[ENGLAND] Luck was not with Arsenal when the Gunners lost to defending champion Manchester United, 2-1, on Saturday. To make matters worse, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was sent off for kicking an empty water bottle late in the game — a decision by referee Mike Dean on the advice of fourth official Lee Probert that was called an error and will result in an apology.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Four teams clinch berths in playoffs
[USL-1] Carolina, Charleston and Puerto Rico joined leader Portland in clinching berths in the USL First Division. Rochester, Montreal and defending champion Vancouver are in line to clinch the remaining three playoff spots.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
International Results
Bayern Munich finally got its first win of the German season when it beat defending Bundesliga champion Wolfsburg, 3-0, Celtic and Rangers remain perfect in Scotland, while Braga is the surprise leader in Portugal. For all the weekend results and current standings …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Results
The MLS playoff race is shaping up to be the tightest ever as wins by D.C. United, Colorado and New England tighten things considerably. Only three point separate the seven teams currently battling for the seven playoff berths. For all the weekend game summaries, current standings and leading scorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Castillo hits golazo; Davies earns keep in France [VIDEO]
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Edgar Castillo, the Mexican-American left back who is eying a call-up by the U.S. national team, scored for Tigres with a 25-yard volley. In the English Premier League, Eddie Johnson made his first league appearance of the season and a pair of keepers celebrated wins. For how U.S. players fared last weekend in foreign leagues.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
All-Stars rally to beat Swedish power
[WPS] Women’s Professional Soccer earned bragging rights as the best women’s league in the world Sunday when its All-Stars rallied from two goals down after 15 minutes to beat an albeit depleted Swedish powerhouse Umea, 4-2, in an exciting All-Star Game in Fenton, Mo. WPS MVP Marta, a former Umea star, scored a goal and had two assists and Canadian Christine Sinclair scored twice to lead the the WPS All-Stars.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“Michael Bradley is a young player, who for his age brings a lot, and for me has always been a starter. But in the last weeks he has played unfortunately and has made mistakes. It’s not so much about the mistakes as it is how he reacted to his mistakes. A young player must realize his mistakes to move ahead.”
— Borussia Moenchengladbach coach Michael Frontzeck explains why he benched 22-year-old American midfielder Michael Bradley last weekend, when Gladbach beat Mainz, 2-0. (TorFabrik.de)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Subs spark Richmond to second championship
[USL-2] Second-half subs David Bulow and John DiRaimondo scored late goals to give the Richmond Kickers a 3-1 victory over the Charlotte Eagles in the USL Second Division final. The championship was the second for the Kickers, who were loaded with former MLS players.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Marta named Player of the Year
[WPS] As expected, Brazilian star Marta won the Michelle Akers Player of the Year Award as the top player in the 2009 Women’s Professional Soccer season. Winners of WPS year-end Award awards were announced during WPS’s Awards Gala on the eve of Sunday’s 2009 WPS All-Star Game in Fenton, Mo.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Thomas Rongen picks team for Egypt ’09
[UNDER-20 WORLD CUP] A record five players from MLS’s FC Dallas — goalkeeper Josh Lambo, defenders Kyle Davies and Anthony Wallace and forwards Peri Marosevic and Brek Shea — are among the 21 players named to the U.S. under-20 national team that will compete in the world championships in Egypt.
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Diving witch hunt detracts from real problems
Arsenal’s Eduardo got on to the field in the 79th minute of Saturday’s game against Manchester United. His entry was greeted by shouts of “Cheat!” from the Man U fans, and Eduardo was duly booed each time he played the ball.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Backline: Sasho Cirovski
Like many of the players he now coaches at the University of Maryland, Sasho Cirovski faced the choice of when to go pro.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
U.S. Soccer Development Academy Champions
The second season of U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy program concluded in mid-July with a repeat champion of sorts and a club whose partnership with an English team has benefited both parties.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Youth Beat: The Internet Impact
The game will always be played on the field, but everything that leads up to it has become easier thanks to high technology.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
Women’s Professional Soccer: All-Star Team
Women’s Professional Soccer’s First XI – its first-choice team for the 2009 All-Star Game against Sweden’s Umea – confirmed the impact foreign players had on the first-year league. Foreigners claimed seven of the 11 spots in balloting by fans, media, coaches and players:
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
MLS: The Dynamo’s Stuart Holden
Houston Dynamo midfielder Stuart Holden has parlayed a solid performance at the Gold Cup and a greater role with the MLS team into contention for a spot on the U.S. World Cup roster.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
U.S. Soccer: Jonathan Spector
Injuries have ruled Jonathan Spector out of important competitions the past few years, but his return to fitness primed him for the Premier League season with West Ham as well as more regular duty on the U.S. national team.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
USYS National Championship Series
A small club from South Carolina, Discoveries SC, stole the show at the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships, winning the U-18 title with a scintillating performance.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
2009 Women’s College Soccer Preview
The defending champion Tar Heels, aiming for North Carolina’s 20th national championship in 28 years, could be one of the great Anson Dorrance teams of all time. Stanford, with a strong returning frontline and a pair of incoming U-17 internationals, could have the best shot of dethroning UNC.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
2009 Men’s College Soccer Preview
Major college programs such as defending champion Maryland and 2007 winner Wake Forest are sending players to the pros in record numbers. But they remain national contenders because of their ability to quickly recruit replacements. In a new development, many of the top recruits have spent time in pro academy programs here or abroad.
Posted inSoccer America Magazine, Story
USA-Mexico: Azteca Heartbreak
A 2-1 loss to Mexico as Hexagonal qualifying play resumed after a two-month break extended a run of U.S. futility in Mexico to 24 games and again exposed the Americans’ deficiencies.
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Bonus restrictions need overhaul
It’s not one of the major points of negotiation while MLS and the players’ union discuss a new collective bargaining agreement, but something has to be done about the financial strictures placed on international competitions.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Shevchenko to Leave Chelsea
Andriy Shevchenko's disappointing three-year stint with Chelsea is almost over. Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed Friday that the striker will leave before the transfer window closes next week. "Shevchenko will decide to return to go to play in another team," Ancelotti said. "I spoke with Shevchenko and he would like to play with continuity. Here […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
UEFA Pushing Fair Financial Measures Along
The Professional Football Strategy Council (PFSC) unanimously recommended that UEFA’s Executive Committee approve the Financial Fair Play concept at UEFA’s upcoming meeting in Nyon in September. The PFSC is composed of representatives from the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), the players (FIFPro Europe), the clubs (ECA) and the UEFA vice-presidents. As UEFA says on its […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Aiming For New Transfer Approach
Organizers of the inaugural Globe Soccer conference hope it will serve as an opportunity for more fair and transparent transfers during the midseason transfer window. Recalling Major League Baseball’s “winter meetings,” the conference aims to facilitate trade deals under the same roof. The conference is set for Jan. 4 in Dubai. Globe Soccer founder Enrico […]