“It makes things a lot more complicated, tougher. Before this game we were right in the middle of everything, in a very good position but with this loss … it definitely makes the last two games must-win. We need some luck.” Colorado Rapids’ Ugo Ihemelu, who scored an own goal in his side’s 3-2 defeat […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
McBride’s Target Role
“He [Chicago Fire coach Denis Hamlett] told me to stop trying to beat the whole team and just be a target player. It was made very clear to me, and, thankfully, he pulled me aside and said it. Today [Sunday] was much better.” Brian McBride after scoring twice in the Fire’s 2-2 home draw with […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Schmid Ripping Leads To Supporters’ Shield
“I ripped into them. All season long, we’ve been a team that didn’t take shortcuts. In the first half, we did take shortcuts. That was maybe our wake-up call.” Columbus Crew coach Sigi Schmid allowed for no complacency as his team trailed 1-0 in Chicago at the break. The final 2-2 result gave the Crew […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Latest Carver Palaver
“I’m really annoyed. The lads are devastated in there because they deserved to win the game. We should have been sitting here with three points in the bag. That decision at the end … takes three points away from you and kills you.” Toronto FC coach John Carver begs to disagree that FC Dallas should […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Gerrard And Lampard Still Not Working For England
Richard Williams describes England’s 5-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Kazakhstan in London at the weekend as “surely the least creditable 5-1 victory in England’s history.” And the problem once again was the inability of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard to gel in the midfield. Deprived of the injured Joe Cole, England manager Fabio Capello […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Italy Bans Its Own Fans From Road Games
The Italian soccer federation (FIGC) has banned its own fans from road games indefinitely following trouble at the weekend during the country’s 0-0 tie in Bulgaria. A section of the Italian support threw bottles at the Bulgarian fans, made fascist salutes and chanted fascist slogans, while three arrests were made by police after a Bulgarian […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Another Dramatic Cuban Defection
The Cuban national team’s visit to Washington D.C. for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier yielded two player defections, one of them described in dramatic detail by forward Reinier Alcantara, 26, to Steven Goff. Alcantara had received permission Thursday evening to hang out in the lobby of the Doubletree Hotel in Crystal City, Arlington, where the Cuban […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ralston Likely Out For Season
New England Revolution forward Steve Ralston will miss 6-8 weeks after breaking his right fibula (calf bone) in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at the Kansas City Wizards, reports Monique Walker. The earliest possible return would be the MLS Cup final November 23, assuming the Revs progress that far. The injury was caused by a late tackle […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Racist Fan Banned From Robertson Stadium
Officials at Robertson Stadium, home of the Houston Dynamo, have banned “indefinitely” a fan who aimed a racist slur at D.C. United goalkeeper Louis Crayton after the United’s 0-0 tie in Texas Sunday. “I am saying hi to the fans,” Crayton told Steven Goff, “and he walked up to me and told me, ‘Hey, you’re […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Refs in playoff race spotlight
For two straight weeks in games officiated by two different referees, two hotly disputed penalty-kick decisions at Pizza Hut Park have gone in favor of FC Dallas.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
POLLS: Soccer America Women’s Top 25
The only change in the top five was at No. 5. North Carolina moved up one spot to No. 5, replacing USC, which dropped one place after tying Washington State, 0-0. Florida State returned to the top 10 at No. 10, while Texas fell from No. 9 to No. 11. For the complete Soccer America Women’s Top 25 …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: Notre Dame survives scare
Unbeaten and untied Notre Dame survived its closest scare of the season when the No. 1 Irish edged Villanova, 3-2, on sophomore midfielder Rose Augustin‘s goal in the first overtime period.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
CROWD COUNT: Santa Barbara fans turn out again
The Big West clash between UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis in Santa Barbara drew the largest crowd of the weekend. The 4,007 fans watched visiting Davis defeat the Gauchos, 2-0. For the top 10 men’s crowds of 2008 …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
POLLS: Soccer America Men’s Top 25
Previously unbeaten UIC lost at Butler, 1-0, and dropped from No. 4 to No. 7. Saint Louis also lost for the first time when the Billikens fell, 1-0, at Fordham and dropped seven spots to No. 13. The only unbeaten teams left are No. 1 Wake Forest (12-0-0), No. 4 Northwestern (10-0-2) and No. 17 Loyola (Md.) (10-0-1). This week’s big climber was UC Davis, which moved from No. 17 to No. 7. For the complete Soccer America Men’s Top 25 …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: Top 25 teams fall
While top-ranked Wake Forest put on another offensive display with a 4-1 win at N.C. State, six Top 25 teams lost over the weekend. The Cal-UCLA was decided in overtime when the Bruins’ Michael Stephens converted a penalty kick. The biggest surprise was LaSalle, which won for only the second time this season when it rallied from two goals down to defeat Charlotte, 3-2
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Two more advance to playoffs
[MLS] Chicago, which tied Columbus, 2-2, thanks to a pair of goals by Brian McBride, and Chivas USA, a 1-0 winner at San Jose on Justin Braun‘s goal, clinched playoff spots this weekend. Columbus, New England and Houston had already qualified, which leaves three spots open. The Los Angeles Galaxy kept its hopes alive with 3-2 win over Colorado. For all the weekend results, standings, leading goalscorers and schedules. …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Revamped U.S. squad to face T&T
[WORLD CUP 2010] In its next qualifier the U.S. will present a very different squad than the one that routed Cuba, 6-1, on Saturday in Washington, D.C. Coach Bob Bradley released nine players and added four more to flesh out his 18-man roster for a match Wednesday in Port of Spain against Trinidad & Tobago, which scraped out a 0-0 tie in Guatemala City Saturday. The result kept the teams tied in second place with 1-1-2 records and five points.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Top marks for DaMarcus and Sacha
[USA-CUBA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players’ performance in their 6-1 win over Cuba on Saturday. …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA moves closer to South Africa 2010
In the case of a U.S. military operation a few years ago, a proclamation of “Mission Accomplished” turned out to be drastically premature; for the U.S. national team, its mission of qualifying for the Hexagonal is done with two games to spare. The Americans dismantled a game Cuba team, 6-1, at RFK Stadium Saturday with a pair of DaMarcus Beasley goals and single scores apiece from four players. Atop Group A with a 4-0-0 record, the USA. is assured of a place in the six-team Hexagonal final round from which the Concacaf 2010 World Cup participants will emerge.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I felt very sad [watching the game on TV]. … I felt I let the team down, but it is a decision I had to make for my future. I want to be free. It was my decision to make, to leave my family and my country, not knowing when I could go back. But I needed to be free for myself, for my life, to choose my future.”
— Reinier Alcantara, one of two Cuban national team players, along with Pedro Faife, who defected before Cuba’s 6-1 loss to the USA on Saturday in Washington, D.C. (Washington Post)
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Survival Soccer Translated
Survival soccer. An English term, of course. They invented it to describe the abysmal stuff played at the end of each season by the bottom clubs in all the divisions — the clubs that are trying, desperately, not to get relegated.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Whitecaps capture second title in three years
[USL-1] West African imports have played an increasingly important role in the USL First Division, no one more so than Charles Gbeke. The 30-year-old Ivory Coast native has hopped around six USL-1 teams — with two stints apiece at three clubs — ending up a second time at Vancouver. All he did was lead the Whitecaps to their second USL-1 title, scoring both goals in the club’s 2-1 victory over the Puerto Rico Islanders in the final.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Angola, Senegal out as African qualifiers head for final phase
Burkina Faso and Malawi are among the surprise African countries through to the final phase of the continent’s World Cup qualifying. Those eliminated include recent World Cup participants Senegal and Angola.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Brazil and Argentina return to winning ways
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Paraguay continues to lead the way in South American World Cup qualification after a road victory in Colombia. Brazil and Argentina also won to keep a firm hold on second and third spots.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Germany edges Russia in thriller
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] There were few surprises in Europe’s weekend World Cup qualifying action, with expected victories for England, Spain and the Netherlands.