As Real Madrid captain Raul conceded after his side scored three unanswered goals to beat Espanyol at the Bernabeu Stadium, “Six months ago, we’d have lost that.” Indeed, as recently as three months ago, the whole world thought Barcelona, with the return of Leo Messi and Samuel Eto’o, was starting to hit its stride en […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Canadian Homecoming for Dynamo Pair
When Toronto FC hosts the Houston Dynamo Wednesday night, it will mark the first time that Dwayne De Rosario and Pat Onstad have played on home soil in a long time. Both players arrived in Toronto on Tuesday, in awe of the imposing new BMO Field, where an expected crowd of 20,000 Canadian fans will […]
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Column: Bradley was Treated Poorly
SI.com’s Grant Wahl digs into U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati for the way he’s handled the Bob Bradley situation. Bradley, “a man who deserved better,” was forced to wait 160 days while Gulati mulled over his European options. In the end, Gulati couldn’t get his man (or men), and now, after all the waiting, Bradley […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Red Bulls in Dire Need of Fan Support
They say New York’s a soccer city. But that’s hard to believe when just 7,802 fans show up to watch the New York Red Bulls, one of the best looking teams in MLS so far this season, play the Colorado Rapids. The Bulls lost the match, 1-0, putting in what easily their worst performance of […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Dynamo Enters Talks for Downtown Stadium
Looks like we may finally have a long-term stadium location for Major League Soccer’s reigning champion, and it’s a nice one, too. Anschutz Entertainment Group, the Dynamo’s parent with the deep pockets, is set to enter into “an exclusive negotiating period” with Houston to develop a 21,000-22,000-capacity stadium near the city’s downtown, team president Oliver […]
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Manchester City releases DaMarcus Beasley
Manchester City denied DaMarcus Beasley’s wish to extend his stay at the English Premier League club when it announced on Tuesday that the American star was one of eight first-team players to be released. Beasley made 13 starts for the Blues and scored four goals, most memorably his late strike at Upton Park giving City a 1-0 win over West Ham just after Christmas. He came to Man. City on loan from Dutch champion PSV, where he spent two seasons. He has one year left on his contract with PSV.
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MLS Statistics (games through May 15)
Los Angeles (24,437) and Toronto FC (20,095) are the only MLS teams averaging more than 20,000 fans a game. Two teams — New York (9,716) and Kansas City (8,335) — are drawing less than 10,000 a game. For up-to-date MLS standings, schedules, leading scorers, attendance and goal-scoring averages …
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Toronto FC goes for two in a row on Wednesday
[TV PREVIEW] Four days after picking up its first win and scoring its first goals in five games expansion Toronto FC is back in MLS action at raucous BMO Field against the defending champion Houston Dynamo. The Dynamo had last weekend off, after finally breaking out of an offensive slump in its last match, a 3-1 win at Colorado.
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Brazil superstars Ronaldinho and Kaka ask to skip Copa America
First, Kaka asked to skip the Copa America. Now three days later Ronaldinho has asked not to be included in Brazil’s squad for its title defense of the Copa America June 26-July 15 in Venezuela. Their requests, if granted, will put a damper to Coach Dunga‘s plans to field a full-strength squad for the South American championship.
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Colombian champion Cucuta opens Libertadores Cup quarterfinals with win
[TV SCHEDULE} Late goals by Macnelly Torres and Panamanian Blas Perez gave Colombian champion Cucuta a 2-0 victory over Nacional of Uruguay in the first leg of their Libertadores Cup quarterfinal series on Tuesday.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
Article 21920
“Bob took this job as if it were his, and I think that’s a very positive thing. He looked at a lot of new players when it might have been safe to continue with more established players, and that was important for the long-term growth of the program.”
— U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati on Bob Bradley, who will remain as U.S. national team men’s head coach. Bradley was 3-0-1 in four friendly games played since being named interim coach in December. (AP)
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Argentina edges USA, 1-0, in U-20 World Cup warmup
Defending world champion Argentina beat the United States, 1-0, in a tuneup game for the Under-20 World Cup on Tuesday night at PAETEC Park in Rochester, N.Y. Diego Braghieri scored on a header off an Alejandro Gomez free kick for the game’s only goal in the 55th minute. The USA created numerous scoring opportunities, outshooting Argentina, 15-8, but goalkeeper Emiliano Centeno was outstanding for Argentina.
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Heather Mitts out of Women’s World Cup with knee injury
U.S. star Heather Mitts will miss the 2007 Women’s World Cup after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee during last Saturday’s international friendly against Canada in Frisco, Texas. Mitts, a member of the 2004 Olympic gold-medal team and one of the most recognizable players on the women’s team, will be sidelined 6-8 months.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Adu Strategy Working, Says Tight-Lipped Kreis
The Deseret Morning News has a report on the new Jason Kreis administration at Real Salt Lake, where MLS’s all-time leading scorer has only been in charge now for two games. To some extent, the first-time coach has been secretive about the policies he’s implemented as RSL’s new coach. One thing we do know, is […]
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Can Schelotto Buck the Foreigner Trend in Columbus?
Soccer columnist Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch recounts his enthusiasm as he sat in traffic waiting for the inaugural game of Argentine legend Guillermo Barros Schelotto at Crew Stadium: “Wow, I thought. This is unbelievable. Guillermo-mania. Columbus really is going to turn out to see the home debut of Guillermo Barros Schelotto, the Crew’s […]
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Times Interview: Eric the King
The London Times has an interview with former Manchester United striker Eric Cantona, one of the game’s all-time great players who never had a chance to shine on the international stage. Cantona is a curious figure; he talks like a philosopher of uncompromising conviction, but there can be no denying his artistry on the field: […]
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Rossi Eyes Red Devils’ Spot After Successful Parma Spell
After rotting on the bench at Newcastle United for the first four and half months of the season, Manchester United striker Giuseppe Rossi admits that he wasn’t expecting much from his January loan move to relegation-threatened Parma of Serie A, but the Italian-American has played a pivotal role in the Italian club’s bid to avoid […]
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FIFA to Regulate West Ham EPL Breach
Separate to any legal challenges launched by English Premier League clubs over the controversial West Ham United-Carlos Tevez ruling, FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Tuesday said the world governing body would conduct its own investigation of the matter. “We will look at this, and not only if we are asked. We will do it anyway,” […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
Article 21911
“Refereeing with three people is obsolete. Three referees can’t see everything.”
— New UEFA president Michel Platini, the former French star, wants to add two more officials, in addition to the referee and the two linesmen. These additional officials would stay next to the goals and could monitor what happens in the penalty areas. (France Football)
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Atlante leaves Mexico City for Cancun
Mexican First Division club Atlante is leaving Mexico City for the Caribbean resort of Cancun. The move was announced by the government of the state of Quintana Roo, in which Cancun is situated, and the Grupo Pegasus, which owns the club.
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MLS stadium plans pursued in Houston and San Jose; Pacific Northwest expansion options
Several Houston news outlets have reported that the Dynamo will sign a letter of intent with the city of Houston and the two sides will research the feasibility of building a downtown stadium to house the team. A possible location is a site near Minute Maid Park, home of the MLB Astros. Oakland A’s co-owner Lew Wolff, snubbed in his effort to reach an agreement with San Jose State University officials to build a new facility for SJSU teams as well as a revived Earthquakes franchise, is now looking at a parcel of land between the San Jose International Airport and Santa Clara University.
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New look in LA with ‘King Neptune’
The makeover of MLS’s Los Angeles Galaxy, which Coach Frank Yallop began nearly a year ago when he replaced Steve Sampson, continues with one of the more exotic signings in league history. Portuguese defender Abel Xavier, whose dyed-blond beard and curly hair once earned him the nickname ‘King Neptune’ has joined the Galaxy after being released by English Premier League club Middlesbrough. He will be eligible to play once the U.S. secondary transfer window opens June 15.
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Gulati expected to name Bradley U.S. coach on Wednesday
U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati will make a major announcement at a press conference to be held on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in in New York City. That announcement is expected to be Gulati’s choice for U.S. national team men’s head coach. Bob Bradley, who has held the job on an interim basis since December, is the likely choice to retain his job on a permanent basis. Indeed, within hours of the press conference being announced, the Los Angeles Times reported that Bradley, who coached MLS’s Chivas USA in 2006, will dispose of the interim tag.
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McKeown is named director of id2 youth program
Gerry McKeown has been named the director of id2, U.S. Club Soccer’s identification and development program. He is the Boys director of coaching at New Jersey club PDA and an assistant coach with the U-15 boys national team.
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Managers depart EPL clubs
A day after the end of the English Premier League season, underachieving Manchester City fired Manager Stuart Pearce, while Wigan Athletic appointed assistant Chris Hutchings as its new manager after Paul Jewell resigned. Glenn Roeder resigned as Newcastle manager just over a week ago, and the Magpies hired Sam Allardyce, who resigned as Bolton Wanderers manager last week. He had also been linked to the position that just opened up at Manchester City.