[PREVIEW] The first of the two remaining double fixture weekends in Euro ’08 qualifying begins on Saturday. Here’s a look at seven key matches …
Category: Story
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Do-or-die for Rapids, Crew and Galaxy
[MLS WEEKEND PREVIEWS] Colorado, Columbus and Los Angeles must win to keep their playoff hopes alive, Kansas City can clinch a postseason spot by beating New York, and Chicago will greatly enhance its playoff chances with a victory on the penultimate weekend of the MLS regular season. Chivas can clinch the Western Conference crown by beating the Rapids on Sunday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Dallas can’t knock off resilient Chivas USA
Two teams bidding to be the Western Conference representative in MLS Cup 2007 squared off Thursday night at Pizza Hut Park, and only one of them looked the part. Backed by a bewigged home crowd honoring the do and daring of Juan Toja, FC Dallas (13-11-5) threw what it had at Chivas USA but could do no better than a 0-0 tie.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
‘The game has to come naturally’
Feedback from Soccer America readers on “Reviving the Pickup Game,” by Sam Snow, US Youth Soccer’s Director of Coaching Education.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Another MLS DP Slot for Next Season?
As long as you’re not worried about the immense salary gap it causes between the few MLS-haves and the multitude of MLS have-nots, the Designated Player Rule has been a resounding success. New York DP Juan Pablo Angel has unquestionably been one of the league’s best players, while Chicago’s mid-season arrival Cuauhtemoc Blanco just may […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Altidore Could Be Out the Door When He Turns 18
Jozy Altidore stars in another “Next Big Thing” article, this one from ABC News. This could be his last season in MLS. Altidore turns 18 on Nov. 6, making him eligible to move abroad. And after a string of impressive performances for both the New York Red Bulls and the U-20 national team at the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
South Africa 2010: So Far, So Good
To the surprise of many — including a few sportswriters who live in the country — South Africa continues to pass FIFA’s regular progress inspections in preparation for hosting the 2010 World Cup. During the most recent visit, South African organizers brought executives from the game’s world governing body on a tour to the four […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Emerging Michael Bradley
Grant Wahl of SI.com has a lengthy article on the coach’s son, national team midfielder Michael Bradley, who Wahl says is arguably the most improved U.S. player in the past year. He’s also played a heck of a lot of soccer: in addition to the nine months Bradley’s put in for Heerenveen, he’s also made […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NCAA Division I Women’s Wednesday Results
Harvard improved to 8-3-1 under first-year coach Ray Leone thanks to a 2-0 win over Vermont (1-11-1). For all scores from Wednesday’s women’s action …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Top 25 powers Notre Dame and BC knocked off
[TOP 25 MEN’S ACTION] Four Top 25 men’s teams, including No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 5 Boston College, lost on Wednesday night. Notre Dame’s nine-game unbeaten streak come to an end as Michigan State topped the Irish, 1-0. Senior Laurent Manuel‘s golden goal gave No. 14 Brown a 1-0 overtime victory over BC.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
FIU’s Eketebi gets first win after 11 games
It took Munga Eketebi 11 games, but he finally got his first win as Florida International men’s coach. Eketebi, who was promoted after long-serving coach Karl Kremser retired, had endured an 0-8-2 start as head coach until Wednesday’s 3-2 win over UCF.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Player of the Year candidate White powers No. 1 UConn
O’Brian White is an early favorite for Men’s Player of the Year honors. The Jamaican youth international via Ontario scored a hat trick for the second straight game and led No. 1 Connecticut to a 3-0 win over Providence Wednesday night at Morrone Stadium.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NCAA Division I Men’s Wednesday Results
Defending America East champion Binghamton needed overtime for the second straight game to win in conference play. It beat UMBC, 1-0, on Justin Leskow‘s goal in the 99th minute. For all scores from Wednesday’s action in the America East, Big East, Big West, Conference USA and Missouri Valley, as well as in non-conference play …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NAIA Men’s Top 25
Concordia (Calif.) held at No. 1 for the fourth straight week, while Berry made the biggest jump, moving up seven spots to No. 7 in the NAIA Men’s Top 25 Poll. Berry beat then-No. 6 Lee, 3-2, in double overtime last Friday. For the complete Top 25 …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NAIA Women’s Top 25
Lee was named No. 1 in NAIA Women’s Top 25 Poll for the third consecutive week. For the complete Top 25 …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Chivas USA aims for top in Big D
[MLS TV PREVIEW] These Western Conference foes haven’t played since the Fourth of July, when a 2-0 Dallas victory over Chivas USA at Pizza Hut Park reversed a loss by the same score in late May at Home Depot Center. Since that last meeting, Brazilians Denilson and Ricardinho have relocated in Texas, a player has been traded from one team to the other, Carlos Ruiz has picked up a suspension that rules him out of Thursday’s game, Dallas has clinched a playoff spot, and Chivas USA has climbed up the overall standings to challenge for the league’s best record.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Edgar Castillo back with Mexican national team
Edgar Castillo is still eligible to represent the USA because his appearance for Mexico in an August friendly against Colombia wasn’t official FIFA competition. But Castillo, who starts at left back for Santos, the Mexican league’s top team this season, is back in camp with the Mexican national team, which is preparing for friendlies against Nigeria on Sunday and Guatemala on Wednesday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Hope Solo back with USA
Goalkeeper Hope Solo, who was kicked off the U.S. team during the Women’s World Cup, has been invited back by Coach Greg Ryan for the team’s three-game series with Mexico, which kicks off Saturday in St. Louis. After being benched for the USA’s semifinal against Brazil and replaced by Briana Scurry, Solo lashed out at Ryan and said she would have saved the goals Brazil put past Scurry in the 4-0 loss. Scurry is also on the 20-player roster for the Mexico series.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Brazil finally plays at home again
Brazil, which has taken to playing its friendly games abroad, will play its first home game in more than two years when it faces Ecuador in World Cup qualifying on Wednesday. Its last home game was 3-0 win over Venezuela Oct. 12, 2005 in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. The game against Ecuador also marks its first at Maracana Stadium since a 5-0 win over Bolivia in 2000.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
OFF THE POST: Not such a clever way to fix a game
During a Cameroon First Division game, Bamboutos FC’s coach calls Federal SC captain Nkoun a Rim to the sideline for a chat late in the second half after Federal tied the game, 2-2. Shortly afterward, Bamboutos captain Koss Roger hits the floor and acts injured. In full view of the spectators, already suspicious because of the sideline conference, Bamboutos’ trainer hands Roger an envelope. Roger returns to action and hands the envelope to Nkoun a Rim, who makes a lackluster effort in the play that leads to Bamboutos’ winning goal. Cameroon’s federation has relegated Bamboutos FC two divisions and has banned the officials and players involved in the incident for at least two years.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Fiji fumes over World Cup visa snub
Fiji’s soccer federation says it will seek to take the New Zealand government to court over its refusal to grant a visit to starting goalie Simione Tamanisau for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier, the opening game of the final round of qualifying in what is also the OFC Nations Cup final round.
Posted inSoccer Business Insider, Story
Making Player Endorsements Work For Your Brand
The biggest challenge is to find a player who is compatible with your company or brand, someone respected by, and popular with, consumers.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
MLS Clashes with International Calendar, Again
Bob Bradley’s roster says it all. While it’s nice to see fresh faces like Preston Zimmerman, Freddy Adu and Sal Zizzo on the U.S. national team squad to face Switzerland, it’s frustrating to see the national team coach in a position where he can’t call on his best domestic-based players. As USSoccerPlayers’ Ian Plenderleith points […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Are We in for Another Beckham Comeback?
Just three months into his five-year MLS adventure, David Beckham has once again found himself in the position of having to prove people wrong. A pair of injuries restricted him to just three league appearances, and five overall, causing many to brand Beckham as “a bust, a distraction to his struggling team, and a malingering, […]