European Champions League dominates the midweek. Houston and D.C. United face Mexican opponents in the CONCACAF Champions League. FC Dallas hosts San Jose in MLS’s Thursday night game. The MLS playoff race continues to heat up with a full slate of matches this weekend. The Mexican league’s weekend matches and Gol TV’s weekend schedule will appear in Friday’s Soccer on TV e-letter.
(All times Eastern unless noted. TV programming is always subject to change. Check your local listings.)
At the MLS All-Star Game in Toronto two months ago, the fate of Jeff Cunningham sparked much banter on the sidelines and in the press box.
Top-ranked Notre Dame is the only remaining unbeaten and untied team in the NCAA Division I women’s ranks after its 6-0 win over Cincinnati. LSU fell at Mississippi, 1-0, while Oklahoma State tied Colorado, 1-1, in Boulder in other Sunday action.
Last year, Wake Forest opened the season with s school record seven straight wins en route to its first national title. This year, the Demon Deacons are 8-0-0 after beating Maryland, 4-2, Friday night. ALSO: Louisville ends Notre Dame streak, Tulsa crushes SMU, UCSB recovers, and Sacred Heart pulls upset.
Preseason No. 1 Wake Forest remains in the top spot in the Soccer America Men’s Top 25 followed by St. John’s and Saint Louis. For this week’s complete Soccer America Men’s Top 25 …
There was just one change in the top seven spots in the Soccer America Women’s Top 25 rankings — Stanford and UCLA changed places at No. 2 and No. 3. Texas A&M moved up two spots to No. 8, while Duke and West Virginia cracked the top 10. For this week’s complete Soccer America Women’s Top 25 …
Texas drew a record crowd of 5,585 at Mike A. Myers Stadium Friday night for the Longhorns’ 0-0 tie with archrival Texas A&M in the Big 12 opener for both teams. For the top 10 women’s crowds of 2008 …
Despite abysmal weather, which combined rain, wind and threats of lightning, a crowd of 6,500 turned out for the ACC play between No. 1 Wake Forest and No. 3 Maryland and set a new attendance record at the Terrapins’ Ludwig Field. Elsewhere, Saint Louis drew a Homecoming audience of 5,785 fans — the second-largest crowd in Robert R. Hermann Stadium history — for its 2-0 win over Missouri State. For the top 10 men’s crowds of 2008 …
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Bundesliga veteran Steve Cherundolo returned to his right back spot with Hannover 96 and helped it beat Bayern Munich, 1-0. But other U.S. national team players sat out their team’s weekend action. …
“If you had been flies on the wall in the dressing room at halftime, it would have been interesting, the paint was stripping off. It’s probably the most violent, animated I’d ever been because I was so disappointed.”
— Toronto coach John Carver, whose suspension after being ejected last weekend didn’t prevent him from giving his players a halftime talk that inspired them to a 1-1 tie at home against Houston. (Canadian Press)
Columbus and Houston stayed on top of the East and West, respectively. For all the weekend results, standings, leading goal scorers and schedules. …
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS/VIDEO] The Columbus Crew confirmed its superiority. … A hat trick featured in Colorado’s barnburner in New York. … Kenny Cooper reaffirmed his Big D value. … An own goal you don’t see everyday, a bicycle kick, and a long-range free kick that bounced into the net. …
Form prevailed as higher seeds Montreal, Vancouver and Rochester all won their USL First Division quarterfinal series by one goal. In the semifinals, regular-season champion Puerto Rico faces Rochester, while Montreal meets Vancouver in an all-Canadian series. For all the playoff results and goal scorers …
[ITALY] Sunday’s Milanese derby was a classic, in the sense that it was a typically disappointing spectacle. Milan came out on top in a querulous clash thanks to a sweet Ronaldinho header.
[SPAIN] Barcelona continued its revival with a third successive win, but after Leo Messi‘s controversial last-kick penalty winner in the 2-1 victory at 10-man Espanyol, the team was more concerned with condemning the behavior of its own fans.
[GERMANY] Not even Bayern Munich losing its second successive game can keep Hoffenheim out of the headlines. After a making a comeback from three goals down, the newly promoted team lost out to free-scoring Werder Bremen by the odd goal in nine.
[ENGLAND] Bolton Wanderers and Hull City tried different approaches to playing on the road at much stronger teams Saturday. The lesson was clear, as Hull took plaudits and points from its thrilling 2-1 win at Arsenal.
There is a campaign going on in the English Premier League this season inviting its players to show respect toward referees. Inviting — not commanding — it would be difficult to enforce anything as vague as showing respect.
Rojas heads Red Bull makeover
‘Hucks’ brings zip and zeal
Every year, the critics of Division I men’s college soccer circle and swoop, citing the short schedule, limited budgets and liberal substitution rules as impossible impediments to attaining a professional career.
Soccer has a long history of games between nations that are political foes. The USA has been involved in its share, most recently when it traveled to Havana.
Former New York Cosmos defender coaches USA in first U-17 Girls World Cup.
