Category: Soccer America Daily

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] A decidedly low-key setting didn’t deter D.C. United, which ended a victory drought in the Concacaf Champions League group phase by beating San Juan Jabloteh, 1-0, Tuesday night in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] After losing its first two games, the USL-1’s Puerto Rico Islanders needed to beat Mexico’s Cruz Azul if they hoped for a repeat of last year when they qualified for the knockout stage of the Concacaf Champions League. A 3-3 tie was a major disappointment for Puerto Rico, not the least because it led, 3-1, at the half and had three shots hit the woodwork …

[MLS] Kei Kamara is on the move again. The man of many teams will join the fourth team of his rather brief MLS career in a swap of strikers announced Tuesday, the MLS roster freeze date and trade deadline.

[MLS] In his rookie year, Sam Cronin has become a significant contributor in the midfield for Toronto FC. His efforts were rewarded this summer as Cronin joined the U.S. national team for the Gold Cup. Now, he turns his attention to helping Toronto FC reach the playoffs for the first time in team history. Get to know the 22-year-old in this profile by Soccer America’s Bryan Alvarez that covers on and off-field experiences.

[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] UEFA has overturned its two-game ban on Arsenal striker Eduardo for diving in a game against Glasgow Celtic after an appeal by the English club. “We were able to show there was contact between the keeper and Eduardo and that the decision should be annulled,” said a statement from Arsenal.

[WORLD CUP QUALIFYING] Despite its strong start, which included a 3-1 home win over the USA, in the final round of World Cup qualifying, Costa Rica fired Coach Rodrigo Kenton after the Ticos lost their last three Hexagonal games, dropping them to fourth place. Thanks to four wins in their first five games, Costa Rica remains in position to qualify, but the Costa Rican federation showed its traditional impatience and will put a new man in charge for its final two games, at home against Trinidad & Tobago and at the USA.

[COLLEGE] DePaul’s Steffen Vroom, who scored the first goal in three victories, two of them against ranked teams, is Soccer America Men’s Player of the Week for games played Sept. 7-13. For the Soccer America Men’s Team of the Week …

[COLLEGE] Sixth-year senior Jordan Angeli, whose goal on a 35-yard rocket was instrumental in Santa Clara’s 2-0 victory over Notre Dame, is Soccer America Women’s Player of the Week for games played Sept. 7-13. For the Soccer America Women’s Team of the Week …

[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] The 2009-10 UEFA Champions League, available for the first time on the Fox networks, kicks off this week with Day 1 of the group stage. Several exciting matches are on tap, mostly notably a clash between Barcelona and Inter Milan. For a look at Day 1’s top matches and the complete television schedule …

[OFF THE POST] When 36-year-old journeyman forward Julian Alsop was signed by Cheltenham on a free transfer in August, Martin Allen, coach of the fourth-tier English club, explained the acquisition to the Irish Times: “I approached loads of players in the summer to play that role, but I couldn’t afford them. If you go shopping at Sainsbury’s and ask for some fillet steak and you don’t have the money, you can’t buy it. We have ended up with a gristly, old, fatty lump of lard up front, but at the moment he is tasting OK.”

[OFF THE POST] Stoke City lost, 2-1, to Chelsea but produced the best goal celebration of the weekend after it took a 1-0 lead.

[TELEVISION WATCH] The USA’s three group games at the 2009 Under-20 World Cup in Egypt will all be shown live on cable television, beginning with the Group C opener against Germany on Sept. 26. For the television schedule of U.S. group games …

[UNDER-20 WORLD CUP] After the University of Denver’s Sam Garza, Anthony Wallace of FC Dallas has also been scratched from the U.S. roster for the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt because of a knee injury. Wallace has been replaced on the U.S. roster by Gerson Mayen. Jorge Flores, Mayen’s Chivas USA teammate, will probably move into Wallace’s left back spot. Garza had been replaced by Hertha Berlin’s Bryan Arguez.

[MLS] Kansas City and FC Dallas crept into playoff contention, barely, by posting vital victories last week. Since they meet this weekend, only by winning can either team realistically stay in the hunt. Counting those two outsiders, there are nine teams vying for the four wild-card spots, allotted by overall points, with the top two finishers in each conference earning guaranteed places. (The top two currently being Columbus and Chicago in the East, and Houston and Los Angeles in the West.) Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney explains which teams are poised to reach the playoffs.

[USL-1] Despite losing to the bottom two teams at home, Austin and Cleveland, in the space of three days, the Portland Timbers clinched the USL First Division regular-season title.

The Columbus Crew regained the lead in the Eastern Conference with a 2-1 win over Western Conference leader Houston on Eddie Gaven‘s goal in stoppage time. Seven teams are separated by three points in the battle for the four wild-card berths in the playoffs. For all the weekend summaries, standings and leading scorers …

The two Genovese teams, Genoa and Sampdoria, share the lead in Italy with Juventus. Barcelona and Real Madrid are two of four teams to win their first two games in Spain. Braga is the surprise leader in Portugal. For all the weekend results and standings in Europe’s major leagues and Mexico …

[ENGLAND] Big-spending Manchester City’s perfect start to the 2009-10 Premier League season was marred by the outrageous behavior of one of its biggest signings, Emmanuel Adebayor, in City’s 4-2 win over Arsenal, his former club. The Togolese star surely faces a suspension, which could not come at a worst time with City’s three other stars up front all injured …

[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] For the second time this season, FC Dallas scored six goals in one game, this time downing Los Angeles at the Home Depot Center. Defending Columbus Crew is the league’s best after a 2-1 win over Houston. For highlights of the weekend’s MLS action …

[MLS] The effect of signing international midfielder Julian De Guzman as its first Designated Player may not take full effect until next year, but Toronto FC has already put another piece into play for 2010. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLS&E), the team’s primary investor, has received approval from the board of governors of Exhibition Place, site of BMO Field, to install a grass playing surface in time for next season.

[COLLEGE] North Carolina, Stanford and Portland are again 1-2-3 in the Soccer America Women’s Top 25. The other unbeaten and untied teams in the Top 25 are No. 4 Boston College, No. 9 Maryland and No. 12 South Carolina. Unranked Santa Clara moved up to No. 10 with wins over Notre Dame and Purdue. For this week’s complete Soccer America Top 25 rankings …

[COLLEGE] Akron and North Carolina remained 1-2 in the Soccer America Men’s Top 25 rankings. Wake Forest, Creighton and Dartmouth each moved up one spot to complete the top five. For this week’s complete Men’s Top 25 rankings …

[COLLEGE] Sophomore Stephen Knox‘s first goal of the season gave Boston University a 1-0 win over No. 3 St. John’s on Sunday night at Nickerson Field. No. 7 UC Santa Barbara lost, 2-1, at home to Loyola Marymount. No. 1 Akron and No. 4 Wake Forest rolled on the road on Sunday. American was the only other Top 25 team to fall to an unranked team, dropping a 3-0 decision to Monmouth. For the weekend results and schedules …