Category: Soccer America Daily

Freddy Adu didn’t score in his first game as captain of a U.S. national team, but he didn’t need to as the U.S. U-20 national team crushed Haiti’s U-23s, 5-1, on Wednesday night in Sunrise, Fla. Michael Bradley, Miguel Gonzalez, Johann Smith and Tim Ward all scored in the first half as the U-20s took […]

Ukrainian-American Dmitry Piterman, the president of Spanish club Alaves, has acquired a USL First Division franchise that will begin play in the 2007 season. California Victory derives its nickname from Alaves’ home city of Vitoria, the capital city of the province of Alava in the Basque country of Spain. The club will play out of […]

ENGLAND. Reading, tied for fourth place only three points behind leaders Chelsea and United, is the surprise of the EPL season. In their previous home game, the Royals, who start Americans Marcus Hahnemann and Bobby Convey, tied Manchester United, 1-1. On Saturday evening, defending EPL champion Chelsea visits the Madejski Stadium (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, […]

Referee Daniel Salazar has been suspended for three games by the Ecuadoran federation for allowing LDU to score a 89th-minute game-winning goal with two balls on the field. After Deportivo Quito keeper Daniel Viteri saved an LDU shot he held on to the ball as he crossed the line for a corner kick. He kept […]

By Ridge Mahoney MEADOWLANDS MUST-WIN. “It’s Bruce, it’s on turf, Tony’s in goal again, it’s got all the makings of all the headlines you could want going into a final match of the season.” Josh Wolff may not have it exactly right, but surely the elements are in place for the Meadowlands to be buzzing […]

Retired Zinedine Zidane is among the 30 players nominated for the 2006 FIFA World Men’s Player of the Year award, despite his headbutt into the chest of Italian Marco Materazzi that resulted him being sent off late in the World Cup final, the last game of his career. Zidane won the adidas Golden Ball as […]

Rumors resurfacing about David Beckham coming to MLS. Another English Premier League team eyeing Clint Dempsey. Troubled striker Eddie Johnson suspended a few days before Kansas City plays its playoff play-in game against the New York Red Bulls. … By Ridge Mahoney There’s been a lot of buzz about MLS in the final week of […]

“Maybe they’re just jealous that he’s got a real nice tight one, with no cellulite or anything. I thought his bum cheeks looked very pert. If anybody’s offended by that they ought to go and see the doctor.” — Plymouth coach Ian Holloway disagrees that Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton deserved a $3,700 fine from […]

The U.S. U-17 boys national team defeated Peru, 1-0, Tuesday night to advance to the final of the Torneo Internacional Sub-17 in San Luis, Argentina. Jared Jeffrey converted a penalty kick in the 67th minute to give the USA the victory in the second game on its month-long stay in Uruguay and Argentina. Argentina defeated […]

England coach Steve McClaren came under fire after England fell to Croatia, 2-0, in yet another dismal showing in Euro 2008 qualifying. The result left England tied with Croatia, Israel and Macedonia for first place in Group E with seven points — Croatia and Israel (along with Russia two points behind) have a game in […]

The Los Angeles Galaxy’s last two games encapsulated the 2006 season for the last year’s championship team and several of its players, notably outside back Chris Albright. In a 3-0 thumping of Chivas USA Sept. 30 that kept the Galaxy’s playoff hopes alive, Albright set up two of the goals. His storming run up the […]

Several of Wednesday’s European Championship qualifiers are available on U.S. TV and closed-circuit: CROATIA-ENGLAND. England hopes to rebound off last weekend’s embarrassing 0-0 tie with Macedonia in Manchester when it faces Croatia, which is undefeated in qualifiers since gaining independence from Yugoslavia. England has not conceded a goal in four games but Coach Steve McClaren […]

"It was a right kerfuffle, and it wasn’t only the Blackburn supporters – the Chelsea fans were just as upset with the ref’s decisions." — Marek Walsh, spokesman of the Blackburn Rovers Ladies, after police were called to their game last weekend to protect referee Ross Joyce, whose two red cards to Rovers Ladies in […]

U.S. men’s national team assistant coach Glenn ”Mooch” Myernick died on Monday morning after failing to regain consciousness following a heart attack he suffered on Thursday. Myernick, 51, died peacefully surrounded by his wife Nancy, daughter Kelly and son Travis, at the North Suburban Medical Center in Thornton, Colo. Myernick was Bruce Arena‘s assistant coach […]

”Glenn Myernick was a player and coach deeply passionate about soccer and life. Whether it was family, friends or soccer, ‘Mooch’ was the kind of person who embraced everything in life, loving every minute of it. He will truly be missed by all of us in the U.S. Soccer family, and our thoughts and prayers […]

Like David Trezeguet a decade ago, French-born Gonzalo Higuain is making a name for himself in Argentina soccer. Higuain, 18, scored twice for River Plate in its 3-1 win over Boca Juniors Sunday in Argentina’s “Superclasico,” and River coach Daniel Passarella says his youngster has an enormous future ahead of him. “I don’t know how […]

Increasingly, Mexican pro clubs are looking north of the border for young Mexican-Americans. More than a dozen are on pro rosters, and four Mexican-Americans, all age 19 or 20, have played in this fall’s First Division Tornero Apertura. EDGAR CASTILLO (Santos) Games: 2 (57 minutes) Age: 20. Starred at Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, […]

“The effort was there, but our defensive play was poor again. We had a few chances to score. Overall, it felt like a reflection of our season. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good enough.” — Los Angeles Galaxy coach Frank Yallop after Saturday’s 2-1 loss to FC Dallas that eliminated the defending champions from […]

Popular U.S. men’s national team assistant Glenn “Mooch” Myernick remained unconscious Sunday 72 hours after suffering a heart attack near his home in Colorado. Myernick, 51, was on life support in the intensive care unit at North Suburban Medical Center in Thornton, Colo., where he was taken after being stricken following his return from a […]

Scotland gained one of the biggest wins in its history when it beat France, 1-0, Saturday in Euro 2008 qualifying. Coming off its 3-1 over Italy in a rematch of the 2006 World Cup final, France was favored in Glasgow and came out strong, twice having goals disallowed for offside in the first 15 minutes. […]

By Ridge Mahoney The MLS flagship franchise has been sunk, and as its fluttering colors sink below the waves, the recriminations begin. Heading into Saturday night’s battle with FC Dallas (16-11-4) at Pizza Hut Park, the Galaxy trailed fourth-place Colorado by three points and needed at least a tie to keep its playoff dreams. The […]

Abby Wambach‘s second goal of the game two minutes into stoppage time gave the USA a dramatic 2-1 victory over Iceland in a women’s friendly on Sunday afternoon in Richmond, Va. Wambach took a pass from Stephanie Lopez at the top of the penalty box on the left side, powered her way through the Icelandic […]

The 2006 Women’s Gold Cup, which will several as qualifying for the 2007 Women’s World Cup, will take place in Miami and Carson, Calif., Nov. 19-26. Jamaica, Mexico, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago playing first-round matches on Nov. 19 at Miami’s Tropical Park Stadium. The winners will meet the USA or Canada in the semifinals […]

The U.S. U-17 boys national team’s month-long trip to South America quickly turned into a nightmare. In the first of nine games in Uruguay and Argentina, the U-17s were crushed by Uruguay, 6-1, at the Estadio Centenario, site of the inaugural World Cup final in 1930. Uruguayan referee Fernando Falce whistled the USA for two […]

SCOTLAND-FRANCE. Scotland opened with two wins but needs to get at least a point against France to probably have any chance of advancing in Group B, easily the most difficult of the seven groups. France coach Raymond Domenech expects a challenge similar to that which the Bleus faced in September 2005 when they traveled to […]