“He could come on toward the end as a substitute, as the last man in defense, or as a center forward.”
— Turkey coach Fatih Terim jokes that he might use goalkeeper Tolga Zengin as a field player in Wednesday’s Euro 2008 semifinal against Germany because Turkey has lost nine players to injuries and suspensions and is down to 14 men. Among those missing with injuries are captain Nihat Kahveci, who scored twice in the 3-2 comeback win over the Czech Republic. (The Times)
[REF WATCH/VIDEO] A 28-year-old soccer player attacked a referee after being sent off last Thursday night in a Delaware adult league match. The ref had just dismissed Rannord Jones when the player grabbed the referee and bit him on the chin, causing deep lacerations.
[WORLD CUP 2010] In a country where 89 percent of the labor force is foreign, it’s little surprise that Qatar’s national team, which has advanced to the final round of Asia qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, is a collection of imports.
[TRANSFER TALK] Andrei Arshavin is the emerging star of Euro 2008. The 27-year-old Russian has spent his entire career at his hometown club, Zenit St. Petersburg, which won the 2008 UEFA Cup, but he’s recently made clear his desire to move abroad for his club soccer.
[U.S. OPEN CUP] The defending USL First Division champion Seattle Sounders moved into the third round of the U.S. Open Cup with a 6-0 win over Hollywood United. The only USL-2 teams still alive are the Richmond Kickers and Cleveland City Stars. For all Tuesday’s results and goal scorers …
MLS clubs Kansas City, Chicago and Columbus (its Grand Rapids affiliate) all had youth teams advance to the boys finals at the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships in Rockford, Ill. Minnesota boarding school Shattuck-St. Mary had its U-18 boys won its semifinal match on Tuesday. On the girls side, Eclipse Select, the No. 1 team in the Soccer America Girls Top 25, went 3-3 in semifinal play — three teams moved on to the finals and three others lost. For all the semifinal results …
Ecuador’s LDU Quito hosts Brazil’s Fluminense in first-leg of the Copa Libertadores final on Wednesday (Fox Sports en Espanol, 8:30 pm ET). LDU Quito aims to become the first Ecuadorian club to lift the title. Fluminenses, in the final for the first time, would become the 14th Brazil club to take the title since the competition’s inception in 1960.
Action continued Monday at the US Youth Soccer Region III Championships in Raleigh and Wilson, N.C., where quarterfinals took place in 10 divisions. Three boys teams and two girls teams from the local CASL program moved into the semifinals. Three boys teams and two girls teams from Dallas Texans Red also are still alive. For all the quarterfinal results …
Goalkeeping didn’t cost the USA the championship at last year’s Women’s World Cup, but it sure caused quite a storm, one that head coach Pia Sundhage has already addressed in naming her 18-player squad for the Olympic Games women’s soccer tournament this summer. The absence of Briana Scurry will briefly roil the waters of controversy once again yet down the road, the other tough decisions Sundhage had to make will have much greater effect. She’s had to replace veteran Kristine Lilly, who is taking time off to have a baby, and midfielder Leslie Osbourne and defender Cat Whitehill, who both suffered ACL tears in their left knees in the past month.
[AMERICANS ABROAD] U.S. national team captain Carlos Bocanegra has signed with French First Division club Rennes. The defender underwent a physical Tuesday and inked a three-year contract. Bocanegra, whose pro career started with the Chicago Fire in 2000, leaves English Premier League club Fulham, for which he played 116 EPL games since January 2004.
Rapids head coach Fernando Clavijo isn’t concerned with the departure from his staff of assistant coach John Murphy, who had worked with him together not only in Colorado but during Clavijo’s prior tenure with the New England Revolution. He is worried, however, about his team squandering scoring chances.
[OFF THE POST] Gun-point robberies are no rarity in Sao Paulo, whose crime situation is deemed “critical” by the Overseas Security Advisory and a majority of residents say they don’t feel safe when walking the streets. Even O Rei Pele – three-time world champion and an officially declared national treasure of Brazil – has fallen victim. In an incident made public on Sunday, Pele waited at a congested traffic light in the passenger seat of his car as 10 masked youths, armed with guns and pocket-knives, demanded he turn over his possessions.
[REF WATCH/EURO 2008] After English referee Howard Webb‘s stoppage time penalty-kick call against Poland yielded death threats blamed on a provocative statement from Poland’s Prime Minister, some Polish fans responded more civilly. They’ve started a drive to grant Webb Polish citizenship, which would disqualify him from ever reffing a Poland game again.
“I am empty and tired. I need some time off, must recharge the batteries. Chapter closed, mission accomplished.”
— Austria coach Josef Hickersberger quit as Austria coach with six months left on his contract after accomplishing a first-round exit as host of Euro 2008. (BBC)
[TRANSFER TALK] According to his own website, Samir Nasri, often called the next Zidane, completed the switch from French team Marseille to Arsenal of the English Premier League. The young French international, who made two substitute appearances during France’s Euro 2008 campaign, announced the move Monday, claiming he signed a four-year deal with the London club. Reports on the transfer fee range from $24 million-$32 million.
Tuesday’s semifinal pairings at the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships in Rockford, Ill., include an U-19 showdown between youth teams representing MLS clubs Chicago and Kansas City. Scott Gallagher leads all boys clubs with five teams in the semifinals. On the girls side, Eclipse Select, the No. 1 team in the Soccer America Girls Top 25, has six teams still alive. FC Milwaukee Blue has six teams — two boys and four girls — in the semifinals. For all the semifinal pairings …
[RUSSIA-NETHERLANDS REPORT CARD] The Netherlands joined the group winners to go down in the quarterfinals after surrendering, 3-1, to overtime goals by Dimtri Torbinski and Andrei Arshavin after Ruud van Nistelrooy had nodded home a free kick to tie the match, 1-1, late in regulation. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the players.
[TURKEY-CROATIA REPORT CARD] Turkey added yet another unbelievable comeback to its Euro 2008 adventure by equalizing (1-1) in stoppage time of extra time, and then dispatching Croatia on penalties, 3-1, to qualify for its first semifinal. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the players.
[YOUTH] The USA moved into the semifinals of the Concacaf qualifying tournament for the 2008 Under-20 Women’s World Cup with a 9-0 win over Cuba on Friday and 3-0 win over host Mexico on Sunday.
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Trinidad & Tobago overcame a 2-1 deficit from its loss at home to Bermuda in the first leg of their Concacaf second-round series to win, 2-0, away in the second leg and advance in World Cup 2010 qualifying. The Soca Warriors, Guatemala and Cuba will join the USA in Group 1 of the semifinal round on Concacaf qualifying, which begins in August. The only unseeded teams to advance were Suriname (over Guyana) and El Salvador (over Panama with three goals in the last 20 minutes!).
Reigning Asian champion Iraq was knocked out of World Cup 2010 qualifying when it fell to Qatar, 1-0, on the final day of the semifinal round of qualifying in the Asian zone. For all the African and Asian qualifying results …
“Like all the Spanish camp I’m delighted by this victory. But we’ve done nothing more than win a small battle. … We did the job and in Spain we have always talked about not getting past the quarters, but now we have a chance of getting to the final. The team is convinced they can win this.”
— Spain coach Luis Aragones after his team beat Italy on penalty kicks to move into the semifinals of Euro 2008. Spain had not reached the semifinals of a major tournament since it lost the 1984 European Championship final to France. (Reuters)
[YOUTH REGIONALS] Slammers FC won three girls titles at the US Youth Soccer Region IV championships in Honolulu. The So Cal Blues captured two girls championships. The Blues’ U-16 girls, the defending national champions, were the only team to successfully defend their regional title. For all the results in the knockout phase …
[SPAIN-ITALY REPORT CARD] Spain was the only group winner to avoid defeat in the quarterfinals of the European Championship, but it wasn’t easy.
The first-place Vancouver Whitecaps had to settle for a 1-1 tie with visiting Miami FC in USL First Division action on Sunday night. For all the results and goal scorers …
