[MEXICO] Three Mexican First Division games were played in empty games because of the swine flu epidemic has gripped Mexico City. Mexican soccer federation officials banned fans from the three games — Pachuca-Cruz Azul, played in Pachuca on Saturday, and UNAM-Guadalajara at the Olympic Stadium and Club America-UAG at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Sunday — on the recommendation of health officials to avoid large concentrations of people in which the virus could spread.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
International Weekend Results
Standard Liege and Anderlecht remain tied in Belgium. Marseille has opened up a five-point lead in France. Sivas leads Besiktas by one point in Turkey. For all the results in Europe’s major leagues and Mexico …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Results
The defending champion Columbus Crew and Los Angeles remained the only MLS teams without a win when they tied the Chicago Fire, 2-2, and Colorado Rapids, 1-1, respectively. For all the game summaries, standings, leading scorers and next weekend’s schedule …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
First-place RailHawks off to their best start
[USL] The Carolina RailHawks wrapped up a perfect three-game homestand with a 1-0 win over Minnesota on Sunday and are off to their best start in the team’s three-year history. With nine points, Carolina remains in first place.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Monkey is off Wambach’s back
[WPS] After failing to connect on her first 16 shots in her first three Women’s Professional Soccer games for the winless Washington, the pressure was mounting on American star Abby Wambach. But she finally came through for the Freedom, opening the scoring against FC Gold Pride on Sunday with a header off a Cat Whitehill cross and breaking a 3-3 tie in stoppage time when she again scored on a header off a Whitehill free kick. The goal sealed the 4-3 win for the Freedom and capped the most exciting game in WPS’s young history.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA remains perfect in Tijuana [VIDEO]
[UNDER-17 CONCACAF CHAMPIONSHIP] The USA completed group play at the Under-17 Concacaf Championship with another offensive display, scoring three first-half goals en route to a 3-0 victory over Honduras Saturday in Tijuana. It gave the Americans three wins and 12 goals in three outings.
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Protecting players: Refs Need Only Enforce the Rules
“I don’t get no protection!” might well be the theme song for soccer’s star players. It is a theme that is very much in the air at the moment. Alex Ferguson has complained that English referees are not doing enough to protect Cristiano Ronaldo, and that the Portuguese star is being systematically fouled. “It has become a tactic,” says Ferguson, “someone fouls him, then someone else.”
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
U.S. under-20 women’s national team roster
U.S. under-20 women’s national team coach Jillian Ellis will bring 24 players to a training camp beginning Saturday at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Region II all-stars take fifth in Italy
The Region II ’94 ODP all-stars won the fifth-place game at the 32-team Trofeo Franco Gallini in Pordenone, Italy, by beating Iran on penalty kicks. For more on the U.S. results at Trofeo Franco Gallini and the Region II roster …
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Lower Merion claims US Youth National League title
Lower Merion Velez won the US Youth Soccer National League under-17 boys championship when it beat Eastern Pennsylvania rival YMS Xplosion, 2-0, in a makeup game.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Red Bulls finally fall in Development Academy play
Blau Weiss Gottschee knocked off the New York Red Bulls, 4-1, in U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-15/16 action, ending the Red Bulls’ undefeated streak at 16 games (13-0-3). They were the last unbeaten team in either of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy age groups.
Posted inYouth Soccer Reporter, Youth What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“We have taken a strong stance. It’s important. This isn’t the World Cup. . . . And for the parents to be shrieking on the sidelines and belittling people goes against everything we’re trying to do. . . . It’s not acceptable behavior.”
— Kathie Diapoulis, president of the Washington Area Girls Soccer League, on the league’s move to ban the parents of the Bethesda Legacy under-14 travel team from coming within 100 yards of their games for two games after a parent had berated a referee last season. (Washington Post)
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Refs red-carding as required
If the caliber of officiating in MLS hasn’t kept pace with a quicker yet physical style of play, at least referees have toughened up their evaluations of fouls or offenses committed by players already cautioned, and applying stricter standards when deciding whether to hand out a straight red.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Adriano Leaves Inter
“Inter announces that the contract with Adriano has been terminated by mutual consent, with effect from April 1, 2009,” a club statement said. Adriano, who has long been troubled by alcohol and personal problems, decided not to return to Italy at the start of the month following Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers. He said he had […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Milutinovic Believes Iraq Can Win Confederations Cup
Days after being named the head coach of the Iraqi national team, former U.S. coach Bora Milutinovic declared his ambitious goals with his new team. Although he has only six weeks to prepare his team for June’s Confederations Cup in South Africa, Milutinovic believes his team can win. “We are the champions of Asia,” said […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
D.C. United Acquire Former Revs Defender
To bolster their backline, D.C. United has acquired the rights to Avery John from the New England Revolution for a conditional draft pick in 2010 or 2011. The 34-year-old Avery played with the Revs for four seasons before leaving last year to join Miami FC of USL-1. The Trinidad & Tobago international appeared in both […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Fabregas and Brown Face FA Charges
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fábregas and Hull City manager Phil Brown have been charged with improper conduct by the English FA over their actions at the end of Arsenal's FA Cup fifth-round win over Hull on 17 March. Fabregas, who did not play in the game, faces two charges of improper conduct. One concerns his behavior […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Another Option for Beckham
"I have not thought about David Beckham, but it would be disrespectful of me to say I would not be interested in him, were he to become available," Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp recently told the Evening Standard. Redknapp compared the potential recruitment of Beckham to signing Teddy Sheringham at Portsmouth, suggesting that the AC Milan/LA […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Coaches and their Superstitions
A game that often depends on fortune, soccer involves lots of whacky superstitions. FIFA.com uncovers a selection of some of the most bizarre superstitions of coaches – past and present. Legendary Leeds United coach Don Revie would wear the same suit until the Yorkshire outfit lost, always took the same route to the dugout at […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Catch USL-1 action on Friday as Miami FC Blues host the Montreal Impact. Weekend MLS action includes one the league’s big rivalries: New York-D.C. United, on Sunday, while defending champ Columbus seeks its first win on Saturday. On Sunday, WPS continues as FC Gold Pride hosts the Washington Freedom
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“We asked for $10 million, we got our $10 million. We don’t know where it’s coming from, either. He can’t get paid from Milan. Milan could pay us. He could pay them. … I don’t know if he’s going to leave after this season whether we would want him back.”
— MLS commissioner Don Garber on the league receiving compensation for David Beckham‘s loan spell with AC Milan having been extended until the end of the Serie A season. (BBC)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Crew will finally win?
[MLS PREDICTIONS] Defending champ Columbus aims for its first win of the season when it hosts undefeated Chicago. New England defends an undefeated record in Salt Lake. Los Angeles, the only other winless team besides the Crew, hopes to break the futility run in Colorado. For all of Soccer America’s predictions, as well as TV viewing information, and to see how we fared last week …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Second U.S. goalfest in Tijuana [VIDEO]
[UNDER-17 CONCACAF CHAMPIONSHIP] Jack McInerney continued where he left off in the opener, scoring two more goals — the first on the penalty kick in the 2nd minute and the second on a bomb from 30 yards on the half-hour mark — to lead the USA to a 4-2 victory over Canada Thursday at the Under-17 Concacaf Championship that clinched a berth in the 2009 Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria. It keeps alive the U.S. record of being the only country to played in every U-17 World Cup since its launch in 1985. The USA faces Honduras, a 6-0 winner over Cuba, Saturday and then moves next week into the Concacaf tournament’s knockout phase.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Edgar Castillo called in by Aguirre for El Tri
[MEXICO] U.S. product Edgar Castillo was named to the first training camp roster called in by new Mexico coach Javier Aguirre.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Red Bulls have red-card problem
[MLS] Ahead by a goal and up a man for nearly the entire match, host Kansas City squandered several chances to put the game away yet maintained the status quo and beat New York, 1-0, Thursday at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in front of 10,385 fans. The Red Bulls’ Carlos Johnson‘s red card in the second minute was the fastest in MLS history and the second in two games for the Costa Rican MLS newcomer.