England will host the U.S. national team for only the second time in history when the teams meet in a May 28 friendly at Wembley Stadium.
U.S. Olympic hopefuls need scoring touch
The U.S. U-23s have scored just three goals – two from the penalty spot – in their first three games of Olympic qualifying, but they won their group and face Canada on Thursday for a ticket to China next summer. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney explains how the USA, which failed to qualify four years ago, can succeed.
What They’re Saying
“I haven’t seen so many grown men hugging and kissing since I watched Brokeback Mountain with the missus.”
— British radio commmentator Tom Ross on Portsmouth players during their 2-0 win over Aston Villa. (BBC).
Olympic Qualifying TV Schedule
Concacaf’s two berths in the Olympic men’s soccer tournament will be decided on Thursday in Nashville. Both semifinals will be televised live on Fox Soccer Channel, ESPN Deportes and ESPN360.com. For the complete TV schedule …
Spain’s the Title Nobody Wants to Win
The Guardian’s Sid Lowe asks, who wants to win “the worst La Liga in history?” Certainly not Real Madrid or Barcelona. The league leader lost again on Saturday, suffering a 1-0 defeat away to Deportivo La Coruna, where Real hasn’t won in 17 years. It would have been one thing to overturn that kind of […]
Ruud Out for Season; Ronny Injury a Mystery
Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle today, in a bid to stop persistent inflammation in his ankle joint, the club announced on its Web site. Reports in Spain claim the Dutch striker could miss the rest of the Spanish league season, although he’s expected to be available […]
Barca to Play Red Bulls in Preseason Tour
Soccer By Ives reveals that the New York Red Bulls-Barcelona friendly hinted at several weeks ago “is definitely happening.” The Bulls will face Barca on Aug. 7 at Giant’s Stadium, moving the NY club’s league match against D.C. United on Aug. 9 to Aug. 10 to accommodate the friendly. New York’s match against the New […]
Toronto’s Endures ‘Competitive Disadvantage’
Toronto FC supporters and officials complained last season about an MLS rule that counted U.S. players as internationals, putting the Canadian club at a disadvantage compared to other teams that could sign as many Americans as they could afford. TFC may have had the ability to sign Canadian-born players, but the Toronto Sun points out […]
Gazidis: Foreign Talent, Player Development Key to MLS Expansion
During a press conference earlier this week, MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis touched on a multitude of topics facing MLS as the league expands, including international competition, stadiums, schedules, designated players and the expected influx of foreigners in MLS. Overall, Gazidis said the league was in “very healthy condition” with new investors, partnerships and franchises, […]
What They’re Saying
“I am convinced that the serenity of the team comes with isolation.”
— France national team coach Raymond Domenech, who says his team will have the best chance of winning the European Championship if it is cut off from the outside world before and durintg the tournament. (AFP)
Unlikely heroes lead D.C. United past Harbour View
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP] On a team with Latin American stars, two unlikely players provided the spark as D.C. rolled to a 5-0 win over Jamaica’s Harbour View in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday night and moved into next month’s semifinals.
Sundhage calls in 26 players for pre-qualifying camp
[U.S. WOMEN] Coach Pia Sundhage has called in 26 players to training camp, beginning on Friday, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., to begin final preparations for the 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament being held April 2-12 in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
U.S. Soccer Development Academy Results
Five teams remain unbeaten in the Under-15/16 Age Group of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy: Crossfire (7-0-0), U.S. youth national team (7-0-1), Miami FC Kendall (8-0-2), Michigan Wolves (4-0-1) and D.C. United (2-0-2). For all the weekend results and goal scorers …
Soccer Job Openings
[EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES] Soccer America provides the latest on employment opportunities for soccer-related positions, They include college coaching opportunities, as well as opportunities in pro soccer, youth soccer, the soccer industry and television.
Chivas Refocuses Marketing Priorities
The David Beckham show may put butts in seats, but Chivas USA has become the more successful franchise on the field. Over the past two seasons, while the L.A. Galaxy was missing out on the playoffs and pointing fingers, Chivas quietly improved from a third- to first-place finish in the Western Conference last season. But […]
Toronto FC Close to Guevara Deal
Honduran midfielder Amado Guevara looks set to return to Major League Soccer with Toronto FC, league sources tell Ives Galarcep of ESPN Soccernet. Guevara spent the last year playing with Honduran club CD Motagua, on a loan deal from Chivas USA, his former club. In order to sign with Toronto, Guevara and MLS would have […]
Nowak Criticisms Unwarranted
Coach Peter Nowak has been widely criticized for the way the US U-23s have played so far in Olympic qualifying. A poor 1-1 draw with Cuba was followed by a decent 1-0 victory over Panama. Resting several starters, Nowak’s men were lucky to beat Honduras, 1-0, on a 95th-minute penalty. Nevertheless, the U-23s are now […]
Sanchez: I Won’t Quit
Despite calls for his resignation from the Mexican press, Hugo Sanchez said he would not resign as coach of Mexico’s senior and U-23 national teams, after arriving in Mexico City following the team’s failure to qualify for the Beijing Olympics. “I’ve said it already, I’m not resigning,” Sanchez told a news conference at the Mexico […]
Long Path to MLS for Cuba’s Defectors
The seven players who defected from Cuba’s Olympic qualifying team hope to follow in the footsteps of Chivas USA star Maykel Galindo, who defected to the U.S. in the summer of 2005, before joining the MLS club in January 2007. “He not only influenced me but influenced all of us who made the decision,” goalkeeper […]
D.C. United finally comes home
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP] Anything less than a convincing win Tuesday night in the second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals against Jamaican club Harbour View will be seen as a disappointment.
Texas team knocks off defending champion Sao Paulo
[DALLAS CUP] Andromeda, the lone American entrant in this year’s Super Group at the Dallas Cup created a sensation on Sunday when it knocked off defending champion Sao Paulo of Brazil, 5-2, on the opening day of play at the famed international soccer tournament.
Newcastle’s poor run under Keegan continues
[ENGLAND] Michael Owen’s second-half goal gave Newcastle United a 1-1 tie at Birmingham City, but it left Manager Kevin Keegan still without a win in eight Premier League matches since rejoining the Magpies.
Winter Transfer Moves
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Kyle Veris, who played for the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007, became the 13th American who played in MLS in 2007 to sign this winter with a European club. For all the winter overseas transfers involving Americans …
NFL executive Manning returns to soccer as RSL president
After four years as an executive with the NFL Philadelphia Eagles, Bill Manning is returning to soccer as the president of Real Salt Lake. Manning, an All-American at the University of Bridgeport, worked in the CISL, A-League and MLS, where he was president and general manager for the last two years of the Tampa Bay Mutiny’s existence.
Quakes not desperate to fill empty roster slots
[MLS] The 2008 Major League Soccer opener is only 16 days away, yet Quakes head coach Frank Yallop insists there’s no rush to stock his 18-man roster. Midfielder Shea Salinas, taken in the SuperDraft with the first pick of the second round, has signed to bring the senior squad to 15. With five developmental players, Yallop doesn’t have enough bodies for a 11-v-11 scrimmage unless he and assistant coach Ian Russell join in, but he’s taking his time.
