Photo by ISIphotos.com
North Korea showed plenty of determination and ability, but the U.S. Under-20 women's national
team finished its chances and played well enough defensively to make their two goals stand up as
tournament stars Sydney Leroux and Alex Morgan scored first-half goals to lead the United States to
a 2-1 win in the Under-20 women's World Cup final on Sunday in Chile.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
While the list of MLS Combine invitees has been released, you cannot get a real sense of how the
2009 MLS Draft might shake out until you see the Generation adidas players that will be in the
mix.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
Major League Soccer has taken its first step toward setting up what could be one of the deepest
drafts in recent memory by landing one of the college game's most coveted prospects.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
Ike Opara was widely-regarded as the best defender, and one of the best players available in the
2009 MLS Draft, but only if he actually entered the draft.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
One week down and three to go as we slowly move toward the 2009 MLS Draft in St. Louis and every
passing week produces more information, more names and more scenarios we could see come draft day
on Jan.
While it may just feel like yesterday when the Columbus Crew were lifting the MLS Cup trophy, it
is already time to think about the 2009. The 2009 MLS Draft is just a month away, meaning it isn't
too early to start thinking about how the draft may turn out once the league's 15 teams are done
with what is being considered a deep and talented draft class.
Serbian national team coach Radomir Antic has claimed victory in the chase to land Neven
Subotic, stating that the defender has chosen to play for Serbia rather than the United
States.
There has still been no public declaration from Subotic on the matter but Antic's public
announcement sounds more legitimate than the previous reports that surfaced last month saying
Subotic would play for Serbia.
Photo
by ISIphotos.com
Major League Soccer released the list of 65 players it has invited to the 2009 MLS Player
Combine, set for January 9-13 at Lockhart Stadium in Ft.
Photo
by ISIphotos.com
At this time of year, you can usually expect your share of Christmas and other holiday
cards in your mailbox.
If you were to take a poll asking people who the best defenders in MLS are, the list would
include each of the following names:
-
Chad Marshall
-
Michael Parkhurst
-
Bakary Soumare
-
Bobby Boswell
At least three of those names enjoyed career-type seasons while the fourth, Parkhurst, still
played at a very high level.
The funny folks from I'm On Setanta Sports were going to have a hard time topping last
week's episode, and while this week's installment of IOSS wasn't as funny, it still provides plenty
of laughes.
Enjoy:
Top Lines of the Clip:
-
Yours sincerely, Danny Shittu
-
Rafa Benitez has just asked Spurs if they can take back Robbie Keane
-
He's here, he's der, he's swearing everywhere, Joe Kin-near, Joe Kin-near
-
I threw the game against Porto?
What is a Designated Player slot worth?
Two years ago, when the New York Red Bulls acquired Chivas USA's DP slot, it cost a former MLS
MVP in Amado Guevara. Last year, when D.C. United acquired Colorado's DP slot, the cost was as
former MVP (Christian Gomez) and a first-round pick.
In the on-going battle for playing time, some of the U.S. national team's top young players
enjoyed good weeks.
From Michael Bradley, who earned a start in Borussia Moenchengladbach's loss to Borussia
Dortmund, to Jozy Altidore, who played significant minutes in a crucial match against Sevilla for
Villarreal, there was definitely some progress to be made on at least a few Americans Abroad
fronts.
For Steven Gerrard, apparently beating up on Newcastle wasn't enough.
Gerrard was arrested late on Sunday night and charged with assault after alledgedly being
involved in a bar fight. He was one of six men arrested after what police called an
"early-morning dsturbance."
There aren't that many details on incident, but it looks as though neither Joey Barton and Joe
Kinnear were involved in the fracas (Yes, that was a joke).
Photo
by ISIphotos.com
Just when you thought the tradition of the USA home World Cup qualifier against Mexico being
played in Columbus, Ohio would be upheld this year, now comes word from ESPN Deportes' John
Sutcliffe that the Feb.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
With Christmas just a few hours away, and way too much negativity simmering following Neven
Subotic's decision to play for Serbia, I felt it was time to remind everybody about a player who
did choose the U.
All four favorites won their Elite Eight match-ups in today's NCAA Men's Tournament action,
setting up a loaded Final Four. Three ACC teams and Big East power St. John's will make up the
field that will battle for the NCAA title next weekend in Frisco, Texas.
Defending champions Wake Forest thrashed South Florida, 5-0, as five different goal-scorers
provided the difference.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
For those of you who missed it, here is a piece I wrote for ESPN.com this morning on ten top MLS
transfer targets this winter. It is a group of ten MLS players who European clubs could and very
likely will make moves for when the January transfer window opens up.
Argentine soccer has reached uncharted territory after victories by Boca Juniors, San Lorenzo
and Tigres on the last weekend of the regular season set-up an improbable three-way tie atop the
Apertura Standings.
Boca Juniors cruised to a 3-2 victory against Colon, San Lorenzo squeezed out a 1-0 win against
Argentinos Junior and Tigre held on for a 1-0 victory against Banfield.
By ISIphotos.com
Toronto's prodigal son is heading home.
Pulling off the biggest trade in its young history, Toronto FC has landed Canadian national team
star and three-time MLS Cup champion Dwayne DeRosario in a trade from the Houston Dynamo.
Good evening folks. If you are like me (and are digging out of an East Coast snow storm) you
might be sitting at home after some snow shoveling wishing there was some MLS news to read. While
it is a slow time of year, with plenty of team officials (and journalists) going in vacation, there
is always news to be found and nuggets of info to pass along.
Hello all and welcome to the newest installment of Your Questions Answered, where I provide
answers to your soccer-related questions.
We had another record-setting number of questions, but I think I will be able to respond to them
all more quickly than the past few Q&A sessions so stay tuned for all the installments.
The always hilarious I'm on Setanta Sports comes through with the first "exclusive"
interview with Roy Keane since his departure from Sunderland. Enjoy:
Top Lines of the clip:
"It's the Gene Hackman."
"He's big, he's red, he's jolly, and he's usually gone by Christmas.
Photo
by ISIphotos.com
With 2008 winding to a close, and 2009 just around the corner, it is time to start thinking
about the January U.
College soccer players and pro prospects hoping to be drafted by MLS teams this winter
will have a lot fewer opportunities for that to happen.
MLS has decided to scrap the MLS Supplemental Draft, multiple sources confirmed to SBI on
Thursday. The four-round draft was an annual event which usually followed a week after the MLS
Draft.
Good afternoon folks. Hope you are all enjoying some time off around the holidays, and if you're
one of the people who have faced the horror of flight delays and bad weather, good luck on your
travels.
This won't be your standard Ticker, moreso just a chance to catch you all up on the latest.
DaMarcus Beasley could be looking for work soon, and the potential search for employment has him
eyeing a return to Major League Soccer.
Rangers is ready to part ways with the U.S. national team winger in January and sources tell SBI
that Beasley is looking for a return to MLS, but his asking price might prevent the reunion from
happening.
The U.S. Under-20 women's national team's game against North Korea in the Under-20 Women's
World Cup final on Sunday will be aired live on ESPN2 and Galavision at 4pm.
The Americans reached the final thanks to a 1-0 victory against Germany while North Korea booked
its place courtesy of a 2-1, overtime victory against France.
Photo by St. John's Athletic Communications
By DYLAN BUTLER
Cradling the ball in his arms, Nelson Becerra had many thoughts swirling around his head.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
While the list of MLS Combine invitees has been released, you cannot get a real sense of how the
2009 MLS Draft might shake out until you see the Generation adidas players that will be in the
mix.
by GIANFRANCO PANIZO
There's no place like home.
Mexican midfielder Pavel Pardo is the latest poster boy for that notion. The
32-year-old recently inked a deal with Mexican club America, where he played from
1999-2006, from German Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
Hello all. It's time for the latest installment of Your Questions Answered. There are still a
bunch of questions to be answered from the November Q&A, but I'm hoping to knock them out all this
week.
The race to land Oguchi Onyewu in the winter transfer period is heating up and a pair of French
clubs are battling for his services.
Multiple reports out of France have Olympique Marseille and Paris St. Germain lining up bids for
the U.S. national team defender, which could make for a tense few weeks.
After a week of rumors that it would not be the venue, Columbus has emerged yet again as the
choice to host the U.S. men's national team's biggest rivalry.
The opening match of the Hexagonal round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying between the
United States and Mexico will be played at Crew Stadium on Feb.
Nobody ever said things would be easy for Freddy Adu, but things are starting to get really
tough for the young American playmaker.
Struggling badly for playing time for AS Monaco all season, Adu took the field late in a match
Monaco was leading 3-2 against Bordeaux. A pair of Adu mistakes later, Monaco was dealt a painful
4-3 loss by Bordeaux and viewers in America watching on Setanta Sports were left wondering if, and
when, things would start to turn around for Adu.
When the New England Revolution drafted former Duke standout Mike Videira last year, it was seen
as a hopeful pick on a first-round talent who was determined to play in Europe. That second-round
pick isn't looking like such a waste now.
The Revs announced the signing of Videira on Monday, almost a full year after drafting him with
the 18th overall pick in the 2008 MLS Draft.
For those of you who have missed it, ESPN Classic has begun airing ESPN Soccernett Press Pass
every Monday and Friday at 7pm. Hosted by Adrian Healey and including New England head coach Steve
Nicol, Tommy Smyth and Janusz Mchallik, the show is one of the best you will see discussing
American soccer.
When TSG Hoffenheim, the first place team in the German Bundesliga, takes on second-place Bayern
Munich on Friday, it will be led by the current goal-scoring leader in Germany. A player who just
admitted that if certain things had gone differently, he might have been playing for the U.
Tournament scoring leader Sydney Leroux notcher her fifth goal of the tournament to help give
the U.S. Under-20 women's national a 1-0 victory against Germany in the Under-20 World Cup
semifinals in Chile on Thursday.
Leroux finished off a Nikki Washington cross from close range for the only score of the
match.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
Major League Soccer has taken its first step toward setting up what could be one of the deepest
drafts in recent memory by landing one of the college game's most coveted prospects.
