Category: Soccer America Daily

The busy, crowded schedule of the Houston Dynamo just got busier, and more crowded. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, an MLS match Saturday at Robertson Stadium against San Jose has been postponed to Oct. 15. Houston was supposed to play Luis Angel Firpo in its Concacaf Champions League opener on Wednesday, but that match was also postponed and is not yet rescheduled.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP] For the second time in two days, a USL First Division team defeated a team that had knocked an MLS team out of the Concacaf Champions League. Defender Stefano Pesoli and Tony Donatelli scored Wednesday to give the Montreal Impact a 2-0 win over Joe Public of Trinidad & Tobago, which had beaten MLS’s New England Revolution twice. The result left the two USL-1 entrants — Montreal and Puerto Rico — with a 4-0-2 record in the new Concacaf competition, while MLS teams are 0-4-1 …

[U.S. WOMEN] The U.S. women’s national team beat Ireland for the second time in five days with a 1-0 victory on Wednesday night at Giants Stadium. Natasha Kai‘s goal in the 72nd minute gave the Americans their record-tying 28th win of the year.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Less than a month after being edged by Liverpool in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, Belgian champion Standard Liege returns to Merseyside to face Everton in the first leg of the first round of the UEFA Cup, setting up a battle of American stars — Tim Howard hosting Oguchi Onyewu (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, 5 pm ET). For a look at the nine Americans on teams in UEFA Cup action Thursday.

Despite the introduction of star Cristiano Ronaldo in the second half, defending champion Manchester United had to settle for a 0-0 tie with Spain’s Villarreal to open the group stage of the 2008-09 UEFA Champions League. For all the Day 1 results and goal scorers …

Given its long injury list and daunting domestic and international schedule, D.C. United lacks sufficient troops to battle on two fronts. That was evident on Tuesday night when it fell to Saprissa of Costa Rica, 2-0, in the opening game of the group stage of the Concacaf Champions League. The defeat left MLS clubs with four losses and one tie in five games in the new regional championship.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] In sharp contrast to MLS’s troubles in the Concacaf Champions League, the USL enjoyed another banner night when the Puerto Rico Islanders held on for a 2-1 win over Panama’s Tauro FC — the same team that ousted Chivas USA in the qualifying stage — despite playing the last 21 minutes with 10 players.

[WPS] The seven Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) teams were allocated their first three players on Tuesday when the league announced the dispersal of U.S. national team players, including the 15 eligible Olympic gold-medalists.

[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Argentine Juan Culio scored twice to give Romania’s Cluj a 2-1 win at injury-riddled Roma in a stunning UEFA Champions League debut on Tuesday.

[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Colombia moved quickly to fire Jorge Luis Pinto as its national team coach following its first two losses in the South American World Cup qualifiers.

Struggling with one point in two games in La Liga, Barcelona received a boost with a 3-1 win over Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday to open the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. For all Tuesday’s results and goal scorers …

American teenage star Jozy Altidore could make his European debut for Spanish club Villarreal Wednesday when it faces English champion Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League. For all Wednesday games on television …

[OFF THE POST/PHOTO] Dutch amateur women’s team FC de Rakt has begun wearing skirts. “We think they are far more elegant than the traditional shorts and furthermore they are more comfortable because the shorts are made for men,” said 21-year-old captain Rinske Temming.

[AFRICA] A stadium riot in Congo that caused 13 deaths reportedly started when players retaliated to a goalkeeper’s use of witchcraft. During game between Nyuki System and rival Socozaki, Nyuki’s goalkeeper ran up the field chanting spells in hopes of reversing Socozaki’s lead, according to Radio Olapi.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Hurricane Ike has put off Houston’s entry into the Concacaf Champions League but there’s no such reprieve for D.C. United. Injuries have crippled the MLS club recently, but it has also thrown points away, as it did on Saturday when a late goal allowed FC Dallas to escape RFK Stadium with a 2-2 tie. United will need to be focused when it hosts Costa Rican power Saprissa in the opening group game of the Concacaf Champions League.

[U.S. WOMEN] Monday was one of the worst days in the history of American finance, and members of the U.S. women’s national were there from beginning to end. A group of players rang the opening bell at the NASDAQ in the morning and others rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange in the afternoon.

[WPS] The first Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) allocations will be announced, and according to the Washington Post’s Soccer Insider, star Abby Wambach is headed (back) to the Washington Freedom.

[WPS] A day before the first Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) allocations will be announced, the Los Angeles team named Abner Rogers as its head coach.

American teenage star Jozy Altidore could make his European debut for Spanish club Villarreal Wednesday when it faces English champion Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League. For all Tuesday and Wednesday games on television …

[SPAIN] Barcelona’s 1-1 tie with Racing Santander at home on Saturday left the Catalan giant with just one point in two games — marking its worst start in 35 years and leaving first-year coach Pep Guardiola in the hot seat.

[ENGLAND] Manchester United hoped to bring along rehabilitating Cristiano Ronaldo slowly, but the Red Devils may need him for next Sunday’s clash with Chelsea. Sir Alex Ferguson termed United’s performance “shocking” in it 2-1 loss at Liverpool on Saturday and increased the pressure on him to bring back Ronaldo as soon as possible to jumpstart United’s season.

[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] The Los Angeles Galaxy reunited with David Beckham in Kansas City after his week away on England national team duty only to suffer yet another disappointment. D.C. United’s Jamie Moreno added to his goalscoring record. For the weekend’s highs and lows in MLS. …