With FC Dallas making a quick and hasty exit from the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the
CONCACAF Champions League being a strong afterthought, many wondered when and if FCD would schedule
an international friendly. Well, it was reported earlier this week that the club would be playing
Mexican Primera Division side Club Leon in September but FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman said
nothing has been finalized as of yet.
Nearly 24 hours have passed since the LA Galaxy were bounced prematurely from the CONCACAF
Champions League, and I've decided that it is indeed a debacle.
This was something the Galaxy had invested heavily in, this tournament. The Galaxy fancy themselves
a global club, a brand, an identity that goes beyond your average MLS club.
As dream debuts go, David Estrada's was just about perfect. OK, so Wednesday's start against
Santos Laguna wasn't really a "debut" in the generally accepted sense of the word. Estrada has made
a handful of appearances and even made a couple of starts for the Seattle Sounders during his first
two seasons with the team.
There has been plenty of quality on display throughout Euro 2012 but there also haven't been
many surprises, leaving four of the continent's biggest sides still fighting for the chance to be
crowned champions.
Germany, Italy, Portugal and reigning champs Spain are the remaining teams who will look to
advance to the tournament finale in Kiev on June 1, a chance to be etched into European soccer
history looming for all.
In the end, yesterday's match in Lisbon proved to be more of an afterthought than anything else,
as the FA announcement of charges against Luis Suarez (along with FIFA and Sepp Blatter's pathetic
effort) dominated much of the conversation. Given that qualification to the first knockout round
was already secured for both sides, this one was maybe never likely to gather too much attention,
but it was too bad that the final round of the group stage coincided with a major non-development
in one of the more troubling storylines of the past few weeks.
At current pace, the Manchester Derby could settle right below Clasico levels in a few years
time. The spending and success on the blue side of town will only breed animosity, while history
still remains firmly in the red half of town.
Plus Carlos Tevez will be involved* and nothing fans the flames like a sign celebrating Fergie's
ultimate demise.
This game was anti-climatic in some ways. As discussed in the preview, the fighting spirit of a
relegation candidate could have been the only factor that made this a compelling contest. It was
nowhere to be seen. Wolves started in a somewhat diffident manner and the events of the opening 10
odd minutes virtually killed the contest.
This game was anti-climatic in some ways. As discussed in the preview, the fighting spirit of a
relegation candidate could have been the only factor that made this a compelling contest. It was
nowhere to be seen. Wolves started in a somewhat diffident manner and the events of the opening 10
odd minutes virtually killed the contest.
Neil Blackmon on the how little brother became all growns up.
Manchester City should glide past an injury-riddled Villarreal Wednesday in the Champion's
League. The success will pale in comparison to what was achieved across Manchester ten days
ago.
Gervinho to Score for Arsenal Against Blackburn | Never Captain Nicky Butt:The inimitable
Ibracadabra was definitely on the same page as Jeremy and me when he came up with his Funny Feeling
Friday pick for this week. Between the match-up, price and the fact that he's likely to be a bit of
an afterthought after 3 weeks riding the Premier League pine due to his Barton-gate induced
suspension you
As another Premiership campaign bullets down the stretch and Manchester United goes ahead by a
few horse lengths, so dribbles to closure the likely Premiership career of a peculiar one, Dimitar
Berbatov.
It's almost an incredulous that a player who was last year's co-Golden Boot winner 20 in the
Premiership last year to share the title with the one and only Carlos Tevez has become such an
afterthought both by his manager and by the ravenous English press.
The international club interest in David Beckham isn't going away, and the reports from around
the globe only figure to pick up steam as time elapses on the end of his current MLS contract.
The latest round includes a report from France, which states that Paris-St.
Liverpool 2:Suarez 23′, Downing 57′ Stoke City 1:Crouch 23′
Stewart Downing's second half strike sends Liverpool back to Anfield South for next month's FA
Cup semi-final, with the hosts narrowly getting past Stoke. First half goals from Luis Suarez and
Peter Crouch left the match level at the break, but a positive response after the restart proved
enough to give Liverpool the victory.
On a day that ended in such a frustratingly familiar fashion, one of the lone causes for
optimism was the return of Steven Gerrard. The captain's initial return effort earlier in the
season was cut short, leaving Liverpool with the task of forming an identity that didn't involve
the man who's been such an integral part of the club's success over the past thirteen years.
A flurry of late goals saw Chelsea rack up an impressive scoreline against Championship paupers
Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge, with Juan Mata sticking away Florent Malouda's cut-back just after
half-time before Ramires (85th and 87th minutes) and Frank Lampard (93rd) padded out the rout as
the clock dwindled down to nowt.
I had the feeling this supposedly intense season-ending derby would come off as an
afterthought.
And both teams played like it.
The Galaxy's unbeaten home record aside there was little at stake for either team in this
perfunctory performance unless you like counting shutouts or watching an old warhorse like Gregg
Berhalter finish out a career.
Cissé at Metz 2008/9. In all the numerous striker targets Newcastle United were linked with and
failed to "get over the line", one name seemed to be something of an afterthought, though according
to his current club, German Bundeliga side, Freiburg, Newcastle United actually did made a late bid
for Papiss Demba Cissé which [.
When the names read across the back of the shirt read Ozil, Kaka and Ronaldo, one expects the
spectacular from time to time. Or much of the time.
One of the continents great providers of technical footballers was given a lesson in skill and
fluidity today when Ronaldo poked in Real's absurd team goal with a finish which wasn't
insubstantial, but rendered a complete afterthought to the buildup.
Just about every league in Europe has their own privileged clubs, the biggest and most popular
teams loaded with money to spend and trophies shining in their cabinets. Italy is no exception.
Most Serie A seasons begin with pundits trying to decide which of the big clubs will win the
championship and which clubs will achieve the cash-rich prize of European qualification, while the
smaller clubs become almost an afterthought.
The du Nord Futbol Show Podcast Ep. 7 is ready - download or listen here.
dN
The BBC reports that Clint Dempsey wanted to go to Liverpool, and the club publicly stated their
interest but never made an offer. Fulham manager Martin Jol calls the situation "embarrassing.
Did the Olympics indicate that U.S. spectator sports fans are suffering burnout from college
football, college basketball, the NFL, NBA and MLB?
The television ratings for the Olympics were the best ever, but this fact doesn't necessarily
represent any correlation with the 'Big 3' U.S. spectator sports.
Rangers began what is billed as a stately progression through the leagues on Saturday. But, as
guest blogger Robbie Devine found out, Peterhead had other ideas.
Berwick, Chesterfield, Hamilton, Kaunus, Maribor.
At 2:30 on Saturday little Peterhead were on the verge of being added to that list as a side to
have ripped up the form book by humbling Rangers with a humiliating defeat.
Every week at the conclusion of the weekly #SoccerSpeakUSA Twitter Chat, Soccer Support
announces a ‘Tweeter of the Week' – someone who we felt gave the best insights and responses
during the hour and embodied what #SoccerSpeakUSA is setting out to achieve.
The winner of this award is then entitled to promote a blog, club or website through the Soccer
Support channels.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Hundreds of people clad in red and purple were on their feet. Some were banging
drums, others were chanting and a another group was cracking jokes at the referee who was
officiating the match being played right in front of their eyes.
Our friends over at New England Soccer Today are once again flexing their muscles and showing
off their superior sources, and today's piece does not disappoint. Few people were probably
expecting Monsef Zerka to return this season, but most were operating under the assumption that the
front office was at least making some attempt to bring him back at a reduced salary.
One of the more pleasing aspects of modern life is the plurality of media that is presented to
us. The internet has given us a plethora of options for reading, watching and listening that would
have been unimaginable twenty years ago, and we should be grateful for the fact that, no matter
what our particular inclinations might be, whether serious or irreverent, whether demanding fact or
fantasy, we will usually be able to find it, if we look hard enough.
When Sporting Kansas City and the Philadelphia Union square off at Livestrong Sporting Park
Friday night (8:30 p.m., Fox Soccer Channel), first place in the Eastern Conference will be up for
grabs. If the teams don't play to a draw, the winner will move into the conference's top spot.
Samuel Eto'o may have only been an Inter player for two seasons, but the legacy he leaves behind
will never be forgotten. "The Lion King" came to Inter in the summer of 2009, as somewhat of an
afterthought in the blockbuster Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Barcelona deal. Many people questioned how
the Nerazzurri were going to survive without the talent and skill of the Swede and if Eto'o would
be able to.
This column by Eric Giardini. Proof once again that he does, in fact, write for
TSG.
Messi is to Michael Jordan as Pastore is to Magic Johnson
At the conclusion of their 1-0 home loss to Lorient, jeers from the supporters rained down upon
the Paris Saint-Germain players as they left the pitch at the Parc de Princes.
This is definitely not the headline I was expecting to write. I first want to apologize for the
delay on this piece. I was in Chicago for the Fire game Saturday followed by the Cubs game Sunday.
While the Fire game was fun but the result was undesirable, the Cubs game was an oven sitting in
the sun (which I was).
