Soccer America Archives

[MLS PREDICTIONS] Of the six games scheduled for Week 15, the two played in midweek feature intraconference matchups of teams in the middle with those nearer the bottom.

[SUPERLIGA] Chicago won its second straight SuperLiga game by a 1-0 score Tuesday night at Toyota Park to take command of Group A, and San Luis scored goals in rapid succession as it kept alive hopes of advancing by beating Mexican rival UNL (Tigres), 3-1. The Fire (2-0-0) downed MLS foe Chivas USA (0-2-0) on a goal in the 35th minute by Justin Mapp, who started in a reserve-laden team. Chicago needs only a tie in its final group game Saturday against UNL (1-1-0) to reach the semifinals. Tigres (1-1-0) may need to beat Chivas USA, which holds out a slim hope of advancing if it can win and UNL loses.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] As a reward for stunning Egypt, 3-0, in its final group game and squeaking into the semifinals, the USA gets a date with European champion Spain, whose run of 15 straight wins includes a 1-0 victory over the Americans just over a year ago. And, apparently, Spain coach Vincente del Bosque has a higher opinion of the U.S. team than do many American fans.

[USL TEAMS OF THE WEEK] Puerto Rico’s Bill Gaudette, the 2008 USL-1 Goalkeeper of the Year who posted back-to-back shutouts over league-leading Charleston, and Harrisburg’s Tiyi Shipalane, who had two goals and an assist in 4-0 win over Real Maryland, earned the USL First Division and Second Division Player of the Week honors, respectively. For the USL-1 and USL-2 Teams of the Week …

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] The USA faces Spain in the semifinals of the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa on Wednesday. Brazil meets South Africa on Thursday. The third-place game and final are on Sunday. For the tournament’s complete television schedule and results…

[OFF THE POST] With Gimnasia La Plata fighting against relegation from the Argentine First Division, its fans have taken most peculiar measures: praying at the tombs of former Argentina presidents Juan Domingo Peron and Raul Alfonsin, and former club president, Saturnino Perdriel, and leaving gifts and flowers.

[MEXICO] Having lost three of its first five games in the final round of World Cup qualifying, Mexico will be trying to find its form in the USA. First with a pair of friendlies, including a Wednesday clash in Atlanta with Venezuela (7 pm ET, Telemundo), and then the Gold Cup. Coach Javier Aguirre, who split his first two games, losing at Costa Rica and beating Trinidad & Tobago, has named a 23-man roster that includes only two foreign-based players.

[MLS] David Beckham, who makes his reluctant return to the Los Angeles Galaxy in July, was paid “substantial undisclosed damages” by The Daily Star because it falsely claimed that he “made a play” for Hungarian model Mariann Fogarasy. In April, the UK tabloid headlined a front-page story with “Becks & The Blonde Beauty” and “Topless model claims she was chatted up by footie star.” The Daily Star retracted the allegations and promised not to repeat them.

[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] When the USA faces Spain in the semifinals (Wednesday, 2:30 pm ET, Univision & ESPN) it will try to end the European champion’s international record of 15-consecutive wins. Spain will aim to surpass Brazil’s record 35-game unbeaten streak.

[MLS] “After a week off to complete its obligations in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, Toronto FC resumes its MLS schedule Wednesday against New York at BMO Field.” That bland, generic followup to last week’s match at Stade Saputo in Montreal would have sufficed, except that TFC didn’t go gentle into the good night of heroic yet futile performance. It blasted the Impact, 6-1, overturning a hefty advantage held by Vancouver in goal difference to nudge past the Whitecaps into the 2009-10 Concacaf Champions’ League as the Canadian representative.

[OFF THE POST] Peruvian club Universitario was robbed of 90 pairs of cleats and 50 shorts, which were stolen from its locker room at the Lima’s Monumental stadium.

[GOLD CUP] The USA has named a preliminary 30-man roster for the Gold Cup from which Coach Bob Bradley will pick 23 players for the July 3-26 tournament.