“We had to change routine and now just say ‘hello’ to each other, run past each other, but we don’t shake hands.”
— Terje Lund, deputy chief of the Norway Cup, which banned the shaking of fans because of concerns about the H1N1 flu outbreak. An African player came down with H1N1 flu, and four other participants were also suspected of carrying the virus. The youth tournament features 30,000 players. (Reuters)
According to Freddy Adu's Twitter account, he is in Lisbon to sort his future with Benfica, the Portuguese club Adu joined from Real Salt Lake in 2007. Reports indicate that Adu is not part of Coach Jorge Jesus' plans. Adu has been linked with another loan spell, in the Netherlands, a move that he and […]
The Argentine soccer federation (AFA) has decided to push back the start of the top-flight Apertura tournament because of the financial problems facing a number of clubs. A players union has listed seven clubs that have debts totaling $10 million: San Lorenzo, River Plate, Independiente, Newell’s, Huracan, Racing Club and Rosario Central. “All the AFA […]
Kolo Touré will undergo medical tests today ahead of completing a $23 million move to Manchester City. Touré's move from Arsenal is the second piece of business the two clubs have done this summer, following Emmanuel Adebayor's arrival earlier this month. The deal marks City's sixth of the offseason following the signings of of Roque […]
After passing his medical on Wednesday, Spain defender Alvaro Arbeloa is set to sign a five-year contract with Real Madrid and complete his move from Liverpool. "The results of every test are very satisfactory," Dr. Carlos Diez said. "He is delighted about playing for Real Madrid. It's always been his dream. He can't wait to […]
On Tuesday, The Colorado Rapids released Terry Cooke, one of their most popular and long-serving players, to make room for Scottish striker Jamie Smith. The 32-year-old midfielder had played in just 10 of the Rapids first 18 games, making five starts, well behind the pace that saw him log his 100th match with the Rapids […]
Houston Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear has the enviable position of forming a lineup from 18 of the best players in the MLS. "It's a little bit difficult (to mesh all of the players together), but good players play good all of the time, no matter who they are around," Kinnear said, who leads the MLS […]
Toronto FC might have another shot at its rival, the Columbus Crew, which came from behind to deal Toronto a devastating 3-2 loss on Saturday in MLS play. On Wednesday (Fox Soccer Channel, 8 pm ET), Toronto begins a two-legged series with the USL's Puerto Rico Islanders in the Concacaf Champions League to advance to […]
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The MLS All-Stars take on Everton on Wednesday. There’s also midweek Concacaf Champions’ League action. The Los Angeles Galaxy hosts Barcelona on Saturday.
[U.S. SOCCER] In a teleconference call with reporters Tuesday, U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati touched on myriad topics, including the national team’s recent performances to the visit of FIFA president Sepp Blatter
[MLS] All coaches are competitive, so Houston head honcho Dominic Kinnear doesn’t need any extra motivation for the annual exhibition known as the MLS All-Star Game. But there is a streak on the line. Pitting the best of MLS, with a few exceptions, against a foreign team on five previous occasions has produced five victories, and that’s the streak that’s at stake Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2, Galavision) at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, against English Premier League club Everton.
[OFF THE POST] Tottenham striker Darren Bent had just settled into his seat when he was told to leave the plane and collect his bags. Instead of traveling with the English Premier League team on a preseason tour of China, Bent was sent to Sunderland.
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] D.C. United generated a flurry of shots but only one goal as it tied Luis Angel Firpo of El Salvador, 1-1, in the opening game of their two-match Concacaf Champions League series Tuesday at RFK. Jaime Moreno converted a penalty kick after Mario Benitez had stripped Greg Janicki of the ball to score in the 26th minute.
[AMERICANS ABROAD] One former Boston College star lit up Swedish soccer, and another ex-Eagle is following in his footsteps. After U.S. international Charlie Davies, who parlayed a solid stint at Hammarby into a transfer to French club Sochaux, Floridian Alejandro Bedoya celebrated his first two goals with Orebro, scoring both goals after coming on in the 78th minute of Monday’s 2-2 tie with BK Hacken.
[WOMEN’S WATCH] Saint Louis Athletic defender Sara Larsson will be headed to the 2009 European Women’s Championship after the WPS season. She is the only one of four WPS Swedes called up by Coach Thomas Dennerby for the finals next month in Finland.
[WPS] Women’s Professional Soccer has signed FluMist as its fourth national sponsor. FluMist, is a nasal spray flu vaccine for eligible individuals manufactured by MedImmune will be the presenting sponsor of the 2009 WPS Championship and will present the Defender of the Year award at the 2009 WPS All-Star Game.
[TELEVISION WATCH] Never heard of mun2? If you’re a U.S. soccer fan, you’ll need to find it on your dial if you hope to watch Mexico-USA on English-language television. Check here to find where mun2 is available …
[USL-1 TEAMS OF THE WEEK] Guyana star Gregory Richardson, who began the 2009 season with MLS’s Colorado Rapids, scored three goals in the Carolina RailHawks’ 4-0 win over Miami and Steward Ceus earned shutouts for the Charlotte Eagles in a 3-0 win at Maryland and 0-0 tie at Baltimore to earn USL First and Second Division Player of the Week honors, respectively. For all the Team of the Week selections …
[WORLD CUP 2010] The last time the USA traveled to Mexico City for a World Cup qualifier, on Easter of 2005, the Mexicans feared they couldn’t sell out Azteca Stadium and pleaded through the media for “12th Man” support. Apparently thanks to Mexico’s 5-0 rout of the USA last Sunday in the Gold Cup, enthusiasm for El Tri is high and Azteca Stadium is already sold out to its 105,000 capacity for the Aug. 12 qualifier.
“We’ve connected already. He has a great spirit — the American spirit, if you can put it like that — but he also has the African passion within him. … He’s not going to have a difficult time integrating himself into the team and into [Italian league].”
— AC Milan’s Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf on his new teammate, American defender Oguchi Onyewu, whose parents immigrated to the USA from Nigeria. (SI.com)
“Time to learn Spanish,” Zlatan Ibrahimovic has posted on his Twitter page. The Sweden striker signed a five-year contract with Barcelona after passing a medical test on Monday that will send him from Inter Milan to Barcelona. The $65.6 million move contracts the 27-year-old until 2014 with a buy-out clause set at $357 million. As […]
A riot at a soccer game in Honduras killed two fans, a 35-year-old man and a 12-year-old boy. Gunfire rang out in the stands at a game between Olimpia and Motagua. Sixteen people were injured and six were shot. Fire department chief Carlos Cordero says that fans of both teams fought each other "with everything […]
"Hard economic times can also foster innovation," writes Tom Dunmore of Pitchinvasion.net, "and it's no surprise that a supporter-owned and run club, FC United of Manchester, this summer became the first club I've heard of to allow supporters to set their own season ticket prices." The Unibond League club, which was formed in protest of […]
In 2007, the English Premier League sold its China rights exclusively to the pay-TV broadcaster, a decision that analysts believe hampered efforts to grow in the world’s most populous country and allowed the NBA to consolidate its lead in the battle for the hearts and wallets of Chinese sports fans. This year, Chinese television station […]
