Soccer America Archives

Hamid Estili’s goal in the 41st minute has given Iran a 1-0 lead over the United States at halftime of their Group F qualifying match. Fullback Javad Zarincheh made a run up the right side and lofted a cross to Estili in the box, and his lofted header from behind the penalty spot beat Kasey […]

Here are the starting lineups for the Group F match between the USA and Iran in Lyon. USA — Keller, Dooley, Pope, Regis, Jones, Moore, Ramos, Reyna, Hejduk, Wegerle, McBride. Iran — Abedzadeh, Khakpour, Pashazadeh, Zarincheh, Mahdavikia, Bagheri, Estili, Mohammadkhani, Minavand, Daei, Azizi.

MLS: All-Star Balloting Leaders The following are the current leaders in balloting for the U.S. and World All-Star teams for the MLS All-Star Game Aug. 2 in Orlando, Fla. All-Star voting continues through June 28. U.S. Forwards 1. Eric Wynalda (San Jose) 8,533 2. Brian McBride (Columbus) 8,313 3. Preki (Kansas City) 8026 4. Roy […]

June 20 in Bordeaux Belgium 2 Mexico 2. Goals: Wilmots 43, 48; Garcia Aspe (pen.) 56, Blanco 63. Belgium — De Wilde, Deflandre, Staelens, Vidovic, Borkelmans, Van Der Elst (De Boeck, 67), Scifo, Wilmots, Boffin (Verheyen, 18), Oliveira, Nilis (E.Mpenza, 77). Mexico — Campos, Suarez, Davino, Pardo, Ramirez, Garcia Aspe (Lara, 68), Ordiales (Villa, 58), […]

Alex Bernstein McCall, Idaho Do you think Steve Sampson will continue to use the six-man midfield following the disarray against Germany? It appeared there was no intent when we had possession, and thus a bad game for Claudio Reyna. Pete Bailey: Recent word out of the U.S. camp is that Sampson will employ at least […]

June 20 in Nantes Croatia 1 Japan 0. Goal: Suker 77. Croatia — Ladic, Soldo, Bilic, Stimac (Mamic, 46), Simic, Jurcic, Jarni, Prosinecki (Maric, 67), Asanovic, Stanic (Tudor, 88), Suker. Japan — Kawaguchi, Narahashi (Morishima, 79), Akita, Ihara, Nakanishi, Soma, Yamaguchi, Nakata, Nanami (Lopes, 84), Jo, Nakayama (Okano, 62). Yellow cards: Croatia — Prosinecki 26, […]

RESULTS June 20 Group E Belgium 2 Mexico 2 Netherlands 5 South Korea 0 Group H Croatia 1 Japan 0 STANDINGS Group A Team GP W T L GF GA P *Brazil 2 2 0 0 5 1 6 Norway 2 0 2 0 3 3 2 Scotland 2 0 1 1 2 3 1 […]

Steve Sampson On the importance of Sunday’s match against Iran: “I think this is the most important match since the 1990 World Cup.” On the impact of politics on the Iran game: “It doesn’t make it any more important for the players on our side. Our entire emphasis is to show that we are a […]

U.S. not interested in politics At first, one might have agreed with U.S. World Cup team players, who insisted that the political significance of its game against Iran was being blown out of proportion. But in the last week, President Clinton and Secretary of State Madeline Albright said they are seeking more normalized relations between […]

Results June 20 Columbus 2 MetroStars 1 Kansas City vs. D.C. United (postponed — thunderstorms) Standings EASTERN GP W L P GF GA D.C. United 17 13 4 29 41 28 Columbus 15 8 7 24 29 22 MetroStars 15 8 7 22 26 26 Miami 15 5 10 11 13 32 New England 13 […]

This will not be the first time that the U.S. has played Iran in soccer. The two countries squared off in the semifinals of the Third FIFA Indoor World Championship, held in Hong Kong in 1992. National team defender Jeff Agoos played in the game. “I remember the game quite well,” he said. “They were […]

RESULTS June 18 Group D Nigeria 1 Bulgaria 0 Spain 0 Paraguay 0 STANDINGS Group A Team GP W T L GF GA P *Brazil 2 2 0 0 5 1 6 Norway 2 0 2 0 3 3 2 Scotland 2 0 1 1 2 3 1 Morocco 2 0 1 1 2 5 […]

Steve Sampson On Secretary of State Albright’s timely statements on US-Iran relations: “It is interesting that the Secretary of State this week has talked about US-Iran relations. Secretary of State Albright must realize the exposure and interest generated from Sunday’s match. It is a great opportunity to bring the two countries together.” On the pressure […]

FIFA red-card mandates leave U.S. “perplexed” The first 20 World Cup games in France saw four players receive red cards. After Thursday night’s games alone, where five red cards were issued in two games, the U.S. team is now uncertain on how to view FIFA’s red card mandate. “We’re perplexed, absolutely perplexed,” head coach Steve […]

The Tampa Bay Mutiny have called up Jamaican international forward Paul Young from their A-League affiliate, the Charleston Battery The Kingston native will be reunited with Tim Hankinson, who recently took the reins in Tampa and coached Young previously at Syracuse University and with the Battery. Young has made numerous international appearances for Jamaica, but […]

“The Nightmare in the Parc,” which we chronicle in the June 29 issue of Soccer America, makes laughable the notion that the United States will be in a position to win the World Cup in the year 2010, let alone win it. ItÆs easy to make the role of, in this case, the Tuesday-morning quarterback, […]

June 19 in St. Etienne Spain 0 Paraguay 0. Spain — Zubizarreta, Alkorta, Abelardo (Celades, 56), Sergi, Aguilera, Hierro, Amor, Luis Enrique, Pizzi (Morientes, 53), Raul (Kiko, 66), Etxeberria. Paraguay — Chilavert, Arce, Gamarra, Ayala, Sarabia, Caniza, Acuna (Yegros, 74), Benitez, Enciso, A.Rojas (Ramirez, 84), Campos (Paredes, 46). Yellow cards: Spain — Sergi 9, Kiko […]

Results June 18 Los Angeles 2 Colorado 1 June 17 Chicago 1 Dallas 0 Standings EASTERN GP W L P GF GA D.C. United 17 13 4 29 41 28 MetroStars 14 8 6 22 25 24 Columbus 14 7 7 21 27 21 Miami 15 5 10 11 13 32 New England 13 4 […]

Here is the schedule for the 1998 U.S. Open Cup: FIRST ROUND Eight matches to be played between June 9 and June 21 Date Matchup/Result June 9 Austin (D3 Pro) 2 San Nicholas (USASA Region IV) 1 June 10 Delaware (D3 Pro) 2 Detroit (Premier) 1 (OT) June 11 Chicago (D3 Pro) 8 Wisla (USASA […]

Midfielder Tab Ramos is expected to start against Iran on June 21, as is Frankie Hejduk, who sparked the Americans’ off the bench in the second half of the Germany match. Should Ramos start, it is speculated that he would join Claudio Reyna and Eric Wynalda as the team’s three forward players, with Ernie Stewart […]

Steve Sampson On the Iran match: “I think that it is important that people know the players and coaches are trying to make this a sporting event and not a political event.” On the 3-6-1 formation: “Regardless of what system we play in, the attitudes [of the players] have to be different. We have to […]

RESULTS June 18 Group C Denmark 1 South Africa 1 France 4 Saudi Arabia 0 STANDINGS Group A Team GP W T L GF GA P *Brazil 2 2 0 0 5 1 6 Norway 2 0 2 0 3 3 2 Scotland 2 0 1 1 2 3 1 Morocco 2 0 1 1 […]

The A-League has rescinded the franchise operating rights of Atlanta Ruckus owner Vincent Lu, and will replace the Ruckus for the remainder of the current season with another Atlanta-based team. Citing numerous violations of A-League rules and minimum standards, commissioner Francisco Marcos said the league could no longer continue to work with Lu, whose team […]

June 16 in Orlando, Fla. Orlando Nighthawks (D3 Pro) 2 Jackson Chargers (PDSL) 1. Goals: Levy 73, Geltz (Malone) 86; Shortt (Buskey) 20. Orlando — O’Sullivan, Gill, Riegler, Lewis, Levy, Mackey, Freeman, Chan, Geltz, Bresk (Malone, 53), Phillips (Enders, 66). Jackson — Austin, Buskey, Moyer (Person, 84), J.Mulrooney, R.Mulrooney, Oyuga, Duncan, Eason, Bennett, Shortt (Palmer, […]

June 17 in Charleston, S.C. Charleston (A-League) 1 Tampa Bay (MLS) 0. Goal: Young (Siikala) 60. Charleston — Oshoniyi (Mills, 59), Banks (Norcott, 40), Hurst, Rosario (Brownell, 74), Miller, Young (Posnanski, 62), Ferruzzi (Carithers, 62), Sawatzky, Conway (Anhaeuser, 59), Gailey, Gunn (Siikala, 59). Tampa Bay — Ravelli, Duhaney (Moore, 46), Eriksson, Yallop, Prampin, Houser (George, […]