Soccer America Archives

In his home debut for Racing Ferrol of the Spanish second division, Ante Razov scored his second goal in as many games. Razov tied the game against Getafe in the 90th minute with a strike from outside the area that Diario de Ferrol termed “a stroke of genius.” Racing went on to win, 2-1, on […]

Youth champions by the numbers 2 The Colorado Nike Rush won the under-18 and under-19 girls championships at the Snickers/U.S. Youth Soccer national final, becoming only the second girls club to capture two national titles in the same year. The Tacoma FC Flyers won U-17 and U-18 girls titles in 1996. 4 The Southern California […]

In the Jan. 6 playoff between Guatemala and Costa Rica, who were tied for second place in the CONCACAF semifinal round group that the USA won, Costa Rica prevailed, 5-2, in Miami. Costa Rica thus joins the USA, which lost to and tied Costa Rica in the semifinal round, Mexico, Jamaica, Honduras and Trinidad & […]

France won the European Championship in July, becoming the first team to claim the European title two years after taking the World Cup. It now sets its sights on the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, where it will attempt to become the first European team in 64 years to repeat as World […]

The United States has played Mexico more than any other foe and, in 43 encounters, has beaten its neighbor only seven times. Two of those wins came in 2000, including a 3-0 victory in June that broke a five-year winless streak and gave Bruce Arena’s team the U.S. Cup. USA ruled the rivalry in 2000 […]

If there wasnÆt enough soccer already, the 1999-2000 season marked the debut of the FIFA Club World Championship and a expanded Champions League. HereÆs our European Top 10, taking into account play throughout the calendar year. Real Madrid tops European soccer Power within European soccer is increasingly concentrated among a few countries. With the exception […]

Germany’s Kicker magazine reports that MetroStars defender Mike Petke has joined Kaiserslautern of the German First Division. The magazine said Petke arrives on a free transfer and that club indicated he had until the summer to prove himself. A club spokesman was quoted as saying, “We want to see how the young man develops.” Petke […]

The transfer of MetroStars defender Mike Petke to German First Division club Kaiserslautern has fallen through, the club announced at a Jan. 2 press conference. According to the German press agency SID, the club would not concede to Petke’s demands, which were not specified.

U.S. coach Bruce Arena has finalized a roster of 25 players for a 14-day training camp in San Diego, which begins on Friday (Jan. 5) and runs through Jan. 18. Among the 25 — former U.S. captain John Harkes. The camp marks the team’s first steps of 2001 toward the team’s 10-game World Cup qualifying […]

Ben Olsen is the pride of Pennsylvania. He left to play for the University of Virginia and then D.C. United but returned in April to help the United States qualify for the 2000 Olympics. After an MLS season marred by injuries, Olsen has rediscovered his form at English club Nottingham Forest. Olsen provides local inspiration […]

When the MLS season kicked off in March, most rookies were hoping just for some playing time. But Chicago’s Carlos Bocanegra and Kansas City’s Nick Garcia made an immediate impact and didn’t let up. In fact, they were key in helping set up their teams’ MLS Cup meeting. The cream of the rookie class The […]

During the holidays follow headline news and a special Soccer America series that recaps the highlights of Soccer 2000 right here at www.socceramerica.com. The staff of Soccer America wishes all of our readers and online visitors a very happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year. Soccer America Magazine is taking its traditional holiday publishing […]

CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONS Canada was one of five continental champions to be crowned in 2000. Every confederation except South America, which crowned Brazil in 1999, held championships in 2000. Here are the other champions: CAMEROON. The Indomitable Lions were the first champions to be crowned, winning the African Nations Cup. They beat host Nigeria on penalty […]

The story of Corinthians is symbolic of the state of Brazilian soccer. It also sums up the topsy-turvy year that was 2000. Brazil continues to produce more good players than any other country in the world, but it’s plagued by disorganization. The Sao Paulo club was crowned champion of the inaugural FIFA Club World Championship […]

MLS has announced, that at the request of the WUSA and Spartan Stadium, the home for the past five years of the San Jose Earthquakes, it has agreed to waive the exclusivity provision contained in its lease with Spartan. This waiver allows the WUSA to play at the stadium. In return for doing so, MLS […]

Socceramerica.com is pleased to present the debut of Kelly SmithÆs monthly column. Smith, an England international who set the NCAA Division I record for goals and points per game at Seton Hall University, is a member of the WUSAÆs Philadelphia Charge. She checks in shortly after playing in front of record crowd for an England […]

In the past 20 years ù the modern era of college soccer ù only two conferences have sent more than one representative to the NCAA semifinals in the same year. One is the Atlantic Coast Conference, which has thrice seen two of its teams among the final four. The only other league to accomplish that […]

Mexico, the first U.S. opponent in the final round of World Cup 2002 qualifying, fell to Argentina, 2-0, in its final match of the year before 55,000 fans at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Santiago Solari, who spent one year at NCAA Division III school Richard Stockton, had the first goal for Argentina in the 14th […]

Men’s College NCAA Division I New England, Ed Kelly, Boston College New York, Scott Dean, SUNY-Stony Brook South Atlantic, George Gelnovatch, Virginia Mid-Atlantic, Dean Koski, Lehigh South, Elmar Bolowich, North Carolina Great Lakes, John Bluem, Ohio State Midwest, Schellas Hyndman, SMU Far West, Gary St. Clair, San Jose State NCAA Division II New England, John […]

High School Boys Division I New Eng., Francis Bositis, Franklin HS (Mass.) East, John Butterworth, Penfield HS (N.Y.) South, Ron Benson, Chapel Hill HS (N.C.) Central, Tobey Cook, Strongsville HS (Ohio) Midwest, Bryan Yenor, Brookfield East HS (Wis.) Southwest, Darryl Metcalfe, James E. Taylor HS (Texas) Rocky Mtn, Art Drotar, Horizon HS (Colo.) Far West, […]

Tanya Riedhammer Gainesville, Fla. I am looking for the definition of a bicycle kick. Can you help me? Mike Woitalla: Tanya, IÆm going to refer to the glossary of Paul GardnerÆs book, ôThe Simplest Game.ö The bicycle kick entry reads: ôA volley in which the player kicks the ball over his own head. This is […]

Former U.S. national team regular is the first American player taken in the leagueÆs Global Draft Thori Bryan has resurrected what had been a promising career in the early 1990s. Back then, as Thori Staples, she was on the fast track to womenÆs soccer stardom. After an all-American college career at North Carolina State, where […]

Women’s College Cup offensive MVP Meredith Florance won another honor — the 2000-2001 Honda Sports Award. The senior forward, who led North Carolina to its latest NCAA championship, is the second straight Tar Heel to win the award. Lorrie Fair won the 1999 version after leading UNC to that year’s championship. Florance’s win automatically qualifies […]

D.C. United D.C. United will mix in many December holiday activities with its preparations for Champions Cup … The team collected new unwrapped toys and clothing at its headquarters to benefit the Salvation Army’s collection services … For every donation, United gave fans a 2001 autographed played card set … The players assisted in distributing […]

The Tampa Bay Mutiny will host Scottish Premier League leader Celtic in an international friendly match on Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Tampa’s Pepin-Rood Stadium. Tickets for the contest are $20 for adults and $15 for children (19 and under). The game will mark Alfonso Mondelo’s debut as Mutiny coach. The […]