The USA beat South Africa, 1-0, in Cape Town on Wednesday thanks to a goal by Juan Agudelo, who at age 17 became the youngest player in history to score for the U.S. national team.
The Colombian-born Agudelo, one of five players making their U.S. debut, volleyed home off the underside of the crossbar after receiving a return pass from 20-year-old Mikkel Diskerud, like Agudelo also a second-half sub and debutant.

Professional soccer player in Belgium, MLS youth academy product, Jersey guy, columnist? Either way you look at it, Nicholas (Niko) Gkionis makes for an interesting case study. His recent guest column in this space attracted a lively debate. Now ASN delves a bit deeper with this Q&A, querying the 24-year old on everything from national team allegiance, his future plans (including a mid-season move to MLS?

In the past few weeks on The Winning Ugly Radio Show, various supporters of FC Dallas have used the show to call me a traitor and attack my decision to cease supporting FC Dallas (this happened over a year a go for the record) and my subsequent decision to support the Houston Dynamo. On this week's Winning Ugly show I used my extra time to answer my critics and throw down the proverbial gauntlet against those who tarnish my name.

Jermaine Jones has never been afraid of a bit of controversy. In 2004, he took a fairly softball question, "Are there any gay footballers in the Bundesliga?" (Easy answer: I don't know) and turned it into a major story when he answered "Hopefully not". Classy. He's also somewhat infamous for his relationship, or lack thereof, with the fans of his former club, Eintracht Frankfurt, where he announced he was leaving with a post on the club's bulletin board.

I still remember my first ever live game on the television. It was the game that changed my life forever. The game made me swore my allegiance to a club that is 10,500 kilometres away from where I live. It was in 1991 when I first watched the North London Derby. Although Arsenal ended up as the losing side on that day, I knew they were the team for me.

It's a situation that the north London rivals probably wish will never happen to them. Fans of the Emirates and White Hart Lane variety will always fear that if/when they produce offspring they will decide their allegiance lies with the wrong side. Arsenal and Tottenham fans should never therefore breed together.

It was the marquee signing that announced that Manchester City had money to burn and were determined to usurp the comfy old pals act at the top of the Premiership. Fans flocked to Eastlands in tea-towels to show their new Arabic allegiance and the shock that seemed to follow such a transfer.

Proving that jazz hands really do make the world a better place, take a look at Cameroon captain Samuel Eto'o and Nigerian NT player Chinedu Obasi. They're modeling the first-ever continental football kit during what seems to be A Chorus Line rehearsal breaks.

The kits were created to raise awareness of the International Year of Biodiversity.

Having made waves recently for considering a switch of national affiliation, former Bradenton resident and US U-17 national team pool member Dustin Corea says his international allegiance is still up in the air, even as he hopes to start a pro career in Serie A.

In this series, we look at some of the truly amazing heads of hair that have graced the field for the U.S. over the years...

This entry in our series is basically just to serve as a reminder that Brad Friedel did, in fact, once have hair. Friedel is significant in the history of US Soccer hair because he served as goalkeeper during a time of great transition for the Federation.

Despite some of the rumors floating around yesterday that Rooney would feature in the second leg of the Bayern game today, Fergie has said there's "no chance". I must say this is quite a relief. It's not good to rush anyone back from injury, it won't benefit United in the long run, it won't benefit England, and it certainly won't benefit Rooney.

U.S. Coach Bob Bradley will reveal the final 23-man roster at 1 p.m. on SportsCenter.

All the players selected for the tournament in South Africa will be on the ESPN campus for the announcement.

From the U.S. Soccer press release:

Tournament rules require that the final 23-man roster be submitted by June 1 to FIFA.

People are getting ready for the World Cup in Port-au-Prince. This is a country where taptaps are decorated to reflect the drivers' allegiance (to Brazil or Argentina) or even to honor a particular player, and where cell phone companies put up billboards with the national team that proclaim "One People.

Winston Reid, on the wrong end when he allowed Robert Vittek to get in front of him to head home Stanislav Sestak's cross made amends in stoppage time when he found the net with his header of Shane Smeltz's cross. It was history making for the Kiwi nation.

Reid appeared for Denmark in the U21 team making 10 appearances with his performances potentially earning him further national squad representation.

Ava Carlsson may only be a few days old, but her parents have her heading the right direction

D.C. United is renowned for having the most loyal supporters in Major League Soccer, and from the look of things our fans are starting earlier every year.

Damn y'all. If I hadn't already pledged allegiance to MLS and the Taurine Army I might be more than a little curious to see what this whole soccer thing was about after watching this promo clip outta Portland. Nice job of trimming out the fat (notice there isn't a single shot of DSG Park or Gillette Stadium in there) and leaving nothing but the more savory aspects of MLS.

In his recent interview with Sky Sports, former Liverpool owner Tom Hicks made a series of statement relating to his tenure at the club. In this new series, I will examine the veracity of his claims, using documentary evidence where possible.
I have no allegiance to Hicks, Gillett, or indeed anyone at LFC.

Reports today are suggesting that West Ham's Mark Noble has decided to switch his international allegiance from England to Ireland.
The 23 year old central midfielder has played all his youth and first team football for West Ham and despite his still relatively young age, is their longest serving player, joining the club as a full time trainee in the summer of 2003 and making his first team debut at the age of 17 in the Carling Cup against Southend in 2004.

Proving that jazz hands really do make the world a better place, take a look at Cameroon captain Samuel Eto'o and Nigerian NT player Chinedu Obasi. They're modeling the first-ever continental football kit during what seems to be A Chorus Line rehearsal breaks.

The kits were created to raise awareness of the International Year of Biodiversity.

Could Anfield be set for one hell of a managerial switch?

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Rafael Benítez declines to commit to Liverpool and rule out Juventus move
• Benítez cagey on his future following dour draw with Wolves
• Juventus ready to present him with manager's contract

Rafael Benitez is believed to be Juventus's first choice to become their new manager.

Ireland have named three uncapped players in their squad for next week's friendly against Brazil, including Scots-born Wigan midfielder James McCarthy. McCarthy, who last month turned down the chance to pledge his allegiance to the country of his birth, joins another 19-year-old, Manchester City defender Greg Cunningham, and Portsmouth defender Marc .

So after United insipid capitulation at the hands of German tormentors, tonight we get stuck into the main course. What's not to love? Surely the promise of an encounter such as this is why we all fell for football as youngsters. Tonight we will witness two teams who raison d'etre is to Play The Game The Right Way.

So after United insipid capitulation at the hands of German tormentors, tonight we get stuck into the main course. What's not to love? Surely the promise of an encounter such as this is why we all fell for football as youngsters. Tonight we will witness two teams who raison d'etre is to Play The Game The Right Way.

Juventus will not concede defeat in the race for Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez, as they cling onto a line of hope to reel him in.
Il Corriere Dello Sport claims Juventus have been left with just one main target - Benitez - after Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli pledged his allegiance to the Tuscan side.

It gives Us@11G, immense pleasure to bring before you, views from the largest Arsenal Group on Facebook, courtesy Adam Esker, a founder admin of the same. With over 75,000 active members to date, this is by far the best place for any Gooner to vent out his rant & rile regarding his l.o.v.e called Arsenal.

My affair with Chelsea began when I watched a little man who went by the name of Gianfranco Zola, a man famously described as a "clever little so-and-so". It was either his intelligence on the pitch or his five foot five tall stature. I'm not quite sure. But I was infatuated at first sight.

But, what started out as an off and on thing, with me catching a couple of games now and then, heck I couldn't name most clubs in the league in those days, turned into a more serious relationship, not with the arrival of Mourinho, but rather ironically, with the arrival of some very annoying United fans to my high school.

Motherwell star Jim O`Brien has confirmed that he is switching his allegiance back to Scotland, after originally declaring for the Republic of Ireland.

Following a 4-0 steamrolling by the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday afternoon at Qwest Field, Seattle Sounders FC's management has decided to issue a refund for the game to their season-ticket holders. General manager Adrian Hanauer shot off an angry statement on Sunday calling the loss 'not good enough,' 'embarrassing,' and 'humiliating,' among other adjectives and offered up the 1-game refund, which will come in the form of a credit against next year's ticket package for those STH's who choose to renew.

The good thing with the ideology behind this website is the fact that unless we're dealt an absolute sucker punch of a sock to the jaw, one of the four of us writers is going to be celebrating a league win, minimum. Yeah, you have your once in a Blackburn Moon years and that is even rarer than a Blue Moon.

As most of you know, on June 12, 2010 in Rustenburg, South Africa at Royal Bafokeng Stadium, the United States and England will meet for the first time in the World Cup finals since the US beat England 1-0 at Estádio Independência in Belo Horizonte, Brazil in 1950. The June 12th match with England is arguably the most anticipated World Cup finals match in America since the US and Mexico faced each other in the Round of Sixteen during the 2002 World Cup finals.

The Corrigan Brothers are claiming Wayne Rooney as an Irish football hero. And you thought Ireland wasn't in the World Cup!

Wayne Rooney's parents are Irish, so fair enough. How much weight should place of birth get in matters of allegiance, anyway? After all, Rooney was born in Liverpool.

Does the fanfare around the World Cup matches have you itchin' to place some money with your allegiance? If so, it's important to remember that the global competition can bring out the shadiest of con artists and hackers.
VASCO Data Security is a leader in online authentication productions, and they want to make sure you know the who, what, where and how much when it comes to your bets.

As you can read here! Thanks to Marshal Zeringue for inviting me to take it.

Meanwhile, France begins in usual form, with a 0-0 draw. You have to have a strong soul to be a fan of the French team, I think. (A bit of self-congratulation is one way to get through the trials of the World Cup).

Jermaine Jones scored in the 49th minute to help Schalke to a 2-1 victory over Hamburg on Saturday in the semifinal of the LIGA total! Cup, a match that marked the debut of forward Raul for Schalke.

Jones is a 28-year-old midfielder with an American father. He was approved by FIFA last October to switch allegiance from Germany to the United States but missed the entire season because of a shin injury.

Amauri has his problems. For the past two years he's been all but terrible, a static striker who makes Gilardino look like Fernando Torres (pre World Cup form, mind you). He also wavers on where his allegiance lies constantly, claiming one day that he wants to play for Brazil, and another that he was to play for Italy.

Ava Carlsson may only be days old, but her parents have her heading in the right direction

D.C. United is renowned for having the most loyal supporters in Major League Soccer, and from the look of things our fans are starting earlier every year.

Ava may only be 8 days old, but she supports the Black-and-Red

D.C. United is renowned for having the most loyal supporters in Major League Soccer, and from the look of things our fans are starting earlier every year. Ava Carlsson had this photo taken when she was only eight days old, and it is fairly clear where her soccer allegiance lies.

England's tightened its tentacles on the 2018 World Cup as Octopus Paul was announced as ambassador to their bid.

Paul of course gained notoriety in the recently concluded World Cup for predicting all of Germany's matches correctly including the win against England. In the final he picked Spain over Netherlands which conferred upon him honorary citizenship of that country.

By the Coach (who has an allegiance to West Ham)There is a very strong paradox in English football. It is called West Ham United. Over the years the famous East London club is providing some of the best talent in English football and yet its performance is one of mediocrity, to say the least. Why is this paradox?

I've received an email from Eddie Taylor looking for some insight into Leeds United's Scottish connection.
Obviously I am far, far too young to remember the 1970's heyday of United. So if you've got any particular recollections or information add a comment or contact me and I'll pass them on to Eddie:
I'm writing for the official Leeds United magazine on the club's seemingly unbreakable Scottish connection – paricularly as we've just signed two more Scots, Ross McCormack and Neil Collins.