Category: Story

[COLLEGE] Casey Nogueira, the 2008 Soccer America Women’s Player of the Year, heads the Soccer America Women’s Preseason All-American team, as selected by its editors. Nogueira, who helped North Carolina win the 2008 NCAA title and led the nation with 25 goals and 58 points, is one of three Tar Heels on the Preseason All-American first team along with fellow seniors Whitney Engen and Tobin Heath. Florida State, Notre Dame and UCLA are the only teams with two players named to the first and second teams. For all the Preseason All-American selections …

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Timothy Barton became the latest Texan to splurge on a European soccer club when he reached a preliminary deal to buy promoted Italian club Bari.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] When it comes to playing international games in the final one-third of the MLS season, Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear is as ambitious as he is realistic as his team faces six games in the next two months in the regional championship.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] In German soccer, subs who score goals are known as “jokers,” and player moves by Crew coach Robert Warzycha – a native of bordering nation Poland — left him, his players and Columbus fans smiling Tuesday night.

[MLS] FC Dallas, which sits in second-to-last in the West with a 6-10-5 record, has aqcuired Honduran attacker Marvin Chavez, whose nickname is “El hijo del viento” (the son of the wind).

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] United coach Tom Soehn used a few new faces and four in the back to extract a result out of San Pedro Sula, and it nearly worked. But a spirited effort fell short, and late goals five minutes apart by Jerry Palacios and Mario Berrios swept Honduran club Marathon past D.C. United, 3-1, in the Concacaf Champions’ League Group C opener Tuesday night.

[USL TEAMS OF THE WEEK] Melvin Tarley, whose goal gave the Minnesota Thunder a 1-0 victory at Miami FC for its first USL-1 road win of the season and who followed up with two goals in a 2-2 tie at Austin, and Jyler Noviello, who had the winning and tying goals for the Wilmington Hammerheads in a win and tie that gave them the USL Second Division title, are the USL Players of the Week. For the Teams of the Week …

[MLS PREDICTIONS] The ESPN networks present a rare midweek double dip, starting with a classic interconference clash between Chicago and Los Angeles at Toyota Park, where the Galaxy has yet to garner even a tie but comes in with an unbeaten record against Eastern Conference teams.

[WPS] Despite losses of as much as $2 million for some clubs,  Women’s Professional Soccer Commissioner Tonya Antonucci expects the principal investors of all seven teams to return for Year 2.

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Here comes another round of international competition for three MLS teams, all of which aspire to lift the league trophy in November. Four-time MLS champion D.C. United and defending champ Columbus Crew open Concacaf Champions’ League group play Tuesday against Honduran club Marathon and USL-1 upstart Puerto Rico Islanders , respectively. Houston, MLS Cup winner in 2006 and 2007, plays Isidro Metapan of El Salvador Wednesday.

[MLS] Eric Brunner started the 2008 season with the New York Red Bulls before a stint with the USL’s Miami FC. He’s finding his stride this season with the Columbus Crew and has contributed a goal, an assist and logged more than 1,400 minutes in 18 games. Get to know the 23-year-old in this profile by Soccer America’s Bryan Alvarez that covers on and off-field experiences.

[COLLEGE] Defending champion North Carolina is No. 1 in the Soccer America Women’s Preseason Top 25 rankings, as selected by its editors. The Tar Heels, who return nine starters, including 2008 Soccer America Player of the Year Casey Nogueira, from last year’s College Cup championship team and welcome back two starters — Nikki Washington and Meghan Klingenberg — who missed the postseason because of their participation at the U-20 Women’s World Cup, are seeking their 20th national title in 28 years. Pac-10 rivals Stanford and UCLA are 2-3 in the Preseason Top 25, while Portland and Notre Dame round out the top 5. For the complete Soccer America Women’s Preseason Top 25 rankings …

[MLS] Jesus Padilla, a 22-year-old California-born Mexican-American who left home at age 14 to join Chivas Guadalajara, has been acquired by Chivas USA on loan. Padilla, who plays in the midfield and on the frontline, spoke with Soccer America’s Mike Woitalla after Padilla came on as a sub for Guadalajara in an exhibition against Barcelona in San Francisco earlier this month.

[MLS] The New York Red Bulls, MLS’s worst team with only two wins, got reinforcement in 25-year-old Argentine defender Walter Garcia, who arrives from Argentine second division club Quilmes.