[MAKING A LIST] England’s four representatives — No. 2 Chelsea, No. 3 Liverpool, No. 4 Manchester United and No. 6 Arsenal — rank among the top six teams in the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League and will be in the first pot for Thursday’s group stage draw in Monaco (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, live, noon ET). Defending champion Barcelona is the top seed. For the seeds 1-32 …
Category: Story
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Late collapse dooms D.C. United again
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Home and away, D.C. United’s failure to close out games has cost it points, of which it has zero after two matches in Group B of the Concacaf Champions’ League. A week after conceding two late goals in San Pedro Sula to lose, 3-1, to Marathon, United suffered the same fate at RFK Stadium Wednesday against Mexican club Toluca.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
RSL runs riot in Rio Tinto
[MLS] Real Salt Lake pumped some life into its playoff quest by beating Chivas USA, 4-0, Wednesday at Rio Tinto as three players shared the goals. Team top scorer Robbie Findley added two late goals after Pablo Campos opened the scoring in the 43rd minute and Fabian Espinola‘s clincher with 15 minutes left.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Concacaf Champions League Results
With only two Group D games remaining in the second round of games in the group stage of the Concacaf Champions League, only three teams — Mexico’s Cruz Azul and Toluca and Honduran club Marathon — have won both games. The four Mexican teams have five wins and one loss, while MLS teams have two wins, three losses and one tie. For all the results and standings …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Guns in the locker room
[OFF THE POST] Rene Simoes, coach of Brazilian second division club Portuguesa, handed in his resignation after officials of the club came into the locker room with guns on their belts and threatened the players after a loss.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Crew routed by Cruz Azul
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] A better showing might have been expected from the reigning MLS champion, but Cruz Azul is a pretty good team, and its stadium is a tough place to play. Columbus lost its second game in Group C of the Concacaf Champions League, 5-0, to Los Cementeros, who reached the CCL final last spring.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Five reds as Houston gets point in Panama
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP] Much of what troubles international club soccer on the field erupted Wednesday in La Chorrera, Panama, as Houston and Arabe Unido traded fouls and cards while tying, 1-1.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Cypriot team APOEL makes history
[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] APOEL Nicosia made history when it beat FC Copenhagen, 3-1, and won its UEFA Champions League playoff series, 3-2, becoming the first Cypriot team to qualify for the competition’s group stage. Debrecen became the first Hungarian club to qualify for the group stage in 14 years when sealed its 4-1 aggregate win over Bulgaria’s Levski Sofia with a 2-0 victory. Other teams making their Champions League debut will be Wolfsburg, Rubin Kazan, AZ, Standard Liege, Unirea Urziceni, and FC Zurich. For all the mid-week results …
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Ivan Gazidis: From MLS to Arsenal CEO
LONDON — Ivan Gazidis stands on the wide terrace outside his Arsenal office and points vaguely to the northeast — “I used to live just over there.”
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Soumare Got Transfer Wish Thanks To Coach Clash
Bakary Soumare is preparing to leave the Chicago Fire for French club Boulogne about three weeks after a physical altercation with head coach Denis Hamlett. Soumare said that he wishes that he could leave the Fire on different terms. "You don't like to leave in a situation like that, when it leaves a bad taste […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Al Fahim Declares Portsmouth His
Arabian businessman Sulaiman Al Fahim claims to have taken complete ownership of Premier League club Portsmouth. The club installed Al Fahim as chairman on July 21 after he passed the league's new fit-and-proper-person test. But the club's chief executive Peter Storrie stalled Al Fahim's takeover by fronting a consortium that launched a separate bid for […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Mark Hughes Thinks Lescott ‘Best in League’
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes believes his new $36 million signing, Joleon Lescott, is the best center back in the English Premier League, which also boasts English national team backs John Terry and Rio Ferdinand. "I'm delighted to welcome Joleon to the club," Hughes said. "It's been a long and difficult process but I feel […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Nigeria’s U-17 Team Loses 15 Players To Age Test
Nigeria has dropped 15 players from its under-17 national team pool after MRI scans revealed the players overage. Nigeria hosts the U-17 World Cup Oct. 24-Nov. 15. Nigeria coach John Obuh disclosed that the affected players have left the team camp, leaving him with 23 other players who fall within the allowed age. Nigeria federation […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Marquez, Vela Out Of Mexico Squad
Mexico announced its roster for September's crucial World Cup qualifying games against Costa Rica and Honduras. Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez has been left off the team due to a leg injury. Also, young forward Nestor Calderon will take the place of Arsenal's injured forward Carlos Vela. Calderon, 20, has five goals in five games for […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Pachuca and Saprissa Post First CL Wins
Mexico's Pachuca, for which U.S. midfielder Jose Francisco Torres went the full 90, and Saprissa of Costa Rica both posted convincing wins in the group stage of the Concacaf Champions League on Tuesday. Ulises Mendivil scored either side of halftime in Pachuca's 5-0 win over Metapan of El Salvador in Group A. In Group C, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Karate Kick Could Yield Three-Year Ban
A match between Bolivian clubs Oriente Petrolero and Blooming got out of control last Sunday. Pushing bouts culminated with Blooming player Sergio Jauregui levying a flying kick to the face of Oriente player Leonardo Medina before Medina could reach the tunnel to exit the field. Richard Mendez, a director with Oriente Petrolero, said league rules […]
Posted inSoccer America Classifieds, Story
Soccer America Classifieds
Welcome to Soccer America Classifieds, Soccer America’s email newsletter connecting soccer companies and organizations to Soccer America members each week. Soccer America Classifieds feature soccer classified advertisements on the latest soccer job openings, soccer products and soccer opportunities. Read Soccer America Classifieds each Wednesday.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Latest Virginia Tech move sparks new controversy
MEN’S NEWS … The story of Coach Oliver Weiss‘ hasty departure from Virginia Tech in June took a new twist with a Roanoke Times story that Virginia Tech reported 11 recruiting violations to the NCAA and has banned foreign recruits for three seasons.
In documents obtained by the Roanoke Times, Virginia Tech informed the NCAA of the violations 13 days after Weiss resigned.
The violations by a person who “no longer serves … at Virginia Tech” (according to the redacted documents obtained under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act) concerned entrance fees paid on behalf of recruits and later repaid by the players themselves.
According to Roanoke Times, Virginia Tech will take “corrective actions” and stop recruiting foreign men’s players for three years — through the 2011-12 school year.
Weiss’ recruiting of foreign players produced a Men’s College Cup semifinal team in 2007 but sparked controversy, though the decision to ban foreign recruits itself has met with opposition.
The editorial board of the Collegiate Times, the Virginia Tech student paper, criticized the ban, saying “there is absolutely no reason to rub proverbial salt in the wounds with the three-year suspension.”
* Transfers will play a big role in the 2009 men’s campaign. No. 1 North Carolina’s lone selection on the 2009 Soccer America Preseason All-American team is transfer Stephen McCarthy, who will spent his senior year in Chapel Hill after playing his first three seasons at Santa Clara. Three other transfers are also on the second team: Creighton defender Chris Schuler (Indiana), St. John’s midfielder Nelson Becerra (Centenary, N.J.) and UC Irvine forward Irving Garcia (Yavapai).
* Six Soccer America Preseason Top 25 teams — No. 2 Akron, No. 4 Indiana, No. 11 Northwestern, No. 12 UIC, No. 21 Michigan and No. 23 Louisville — will take part in the 2009 National Soccer Festival, which kicks off Friday in Ft. Wayne, Ind. All seven Big Ten teams will play in 2010 thanks in part to a $10,000 sports business development grant from the city of Ft. Wayne for the Big Ten Challenge, the working title for the preseason event.
* Thomas Campbell‘s comeback bid got off to a fantastic start. The fifth-year senior who missed all of last season after tearing knee ligaments needed only 36 minutes to score a hat trick Saturday in UNC Greensboro’s 5-3 win over Division II Lees-McRae on Saturday night.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
National team call-up completes Harris’ comeback
WOMEN’S NEWS … North Carolina keeper Ashlyn Harris‘ call-up to the U.S. national team is one of women’s soccer’s great feel-good stories.
Along with UCLA forward Lauren Cheney and Carolina teammate Tobin Heath, both 2008 Olympic gold-medalists, Harris was one of three collegians picked to attend the national team camp that will take place Sept. 21-Oct. 2 at the Home Depot Center.
Harris’ first call-up comes seven years after she burst on the international scene helping the USA win the inaugural Under-19 Women’s World Cup.
Harris was a starter for the USA at both the 2002 and 2004 U-19 world championships, playing every minute of all 12 games during those tournaments, but her college career suffered several setbacks.
She redshirted in 2005 after tearing her right anterior cruciate ligament during her first practice with the Heels.
While training in June 2006 she suffered what appeared to be another season-ending knee injury, but she recovered to come on as a reserve in all six of Carolina’s NCAA Tournament games — and made several saves — en route to its 2006 championship.
After splitting time with Anna Rodenbough in her first three seasons, Harris is for the first time UNC’s undisputed starter.
* The Mexican national team beat TCU, 4-1, Tuesday night before 2,089 fans in Ft. Worth. The Tri Femenil previously lost to South Carolina, 2-0, and beat Kennesaw State, 5-0.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Soumare, exiled by Fire, returns to France
[MLS] At a transfer fee reported as $1.4 million and $2.1 million by various outlets, and said by a source to be $2 million, MLS and Chicago have agreed to sell defender Bakary Soumare to French club Boulogne. The club – along with a few other teams — had expressed interest in Soumare in June, shortly after the European season ended, but MLS and the Fire tamped down the inquiry though an offer was reportedly made. A native of Mali, Soumare, 23, moved to the Paris suburb of St. Denis at age 3 and to New York at age 15.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
In catchup mode, RSL hosts Chivas USA
[MLS PREDICTION] The two expansion entrants of 2005 that met in last year’s playoffs square off for the second time this season, with host Real Salt Lake desperately in need of a win.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Altidore strikes in first start for Hull
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Jozy Altidore, who got an assist in his English Premier League debut for Hull City on Saturday, scored on a long-range shot in Hull’s 3-1 win on Tuesday over third-tier Southend in the second round of the English League Cup.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Crew, United face Mexican opposition
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] He missed out on the most recent Mexico-USA showdown at Azteca Stadium, so defender Frankie Hejduk is perhaps even more eager than usual for the assignment handed to him and his Columbus teammates Wednesday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Pregnant Rampone to miss national team camp
[U.S. WOMEN] Four members of WPS champion Sky Blue FC were called up to the U.S. women’s national team camp that will take place Sept. 21-Oct. 2 at the Home Depot Center. Not included in the squad is Sky Blue FC player-coach Christie Rampone, the U.S. national team captain who is three months pregnant.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Mixed results for WPS players in openers
[WOMEN’S EURO ’09] With five WPS players in its squad, England came into the 2009 European Women’s Championship with high hopes, but it crashed to Italy, 2-1, Tuesday in its opening game.