[EL SALVADOR-USA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players and comments on their performance in Saturday’s 2-2 tie with El Salvador. …
Category: Story
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Week 2: Montero provides more Seattle magic [VIDEO]
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] The Seattle Sounders drew another big crowd and its young Colombian star struck again. For highlights from Week 2 …
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
A Triumph for the Snow White Formation
Three years back, in the lead up to the 2006 World Cup, Julio Grondona — that’s Don Julio, the man who runs Argentine soccer — had some scornful things to say about some of his own players. It had been pointed out that the Argentine roster might well include a quartet of highly skilled attacking players — Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Javier Saviola and Sergio Aguero — all of whom were decidedly on the short side, with an average height of around 5-foot-6.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
U.S. U-17s split in Argentina
After opening with a 2-1 win over Bolivia, the U.S. under-17 boys national team was brought back down to earth two days later when it fell to Argentina, 5-1, in a match played at Italiano Deportivo’s facilities on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Cal South takes double
Cal South claimed two titles (boys and girls 1993) and finished second in a third competition at the 2009 U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Championships played at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. Indiana (boys 1992) was the only team to repeat, while North Texas (girls 1992) also was victorious in the annual competition for state ODP teams. For all the results and award winners …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Bays claim National League title
The Baltimore Casa Mia Bays won the U.S. Youth Soccer National League under-15 boys championship when the Grand Rapids Crew Juniors’ 0-0 tie with Waza FC Black left the Crew two points shy of catching the Bays on the final weekend of play at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Mich.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Scholarships awarded to 144 academy players
U.S. Soccer, in conjunction with Nike and the U.S. Soccer Foundation, awarded 144 scholarships for Development Academy players to participate in the 2008-09 season.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Tambi calls in 24 players for U-17 girls camp
U.S. under-17 girls national team head coach Kazbek Tambi has called in 24 players for training April 5-11 at The Home Depot Center.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Jefferson Cup Girls Champions
Albertson SC Fury won two girls titles in Championship divisions at the Jefferson Cup in Richmond, Va. For all the U-18 to U-14 Championship division winners …
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Time already an issue for Quakes and Convey
For better or worse, Quakes coach Frank Yallop is doing something akin to what he tried to do with the Galaxy; i.e., transform a wing midfielder, Bobby Convey, into an effective central player. The same experiment failed miserably with David Beckham for many reasons, and though the situations are hardly similar, since so different are […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Toronto Faithful Serious About Trillium Cup
In yet another show of the best fan support within the MLS, more than 2,500 red scarf-wearing Toronto FC fans (an MLS record for away fans?) are expected to make the trip from southern Ontario to central Ohio and invade Crew Stadium for the first leg of the Trillium Cup series on Saturday. “Everyone in […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Cuban Defector Also Turning Heads in Seattle
Colombian newcomer Fredy Montero wasn’t the only player turning heads as an unknown but surprisingly good commodity when the Seattle Sounders ran all over the Red Bulls last week. Osvaldo Alonso also had fans and media alike asking, “Who’s No. 6?” writes MLSnet.com’s Andrew Winner. "Osvaldo is not that big of a guy,” says coach […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Real Salt Lake Looks to Rise Above Mediocrity
With a 10-10-10 record in the regular season, a 1-1-1 record in the playoffs and an almost identical number of goal scored and goals against (40 and 39, if you must know), for better or worse, Real Salt Lake was the definition of “average” in 2008, writes the Deseret News’ James Edward. Acknowledging last season […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
WPS to Kickoff Sunday with Seven Solid Teams
With the inaugural weekend of the inaugural Women's Professional Soccer season upon us, Goal.com's Kathryn Knapp previews all seven teams set to compete for the first ever WPS title, highlighting both former WUSA stars while introducing the big international names coming to America. The L.A. Sol looks to lead the way at least on paper, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Hertha Hopes to Celebrate Wall Fall With Title
Having not won a Bundesliga title since all the way back in 1931, and with a history that includes unfortunate ties to the Nazi party, the timing couldn’t be better for Hertha Berlin to win the title in the same year that the capital city will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Terry: England ‘On Fire’ & ‘Full of Confidence’
"Looking at this current squad, with the teams doing well in the Champions League and across Europe, [we've got] some world class players. Stevie [Gerrard], [Frank] Lampard, Rio [Ferdinand], these kind of players are on fire and bringing that into the England squad. We've got some great young players coming in full of confidence and […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Messi: ‘We Want Three Points For Maradona’
"We have a lot of desire to win this game. We want the three points firstly for Argentina, and also for Maradona, who deserves a win on his first official game as our coach. We hope it will be a fiesta. Diego is very calm but he is also excited. He has a lot of […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Proposed 6+5 Rule Called Xenophobic
"I do struggle where nationalism, jingoism and patriotism stops and where actually some sort of xenophobic rhetoric takes over. And there is a certain amount of that in the football world, when I keep getting told that, 'How can English football be English football when there are not enough English players in a particular team?' […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
A bevy of World Cup qualifying games this weekend include the USA‘s clash in El Salvador on Saturday and Mexico hosting the last team that beat it at home, Costa Rica. The Women’s Professional Soccer league’s inaugural match is on Sunday. MLS games include Real Salt Lake‘s first match — against exciting expansion club Seattle
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
World Cup 2010 Qualifying TV Schedule
The year’s first double-fixture week of World Cup 2010 qualifying begins Saturday and Sunday with 42 games, of which almost half are available on cable or pay-per-view online. For the complete schedules …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Former teammates now foes for opener
[WPS OPENER] Brazilian Marta won’t be the only star on display when the Los Angeles Sol hosts the Washington Freedom Sunday in the Women’s Professional Soccer opening game (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, live, 6 pm ET). Both teams are loaded with international and collegiate stars who were once teammates but will be on the opposing side of the field Sunday at the Home Depot Center.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Fans can watch games online for free
[USL] Fans will be able to watch all USL-1 matches that are not available on Fox Soccer Channel for free online at USL Live.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA to shuffle midfield against El Salvador?
[HEXAGONAL] Last year, the USA began the semifinal round of Concacaf 2010 World Cup qualifying by winning in Guatemala for the first time.
Its first away test in the Hexagonal comes Saturday (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2, TeleFutura) in San Salvador, a city in which it has won and tied in two previous qualifying visits, so a victory won’t be as historic. But it will be no less important, especially should Mexico, which lost 2-0 to the USA in Columbus last month, fail to beat Costa Rica in Azteca Stadium.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
European powers on edge before critical tests
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Portugal and France, two of Europe’s strongest teams for the last decade, could see their chances of qualifying for South Africa 2010 compromised if they don’t get favorable results against Sweden and Lithuania, respectively, on Saturday. European champion Spain, on the other hand, could move closer to booking a ticket with a win over Turkey. For a look at all the top matches in Europe on Saturday and predictions …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Honduras relies on familiar names
[HEXAGONAL] U.S. eyes will be on Port of Spain, where Trinidad & Tobago, which will face the USA on Wednesday in Nashville, hosts Honduras Saturday in a critical World Cup 2010 qualifier in the Concacaf zone.