Category: Soccer America Daily
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Top California legislator added to USSF Board of Directors

by Soccer America

Fabian Nunez, the California State Assembly Speaker, has been added to the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors. Nunez takes the second of three Independent Director positions created at U.S. Soccer’s 2006 AGM, when the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Board of Directors was reduced from 40 to 15. Longtime Goldman Sachs Group partner, Carlos Cordeiro, became the first Independent Director in February and the third will be elected at the 2008 AGM. Nunez (D-46th District) was elected to the California State Assembly in 2002 and sworn in as the State’s 66th Speaker in February 2004. For the complete Board of Directors roster and more on Nunez …

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MLS ALL-STAR GAME: The 18-man roster set

by Soccer America

MLS Commissioner Don Garber and New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol named the remaining seven players to complete the roster for the 2007 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game between the MLS All-Stars and Celtic FC on July 19 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. Garber selected Eddie Pope (Real Salt Lake) and Cobi Jones (Los Angeles Galaxy). The five players selected by Nicol were: Kevin Hartman (Kansas City Wizards), Ronnie O’Brien (Toronto FC), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy) and Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo). For complete MLS All-Star roster …

Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

by Soccer America

“Uruguay made it very, very hard for us to establish any kind of rhythm and we struggled quite frankly throughout the game. But great teams find ways to win and I think our will power, the willingness to sacrifice, the willingness to go where it hurts, which we did, to go down and come back and eventually win the game and hold on for dear life, showed me the quality of the team that only through games you find out. You talk about being courageous and today they showed they’re a team [that is courageous].”

— U.S. U-20 coach Thomas Rongen on his team’s 2-1 overtime win over Uruguay that sends the USA into the quarterfinals of the U-20 World Cup.

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Harrisburg knocks D.C. United out of Open Cup

by Soccer America

D.C. United became the third MLS entrant in the SuperLiga to be spared the distraction of competing in the U.S. Open Cup when it fell to the USL First Division’s Harrisburg City Islanders, 1-0.

Steve Fisher‘s goal in the 44th minute was the difference in the game.

On Tuesday, the USL’s Charleston Battery eliminated the Houston Dynamo, and the Los Angeles Galaxy fell to the Richmond Kickers of the USL-2.

Dallas FC, the fourth MLS team in this summer’s SuperLiga, went through to the quarterfinals on penalty kicks.

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Late heroics send USA to U-20 World Cup quarters

by Ridge Mahoney

Coaches rhapsodize about talent, and sing the praises of the skillful, but what they relish above all else is toughness. If not for ample doses of resolve, the USA wouldn’t be among the eight survivors that play in the U-20 World Cup quarterfinals this weekend. Misfortune and circumstance piled up against the Americans, yet still they beat Uruguay, 2-1, in Toronto Wednesday night with an own goal and an overtime winner by Michael Bradley. Of obstacles there were plenty. A charley horse sidelined its stud goalkeeper. A central defender returned to the lineup sporting a gash under his left eye suffered in the first game of the tournament. A wild tackle knocked its specimen of a striker out of the game early in the second half.

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Osorio’s first MLS test is a stern one

by Ridge Mahoney

[MLS TV PREVIEW] Juan Carlos Osorio, presented just a few days ago as the Fire’s new head coach, admits that he needs some time to get back up to speed on MLS and its teams. Since no MLS opponent has been able to defeat the Dynamo in its last eight games, perhaps a fresh approach will help. And since the Fire is 1-9-1 since it beat Houston, 1-0, April 29, maybe the less he knows about his own team, the better. The Fire hosts Houston Thursday night (9 pm ET, ESPN2).

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U.S. U-20 scouting report — what makes Freddy and the boys go

by Ridge Mahoney

The U.S. under-20s have made only two changes in the starting lineup after opening with an unimpressive 1-1 tie with South Korea. It recovered in its next two games to hammer Poland, 6-1, and stun Brazil, 2-1. Coach Thomas Rongen has used 14 field players but has yet to summon forwards Gabriel Ferrari and Andre Akpan, thanks to the excellent play of wingers Robbie Rogers and Sal Zizzo, and striker Jozy Altidore. Midfielder Dax McCarty and defender Amaechi Igwe have been used as subs. Tim Ward started the first game and has also come on as a sub. Barring any unforeseen changes, this is a rundown on the expected starters who face Uruguay Wednesday (7:45 p.m. ET, ESPNU, Galavision) …

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Galaxy and Dynamo fall in Open Cup to USL clubs

by Paul Kennedy

We won’t be seeing David Beckham in the U.S. Open Cup this year. The Richmond Kickers of the USL Second Division cleared room on the Los Angeles Galaxy’s crowded summer-fall schedule, pulling off the biggest upset in their franchise history with a 1-0 win over the MLS club. The Charleston Battery eliminated the defending MLS champion Houston Dynamo, 1-0, in overtime on a rebound of a penalty kick by former MLS player Stephen Armstrong. The New England Revolution and Colorado Rapids were the only MLS winners on Tuesday.

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U.S. Soccer planning to hire technical director

by Soccer America

U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati told Reuters that the USSF is set to hire a technical director next year and that it’s likely the position will be filled by a Latin coach. “We will bring on a technical director to work with [national team coach] Bob [Bradley],” Gulati said. “There’s a reasonable chance that would be an international coach, not because I necessarily think they’re better but because he’ll bring something different to the mix. Everything else being equal, if we could have it be a Latin coach that would be ideal. The Hispanic community is a huge part of our future in the United States.” The technical director would oversee player development and youth teams. Speaking at a gathering hosted by Spanish-language Univision TV network, Gulati also offered his opinions on the arrival of David Beckham to MLS.

Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying

What They’re Saying

by Soccer America

“Certain teams complain about not having facilities, not having a stadium. We have everything here. These fans, they want this team to win. They want a championship team. We could do it, and we’re not doing it.”

— Colorado Rapids forward Herculez Gomez, whose team has scored once in its last six games. The Rapids’ 1-0 home loss to New York on Sunday extended their winless streak to eight games and they’ve won just twice in their new stadium, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. (Denver Post)

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MLS international TV rights go for $2 million

by Soccer America

Soccer United Marketing (SUM) has secured $2 million in international TV rights fees for this rest of this season’s MLS and SuperLiga games. The arrival of David Beckham and Mexican star Cuauhtemoc Blanco to MLS drove deals with Mexican broadcasters Cadena Tres and TeleVisa, and ESPN International and ART, a North African and Middle Eastern distribution company. According to Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal, SUM also hopes to finalize deals with broadcasters in South Korea and Japan in the next 45 days.

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Swiss star Dickenmann tops W-League scoring charts

by Soccer America

[W-LEAGUE RESULTS] Swiss international Lara Dickenmann, who plays for Ohio State, scored in the Jersey Sky Blue’s 2-0 win over the New Jersey Wildcats and had both goals in the Sky Blue’s 3-2 loss to Washington and took over the W-League scoring lead with 11 goals. U.S. international Danesha Adams, who plays for UCLA, has 10 goals for the Cleveland Internationals in five games to share second place with Ali Andrzejeski of the Washington Freedom. For U.S. star Tiffeny Milbrett has nine goals for the Vancouver Whitecaps to tie Jennifer Parsons of the Richmond Kickers Destiny. For complete W-League results and goalscorers …

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