The U.S. Beach Soccer team won all three of its games in the 2007 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Tournament in Acapulco to qualify for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2007 in Rio de Janeiro Nov. 1-11. The USA beat El Salvador (9-5), Costa Rica (5-3) and Mexico (5-4). Jevin Albuquerque (5 goals), Brendon Taguinod (4) and Yuri Morales (3) led the USA in scoring. Morales scored a hat trick in the clinching win over host Mexico.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Brian McBride injured bad after scoring
[AMERICANS IN ENGLAND] Brian McBride, who entered the season as Fulham’s captain, scored for the Cottagers in the 2-1 loss to Middlesbrough and then collapsed to the ground with dislocated knee cap. “It was a freak injury to Brian, with minimal contact really,” said Fulham coach Lawrie Sanchez. The injury will sideline McBride for several months, according to the BBC. For more on Americans in England …
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Eddie Lewis signs with EPL’s Derby
U.S. winger Eddie Lewis has left third-tier Leeds United for Derby County of the English Premier League, where he’ll join 22-year-old American midfielder Benny Feilhaber, who arrived in the offseason from Hamburg SV. Lewis has been playing in England since 2000, but made only one Premier League appearance, in 2002 with Fulham. The 33-year-old made 111 appearances for Preston Northend (2002-05) and 85 for Leeds (2005-07) in the League Championship (second tier).
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Man City rolls on, downs Man U
[ENGLAND SCOREBOARD] Former English coach Sven-Goran Eriksson celebrated his straight third shutout as new coach of Manchester City in a 1-0 derby win over Manchester United. Last week, Eriksson lauded his Brazilian midfielder — “I never had a player like Elano with England.” On Sunday, Elano fed fellow Brazilian Geovanni, who scored the winner on a long-distance deflected shot for the win that means defending champion Manchester united has only two points from its first three games.
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EPL leader’s international squad
[MAKING A LIST] Manchester City, the English Premier leader and the only team with a perfect 3-0-0 record, includes players of 17 nationalities in its revamped squad.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“It’s our job when people show up to give them a reason to come back. Hopefully we converted a few people tonight.”
— New York Red Bulls coach Bruce Arena, whose team beat the Los Angeles Galaxy and David Beckham, 5-4, in front of 66,237 fans at Giants Stadium. The Red Bulls had averaged 11,573 fans for their previous 10 home games of the season. (Newsday)
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Only Bayern and Hamburg SV perfect in Bundesliga
[GERMANY SCOREBOARD] After two weeks of action, only Bayern Munich and Hamburg SV boast perfect records in the Bundesliga. HSV won its second game of the young season 1-0 over Bayer Leverkusen on Rafael van der Vaart penalty kick. Bayern, which opened the season with a 3-0 win over Hansa Rostock, followed up with a 4-0 thumping of Werder Bremen.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
GAMES: Live and same-day delay on national TV
Midweek action includes a crowded slate on Wednesday, with Sweden-USA, Mexico-Colombia, Brazil-Algeria and England-Germany friendlies, plus two MLS clashes. The U-17 World Cup continues on ESPNU and Spanish-language Galavision (and on the Web at ESPN360.com). Click HERE for complete ESPNU & ESPN360.com schedule.
Posted inGrassroots Soccer Biz, Story
Getting In The News: 8 Simple Rules For Success
Here are eight simple rules for getting your soccer organization press. There are more, but these are the big ones.
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Insider
Cultivating optimal parent-coach relationships
“What is the optimal parent-coach relationship?” That’s what Positive Coaching Alliance trainers address during the Double-Goal Coach and Second-Goal Parent workshops we conduct throughout the country. The answer appears in the very names of the workshops.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Scots’ Champions League Bids Delicately Poised
The Champions League fate of Scotland’s perennial top two hangs in the balance after a pair of tense first-leg performances in the final round of Champions League qualifying from Rangers and Celtic. The talking point in Glasgow is whether you’d rather be Celtic, which comes home to Parkhead in two weeks time with an away-goals […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Top Billing to Manchester Derby, Liverpool-Chelsea
The EPL season is just one week old, but already there are some crucial matchups at hand. Two games in particular are vying for top billing: first on Sunday we have the season’s first Manchester derby, held at the City of Manchester Stadium, followed by Liverpool-Chelsea at Anfield. The Manchester derby is already shaping up […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Analyst Warns Against One Man MLS Show
The David Beckham effect has created a “perfect storm” around soccer in the U.S., but sports analyst Randy Bernstein warns that Major League Soccer runs the risk of being forgotten once that storm passes, unless it invests in more international stars. “I think what MLS needs to do now is to not over-hype [Beckham]. He […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Rapids Blow Away Revs, Shock Everyone
Where or where did the Colorado Rapids’ 3-0 win over the New England Revolution come from? The Denver Post says the odds were always stacked against the home side: top scorer Herculez Gomez was suspended, the team had only won one of its last 11 matches, and coming into Thursday’s game, the Rapids were averaging […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Busy Beckham faces Germany after Red Bulls
David Beckham has set the bar high for the rest of the season after delivering a commanding performance in his first start for the L.A. Galaxy during Wednesday’s SuperLiga semifinal win. However, Reuters points out that the England international next week embarks on a grueling traveling schedule as he tries to balance playing for both […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer On TV
The U-17 World Cup kicks off on Saturday (late on Friday night for West Coasters) and will be broadcast on ESPNU and Spanish-language Galavision (and on the Web at ESPN360.com). Click HERE for complete ESPNU & ESPN360.com schedule. The weekend also serves up EPL, Bundesliga and MLS action, including David Beckham and the Galaxy’s clash at New York Red Bull on Saturday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Beckham aims for Red Bulls
[MLS WEEKEND PREVIEW] The top two teams in the Western Conference square off; two matches pair up tightly bunched Eastern Conference foes; Beckham does Jersey, RSL may unveil a more South American look for a visit by the Fire and Cuauhtemoc Blanco, and Toronto hosts the second meeting of the USA’s border neighbors.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
The Rapids rip Revs
Don’t write off the Rapids just yet. Jovan Kirovksi scored twice and Colin Clark sliced up New England in a 3-0 romp that pushed Colorado to within two points of a playoff spot. Kirovksi smashed home a rebound in the 10th minute and later in the first half tucked away a penalty resulting from a Jay Heaps foul on Clark, who in the second half hit a long ball that Omar Cummings blasted into the net for his first MLS goal.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I know it seems almost silly to keep talking about him because he’s only one player but he makes a big difference in there and it’s not just the goal. It’s his leadership, his ability to get us out of pressure situations. If the ball comes to him and he can’t make the right pass or the right play, he puts the ball in a spot where it gets us out of pressure and puts them under pressure.”
— The Galaxy’s Landon Donovan on David Beckham, who scored and set up Donovan for a goal in Los Angeles’ SuperLiga win Wednesday over D.C. United. (Reuters)
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UEFA Cup Qualifying Results
Americans Brad Friedel, Danny Califf, Charlie Davies and Brian West were in action in UEFA Cup qualifying play on Thursday. For complete results …
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USL-2 All-League Teams announced
Former MLS players Nelson Akwari, Mark Schulte and Mike Burke are among those players selected to the USL Second Division’s all-league first team. Former No. 1 SuperDraft pick Steve Shak was named to the second team.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Under-17 World Cup Preview
[VIDEO] The U.S. U-17 boys national team looks to advance to the knockout phase of the Under-17 World Cup for the third straight time when it competes at the 2007 Under-17 World Cup that begins Saturday in South Korea. The USA, which opens play against Tajikistan in Changwon on Monday (TV: ESPNU, live, 6:45 am ET), is the only country to have qualified for every U-17 world championship since FIFA’s youngest boys championship was launched as a U-16 championship in 1985.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Becks Sparkles, but Where Were the Fans?
He did exactly what he was supposed to do: David Beckham was the star man Wednesday night, scoring one and creating another as the L.A. Galaxy beat D.C. United, 2-0, at the Home Depot Center. Beckham started, played 60 minutes and marshaled the Galaxy midfield with his calmness on the ball, his passing and yes, […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Transfer Update: Dyer to West Ham; Sevilla Retains Alves
In transfer news, West Ham today finally completed the transfer of Kieron Dyer from Newcastle; the two parties finally agreed on a fee of $14 million. Reports say the Hammers are also still after Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen and Derby County winger Giles Barnes, although given the injury sustained by the former, that move is […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
English Referees Consider Injury Rule Change
English referees want to introduce “a radical change” to the Premier League’s laws, according to Henry Winter of the Telegraph. Following successful discussions with the League Managers’ Association and the Professional Footballers’ Association, the Professional Game Match Officials want to implement a new rule requiring players who foul opponents wait on the touchline until the […]