Soccer America Archives

It’s no coincidence that the Columbus Crew lost only once in the 15 games that Argentine left back Gino Padula, 32, has started since arriving at the club this year, writes Shawn Mitchell. His “steady, smart soccer … has helped the Crew defense become one of the best in Major League Soccer.” Left back had […]

The Chicago Fire’s Jon Busch describes his newly won title as MLS Goalkeeper of the Year as “a little bit of a shock.” But, as Nick Firchau writes, it fittingly marks the comeback of the 32-year-old veteran “with two rebuilt knees and a mind that still fires on all cylinders.” “It’s exciting to win this […]

Reported almost as widely as Barack Obama’s victory, Jozy Altidore, 18, scored his first goal for Villarreal at the weekend in La Liga. But he told the AP that the club is “probably considering” a loan move for him during the January transfer window. “I don’t know,” he said, “I definitely think it’s a possibility. […]

England manager Fabio Capello must have exceedingly good sales skills if he managed to persuade Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti that taking L.A. Galaxy midfielder David Beckham on loan would be good for his team, writes Martin Samuel. Samuel imagines the conversation as Capello, wanting to keep Beckham fit for possible international duty, persuaded Ancelotti into […]

“The Republicans are at a loss. They keep punching the ‘real America’, ‘small town’, ‘psst, he’s black’ buttons but nothing happens. Because real America has moved on. They sip lattes on Main Street. They like to think they’re color-blind. And godamn it they’ve been chowing down on arugula in the Midwest for decades (only they […]

“South African Tourism on Monday withdrew from the advisory board of FIFA accommodation and ticketing partner, MATCH, accusing the company of bullying small hotel owners.” Now the South African government is trying to defuse the row.

“I’ve always tried to keep Levski [Sofia] away from such things but it’s obvious there’s match manipulation and illegal betting in Bulgaria.” Levski Sofia owner Todor Batkov claims that corruption is widespread in Bulgarian soccer.

“Playoffs should match deserving teams against one another with the better team prevailing. Should Real Salt Lake play completely defensive soccer against Chivas on Saturday and tie an ugly game, that doesn’t necessarily constitute being the better side. A more opportunistic side, possibly; a timid one, perhaps; but better would be debatable.” Luis Bueno offers […]

“They [New England] were in the referee’s ear from the get-go. We need a strong referee who’s not going to be influenced by them. There was quite a bit of the referee questioning himself.” The Chicago Fire’s Brian McBride starts the psychological games a couple days ahead of the Eastern Conference semifinal second leg.

U.S. midfielder Bobby Convey is still in the plans of English Championship (second tier) side Reading FC, according to a club spokesman, despite two injury-affected years and a failure to make an impact when the club played two seasons in the Premier League. “Bobby is now fit, available again and pushing for a recall to […]

All New York has to do to progress to the Western Conference final is to win at the Houston Dynamo on Sunday. And, writes an optimistic Frank Giase, “it’s not as impossible as it may seem.” True, Houston’s home form was the best in the regular season at 10-1-4, while New York had the least […]

In traditional American sports “the postseason customarily means entire cities or states whipped into white towel frenzy … and capacity playoff crowds,” writes Nick Green. But in MLS “the playoffs generate little discernible interest, let alone excitement, beyond hardcore fans, low-scoring games between roughly comparable teams and attendances that are actually lower than for largely […]

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s principles are to be admired, writes Kevin McCarra. The Frenchman strives to field a young team that plays good soccer. The problem is that it could cost the team a place in the top four, and that would mean financial calamity for a club still paying for its stadium. Wenger, says […]

David Beckham has a get-out clause in his five-year contract with Major League Soccer that would allow him to leave the L.A. Galaxy at the end of the 2009 season, writes Grant Wahl. Quoting “multiple sources,” he says that the revelation is “big news.” “That Beckham holds that option is an important distinction, one that […]