[AMERICANS ABROAD] Three weeks ago, Standard Liege came within two minutes of earning a shootout with Liverpool in UEFA Champions League qualifying. On Thursday, Oguchi Onyewu and his Standard teammates returned to Merseyside, where they held Tim Howard‘s Everton to a 2-2 tie in the first round of the UEFA Cup. Meanwhile, their U.S. teammate, Carlos Bocanegra, scored the winning goal for Rennes in its 2-1 home win over Twente.
Category: Story
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
UEFA Cup Results
Loser of its first two games in Serie A, AC Milan earned its first win of the 2008-09 season with a 3-1 win over FC Zurich in the first leg of the first round of the UEFA Cup. For all of Thursday’s UEFA Cup results and goal scorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Red Bulls’ message: ‘We’re not ready’
The New York Red Bulls could have made a statement playing the league’s best team lacking the league leader in assists; unfortunately, the message that came across was, “We’re not ready.” New York took a slap in the face Thursday night, losing, 3-1 to the Crew in Columbus. Sigi Schmid‘s boys got yet another jolt of confidence as they steadily rectifies missing the playoffs the past three seasons.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
The battle of the Bridge
[ENGLAND] Chelsea and Manchester United United meet Sunday in London at Stamford Bridge in a rematch of the 2008 UEFA Champions League final (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, live, 9 am ET). United, the EPL and Champions League winner, is off to a slow start in part. It will need a result on Sunday to keep the Blues within its sights. Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of the two teams …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS TV Schedule
Two teams aiming to enter the playoff zone — Toronto FC and Kansas City Wizards – clash on Saturday when Wizard Davy Arnaud aims to score in his fourth straight game. … Houston-San Jose has been canceled because of Hurricane Ike. … Chivas USA hopes to break Real Salt Lake‘s season-long home unbeaten streak. … Colorado, at the bottom end of the playoff race, hosts New England, which is second in the overall standings. … Coach Bruce Arena, whose most glorious MLS days came with D.C. United, looks for his first win at the Galaxy helm when it hosts his former club. … On Sunday, Chicago, winless in its last five games (0-4-1), hosts FC Dallas.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Changing The Plan Of Attack
“Those set pieces, along with the long throw-ins for Oguchi Onyewu to head, which are so threatening against Mexico and others, simply cannot be relied on against sophisticated opponents.” Frank Dell’Apa analyzes what the U.S. needs to do to make its attack more potent.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Arsenal Reportedly Courting Latest U.S. Teen Phenom
Arsenal is interested in American “teen phenom” Charles Renken (originally from Zambia), according to “unconfirmed reports.” The 14-year-old has apparently reciprocated the interest, and “it is understood that the hype surrounding Renken is so intense that the player will forgo his chance of playing in the MLS for the hopes of signing with a European […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Some Questions For Ottawa’s Soccer Plan
When Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk undertakes a project, you’d hate to bet against a man with “deep pockets, an acute sports marketing acumen, plus energy and creativity,” says an editorial in the Ottawa Citizen. That’s why there’s “a very good chance” that his plan to bring Major League Soccer to the Canadian city will […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Joe Public Vows Revenge ‘By Four Goals’
Even as the Montreal Impact celebrated another fine result for the United Soccer Leagues’ representatives in the Concacaf Champions League Wednesday, its defeated opponent vowed a terrible revenge. Joe Public coach Keith Griffith, whose side fell 2-0 to the Impact, boldly forecast that his side would win the return game in Trinidad next month “by […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Hyndman Gets Dallas Vote Of Confidence
In Europe, when the coach of a troubled team receives a vote of confidence from the club’s board, it’s usually a prelude to his sacking just a few days later. The phrase has now entered soccer parlance as ‘the dreaded vote of confidence.’ One can only hope for the sake of FC Dallas coach Schellas […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Hughes Retort To Real: Man. City Is Going Places
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has responded to Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster’s claim that Brazilian striker Robinho is content to be “a big player at a mediocre club” by having made the $58 million move from Real to City. “Bernd is obviously a bit emotional about the situation,” Hughes said. “He has lost […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
A Cheer For Roy Keane
Brian Glanville ponders the irony of FIFA Vice President Jack Warner being “outraged at being called a disgrace and a clown” by Sunderland’s manager Roy Keane. “Remember,” he rhetorically muses, “the gallant 2006 [Trinidad & Tobago] World Cup team who found they were being short changed by Warner and had to agitate before they got […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Wilkins Appointed Big Phil’s Number 2
Former England, Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder Ray Wilkins has returned to Stamford Bridge for a second spell as assistant first-team coach.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Pietravallo Turns New York Around
“Since he [Juan Pietravallo] joined MLS in July from Veria F.C. of the Greek league, the Red Bulls have been a team transformed — tougher, more confident and an emerging contender for the league title, something that could be seldom said during the club’s inglorious and unfocused history.” Jack Bell profiles RB New York’s Argentine […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SOCCER AMERICA INTERVIEW: Indiana’s Ofori Sarkodie
SOCCER AMERICA interviews Ofori Sarkodie, one of the top young defenders in American soccer. He captained the USA at the 2005 Under-17 World Cup and played in the 2007 Under-20 World Cup. He trained with three European clubs earlier this year before returning to Indiana University. Sarkodie talks about what it will take for Indiana to win an eighth NCAA title, his advice for young players, his professional ambitions and his thoughts on the presidential election.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SCOREBOARD: Soccer America Men’s Top 25
Wake Forest, the No. 1 team in the Soccer America Men’s Top 25, travels to California for a potentially tricky match at UC Santa Barbara on Sunday. Several intriguing conference matches are on tap for the weekend: Maryland-Duke and BC-UNC in the ACC, Notre Dame-St. John’s in the Big East. Ranked Missouri Valley teams Drake and Creighton face No. 5 Cal at the Stanford Nike Classic. For this week’s Soccer America Men’s Top 25 results and schedules …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SCOREBOARD: Soccer America Women’s Top 25
Notre Dame will put its No. 1 ranking on the line this weekend when it travels to DePaul and Penn State. No. 4 Portland hosts surging Florida, while Virginia plays West Virginia in another battle of Top 25 teams. For this week’s Soccer America Women’s Top 25 results and schedules …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: Tough day for unbeaten teams
Loyola (Md.) and Appalachian State both went into action with perfect records, but both suffered blemishes that left only four unbeaten and untied teams in the NCAA Division I men’s ranks.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: Colorado College off to great start
Colorado College, the sole women’s soccer-only Division I program in the country, moved into the Soccer America Women’s Top 25 at No. 23 thanks to its 6-0-1 start. The Tigers, who have twice reached the NCAA Division I championship game, will have a better idea of their chances in 2008 after a road trip to Big Ten powers Illinois and Purdue this weekend.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Another feather in USL’s cap
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP] For the second time in two days, a USL First Division team defeated a team that had knocked an MLS team out of the Concacaf Champions League. Defender Stefano Pesoli and Tony Donatelli scored Wednesday to give the Montreal Impact a 2-0 win over Joe Public of Trinidad & Tobago, which had beaten MLS’s New England Revolution twice. The result left the two USL-1 entrants — Montreal and Puerto Rico — with a 4-0-2 record in the new Concacaf competition, while MLS teams are 0-4-1 …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Kai earns USA record-tying 28th win
[U.S. WOMEN] The U.S. women’s national team beat Ireland for the second time in five days with a 1-0 victory on Wednesday night at Giants Stadium. Natasha Kai‘s goal in the 72nd minute gave the Americans their record-tying 28th win of the year.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Yank stars set for UEFA Cup clash
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Less than a month after being edged by Liverpool in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, Belgian champion Standard Liege returns to Merseyside to face Everton in the first leg of the first round of the UEFA Cup, setting up a battle of American stars — Tim Howard hosting Oguchi Onyewu (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, 5 pm ET). For a look at the nine Americans on teams in UEFA Cup action Thursday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
UEFA Champions League Results
Despite the introduction of star Cristiano Ronaldo in the second half, defending champion Manchester United had to settle for a 0-0 tie with Spain’s Villarreal to open the group stage of the 2008-09 UEFA Champions League. For all the Day 1 results and goal scorers …
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
John Terry, Captain Cheat, Gets Last Laugh
English referee Mark Halsey is in trouble — when he should be receiving some sort of award for making a brave game decision. What Halsey did, this past weekend, was to red-card John Terry — the Chelsea and England captain.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Hurricane Ike disrupts Dynamo
The busy, crowded schedule of the Houston Dynamo just got busier, and more crowded. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, an MLS match Saturday at Robertson Stadium against San Jose has been postponed to Oct. 15. Houston was supposed to play Luis Angel Firpo in its Concacaf Champions League opener on Wednesday, but that match was also postponed and is not yet rescheduled.