Category: Section 2 Around the Net

Argentina boss Diego Maradona told an Argentine radio show that he will call up Pachuca standout Christian “El Chaco” Gimenez for the next pair of World Cup qualifiers. “It’s true that I will call up Christian Gimenez for qualifying,” Maradona told Buenos Aires radio station Del Plata. “I’m not calling him up because the games […]

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has vowed to introduce an alcohol ban after defender Ledley King was arrested for an alleged assault outside a London nightclub. "I'll implement a strong rule next season that drinking is a no-no here," Redknapp told the Sun newspaper. "Footballers should dedicate their lives to playing." He added: "Footballers should not […]

Former international defender Frantisek Straka has been appointed coach of Czech Republic. The 50-year-old replaces Petr Rada, who was sacked last month following poor displays in World Cup qualifying matches against Slovakia and Slovenia. Straka narrowly beat out Dusan Uhrin, who helped lead the Czech Republic to the final of Euro 96, in a federation […]

AC Milan’s president Silvio Berlusconi has accused Coach Carlo Ancelotti of wasting the club’s season, according to Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper. “We lost the title because of Ancelotti,” Berlusconi is quoted as saying. “Many times we did not use the right tactics. We have so many good ball players and should have based our soccer […]

Since Major League Soccer's inception more than 14 years ago, D.C. United fans have helped set the standard for passion and commitment among supporters of the league. But United, winner of four MLS cups, still dwells in an aging RFK stadium that approaches its 50th birthday. On Saturday afternoon, the Black-and-Red faithful made another compelling […]

"We haven't lost a game since the second game of the season," Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said. "The problem is we haven't won a lot." On Saturday, the Galaxy (1-1-6) earned another draw in a heated battle against the Seattle Sounders, a game that saw eight cautions and one red card, a 57th-minute […]

Sunday's clash between Milan and Juventus illustrated that Serie A's "top clubs not only lack the intensity of their English Premier League counterparts, but they also have gaping holes in their starting XIs that need filling," writes Goal.com's Carlo Garganes. Garganes suggests the match was "so limp" that "it was like watching a training match." […]

League leader Velez Sarsfield remains on course for the Argentine Clausura title after coming from behind to draw 2-2 with Racing Club at the Jose Amalfitani stadium on Saturday. After Racing jumped out to a two-goal lead with strikes from Claudio Yacob and Ruben Ramirez, Velez picked up a late draw with goals from Sebastian […]

As his soccer career ends, Christian Vieri seems determined to prove himself the "Fabio" of the business world. A few years ago the former Serie A star launched his own fashion line, named Sweet Years, with AC Milan's Paulo Maldini. Now Vieri, who has built a reputation as a playboy on multiple continents, will help […]

Manchester United’s attempt to overturn Darren Fletcher‘s suspension from the Champions League final has failed. UEFA has confirmed that the red card given for a foul on Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will stand. Barcelona meanwhile will have absentees in both Eric Abidal and Dani Alves. Like Fletcher, Abidal’s plea for UEFA to rescind a harsh […]

Norway, Denmark and Scotland have earned extra places in the qualifying round for next season’s Europa League. The extra places for the Europa League — formerly known as the UEFA Cup — will be given to the winners of the trio’s domestic fair-play competitions, which have yet to be announced. Norway leads UEFA’s Fair Play […]

FC Barcelona, one of the world's most popular and successful clubs, will return this summer for its third U.S. tour in four years. Barcelona will tour the West Coast, taking on the LA Galaxy Aug. 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. (11:00 p.m. ET), and the Seattle Sounders on Aug. 5 at Qwest […]

“The lack of British-Asians in football is still a big issue and one very much on our radar,” said Danny Lynch, media officer at the Kick It Out campaign against racism in football. “The number of British Asians playing at the top level is completely disproportionate to the thousands across the country playing at grassroots […]

Zourab Tsiskaridze Jr., just called Zee by his Miami FC teammates, has taken a meandering and unique path to professional soccer in South Florida. The 22-year-old has lived on five continents and speaks five languages. ''I'm really lucky that I've had all of these opportunities,'' he said. "A lot of people my age are coming […]

The MLS’s newest expansion team, Philadelphia, has picked a moniker and an emblem that will be officially unveiled on Monday. The Union, which the Philadelphia Inquirer reports as the club’s selection, is a name that harkens to the city’s colonial past and to the area’s historic role in the American labor movement. The team will […]

Asian soccer chief Mohamed Bin Hammam narrowly fought off a vicious challenge to his seat on the FIFA executive board on Friday after one of the most vitriolic political battles the region's soccer world has known. The Qatari, who has held the seat unopposed since 1996, beat off the challenge of Bahrain's Sheikh Salman bin […]

U.S. national team captain Carlos Bocanegra and his club Rennes are set to take on Ligue 2 Guingamp in the Coupe de France final this weekend. The defender says he won't take the game lightly, but instead enjoys the pressure of one of the biggest games of his club career. "Obviously a Ligue 1 team […]

UEFA has confirmed that it has received an appeal from Manchester United against Darren Fletcher's red-card suspension and will meet on Monday to decide whether or not to overturn the decision to suspend Fletcher from the Champions League final. Had the incident occurred in a domestic match, the Football Association would have watched replays and […]

After out for more than a month with a hamstring strain, Frankie Hejduk returned to action as the Columbus Crew defeated Ohio State in the eighth annual Connor Senn Memorial Game, 3-1. Hejduk, who had not played a game since the United States' 3-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in World Cup qualifying on April […]

Considering the harsh reality of a slumping real estate market, the San Jose City Council unanimously agreed to cut $43 million from a land deal in hopes of keeping alive plans for the construction of a new soccer stadium for the San Jose Earthquakes. Under the new agreement, team owner Lew Wolff and his partners […]

Manchester United have asked UEFA to over turn Darren Fletcher’s late red card against Arsenal on compassionate grounds. The Scotland international was dismissed in Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal win over Arsenal for a foul on Cesc Fabregas in the penalty box. Replays showed the harsh nature of the call, as Fletcher played the ball before […]

Chelsea manager Gus Hiddink should consider the hypocrisy of his suggestions that Barcelona’s victory on Wednesday marked a conspiracy to end Chelsea’s bid for Champions League title, says Carlo Garganese of Goal.com. At the 2002 World Cup, Hiddink found himself at the other end of accusations, after South Korea’s miraculous wins over Italy and Spain […]

In the midst of a stretch of nine games in 36 days, Toronto FC relied on its reserve players in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Canadian Championships. Two reserves made special contributions. Nana Nana Attakora-Gyan played a strong 90 minutes at center back in his first start of the season, and […]

Playing their third match in eight days and using a young lineup, D.C. United drew with host the Kansas City Wizards 1-1 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, a result that inched it one point ahead of the Eastern Conference pack and next Saturday's foe, second-place Toronto FC. United managed the draw while resting former league MVPs Christian […]

“For a league that is just over six weeks into its inaugural season, Women’s Professional Soccer now faces its first big controversy,” writes Christa Mann. The Washington Freedom’s Abby Wambach, a player known for her tenacious attitude, likely ended Brazilian star Daniela‘s season on Sunday with an ill-advised slide-tackle in midfield. Daniela, who scored two […]