Over the next few days, Major League Soccer teams will be continuing their preseason preparation
for the 2012 campaign. A number of those teams will be gathered in Orlando, Charleston or Tucson
as part of the Disney Pro Soccer Classic, Carolina Challenge Cup or the Desert Diamond Cup. Each
of the events feature multiple MLS teams performing in intimate venues in small tournament
set-ups.
The Development Academy Carolina Challenge Cup tournament is taking place from Friday through
Monday. It is run in conjunction with the Charleston Battery's Carolina Challenge Cup, which
features Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew and D.C. United.
Approximately 300 Development Academy players are competing in the 18-game tournament.
Let's get the obvious out of the way up front, shall we? There is not currently, nor has there ever
been, a full, traditional system of on-field-merit-based promotion and relegation in any American
pro soccer endeavor that I'm aware of[1].
With that said, the essence of promotion and relegation, the ability to move between
levels of a nebulous pyramid, does exist, and has for more than a decade[2].
The Chicago Fire concluded Phase 2 of their preseason with split squad games today. A primarily
first team lineup fell to the San Jose Earthquakes 2-0 thanks to goals from Steven Lenhart and Brad
Ring. The second team defeated the Ventura County Fusion 2-1 on the backs of a penalty kick goal
from Orr Barouch and a Pari Pantazopoulos header Barouch assisted on.
-Carolina Challenge Cup kicks off this weekend. Chicago will be facing DC United (Feb25), Columbus
Crew (Feb29), and Charleston Battery (March3). All of these matches will have a streaming broadcast
at chicago-fire.com.
-Today we got two UEFA Champions League matches. Yesterday I think I got pretty lucky with my
predictions.
Chicago Fire take on D.C. United at 4:00 PM CST and yes, this game will be video streamed. The
video link will be here during the match. This is the opener of the 2012 Carolina Challenge Cup.
Games versus the Columbus Crew and Charleston Battery will follow on February 29 and March 3
respectively.
By CALEB SONNELAND
The 8th annual Carolina Challenge Cup is underway in Charleston, South Carolina.
DC United notched the only win of the weekend with a 1-0 result over the Chicago Fire while
hosts Charleston Battery salvaged a late draw with the Columbus Crew last Saturday.
D.C. United returned to Charleston, SC to compete in the 2012 Carolina Challenge Cup this past
weekend. United are the current defending champions of the preseason tournament having won the two
previous cups.
Apperently a return trip to South Carolina was just what the team needed as the Black and Red
picked up their first preseason win and new Designated Player, Hamdi Salihi, scored a beautiful
goal in the match against the Chicago Fire.
Sorry I was gone all weekend. It was quite busy for me with midterms bearing down on me along
with a Carling Cup final for Liverpool. But onto the important things.
United Started off the match under pressure. Dejan Jakovic brought down Patrick Nyarko in the
box for a penalty in the 5′.
DC United could find itself without goalkeeper Bill Hamid quite a bit in 2012 as the U.S.
national team netminder and potential Olympian stands poised to have a busy year. With that in
mind, DC added a veteran goalkeeper to help provide some cover.
DC signed former Chicago Fire goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra on Monday.
D.C. United Press Release:
D.C. United signs goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra 26-year-old a native of Woodbridge,
Va.
Washington, D.C. (February 27, 2012) – D.C. United announced today that the club has signed
goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra. The 26-year-old netminder joins the Black-and-Red
having completed preseason camps in Florida and Arizona.
