[USL RESULTS] The defending champion Vancouver Whitecaps regained first place in the USL First Division with a 1-0 win at Miami and 0-0 tie at Puerto Rico. Minnesota moved out of last place Sunday with a 1-0 win over California. In the USL-2, Cleveland fell for the first time when it lost at first-place Charlotte, 1-0, on Sunday. Richmond (8-0-2) is the lone unbeaten team left in the USL-2. For complete USL results and goalscorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Thierry Henry on move to Barcelona: ‘It’s now or never for me’
Thierry Henry arrived at FC Barcelona on Sunday to be introduced as the Spanish club’s new signing after it agreed to pay Arsenal $32 million for the 29-year-old France striker. “Nothing has been signed yet but both sides reached an agreement on Friday,” Henry told French sports newspaper L’Equipe on Saturday. “I have chosen Barcelona for the soccer they play, for their history and their stadium.” For more behind Henry’s shock decision to leave Arsenal a year after he signed a four-year contract extension …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Cal South cleans up at Region IV finals
[REGION IV YOUTH CHAMPIONS] Arsenal FC, winner of three straight national championships in its age group, won its fourth straight US Youth Soccer Region IV Championship by beating Colorado Rush Nike, 2-0, in Sunday’s U-18 boys final. Two other former national champions will return to the US Youth Soccer National Championships July 24-29 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas: U-16 boys Real So Cal and the U-17 girls Eagles. Cal South won 10 titles. FC Slammers won two girls titles and lost to the Eagles on penalties in the U-17 girls division. Arizona power Sereno White won one boys and one girls title. A new addition to the US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships is the first girls team from Nevada to ever win a regional championship, the U-12 Neusport FC Green. For results and goalscorers of the Region IV finals …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. women knock off Brazil with early Lilly and Wambach goals
The U.S. women’s national team got early goals from Kristine Lilly — the 123rd of her career coming after just 58 seconds — and Abby Wambach — the 74th of her international career on a glancing header off Cat Whitehill‘s free kick — to beat Brazil, 2-0, in the first meeting between the teams since the 2004 Olympic gold-medal game that the USA won.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Adu leads USA past Chile in final U-20 international tuneup
Freddy Adu scored one goal and set up another to lead the U.S. under-20 national team to a 2-1 win over Chile Saturday at Giants Stadium in the team’s final international friendly before leaving for the Under-20 World Cup, which starts Saturday in Canada. Adu scored the opening goal in the 34th minute off a pass from Josmer Altidore and then feed Robbie Rogers in the second half to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead. Alexis Sanchez scored for Chile from the penalty spot three minutes after Rogers put the USA two goals up.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“They deserve to be the No. 1 team in CONCACAF. They played well, but we had a number of chances. We just didn’t take advantage of our opportunities.”
— Mexico striker striker Cuauhtemoc Blanco after the USA’s 2-1 win in the Gold Cup final. (AP)
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Real to Decide on Capello Next Week
All kinds of interesting Real Madrid tidbits have been revealed in the days since the Merengues’ lifted the Spanish League title. First, came the allegation that Real had signed an illegal contract with Getafe coach Bernd Schuster, the man who President Ramon Calderon wanted to see installed as coach when he became president last year. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Gold Cup Final a Road Game for the USA
Did you notice how raucous the atmosphere became and how full the stadium got by the end of the USA-Canada match? Barely at a quarter capacity once the first semifinal began, Soldier Field was nearly full mid-way through the second-half as Mexico’s fans arrived in droves. And boy did they want Canada to win: Landon […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Arsenal at Crossroads
The 12 percent stake American billionaire Stan Kroenke recently purchased in EPL club Arsenal effectively divided the North London club. On one side are those who accept the idea of foreign ownership as the direction the sport is moving in, and on the other are shareholders who refuse to let their beloved club fall into […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Thai Prime Minister to Ring in Changes at Man City
Over the last few days, the other team from Manchester, England, has been grabbing all the headlines. First, exiled Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced that he had secured 55.9 percent of Manchester City’s shares to secure his $163 million takeover of the club. Then on Thursday, the billionaire confirmed he’d met with former England […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Canadians Feel Cheated After Gold Cup Semi
Unsurprisingly, the Canadian press is irate that Atiba Hutchinson’s goal in the last minute of the CONCACAF semifinal against the U.S. was disallowed. The Americans, 2-1 winners, can argue they were the better team, but Canada really deserved more from its comeback, which began in the 75th minute when Iain Hume turned Carlos Bocanegra and […]
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
The U.S. women’s national team continues preparations for the 2007 World Cup when it takes on Brazil in a friendly (a rematch of the 2004 Olympic gold medal game won by the USA) on Saturday in New Jersey (ESPN2 & Univision). The U.S. men meet archrival Mexico in the Gold Cup final on Sunday (Fox Soccer Channel and Univision). In USL action on Friday, Rochester hosts Atlanta. Also on the United Soccer Leagues front, the Fox Channel Soccer’s “USL Breakaway” provides highlights and player and coach features (Friday, 6/29).
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Good hire, bad circumstances
CHANGE IN CHICAGO. The Fire has dropped head coach Dave Sarachan, who’d bought himself some time by starting the season with three wins and a tie but had lost six of the last eight with a squad depleted by national-team call-ups and injuries.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS on TV this Weekend
Saturday: New England-Toronto FC 7:30 pm ET (Direct Kick), Colorado-FC Dallas 9 pm ET (Direct Kick), Real Salt Lake-D.C. United 9:30 pm ET (Fox Soccer Channel & Fox Sports en Espanol), Los Angeles-Columbus (live), 10:30 pm ET (Direct Kick, Hdnet); Sunday: Kansas City-Houston 5 pm ET (Telefutura).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA REPORT CARD: Donovan, Dempsey & Beasley stand out
Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players’ performance in their 2-1 Gold Cup semifinal win over Canada.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA ousts Canada, welcomes Mexico
This U.S. team insists on winning dangerously, but it does keep winning. Whether by external forces or by its own design the USA is finishing matches in the bunker, not in the driver’s seat. Not for the first time in this Gold Cup did the Americans score early, assume control, and then scramble frantically to preserve a victory that seemed be a formality. From Chicago, Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney reports on the 2-1 semifinal win over Canada, which sets up a U.S. Gold Cup final clash with archrival Mexico …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
"We did things to put ourselves in that position, whether it was a bad call or not. We dug ourselves a hole."
— Canada goalie Pat Onstad takes it easy on the linesman who nullified Canada’s last-minute goal in the 2-1 loss to the USA. But Canadian midfielder Dwayne De Rosario said, "It was definitely a goal. No question." (Houston Chronicle)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA-Mexico, Gold Cup History
The USA and Mexico have only met in the Gold Cup three times. The USA prevailed in their meeting in the semifinals of the first Gold Cup in 1991, and Mexico won in the final of the 1993 and 1998 Gold Cups. Here’s a look at the three meetings …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Davis powers Houston past Chivas USA with second-half hat trick
The hat tricks keep on coming! Brad Davis scored three goals in the second half for his first career hat trick to lead the Houston Dynamo past Chivas USA, 4-0, Thursday night at Robertson Stadium. Both teams went into the game with three-game winning streaks, but the Dynamo prevailed to move ahead of Chivas into second place in the Western Conference, three points behind leader FC Dallas, which has played two more games.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Wolff makes pitch for Quakes to play in 2008 MLS season
Oakland A’s co-owner Lewis Wolff visited the MLS league headquarters this week along with several staff members of Earthquakes LLC to make his pitch to start play next season, with stadium arrangements to be decided. Wolff is discussing with the City of San Jose a two-pronged proposal. He is seeking city approval to re-zone of large parcel of land from industrial use to residential, on which would be built housing. Those residential developments would supply funds that would be used to build a stadium on city-owned land south of the San Jose International Airport.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Galaxy’s Yallop isn’t done wheeling and dealing
L.A. Galaxy coach Frank Yallop isn’t done revamping his roster. Los Angeles acquired veteran midfielder Chris Klein from Real Salt Lake in exchange for rookie forward Robbie Findley and U-20 midfielder/defender Nathan Sturgis and signed 33-year-old Honduran international Carlos Pavon, and Yallop is discussing options for Santino Quaranta with several clubs.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
2007 Gold Cup Television Schedule
The USA and Mexico meet in the final of the Gold Cup on Sunday. The game will be shown live at 3 pm ET on Fox Soccer Channel and Univision …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. U-17s finish third in group at pre-World Cup tournament
The USA’s under-17 boys national team finished third in its group at an eight-team international team in South Korea when it beat New Zealand, 1-0, Thursday on a goal by Brek Shea. The Americans had lost their first two games to Japan (1-0 on a goal in the 90th minute) and Nigeria (2-1). For the USA’s game summaries …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Riquelme heads Argentina’s Copa America roster
[COPA AMERICA COUNTDOWN] Less than a year after leaving the Argentina national team, midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme is back. Riquelme, who led Boca Juniors to the 2007 Libertadores Cup title, has been included in Argentina’s squad for the Copa America, where it opens against the USA next Thursday. Midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron, who had been recalled by Coach Alfio Basile following an absence of more than two years, was named to the Copa America roster. Also in the Copa squad is veteran Javier Zanetti, who also missed the 2006 World Cup. For more on Argentina and its roster …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Cal South teams dominate at Region IV youth championships
[REGION IV QUARTERFINALS] Cal South led all state associations with 27 teams represented in the quarterfinals of the US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships that will be played Friday in Las Vegas. The boys teams include the U-18 Arsenal FC, U-16 Real So Cal and U-15 Valley United Blast, all defending national champions in their age groups. Arizona and Colorado are next with 14 teams apiece in the quarterfinals. Arizona’s Sereno White and Real Colorado National have eight and seven teams, respectively, in the final eight of the 16 boys and girls divisions. For complete quarterfinal pairings …