Men's Games
San Diego State 2 UCLA 2
Palos Verdes Estates' Kyle Nakazawa scored one and created the other for the Bruins (6-1-2) Sunday. It was Nakazawa's team-leading eighth of the season and his fifth consecutive game with a goal. UCLA goalkeeper Brian Perk was taken to hospital with an eye injury.

Click to continue reading...

With J Hutcherson -- By way of a preview for this afternoon's Under-20 World Cup game, the United States can't be expected to turn into the kind of team that will put on a display of free-flowing soccer. Though there are perfectly good players in the US squad, it's simply not the group that's going to play better than the individual positions. Click to continue reading...

While having to pick the ball out of his net three times against Germany, U-20 keeper Brian Perk still sees the team's second half performance as a silver lining for the rest of the tournament. Click to continue reading...

Â

The U.S. Under-20 men's national team begins World Cup play today against Germany (10am, ESPN Classic) knowing that points are vital from this match in order to help qualifying out of a loaded group that includes Cameroon and South Korea.

The Americans will be looking to improve on a quarterfinal appearance for the 2007 U.

Click to continue reading...

• Manchester United get more injury time when they need it according to Guardian ~ http://bit.ly/BzCRV #
• RT @MissouriStBears: BEARS men's soccer headed to Dallas for This Weekend's SMU Classic http://bit.ly/xQUcm #
• Get your Champions League & EPL fix via Hulu, now streaming highlights ~ http://bit.

Click to continue reading...

• Manchester United get more injury time when they need it according to Guardian ~ http://bit.ly/BzCRV #
• RT @MissouriStBears: BEARS men's soccer headed to Dallas for This Weekend's SMU Classic http://bit.ly/xQUcm #
• Get your Champions League & EPL fix via Hulu, now streaming highlights ~ http://bit.

Click to continue reading...

I know there was an AFT yesterday. And here's another while I try to think of a good Top 5 List topic...#1 - ESPN has tabbed 11 guys to watch at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. If you hadn't guessed by now, the American inclusion is a bit of a surprise: keeper Brian Perk.I was planning a similar article tomorrow at S365, but have now seen several of these around. Click to continue reading...

I previewed Wednesday's Chivas USA-CD Guadalajara game Wednesday at the Rose Bowl. Read the column here.

BTW, two Chivas USA players - Gerson Mayen and Jorge Flores - won't play because they, along with UCLA goalkeeper Brian Perk and midfielder Michael Stevens, are in Egypt preparing for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup that starts Thursday.

Click to continue reading...

GOALKEEPERS Sean Johnson (Central Florida), Josh Lambo (FC Dallas), Brian Perk (UCLA)
DEFENDERS Gale Agbossoumonde (Miami FC Blues), Kyle Davies (FC Dallas), Aaron Maund (Notre Dame), Ike Opara (Wake Forest), Anthony Wallace (FC Dallas), Sheanon Williams (No Club)
MIDFIELDERS Danny Cruz (Houston Dynamo), Mikkel Diskerud (Stabaek), Dilly Duka (No Club), Jorge Flores (Chivas USA), Jared Jeffrey (Club Brugge), Brian Ownby (Virginia), Dillon Powers (Notre Dame), Michael Stephens (UCLA)
FORWARDS Sam Garza (Denver), Peri Marosevic (FC Dallas), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Tony Taylor (Jacksonville)

Click to continue reading...

Unlike the senior team, Coach Rongen is announcing his roster almost a month before the first match of the U-20 World Cup. Yup, kick off for the Americans in this youth World Cup is September 25th.
GOALKEEPERS - Sean Johnson (Central Florida), Josh Lambo, Brian Perk (UCLA)
DEFENDERS - Gale Agbossoumonde, Kyle Davies, Jorge Flores, Ike Opara (Wake Forest), Anthony Wallace, Sheanon Williams
MIDFIELDERS - Daniel Cruz, Mikkel Diskerud, Dilly Duka (Rutgers), Jared Jeffrey, Aaron Maund (Notre Dame), Brian Ownby (Virginia), Dillon Powers (Notre Dame), Michael Stephens (UCLA)
FORWARDS - Sam Garza (Denver), Peri Marosevic, Brek Shea, Tony Taylor (Jacksonville)
I've highlighted the college players in the above list. Click to continue reading...

Ta-da!G - Sean Johnson (Central Florida; Lilburn, Ga.), Josh Lambo (FC Dallas; Middleton, Wis.), Brian Perk (UCLA; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)D - Gale Agbossoumonde (Miami FC; Syracuse, N.Y.), Kyle Davies (FC Dallas; Danville, Calif.), Aaron Maund (Notre Dame; Dorchester, Mass.), Ike Opara (Wake Forest; Durham, N. Click to continue reading...

Â

                                                                                Photo by ISIphotos.com

Midfielders Mikkel Diskerud and Dilly Duka and forwards Brek Shea and Tony Taylor headline the 21-man roster selected to represent the United States at the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt next month.

Click to continue reading...

Â

                                                                                Photo by ISIphotos.com

Midfielders Mikkel Diskerud and Dilly Duka and forwards Brek Shea and Tony Taylor headline the 21-man roster selected to represent the United States at the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt next month.

Click to continue reading...

Playing a little catch-up with some non-David Beckham related news:

*Three Chivas USA players and two from UCLA were selected for a 10-day camp in Argentina that begins today that is the final tune-up for the United States Men's Under-20 National Team that plays in the FIFA World Cup for that age category in late September in Egypt.

Click to continue reading...

While most of the news these days is about David Beckham's return to MLS, the US' performance in the Gold Cup and MLS' drop in attendance, I'd like to remind everyone that we still have the U-17 World Cup and U-20 World Cup coming up this summer/fall. As part of that, many college players are getting some extra credit training in this summer. Click to continue reading...

Crowds have apparently been steadily growing this week at UCLA as word of Inter Milan's presence on campus gets around.

Nice story here from the Daily Bruin about a Thursday scrimmage against a travel team that included the likes of U.S. Under-20 international and Bruins goalkeeper Brian Perk (as well as Kyle Nakazawa of Palos Verdes Estates).

Click to continue reading...

Apologies for interrupting the Academy Playoff coverage here on the YNT Blog, but we wanted to make sure you saw that the U-20 MNT continued its impressive 2009 with a 1-0 win against Egypt in Alexandria, one of six venues for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will be held from Sept. 24-Oct. 16.
Thomas Rongen and his team are in the midst of an eight-day tour of Egypt that includes one more friendly against their hosts on Monday evening. Click to continue reading...

UCLA opens their season Sept. 4 against national champions Maryland.

The Bruins return eight starters from last season's Pac-10 Championship squad including 2008 Pac-10 Player of the Year and U.S. Under-20 National Team player Michael Stephens, U.S. Under-20 National Team starting goalkeeper Brian Perk and 2007 MVP Kyle Nakazawa of Palos Verdes Estates.

Click to continue reading...

Under a setting Florida sun and a packed sideline, the U-20 Men's National Team defeated Costa Rica 2-1 this afternoon at the Sarasota Polo Grounds.
With the match decidely in Costa Rica's favor early on, it seemed likely that they would strike first. But a strong defensive presence kept the sheet clean for the U. Click to continue reading...

New names and numbers up in the Galaxy locker room this weekend. Most are just training with the team.

*#26 Mike Stevens, a UCLA product who played for the Galaxy Under-20 team, and began training with the senior squad last week.

*#31 Goalkeeper Kevin Guppy of Chino Hills, a Cal State Northridge product and former Big West Goalkeeper of the Year, who played in the PDL last year.

Click to continue reading...

The United States Under-20 National Team will join Germany, Cameroon, and Korea in Group C play as part of the 2009 Under-20 World Cup. The tournament kicks off in Egypt on September 24th. "It's going to be a challenge for sure, but we had the same mentality heading into the 2007 U-20 World Cup," US goalkeeper Brian Perk said. Click to continue reading...

BACOLET, Tobago (March 10, 2009) – The U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team secured a place at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup with a 2-0 win against El Salvador on Tuesday evening in their final Group A match of the CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Bacolet, Tobago. The 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup will be held from Sept. Click to continue reading...

The UCLA men (1-1) are on the road this weekend playing No. 1-ranked Wake Forest Friday and North Carolina Sunday.

UCLA bounced back from a wrenching 2-1 overtime to Maryland at Home Depot Center last Friday to hand Coach Jorge Salcedo his 50th college victory Sunday in a 3-0 win over UC Riverside.

Click to continue reading...

UCLA conceded an equalizing goal in the 90th minute and went on to lose 2-1 in overtime to Maryland at Home Depot Center Friday before 3,214 fans, the third biggest crowd ever to see a Bruins home game.

This was the first game of the season for both teams and it showed.

UCLA dominated the opening 45 minutes, scoring a 27th minute goal created by Palos Verdes Estates' Kyle Nakazawa, who used his inside knowledge of his former roommate at the U.

Click to continue reading...

Apologies, busy with a big project and not much time to blog.

A few things to pass along:

*Pacific Palisades-based W-League team Pali Blues defeated reigning champion Washington Freedom 2-0 earlier tonight earning a berth in Saturday's final against FC Indiana. Game reports here.

Click to continue reading...

The non-stop running of Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan was the subject of this Olympic preview story.

And UCLA goalkeeper Brian Perk and Chivas USA midfielder Jorge "Sueno" Flores of Anaheim were named to the U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team that will play in the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland beginning Monday.

Click to continue reading...

Briefly:

*As expected, Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan seems finally on his way to Aston Villa.

*The mighty Galaxy reserves got their first victory today of the season, beating Chivas USA 5-3 on a brace apiece from Carlos Ruiz and Alan Gordon, while young Izzy Sesay got the final goal.

Click to continue reading...

The U-20 U.S. team takes on Mexico in Texas on the 11th. Jorge Flores is going to be part of that clasico, and apparently not the LA derby one. Fifteen other players were also named to coach Thomas Rongen's roster.
GOALKEEPERS (2): Josh Lambo (FC Dallas), Brian Perk (UCLA)
DEFENDERS (4): Richard Balchan (Indiana), Ike Opara (Wake Forest), Zarek Valentin (Lancaster, Pa. Click to continue reading...

*The U.S. Women's National Team is playing Norway right now. The truly fanatical can follow along on MatchTracker here.

*The Revolution plays the Galaxy Friday marking the first time former Los Angeles defender Chris Albright has played his old team since his trade to New England.

"I was kind of hurt by it.

Click to continue reading...

I left to see a movie about sixty minutes in, so I don't have much to post here. I'll give it to you, but that was an ugly win so I think the less said, the better.
Who had a good game? Szetela continues to show well, Zizzo continues to impress, and Freddy was more than decent. That said, my bid for Man of the Match goes to Bradley as he (and sometimes he alone) kept the team in it through the finish. Click to continue reading...

It's just as I feared: Seitz won't be playing against Uruguay. Ives is pegging Perk for the start. I hope the kid has been good in practice, because Seitz has been phenomenal on the pitch. This strikes a bit of fear in my heart.
The only solace I have is that Seitz wasn't kept out of the match by the knock he picked up during the game v. Brazil. Click to continue reading...