Hold the front page — David Beckham’s lawyers have landed in Italy and AC Milan has “confirmed that talks regarding a proposed loan deal for David Beckham will begin on Thursday.” There’s no mention of any L.A. Galaxy representatives.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
United’s Season Mercifully Put Out Of Its Misery
“D.C. United’s dreary season ended last night with two red cards and crippling defensive breakdowns, with sufficient effort but insufficient execution and, on a chilly evening before a sparse crowd at RFK Stadium, with yet another defeat. In other words, it was like so many of its previous 46 matches this year.” Steven Goff hails […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
McBride The Warrior
“He’s just a warrior. You almost never worried. He would get hurt, and you just knew some way he would find his way back and be better and stronger than ever.” Landon Donovan, among others, in another eulogy of Brian McBride. When he retires we get to read them all again.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Kinnear Prefers Superliga
“I think SuperLiga is a fantastic tournament. Maybe because we had a lot of home games during that stretch, and our fans and the stadium are so excellent. I like playing those top Mexican teams and I think the format is excellent. The atmosphere, and the buildup to the games, it’s great.” Dominic Kinnear is […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Al Ahly-Coton Sport Face Off In African Title Game
The first leg of the African Champions League final takes place Sunday, with Egypt’s Al Ahly hosting Coton Sport of Cameroon. Al Ahly has already taken the title a record five times, a feat matched only by compatriots El Zamalek, while Coton Sport is making its first appearance in the final. Al Ahly, which won […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Asian Champions League Reformed
The Asian Football Confederation has cut Jordan, Syria and Kuwait from its list of nations eligible to enter clubs in the remodeled Asian Champions League in 2009 because they did not submit full documentation. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates is bidding to have the AFC's headquarters, currently in Malaysia, moved to Abu Dhabi. The AFC's […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Mourinho Taking Flack For Inter’s Flat Form
While Inter Milan’s 0-0 tie at Fiorentina Wednesday was hardly a disaster, writes Richard Aikman, Inter coach Jose Mourinho faces a problem after his team’s second successive goalless draw because “over the last three years Inter supporters have got used to winning. Mourinho’s arrival was expected to hail a new all-conquering era in which a […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Boxx: It’s Not All About Marta
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Shannon Boxx likes the look and the name of the Los Angeles Sol that she’ll be playing for when Women’s Professional Soccer kicks off next spring. “It’s very exciting to finally say that we have a league,” the midfielder told Grahame L Jones. “I think we have a great team. I […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Quakes Set To Lose Lima, Sealy
San Jose revived its relaunch year in midseason when it made a number of new signings, but two of those players — Trinidad & Tobago forward Scott Sealy, 27, and veteran Brazilian midfielder Francisco Lima — look set to leave, reports Elliott Almond. Sealy, who is out of contract at the end of the year […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: Women’s Conferences
Conference tournament play began Wednesday with a play-in game in the Horizon League. Valparaiso held a 29-6 advantage in shots but fell to Youngstown State, 5-4, in shootout after they played to a 0-0 tie following 100 minutes of action. For all of this week’s conference tournament schedules …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
NAIA: Men’s & Women’s Rankings
For the second week in a row, Lindsey Wilson is No. 1 in both the NSCAA/adidas NAIA men’s and women’s rankings. Oklahoma City is No. 2 behind the men, while Lee is ranked second among the women. For all the NAIA rankings …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SCOREBOARD: Soccer America Women’s Top 25
It’s the final weekend of the regular season for teams in the Soccer America Women’s Top 25 except for those in the three conferences that don’t have postseason tournaments (Ivy, Pac-10 and WCC). For this week’s Soccer America Women’s Top 25 results and schedules …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
CONFERENCE WATCH: Tight Ivy race
Two weeks ago, defending champion Penn and Princeton appeared to be the favorites to compete for the Ivy League women’s championship, but Harvard’s young team has shaken up the race. With two games left to play, the Crimson have a two-point lead over Princeton and Columbia, while Penn and Yale are longshots. For a look at the Ivy contenders …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
HONORS: Sewanee fieldhouse named after Rote
The University of the South, better known as Sewanee, dedicated its field house at the Sewanee soccer/lacrosse complex after alumnus Kyle Rote Jr., one of the pioneering stars of American pro soccer, at last weekend’s Homecoming Weekend.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
SCOREBOARD: Soccer America Men’s Top 25
No. 1 Wake Forest and No. 8 Loyola (Md.) put their unbeaten records on the line this weekend. The Demon Deacons travel to No. 7 North Carolina on Saturday, while the Greyhounds host St. Peter’s and Manhattan in MAAC action. For this week’s Soccer America Men’s Top 25 results and schedules …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: IU’s Noschang sets NCAA record
Indiana senior Kevin Noschang set an new NCAA record when he scored just six seconds into the match with Kentucky, but the Wildcats came back to earn a 1-1 tie in Bloomington. In other action on Wednesday, No. 2 Akron’s 10-game winning streak came to an end when it was held to a 1-1 tie at Penn State.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
ANALYSIS: Early postseason projections
The NCAA released its second RPI index this week, ranking the NCAA Division I men’s programs from 1-203 through games played Oct. 26. In a surprise, Indiana, not top-ranked and undefeated Wake Forest, is No. 1. St. John’s is No. 2 ahead of the defending champion Demon Deacons. In a season during which every Division I team already has at least one win, USC Upstate is last at No. 203. The RPI rankings provide us with an opportunity to see how the tournament field might shake out if the regular season had ended last weekend.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Long night for Jozy and Freddy
[AMERICANS ABROAD] As October ends, reality set in for U.S. national team teen stars Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu: It’s not going to be easy to make it in Europe.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Dismal D.C. season ends in defeat
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Sometimes failure can be chalked up as a learning experience and if so, D.C. United has learned it needs great improvement to compete in Concacaf.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Both USL-1 teams advance
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Osei Telesford and Fabrice Noel scored first-half goals and Puerto Rico Islanders held on for a 2-2 draw with Panama’s Tauro FC on Wednesday to earn a place in the regional championship’s quarterfinals, where they’re joined by fellow USL-1 team Montreal Impact.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Fire anxious to end Revs’ postseason hex
[MLS PLAYOFF PREVIEW] Before a broken leg sidelined Steve Ralston, before post-concussion symptoms benched Taylor Twellman, yet after Chicago completed its 3-0 sweep of games against New England this season, Fire assistant coach Chris Armas warned the playoffs would be different if the teams were to meet again.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Seattle bets big again on Ljungberg
[MLS] Regardless of what they put on the field next March, those in charge of Seattle Sounders FC certainly aren’t hedging their bets, and have already gone where some MLS teams still dread to tread. They paid up $30 million to buy into MLS. They have sold more than 17,000 season tickets, acquired one of the most popular American players ever to play for the USA in Kasey Keller, and pledged a reported $5 million to unleash former Swedish international midfielder Freddie Ljungberg when their expansion season kicks off in a few months.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“It was the first game we didn’t lose — we’re all very proud.”
— Pedro Almeida, a motorcycle mechanic who coaches East Timor, known as the world’s worst soccer team thanks to its last-place FIFA ranking, after a 2-2 with Cambodia. The tie ended East Timor’s six-year losing streak since its start in international soccer six years ago, when the Southeast Asian nation gained full independence. The team is comprised of soldiers, grocers and port workers who receive no compensation for their efforts on the field. (Reuters)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Udinese wins, Inter drops back
[ITALY] Udinese, Napoli and Milan occupy the top three Serie A spots after midweek wins. Inter drew 0-0 at Fiorentina.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Unstoppable Hoffenheim, rising Bayern
[GERMANY] There were wins for Hoffenheim, Hamburg and Bayern Munich in Wednesday’s Bundesliga action, while Steve Cherundolo‘s Hannover fell to Hertha Berlin.