Is there a mutiny on hand in Toronto? Winless in six, scoreless in six, Toronto FC is just seven minutes away from Major League Soccer’s most dubious record: most minutes without a goal. Injuries have certainly played their part, but there’s no denying TFC’s massive slump. Even so, the Toronto Sun says the players insist […]
Category: Story
Posted inSoccer Business Insider, Story
Smart U.S. Marketing Advice For Foreign Clubs
The U.S. soccer market is a primary target for many foreign soccer clubs. Their objectives include match competition, revenue generation, player identification, plus fan, player and business development. To these clubs we offer the following advice:
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Costa Rica beats host; Brazil romps again
[U-17 WORLD CUP RESULTS] Costa Rica became the first Concacaf team to notch a win at the U-17 World Cup when it downed host South Korea, 2-0. It was the host’s second straight loss. Also in Group A, Peru and Togo played to a scoreless tie. In Group B, Brazil followed up on its 7-0 win over New Zealand with a 6-1 rout of North Korea, while England downed New Zealand, 5-0. Brazil’s Fabio and England’s Victor Moses lead the tournament in scoring with three goals a piece.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Sweden a good fit for first European date under Bradley
Fourteen games into the tenure of Coach Bob Bradley the U.S. takes its first trip to Europe, and much like the Copa America proved to be a valuable if somewhat humbling venture, the importance of this match extends beyond the result. There are no finished products on the 19-man roster named by Bradley named to face Sweden (Fox Soccer Channel & Galavision 2:30 p.m. ET) at Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg. Getting Americans abroad, whether that be to play for a foreign club or on a national-team road trip, is a vital component of restocking the player pool.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beckham ‘ready’ for Germany
Despite his injured ankle, the Los Angeles Galaxy’s David Beckham aims to play in England’s friendly against Germany on Wednesday (TV live: 3 pm ET Setanta pay-per-view; delay: 5 pm ET Fox Soccer Channel & Fox Sports en Espanol). "He trained this morning and looked very, very good," said England coach Steve McClaren on Tuesday. If Beckham plays, he’ll earn his 97th cap.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Mexico set for ninth game in USA
Mexico, eight of whose 17 games in 2007 have taken place on U.S. soil, faces Colombia in a friendly in Commerce City, Colo., on Wednesday (TV: live, 10 pm ET, Telemundo). Of its three remaining games this year after the Colombia clash, Mexico will play two in the USA. That means El Tri will have played 11 of its 2007 games in the USA and four in Mexico.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS midweek doubleheader kicks off stretch run
[TV PREVIEWS] Two months remain in the regular season and only Real Salt Lake is without a real chance to make the playoffs. A nine-game slate of league action this week gets underway with Big Wednesday: a pair of crucial Eastern Conference matchups. D.C. United-New York and Kansas City-Chicago.
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U.S. U-17s hope to bounce back
[PREVIEW] The USA hopes to bounce back from its disappointing 4-3 loss to Tajikistan in its U-17 World Cup opener when it faces Tunisia on Thursday. The game airs live at 4 am ET on ESPN, ESPNU and Galavision, and online at ESPN360.com. ESPNU rebroadcasts the game at noon ET on Thursday. Galavision is rebroadcasting the game at 7 pm ET/PT on Thursday. The USA is aiming to reach the second round for the sixth time in its record 12th appearance. Tunisia beat Belgium, 4-2, in its opener.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Copa America champ Brazil face Algeria
In its first action since lifting this summer’s Copa America, Brazil faces Algeria in a friendly in Montpellier, France on Wednesday. (TV live: 12:30 pm ET Fox Soccer Channel & Fox Sports en Espanol). Brazil stars Ronaldinho and Kaka, who chose to skip the Copa, are expected to be used as subs. Coach Dunga is expected to start players who played in the Copa America, where Brazil downed Argentina in the final, 3-0.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Red Bulls’ Big Opportunity
For the New York Red Bulls, David Beckham’s first trip to Giants Stadium could only be construed as a huge success: nine goals, 90 minutes for Beckman (60 of which were quite good), and a win for the home team in front of a 65,000-plus crowd that was decidedly rooting for them. Ives Galarcep of […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beckham: How not to like the guy?
“No, Beckham did not leave a trail of glory wherever he trod, but he triumphed nonetheless,” writes Paul Gardner in the New York Sun. Beckham did his job last Saturday. He brought 66,237 people to Giants Stadium and made three assists, but the Galaxy lost. And it’s clear that Beckham may not be enough to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
England Ref Chief Supports Goal-Line Technology
Keith Hackett, chief of England’s Professional Game Match Officials association, says that the latest round of English Premier League games illustrates the need for goal-line technology. At Craven Cottage this weekend, Fulham was denied a late equalizer against Middlesbrough that replays clearly proved went over the line. Assistant referee Ian Gosling was suspended from officiating […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
South Africa on Schedule for 2010
From time to time the media checks in on the progress in South Africa, host of the 2010 World Cup. According to a Reuters report, everything seems to be on track for a successful first World Cup in Africa-except for the quality on the field. Danny Jordaan, chief of the South Africa 2010 organizing committee, […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Wings of an Angel
Here’s Kansas City coach Curt Onalfo‘s take on New York’s Juan Pablo Angel: “He’s been an unbelievably great addition to the league.” Angel earned the Red Bulls three points in their incredible 5-4 win over the Galaxy Saturday with hustle, desire and skill.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
New York’s goal rush
[VIDEO] The New York Red Bulls’ 5-4 win over Los Angeles on Saturday marked the 10th MLS game in league history in which nine or more goals were scored. The Red Bulls (nee MetroStars) were involved in five of those games – four victories and one tie. For highlights of New York’s 5-4 win over Beckham and the Galaxy, click HERE.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA stunned at U-17 World Cup
[VIDEO] The USA got off to a bad start at the U-17 World Cup when it fell, 4-3, to Tajikistan, the former Soviet republic making its world championship debut. The loss came despite U.S. leads of 1-0 and 3-2. “For us, we feel like we let the game slip away,” said U.S. coach John Hackworth
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Mexico calls up 20-year-old U.S.-born Castillo
Edgar Castillo, who was born and raised in Las Cruces, N.M., has been named to Mexico’s roster by Coach Hugo Sanchez for its friendly against Colombia in Commerce City, Colo., on Wednesday. Castillo, who has dual citizenship, has not been called into U.S. national team or Olympic (U-23) camps despite starting at left back for Santos Laguna of the Mexican First Division since January.
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Colombia comes back for 3-3 tie with Germany
[U-17 WORLD CUP RESULTS] It was a high-scoring Monday at the U-17 World Cup in South Korea as Group E and F opened play on Day 3 of the tournament. In Group E, the USA fell, 4-3, to Tajikistan while the Tunisia trounced Belgium, 4-2. In Group F, Germany and Colombia played to a 3-3 tie while Ghana thumped Trinidad & Tobago, 4-1.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS enjoys attendance boost
Last weekend’s six MLS games averaged nearly 26,000 fans, upping the leaguewide attendance average to 15,836. The highest regular-season attendance since the inaugural season’s 17,406 was 15,822 in 2002. Last weekend’s biggest crowd was the 66,237 at the Beckham game at New York Red Bull, but games at Toronto, Columbus, Salt Lake and Houston had announced attendance of more than 18,000. … Luciano Emilio‘s goal against Columbus upped his league-leading total to 14. … New York’s five goals against L.A. upped its goal-per-game production to a league-leading 1.70.
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Central issues for West-leading Dynamo
Houston keeper Pat Onstad earned his eighth shutout and the Dynamo regained first place in the Western Conference by beating in-state rival FC Dallas, 1-0, Sunday, yet a few times the Dynamo escaped despite soft defending in the middle.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Stoking the Fire
Chicago coach Juan Carlos Osorio has brought a new player who should shore up one of the team’s weak spots. Colombian international defender Wilman Conde, 24, comes to MLS from Colombia’s Millonarios, which Osorio coached for 18 months prior to joining the Fire in late June. Conde takes a senior international slot on the team’s roster and in exchange, a youth international slot has opened up with the release of Brazilian Willian Oliveira.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Adu’s Team in Turmoil
After just two professional games this season, Freddy Adu’s Benfica coach Fernando Santos has been sacked. Apparently, a dressing room bust-up with club President Luis Felipe Vieira coupled with a disappointing 1-1 draw with promoted side Leixoes led to the prompt dismissal of both Santos and his assistant Jorge Rosário. Former Spain and Real Madrid […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Soccer Club of the People Eyes Takeover Targets
A Web site called MyFootballClub.com, which aims to put its members in charge of club ownership and administration, may be close to buying its first club, having raised more than $1 million, according to the Independent. The concept, created by soccer journalist Will Brooks, is to create a democratic system of ownership that essentially makes […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Anfield Referee Banned for Poor Performance
The majority of soccer neutrals will tell you that the worst part of Sunday’s Liverpool-Chelsea clash at Anfield was the performance of referee Rob Styles. Not only did Styles award Chelsea a penalty that clearly wasn’t, he also gave Michael Essien two yellow cards before insisting that the second was directed at captain John Terry, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Real, Inter Lose their Super Cups
The champions of Spain and Italy fared poorly in the respective curtain-raisers to the La Liga and Serie A seasons, as both Real Madrid and Inter Milan fell to domestic cup winners Sevilla and AS Roma. At the Santiago Bernabeu, last season’s Spanish cup winner Sevilla routed league champ Real Madrid 5-3 in Madrid to […]