Will Northern Ireland’s luck hold out and take it to the World Cup finals in South Africa? And what about Hungary, which shares the Group 1 lead with Denmark, and also hasn’t qualified for the finals since 1986? On the other hand, the biggest disappointment in European qualifying has been Portugal, which can’t buy a goal.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
World Cup Qualifying: USA
The first of four qualifying double-dates produced the standard four points as the USA beat Trinidad & Tobago, 3-0, in Nashville after tying, 2-2, in San Salvador, but also left some niggling questions yet to be resolved.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
MLS: Home From Abroad
Clint Mathis, Bobby Convey and Eddie Lewis all have played in the World Cup and lived the ups and downs of European soccer. For different reasons, they have returned home to settle down. They are discovering new roles on their MLS teams.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Women’s Professional Soccer: Brandi Chastain
She’s 40, she’s whipped off her jersey and flashed a sports bra to celebrate winning a Women’s World Cup, she’s won world and domestic championships, and after more than two decades of competitive play she’s learning another new position.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Women’s Professional Soccer: Marta
USA men’s coach Bob Bradley once compared defending against Brazil to being fleeced by the shell game; no matter where you think the ball is, or it’s going to be, it pops up somewhere else.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
MLS Picks Foreign Foe for All-Star Game
The top players in Major League Soccer will face English Premier League team Everton in the July 29 MLS All-Star game at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City. Everton, whose goalkeeper is American Tim Howard, recently advanced to the FA Cup final against Chelsea on May 30 and is in sixth place in the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Berlusconi Wants Young-Blooded Coach
AC Milan will go in search of an emerging coach rather than an established name if Carlo Ancelotti leaves at the end of the season, club owner Silvio Berlusconi, who is also Italy's Prime Minister, said on Wednesday. Berlusconi, who still thinks Ancelotti may stay, has fond memories of the success of inexperienced coaches at […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Lucescu New Romania Coach after Dad Declines
Romania appointed Razvan Lucescu as national team coach on Wednesday, replacing Victor Piturca, whose contract was mutually terminated after poor results in 2010 World Cup qualifiers. Lucescu, 40, a former goalkeeper, coached Rapid Bucharest for three years, winning two Romanian Cups and reaching the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup. Local media said Lucescu’s father, Mircea, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
FIFA Sets New Anti-Doping Policy
FIFA set out its plans Tuesday for drug-testing top-level soccer players in 2009 in a program agreed to with the World Anti-Doping Agency. FIFA declared the program a "soccer-specific" one, more "efficient" than previous efforts. Tests will target players classed in three high-risk categories: those sidelined for long periods through injury or suspension, players with […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dangerous Debt Levels for Spanish Clubs
A study by a professor at the University of Barcelona published last week showed the combined debt of the 20 clubs in Spain’s top league rose by more than 650 million euros to at least 3.5 billion ($4.6 billion) in the year through June 2008. The author of the study, Jose Maria Gay, has warned […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
All Mexican Games to Be Played Without Fans
This weekend, all nine Mexican first division games will be played behind closed doors, a move aimed at stemming the spread of swine flu. “This decision was made … in full awareness of the health emergency confronting Mexico,” the Mexican soccer federation announced. Mexico’s 18 first-division clubs will take a significant financial hit. Matches draw […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Fire’s Blanco and MLS Referee Under Investigation
Referee Jair Marrufo and Fire star Cuauhtemoc Blanco are currently under investigation by the U.S. Soccer Federation and the league for their conduct during the 2-2 tie between Columbus and Chicago on Saturday. Multiple witnesses reported seeing Blanco broach the entrance to the referees’ locker room following the game with a Fire jersey in his […]
Posted inSoccer America Classifieds, Story
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Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Catch the USL Game of the Week on Friday as the Cleveland City Stars meet the Rochester Rhinos. The weekend includes a full slate of MLS action and a WPS match between Washington and St. Louis. Look for Mexican league and other updates in Friday’s Soccer on TV.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“We are aware of the issue and are working closely with U.S. Soccer and their review of the matter.”
— MLS executive vice president Todd Durbin on a U.S. Soccer-MLS investigation into Chicago Fire star Cuauhtemoc Blanco allegedly giving his jersey to referee Jair Marrufo after last weekend’s game against Columbus in which Marrufo red-carded Gino Padula for a foul on Blanco. The Columbus Dispatch reported that Blanco “tossed the jersey into the room occupied by Jair Marrufo and his assistant referees,” that Blanco was seen chatting with Marrufo before the game, and that Blanco yelled at the referee outside the locker rooms at halftime. (Columbus Dispatch)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Two from Le Toux Sounders oust Salt Lake
[U.S. OPEN CUP] Seattle Sounders FC has yet to enter its third month of official competition, yet already it has twice beaten its nearest league rival. Sebastian Le Toux, the leading U.S. Open Cup scorer the past two seasons as a USL-1 Sounder, scored two goals and assisted on two others in a 4-1 drilling of Real Salt Lake, which Seattle had beaten, 2-0, in MLS play a month ago. LeToux, normally a midfielder this season, moved up front as Seattle dismantled a RSL team featuring many regulars at the Starfire Sports Complex, the team’s training site.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
FC Dallas lands another U.S. U-20
[MLS] Real Salt Lake has parlayed its five percent chance of landing U-20 midfielder Kyle Davies in a weighted lottery into a future draft pick. Davies, captain of the U.S. U-20 team that will compete for the world championship in Egypt later this year, is now a member of FC Dallas, which traded one of its three second-round picks in the 2010 SuperDraft.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Orozco’s San Luis advances in Libertadores Cup
[AMERICANS ABROAD] U.S. national team defender Michael Orozco started for Mexican club San Luis, which earned an unlikely place in the in the knockout round of the Copa Libertadores thanks to the results on the last day of group play.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Attack-minded Arsenal takes on Man. United
[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Arsenal will be less than full strength up front, but Manager Arsene Wenger says the Gunners will be out to attack Manchester United when they meet at Old Trafford on Wednesday in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal series (TV: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, 2:30 pm ET).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Subdued Barcelona held scoreless
[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Barcelona promised much but delivered little against a packed Chelsea defense in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal series at the Camp Nou on Tuesday. Despite a huge edge in possession, Barca had to settle for a 0-0 tie. To make matters worse, Mexican star Rafael Marquez injured his knee and was lost for the season.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Week 3: The English Eddie Johnson claims honors
[USL] Englishman Eddie Johnson of the expansion Austin Aztex and Harrisburg’s Chad Severs are the USL First Division and Second Division Players of the Week. For the teams of the week …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Soehn Delighted with D.C. Comeback
"You know, it was a gutsy performance. We still have a lot of young guys and I think we learned a little bit in the second half. These are turning points when you win games like this. These are things that make you stronger as a team." D.C. United coach Tom Soehn relishes his team's […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
EPL Promotion in Sight for Reading
Reading kept alive its hopes of an immediate return to the Premier League when two headers from Shane Long gave them a 2-0 win at Norwich City in the English Championship on Monday. With Wolverhampton Wanderers promoted as champion, Reading can leapfrog Birmingham City and Sheffield United into the second automatic promotion spot if it […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Juve Punished for Fan Slurs
The Italian soccer federation has upheld a ruling ordering Juventus to play its next Serie A home match, on May 3, in an empty stadium. The punishment comes for racist insults hurled by fans at Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli earlier this month.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Vidic Says Defense Is Key Against Arsenal
Manchester United central defender Nemanja Vidic has pointed to his club’s most obvious weakness ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Arsenal in the Champions League semifinal. “In the first half [against Tottenham] we didn’t defend very well,” Vidic said. “In the second half we came back much stronger, and that is how we need to play […]