Category: Soccer America Daily

[WORLD CUP 2018/2022] U.S. Soccer has announced that it will hold a teleconference on Monday at which time President Sunil Gulati should formally announce its plans to submit simultaneous bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

[HEXAGONAL COUNTDOWN] A squad of 20 has been selected as the preliminary U.S. squad to prepare for the Concacaf Hexagonal opener against Mexico Feb. 11 in Columbus.

[MLS] Carlos Ruiz, who scored 82 goals in seven MLS seasons (2002-08), is signing a six-month contract with Paraguay’s Olimpia according to Guatemala’s Prensa Libre newspaper.

[REF WATCH] West Brom coach Tony Mowbray has accused English Premier League referees of being too “pally” with stars – citing that they call popular players by their first names: “It’s almost as if refs want to be friends of the stars.”

[W-LEAGUE] The W-League will open its 15th season on May 8 when the Hampton Roads Piranhas, one of the league’s original teams from 1995, visit the Charlotte Lady Eagles. The W-League will consist of 37 teams in 2009, playing in five divisions that comprise the three conferences.

[WPS] Women’s Professional Soccer announced plans for the playoffs of its inaugural campaign that include rewarding the winner of the regular-season championship with a bye into the championship game — and home-field advantage.

Soccer America is partnering with US Youth Soccer, the nation’s largest youth sports organization with over three million registered players ages 5 to 19, to develop programs of joint interest.

[ENGLAND] Liverpool’s hopes of its first Premier League title look dimmer after its 1-1 tie at Wigan on Wednesday left it two points behind defending champion Manchester United, which has a game in hand. The result left the Reds needing a victory when they host Chelsea on Sunday. Also on Wednesday, U.S. keeper Tim Howard helped Everton tie Arsenal.

[ITALY] For the second straight game, David Beckham scored for AC Milan, but he had to leave the game with a groin injury that threatened to complicate possible talks of a transfer from the Los Angeles Galaxy to the Rossoneri — or at least put a damper on his hopes for a recall for England’s next international match.

[MLS] Felix Garcia, considered the top prospect to come out the amateur Premier Development League, is expected to sign with the Houston Dynamo on Thursday, according to multiple reports. The 18-year-old Garcia, who has impressed in stints with the U.S. under-20 national team, spent the last two seasons with the PDL’s Laredo Heat.

[MLS] The MLS 2009 schedule is out. Finally. Just 50 days prior to the March 19 season opener the league unveiled its 225-game schedule by which each of the 15 teams will play 30 games, and from which eight teams will qualify for the playoffs.

[MLS] The ESPN network of channels, Fox Soccer Channel/Fox Sports en Espanol and TeleFutura will broadcast MLS games in 2009. For the 2009 schedule with TV info …

[MLS] There’s been a bit of belt-tightening in regards to player salaries yet the San Jose ledger sheet has added a major entry on the plus side. Amway Global has signed on as the team’s jersey sponsor and, wasting no time, its placards went on display Wednesday night, a day after the sponsorship deal was announced, at the Mexico-Sweden friendly played at the Oakland Coliseum.

[HEXAGONAL COUNTDOWN] Two weeks before it faces the USA in World Cup qualifying, Mexico fell, 1-0, to Sweden, which the USA had beaten, 3-2, on Saturday. A crowd of 46,550 watched the Mexicans fall in Oakland, Calif.

[MLS] The Seattle Sounders aren’t confining their USL-1 signings to the local products they’ve developed. Reigning Rookie of the Year Osvaldo Alsonso, who scored four goals and registered two assists for Charleston last season, has signed an MLS contract to play for Seattle. The two sides had been discussing a contract for several months, as Alonso had been anxious to return to Seattle.

[MLS] Two weeks after signing defender Steve Purdy, FC Dallas tweaked its defense again with the addition of former Columbus and Real Salt Lake backliner Daniel Torres.

[MLS] Chivas USA opens its preseason training camp Wednesday with only one of its two Antes under contract.

For the first time since Soccer America began its annual rankings of the Best Boys Clubs in 2004, the Baltimore Bays are No. 1, edging last year’s top-ranked club, the Dallas Texans. For Soccer America’s Top 30 Boys Clubs …

A banner year propelled the Dallas Texans back into the top spot in Soccer America’s annual Best Girls Club rankings. They moved ahead of their frequent opponent on the national stage, Eclipse Select. For Soccer America’s Top 30 Girls Clubs …

[AMERICANS ABROAD] In midweek English Premier League action, keeper Brad Friedel assisted on Aston Villa’s goal in a 1-0 win over Portsmouth that moved it into third place. Clint Dempsey and Fulham didn’t fare so well against Sunderland.

[ENGLAND] Manchester United goalie Edwin van der Sar set an English shutout record when United’s 5-0 win over West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday extended his scoreless streak to 1,032 minutes, beating the previous record of 1,025 set by Chelsea’s Petr Cech in 2004-05.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Landon Donovan, after playing in five friendly games for Bayern Munich, saw his first action in official competition in Bayern’s 5-1 German Cup round of 16 win over VfB Stuttgart.

[DIGICEL UNCAF CUP] Panama beat Guatemala, 1-0, on a goal by Alberto Zapata in the 31st minute and advanced to the semifinals of the Digicel Uncaf Cup, where it will face host Honduras Friday in the semifinals.