Category: Soccer America Daily

[CANADA] Despite its MLS status, Toronto FC came out third best amongst the three Canadian professional teams last year, but got its 2009 international program off to a good start by beating Vancouver, 1-0, in the opening game of the Nutrilite Championships, which determine Canada’s entrant into the Concacaf Champions League.

[USL] St. Vincent & the Grenadines international Marlon James, whose hat trick powered Vancouver past Minnesota, 3-2, in his Whitecaps’ debut, and Damico Coddington, who scored one goal and was taken down for the penalty that led to the second goal in the Bermuda Hogges’ 2-1 win over Harrisburg, are the USL First Division and Second Division Players of the Week. For the teams of the week …

[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] With one slip, the biggest game of Arsenal teenager Kieran Gibbs‘ career quickly turned into a nightmare, and by halftime he was gone. By then, Gunners’ hopes of advancing to the UEFA Champions League final had evaporated. Arsenal’s 3-1 loss at home to Manchester United sent the defending champions through to the final, 4-1 on aggregate, in Rome, where they will meet the winner of the series between Barcelona and Chelsea.

[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Dutchman Guus Hiddink‘s reputation as a miracle worker preceded his arrival at Chelsea as interim manager in February, but he will have pulled off one of his greatest coups if the Blues can knock off Barcelona Wednesday at Stamford Bridge (TV: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, live, 2:30 pm ET).

[MLS] In his rookie year with D.C. United, Chris Pontius is making quite an impact. He has played every minute of every game (7 games, 630 minutes). Pontius has contributed two goals (he scored one in his debut and the other was a gamewinner) and chipped in two assists. Get to know the 21-year-old in this profile by Soccer America’s Bryan Alvarez that covers on- and off-field experiences.

[MLS PREDICTIONS] Another week of nine games kicks off with a pair of intraconference matches on Wednesday, when Kansas City can leap-frong into first place in the East with a win over D.C United and Los Angeles aims for its second win of the season, at Salt Lake.. All four teams playing Wednesday will also be in action during the weekend. For Soccer America’s predictions for Wednesday’s game, as well as TV viewing information, and to see how we’ve fared so far …

[TEAM OF THE WEEK] Two players in their mid-30s, Jaime Moreno and Cuauhtemoc Blanco were among the attacking stars last weekend, and Gregg Berhalter had a good outing after debuting in MLS with a red card.

The four-time MLS runner-up Revs aren’t what they used to be, but still Houston can take confidence from beating New England, 2-0, at Gillette Stadium Saturday night. That game marked the first time in 2009 the Dynamo played Dynamo soccer for nearly, if not all, of the 90 minutes, and perhaps clearly demonstrated how, and how well, it can play without Dwayne De Rosario, Nate Jaqua and Eddie Robinson, who have formed the spine of numerous championship teams. Since 2001, when the team was in San Jose, the Quakes/Dynamo have won four titles in five MLS Cup appearances.

[WPS] After Daniela scored twice for St. Louis in a 3-3 tie with Washington on Sunday, the Brazilian was injured by a vicious tackle from the Freedom’s Abby Wambach, who received only a yellow card. “There was no excuse for it,” said St. Louis keeper Hope Solo.

[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Arsenal plays its most important match of the season when it hosts Manchester United Tuesday in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League series (TV: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, live, 2:30 pm ET). Defeat would be a crushing blow for Arsene Wenger, who has never won a European trophy in 14 years as Arsenal manager, and revive talk of the possible breakup of the Gunners’ young team.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Brad Friedel was in goal Monday night for Aston Villa, which ended its 12-game winless streak with a 1-0 victory over Hull City.

[MLS STATS] Only one of the seven games last weekend had more than two goals — D.C. United’s 2-1 win over New York — and the leaguewide per game scoring average dropped to 2.52. Real Salt Lake and Chicago are the league’s highest scoring teams; New England and New York are the least productive …

[MLS STATS] Toronto FC drew 19,998 for its tie with Columbus and a 21,006 crowd in Los Angeles watched the Galaxy get their first win last weekend. But neither Colorado nor New England broke the 10,000 mark

[MLS STATS] After seven weeks of action, the league’s leading scorer is 36-year-old Brian McBride while 20-year-old Gerson Mayen is the assist leader. For individual stat leaders in various categories. …

[LIBERTADORES CUP] Guadalajara and San Luis, the two Mexican clubs still alive in the Libertadores Cup, have had the first legs of their second-round series postponed because of the H1N1 flu while the search for venues continues.

[USL-1] St. Vincent & Grenadines international Marlon James enjoyed a memorable debut for the Vancouver Whitecaps, scoring a hat trick, including the winning goal on a penalty kick in the 90th minute, to give the defending champions a 3-2 win at Minnesota on Saturday. For all the weekend action …

[SPAIN] On the one hand, former Barcelona star Luis Enrique called Barcelona’s display “a soccer orgasm.” On the other, it was called “the greatest of humiliations” for Real Madrid. For the first time in the 80-year history of Spain’s greatest rivalry, Barcelona scored six goals at Real Madrid, inflicting a 6-2 defeat on the Merengues that all but decided La Liga race for 2008-09.

[EUROPEAN RACES] The top four teams in the English Premier League all won, leaving teams in the same places at the top of the standings with three weeks to play.

[WPS] Marta‘s first trip to Harvard Stadium drew a crowd of 8,031, the second largest in Women’s Professional Soccer’s short history, but Englishwoman Kelly Smith won the duel of WPS’s two best strikers, scoring only two minutes into the game to help the Breakers down the Los Angeles Sol, 2-1. For all the WPS action …

Defending champion Columbus is the only winless team in MLS. The Crew and 2008 runner-up New York are tied for last place in the Eastern Conference. For all the game summaries, standings, leading scorers and this week’s schedule …

Anderlecht and Standard Liege remained tied in Belgium, while only one point separated Celtic and Rangers in Scotland and Sivas and Besiktas in Turkey.  For all the results in Europe’s major leagues and Mexico …

[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] Los Angeles is no longer winless, but the defending champ Columbus failed once again to get its first victory of the year. Jamie Moreno added to his all-time league scoring record in a D.C. United win. New England keeper Matt Reis committed the biggest keeper blunder of the season so far. Chicago remained the league’s only undefeated team, but couldn’t notch its third win …