[OFF THE POST] Next time you want to get the attention of your favorite soccer player, try a little serenade. Breaking into song allowed 12-year-old Nishok to meet Manchester United midfielder Anderson. The 20-year-old Brazilian was in Singapore’s National Stadium with his Olympic teammates as the squad went through the paces during a public training session.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
A case of mistaken Zlatans
[OFF THE POST] For a few glorious hours, fans of Greek side PAOK thought they would be watching Zlatan Ibrahimovic score goals for the club when the team’s official Web site inadvertently announced that the Swedish striker would be joining the side for the upcoming season. It turns out that PAOK had confused its Zlatans. The club actually signed Zlatan Muslimovic.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Bosnich gets comeback thanks to high-fiving goalkeeper
[AUSTRALIA/VIDEO] Embattled Australian goalkeeper Mark Bosnich is making a comeback with the Central Coast Mariners in his country’s A-League. Bosnich previously kept goal for Manchester United, Aston Villa and Chelsea in the English Premier League before substance abuse problems and declaring bankruptcy. Bosnich’s opportunity with the Mariners opened up after keeper Danny Vukovic was suspended for violently high-fiving a referee.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Rising Star Profile: Dax McCarty
[MLS/OLYMPICS] Last year, midfielder Dax McCarty, 21, played for the USA at the U-20 World Cup. Now the third-year MLS player, who has made 11 appearances in 2008 for FC Dallas, is headed to the Olympic Games. Get to know McCarty in this profile by Soccer America’s Bryan Alvarez that covers McCarty’s on- and off-field experiences …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Revs set up all-MLS SuperLiga final
It seems nothing – Mexican opposition, bad blood, scuffles, player absences, naked men running amuck on airplanes – can distract New England’s players and coaches as they strive to make their first serious foray into international competition a triumphant one.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
A Heckuva a Juggler
[VIDEO] A brilliant juggler shows off his “Around the World in 1 Minute.”
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“U.S. Soccer has a well-established hearing process to consider these types of situations. We’re satisfied the hearing panel did their job and that the punishment is consistent with past, similar incidents.”
— D.C. United President Kevin Payne on the U.S. Soccer Federation banning Chicago Fire star Cuauhtemoc Blanco from U.S. Open Cup play for two years for his involvement in a scuffle with D.C. United in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal July 8. After being red-carded, Blanco refused to leave the field in a timely manner and allegedly headbutted a United operations official. (Washington Post)
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
The Worrying Case of Joey Barton
I’m not sure that the controversy surrounding the Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton could have happened anywhere else in the world. Only in England would Barton be rated a good enough player to be earning an incredible $140,000 a week, only in England would the coaches and clubs have put up with his incredibly violent anti-social behavior.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Fulham undergoing Hodgson revolution
[TRANSFER TALK] Manager Roy Hodgson had a huge task ahead of him when was hired by Fulham in late December. The club, which had four Americans on its roster at the time, was languishing in the cellar of the Premier League standings and needed a serious turnaround to help avoid relegation.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Rangers faces early exit
[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Action heated up in the second round of UEFA Champions League qualifying, where Rangers, runner-up in last season’s UEFA Cup, was held to a scoreless draw by FBK Kaunas at home in Wednesday’s first leg. For all the second-round results …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. U-20s split at Milk Cup
[YOUTH] The U.S. under-20 national team got two goals from FC Dallas rookie Brek Shea and a goal apiece from the University of Michigan’s Peri Marosevic and UNLV’s Danny Cruz in a 4-0 win over Wales Wednesday to earn a split in its first two games at Northern Ireland’s Milk Cup, one of the world’s most prestigious summer youth tournaments.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Guzan saves U.S. men at ING Cup
[OLYMPIC COUNTDOWN] In the first of two tuneup games before the Olympics, which begin next Japan next Thursday, the USA tied Ivory Coast, 0-0, in the opening match of the ING Cup in steamy Hong Kong on Wednesday.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Nike drops Joey Barton
Newcastle midfielder was able to mantain his $141,000 per week salary when Coach Kevin Keegan welcomed him back to the club after his prison stint for violent assault, but Nike has terminated Barton’s sponsorship deal. Leo Sandino-Taylor, a Nike spokesman, said: “While Joey Barton is a talented [soccer player], we cannot condone or accept what […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
FIFA Rules Clubs Must Release U-23s for Olympics
FIFA has responded to European clubs that claim they don’t need to release under-23 players for the Olympic Games because the competition isn’t on the international match calendar. Said Slim Aloulou, judge of the players’ status committee, the international calendar “is not of relevance in establishing whether clubs are obliged to release players [for the] […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Respect Campaign Designed to Keep Refs in Game
The English FA says the problem is not in recruiting referees but in retaining them and has launched the “Respect Campaign” in response to the growing numbers of referees who are quitting the game after receiving abuse. At the grassroots level, reports Paul Maughan, it concentrates on decreasing the abuse given to referees by overzealous […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
D.C. United aims to end poor home run
For the first time in club history, D.C. United has lost four straight games at its RFK Stadium. It had won the first five games of a 10-game homestand that included U.S. Open Cup and Champions Cup games. The losses include three SuperLiga games and an MLS defeat to Houston. “You treat your home as […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dynamo’s Ashe redeems himself
A year ago, Corey Ashe was red-carded in Houston’s SuperLiga semifinal against Pachuca, which took advantage and won on penalty kicks. On Tuesday night, when the teams squared off again in the SuperLiga semis, Ashe entered the game at the 62nd minute and sealed the Dynamo’s 2-0 win with a headed goal. In the final, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
USA to miss out on another young star?
In the wake of New Jersey boy Giuseppe Rossi choosing to play for Italy and New Mexico product Edgar Castillo opting to wear Mexico's colors, the U.S. national team program is now in danger of losing the services of former U.S. U-17 defender Neven Subotic. The 19-year-old was rated the German Second Division's top central […]
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Backline: Making keepers feel unbeatable
Olympics mark Coach Mulqueen’s fourth world championship with U.S. goalies
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Youth Beat: Selling shirts or star searching?
Foreign clubs are getting involved in American youth soccer, which makes one question what they’re after and whether we want what they’re offering.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
MLS Midseason: Changes muddle Race
It’s never easy predicting the second half of an MLS season based on what transpired in the first three months, but playing Nostradamus this year is especially vexing.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Women’s Olympics: Pia embraces change
Swede Pia Sundhage, installed as U.S women’s national team coach following the debacle at the 2007 Women’s World Cup, has stressed the need for change.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Men’s Olympic Guide:
USA, Opponents, Stars, Men’s Soccer Olympic Gold Medalists and Schedule.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
RISING STAR: Chris Hegngi
D.C. United was one of the first MLS clubs to invest in youth development. Its academy program is loaded with future pro prospects. One of the top academy players is rising senior Chris Hegngi..
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Score Showcase at Greensboro Boys Champions
The 10th annual Score Showcase at Greensboro concluded with the boys finals. The Scores tournaments have entered into a 10-year commitment to hold their summer competitions in Greensboro.