Category: Soccer America Daily

Berlin pranksters injured at least two soccer fans by inviting them to kick soccer balls that they had secretly filled with concrete. At least six concrete-filled soccer balls were found chained to lampposts, trees and handrails across the city next to the spray-painted message “Can you kick it?” Two young men suffered badly bruised feet. Police […]

D.C. United beat FC Dallas, 1-0, in a battle of MLS conference leaders on Tuesday night to extend its winning streak to five games and improve its record to 10-1-5. Argentine Cristian Gomez scored the game’s only goal in the 34th minute. The game drew a crowd of 16,240 fans at Pizza Hut Park. — […]

FC Dallas signed 37-year-old Trinidad & Tobago goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, who starred for the Soca Warriors at the World Cup. Hislop, who played at Howard University, had one of the best inidividual games of the 2006 World Cup, making numerous saves as the Soca Warriors tied Sweden, 0-0, in their World Cup debut. Hislop was […]

“There are a huge number of people watching the World Cup that don’t watch soccer at any other time. We’ve got to play to that audience.” — Jed Drake, executive producer of remote production for ESPN and ABC Sports, defending the networks’ approach to their World Cup coverage in trying to expand soccer’s audience beyond […]

For all the week’s World Cup action and MLS games: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137380

Of the 10 defending Region I champions from last year, seven returned to the semifinals, led by a trio of PDA teams. The U-18 Wildcats were two wins away from a fourth straight girls regional title. The U-17 Fury was seeking a third straight girls crown, and the U-16 Power was in position for a second straight title. […]

American David Testo scored twice to give Vancouver a 3-0 win over Portland and retake first place in the USL-1. The Whitecaps have a three-point lead on Montreal, which has played four less games. Charlotte’s 2-1 win over Long Island coupled with Richmond’s 3-0 loss at Wilmington reduced the Kickers’ lead over the Eagles to […]

MLS’s hapless New York club reached a new low when French star Youri Djorkaeff was caught on worldwide television in the stands at France’s 1-0 victory over Brazil in the quarterfinals of the World Cup on Saturday in Frankfurt. The Snake had been excused from the Red Bulls’ game the same day at New England […]

Germany national team coach Juergen Klinsmann credits his team’s American fitness staff with playing a big role in his team’s success at the 2006 World Cup. Fitness instructor Mark Verstegen, president of Athletes’ Performance with centers in Tempe, Ariz., and Carson, Calif., and Klinsmann met through their association with MLS’s Los Angeles Galaxy and was one […]

“I think it’s been extraordinarily unfair. I think it’s fine to criticize the results of the team and the performance — that’s part of sports and Bruce is the head of the team, that goes with the territory — but to challenge his experience, his ability, his know-how, his decision making is, just to me, […]

For all the week’s World Cup action and MLS games: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137352

What’s it like to be a VIP at the World Cup? Chuck Blazer, the long-time general secretary of CONCACAF and lone American on FIFA’s executive committee, has been posting to his blog — Inside the World Cup — with a behind-the-scenes look at the World Cup: life in the FIFA tribune, the dinners and postgame […]

Romario and Zinho, who played on Brazil’s 1994 World Cup championship team, head the list of players named for the USL First Division All-Star Game July 19 against English Championship League team Sheffield Wednesday in Cary, N.C. Two first-team all-league selections from last season also highlight the roster: two-time Defender of the Year Gabriel Gervais (Montreal) […]

Americans return to action this weekend in Norway when league play resumes after a four-week break. Norway is the home to a growing number of American players — including U.S. internationals Nat Borchers, Robbie Russell, Brian West, Ramiro Corrales and Adin Brown — and U.S. collegians who spurned offers from MLS to play in Norway — […]

“In a couple months, this will be over with. People will forget about it and move on and that’s what I’m looking forward to.” — U.S. national team star Landon Donovan, hoping memories of his disappointing performance and that of the U.S. team will soon disappear. (Los Angeles Times)

For all the week’s World Cup action and MLS games: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137352

Chicago’s Eclipse Select won four girls titles at U.S. Youth Soccer’s Region II championships on Tuesday. The Michigan Wolves and Chicago Magic both won two boys titles. For the results and goalscorers of all Region II finals: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137364

USL-1 clubs Minnesota and Miami FC fell to the PDL’s Des Moines Menace and USASA’s Dallas Roma, respectively, Wednesday night in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup. Dallas Roma beat Miami, 1-0, on John Waters‘ penalty kick converted after 1994 Brazilian World Cup champion Zinho was called for handball in the penalty area. The […]

Chinese fans win the award for World Cup fanaticism. China didn’t qualify for the 2006 World Cup, but that doesn’t mean locals are ignoring the tournament. The viewing audience in China for the England-Paraguay match on the second day of the tournament was 62.9 million people — larger than the populations of England and Paraguay combined. […]

Clint Dempsey played his first MLS game since returning from the World Cup, where he starred for the USA, and he set up Taylor Twellman for the lone goal as New England beat Western Conference leader FC Dallas, 1-0. Also playing for the Revs was Avery John, who started for Trinidad & Tobago at the […]

“I’m sure [U.S. Soccer president] Sunil [Gulati] will be very introspective. He’ll examine everything, not just the national team. It’s the whole development process. MLS has some serious soul-searching to do. This old business that our stars should stay at home is totally ridiculous.” — United Soccer Leagues president Francisco Marcos on American soccer needing […]

For all the week’s World Cup action and MLS games: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137352

Chicago’s Eclipse Select had five girls teams advance to the finals of the 2006 Region II championships. On the boys side, three Chicago Magic teams won their semifinal encounters. For complete Region II semifinal scores: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137359

Monday’s trade of defender Todd Dunivant to the New York Red Bulls is just the beginning of the Los Angeles Galaxy’s overhaul under new coach Frank Yallop. Besides Dunivant, who played every minute for the Galaxy at left back during its 2005 championship campaign, the Galaxy got rid of midfielder Marcelo Saragosa. The Brazilian started 24 […]

Saturday’s Argentina-Mexico game on Univision drew 6.7 million viewers, including 4.3 million in the all-important 18-49 year-old category, making it the most-watched sports telecast ever broadcast on Spanish-language television. The game was also the fifth most watched broadcast of any type in Spanish-language television history.