans to keep fighting for his England place long after he reaches 100 caps for England against France on Wednesday night. “I never thought a year or two ago that I would make 95 caps, never mind 100,” the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder said. “I’m […]

With Chelsea trailing 1-0 with 20 minutes to play against Arsenal, respect for Chelsea manager Avram Grant was in short supply. The Blues were staring down their first potential defeat at Stamford Bridge in almost two years. Off came Michael Ballack and Claude Makelele for Nicolas Anelka and Juliano Belletti, as the crowd started chanting […]

“Everything left to play for,” the Corriere dello Sport’s Alessandro Vocalelli declared after Juventus beat Inter Milan, 2-1, to cut Inter’s lead over AS Roma to four points. Earlier in the day, Roma did its part, scraping past relegation-fighter Empoli by the same score with just 10 men. But Juventus really Roma the bigger favor, […]

Wednesday night’s Rome derby could go down in history as one of the friendliest ever between bitter rivals Roma and Lazio, says the Guardian’s Paolo Bandini — and it was another great game, to boot. With Roma still chasing after league leader Inter Milan and Lazio inching closer toward a spot in Europe, this was […]

The CBS program “60 Minutes” is set to reveal that David Beckham and his manager Simon Fuller have the option to buy the Los Angeles Galaxy when the midfielder’s contract expires after the 2011 season, according to the Associated Press. Beckham will be the subject of one of the news show’s profiles, scheduled to air […]

The U.S. U-23s may not have looked like world-beaters in qualifying for the 2008 Olympics, but the campaign run by U-23 coach Peter Nowak was at least effective enough to get them there. While pundits in the U.S. complained about the manner of team USA’s qualification, Canada’s coach Nick Dasovic was full of praise for […]

Without a doubt, Manchester United has become The Cristiano Ronaldo Show. So prolific is the Red Devils winger these days that a Ronaldo goal seems to come with the price of admission to a United game. The Portuguese superstar added two more to his season haul of 33 on Wednesday as United rolled over Bolton […]

David Beckham has been called up for England’s friendly against France at the Stade de France next Wednesday, putting him on track to earn his 100th England cap. New England coach Fabio Capello did not call up Beckham for England’s first friendly of the year against Switzerland in February, but Capello’s assistant Franco Baldini watched […]

FIFA will not to seek any further sanctions against Birmingham City defender Martin Taylor over his tackle that left Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva with a broken leg and out of the European Championship. FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said a FIFA news statement that FIFA would discuss the Taylor case with the English FA was […]

MLS’s Seattle expansion team will invite fans to vote online for the name of the new team. Names will be announced on Tuesday and voting will take place at www.mlsinseattle.com. The three  naming  options were chosen through fan focus groups, internal committees and fan suggestions. Sounders — the name of the long-time NASL and USL […]

MLS champion Houston joined D.C. United in the semifinals of the 2008 Concacaf Champions Cup thanks to a 3-1 win over Guatemala’s Municipal on Wednesday. Like United against Harbour View on Tuesday, Houston only put its rival away with a strong second half at home. Both the Dynamo and D.C. showed with their second-half performances […]

During a press conference earlier this week, MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis touched on a multitude of topics facing MLS as the league expands, including international competition, stadiums, schedules, designated players and the expected influx of foreigners in MLS. Overall, Gazidis said the league was in “very healthy condition” with new investors, partnerships and franchises, […]