Soccer America Archives

Spurned by management at Boca Juniors, the most famous club in Argentina, Matias Donnet bought out his own contract, worth $250,000, and made the trip north to United States, where he has begun his new career with D.C. United, debuting last weekend as a second-half substitute in its 2-1 win at Chivas USA. Boca had […]

Arena: We’re no Cosmos

In his first month on the job as coach of Red Bull New York, Bruce Arena has lived up to his media reputation: frank, crass, providing smug assessments of his players and the league. He’ll be the first to tell you his club isn’t New York Cosmos. “If everyone is waiting for the Cosmos to […]

Section 2 Around the Net, Story

Donovan Down but Not Out

It hasn’t been the best of years for Landon Donovan, who was touted as the best player for the U.S. going into this summer’s World Cup disappointment. It’s been a lousy year for the 24-year old and his MLS club, the L.A. Galaxy, too. And the fans aren’t about to let him forget about that, […]

HALL OF FAME: President Will Lunn steps down

Will Lunn has resigned as president of the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame after a decade in the position and 16 years of serving the Hall of Fame. A search committee for the new president is being formed. In the interim, board secretary and Hall of Famer George Brown (Class of 1995) will serve […]

WORLDVIEW: Brazil's London revival

After going into the 2006 World Cup as a consensus favorite and falling in the quarterfinals, Brazil chose former hard man midfielder Dunga to put the Samba boys back on track. Dunga brought several new faces to the squad to play two friendlies in London and started two almost entirely different lineups in wins on […]

OFF THE POST: Soccer mom pot bust

Police in Trenton, Ohio, arrested two women for allegedly smoking marijuana while at their children's soccer practice. The two soccer moms were accused of sharing a joint in a minivan in the parking lot, according to WLWT-TV in Cincinnati. The police, responding to complaints, smelled the marijuana and discovered a joint in one of the […]

IRAQ CONFLICT: Soccer star kidnapped

Gunmen kidnapped Iraqi soccer star Ghanim Khudheyir just days before he was due to sign a transfer to a Syrian club to escape the raging violence in his homeland. The 22-year-old Khudheyir, a striker who helped Al Quwa Al Jawiya, the Iraqi Air Force club, win the first post-war championship in 2005, was taken from […]

MLS: Mastroeni postgame taunts enrage Salt Lake owner

After the Colorado Rapids beat Real Salt Lake, 1-0, in an ill-tempered game, Colorado's Pablo Mastroeni taunted the Salt Lake crowd and made obscene gestures on what was a Youth Soccer Night that drew more than 17,000 fans to Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mastroeni's behavior also prompted a confrontation with Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts that […]

4. RANKINGS: NSCAA/adidas Top 5

NCAA MEN’S D1. 1. Maryland, 2. Virginia, 3. SMU, 4. Clemson, 5. Wake Forest. NCAA MEN’S D2. 1. Franklin Pierce, 2. Lynn, 3. Carson-Newman, 4. Lander, 5. Ft. Lewis. NCAA MEN’S D3. 1. Messiah, 2. Trinity (Texas), 3. Plattsburgh State, 4. Ohio Wesleyan, 5. Gustavus Adolphus. NCAA WOMEN’S D1. 1. Notre Dame, 2. Florida State, 3. […]

5. CORRECTIONS: From recent College Reporters

All-American Henry Ring‘s first name misidentified in the story on great South Carolina goalkeepers. Judson coach Steve Burke, who recently won his 400th career men’s game, has not (yet) been inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame. It was his father of the same name who was inducted in 1990 for his accomplishments at Houghton.

3. TV PREVIEW: Familiar foes square off

Formerly foes in Conference USA, No. 17 Marquette and Saint Louis will renew their women’s series Wednesday night in the opening game of the NSCAA College Match of the Week series (live, Fox Soccer Channel, 8 p.m. ET) in St. Louis as rivals, plain and simple. Marquette (2-0-1), which reached the NCAA Division I third […]

2. ROUNDUP: Hokies are toast of Blacksburg

No. 8 Virginia Tech, one of seven unbeaten and untied ACC men’s teams, improved its record to 4-0-0 with a 1-0 win over William & Mary. Sophomore Scott Dillie‘s header off a beautiful Patrick Nyarko cross in the 13th minute was the lone goal. Soccer interest is running high in Blacksburg, where 1,411 fans, the fifth-largest […]

1. Notre Dame’s Lapira and Cinalli take weekly honors

Notre Dame forwards Joseph Lapira and Amanda Cinalli swept the Soccer America Player of the Week awards. Lapira topped off a career day on Sunday with his fourth goal of the game in overtime to give the Irish a 5-4 victory over Indiana before 5,613 fans at the Hoosiers’ Armstrong Stadium. Lapira, the Soccer America […]

5. HALL OF FAME: President Will Lunn steps down

4. U.S. OPEN CUP: Four MLS teams vie for $100,000 prize

The Los Angeles Galaxy’s quest to become the first back-to-back U.S. Open winner since the New York Pancyprian-Freedoms did it in 1982-83 requires a semifinal win Wednesday over the Houston Dynamo at the Home Depot Center. The Dynamo, which was the San Jose Earthquakes before going Texan this season, lost to the Galaxy four times […]

3. WORLDVIEW: Brazil’s London revival

1.WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

"The players want to go elsewhere." — Romania coach Victor Piturca on his team’s request to move its games from the eastern city of Constanta because, after giving up a 2-0 lead in the last eight minutes to Bulgaria for a 2-2 tie on Saturday, they believe it is jinxed. The cities of Bucharest, Timisoara […]

EURO 2008: France crushes Italy in rematch

France's emphatic 3-1 victory over Italy Wednesday night in Euro 2008 qualifying doesn't make up for its loss to Italy on penalty kicks in the 2006 World Cup. Nor does it mean the Bleus have clear sailing to the Euro 2008 final, which will take place in Austria and Switzerland. ''There are still 10 matches […]

2. PREVIEW: France and Italy meet in ‘le remake’

It is being billed as a grudge match. The French sporting press with its predilection for using English expressions are calling it “le remake.” Less than two months after Italy beat France in the 2006 World Cup final on penalty kicks, they meet Wednesday in Euro 2008 qualifying at the Stade de France (TV: Setanta […]

BY THE NUMBERS: Women's college non-conference records

Of the 10 women's conferences that sent two or more teams to the 2005 NCAA Division I Tournament and have played two full weeks, the ACC has the best record in non-conference play. Only the Big Ten has a sub-.500 record in non-conference action in games through Sept. 3. Of the 10 conferences, the Big […]

SMALL COLLEGES: Tusculum cancels season

NCAA Division II men's regional power Tusculum canceled its season after several members of the team were accused of taking an undisclosed amount of money and food from concessions they operated as a program fundraiser at the recent NASCAR races at Bristol Motor Speedway. The money was returned and no charges were filed by law […]

COLLEGE MEN: Virginia and Maryland roll on

For the second time in eight days, No. 3 Virginia beat a West Coast power. The Cavs (4-0-0) downed No. 10 UCLA, 1-0, Monday night on German star Yannick Reyering's goal from 10 yards off Nico Colaluca's corner kick in the 88th minute. It was the Cavaliers' fourth straight shutout, while the Bruins fell to […]

Life In The Pros

By Mike WoitallaExecutive Editor, Soccer America Argentina is second only to Brazil in supplying talent to leagues around the world, and now Argentine players are making their mark in MLS. Facundo Erpen (D.C. United)A GOOD FIT Elvira Erpen can be proud of her son. Facundo Erpen has been in the USA for a year and […]

Section 2 Around the Net, Story

Gallas, France Laugh at Chelsea

By far, the ugliest sequence of the transfer period has been the war of words between Chelsea Football Club and former defender William Gallas, who was transferred to Arsenal on Friday, the final day of the summer transfer period. After the defender’s departure, the club issued a lengthy statement in which it accused Gallas of […]

Section 2 Around the Net, Story

West Ham Boss Defends New Signings