Category: Story

Pundits across Europe are up in arms over the latest round of trouncings the likes of San Marino and Andorra received in Euro 2008 qualifying this past week. What, if any, purpose does the presence of smaller nations like these serve in the qualifying process? A chance to improve your goal differential? San Marino was […]

Van Nistelrooy ‘Stabbed in the Back’ by Ferguson

“Stabbed in the back.” That’s how Ruud Van Nistelrooy feels about Sir Alex Ferguson’s total about-face on the player he practically drove out of Manchester United. It’s nothing personal, Ruud. After all, it’s just business. “I had a good relationship with Ferguson in the beginning, but when he left me on the bench for 90 […]

Donovan Winner Puts L.A. Through to Open Cup Final

Landon Donovan did it last night, responding to criticism from the press and fans to lead the L.A. Galaxy past the Houston Dynamo and into the U.S. Open Cup final for the second consecutive year. Donovan scored one and assisted one as the Galaxy swept aside Dwayne De Rosario and the Dynamo, 3-1, at the […]

Donadoni Looks to Totti as World Champions Fall in Paris

After a convincing and impressive 3-1 win by France over world champion Italy in Paris last night, the Italian press have its knives out for new coach Roberto Donadoni, who has now drawn one and lost two in his first three matches in charge of the Azzurri. Saturday’s 1-1 draw with lowly Lithuania was followed […]

West Ham’s Five-Year Lease, with an Option to Buy

The British press continues to try and make sense of the bizarre set of circumstances that brought Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez to West Ham United for next to nothing. The Daily Telegraph, after speaking with Pini Zahavi, the so-called “super agent” who represented the pair in the deal that sent them to West Ham […]

U.S. OPEN CUP: Donovan does it for L.A.; Carr drives Fire to final

Landon Donovan scored the go-ahead goal for defending Open Cup champion Los Angeles in its 3-1 semifinal win over the Houston Dynamo, which, when it was the San Jose Earthquakes, had been eliminated four previous times by L.A. from the Open Cup. Alan Gordon, who notched two goals last weekend for the Galaxy in MLS […]

N.C. State knocks off No. 1 North Carolina

North Carolina, ranked No. 1 in the Soccer America Men's Top 25, lost its first game of the season when it fell to N.C. State, 3-1, in the ACC opener. Santiago Fusilier connected on a 35-yard strike in the 72nd minute, and freshman Alan Sanchez followed with a penalty kick goal five minutes later to […]

OBITUARY: Alabama A&M keeper Mdluli killed

Alabama A&M goalie Mlondi Mdluli, who started the first two games of the 2006 college season before returning to his native Swaziland, was killed Monday night when the Toyota Corolla he was driving drove into a ditch and then hit a concrete wall. Three other passengers — two former soccer players and a female companion […]

College Soccer Reporter, Story

3. OBITUARY: Alabama A&M keeper Mdluli killed

College Soccer Reporter, Story

2. PROFILE: Frosh Otii is force for UCSB

Bongomin Otii is fast becoming one of the country’s most feared strikers in the box. The freshman scored his fourth goal in four games to help No. 12 Santa Barbara beat Cal Poly, 2-0, Tuesday night in the Big West opener for both teams. He scored twice in his college debut in the Gauchos’ 5-0 […]

College Soccer Reporter, Story

1. N.C. State knocks off No. 1 North Carolina

North Carolina, ranked No. 1 in the Soccer America Men’s Top 25, lost its first game of the season when it fell to N.C. State, 3-1, in the ACC opener. Santiago Fusilier connected on a 35-yard strike in the 72nd minute, and freshman Alan Sanchez followed with a penalty kick goal five minutes later to […]

5. SOCCER ON TV: Your Viewing Guide

For this week’s nationally televised games: https://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562137584

4. AMERICANS ABROAD: Tim Hankinson guides Guatemalan U-17s

American Tim Hankinson, who coached in MLS for seven seasons, has been the head coach of the Guatemalan U-17 national team since March. In mid-September, Hankinson brings his squad to Bradenton, Fla., to face the U.S. U-17s following Guatemala’s tour of Mexico. “This preparation is the biggest commitment the Guatemalan federation has made to any […]

3. U.S. OPEN CUP: Donovan does it for L.A.; Carr drives Fire to final

1. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

“Even Ballack scored” — Headline in German daily Bild after captain Michael Ballack, who went scoreless at the 2006 World Cup, scored one of Germany’s goals in its 13-0 win over San Marino, the world’s smallest republic with a population of 24,000 that is located in the middle of northeast Italy.

COLLEGE: MEN'S PLAYER & TEAM OF THE WEEK (Week 2)

MEN'S PLAYER OF THE WEEK F Joseph Lapira (Notre Dame) MEN'S TEAM OF THE WEEK G Nick Noble (West Virginia) D Ben Howe (Central Connecticut) D Alan O'Hara (Clemson) D Chris Schuler (Creighton) M Adrian Chevannes (SMU) M John DiRaimondo (Saint Louis) M Stephen King (Maryland) F Andre Akpan (Harvard) F Kevin Forrest (Washington) F […]

COLLEGE ROUNDUP: Hokies are toast of Blacksburg

No. 8 Virginia Tech, one of seven unbeaten and untied ACC men's teams, improved its record to 4-0-0 with a 1-0 win over William & Mary. Sophomore Scott Dillie's header off a beautiful Patrick Nyarko cross in the 13th minute was the lone goal. Soccer interest is running high in Blacksburg, where 1,411 fans, the […]

COLLEGE: WOMEN'S PLAYER & TEAM OF THE WEEK (Week 2)

WOMEN'S PLAYER OF THE WEEK F Kelsey Carpenter (Texas) WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE WEEK G Karen Bardsley (Cal State Fullerton) D Lauren Bresnahan (Navy) D Kelly Rowland (Florida State) M Yael Averbuch (North Carolina) M Jill Krivacek (Notre Dame) M Shari Summers (Stanford) F Kelsey Carpenter (Texas) F Amanda Cinalli (Notre Dame) F Nikki Marshall […]

COLLEGE: Notre Dame's Lapira and Cinalli take weekly honors

Notre Dame forwards Joseph Lapira and Amanda Cinalli swept the Soccer America Player of the Week awards. Lapira topped off a career day on Sunday with his fourth goal of the game in overtime to give the Irish a 5-4 victory over Indiana before 5,613 fans at the Hoosiers' Armstrong Stadium. Lapira, the Soccer America […]

2. EURO 2008: France crushes Italy in rematch

France’s emphatic 3-1 victory over Italy Wednesday night in Euro 2008 qualifying doesn’t make up for its loss to Italy on penalty kicks in the 2006 World Cup. Nor does it mean the Bleus have clear sailing to the Euro 2008 final, which will take place in Austria and Switzerland. “There are still 10 matches […]

EURO 2008 QUALIFYING: Results (Sept. 6)

Group A Sept. 6 Poland 1 (Matusiak 30) Serbia 1 (Lazovic 71). Finland 1 (Johansson 21) Portugal 1 (Nuno Gomes 41). Armenia 0 Belgium 1 (van Buyten 41). Azerbaijan 1 (Ladaga 16) Kazakhstan 1 (Byakov 36). Group B Sept. 6 France 3 (Govou 2, 56, Henry 17) Italy 1 (Gilardino 19). Lithuania 1 (Miceika 85) […]

FA to Press Chelsea for Evidence Regarding Gallas Claims

Following the lengthy, pejorative statement issued by Chelsea FC about the conduct of former defender William Gallas prior to his transfer to Arsenal, the English Football Association has said it’s considering launching an investigation into claims made by the club that the player threatened to purposefully make mistakes, get sent off, or worse, score an […]

Former Boca Player Poised for D.C. United Debut

Spurned by management at Boca Juniors, the most famous club in Argentina, Matias Donnet bought out his own contract, worth $250,000, and made the trip north to United States, where he has begun his new career with D.C. United, debuting last weekend as a second-half substitute in its 2-1 win at Chivas USA. Boca had […]

Arena: We’re no Cosmos

In his first month on the job as coach of Red Bull New York, Bruce Arena has lived up to his media reputation: frank, crass, providing smug assessments of his players and the league. He’ll be the first to tell you his club isn’t New York Cosmos. “If everyone is waiting for the Cosmos to […]

Donovan Down but Not Out