[TRANSFER WATCH] A crowd of 80,000 fans turned out at the Bernabeu Stadium on Monday to welcome Cristiano Ronaldo, signed for a record $130 million.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA ’09 on television
[GOLD CUP] The Gold Cup continues Tuesday with a doubleheader at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The Jamaica-Costa Rica and El Salvador-Canada games will be both televised on Spanish-language television. For the complete Gold Cup television schedule …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Toronto eyes Canada star de Guzman
[MLS] Canadian international midfielder Julian de Guzman confirmed on a radio show Monday that Toronto FC has bid aggressively for his services.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Young RSL star plans Danish move
[MLS] Sooner or later, Real Salt Lake forward Yura Movsisyan will be heading to Denmark. Agent Patrick McCabe confirmed Monday that Danish Superliga club Randers has reached an agreement to employ the 21-year-old starting in January, following expiration of his current MLS contract.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I read parts of it, glanced at it more or less. If you gave me a quiz on it right now, I’d probably fail. That’s been the case in most of my educational career anyway. I didn’t read it all that seriously, to be honest with you.”
— Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena on “The Beckham Experiment,” due out next week. Excerpts released from the book suggest that David Beckham‘s teammates questioned his commitment to the Galaxy. (goal.com)
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
The CONCACAF Gold Cup rolls on. The USA plays Haiti on Saturday. On the U.S. pro scene, catch Games of the Week: USL, Rochester-Puerto Rico (Friday), MLS, Chicago-Columbus (Saturday) and WPS, Boston-Sky Blue FC (Sunday).
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Wizards and Rapids bemoan fluffed opportunities
Player absences and summer heat notwithstanding, can anything be gleaned by last weekend’s results, when teams aspiring to join the top-tier clubs and playing at home couldn’t beat said members of the elite?
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Cruzeiro Seeks to Postpone Game Due to Swine Flu
Brazilian soccer club Cruzeiro wants to postpone this week’s Copa Libertadores match against Estudiantes because of the swine flu outbreak in Argentina. A spokesman for the club said on Monday that it made the request through Brazil’s soccer federation. The official said Cruzeiro wants the match postponed or moved to another location-in Argentina or another […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Chelsea Signs Russian Winger Zhirkov
Chelsea has completed the signing of Russian international Yuri Zhirkov from CSKA Moscow for a for year deal worth $29 million. The 25-year-old, who was impressive at Euro 2008, can play on the left wing or at left back and was given a ringing endorsement by temporary Blues boss Guus Hiddink, who has since returned […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Ajax Interested in Onyewu
Oguchi Onyewu is hot property. The latest club to express interest in the defender’s services is Ajax. The 27-year-old’s agent, Lyle Yorks, confirmed to Goal.com that the free agent is in discussions with the Dutch giants. “[We’re] in discussions. That is it at this point,” Yorks confirmed. “We are in serious discussions with a few […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Upside-down Clausura in Argentina
Smaller clubs rose to the fore in the Argentinian Clausura 2009 season. Low-spending Velez Sarsfield won the title, while humble Huracan came agonizingly close. Lanus and Colon stayed in the hunt until the very end. Velez Sarsfield clinched the crown after a late Maximiliano Moralez goal over Huracan on the final day of competition. Velez […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
New Galaxy Striker Makes Immediate Impact
Alecko Eskandarian, who didn’t plan to start, scored a game-winning volley in his debut game to lift the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 1-0 win over the New England Revolution on Saturday. “When I was younger in my career, I probably wouldn’t have adapted well to this,” said Eskandarian, a former No. 1 overall draft […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beasley Needs a Break
It’s been a tough year for DaMarcus Beasley. The fleet-footed winger has found himself frozen out at the club level, with Rangers in Scotland, and a series of dismal showings for the United States national team have seen his stock plummet. The former Chicago Fire player is back home in Indiana for the next three […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
MLS on TV brings out excitement and drivel
I watched two rather different MLS games on Saturday. Both made enjoyable TV viewing: Columbus-D.C. United, for some intelligent soccer and for the ongoing attempt by both teams to play that way; while the Los Angeles-New England game, without offering much in the way of exalted soccer, created excitement from its physical qualities, its pace and commitment and so on.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
OBITUARY: Robert Louis-Dreyfus (1946-2009)
Robert Louis-Dreyfus, one of the most influential businessmen in European soccer over the last 20 years, died Saturday of leukemia at the age of 63. The French-born Swiss billionaire, cousin of American actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus and a graduate of Harvard’s business school, was president of French club Marseille.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Charleston moves into first place
[USL-1] Dan Antoniuk‘s goal in the 68th minute gave Charleston a 1-0 win Sunday at Montreal that moved the Battery into first place in the USL First Division ahead of idle Puerto Rico. For all the USL-1 results and goal scorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Marta takes over scoring lead
[WPS] There’s no stopping Los Angeles. Marta‘s goal in stoppage time, her league-leading ninth of the season, gave the Sol a 1-0 win at Washington. Los Angeles maintained its 17-point lead over St. Louis, a 1-0 winner at last-place FC Gold Pride. The third holiday weekend game also ended 1-0. Sky Blue FC’s win over visiting Boston drew the lowest crowd of the season: 1,878.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Results
A pair of road wins had a big impact on the conference races. The Chicago Fire moved into a tie with D.C. United in the Eastern Conference thanks to its 2-1 win at Colorado, while the Houston Dynamo opened up a four-point lead over Chivas USA with a 1-0 victory at Kansas City. For all the results …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Fire spoils show before record crowd
[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] The visiting Chicago Fire moved into a tie with D.C. United thanks to a 2-1 win at the Colorado Rapids before a record crowd of 19,680 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Sochaux eyes Davies
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Charlie Davies appears to headed to French club Sochaux if it can reach an agreement with the young U.S. striker’s Swedish club, Hammarby.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Mexico struggles against Nicaragua
[GOLD CUP] Mexico’s problems continued as it struggled to put away Nicaragua, playing for the first time at the Gold Cup, and lost young star Carlos Vela with an injury 10 minutes into the game in Oakland, Calif.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Rogers produces top performance
[USA-GRENADA REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney grades the U.S. players and comments on their performance in their 4-0 win over Grenada at the Gold Cup …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. dominated the flanks
[USA-GRENADA] In beating Grenada, 4-0, in its Gold Cup opener Saturday, the USA showed just how simple the game can be.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“It’s very difficult right now with a world crisis in the economy.”
— Mexico national team coach Javier Aguirre explaining the less-than-capacity crowd of Tri supporters at Oakland Coliseum on Sunday for the Tri’s lackluster 2-0 win over Nicaragua. (San Jose Mercury News)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Easy does it
[GOLD CUP] The USA cruised to a 4-0 win over Grenada in their opening game at the Gold Cup. The win in Seattle marked the 10th win in 10 Gold Cup opening games for the Americans, who are 23-0-1 in group play in the Gold Cup.