Category: Soccer America Site

Gus Hiddink, coach of U.S. World Cup opponent South Korea, has invited two students into his latest training camp. Hiddink says he was prompted by his team's scoring drought — six goals in nine games this year — to look at the two U-20 internationals. Chon Jyo Guun, 19, plays for Koryo University and Che […]

Why would one of the richest men in America, a man whose real estate and railroad and oil and telecommunications holdings run into the billions, a man who travels by private jet and owns farmlands that encompass three states, go to see the 1994 World Cup final? He and his wife got free tickets. Phil […]

Kevin Payne has moved up in the American soccer hierarchy but he won't be out of sight. With five MLS teams in tow, AEG has hired the former D.C. United president to oversee its soccer operations. This is the man who went into the stands to quiet rowdy fans at RFK Stadium, who unleashed tirades […]

Last year Soccer America described the travails of players in El Paso, Texas, who traveled 10 hours to play ODP. We also featured the Flathead Force, a Montana team that drew players from all over that mammoth state and arrived a day early at tournaments, just to practice together. But El Paso ODP players now […]

When their players returned from their first seasons in the WUSA, China's soccer authorities were thrilled. The players were sharper, bolder, better. "The area that stood out most was combativeness, physical risk-taking," reports Lauren Gregg, the WUSA's vice president of player personnel, whose persistence in China – and elsewhere – has brought a good deal […]

The Facts Born: Feb. 15, 1977. Hometown: Stone Mountain, Ga. College: South Carolina. Pro clubs: Chicago Fire (MLS) 1998-present. USA: 10 caps, 3 goals. Olympics: 2000. World Youth Championship: 1997.   People In My Life Family: I think about having a meal with the people I love back in Atlanta. We just laugh and have […]

For most of 2002 World Cup qualifying, the United States seldom played its game. It did well enough – eight wins, four losses and four ties – to qualify, but it rarely played as a team. Not until the 2002 Gold Cup did the Americans orchestrate the action consistently from one game to the next. […]

In recent years, soccer leaders have recognized and addressed flaws in the way top young American players are identified. Regional and state administrators, following Steve Sampson's Southern California lead, are reaching out to overlooked groups, including minorities and players in non-U.S. Youth Soccer programs. The results are promising. More can be done, others insist. Proving […]

U.S. coach Bruce Arena was quick to point out that the Gold Cup will have little to do with the World Cup, but there was much to pleased with in his team's remarkable run at the Rose Bowl. "It took a game or two to sort things out," said defender Jeff Agoos, the only starter […]

One of the unfamiliar faces on the Mexico Gold Cup roster refined his game at the high school and college level in California. “I was spending my [Christmas] vacation with my family,” said Carlos Ochoa (left) of his Gold Cup invitation. “I was surprised. They called me and told me I was selected, and I […]

The Facts Born: May 24, 1982, in Fort Wayne, Ind. Hometown: Fort Wayne, Ind. Pro clubs: Los Angeles Galaxy (1999), Chicago Fire (2000-present). USA: 7 caps, 1 goal. Gold Cup: 2002. U-20 World Cup: 2001. U-17 World Cup: 1999.   DaMarcus' Favorites Musical artist: Nas. Actor: Chris Tucker. Actress: Halle Berry. Film: "Last of the […]

A friend saw his name on the Internet. The Colorado Rapids' most valuable defensive player last season thought he had found his niche. Playing in Denver, his hometown, leading the team in minutes for two consecutive seasons, Chris Martinez felt secure. And even after a tough season in which the team failed to make the […]

Reactions from Germany following its 4-2 win over the USA on Wednesday in Rostock: pRudiGs ersatz-ersatz 11 — they went behind 0-1 yet won 4-2. ThatGs pretty OK! They did it against their fright-opponent USA, which had won the last two matchups (0:3 and 0:2).S — Bild pThe second-string shows characterS — Headline, Hannoverische Allgemeine […]

Frugality. MLS's word of the year. As D.C. United coach Ray Hudson said, ''We need every red cent, and by the time the season starts, we'll be cutting those red cents in half.'' MLS Commissioner Don Garber, talking recently to SA Senior Editor Will Kuhns*, repeatedly referred to the tight-fisted approach. On contraction: ''Economics. It's […]

BY RIDGE MAHONEY, Senior Editor MORE GOLD: Carlos Ruiz scored his second sudden-death goal of the season to lift the Galaxy past the Fire, 2-1, Saturday. Ruiz, who has scored all four of his team’s goals so far this season, had netted a penalty kick in overtime March 23 to down D.C. United, 2-1. His […]

The Kansas City Wizards signed Argentine forward Dario Fabbro, 25, as a discovery player. Fabbro, a native of Buenos Aires, played with the Wizards during their spring training visit to Argentina in early March. He scored twice and assisted once in two games with the Wizards. Fabbro fills the Wizards 18th and final senior roster […]

9/9 Ranking … Team (Record) … 9/3 Ranking 1 Stanford (5-0-0) 3 9/13 — Denver (4-2); 9/15 — at St. Mary's (1-0). 2 Clemson (2-1-1) 5 9/14 — at Duke (1-2, OT). 3 UCLA (4-0-0) 6 9/15 — San Diego (3-1). 4 St. John's (4-1-0) 9 9/11 — Adelphi (3-0); 9/14 — Virginia Tech (1-0). […]

BY RIDGE MAHONEY Funny things happen when Clint Mathis is on the field. Balls go into the net and opponents stand around wondering what happened. Thanks to his opportunism and one atrocious offside call, the U.S. rectified a poor first half by beating Mexico, 1-0. Mathis has a goal or an assist in seven straight […]

Saturday, September 14 (7:30 pm ET) CHICAGO (10-12-4, 34 points) at COLUMBUS (10-11-5, 35 points) (TV: Fox Sports Net Chicago; DIRECTV: 794/DISHNET: 525, live on inDemand) Key Players Out: Chicago — M Dema Kovalenko (red card suspension), M Chris Armas (torn ACL-R), M Sergi Daniv (turf toe-R), F Mike Nugent (torn meniscus-L), D Evan Whitfield […]

One of the unfamiliar faces on the Mexico Gold Cup roster refined his game at the high school and college level in California. “I was spending my [Christmas] vacation with my family,” said Carlos Ochoa (left) of his Gold Cup invitation. “I was surprised. They called me and told me I was selected, and I […]

One of the unfamiliar faces on the Mexico Gold Cup roster refined his game at the high school and college level in California. “I was spending my [Christmas] vacation with my family,” said Carlos Ochoa (left) of his Gold Cup invitation. “I was surprised. They called me and told me I was selected, and I […]

One of the unfamiliar faces on the Mexico Gold Cup roster refined his game at the high school and college level in California. “I was spending my [Christmas] vacation with my family,” said Carlos Ochoa (left) of his Gold Cup invitation. “I was surprised. They called me and told me I was selected, and I […]

One of the unfamiliar faces on the Mexico Gold Cup roster refined his game at the high school and college level in California. “I was spending my [Christmas] vacation with my family,” said Carlos Ochoa (left) of his Gold Cup invitation. “I was surprised. They called me and told me I was selected, and I […]

The USA meets Germany today in Rostock at 2:45 pm ET. The game will be televised at 10 pm ET on espn2 and on Telemundo (11:30 ET/PT). U.S. coach Bruce Arena will be aiming to notch his third win over Germany in what is the USA’s ninth game of the year (6-1-1). Fellow World Cup […]

The USA meets Germany today in Rostock at 2:45 pm ET. The game will be televised at 10 pm ET on espn2 and on Telemundo (11:30 ET/PT). U.S. coach Bruce Arena will be aiming to notch his third win over Germany in what is the USA’s ninth game of the year (6-1-1). Fellow World Cup […]