There’s midweek league action in Germany, Italy and Spain and League Cup action in England and France. Roma and Real Madrid look to hold on to their leads in Italy and Spain, respectively, while Bundesliga leader Bayern faces Energie Cottbus, which has made a coaching change. In France, the derby du Nord between Lens and Lille highlights League Cup play.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
D.C. United tackles Guadalajara in rematch
[COPA SUDAMERICANA] Make no mistake, regardless of what its MLS opponents may think, D.C. United regards itself as the league’s flagship franchise, and considers international competitions like the Copa Sudamericana vital to its reputation. A matchup with Mexican club Guadalajara on Wednesday (8:30 pm ET, Fox Sports en Espanol) also provides a chance for revenge, because Chivas nipped D.C., 3-2, on aggregate in the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup last spring.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
High School Girls Fall Rankings
Sycamore of Cincinnati moved up three spots to No. 1 in this week’s NSCAA/adidas Boys National Rankings. Ali Shewmon leads the Aviators with eight goals and two assists. Sycamore is ranked ahead of Acton-Boxborough (Mass.) and Downingtown West (Pa.). For the complete Top 25 …
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High School Boys Fall Rankings
Long Island’s Chaminade, which beat defending New Jersey state champion Harrison, 1-0, at last week’s Kearny (N.J.) Festival, is the new No. 1 team in this week’s NSCAA/adidas Boys National Rankings. Last week Chaminade was No. 13. DeMatha Catholic, last week’s No. 1, fell to No. 4. For the complete Top 25 …
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The case of Juventus
After Juventus earned a 1-1 tie with Roma in its first big test since returning to Serie A after its year of punishment in the second level of Italian soccer, the Italian papers immediately began to make Juve a title favorite. “Juve for the Scudetto,” blared Corriere dello Sport, while “Juve can win it all” was […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
MLS version of the Superclasico
One of the most intriguing MLS matches of the year will take place on Saturday at the Home Depot Center, and it won’t involve David Beckham or his Los Angeles Galaxy. Chivas USA hosts the Chicago, and it will be “El Emperador” (Claudio Suarez) vs. “El Cuau” (Cuauhtemoc Blanco) and Chivas (the parent club of […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Platini attacks influence of foreign money interests
Can Michel Platini, the president of UEFA, stop what he calls “the malign and ever-present influence of money” that is distorting sporting values in European soccer? Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune says Platini’s bid to stop business tycoons from taking over clubs as business transactions without any allegiance or historical ties to the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Tight leash for Beckham
David Beckham’s first MLS season appears to be over, and Los Angeles Galaxy president Alexi Lalas hopes to avoid the problems that arose in Year 1 — most notably issues surrounding Becks’ fitness. “Just because David says he is healthy, that does not mean he is healthy,” Lalas told Yahoo! Sports. “When we see he […]
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Scary moment in Provo
[MONDAY ACTION] BYU’s shutout string ended at 849 scoreless minutes, but the Cougars, ranked No. 17 in the Soccer America Women’s Top 25, recovered to beat visiting Washington, 2-1, and give BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood her 200th victory. The game featured a scary moment as BYU junior Katie Fellow was knocked unconscious after falling to the ground early in the game.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
St. John’s Masur picks up 300th career win as head coach
[MILESTONE] St. John’s 4-1 win over Pitt on Sunday gave Coach Dave Masur his 300th career victory. Masur became the third Division I men’s coach to record his 300th win at a four-year institution this season.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Soccer America Women’s Player of the Week
U.S. international Lauren Cheney became just the third player in UCLA history to score four goals in a match, leading the Bruins to a 6-0 victory over visiting Hawaii on Sunday and earning Soccer America Women’s Player of the Week honors for games played Sept. 17-23.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Soccer America Women’s Team of the Week
James Madison’s Annie Lowry was the lone senior named to the Soccer America Women’s Team of the Week for games played Sept. 17-23.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Soccer America Men’s Team of the Week
Brown’s Kevin Davies and Michael Ferguson of Loyola, Ill, both had outstanding weekends at the San Diego adidas Classic and were named to the Soccer America Men’s Team of the Week for games played Sept. 17-23.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Soccer America Men’s Player of the Week
Midfielder Carl Pett, who scored two goals and added an assist in unbeaten Northwestern’s 4-0 victory at Ohio State on Sunday, is the Soccer America Men’s Player of the Week for games played Sept. 17-23.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Arsenal proclaimed England’s richest
Arsenal, whose major shareholders include American Stan Kroenke, has laid claim to being England’s richest club after reporting an income of $400 million for the year ending May 31, 2007. Operating profits increased 274 percent, to $103.7 million, from the previous year.
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Fans fight to save USL’s California Victory
Fans of San Francisco’s USL-1 club, the California Victory, have launched a campaign to save the franchise after the original owner, Spanish club Alaves, withdrew its support. The California Victory Supporters Association, known as “The 1906,” are selling shares at $100 a pop at ww.savethevictory.org . Meanwhile, the club is negotiating with domestic and foreign investors. “The 1906 are a very determined group of supporters who brought a great atmosphere to our games,” said Victory coach Glenn Van Straatum. “They’re demonstrating that we have a good core of fans with the potential to grow into a strong support base.”
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OFF THE POST: Colombian team robbed
Colombian First Division club America’s financial woes were compounded when a security van carrying its gate receipts from Sunday’s game in Cali against Once Caldas was held up. Four cars with 15 men armed with machine guns escaped with about $40,000 from the day’s ticket sales. “We’re asking the authorities to help us recover the money because it is what we live off,” said America’s marketing manager Gregorio Ruiz. “We’re struggling as it is and now they rob us.”
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Praise for China’s Thornless Roses
[WOMEN’S WORLD CUP] Host China’s quest for its first Women’s World Cup title ended in defeat against Norway in the quarterfinals, reducing the Steel Roses to tears, but they earned new respect for their efforts.
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MLS attendance average breaks 16,000 mark
[MLS STATISTICS] Last weekend, announced attendances at games hosted by Toronto, Chicago and Los Angeles exceeded 20,000 and the league-wide average inched past the 16,000 mark with four weeks left in the season. The last regular season in which MLS attendance averaged more than 16,000 was the inaugural 1996 season (17,406).
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U.S. girls national teams go undefeated at Nike Friendlies
The U.S. U-15 and U-14 girls national teams went undefeated against older competititon at the Women’s Nike Friendlies at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I don’t know the ins and outs. … If it is true, it is distasteful, for sure.”
— Reading coach Steve Coppel on reports that striker Leroy Lita used his cell phone to film himself having sex and circulated the video to teammates, who forwarded the 53-second footage to players around the English league. (Telegraph)
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
D.C. United faces Chivas Guadalajara in the Copa Sudamericana on Wednesday. There’s midweek league action from Germany, Spain, Italy and MLS. The USA faces Brazil in the semifinals of the Women’s World Cup on Thursday.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Hahnemann, the Car Mechanic
Marcus Hahnemann is a jack of all trades. In his second season in the English Premier League with Reading, it’s the 35-year-old American whose job it is to protect the Royals’ goal and help keep them in the elite. But his popularity in the English media is based in part on his off-the-field interests. He […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Formiga, the Brazilian Maestra
One of the unsung players on the Brazil tea that has won all four games at the Women’s World Cup is 29-year-old Formiga, a veteran of the W-League (Jersey Sky Blue and New Jersey Wildcats). On a team with such attacking stars as Marta and Cristiane, it’s easy to get lost, but Formiga has been […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Glance of MLS Things to Come
Frank Dell’Apa reports on the New England Revolution’s 2-2 tie with the New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium, where the conditions were hardly conducive to high-level soccer (artificial turf making possession difficult and the football lines adding to the confusion). The game could have been a preview of the playoffs to come, and Dell’Apa […]