Category: Section 2 Around the Net

Lyon has won the last seven French titles, but suffered a rare loss at the weekend, 1-0 at Paris St. Germain. The team is still five points clear at the top, but lost defender Anthony Reveillere with a suspected torn knee ligament, and forward Juninho to a red card for a violent tackle.

Estudiantes of Argentina will play Internacional of Brazil in the two-legged final of the Copa Sudamericana, Central and South America's secondary club competition after the Copa Libertadores. Estudiantes, captained by Juan Sebastian Veron, beat compatriot club Argentinos Juniors 2-1 on aggregate in one semifinal, while in the other Internacional routed Mexico's Chivas de Guadalajara 6-0 […]

"It has always been the plan to go back to Seattle, only my good pal Kasey [Keller] is there at the moment for the next couple of years. Hopefully then that will present me with an opportunity to play there." Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann looks to end his career in MLS.  

As Theo Walcott faces an expected 12 week-absence with a dislocated shoulder sustained training with the England team, Arsenal will seek compensation of up to $1.6 million from the English FA under the insurance deal that covers players injured while on national team duty.  

"We have a major challenge to fill the stadium for every match, not only the games involving high-profile teams." Danny Jordaan, chief executive of South Africa's 2010 World Cup Organizing Committee, admits it will be tough getting crowds to the 2009 warm-up tournament, the Confederations Cup, also in South Africa. The United States, as Gold […]

"The team captain has a unique position in English football," writes Dan Bryant. And few things in soccer irk an English fan more than "a perceived lack of effort from a player; a captain represents something the rest of the team can look up to, a shining example, leading his team to glory." Arsenal's French […]

These should be happy days for Sigi Schmid, says Steve Davis, given that the Columbus Crew coach is just 90 minutes from lifting his second MLS Cup. But for the second time in his career, Schmid is finding that success is not necessarily enough to secure him a new contract It would be ironic if […]

The Kansas City Wizards received a boost toward its plan for a soccer specific stadium in the southeast of the city Thursday when the Missouri Development Finance Board approved $30 million in tax credits toward the $1 billion mixed-use project, reports Randy Covitz. The approval "clears the way for the LANE4 Property Group and the […]

In the run-up to MLS Cup, the story continues to be Danny Cepero, and here's the latest angle: it's not just for sporting reasons that the RB New York goalkeeper is happy the team's season has been extended with every unlikely playoff win. Each further game has given him a valid excuse not to hand […]

German national team coach Joachim Loew has told his players that form will count over experience when it comes to selection. But after Wednesday's mediocre defeat at home to England, the German press has concluded that the only winners were the absent captain Michael Ballack (injured) and midfield veteran Thorsten Frings (not selected). Both players […]

MLS deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis is the latest target in Arsenal’s long search for a new chief executive, writes Charles Sale, quoting no sources whatsoever. Sale does point out, however, that Gazidis already turned down an approach from Manchester City for the same position because he did not want to relocate from Connecticut to England. […]

A Mexican paper has reported that Chicago Fire forward Cuauhtémoc Blanco will be loaned out to Mexico’s Santos Laguna for the MFL playoffs to replace injured forward and leading goal scorer Christian Benitez. But Fire Technical Director Frank Klopas says it’s not yet a done deal.

“It was very good result with strong performances in all the key departments and a big boost for our confidence. My nightmares are now turning into sweet dreams.” South Africa coach Joel Santana after his side’s 3-2 exhibition win over Cameroon, the next World Cup host’s fourth successive victory.

“I think we got carried away with the first goal and thought things would be easy, but after it was 1-0 the team fell apart. Some of the goals we conceded were pathetic, as was the lack of concentration. We started to stretch ourselves, concede space and this cannot happen, especially in a game against […]

“How can I stop meaningless friendlies? I can talk but I cannot do a lot about it. My opinion will not change the fixtures and I am conscious of that.” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger after learning that winger Theo Walcott will likely miss three months after dislocating his shoulder while training with the England team […]

“I feel blessed that the Lord allowed me to fulfill my dreams [as a soccer player] before pulling me into His plans for me. Not only is His will perfect, but His time is perfect as well. The timing of my call was meant to be exactly when it happened.” Former New England Revolution Chase […]

Major League Soccer’s 2008 MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto plays “a graceful game, full of nuance and surprise,” writes Shawn Mitchell. “A touch just so on a free kick. A dribble through a gaggle of defenders, off-kilter and off-balance, that ends how it started: Schelotto, head up, searching the field for the best way to get […]

Columbus Crew coach Sigi Schmid has spotlighted New York’s experienced overseas contingent as the main obstacle between the Crew and its first MLS Cup title. Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel, with 16 goals this season, and veteran Dutch midfielder-forward Dave Van den Bergh, with eight, are his opponent’s key players, he tells Michael Lewis. “They’re […]

"It is all very well creating a circus but what of the act?" asks Andy Hunter after Diego Maradona's coaching debut for Argentina in Scotland Wednesday, which ended in a 1-0 exhibition win. The answer was: a "tentative first step for a team with designs on a third World Cup in 2010, a giant leap […]

The withdrawal of so many first-choice players from both rosters had lead many to declare England’s friendly in Germany on Wednesday as meaningless, writes James Lawton. But “there can be no such thing when England visit the gaunt old stadium where Hitler used to strut and pose.” Following World Cup qualifying wins in Croatia and […]

Jack Bell’s wide-ranging interview with Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber should be read in full, but below are some tasters on issues of scheduling, expansion, the recession and the possible transfer of Landon Donovan. Garber on scheduling: “The issues are being addressed. We’re trying to schedule away from as many international dates as we […]

RB New York has made it to Sunday's MLS Cup Final on the back of some impressive defensive performances in the playoffs. Some observers are unhappy when defensive teams succeed, but it's a different matter if you're actually on that winning team. "When people say about me that I'm a defensive coach, I take that […]

With most pre-MLS Cup story angles exhausted, Shawn Mitchell turns his attention to the poorly paid, unsung players on the Columbus Crew roster who will likely play no part in Sunday's final, but who will at least be happy to take some extra cash from the bonus money. "Obviously it's tough [not being in the […]

The Atlanta Silverbacks have announced that its men's professional team will sit out the United Soccer Leagues 2009 season due to the state of the economy and the possibility that the city could land an MLS franchise. "This was an extremely difficult decision that was prompted by the dynamic events in our economy and the […]

"After the game is before the game," as the legendary German coach Sepp Herberger used to say. Hardly had Real Salt Lake been eliminated from the MLS playoffs than it had to start planning for next season, what with Monday's expansion draft for Seattle Sounders FC looming. Players will be called in Wednesday and Thursday […]