Lopsided victories are the norm in the early rounds of World Cup qualifying, as FIFA seeks to eliminate the tiny nations as quickly and as painlessly as possible. But the players of Bermuda didn’t get the memo from Zurich inviting them to roll over and die, and this Sunday find themselves at home defending a […]
Category: Story
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 […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Be a Great Team Manager
You’re organized. You’re a good communicator. You’ve run your school auction and served on a plethora of committees. Which is why your child’s new coach has asked you to be the team’s manager for the upcoming fall soccer season. “What do I need to do?” you ask.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Euro ’08 TV Schedule
The quarterfinals begin on Thursday and continue through Sunday with one game each day. Three games, including Thursday’s Portugal-Germany match, will be broadcast on ESPN, and the fourth, Sunday’s Spain-Italy game, will air on ABC.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Hat trick highlights U.S. win at under-20 women’s qualifying
[YOUTH] The University of Portland’s Michelle Enyeart scored a hat trick to lead the USA to a 4-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday in the first game of the Concacaf qualifying tournament for the 2008 Under-20 Women’s World Cup at Estadio Cuauhtemoc in Puebla, Mexico.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Russia dazzles in ousting Sweden
[RUSSIA-SWEDEN REPORT CARD] Guus Hiddink did it again, taking an underdog team and leading it to the knockout phase of a major championship. Russia moved into the quarterfinals of Euro ’08 with a thoroughly deserved 2-0 win over Sweden on Wednesday. Soccer America’s Paul Kennedy grades the players.
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Russia Redux, Brazil Betrayed
Within a few hours yesterday we got a look at Russia playing Sweden in Euro 2008, and then Brazil taking on Argentina in a World Cup qualifier. Two so-so European teams, then the South Americans, who happen to be the FIFA-ranked No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the world.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Spain remains perfect
[SPAIN-GREECE REPORT CARD] Defending European champion Greece exited Euro 2008 as the only team unable to earn a point in its three games after it fell, 2-1, to Spain, which is perfect at the tournament. The Spaniards also extended their win streak to nine games and their unbeaten run to 19 while fielding second-stringers. Soccer America’s Mike Woitalla grades the players.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Jeers for Brazil coach after 0-0 tie
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Brazil’s troubles continued as it was held scoreless for the third straight game and had to settle for a 0-0 tie with archrival Argentina in South America’s World Cup 2010 qualifying tournament on Wednesday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bradley excuses 10 players for second leg of qualifying
[USA-BARBADOS] With his team comfortably ahead in their 2010 World Cup qualifying series, U.S national team head coach Bob Bradley has excused 10 players from the second leg with Barbados Sunday at the Kensington Oval outside Bridgetown (TV: ESPN Classic, live, 3 pm ET).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
French star Ribery out up to two months
[EURO ’08] French star Franck Ribery, stretchered off early in the Bleus’ 2-0 loss to Italy on Tuesday, could miss up to two months with a torn ligament in his left ankle. He also twisted his knee in the clumsy challenge on Gianluca Zambrotta.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS TV Schedule
Chivas USA hosts the Chicago Fire in MLS action on Thursday, kicking off “The Year of the Emperor,” its series of activities to honor the 20-year career of star Claudio Suarez. For all the MLS action and the television schedule …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
New England and San Jose earn points
[MLS] The New England Revolution extended its MLS-high unbeaten streak to seven games on Wednesday when it earned with a 1-1 tie against the Red Bulls. Despite losing Jason Hernandez to a red card shortly before halftime, the visiting San Jose Earthquakes held on for a 0-0 tie at Real Salt Lake, where fans booed the home team.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Best of Euro ’08
[RATINGS LEADERS] After group play at the 2008 European Championship, Spain’s David Villa (a hat trick in his first game and stoppage-time winner in his second) is the top-rated player, based on the daily Soccer America Report Cards. Two other Spaniards — Fernando Torres and Brazilian-born Marcos Serna — and two Dutchmen — Wesley Sneijder and Giovanni van Bronckhorst — round out the top five. For all the ratings leaders …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Hyndman Leaves The College ‘Comfort Zone’
It’s often asked why more coaches don’t leave college soccer for MLS, and there are usually two easy answers — better money and job security. New FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman, however, has opted to leave what he admits is “the comfort zone” of the college game after more than two decades at Southern Methodist […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Euro 2008 Better Without England
Thanks to the excitement of the soccer at Euro 2008, many England fans have come to the realization that the tournament is better off without them, writes Oliver Holt. Who knew? “Being rubbish never felt so good,” he writes. “Maybe it’s because England aren’t there in Austria and Switzerland that it seems to be […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
France’s Staggering Failure
France was unable to surmount the three major setbacks in its final Group C game against Italy Tuesday, writes Cedric Rouquette at lequipe.fr. The 10th-minute injury to Franck Ribery, the red card to Eric Abidal, and the deflected shot for Italy’s second goal all reflected “a sort of inevitability that designated them losers at this […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Razov Looks Back Without Anger
When Chivas USA striker Ante Razov left the Chicago Fire more than three years ago, some Fire fans thought the team made a big mistake letting him go. Others still chastise him “for sulking his way out the door” when the team didn’t meet his increased contract demands, writes Nick Firchau. “Looking back, I don’t […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Findley Finding His Form Again
A much younger U.S. prospect up front is Real Salt Lake’s Robbie Findley who, following a moribund start to the current season, is finding the form that earned him a national team call-up last year. Ever since being substituted into the game against San Jose two weeks ago by Coach Jason Kreis, Findley has been […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. women win rematch against Brazil
[OLYMPIC COUNTDOWN] In a rematch of their 2007 Women’s World Cup semifinal, the USA got revenge with a 1-0 win over Brazil on Tuesday at the 2008 Peace Queen Cup in Suwon, South Korea.