Category: Soccer America Daily

Vancouver and Charleston remained 1-2 in the USL First Division with 3-1 wins over Portland and Montreal, respectively, on Saturday. For the slumping Impact, the goal was its first in six games. Defending champion Seattle moved into a tie for third place with Portland thanks to a 3-1 win of its own over Minnesota. For all the results and goal scorers …

[PORTUGAL-TURKEY REPORT CARD] Portugal showed that it is more than a one-man team in beating Turkey, 2-0, in their Group A opener in Geneva on Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo was excellent for Portugal, but it was his supporting cast that did the damage. Brazilian-born Pepe (on a brilliant one-two with Nuno Gomes) and substitute Raul Meireles (fed by young Joao Moutinho) scored second-half goals to put away the disappointing Turks. Soccer America’s Paul Kennedy grades the players. …

[GERMANY-POLAND REPORT CARD]Germany won its first European Championship game since its victory in the 1996 final when in its Group B opener it downed Poland, 2-0. German striker Lukas Podalski, who was born in Poland, scored in the 20th and 72nd minutes. Each was set up by Miroslav Klose, another Polish-born German. The Germans dominated the first half but the Poles picked up steam after the halftime entry of Roger Guerreiro. Soccer America’s Mike Woitalla grades the players.

[EURO ’08 PREVIEW] Despite miserable showings at the last two European Championship, Germany is the heavy favorite to win Group B, which begins Sunday. Featuring talented playmaker Luka Modric, Croatia is considered a darkhorse, while co-Austria — arguably the worst team ever to host a major international tournament — and Poland — miserable in a 3-0 loss to the USA in March — are longshots. For a look at the Group B teams and their rosters …

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Neven Subotic, who was born in Bosnia before moving to Florida and representing the USA at the 2005 U-17 World Cup, has signed a five-year contract with German First Division club Borussia Dortmund. Subotic, who was discovered by the U.S. U-17 coaching staff while playing pickup games, spent his early childhood in Germany before his family immigrated to the USA.

[EURO ’08 PREVIEW] Portugal is one of the favorites to win Euro ’08, but its preparations for its Group A opener against Turkey have been overshadowed by the talk of its star, Cristiano Ronaldo, and his apparent intention to leave Manchester United for Real Madrid. Perhaps the only thing that can stop the Portuguese from winning the European Championship is if Ronaldo’s unsettled situation lingers and the 23-year-old star is distracted. Otherwise, Portugal has the edge over Switzerland, Turkey and the Czech Republic in a very balanced group. For a look at the Group A teams and their rosters …

Newly promoted German Bundesliga club Borussia Moenchengladbach has canceled its summer training camp in the USA after club and Bundesliga representatives visited training facilities in Colorado and deemed them unsatisfactory for a preseason camp, according to the Bundesliga’s official Web site. Gladbach was slated to play against the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas on a trip that Bundesliga’s chief marketing officer Tom Bender had hailed as “a milestone in our partnership with MLS.”

With most of the European Championship games being shown midday in most parts of the country, soccer fans will be flocking to their favorite soccer hangouts to be watching the games. Weekday games will mean extended lunch hours for lots of fans. Here’s a list of notable soccer hangouts in major cities. Let us know what is your favorite by emailing us at Soccer America

Action kicks off on Friday when New England hosts FC Dallas, whose Kenny Cooper is the league’s second leading scorer with six goals. … On Saturday, Columbus, which hasn’t scored in three games, hosts San Jose. … Chicago, which has the league’s best goal differential at plus-13, hosts last-place D.C. United. … As many as seven Argentines could see action in the Real Salt Lake-Kansas City clash. … Two of the league’s top midfielders, David Beckham and Christian Gomez, meet when Los Angeles hosts Colorado. … On Sunday, Toronto FC, which is undefeated at home, aims for its second road win when it travels to Houston. … For all of this week’s MLS action on television …

[TELEVISION] The European Championship kicks off Saturday. All matches will be televised live on U.S. television. ESPN2, ESPN, ESPN Classic and ABC will combine to present all 31 matches live. For the complete television schedule …

On Wednesday in Spain, the USA matched the performances of 2006 World Cup champ Italy and runner-up France when they went to Spain earlier this year for friendly games. The USA lost, 1-0. The game extended Spain’s undefeated streak to 16 games, but the Americans played an impressive first half in which teenager Freddy Adu demonstrated that he’s ready to become a force on the national team.

[LIBERTADORES CUP] Brazil’s Fluminense joined surprise LDU Quito of Ecuador in the final of the 2008 Libertadores Cup when it scored three times in the last 20 minutes to beat defending champion Boca Juniors of Argentina, 3-1, on Wednesday and win their semifinal series, 5-3.

Jozy Altidore joins one of Europe’s hottest clubs in Spanish La Liga runner-up Villarreal, which beat out Barcelona for second place behind Real Madrid. With the guarantee of money from playing in the 2008-09 UEFA Champions League and the sale of 21-year-old Uruguayan defender Martin Caceres to Barcelona for a transfer fee estimated to be as high as $26 million, the Yellow Submarine is loaded with money to buy up young talent.

[SPAIN-USA GRADES] Soccer America’s Mike Woitalla grades the U.S. players’ performance in their 1-0 loss to Spain on Wednesday.

[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Portuguese champion Porto has been banned from the 2008-09 UEFA Champions League for allegedly bribing referees in the 2003-04 season.

The New York Red Bulls aim to end a three-game winless streak when the host Chivas USA, which has won three in a row.

Most state associations have completed their championships that qualify teams for the U.S. Youth Soccer regionals that begin in mid-June. Big winners include the Dallas Texans, the top-ranked boys team in the annual Soccer America boys rankings. They won the North Texas U-14, U-15 and U-17 titles. For all the state champions …