The Charleston Battery won its fifth straight game with a 2-0 win over Atlanta and hold a four-point lead in the USL First Division. Randi Patterson scored for the fifth straight game and Aaron King added a goal. For all the USL results and goal scorers …
Category: Story
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Midweek matches include a USA-England friendly, the semifinals of Copa Libertadores and the conclusion of the Toulon U-23 International tournament. In MLS’s Thursday night game, New England hosts D.C. United.
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Should Soehn take all the blame at D.C.?
This may or may not be the make-or-break match for D.C. United head coach Tom Soehn when he sends out the worst team in MLS, by virtue of its 2-7-0 record, against Toronto FC Saturday night at RFK. United lost, 1-0, at BMO Field Wednesday night despite an improved performance in several areas. If Fred puts away a perfect cross from Marcelo Gallardo, either on the first attempt or the rebound of a point-blank header he aimed right at keeper Greg Sutton, maybe a 1-1 tie buys the team some confidence and Soehn a bit more wiggle room. Still, a four-game losing streak — during which it has scored one goal — for the four-time league champ is pushing matters close to the edge.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Backline: U.S. Soccer’s rock ‘n’ roll doc
Scott Powell of Sha Na Na fame heals and entertains national team players.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Youth Beat: How the screaming hurts
What makes the epidemic of sideline shouting particularly egregious is that the instructions are usually misguided.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Euro 2008: Europe takes center stage
The 2008 European Championship will be held this June in eight cities. Co-hosts Austria and Switzerland are decided underdogs in a 16-team field that includes Italy, France, Germany and Portugal, the top four teams from the 2006 World Cup. Along with Spain and the Netherlands, they are the favorites in a tournament that has a history of producing surprises.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
The Olympic-bound U.S. U-23 men’s national team faces Ivory Coast on Friday and Italy on Sunday at the Festival Espoirs International in Toulon, France. Among the MLS action, D.C. United has a chance to avenge Thursday’s loss in Canada when it hosts Toronto FC on Saturday. The Los Angeles Galaxy could, with a win over Kansas City, move into to first place of the West if Colorado slips against Chivas USA.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Columbus Happy To Be Criticized
After missing the Major League Soccer playoffs for three consecutive seasons, the Columbus Crew is happy to be on the receiving end of scathing attacks from opposition coaches. It means that it’s finally being taken seriously again. After last weekend’s scoreless tie at Toronto FC, the TFC coach John Carver said that Columbus came […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
African Youth Stepping Up For Revs
Almost every MLS team has exploited the new rule allowing an increased number of senior international players on rosters by quickly signing up numerous seasoned South and Central Americans. So far the results have been mixed. Meanwhile, the New England Revolution bucked the trend by taking in two young Gambians, yielding quick returns from the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Angel Struggling To Find Last Year’s Form
It’s not just last year’s league MVP Luciano Emilio who’s struggling to recapture the form of his MLS debut season. New York’s Juan Pablo Angel, who ran Emilio close for the MVP award, has also tallied just one goal in 2008, while fighting off injuries and coping with a change in coaching philosophy. “I […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Queen of the South Aims For Scottish Cup
On Thursday, Glasgow Celtic won the Scottish Premier League title for the third successive year, and as usual its only serious competitor was Glasgow Rangers. Third-place Motherwell was 26 points adrift of the top two, and no team besides Celtic or Rangers has lifted the Scottish title since 1985. That’s why the presence of […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Iraq Faces FIFA Suspension
Asian champion Iraqs face suspension from FIFA after the Iraqi government dissolved the country’s soccer federation. The Asian Football Confederation demanded the body’s immediate reinstatement, while AFC president Mohamed bin Hamman said Iraq’s government had no right to dismiss democratically elected officials, and that the AFC would recognize no other body. Iraq is set […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Winning with attitude
What had been billed as a reunion — a meeting of old and new — transformed into a rivalry when the San Jose Earthquakes hosted the defending MLS champion Houston Dynamo Thursday night on national television. The Quakes are still last in the Western Conference, but after upending Houston, 2-1, at Buck Shaw Stadium they are no longer winless at home, and more importantly, they are generating some real, genuine attitude.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Champions League final sets U.S. viewing records
[TELEVISION] Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League final between Manchester United and Chelsea on ESPN2 was the highest-rated and most-watched UEFA telecast in the network’s history. In addition, the game drew the highest rating ever or ESPN Deportes, which has received Hispanic sample ratings since April 28.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Celtic makes it three in a row
[SCOTLAND] Like the English Premier League race, the Scottish Premier League race went down to the final day of the season with two teams tied for the first place, and the team with the edge in the tiebreaker prevailed without needing to win on a count of goal difference.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beer prices irk Viennese fans
[OFF THE POST] Viennese residents aren’t exactly waiting in anticipation for the start of Euro ’08 — Austria is considered the weakest host team in the history of major international competition — but locals are up in arms after learning that beer at the official fan zone in the historic center of Vienna will cost the equivalent of $7, or $2 more than a beer with cost at the same venues in co-host Switzerland.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Messi chooses Argentina over Barcelona
[OLYMPIC COUNTDOWN] The Olympic finals in China with Argentina or Champions League qualifying with Barcelona? Lionel Messi said he plans on playing for Argentina at the Olympic Games in August instead of Barcelona’s Champions League third qualifying round series.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS TV Schedule
Columbus looks to hold on to its lead in the Eastern Conference when it hosts defending conference champion New England on Saturday. FC Dallas plays its first game under interim coach Marco Ferruzzi when it welcomes Real Salt Lake. D.C. United hosts FC Toronto three days after the Canadian team handed it its fourth straight defeat. For all of this week’s MLS action on television …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
America’s run continues; Washington saves day
[LIBERTADORES CUP] Club America was last in the Mexican First Division this spring, but it’s through to the semifinals of South America’s Libertadores Cup thanks to its 2-1 aggregate victory over famed Santos of Brazil.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Castillo and Vidal start in Mexico’s Clausura playoffs
[AMERICANS ABROAD] New Mexican Edgar Castillo started at left back for Santos in its 1-1 tie at Monterrey in the first leg of their semifinal series in Mexico’s Torneo Clausura. U.S. U-23 defender Michael Orozco did not play in San Luis’ 1-0 loss at home to Cruz Azul on Wednesday. In the first leg of the Primera A finals to determine promotion to the First Division, Texan Marco Vidal started for Indios in the Ciudad Juarez team’s 1-0 win over Leon.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Relegation Scuppers Bradley’s Birmingham Move
U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley was set for a transfer from Heerenveen to English side Birmingham City until the team were relegated from the Premier League last week. The newspaper reports that Bradley, along with Swiss international Valon Behrami, were “all set to” join Birmingham, but only if the team maintained its top-flight status. Bradley […]