Category: Soccer America Daily

For all the week’s MLS and Libertadores Cup action: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137410

More than two months after the quarterfinal first-leg games, the Libertadores Cup picks up action this week. The delay between games came about because of FIFA’s ruling that players must be available for World Cup preparation by May 17. TUESDAY, July 18 LIBERTAD (Portugal) vs. RIVER PLATE (Argentina) First leg: 2-2. TV: Fox Sports en […]

Bruce Arena is the fifth coach to take the helm of an MLS club after coaching a World Cup team. He is the third coach of the Red Bulls (nee MetroStars) who arrived with World Cup head-coaching experience. Bruce Arena World Cup 2002 (USA), World Cup 2006 (USA) MLS: New York Red Bulls (Hired July […]

The most disappointing franchise in MLS’s 11-year history has hired America’s most successful coach. Bruce Arena, five days after U.S. Soccer decided not to renew his contract, has been named head coach and sporting director of the New York Red Bulls, previously known as the MetroStars. Arena guided D.C. United to MLS titles in the […]

For all the week’s MLS and Libertadores Cup action: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137410

Montreal swept its West Coast swing by rallying past Seattle 2-1 and edging Vancouver 1-0 with Joel Bailey scoring his first two goals of the year in USL-1 play. In the PDL, Westchester, Augusta, Bradenton and the defending champion Des Moines Menace qualified for into the playoffs. W-League playoff races remain completely open going into […]

The USA beat Denmark, 3-0, in their opening game at the 2006 Nordic Cup, the under-21 women’s championship, in Norway. India Trotter, Danesha Adams and Katie Griffin scored for the USA in their Nordic Cup debuts. For more on USA-Denmark: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137408

The U.S. women’s national team won its 2006 home opener with a 3-2 victory over Sweden in a game played in 99 degree heat in Blaine, Minn. The game featured a wild finish with three goals after the 89th minute. Defender Cat Whitehill scored from 70 yards to give the USA a 2-1 lead, but […]

D.C. United coach Peter Nowak, who will coach the MLS All-Stars against Chelsea Aug. 5, named eight players and Commissioner Don Garber added two picks to the to create an 18-man roster. Three of Nowak’s picks replace All-Star First XI members Ante Razov (Chivas USA), Shalrie Joseph (New England) and Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution), […]

Brian Ching scored the deciding goal in Houston’s 3-2 win over Kansas City, which extended the Dynamo’s undefeated streak to nine games and the Wizards’ losing streak to six. It was Ching’s 10th goal of the season. D.C. United extended its win streak to six games and its unbeaten run to 13 games with a […]

“Adu swerved to avoid the guy running across [Interstate] 295.” — D.C. Police spokesman Joe Gentile on Freddy Adu‘s Saturday night car accident. Adu’s BMW 330i hit a median and was struck from behind by another car. A D.C. United spokesman said the 17-year-old Adu is "totally healthy" but "The car had quite a bit […]

All the week’s MLS and international action: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137397

The following are the penalties handed out tonight in the Italian soccer scandal, subject to appeals: JUVENTUS: — Relegated to Serie B for 2006-07 season. — Deducted 30 points from their 2006-07 Serie B total. — Stripped of 2004-05 and 2005-06 Serie A titles. FIORENTINA: — Relegated to Serie B for 2006-07 season. — Deducted […]

Citing a need for freshness, U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati has decided not to renew the contract of eight-year U.S. head coach Bruce Arena when it expires at the end of 2006. “It comes down primarily to eight years being a long period,” Gulati said. “I’m not going to say we felt the need to […]

“They blew us off the pitch with their energy. Especially in the second half. As the game went on, [our] players felt less energy. That is disappointing.” — Gordon Strachan, manager of Scottish champion Celtic, after the Hoops were crushed by MLS Eastern Conference leader D.C. United, 4-0, in a friendly on Tuesday.

All the week’s MLS and international action: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137397

FIFA has begun disciplinary proceedings against Italy’s Marco Materazzi over the incident in which Frenchman Zinedine Zidane head butted him late in overtime of Sunday’s World Cup final. Zidane was sent off after the attack — a reaction, he said, to repeated insults made by the Italian defender to him. Zidane apologized for his reaction, but […]

Dallas Roma FC made U.S. Open Cup history Tuesday night when it beat Chivas USA on penalty kicks. Roma became the first USASA team to beat an MLS club in the annual cup competition. Roma, which had upset Romario’s Miami FC in the previous round, prevailed against Chivas USA, 4-2, on penalties. Jesse Llamas was […]

“I feel burned out. I have a great wish to be back with my family and my children and to get back into normal life.” — Juergen Klinsmann on why he will not continue as Germany national team coach. “There is absolutely no interest on my side and no contact.” — Klinsmann on the U.S. […]

Watch Soccer America Publisher Lynn Berling-Manuel debate Frank Deford to a draw regarding the staying power of soccer post-World Cup. See this video titled “Americans Pay More Attention to the World Cup” from the July 10 edition of the NewsHour on PBS.

All the week’s MLS and international action: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137397

The following are the latest FIFA rankings, the first post-World Cup rankings based on new criteria with more consideration taken of the importance of the match and the strength of opponents. RANK/TEAM/CHANGE 1 Brazil 0 2 Italy +11 3 Argentina  +6 4 France +4 5 England +5 6 Netherlands -3 7 Spain -2 8 Portugal -1 9 Germany +10 10 Czech Republic -8 11 Nigeria 0 12 Cameroon +3 […]

The MLS All-Star team’s First XI, the players who received the most votes in each position, include five members of the U.S. team that exited in the first round of the 2006 World Cup. Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Jimmy Conrad and Eddie Pope, who all saw action in Germany, are joined by Chris Albright, a […]

“He grabbed my shirt, and I told him to stop. I told him if he wanted I’d swap it with him at the end of the match. That is when he said some very hard words, which were harder than gestures. He repeated them several times. It all happened very quickly and he spoke about […]

All the week’s MLS and international action: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137397