There are some games that get on to television and you wish that they hadn’t. They present the sport at its worst — dull, formless, boring — and you hope that no one at all is watching. That last requirement seemed to have been achieved at the recent Concacaf Champions League game when D.C. United played at San Juan Jabloteh.
Category: Story
Politics Threaten U.S. Qualifier in Honduras
The Oct. 10 World Cup qualifying match between Honduras and the USA may not take place in Honduras. In political turmoil after the military’s ousting of President Manuel Zelaya, Honduras is cordoned off to most visitors. It has closed airports, implemented a curfew and set up roadblocks so that a roadway from El Salvador serves […]
Arnoux Settling in with Everton
Former Wake Forest star Cody Arnoux is acclimating to life in England with new club Everton. Living with fellow American Anton Peterlin, who joined Everton earlier in the summer, has helped Arnoux's comfort level. "[Living with Peterlin] has helped a lot in the transition," said Arnoux, who plays for the reserve team. "Having someone you […]
Crew Ready For Revenge Against Cruz Azul
"Four weeks adrift, the memories of a late August night in Mexico City still gnaw at a team that prides itself on being prepared to fight through adversity until the final whistle," writes MLSnet's Craig Merz. The Columbus Crew, defending MLS Champions, still feels the gutting 5-0 defeat to Mexico's Cruz Azul on Aug. 26. […]
Dynamo’s Eddie Robinson Back With A Bang
On Tuesday, the Houston Dynamo's Eddie Robinson started and played for the first time since last Nov. 26. The defender, who had offseason surgery on his left knee, didn't know if he would be able to contribute at all this season. But the Dynamo's 5-1 win over Panama's Arabe Unido in the Concacaf Champions League […]
Brazil the Big Boys at U-20 World Cup
Brazil is a heavy favorite ahead of the Under-20 World Cup, which kicks off this Thursday in Egypt. The four-time champions, however, has watched Argentina win five of the last seven tournaments, including 2007, when Brazil failed to reach the quarterfinals. Brazil can rest a little easier knowing that Argentina failed to qualify for this […]
MLS Delivers Suspensions, Fines
Major League Soccer’s disciplinary committee has been busy this week. First, it doubled Chivas USA midfielder Marcelo Saragosa‘s suspension for his studs-to-face challenge of Seattle striker Fredy Montero during Saturday’s 0-0 draw. Houston Dynamo assistant coach John Spencer also had his suspension doubled to two games for a confrontation with officials that resulted in his […]
Portland’s PGE Park to Add 5,000, Subtract 5,000
PGE Park, the new home of Portland's expansion MLS team, is adding 5,000 new seats below street level of the Southwest side of 18th Avenue. But those seats may not increase the current capacity of the stadium, around 17,000. San Francisco designers Ellerbe Becket told the Portland Design Commission that they plan to screen off […]
Sol Campbell Decides Notts Not For Him
As quickly as he came to Notts County, Sol Campbell has left. After playing just one game for his new club, which Campbell joined earlier this month for a $66,000-a-week salary, the defender asked to be let go. Notts signed Campbell as part of an ambitious project to elevate the League Two team to Premier […]
Soccer on TV
Catch D.C. United in Concacaf Champions League action on Thursday. The USA starts its U-20 World Cup campaign on Saturday. There is a full slate of MLS action this weekend. You can also watch USL playoffs on Sunday. Look for updates in Friday’s Soccer on TV.
ACC powerhouses survive scares
MEN’S NEWS … Four ranked ACC teams were in action at home against unfancied opponents on Tuesday night, and they all won by one-goal margins, three on golden goals.
— No. 2 North Carolina needed a goal from sophomore Billy Schuler in the 98th minute to eke out a 2-1 win over East Tennessee State, which went into the game with one win in five matches. Freshman Enzo Martinez played a through ball into the box to Schuler, who chipped ETSU goalkeeper Scott Rosman from 10 yards.
— Despite playing most of the game with a man advantage and having a 29-7 advantage in shots, all No. 8 Maryland could muster was a goal by Jason Herrick with 12 seconds remaining in the first half for a 1-0 win over St. Peter’s. Freshman defender Taylor Kemp preserved the win when he headed Rumen Kerekov‘s shot away with goalie Will Swaim beaten with eight minutes left in the game. “We got the win and we got the shutout,” Coach Sasho Cirovski said. “We got some guys into the game and they came in and performed quite well.”
— Junior Cole Grossman‘s goal in the 102nd minute off a pass from freshman Andrew Wenger gave No. 12 Duke a 2-1 win over UNC Wilmington at soggy Koskinen Stadium. The Blue Devils had plenty of chances and outshot the Seahawks, 11-0, in a scoreless first half. “We should have been up two or three-nil,” said Coach John Kerr. “When you don’t capitalize on that play and those opportunities, you allow teams to get a little confident.”
— Neil Barlow‘s goal in the 92nd minute gave No. 13 Virginia a 2-1 win over George Washington for Coach George Gelnovatch‘s 200th career victory. “Winning is a hard business,” Gelnovatch said. “Any time a program and a head coach can accumulate 200 wins, it’s not an easy thing to do. This game was a reminder of that.” On the winning goal, Chris Agorsor fed Barlow in the box, collecting the first assist of his career.
* UMBC REMAINS PERFECT. Sophomore Andrew Bulls, the nation’s leading scorer, did it again scoring on a free kick in the 44th minute and leading UMBC to a 1-0 win Loyola (Md.) before 1,505 fans at UMBC Stadium. Bulls has scored 10 goals with at least one goal in all but one of UMBC’s eight games, all wins.
Freshman goalie Phil Saunders made three game-saving stops in the final two minutes to preserve the win for the Retrievers, the first team in the country to go 8-0-0, their best start ever as a Division I program. It was also their first win ever at home against Loyola and only their second in 22 games against their Baltimore neighbor.
* UCSB DOWNS TRI U-17S. Joe Eubanks‘ goal in the final minute of overtime gave UC Santa Barbara a 2-1 win over the touring Mexico under-17 national team before a crowd of 8,425. The Tri U-17s and Gauchos had traded goals on either side of halftime. Daniel Guzman put Mexico ahead in the 38th minute, and Peter McGlynn equalized in the 49th minute. Recent FC Dallas signing Bryan Leyva started for Mexico.
Tuesday’s Results
T&T CALL-UPS. Three players with ties to U.S. college programs are representing Trinidad & Tobago at the 2009 Under-20 World Cup in Egypt: Liberty freshman Uriah Bentick, College of Charleston standout Sean Da Silva and former Florida prep star Jesse Fullerton, who spent the 2008 season at FIU.
Newcomers lead George Mason revival
WOMEN’S NEWS … George Mason, one of the great names in women’s soccer is on the comeback trail. The Patriots defeated UMBC, 4-0, on Tuesday night and improved to 8-1-0, their best start since 1993. They need only two more wins for their first 10-win season since 1994. George Mason was the first team other than North Carolina to win an NCAA women’s national championship. It followed up on its 1985 title with a second-place finish in 1993.
First-year players have been key to the turnaround for the Patriots, who won only five games in 2008. Freshman Diana Kallenberger had two goals and an assist against UMBC to give her a team-high seven goals and four assists. Jamaican international Omolyn Davis, a transfer from NAIA power Lindsey Wilson, has six goals and three assists. Freshman Katie Frey picked up her fourth shutout of the season against UMBC.
“The girls did a great job of being professional,” said Patriots coach Diane Drake. “We told them we needed to find a way to win while still preserving players for Thursday.” That’s when GMU hosts preseason favorite James Madison in the CAA opener.
Tuesday’s Results
Northern Kentucky replaces Tampa atop D2 men’s rankings
SMALL COLLEGE NEWS … Top-ranked Tampa fell to fifth in the NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division II Men’s Top 25 after it was held to a 1-1 tie by West Florida in what Coach Adrian Bush termed an “ugly performance.” Northern Kentucky, which took over as No. 1, got two goals from Steven Beattie (the 40th and 41st of his career) to earn a 2-1 victory over Indianapolis in Great Lakes Valley action on Sunday.
* MEN RANKINGS:
NCAA Division II 1. Northern Kentucky, 2. Lynn, 3. Cal State Los Angeles.
NCAA Division III 1. Messiah, 2. Amherst, 3. Ohio Wesleyan
* WOMEN RANKINGS:
NCAA Division III 1. Messiah, 2. Puget Sound, 3. Williams
NCAA Division II 1. Seattle Pacific, 2. West Florida, 3. Saint Rose
* NAIA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
Men’s Offense: Arturo Guizar, Kansas Wesleyan (had three goals in wins over William Jewell, 3-2, and Graceland, 2-0)
Men’s Defense: Jesse Guevara-Lehker, Aquinas (notched shutouts against Concordia, Mich., 4-0, and St. Xavier, 1-0)
Women’s Offense: Kirsten Morley, SUNY-Canton (posted hat tricks against Morrisville State, 6-1 and Vermont Tech, 4-3)
Women’s Defense: Emily Evanson, Cal Baptist (earned shutouts against Simon Fraser, 0-0, and Concordia, Ore., 3-0)
Ref flips off fans
[REF WATCH] Swiss referee Massimo Busacca, the man in the middle for the last UEFA Champions League final and a World Cup 2006 ref, has been banned for three games for flipping the bird at Young Boys fans after they jeered him during a game against third division FC Baden.
Beat gains rights to teenage star
[WPS] Expansion teams Atlanta and Philadelphia made their selections in Women’s Professional Soccer’s expansion draft, selecting five players apiece whose WPS rights they acquired.
Rapids desperately need win in ‘game two’ vs. Quakes
[MLS PREDICTION] After splitting back-to-back games with Toronto FC earlier this month, Colorado hosts San Jose five days after the teams played a 1-1 tie in Northern California. This is the penultimate home game of the 2009 season for the Rapids; the finale is against New England, so they need this one in the worst way.
Much ado about penalties
[REF WATCH] A former MLS head coach who shall remain nameless once uttered these words in regards to penalty kicks and the amount of time spent discussing them by players, coaches, and journalists: “Every week, in every league and every competition in every part of the world, you’re going to see penalties called and not called. All of us – coaches, players, the media, the fans, everybody – spend way too much time talking about penalties given and not given. They’re almost always critical moments in the game, so it makes sense. But …
Bradley, Gladbach ousted from German Cup
[AMERICANS ABROAD] After sitting out the last three league games, Michael Bradley started and went 90 minutes for Borussia Moenchengladbach and was yellow-carded as it fell, 1-0, in the German Cup to second division MSV Duisburg. Americans in England didn’t fare well either.
Houston routs Panamanians
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Houston set up a monumental clash with Mexican club Pachuca by beating Arabe Unido of Panama, 5-1, in Group A of the regional championship Tuesday. Four different Dynamo players scored, with substitute Stuart Holden netting twice, and Brian Mullan logged two assists as Houston (2-1-1, 7 points) moved into a second-place tie with Arabe Unido (2-1-1). The Dynamo is two points behind leader Pachuca (3-1-0, 9 points), which took over first place by pounding Isidro Metapan of El Salvador, 4-0.
Islanders’ chances bleak after last-minute goal costs them win
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] The Puerto Rico Islanders, the sensations of the inaugural Concacaf Champions League, find themselves on the verge of elimination in the 2009-10 edition following a 1-1 tie with Costa Rica’s Saprissa on Tuesday. They must now turn their attention to the USL First Division playoffs, which begin Thursday at Rochester.
Soccer America Classifieds
Welcome to Soccer America Classifieds, Soccer America’s email newsletter connecting soccer companies and organizations to Soccer America members each week. Soccer America Classifieds feature soccer classified advertisements on the latest soccer job openings, soccer products and soccer opportunities. Read Soccer America Classifieds each Wednesday.
Ronaldinho Denies Retirement Rumor
Ronaldinho has denied speculation that he will hang up his cleats at the end of the season. The Brazilian star, twice FIFA World Player of the Year during his time at Barcelona, has fallen from grace while at AC Milan. His absence in the Rossoneri’s last two home games started rumors that the 29-year old […]
Defined Teams Holding Ground in MLS
“Players and teams generally require comfort zones,” writes MLSnet’s Steve Davis. “Teams that haven’t settled into them by Week 27 are paying the price.” While Davis recognizes the “cause and effect cycle” in which failure causes tactical tacks, he points to this past weekend’s games as examples of the way teams with more defined roles […]
Jaqua’s Limited Time Due to Concussion
Nate Jaqua suffered a concussion on Aug. 29 against Toronto FC. Despite blurry vision and memory loss, he finished the game because Seattle had already used all three of its substitutes. The blow might explain Jaqua’s limited action recently for Sounders FC. After missing Seattle US Open Cup final, he missed his first regular season […]
Proof That Man U Gets More Time?
After Manchester United's controversial derby win over Manchester City, in which Michael Owen scored the winning goal 90 ticks past the stoppage time indicted by the fourth official, The Guardian has crunched some numbers to reveal that the league's referees show the legendary club special favor when it is losing in extra time. "The Guardian […]
