Category: Soccer America Daily
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Galaxy begins final push to improbable quest

by Ridge Mahoney

David Beckham is healthy enough to be considered for selection. Give the Galaxy credit for being as vaguely specific as possible as it plays another must-not-lose match on national television. As long as it avoids defeat, the Galaxy will head to Chicago for the season finale Sunday knowing a win clinches a playoff spot. It trails the Fire by four points, which it can wipe out by either a) winning both games, or b) tying New York and beating Chicago.

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Another U.S. victory over Mexico

by Soccer America

[WOMEN’S FRIENDLY] U.S. captain Kristine Lilly scored in stoppage time of the first half and Abby Wambach, Natasha Kai and Carli Lloyd added late goals as the USA upped its record in 2007 to 19-1-3 with a 4-0 win over Mexico on Wednesday night in a women’s game played on a hard and slick surface that made playing conditions difficult for both teams at Portland’s PGE Park.

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Mexico’s Tri stunned at L.A. Coliseum

by Paul Kennedy

It was supposed to be Los Angeles fans’ first glimpse of the great Mexico team of the future with the Spanish-based trio of Andres Guardado, Carlos Vela and Barcelona starlet Giovani Dos Santos in the starting lineup and New Mexican Edgar Castillo coming off the bench. But what the 42,350 fans saw on Wednesday night was one of the most stunning defeats in the history of the Mexican national team program. Guatemala beat the Tri for the first time in 40 years, winning, 3-2, in an incident-filled game that featured six red cards and seven yellow cards.

Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

by Soccer America

“I always say that one day I can play over there. I would love to. But it’s still early. Don’t get me wrong, I just love the U.S. I don’t know why. I love the way you live. I love American sports. For me, it’s a dream to go to training and then see a game of football, basketball, whatever game. For me, New York is the best city in the world.”

— Thierry Henry, who broke the French all-time scoring record on Wednesday, on his love of the United States and New York. Henry’s best friend is NBA star Tony Parker. (The New York Times)

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USA aims to end skid against Swiss

by Paul Kennedy

You have to go back more than 30 years to find when the USA lost at least six international matches in a row, but Bob Bradley‘s Americans will match that mark if they lose on Wednesday to Switzerland at Basel’s St. Jakob Park (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, 2:30 pm ET; Galavision, delay, 7 pm ET/PT). After a 10-0-1 start that culminated in its 2-1 victory over Mexico in the final of the 2007 Gold Cup, the USA has lost its last five games under Bradley, going down to defeat in all three matches at the Copa America and falling to Sweden and Brazil in recent friendlies.

Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

by Soccer America

“Rui Costa is a legend and you are not going to just come in and play in front of him. The European lifestyle and the European way of soccer is different from in America. One day you can be loved, and the next day you are not loved. That’s how it is with the fans, the media, with coaches – they don’t like something they see and they put you in the second team. That’s just the way it is.”

— DaMarcus Beasley on U.S. teammate Freddy Adu, who has played only 64 minutes since joining Portuguese club Benfica in August. (AP)

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Schwarzenegger lifts kangaroo-skin ban

by Soccer America

Californian soccer players can put Roo back on their shoe thanks to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signing a bill overturning the state’s ban on the import and sale soccer shoes made from kangaroo leather. California was the only state to ban kangaroo leather, which, because it’s lighter than other leathers, is a popular material for high-performance soccer cleats.

Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

by Soccer America

“Considering that we were playing away from home, at high altitude, on a heavy field, it was a reasonable start to the qualifiers. We didn’t sleep well last night and we had to wait two hours to get out of the airport when we arrived.”

— Brazil coach Dunga with a litany of excuses after his team opened its World Cup 2010 qualifying campaign with an umpressive 0-0 tie against Colombia in Bogota.

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Houston aims for top of the West

by Ridge Mahoney

[TV PREVIEW] Houston has two road games to make up the four points separating it from Western Conference leader Chivas USA, which opened the door a crack by losing its first home game of the season Sunday to Colorado, 2-1. Houston’s final home game of the season is this Sunday against Chivas USA at Home Depot Center. If the conference crown is to be doubt until then, the Dynamo need at least a point against Real Salt Lake on Monday.

Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

by Soccer America

“Entry to another country is a privilege, and all countries retain the right to exclude individuals in accordance with their immigration policy.”

— New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who called “unjust” FIFA’s decision to force the postponement of New Zealand’s World Cup qualifying game against Fiji because New Zealand did not grant an entry visa to FIFA goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau. New Zealand denied the visa citing travel sanctions imposed after last December’s military coup in Fiji, claiming Tamanisau’s father-in-law was in the armed forces. The Fiji federation said Tamanisau is not married. (New Zealand Herald)

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OFF THE POST: China boot camp backfires

by Soccer America

The Chinese Olympic team and national team players were given crew cuts and put through a military-style boot camp, to “make the army’s spirit the national team’s soul,” said Chinese soccer federation co-director Nan Yong. The players practiced standing at attention, marching, running in formation and saluting. But two players ended up getting suspended from the Olympic team for asking an army officer a “lewd question.” Dai Lin, 19, and Jiang Chen, 21, had queried whether he had ever been with a prostitute.

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Riquelme and Rey golazos power Argentina and Venezuela in World Cup qualifying

by Paul Kennedy

[VIDEOS] Argentina star Juan Roman Riquelme and Jose Manuel Rey of Venezuela were the stars of the first day of World Cup 2010 qualifying in South America. Riquelme, who has not played this season for Spanish club Villarreal, didn’t show any signs of being rusty. he scored two superb free kicks in the first half to lead Argentina to a 2-0 win over Chile on Saturday. Rey converted a free kick from 45 yards out to give Venezuela, the only South American team to have never played in the World Cup, a 1-0 win in Ecuador.

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Coach insists Germany still has work to do

by Paul Kennedy

[EURO 2008 QUALIFYING] Germany became the first team to qualify for the Euro 2008 finals when it clinched one of the top two spots in Group D with a 0-0 tie with Ireland in Dublin on Saturday. The Czech Republic is in line to capture the second berth in Group D, while several other groups are almost decided. Croatia and England both can wrap up berths in Wednesday. Romania, Croatia, Spain and Sweden are all in good shape.

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