Category: Soccer America Daily

The USA will finish tied with Iran for 25th in the overall 2006 World Cup standings — both finished with one point and 2-6 goal difference — ahead of only Trinidad & Tobago at 27th, Saudi Arabia and Japan tied at 28th, Togo at 30th, Costa Rica at 31st and Serbia & Montenegro last at […]

FIFA reduced its officiating corps at the World Cup down to 12 teams of refereees and assistant referees. Among those retained were Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda, who sent off Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope in the USA’s incident-filled 1-1 tie with Italy, and German Markus Merk, whose penalty call sent the USA on its way […]

“We may have a team of old men, but we know how to be patient. Younger people run out of breath.” — French coach Raymond Domenech on the Bleus, who upset red-hot Spain, 3-1, in the round of 16 of the World Cup despite starting five players who are 30 years old or older.

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

Three 2005 regional champions advanced to the semifinals of the 2006 Region II championships: St. Louis SC (U-16 Girls), Eclipse Select (U-18 Girls) and the Chicago Magic (U-15 Boys). These teams outscored their opponents by a 59-8 score in round-robin play. For complete Region II semifinal pairings: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137359

Police were investigating whether Juventus team manager Gianluca Pessotto made a suicide attempt when he fell about 40 feet from a window on the roof of Juventus’ headquarters. Italian World Cup players Alessandro Del Piero and Gianluca Zambrotta flew to Turin on Tuesday to visit their former Juventus teammate, who was in stable condition at […]

The National Grid, which operates British electrical lines, have been prepared for power surges known as “TV pick-up” as television viewers around Britain switch on tea kettles at halftime of England’s World Cup matches. At halftime of Sunday’s England-Ecuador game, fans caused the use of electricity to jump by 1,600 megawatts — the equivalent of 640,000 […]

The New York Red Bulls fired Scotsman Mo Johnston as head coach and named assistant coach Richie Williams to coach the team on an interim basis until a new head coach is named. “We are a results-driven company,” said Red Bull managing director Marc de Grandpre, “and that’s what today’s decision is based on. Having only […]

“I think it’s ridiculous. If I were him, I’d take a deep breath and think about what I say before I criticize anyone in American soccer.” — MLS commissioner Don Garber on U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena, who suggested that young American  players needed to head to Europe to gain experience. (AP) “He can […]

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

Arsenal FC will go for its third straight national title after winning the U-17 boys title Sunday at the U.S. Youth Soccer’s Region IV championships in Boise, Idaho. Arsenal won the 2004 U-15 and 2005 U-16 boys regional and national titles. It also won the U-19 boys title in Boise. On the girls side, the […]

Vancouver moved to the top of the USL First Division standings as Rochester played to its sixth consecutive draw. Seattle’s Cam Weaver had three goals on the week to catch idle Romario of Miami in the scoring table with nine on the year. In USL-2, Charlotte’s Dustin Swinehart scored his 100th career goal and Richmond’s […]

The Chicago Fire was victorious in the official opening of Toyota Park, beating the New York Red Bulls, 2-0, on goals by Chris Armas and Thiago. The game drew 20,133 fans in Bridgeview, Ill. — Chris Albright and Brian Ching, reserves on the 2006 U.S. World Cup team, were back in MLS action 48 hours […]

The USA-Ghana game on the final day of Group E play at the World Cup was ESPN’s fifth highest-rated and second most-viewed soccer game ever: 3.2 rating (2,902,000 homes). The 3.2 rating was not far off last Thursday’s average prime-time ratings for the four major networks: CBS (6.8), ABC (4.1), Fox (4.1) and NBC (3.4). The […]

WUSA founder John Hendricks is part of a group interested in purchasing MLS’s D.C. United, according to Washington media reports. Others in the investment group include Washington businessman Corey Barnette and former Duke basketball player Brian Davis. The group has signed a letter of intent, but no sale is imminent. “Discussions regarding the sale of […]

“Jesus Christ said we should turn the other cheek. Unfortunately, Luis Figo is not Jesus Christ.” — Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari on star Luis Figo, who head-butted Dutchman Mark van Bommel shortly after being fouled during the rough-and-tumble Portugal-Netherlands World Cup match. “I think there could have been a yellow card for the referee.” — […]

For listings of all the week’s World Cup action, as well as weekend MLS pay-per-view games: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137287

U.S. YOUTH SOCCER: Region IV final group standings Action moves into the knockout stage at the Region IV finals in Boise, Idaho. https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137345

Longtime captain Claudio Reyna retired from the U.S. national team. Reyna, who said he made the decision before the 2006 World Cup, finished his career with 112 caps and eight goals. His cap total is fourth all-time in U.S. history, and his 19 career assists ranks third. Reyna played in 31 World Cup qualifying games (tied […]

A day the U.S. was eliminated from the World Cup, U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena reflected on the USA’s first-round exit. “Despite all calls, all the circumstances over all three games and what have you,” Arena said in Hamburg, “we weren’t good enough.” Arena said the USA must develop more quality players if it is […]

Waiting until after Italy clinched first place in Group E at the 2006 World Cup — and until the close of the Milan stock market — the Italian soccer federation (FIGC) prosecutors charged charged Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio, as well as 26 individuals — including officials of the clubs and the federation itself, eight […]

“Forgive me for thinking in my narrow-mindedness that you were an idiot. I was wrong.” — Influential Bild columnist  Franz Josef Wagner apologizing for tormenting Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann.

“It’s more interesting to watch soccer than those dummies talking nonsense and fighting each other.” — Mexico City human resources officer Claudia Alvarez on the popularity of the World Cup in Mexico, where the closest presidential campaign in decades concludes July 2 with election day. Former Mexico City mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holds a six-point […]

Some hackers try to trick computer users with nude photos. Others have preyed on their interest in the World Cup. One hacker has combined the two to attack computers around the world. The Sixem-A worm has infected the computers of soccer fans by tricking them into clicking on attachments that disable their security software and […]

Bulgaria didn’t qualify for the 2006 World Cup, but interest is still high in the former Eastern bloc country. Two prisoners seving life sentences at the Pazardzhik prison went on a hunger strike to try to get televisions placed in their cells. They sealed their mouths to show the seriousness of thei effort. Said Prison […]