“Two mistakes, two goals. We gave them those goals. We’ve said that the whole season, we’ve given goals away. But I think we can take a positive out of here. One point against a good team that’s on top of the Eastern Conference is nothing to be sad about.” Real Salt Lake defender Nat Borchers […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Strong Defense The U.S. Backbone
Goalkeeper Tim Howard’s anger when he thought Trinidad & Tobago had scored in last month’s World Cup qualifier in Chicago illustrates how badly the U.S. defense takes conceding a goal, writes Frank Dell’Apa. Even with the side leading 3-0, Howard punched the ground and then started shouting at his teammates until he realized the goal […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Goalkeeper Jailed For Seven Years
The former goalkeeper of English Championship side Plymouth Argyle, Luke McCormick, was jailed for seven years Monday for killing two young brothers while driving drunk. The 25-year-old was returning from a teammate’s wedding in the early hours of the morning last June with more than twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood when […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Checketts: Stadium Will Make RSL Profitable
There will be plenty of pressure on players and coaches when Real Salt Lake plays its first game Thursday at the team’s new soccer specific stadium in the suburb of Sandy, writes Michael Lewis. But this will be nothing compared with the pressure on what team owner-operator Dave Checketts calls the “heroes” who used their […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
New York Lacking Drive
New York is another Eastern Conference team failing to produce at a crucial point in the season. For the second week running, writes Frank Giase, it “played host to a desperate team fighting for its playoff life, and for the second game in a row they failed to match their opponent’s intensity and drive for […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dismal D.C. Utterly Lost
The generous playoff format of Major League Soccer can keep the worst of teams hanging in there until the season's very end, but surely not even the most optimistic D.C. United fans can think their team still has a chance this season after Saturday's dismal 3-0 home defeat by Chivas USA. Step forward United coach […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Stumbles at home jumble playoff race
A while ago, Kansas City coach Curt Onalfo confidently stated his team could and would pick up the points needed to reach the playoffs because of a run of home matches at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
CROWD COUNT: Illinois draws large audience
Illinois drew a crowd of 2,036 fans, the second largest crowd in history at the Illinois Soccer and Track Stadium, for its 1-0 win over Michigan on Sunday. Other crowds of note included 3,376 for Texas A&M-Oklahoma State, which gives the Aggies four of the top eight women’s crowds of the season, and 2,316, Notre Dame’s largest crowd of the season, for the top-ranked Irish’s 3-0 win over South Florida on Friday. For the top 10 women’s crowds of 2008 …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
POLLS: Soccer America Women’s Top 25
There was no change among the top six teams in the Soccer America Women’s Top 25 with unbeaten and untied Notre Dame still No. 1. Virginia climbed four places to No. 7 thanks to 6-0 and 7-1 wins in ACC play. For this week’s complete Soccer America Women’s Top 25 …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: Santa Clara sinks
Santa Clara, one of the great names in women’s soccer, suffered two more losses — 5-0 to Stanford and 2-0 to Arizona — in its final two non-conference games of the season and fell to 3-7-2. ALSO: The weekend hat trick stars.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
CROWD COUNT: UConn sells out for Big East clash
Connecticut drew a sellout crowd of 4,407 for its Big East match with West Virginia. Fans donated more than 1,000 new and used soccer balls on a night when the visiting Mountaineers upset the Huskies, 1-0. UConn partnered with the Kick for Nick organization, which was started in memory of Connecticut native Nick Madaras and collected soccer balls to send to children in Iraq. For the top 10 men’s crowds of 2008 …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
POLLS: Soccer America Men’s Top 25
Besides No. 1 Wake Forest, Akron was the only other team in last week’s Top 10 to go unscathed. The Zips climbed five spots to No. 3. Creighton also jumped five places to No. 2. For this week’s complete Soccer America Men’s Top 25 …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
MORNING BRIEFING: Wake juggernaut rolls on
Top-ranked Wake Forest extended its winning streak to 15 games with an 8-2 victory over visiting Virginia Tech before 3,246 fans on Friday. ALSO: Michael Brooks put on one of the season’s great individual performances in Clemson’s 5-3 win over Maryland. Virginia’s streak continued with another ACC win.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Results
For all the weekend results, standings, leading goalscorers and schedules. …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Dynamo books playoff spot
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] Two-time defending champ Houston became the second team after the Columbus Crew to clinch a playoff by downing Colorado. For the weekend’s MLS high- and low-lights. …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA eliminated
[FUTSAL WORLD CUP] The USA fell, 5-3, to Thailand for its third straight loss at the championship in Brazil and has been eliminated from second-round contention.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Taylor hits hat trick in Germany
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Matt Taylor, a former UCLA star who scored six goals in four MLS seasons (2004-2007), scored a hat trick for German Second Division TuS Koblenz in a 5-0 win over Kaiserslautern on Sunday. In England, Clint Dempsey got his first EPL start of the season on a weekend in which few Americans saw action but Carlos Bocanegra helped Rennes to an impressive win in France.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bradley calls in ‘Mosquito’ Torres
[WORLD CUP 2010] U.S. coach Bob Bradley has included 20-year-old Texan Jose Francisco Torres, who has also been courted by the Mexican national team, into his 23-man roster for the Oct. 11 qualifier against Cuba in Washington, D.C. Other young players called in by Bradley who weren’t part of the last squad are Freddy Adu, Danny Szetela and Jozy Altidore
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“In the Olympic Games, it was a hard decision. I was born in the U.S., and I have lived in Mexico for five years now. My career, I made it in Mexico, but I talked it over with my family, and they told me whatever decision I make, they have my back.”
— Jose Francisco Torres, a 20-year-old Texas native whose father is a Mexican immigrant, on accepting a call-up from the U.S. national team after declining an invitation from the U.S. U-23 team while being courted by Mexico, where he plays for Pachuca. (Dallas Morning News)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USL-1 Results
Puerto Rico and Vancouver advanced to the USL First Division championship game with comeback wins in their semifinal series. The Islanders beat Rochester, the last U.S. entrant alive in the USL-1 playoffs, 3-2 on aggregate, winning thanks to Cristian Arrieta’s overtime goal in the second leg. Vancouver erased Montreal’s 1-0 advantage with two first-half goals in the second leg and held on for a 2-1 win. Vancouver will host the final at Swangard Stadium on Thanksgiving Sunday, Oct. 12.
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Death of Pioneer in Sports Law
Edward Grayson, a lawyer who died in London last week, was a problem person for the sport of soccer. He specialized in sports law — indeed, was the pioneer in the field. His book “Sport and the Law” has marched on through four editions, and is the definitive work on the subject.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Big results for small teams (VIDEO)
[ITALY] Juventus and Roma continued the trend in Serie A this season of big teams losing to lesser names, with Palermo and Siena the beneficiaries. Lazio and AC Milan were also unable to beat lower-placed teams.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bayern invites Bochum to take a point
[GERMANY] Another high-scoring weekend in the Bundesliga, as Bayern Munich failed to win for its third successive game, and Hamburg became the latest leader in a league no team wants to dominate.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Reds share lead with Blues
[ENGLAND] Liverpool is threatening to do something it hasn’t done in two decades — look like a title-winner. The Reds came from 2-0 down at Manchester City to take all three points and stay level with Chelsea at the top.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Barcelona looking better and better
[SPAIN] Barcelona looked majestic again, dismantling Atletico Madrid, 6-1, at the Camp Nou. There were big wins too for Sevilla and Malaga, while Real Madrid was held at home by Espanyol.