Less than three weeks after the death of teammate Danny Dahlquist in a fire that resulted in three other former players facing criminal charges, Bradley University opened its 2007 season with a pair of wins. As the Braves seek a return to normalcy, they head the Wake Forest adidas Classic, where they face No. 1 Wake Forest and North Carolina this weekend.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Open Cup another all-MLS affair
For the 10th time since MLS’s launch in 1996 the U.S. Open Cup will be an all-MLS affair. In the semifinals on Tuesday, FC Dallas defeated the Seattle Sounders (USL-1), 2-1, on overtime goals by Carlos Ruiz and Abe Thompson. The New England Revolution also needed overtime, beating USL-1 club Carolina RailHawks 2-1 with a winner from Pat Noonan.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Women’s pro league launch delayed to 2009
Originally scheduled to launch in 2008, the seven-team pro Women’s Soccer LLC now aims for a 2009 launch. League commissioner Tonya Antonucci said, “Careful consideration was taken in timing the launch of the league, as team owners are being judicious to ensure that this league is sustainable and successful in the long run. It’s a simple matter of preparation and operational readiness.”
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“He’s had a few headlines this week, some welcome, some unwelcome.”
— Aston Villa coach Martin O’Neill on defender Zat Knight, who on Wednesday was jailed with his brother after a drug raid on his family home and on Sunday scored in a 2-0 win over Chelsea. (The Guardian)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS late wheelings and dealings
The international transfer window has closed, yet MLS teams may still sign and trade players prior to the Sept. 15 deadline, and several teams are doing just that. Sometimes teams are just adding depth, and sometimes they’re looking for that missing piece to make it all fit together. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney looks at reinforcements in Chicago, New York and New England.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
OBITUARIES: Gift Leremi and Gustavo Eberto
Two young soccer stars, South African international Gift Leremi and former Argentine U-20 goalie Gustavo Eberto, died on Monday. Leremi, 22, was killed when he was flung from his car when it went off the road and overturned outside of Johannesburg. Eberto died after a 20-month battle with testicular cancer at the age of 24.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Highest Transfer Fees-Summer 2007
Huge increases in TV revenues have had an inflationary effect on the European transfer market. Here are the 15 highest transfer fees, based on estimations from club and media reports, during the summer transfer market that ended Aug. 31.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Imports threaten England national team
Trevor Brooking, English soccer’s director of development, blames the mass importation of foreigners by English Premier Leagues for the lack of depth at key positions on the England national team that is in a fight to qualify for Euro 2008. Of the 118 goals scored this season, only nine have been scored by English strikers.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Soccer’s $2 billion summer industry
An increase in television revenues and the arrival of new owners have triggered record spending by English Premier League clubs on the transfer market. English teams spent more than 530 million pounds ($1.1 billion) on players on the 2007 winter and summer markets, according to a report by Deloitte & Touche LLP. Spending by teams from Europe’s big 5 leagues during the summer window that ended Aug. 31 totaled about $2 billion.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Solidarity in Spain for All but Villarreal
All eyes were trained on Spain’s La Liga this weekend to see how one of the biggest leagues in Europe responded to the tragedy of Antonio Puerta’s death. Signs of solidarity were evident throughout Spain and even into the English Premier League, where several Spanish internationals now play. But the most encouraging signs, says ESPN’s […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Racing the Right Choice for Szetela
Ives Galarcep of the North Jersey Herald says that Danny Szetela’s transfer to Racing de Santander of Spain’s First Division was the right choice. The New Jersey native was widely tipped with a move to Serie A giant AS Roma, but later declined due to the more attractive prospect of first-team action with the La […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Sneijder Inspires Royal Performance
Wesley Sneijder arrived at the Bernabeu heralded as David Beckham’s replacement, and just two games into his La Liga career, the $37 million Dutchman has already hinted that he’ll be even more valuable to the Merengues than the former England captain. At least that’s what Real coach Bernd Schuster says. “Beckham was a right winger […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Donovan: Keep This Team Together
Evidence might point to the contrary, but L.A. Galaxy striker Landon Donovan says his team isn’t that bad, and that the worst thing upper management could do between now and next season is to continue its policy of cleaning house when things don’t go well, the U.S. international told the L.A. Daily News. “There’s a […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
You Can’t Bet the Farm on Becks
The L.A. Galaxy has certainly fallen victim to bad luck — bad luck that goes beyond even the series of injuries sustained by David Beckham, but that, more or less, is what you get when you bet the success of an entire league on one player, says ESPN’s Steve Davis. By Murphy’s Law, Becks was […]
Posted inGrassroots Soccer Biz, Story
Soccer Advocacy 101: Part 2
What types of advocacy can soccer organizations undertake and how can they lend their voices to the decision-making process?
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
Midweek telecasts include the U-17 World Cup semifinals and Thursday night’s MLS game of the week: Chivas USA vs. D.C. United.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Gonzaga shocks defending men’s champ UCSB
Defending NCAA Division I men’s champion UC Santa Barbara fell in its 2007 home opener, dropping a 1-0 decision to Gonzaga. Grant Lundberg scored the game’s only goal in the 82nd minute to lead the visiting Zags past UCSB at Harder Stadium two days after they fell to UC Irvine, 1-0.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Top-ranked UCLA falls to Notre Dame and Indiana
It was a long Labor Day weekend for UCLA, the No. 1 team in Soccer America’s Preseason Men’s Top 25 rankings. The Bruins dropped both games at the adidas/IU Credit Union Hoosier Classic, losing, 2-1, to Notre Dame in overtime on Friday and, 1-0, to Indiana on Sunday.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Portland thrills sellout crowd with overtime win over Florida State
Portland overcame an early deficit to defeat Florida State, 2-1, in overtime in a thrilling women’s match Saturday night at Merlo Field before a sellout crowd of 4,892. Senior Rachael Rapinoe sent the locals home with the winning goal late in the first overtime period.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Excitement builds after Texas win over UCLA
Texas recorded one of the best wins in its women’s program history when the Longhorns knocked off then-No. 2 UCLA, 2-1, on Sunday in a neutral-site match on the campus of the University of Houston. Soccer America Preseason All-American Kasey Moore scored her second goal in as many games, and freshman Brooke Lee added the game-winning goal as UT battled back from 1-0 down on a Lauren Cheney goal.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
A dream come true for the Gamecocks
South Carolina pulled one of the biggest upsets in the history of women’s soccer when the Gamecocks beat defending national champion North Carolina, 1-0, on Saturday, handing UNC its first ever home opener in the 29-year history of the program before a crowd of 3,099 fans at Fetzer Field.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Soccer America Women’s Top 25 Weekend Results
The 2007 NCAA Division I women’s season kicked with several big upsets, notably South Carolina’s 1-0 win at No. 1 North Carolina. No. 3 UCLA fell to No. 8 Texas on Sunday in Houston, and No. 2 Notre Dame had to settle for a 0-0 tie in its opener against Michigan. For complete results and goalscorers in Top 25 action …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Soccer America Women’s Top 25
Portland takes advantage of losses or ties by the top three teams to climb over them and claim the top spot in this week’s Soccer America Women’s Top 25. Texas A&M and Texas climb into the top five, while North Carolina and UCLA drop five spots apiece to No. 6 and No. 7, respectively.
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Soccer America Men’s Top 25 Weekend Results
Notre Dame and Indiana knocked of then-No. 1 UCLA at the adidas IU Credit Union Classic. Other upsets: Gonzaga over Santa Barbara, Fairfield over St. John’s, Ohio State over West Virginia, Akron over New Mexico, Monmouth over North Carolina. For complete results and goalscorers in Top 25 action …
Posted inCollege Soccer Reporter, Story
Soccer America Men’s Top 25
Wake Forest takes over the top spot in the weekly Soccer America Men’s Top 25. ACC teams claim the top four spots. Previously unranked teams Fairfield, Akron and Ohio State move into the Top 25.