[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] With not much at stake other than for a few players to get their first taste of World Cup qualifying, albeit a Caribbean stadium basking in a crowd of picnic proportions and mellow mood, the USA beat Barbados, 1-0, in Bridgetown to complete a 9-0 aggregate win in the two-match series.
Category: Story
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Freddy Adu heads class
[USA-BARBADOS REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players’ performance in their 1-0 win over Barbados on Sunday. …
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MLS Results
New England lost at Salt Lake and Los Angeles was held to a 3-3 tie at home by Columbus, but the Revs and the Galaxy remain atop the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively. For the up-to-date MLS standings and leading scorers, all the weekend summaries and this week’s schedule. …
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D.C. United rolls on; Donovan strikes twice
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] D.C. United is making up for its slow start to the season. It has scored 14 goals in a five-game unbeaten streak, which includes Sunday’s win over the struggling Earthquakes. The Los Angeles Galaxy remains the league’s highest scoring team – its 31 goals seven more than the next most prolific team, D.C. United – but it couldn’t get the win this weekend despite hitting three goals for the third game in a row.
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USA extends streak with Peace Queen Cup triumph
[OLYMPIC COUNTDOWN] The U.S. women’s national team won its fourth tournament of the year and improved to 17-0-1 under first-year coach Pia Sundhage with a 1-0 victory over Canada in the final of the 2008 Peace Queen Cup.
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EURO ’08: Russia downs the Dutch
[RUSSIA-NETHERLANDS REPORT CARD] The Netherlands joined the group winners to go down in the quarterfinals after surrendering, 3-1, to overtime goals by Dimtri Torbinski and Andrei Arshavin after Ruud van Nistelrooy had nodded home a free kick to tie the match, 1-1, late in regulation. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the players.
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EURO ’08: Tenacious Turks claw past Croatia
[TURKEY-CROATIA REPORT CARD] Turkey added yet another unbelievable comeback to its Euro 2008 adventure by equalizing (1-1) in stoppage time of extra time, and then dispatching Croatia on penalties, 3-1, to qualify for its first semifinal. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the players.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
On Sunday, the USA defends its eight-goal lead when it visits Barbados for the second leg of their World Cup 2010 qualifying series. The winner advances to Concacaf semifinal group play. The Euro 2008 final four takes shape with this weekend’s quarterfinals, starting with Friday’s Croatia-Turkey clash. There’s also five MLS games on Saturday and one on Sunday.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Kroenke Could Be Poised For Arsenal Takeover
Stan Kroenke, the billionaire owner of both the Colorado Rapids and the Denver Nuggets, is “in advanced talks” with English Premier League giant Arsenal that would put him in a strong position for a future takeover of the team, writes Nick Harris. Kroenke, who currently owns 12 per cent of the London club’s shares, “will […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Schweinsteiger Obeys His Chancellor
Germany’s hero of Thursday’s riveting 3-2 quarter-final win over Portugal at the European Championships has a secret adviser. Sebastian Schweinsteiger (or ‘Swinesteiger’, as the ESPN commentators insist on calling him) received a few words of wisdom from German chancellor Angela Merkel while sitting out a suspension in the stands at Germany’s final group game against […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
German Power Pips The Portuguese
After starting the tournament as one of the favorites, Germany beat Poland with competence, played miserably against Croatia, then ground out the necessary result against Austria. Few gave the Germans a chance against in-form Portugal, but “this was a victory for size, power and some smart strategy,” writes Duncan Castles. The Portuguese “succumbed to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ottawa Bid For MLS?
Soccer’s all the craze in Canada these days, so it’s no surprise to see Ottawa added to the list of Canadian cities considering a bid for a Major League Soccer franchise. In the light of Toronto FC’s popularity and the healthy attendances at last year’s U-20 World Cup, Ottawa Senators’ owner Eugene Melnyk “is exploring […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Homesick Colombano Leaves Wizards
For every one of Major League Soccer’s South American signings heralded as a harbinger of technique and quality to MLS, there seems to be a corresponding failure. Argentine midfielder Eloy Colombano left the Kansas City Wizards Thursday “by mutual consent.” “He’s very homesick,” technical director Peter Vermes said. “He got married this past offseason, […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Can ‘intense’ Hyndman bring glory to Dallas?
This latest coaching move by FC Dallas had better work out. Otherwise, short of spending tens of millions to lure Juergen Klinsmann or Fabio Capello to these shores, or a few mil to drag Bruce Arena back into the MLS fold, I don’t know what else the franchise can do.
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Euro ’08 TV Schedule
The quarterfinal action at Euro ’08 continues through Sunday with one game each day. Two games, including Friday’s Croatia-Turkey match, will be broadcast on ESPN, and the third, Sunday’s Spain-Italy game, will air on ABC. For the complete television schedule …
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Wambach closes in on century goal mark
[OLYMPIC COUNTDOWN] The USA completed a sweep of group play at the Peace Queen Cup in Suwon, South Korea, with a 2-0 win over Italy Thursday thanks to two goals by Abby Wambach, who increased her career total to 98 international goals.
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Chivas USA finds its form
More than a few preseason predictions tabbed Chivas USA as a possible MLS Cup finalist, but seldom in 2008 has it showed the stuff of a worthy contender. Last night at Home Depot Center, the red-and-while looked the part.
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MLS TV Schedule
Toronto FC forward Jeff Cunningham aims for his 100th career goal in Kansas City. … New York hosts FC Dallas and its new coach, Schellas Hyndman. … Houston, whose Brian Ching scored four goals in his last five games, visits Colorado. … Real Salt Lake protects its undefeated 2008 home record against New England. …Los Angeles, the league’s highest scoring team, hosts Columbus. … D.C. United, whose Luciano Emilio has tallied six goals in the last four games, welcomes San Jose, which has mustered a league-low nine goals in 12 games. … For all the MLS action and the television schedule …
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EURO ’08: Germans storm past Portugal
[GERMANY-PORTUGAL REPORT CARD] Germany regained its favorite status by downing Portugal, 3-2, in the first quarterfinal of Euro 2008. The Germans came out on all cylinders and took a 2-0 lead on goals Bastian Schweinsteiger and Miroslav Klose before the Portuguese scored five minutes before the break. Despite taking better charge of the game in the second half, Portugal fell further behind on Michael Ballack‘s 62nd minute header and didn’t strike back until the 87th minute. Soccer America’s Mike Woitalla grades the players.
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Tampa greets Rowdies IV
[USL-1] The USL First Division will launch an expansion franchise in Tampa in 2010, marking the fourth time Rowdies soccer has been introduced.
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Slammers FC sends six girls teams to Far West quarterfinals
[YOUTH REGIONALS] Slammers FC had six teams — including the defending age-group champions in the U-15 and U-19 divisions — still alive at the US Youth Soccer Region IV championships in Honolulu. For all the matchups in the quarterfinals …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
MLS Refs In The Spotlight Again
Two Major League Soccer games Wednesday yielded just two goals, but plenty more controversy involving the league’s referees. In Utah, Real Salt Lake’s Kyle Beckerman had a goal against San Jose overturned for offside even though the assistant referee initially failed to raise his flag. In Boston, New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol had some […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Pro Soccer Coming Back To Tampa
Eight years after the Tampa Bay Mutiny folded and 16 years after the demise of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, professional soccer is expected to return to Tampa next spring with the arrival of a United Soccer Leagues First Division club, write Bill Ward and Mike Salinero. They quote the team’s spokeswoman Lisa Brock as […]