[HEXAGONAL] Mexico returns to the friendly confines of Azteca Stadium, where it faces Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday in Mexico City in a battle of the last two teams in Concacaf’s World Cup 2010 qualifying group. Big changes are expected after the Tri lost its fourth straight qualifier on the road Saturday. Of perhaps more importance to the USA’s hopes of qualifying for South Africa is Wednesday’s other Hexagonal match between Honduras and El Salvador. A tie or El Salvador win would very much be the USA’s interest.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Best of the West meet in Texas
[MLS PREDICTION] Western Conference leader Chivas USA will take a break from league play starting June 20 for the SuperLiga, but first has a tough road date Wednesday in Houston and another in Columbus Sunday, and thus needs points. The second-place Dynamo is riding an eight-game unbeaten streak and with two games in hand can close to within three points of the conference lead by winning.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Brazil looks to overtake Paraguay
[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Before Brazil heads to the Confederations Cup, where it will face the USA, it hosts Paraguay Wednesday in a clash of the South American qualifying group leaders. For more on the Brazil-Paraguay showdown in Recife and a listing of all of Wednesday’s qualifiers on television …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Quakes shake up roster
[MLS] If it ain’t broke, so goes the adage, don’t fix it. But if it is, as in the case of the San Jose Earthquakes, well, get to fixin’. They’ve sent away a veteran defender and possible targets include an England international.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“So far, there have only been speculations. There is nothing concrete and I haven’t received any offers. The only thing I can say is that Barcelona are a great team and everybody would love to play for them.”
— Manchester City’s Brazilian star Robinho. (Goal.com)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Winner gets the watts
[OFF THE POST] Harvard student Jessica Lin designed a soccer ball that captures impact energy when the ball is kicked and stores it to charge lights and batteries. Lin and her team of students received a grant from the Clinton Global Initiative University to bring the energy balls to Nigerian farmers.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Mexico Fears Fan Boycott
Nestor de la Torre, president of the commission for Mexico's national teams, has asked the press not to encourage Tricolor fans to boycott Mexico's upcoming World Cup qualifying match against Trinidad and Tobago. "We are in the same boat to go together to the World Cup and to be encouraging situations that divide I do […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Newcastle Misery Compounded by Joke Offers
Newcastle United has been inundated with joke offers after owner Mike Ashley invited anyone interested in buying the club to make contact via email. Supporters of Newcastle's local rivals, Sunderland, took particular delight in responding to a statement on the relegated club's website which said that potential purchasers could go through the unusual process of […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Scolari Gets Job in Uzbekistan
Former Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has been named coach of Bunyodkor, the Uzbek champion announced on Tuesday. The 60-year-old former Brazil World Cup-winning coach, who was sacked by the London club in February, has agreed an 18-month contract with the Uzbek side. "Uzbek soccer is on an upswing right now while Bunyodkor is a […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Argentina Needs Altitude Adjustment
Argentina, beaten 6-1 by Bolivia at 3,600 meters (11,811 feet) above sea level in April, faces another high-altitude World Cup qualifier in Ecuador on Wednesday. Coach Diego Maradona appeared to underestimate the effects of the altitude against Bolivia. The result marked the team’s heaviest defeat in 15 years and Lionel Messi was among players who […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Madrid Get Kaka; Cristiano Ronaldo is next?
Immediately after completing the $96 million capture of Kaka, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez warned Manchester United that Cristiano Ronaldo was next on his hit list. Perez said last week that he would not jeapordize his relationship with United to sign Ronaldo, but he appeared in a bullish mood after the success of the Kaka […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beasley Enters Crucial Summer Stretch
At 27 years of age, DaMarcus Beasley should be in his athletic prime. However, the Fort Wayne native, once a "golden child" of U.S. soccer, finds himself at a crossroads. Although he played every minute of the first four matches of World Cup qualifying, Beasley has failed to find a consistent position. Against Honduras, Beasley […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Grumpy Sounders Steer Off Course
“Seattle Sounders FC seems to be following Macaulay Culkin‘s career path, and that’s not a great thing,” writes Don Ruiz of The Olympian. “The former child star of ‘Home Alone’ quickly grew from cute little kid that everybody loved into a less-likable adolescent who just made everybody miss the cute little kid he used to […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Italy prepares for opener against USA
[CONFEDERATIONS CUP] Italy arrived in South Africa and immediately got down to work preparing for Monday’s opener against USA at the Confederations Cup in Pretoria. The defending World Cup champion’s squad is a mixture of veterans — including 12 2006 World Cup champions — and young players — notably American-born Giuseppe Rossi and 18-year-old defender Davide Santon.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Barros Schelotto takes share of scoring lead
[MLS BY THE NUMBERS] Columbus’ Argentine striker Guillermo Barros Schelotto took a share of the league scoring lead with his pair of strikes last weekend to down Kansas City. He is the only foreigner in the top seven. Houston’s Brad Davis leads the league in assists.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS clubs test their depth
[MLS] Coping with international absences last week tested the depth of numerous MLS teams, and of those that passed the tests there was at least one major surprise. Despite being deprived of important players, Houston (Ricardo Clark, Brian Ching) and Chivas USA (Sacha Kljestan, Jonathan Bornstein) both won, by narrow 1-0 scores, against Chicago and Seattle, respectively, heading into their meeting Wednesday at Robertson Stadium.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Red Bulls’ Road Woes
[MLS BY THE NUMBERS] With last weekend’s 4-0 loss at New England, the New York Red Bulls tied the league record for consecutive road games without a win at 19, their 0-13-6 road record dating back to May 2008. This season, the Bulls are scoreless and 0-6-1 on the road. Two other teams are winless on the road.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“I didn’t sleep last night. I’m not going to sleep probably tonight, and I expect them to be thinking long and hard about it.”
— Kansas City Wizards coach Curt Onalfo the day after his team fell, 2-0, at home to the Columbus Crew. (Kansas City Star)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Barnes leaves Reggae Boyz for English club job
[JAMAICA] Less than a month before the start of the Gold Cup, former England star John Barnes quit as Jamaica’s national team coach. Minutes after the Reggae Boyz’s 3-2 win over Panama on Sunday night in Kingston, Barnes announced that he was leaving to become manager of English third division club Tranmere Rovers.
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Hexagonal demands stretch MLS players
Contrary to popular belief, there’s a very good reason for U.S. coach Bob Bradley not to rely on every MLS player who might be playing well when it comes to assembling a squad for Hexagonal qualifiers. In many cases, they don’t measure up.
Posted inSoccer on TV., Story
Soccer on TV
World Cup 2010 qualifying continues in the midweek. After a shocking loss to El Salvador, Mexico tries to get back on track on Wednesday as it hosts Trinidad & Tobago. Red-hot Houston hopes to close the gap on Chivas USA on Wednesday in the MLS Game of the Week. The FIFA Confederations Cup starts on Sunday. The USA faces Italy the following Monday. Look for updates in Wednesday’s and Friday’s Soccer on TV.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
DeMerit Enjoys Minutes in Chicago
"It's always special. Chicago is a special place for me. Chicago is where I learned to play soccer. Coming from Green Bay, I didn't necessarily grow up as a soccer player but I learned how to be a professional and the skills I needed to make it as a pro. I hold this place special […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Icelandic Management Company Takes West Ham
West Ham has been taken over by an asset management company, CB Holdings, a subsidiary of its main creditor, the Icelandic bank Straumur. The club had been up for sale but unable to find a buyer. The move to Straumur, which former West Ham owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson reportedly owed $160 million, should safeguard the club's […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Toronto FC to Face River Plate
Toronto FC announced its second friendly game of the season on Saturday, facing Argentine club River Plate on July 22. This game, following hot on the heels of the announcement of the visit of Real Madrid on Aug. 7, will be inclusive of Toronto FC season ticket packages, and will represent the annual Carlsberg Cup […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Beckenbauer: Bayern Should Settle Ribery Situation
Bayern Munich should offer French playmaker Franck Ribery a contract extension or allow him to leave as speculation about a move to Real Madrid is rife, club president Franz Beckenbauer said on Monday. “I only see two solutions – Ribery extends his contract to end any talk of a transfer or we offer his release,” […]