Category: Soccer America Daily

[MLS] The fate of the 2009 MLS playoffs is rooted in a pair of quartets. There are four teams in contention to win the Western Conference or snag second place, and there four other teams – three of them from the Eastern Conference — locked together on points dueling for one, or two, or three playoff spots.

[BALLON D’OR] The shortlist for the 2009 Golden Ball (Ballon d’Or) award is a very exclusive list: all 30 players represent clubs in Europe’s big five leagues. Cristiano Ronaldo, the 2008 winner, heads the nominees released by France Football, which has organized the award since 1955. His greatest competition this year should come from his Real Madrid teammate Kaka and Barcelona star Lionel Messi.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] D.C. United’s trip to Mexico for the deciding game of group play in the Concacaf Champions League could not have come at a more inopportune time. It will host Kansas City with a potential MLS playoff berth on the line Saturday. Houston and Columbus are also bidding to advance to the Concacaf quarterfinals but at least they have the security of having wrapped up MLS playoff berths. For a look at this week’s Concacaf deciders …

[TELEVISION WATCH] Martin Tyler, one of the great names in British broadcasting, will be the lead play-by-play voice for ESPN’s English-language coverage of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Many young Americans will know Tyler as one of the voice-over commentators for the popular EA Sports FIFA video game series on PS3 and Xbox 360.

[WPS] Women’s Professional Soccer champion Sky Blue FC signed free agent Carli Lloyd for the 2010 season. The 2008 U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year played in the inaugural WPS year at Chicago, where she had a rather quiet season.

[USA] Charlie Davies, who seriously injured in a one-car accident a week ago, was moved out of the ICU on Saturday and has been able to speak and receive visitors at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Midfielder Clint Dempsey, who missed the final two World Cup 2010 qualifiers with a sprained right shoulder, was back in action Monday for Fulham, which beat Hull City, 2-0, to climb four places to 12th in the English Premier League. U.S. teammate Jozy Altidore came on the 69th minute for Hull, making his first appearance for the Tigers in more than three weeks.

[COLLEGE] Wake Forest senior Austin da Luz, who had a goal and three assists in the Demon Deacons’ 4-1 win over ACC rival N.C. State, is the Soccer America Men’s Player of the Week for games played Oct. 12-18. For the Soccer America Men’s Team of the Week …

[COLLEGE] Sophomore Sarah Hagen, who extended her goal scoring streak to nine games with all three goals in a 2-0 win at Detroit and 1-0 victory over Wright State that gave Wisconsin-Milwaukee the Horizon League regular-season title, is the Soccer America Women’s Player of the Week for games played Oct. 12-18. For the Soccer America Women’s Team of the Week …

[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] The 2009-10 UEFA Champions League resumes with Day 3 of the group stage on Tuesday. The week’s big game is a match between Real Madrid and AC Milan, Kaka’s first against his old team since joining the Merengues. For a look at three key matches …

[COLLEGE] No. 1 Stanford, which beat ranked Pac-10 rivals UCLA (2-0) and USC (4-0), remains No. 1 in the Soccer America Women’s Top 25. Portland, North Carolina and UCLA again follow at 2-3-4, while Florida State moves back into the No. 5 spot. For the complete Women’s Top 25 rankings …

[COLLEGE] Akron is No. 1 in the Soccer America Men’s Top 25 for the seventh straight week. UCLA, unbeaten in its last nine games, is again No. 2. Wake Forest and North Carolina change spots and complete the top five with Maryland at 3-4-5. For the complete Men’s Top 25 rankings …

[UNDER-17 WORLD CUP] FIFA’s release of the official rosters for the Under-17 World Cup, beginning Oct. 26 in Nigeria, included at least one surprise in the U.S. squad. Attacking midfielder Sebastian Lletget, one of the stars of the USA’s qualifying campaign in Tijuana, was not on Coach Wilmer Cabrera‘s 21-player U.S. roster.

[USL-1] Puerto Rico’s Cristian Arrieta earned 2009 Most Valuable Player and Defender of the Year honors in the 2009 USL First Division. Portland’s Gavin Wilkinson earned Coach of the Year honors, while Vancouver’s Marcus Haber, 20, was named the Rookie of the Year.

[UNDER-20 WORLD CUP] Short-handed Ghana became the first African team to win the Under-20 World Cup when it beat Brazil, 4-3, on penalties in the 2009 final played Friday before a crowd of 70,000 in Cairo. The shootout followed a 0-0 tie after regulation and overtime.

[MLS] Seven teams remained in contention to claim three playoff spots still up for grabs as MLS headed into the 32nd and final week of regular-season play. Five teams have clinched playoff berths, and only three teams have been eliminated.

[MLS BY THE NUMBERS] After starting slowly, the Seattle Sounders have gotten hot on the road. They clinched a playoff berth with a 3-2 victory at Kansas City on Saturday, their fourth away win in their last six games. For more on the playoff race …

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Michael Bradley scored a late consolation goal — his first goal of the Bundesliga season — in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 2-1 loss to defending champion. The American star of the weekend was Brad Friedel, who brushed aside a monumental error he made on Didier Drogba‘s goal for Chelsea to help Aston Villa beat the Blues, 2-1.

[USL-1] The Montreal Impact became first USL First Division team in a decade to sweep all its playoff games when it beat the Vancouver Whitecaps, 3-1, Saturday before more than 13,000 fans at Stade de Saputo and captured the championship series, 6-3, on aggregate. The Impact’s third championship team featured a midfield corps of Americans who had previously played at Vancouver, players with MLS roots and a trio of local players who been with Montreal since the club’s early days.

[MLS] Former England international Paul Mariner resigned his position as New England Revolution assistant coach following the Revs’ match against the Chicago Fire on Saturday in order to pursue a position as head coach at English Second Division club Plymouth Argyle.

Streaking FC Dallas kept its playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Colorado. D.C. United remained in contention with a 1-0 victory over defending champion Columbus. For all the weekend summaries, as well as standings, schedule and leading scorers …

After opening the season with six straight wins, Spanish leader Barcelona had to settle for a 0-0 tie at Valencia. Inter Milan is back on top in Italy thanks to a 5-0 win at Genoa. Manchester United regained the lead in England with a tense 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers. Surprise Montpellier took advantage of Lyon’s 2-0 loss to Sochaux to gain a share of the lead in France. For the weekend results, as well as standings and leading scorers …

[USL-1] The Montreal Impact became the third club in USL First Division history to win a third league championship when it beat the Vancouver Whitecaps, 3-1, Saturday before more than 13,000 fans at Stade de Saputo  and captured the series, 6-3, on aggregate.