Category: Soccer America Daily

[MLS WINNERS & LOSERS] The Red Bulls finally got a point and FC Dallas notched a rare home win. The Los Angeles Galaxy lost a second straight as it was once again let down by its backline leader.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] He went with his veterans against two of the best teams in the world and they let him, and the country, down with a crashing thud. All along, we can surmise, Coach Bob Bradley‘s plan was to take his strongest squad to the Confederations Cup and tinker at the Gold Cup, assuming he could juggle the schedules and commitments of domestic and international players without too many complications by injuries.

[WPS] The first Saint Louis-Washington match remains the most-discussed game in WPS’s short history, producing six goals, two suspensions and a season-ending injury to Athletica’s Brazilian midfielder Daniela on a foul from the Freedom’s Abby Wambach. The rematch takes place Saturday at the Soccer Park. For a look at all the weekend action …

[WPS] Atlanta was confirmed as Women’s Professional Soccer ‘s ninth team. The Beat — named after the WUSA team of the same name — will begin play in 2010 along with the Philadelphia Independence as expansion teams. The Beat, owned by Atlanta businessman Fitz Johnson, named former FC Dallas front-office executive and SMU associate athletic director Shawn McGee its general manager.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] In beating Italy, 1-0, on Thursday, Egypt produced a performance one would have hoped from the USA — plenty of good soccer, spirited play and spectacular goalkeeping. The result kept all four teams contending for Group B’s two spots in the semifinals — though the USA is a longshot even if it beats the Pharaohs on Sunday.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] The USA concludes play in Group B at the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa against Egypt on Sunday. For the tournament’s complete television schedule …

[BRAZIL-USA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players and comments on their performance in Thursday’s 3-0 loss to Brazil at the Confederations Cup.

[MLS PREDICTIONS] With four teams participating in SuperLiga play, only five weekend league games are scheduled. (Toronto takes the week off from league play.) California Clascio rivals Los Angeles and San Jose square off in the Oakland Coliseum for the second time this season, Seattle crosses the country to play New York, Houston gets a chance to separate itself from Western co-leader Chivas USA when it hosts Real Salt Lake, and Eastern leader D.C. United continues its road trip in Colorado. For all of Soccer America’s predictions, as well as TV viewing information, and to see how we’ve fared so far this season. …

[OFF THE POST] Fans of Brazilian club Palmeiras who want to see its coach, Vanderlei Luxemburgo, sacked because of the team’s elimination from the Libertadores Cup have created a website called “Luxa Out.” The site received nearly 50,000 hits in the first day.

[MLS] Thrills, suspense, wild emotional swings, and comic relief are all elements of great entertainment, the field in which Seattle Sounders FC majority investor Joe Roth and minority partner Drew Carey impart their real jobs.

[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] One of the most dramatic World Cup games in recent memory ended in heartbreak for Iran Wednesday. For Iran’s deciding Group B qualifier against South Korea in Seoul, seven Iranian starters wore green tape in support of opposition leader Mir Hossain Mousavi, a symbolic protest to the controversial presidential election visible on Iranian television. Coached by Iranian-American Afshin Qotbi, Iran was nine minutes away from qualifying for the World Cup 2010 finals when …

[WPS] Sky Blue FC escaped from the Women’s Professional Soccer cellar  with a 1-0 win over the Chicago Red Stars on Wednesday. The loss, combined with FC Gold Pride’s 1-1 tie at Boston, left the Red Stars, winless in their last seven games, in last place.

[DATEBOOK] European champion Barcelona will play Mexican club Chivas Aug. 8 at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park on the third and final game of its August tour of the West Coast.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] To keep alive its slim hopes of advancing to the Confederations Cup semifinals, the USA must at least accomplish something it has never done at this level when it faces Brazil Thursday (9:55 a.m. ET, ESPN2, TeleFutura) in Tshwane/Pretoria.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] Everyone seemed to come out of Wednesday’s Spain-Iraq match a winner. Spain won, 1-0, to move into the Confederations Cup semifinals and it extended its streaks to 14 straight wins and 34 games without a defeat. Iraq coach Bora Milutinovic could also claim personal victory, saying he was delighted Iraq held the heavily favored Spaniards to one goal — a feat that should impress teams looking for an emergency coach at World Cup, where he has already taken five different teams.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] The USA resumes play in Group B at the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa against Brazil. For the tournament’s complete television schedule …

[USL TEAMS OF THE WEEK] Brian Cvilikas, who helped guide the Minnesota Thunder to its first win of the season, and Crystal Palace Baltimore new addition Machel Millwood earned the USL First Division and Second Division Player of the Week honors, respectively. For the USL-1 and USL-2 Teams of the Week …

[WORLD CUP 2018/2022] The USA Bid Committee’s short list of stadiums associated with host cities it has requested submit proposals to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup consists of 45 stadiums representing 37 metropolitan markets. Underscoring the size advantage the USA will have in the bid process, the short list includes four stadiums with capacities of 100,000 or more, seven with 90,000 or more, 10 with 80,000 or more and a whopping 26 with 70,000 or more.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] Rejecting Egypt’s complaint, FIFA cleared up the matter of the awarding of Brazil’s winning penalty in its 4-3 win over Egypt on Monday in Bloemfontein, saying that referee Howard Webb awarded the penalty after consulting with his assistant referee, not the fourth referee and that the refereeing team did not consult video to make the decision.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] Midweek international action from the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa continues Wednesday with two games. For the complete television schedule …

[U.S. OPEN CUP] The Premier Development League’s Ocean City Barons are the only amateur team still alive in the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after they knocked off the Real Maryland Monarchs, 1-0, in overtime in Tuesday’s second round. For their efforts, the Barons have a third-round date with defending champion D.C. United. For all Tuesday’s Open Cup action …