D.C. United’s Luciano Emilio won the goal scoring title. New England’s Steve Ralston led MLS in assists. Chris Klein ended up playing two games above the maximum of 30 following his trade from Real Salt Lake to Los Angeles. For all the 2007 MLS statistical leaders …
Category: Story
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
German tint to Poland-USA friendly
[PREVIEW] When the USA and Poland national teams renew their biennial international series Wednesday in Krakow (3:30 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel), the match will be shaded by the influences of a third country. Players of both nations play in Germany or have done so in the past, the teams last met two years ago in Kaiserslautern, and Poland is using the friendly to prepare for its opening game in the 2008 European Championship: a June 8 date with, you guessed it, Germany. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney looks at how both teams will approach the game.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Soccer Job Openings
[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] Soccer America provides the latest on employment opportunities for soccer-related positions, They include college coaching opportunities, as well as opportunities in pro soccer, youth soccer, the soccer industry and television.
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U.S. Soccer Development Academy Results
LAFC moved into first place in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s Under-15/16 So Cal Division with a 4-0 win over the Nomads on Saturday. LAFC’s U-15/16 team remained unbeaten with a 2-0 victory over the Nomads. For all the weekend U.S. Soccer Development Academy scores and goal scorers …
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International Friendlies TV Schedule
The USA’s clash with Poland is one of nine international friendlies available live or delayed on cable or pay-per-view on Wednesday. Other matches of note include France-England, featuring David Beckham, who is expected to earn his 100th England cap in the game. For all the international friendlies on TV …
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Can Wizards, or anyone, challenge top two?
[MLS COUNTDOWN] Parity may reign in MLS, at least theoretically, but in the past three seasons D.C. and New England have finished one-two atop the Eastern Conference, in either order. The Revs have reached MLS Cup in each of those seasons, only to lose each time. D.C. – which finished second to the Crew in 2004 yet prevailed in the playoffs to win its fourth championship – hasn’t returned to the final despite posting the best regular-season record in two of those three seasons. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney offers a team-by-team preview of the Eastern Conference
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Becks Needs a Better Supporting Cast in ’08
In his 2008 MLS preview, Houston Chronicle columnist Glenn Davis says the criticism David Beckham received for his on-field performances last year were unfair. Not that those performances were spectacular, but Davis implies that the media ought to overlook that aspect considering the visibility Becks brings to the league. Not only does his “spotlight shine […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Seattle, RSL Add Former NFL Execs
Two former National Football League executives are making the move to Major League Soccer, according to separate reports. Seattle Seahawks vice president Gary Wright will become Senior Vice President of Business Operations for the new MLS team in Seattle, which isn’t set to join the league until 2009, while former Philadelphia Eagles vice president Bill […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Host Team in Disarray Ahead of 2010
The 2010 World Cup in South Africa is now 800 days away, and while progress is being made on the ground, the host team is in disarray, says Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune. A miserable 71st in FIFA’s world rankings, South Africa doesn’t even crack Africa’s top ten. With a series of poor […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Injured French Face Questions Against England
Fabio Capello’s England will be near full strength for Wednesday’s friendly at the Stade de France, but France coach Raymond Domenech is faced with an injury list a mile long. The most notable absentee, perhaps, is Lyon striker Karim Benzema, who was carried off over the weekend against Paris Saint-Germain. Veterans Thierry Henry of Barcelona […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
TFC Coach: ‘The Worst Performance I’ve Ever Seen’
Toronto FC capped off a poor showing in the Carolina Challenge Cup with a 2-0 loss to tournament host Charleston Battery of the United Soccer League. The MLS club finished winless and in last-place with a 0-2-1 record behind the San Jose Earthquakes (3-0-0), the Battery (1-1-1) and the New York Red Bulls (0-1-2). Last […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Toronto comes off nightmare weekend
Building depth is one of Toronto FC’s tenets for its second MLS season but based on results and the comments of Coach John Carver at the Carolina Challenge Cup just having enough bodies doesn’t mean you have a deep squad.
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Proposing a no-go zone
[REF WATCH] Recent incidents in the English Premier League have Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson saying, “The haranguing of referees is ridiculous, we know that” and Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the players’ union (PFA) suggesting an "exclusion zone" around referees.
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Houston Texans lift U-16 crown at Dallas Cup
[CORRECTION] Texans FC Red from Houston, coached by Carl Fleming, won the Dallas Cup U-16 crown last weekend, beating the Rampage Blue (Calif.), 2-0, in the final and the Lonestars Red (Texas), 3-1, in the semis. Led by Marcos "Junior" Escobar‘s eight goals, Fleming’s team scored 14 times in its six games en route to the title.
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Picking Donovan is a chance lost
Of the 18 players named to the U.S. roster to face Poland Wednesday in Krakow, perhaps the most obvious selection is the one who should have been omitted: Landon Donovan. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney explains.
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Freddy Adu leads the class
[OLYMPIC QUALIFYING GRADES] U.S. under-23 national team coach Peter Nowak got a look at all 20 players on his roster during Concacaf Olympic qualifying that concluded Sunday. Every player who was with the team for the duration played at least two games. Top marks for players who played two or more games went to Freddy Adu, Stuart Holden, Maurice Edu and Dax McCarty. For all the average grades …
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Wizards’ Real win build confidence ahead of D.C. clash
[MLS COUNTDOWN] Last year, Kansas City pounded D.C. United, 4-2, to start a season that eventually produced the Wizards first postseason appearance in three years. The Wizards will open against D.C. again when the 2008 season kicks off this weekend, and tuned up for their repeat performance by beating Real Salt Lake, 1-0, Saturday at the Saturn Cup in Norman, Okla.
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Quakes down Bulls en route to Carolina Cup title
San Jose and Red Bull New York were supposed to meet Saturday on the opening day of the season but renovations to the Quakes’ temporary home, Buck Shaw Stadium, couldn’t be completed in time, and so both teams instead will have a bye this weekend. They did meet in late March regardless.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Will Fulham’s Americans Stay or Go?
“Team America,” or Fulham FC, lost again this weekend, and with just seven games left to play in the English Premier League season, relegation is looking more and more like an inevitability. As USSoccerPlayers’ Graig Carbino says, “barring a mini-miracle,” Fulham will be playing second division soccer next season, which means that most of its […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Technical Directors and the New MLS Talent
It’s one thing to spend a hoard of cash and a designated player slot on a player like David Beckham or Cuauhtemoc Blanco, but the majority of MLS clubs searching for (cheap) international talent are simply trying to fill their rosters, says Nick Firchau of the Southtown Star. As such, men like Frank Klopas, technical […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Becks Aiming for 2010
During an interview with reporters, David Beckham revealed that he plans to keep fighting for his England place long after he reaches 100 caps for England against France on Wednesday night. “I never thought a year or two ago that I would make 95 caps, never mind 100,” the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder said. “I’m […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Drogba Is Grant’s Unlikely Vindicator
With Chelsea trailing 1-0 with 20 minutes to play against Arsenal, respect for Chelsea manager Avram Grant was in short supply. The Blues were staring down their first potential defeat at Stamford Bridge in almost two years. Off came Michael Ballack and Claude Makelele for Nicolas Anelka and Juliano Belletti, as the crowd started chanting […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Juve Does Scudetto Race a Favor
“Everything left to play for,” the Corriere dello Sport’s Alessandro Vocalelli declared after Juventus beat Inter Milan, 2-1, to cut Inter’s lead over AS Roma to four points. Earlier in the day, Roma did its part, scraping past relegation-fighter Empoli by the same score with just 10 men. But Juventus really Roma the bigger favor, […]
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Soccer on TV
The USA’s clash with Poland is one of many international friendlies on tap in the midweek. MLS’s 13th season kicks off this weekend; the Direct Kick package offers a free preview.
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Manchester United breaks open EPL race
[WINNERS & LOSERS] Manchester United extended its lead in the English Premier League to four points with 3-0 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford while Arsenal’s title hopes are fading after it fell to Chelsea, 2-1, in the second half of the Easter Sunday Grand Slam in the English Premier League. Spanish teenager Bojan Krkic was instrumental in keeping Barcelona very much alive in Spain’s La Liga race, while AC Milan’s 18-year-old Brazilian Alexandre Pato kept up his torrid pace.