Category: Story

[U.S WOMEN] Christine Nairn, a freshman redshirt at Penn State, has been called into the U.S. women’s national team’s 17-day training camp at U.S. Soccer’s National Training Center at The Home  Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

[SIGN OF THE TIMES] In a move called “an economic-type decision,” Shelton State has dropped Alabama’s only junior college to offer women’s soccer as a scholarship program.

[AWARDS] Soccer America executive editor Mike Woitalla received his seventh award in the NSCAA Writing Contest when he was selected as one of three winners in the 2008 contest.

[WORLD CUP 2018/2022] Spain and Portugal are the latest countries to enter the race to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup when they announced a joint bid to stage the tournament.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Landon Donovan scored on a header in Bayern Munich’s 2-0 friendly win over Second Division leader Kaiserslautern in front of 42,604 fans at Fritz Walter Stadium on Monday. It was his second goal in four exhibition appearances for Bayern, to which Donovan is on loan until March 15.

[ANALYSIS] The news that the Thursday night time slot held for “MLS Primetime Thursday” on ESPN2 has been released is hardly the news MLS wanted to get out as the countdown to the 2009 season began in earnest. It could have major implications for MLS on several fronts.

[MLS EXPANSION] What had been billed as the first of perhaps many soccer games to be played at the new football stadium of Florida International  University in Miami never occurred.

[ITALY] Prospects of Kaka‘s departure from AC Milan to Manchester City in a $147 million deal sparked protests, but when the Brazilian approached a window with a Milan jersey in hand late Monday night and beat his hand three times on his heart, he sent 50 fans standing outside his house into delirium.

[ENGLAND] A late goal by Tim Cahill gave Everton a 1-1 tie at its city rival Liverpool and cost the Reds the outright lead in the Premier League. Afterwards, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, whose exit looked to be increasingly likely following the news he had rejected an offer of a contract extension, pleaded for patience.

[U.S. UNDER-18 NATIONAL TEAM] The U.S. under-18 men’s national team won its first tournament under new coach Mike Matkovich when it won the Australian Youth Olympic Festival on Monday with a 5-0 win over Australia in Sydney. That followed a 14-0 win over China in which Adam Jahn scored five goals — four in a span of six minutes.

[AWARDS] Roy Gordon, who just completed his 32nd season as the head coach of the University of Mary Washington men’s program he founded, received the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s Honor Award, the association’s highest award. Jim Lennox, Bob Barry, Charlotte Moran and Peter Broadley were honored for their long-term contributions to soccer. Mike Pantalione of Yavapai College was recognized as Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his JC coaching career, For more on them and all the 2008 NSCAA/adidas National Coach of the Year awards …

[SPAIN] Barcelona became the first team to reach 50 points at the halfway point of La Liga season when it beat Deportivo Coruna, 5-0, on Saturday. Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi combined for all five goals to give them 41 of Barcelona’s 59 goals through 19 games.

[ITALY] David Beckham‘s first home game for AC Milan could have been Brazilian star Kaka‘s last. With San Siro fans chanting for Kaka to stay, AC Milan beat Fiorentina, 1-0, on a goal by Alexandre Pato