After getting shut out in its last three Euro 2008 qualifiers, England finally found the net against Andorra, a nation tucked between Spain and France whose entire population could fit into Wembley stadium. The 3-0 win on second-half goals by Steven Gerrard, who struck twice, and David Nugent, puts England in a three-way tie for […]
Posted inSoccer America Site, Story
REPORT CARD: Average effort by Americans
By Ridge Mahoney SOCCER AMERICA REPORT CARD (1=low; 5=average; 10-high) RATING PLAYER (CLUB CAPS/GOALS) STARTERS: 5 Kasey Keller (Borussia M'Gladbach GER 97/0) 6 Frank Simek (Sheffield Wednesday ENG 1/0) 5 Jay DeMerit (Watford ENG 1/0) 5 Jim Conrad (Kansas City 21/1) 5 Jonathan Spector (West Ham ENG 5/0) 4 Clint Dempsey (Fulham/ENG 26/6) 6 Michael […]
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FRIENDLIES: Former MLS players strike for Mexico & Bolivia
Mexico beat Ecuador, 4-2, in Oakland, Calif., in front of 47,416 fans in game that was sold two weeks ago. Francisco Palencia, who spent last season with Chivas USA and is now with UNAM Pumas, opened the scoring 29 seconds into the game. Ecuador took a 2-1 lead on goals by Carlos Tenorio and Giovanni […]
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IN THE NEWS: Mia Hamm delivers twin girls
Retired women's soccer icon Mia Hamm gave birth to twin girls late on Tuesday. Her husband, Los Dodgers first baseman Nomar Garciaparra, was in flight from Florida when the babies were born and was on speaker phone with Hamm during the delivery.
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MLS COUNTDOWN: Morrow casts a new light on FC Dallas
By Ridge Mahoney There's something bizarre happening in Dallas. By replacing a Finn, an Irishman and an American with a Colombian and an Argentine, among other changes, Coach Steve Morrow has already transformed the identity of his team. Effective yet predictable is out, stylish and unorthodox is in. ''I want us to play more one-touch […]
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6. IN THE NEWS: Mia Hamm delivers twin girls
Retired women’s soccer icon Mia Hamm gave birth to twin girls late on Tuesday. Her husband, Los Dodgers first baseman Nomar Garciaparra, was in flight from Florida when the babies were born and was on speaker phone with Hamm during the delivery.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
5. FRIENDLIES: Former MLS players strike for Mexico & Bolivia
Mexico beat Ecuador, 4-2, in Oakland, Calif., in front of 47,416 fans in game that was sold two weeks ago. Francisco Palencia, who spent last season with Chivas USA and is now with UNAM Pumas, opened the scoring 29 seconds into the game. Ecuador took a 2-1 lead on goals by Carlos Tenorio and Giovanni […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
4. EURO ’08:England finally finds the net
After getting shut out in its last three Euro 2008 qualifiers, England finally found the net against Andorra, a nation in the middle of Spain whose entire population could fit into Wembley stadium. The 3-0 win on second-half goals by Steven Gerrard, who struck twice, and David Nugent, puts England in a three-way tie for […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
3. REPORT CARD: Average effort by Americans
By Ridge Mahoney SOCCER AMERICA REPORT CARD (1=low; 5=average; 10-high) RATING PLAYER (CLUB CAPS/GOALS) STARTERS: 5 Kasey Keller (Borussia M’Gladbach GER 97/0) 6 Frank Simek (Sheffield Wednesday ENG 1/0) 5 Jay DeMerit (Watford ENG 1/0) 5 Jim Conrad (Kansas City 21/1) 5 Jonathan Spector (West Ham ENG 5/0) 4 Clint Dempsey (Fulham/ENG 26/6) 6 Michael […]
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2. U.S. SOCCER: Guatemala stifles USA in scoreless tie
By Ridge Mahoney A younger, less experienced U.S. team than the one that beat Ecuador, 3-1, Sunday battered futilely against a Guatemalan wall and came away with a 0-0 draw at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. Alternately forging up the flanks and hitting long balls into the heart of the Guatemalan defense, the U.S. […]
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1. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“I think it was a good learning experience, particularly for our younger players. It’s a different kind of game, one that they need to see, because we all understand that we are going to see these kinds of games in qualifying. At times tonight it seemed like we were afraid to make a mistake.” — […]
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7. MLS COUNTDOWN: Morrow casts a new light on FC Dallas
By Ridge Mahoney There’s something bizarre happening in Dallas. By replacing a Finn, an Irishman and an American with a Colombian and an Argentine, among other changes, Coach Steve Morrow has already transformed the identity of his team. Effective yet predictable is out, stylish and unorthodox is in. “I want us to play more one-touch […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Business Takes Back Seat as MLS Focuses on Soccer
New York Red Bulls notwithstanding, MLS the business is humming along (compared to previous years, at least). David Beckham, more press, TV deals, jersey sponsorships, and partnerships with major European clubs and leagues are all good things, but now, Ian Plenderleith of U.S. Soccer Players says, MLS has to shift its focus to ” the […]
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Sanchez Worries About MLS Improvement
Mexico coach Hugo Sanchez, who admits to being something of a nationalist, is worried. He´s worried that the recent trend of the United States owning regional power Mexico in the international arena will only going to become tougher to overturn as Los Yanquis get stronger. Major League Soccer is “getting better day by day and […]
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Calderon: Ronaldo, Kaka Top Real Shopping List
Real Madrid President Ramon Calderon has confirmed that he will be going after the signatures of Manchester United´s Cristiano Ronaldo and AC Milan´s Kaka this summer, a pair of players who are very dear to their respective clubs. Both Man United and Milan have repeatedly stated that they have no intention of selling their prized […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Donovan Breaks into All-Time U.S. Performances
ESPN Soccernet´s Steve Davis says Landon Donovan’s hat trick against Ecuador was one of the top 10 all-time performances by an American player in a U.S. international. Had it been during a major competition, his performance probably would have broken into the top three. Davis points out that Donovan’s afternoon was “a biggie because everybody […]
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More Praise for Donovan
There may be another international on Wednesday (USA-Guatemala, live, 9 pm EST, ESPN 2, Galavision), but press is still raving about Landon Donovan´s three-goal salvo against Ecuador on Sunday, and rightly so. As Paul Gardner points out, hat tricks don´t happen often in international soccer (or soccer, period), while natural hat tricks happen even less, […]
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OFF THE POST: Throw celery, go to jail
By Mike Woitalla Chelsea has banned three fans, including two who were arrested during an FA Cup game with Tottenham Hotspur, for throwing celery stalks onto the field. The culprits had ignored a warning from the club to keep their celery at home. ''Anyone who attempts to bring celery into Stamford Bridge could be refused […]
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U.S. U-20s: Freddy Adu and Co.'s Wednesday game vs. Haiti live online at ussoccer.com
The U.S. U-20 national team's game on Wednesday against Haiti will be broadcast live on U.S. Soccer's Web site at 6:15 p.m. ET at www.ussoccer.com/sights/liveStream.jsp.html. Coach Thomas Rongen's U-20 squad includes young pros Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore, Chris Seitz and Danny Szetela. On Monday, the U-20s beat SMU, 3-2, on two goals by Sampdoria (Italian […]
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EURO '08: Support for England's 'Sven lite'
By Paul Kennedy A match against tiny Andorra Wednesday in Euro 2008 qualifying should put an end to England's scoring drought, but a big win will hardly lessen the pressure on embattled England coach Steve McClaren. The Football Association offered its support Tuesday to McClaren, who has taken the brunt of the criticism for England's […]
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MLS COUNTDOWN: Columbus has nowhere to go but up
By Ridge Mahoney The worst team in the league last year has a lot of ground to make up if it is to reach the playoffs after missing them in 2005 as well as 2006. In its first year with head coach Sigi Schmid, Columbus (8-15-9) had last place in the Eastern Conference all but […]
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BRAZIL: Stars return for friendly wins in Sweden
Brazil swept a pair of friendly games played in Sweden, defeating Chile, 4-0, on Saturday in Gothenburg and Ghana, 1-0, on Tuesday in Stockholm. Ronaldinho scored twice against Chile, converting a controversial penalty and scoring direct from a free kick, for his first goals for Brazil in almost two years. Kaka and Juan scored the […]
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USA-GUATEMALA: Last chance for Eddie Johnson?
By Ridge Mahoney Will this be the final, last, drop-dead chance that Eddie Johnson gets to get back on the beam for the national team? He has a good track record against Guatemala, against which he scored last year in a 4-0 rout as well as in a World Cup qualifier in 2005. The match […]
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MLS CONFIDENTIAL:Doubling Up NBDPs at RBNY?
The price of a NBDP – Non-Beckham Designated Player – could be increased by more than a factor of two, if RBNY – Red Bull New York – closes the deal on the player it is pursuing. According to a source with knowledge of the negotiations, MLS and English club Aston Villa have agreed on […]
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7. U.S. U-20s: Freddy Adu and Co.’s Wednesday game vs. Haiti live online at ussoccer.com
The U.S. U-20 national team’s game on Wednesday against Haiti will be broadcast live on U.S. Soccer’s Web site at 6:15 p.m. ET at http://www.ussoccer.com/sights/liveStream.jsp.html. Coach Thomas Rongen‘s U-20 squad includes young pros Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore, Chris Seitz and Danny Szetela. On Monday, the U-20s beat SMU, 3-2, on two goals by Sampdoria (Italian […]