[AMERICANS ABROAD] English second division club Reading, whose goalkeeper is American Marcus Hahnemann, saw its quest to return to the English Premier League dashed on Tuesday with a 2-0 loss to Burnley in the promotion playoffs. But defender Zack Whitbread‘s hopes of moving up the ladder, from the third to second tier, got a boost on Thursday when he helped Millwall to 1-1 tie with Leeds and a 2-1 aggregate win that takes Millwall to the promotion final.
Category: Story
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Toronto can douse the Fire
[MLS PREDICTIONS] San Jose, stuck near the bottom of the overall standings at 1-5-2, takes its turn as the bye team during a week that features a matchup of conference leaders (Chivas USA vs. D.C. United), followed by defending champion Columbus at Los Angeles the following day at Home Depot Center. Toronto and Chicago, a point apart in the Eastern Conference in second and third, respectively, meet at BMO Field; 2006 and 2007 MLS Cup winner Houston heads to 2008 finalist New York, which knocked it out of the playoffs last year. For all of Soccer America’s predictions, as well as TV viewing information, and to see how we’ve fared on prediction so far this season …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Sounders to Increase Seating Capacity at Qwest Field
Seattle Sounders FC will increase seating capacity at Qwest Field to 32,000 starting with the June 28 match against the Colorado Rapids. The team announced the sale of seats in the south end zone. Seattle has sold out its first five home games and averaged 29,025, leading Major League Soccer in attendance. At full capacity, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Pienaar: Everton Must Raise Game Before FA Cup Final
Steven Pienaar has called for his Everton teammates to up their performance levels for the final two Premier League fames of the 2008-09 campaign, at home against West Ham and away at Fulham. Everton has won only one of its last six games. Pienaar, a South African international, stated that it is important to turn […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Klose Returns for Bayern’s Title Run
Defending champion Bayern Munich will welcome striker Miroslav Klose back from injury this weekend as the club prepares for the last two matches of a thrilling Bundesliga title scrap. Bayern (63 points) sits behind leaderr VfL Wolfsburg on goal difference and faces a Hoffenheim club on Saturday that led the league at the halfway mark […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Americans Climbing the Ladder in England
Zak Whitbread, Mike Grella and Jemal Johnson are all taking part in the playoffs for promotion from the English third division (League One) to the second division (League Championship). Whitbread with Millwall, Grella with Leeds and Johnson with Milton Keynes Dons. A central defense fixture for Millwall, Whitbread is the one steady starter of this […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Barcelona Closes In On Second Title of Season
On Saturday, Barcelona could be crowned Primera Liga champions for the 19th time. It could do so without kicking a ball if second-place Real Madrid fails to beat Villarreal at the Madrigal. The Champions League finalist, which routed Athletic Bilbao 4-1 to lift the Copa Del Rey (King's Cup) on Wednesday, is on track to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
FIFA Seeks More ‘Homegrown’ World Cup Sponsors
FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil explained, "We currently have two national corporate supporters from South Africa, we are still looking for four more." Currently First National Bank (FNB) and telecommunications company Telkom serve as FIFA's only two South African sponsors. Weil suggested that having more sponsors on board would increase interest and awareness about the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Perez to Return to Helm At Madrid
Florentino Perez, the man who turned Real Madrid from an old-fashioned soccer club into a star-studded global marketing project, announced on Thursday that he will again run for president of the club in this summer’s election. Perez led Madrid in 2000-06, when the club won two league titles and one Champions League trophy in the […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bradley should remain in Bundesliga
[AMERICANS ABROAD] It looks like U.S. national team midfielder Michael Bradley will be staying in the German Bundesliga. He played the entire 90 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 1-0 win at Energie Cottbus that moved it into 14th place, two spots and three points out of the relegation zone with two games to go. Meanwhile, fellow U.S. midfielder Maurice Edu also went 90 minutes for Rangers, whose 1-1 tie at Hibernian may have cost it the Scottish Premier League title.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Toronto FC on top in Canada
[NUTRILITE CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP] Soccer fever has swept Canada as evidenced by Wednesday’s crowd of almost 20,000 that watched Toronto FC defeat the Montreal Impact, 1-0, in a Nutrilite Canadian Championship match at BMO Field. The win gives TFC two wins in the competition to determine Canada’s representative in the CONCACAF Champions League. The evening wasn’t entirely positive for the MLS club, though. Marvell Wynne left the game with a hamstring injury in the 16th minute.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
RISING STAR: Stefan Frei
[MLS] It’s rare that a goalkeeper breaks right into an MLS team out of college, but Stefan Frei, picked 13th overall out of Cal in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, has been outstanding for Toronto FC. Frei has won the starting goalkeeper job and helped his team to a 3-1-2 record. Frei began playing soccer in Switzerland and played high school and college ball in California before finding his way to Toronto. Soccer America’s Bryan Alvarez profiles the 23-year-old keeper in the MLS Rising Stars series.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Manchester United closes in on EPL crown
[ENGLAND] Manchester United rallied to beat Wigan Athletic, 2-1, to move to within one point of clinching a third straight Premier League title. The hero was Argentine Carlos Tevez, who expressed a desire to leave the club at the end of the season but scored a brilliant goal to start the comeback. United can clinch the title with a win or tie at home against Arsenal on Saturday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Barca puts title quest on overdrive
[SPAIN] One down, two to go. Barcelona won its first title of the season when it captured the Copa del Rey — Spain’s cup competition — for a record 25th time with a 4-1 win over Athletic Bilbao thanks to three goals by Lionel Messi, Bojan Krkic and Xavi in nine minutes in the second half.
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Seattle plays the ref-bashing game
Referee Tim Weyland was kept busy by the Sounders and the Galaxy on Sunday — to the tune of eight yellow cards and one red. He also called 27 fouls — which is high, but not outrageously so.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Red-hot Chivas USA hosts D.C. United on Saturday. Rounding out this week in American soccer is a full slate of MLS action and Sunday WPS clash between Boston and Washington. In international play, catch the Mexican League playoffs and action from various leagues from around the world.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
UEFA Concerned With Ukraine for 2012 Euros
Uefa has chosen four Polish cities and Ukraine's capital Kiev to host Euro 2012 games but has postponed a final decision on other Ukrainian venues, the organization's president, Michel Platini, said today. "There are still many problems to be resolved in Ukraine," he admitted. "There are huge infrastructure problems." The four Polish cities confirmed as […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Unibond Team to Let Fans Set Own Ticket Prices
A Unibond League club, FC United, has come up with a novel way of ensuring it does not lose fans during the current recession. As part of a campaign called "Your season ticket, your choice," the club will let fans name their own season-ticket price. Launched in 2005 as a protest at Malcolm Glazer's takeover […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Palmeiras Advances After Shootout
Palmeiras goalkeeper Marcos saved three penalties in a shootout to help send his team into the Libertadores Cup quarterfinals at the expense of fellow Brazilian team Sport Recife. Palmeiras, South American champion in 1999, conceded a late goal to Sport that pushed the match into a shootout, which Palmeiras won 3-1. Palmeiras will face Uruguay's […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Gerrard Voted Player of Year
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has been voted Player of the Year by England's Football Writer's Association after the midfielder's efforts helped put the Reds in contention for their first Premier League title since 1990. The 28-year-old has scored 15 league goals to make his team a genuine rival to defending champion Manchester United. "Steven's performances […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Bayern Munich Hires van Gaal to Replace Klinsmann
Three weeks after firing Juergen Klinsmann, Bayern Munich has hired Louis van Gaal, of Dutch League champions AZ, as a replacement. According to Dutch TV network NOS, AZ has reached an agreement with Bayern about a transfer fee and van Gaal will be in charge at the German giants starting this summer. Further details about […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Gaven Thriving in New Role for Crew
When central midfielder Adam Moffat went down with a hamstring injury two matches ago, Columbus Crew coach Robert Warzycha didn’t have to look far for a replacement. Eddie Gaven, who typically plays on the right wing, impressed Warzycha last season when he played in the middle in a U.S. Open Cup match. Warzycha has played […]
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 inSoccer America Daily, Story
German keeper in trouble for curse cheer [VIDEO]
[OFF THE POST] The German soccer federation has asked Werder Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese to provide a written account of what occurred after his team’s 2-0 win over archrival Hamburg SV, although the various videos taken by fans of his profane cheerleading have been posted online and paint a pretty clear picture.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Japan cancels tour because of flu virus concerns
[U.S. WOMEN] A pair of friendly games — the first at home in 2009 — the U.S. women’s national team scheduled against Japan were canceled on Tuesday because of Japanese concerns with the H1N1 virus. Instead of games May 20 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, and May 23 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, the USA will face Canada at BMO Field in Toronto on May 25 when Japan was scheduled to conclude its North American tour.