[WPS] Women’s Professional Soccer took one more step toward its launch with the unveiling of the Puma uniforms worn by players from the league’s seven teams at a high-profile fashion presentation Tuesday in New York.
Category: Story
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Late Atlante goal stuns Houston [VIDEO]
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Many of the chances in a back-and-forth game came from the run of play, but a pair of set pieces produced the goals as Houston and Atlante tied, 1-1, in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions’ League quarterfinal series Tuesday in Texas in front of 10,203 fans.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Another Canadian joins TFC
[MLS] It has taken more than two years, but Toronto FC is steadily amassing much of the Canadian talent playing on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Another player from that mold, whose long-anticipated move brings him north after a long detour, made it official this week when defender Adrian Serioux went north from FC Dallas in exchange for TFC’s first-round pick in the 2010 SuperDraft pick and allocation money.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
FCD adds Colombian playmaker
[MLS] The economic realities of MLS preclude many of its teams from acquiring the modern version of a No. 10, one who can spark the attack yet also tend to defensive duties. FCD officials believe in David Ferreira it has a player as capable as one of its former stars, Oscar Pareja, who like Ferreira, is a native of Colombia.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
MLS’s last hope in CONCACAF Champions League
CONCACAF’s own Champions League has plenty of storylines as the first leg games of the quarterfinal round kick off Tuesday night with lone MLS representative Houston Dynamo hosting Mexican First Division team Atlante. Perhaps the best story of the continental competition so far is the surprise run of the Montreal Impact and Puerto Rico Islanders, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Montreal Ready For Its Moment, More Expansion Talk
While players and fans from MLS’s only Canadian outpost will be watching from afar in Toronto, USL titleholders the Montreal Impact will be watched by a sea of blue (shirts) that could number 50,000 when they host Mexican club Santos Laguna at the indoor Olympic Stadium in the first leg of its CONCACAF Champions league […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
‘A Tale of Three Stripes and Family Strife’
An epic tale dating back some 80 years and interwoven first with family success and then bitter brotherly betrayal, the story behind Adidas reads more like a Greek tragedy or daytime soap opera than the making of one of the world’s biggest brands. ESPN Soccernet’s Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger writes about Barbara Smit’s book “Sneaker Wars,” which […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Fire to Host Club America, Then Head to Azteca
The Chicago Fire are smartly taking advantage of Mexican star Cuauhtemoc Blanco‘s connections at former team Club America by organizing a two-game home-and-away series that will kick off with the Fire playing host at Toyota Park on April 29 and a game at the famed Estadio Azteca in Mexico City at a date yet to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beckham Invokes Ad Slogan: ‘Nothing Is Impossible’
“Nothing is impossible if you truly believe in something,” said David Beckham, regarding the possible transfer that would keep him in Milan, where he attended an Adidas show unveiling on Monday, according to Tuttomercatoweb. “Most times these things can happen, so we shall see how we go.”
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Gazidis On Arsenal, Life After MLS
After years as one of the key players in the formation and every day operations of Major League Soccer, former MLS Deputy Commisioner Ivan Gazidis now finds himself across the Atlantic at Arsenal, where he wears the title of CEO along with his red Gunners scarf. “It’s very different being a league executive and being […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Italy vs. England in Champions League Marquee Matches
Perhaps the biggest storyline arching over this knockout phase of UEFA Champions League competition is the battle between England and Italy, as three of the final round pairings see the EPL’s best against their counterparts from Serie A. The first two of those take place on Tuesday, with Arsenal hosting Roma at Emirates Stadium and […]
Posted inStory, World Cup Watch
World Cup 2018/2022 bid report
The war of words over Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohammed Bin Hammam‘s seat on the FIFA executive committee reached a new level when the Korea Football Association threatened to file a complaint about Bin Hammam with FIFA after he said he was ready to cut off the head of Cho Jung-Yeon, the KFA president.
The KFA is leading a campaign to back Bahrain’s Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa in his bid to unseat Bin Hammam on FIFA’s executive committee.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Houston wants fast start
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] The Houston Dynamo’s record against Mexican teams is sprinkled with all manner of results but regardless of win, loss or tie, its players and coach welcome the competition. A rematch with Atlante is Houston’s quarterfinal assignment in the 2008-09 Concacaf Champions League, beginning with the first leg at Robertson Stadium Tuesday (10 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel, Galavision).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Two USL teams chase dreams
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] MLS had plentiful reasons to object when Concacaf announced it would expand its club championship to 24 teams, but getting knocked out by lesser opposition surely ranked low on the list. As the quarterfinals commence after a three-month gap since group play, only one MLS team, Houston, is among the final eight. Four Mexican teams make up half of the quarterfinalists, and two others hail from the USL. Ticket sales are going so briskly that Montreal Impact officials hope to pack the Olympic Stadium with a record crowd of 50,000 fans for the visit of Santos Laguna Wednesday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. roster named for qualifying
[CONCACAF UNDER-20 CHAMPIONSHIP] Coach Thomas Rongen named the 20 players who will represent the USA at the 2009 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship, which will be played March 6-15 in Trinidad & Tobago. For the complete roster …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Aguirre dismisses talk of Tri job, Pekerman set to replace Lapuente
[MEXICO] Manuel Lapuente joined fellow former Mexican national team coach Javier Aguirre in the unemployment ranks when he was dismissed as Tigres coach Sunday. Meanwhile, Aguirre, fired as Atletico Madrid coach earlier this month, dismissed speculation that he’ll be replacing Sven-Goran Eriksson as the Tri coach.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
UEFA Champions League TV Schedule
Soccer fans can feast on full days of UEFA Champions League action Tuesday and Wednesday. All eight games will be shown — six of them live. ESPN2 will feature Anglo-Italian clashes Inter Milan-Manchester United on Tuesday and Chelsea-Juventus on Wednesday. ESPN Deportes will air eight and a half hours of coverage both days. For all the matchups and broadcast times …
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
AEG and AC Milan set for Beckham showdown
At a family function – the xxth birthday of my mom’s best friend, I am forbidden to supply specifics – over the weekend I got a few questions to the effect of, “So, what are you writing about in the soccer world?” To which I responded, “What else?” The saga of David Beckham in America, now more than two years old, just won’t go away as the Galaxy stubbornly tries to avoid not only financial losses, but public embarrassment.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Mourinho to ManU: ‘We Will Beat Them’
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho made a multitude of strong statements ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with EPL leaders Manchester United, according to the Daily Mirror. The most simple? “United is not better than us. We will beat them.” While it might seem like unnecessary chalkboard material that could provide ManU players added motivation, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Barcelona Rethinking MLS Expansion Bid?
Recent reports out of Spain have FC Barcelona reevaluating their bid to operate one of the next MLS expansion teams in Miami due to the worldwide economic downturn. According to SI.com, Barcelona General Director Joan Olive told Spanish daily newspaper Sport that they are still interested in joining the league, “but not at the cost […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Bayern Munich ‘Wobbling’ Way Through Bundesliga
With three losses in their last four matches, their top striker out injured, and a defense that has already given up more goals in the 2008-09 campaign than all of last season, Bayern Munich’s future is looking a bit barren heading into Wednesday’s Champions League match at Sporting Lisbon. With Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Cologne, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Solskjaer Turned Down Norway Job
Former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed to Denmark’s TV2 that he chose club over country with regard to his budding coaching career, turning down top job for the Norwegian soccer federation to remain manager of the ManU reserve squad. While it was “difficult to say no to the NFF” and he acknowledged that […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Turkish Champs Call on Former Captain Korkmaz
Famed Turkish team Galatasaray have hired former team captain Bulent Korkmaz to take over as coach from Michael Skibbe, who was fired following an embarrassing 5-2 home loss to lowly Kocaelispor on Sunday. The defending and 17-time Turkish League champs are in an unfamiliar fifth in the league, even with rival Fenerbache and eight points […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Arsene At Odds With UEFA Over Arshavin
“If he can play in the Premier League and the FA Cup, why not be qualified for us in the Champions League? He has played for a team that cannot play any more in the Champions League and who now plays in the UEFA Cup. It’s the rule so I guess we cannot complain too […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Lapuente Let Go As Tigres Taken Down
Former Mexican national team coach Manual Lapuente was let go by Tigres UANL on Sunday after a 3-2 home letdown against Club America on Saturday and just six points from seven Group Three games in the championship of the Mexican Clausura. Lapuente, who guided Mexico to the Round of 16 of the1998 FIFA World Cup, […]