photo by ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Real Salt Lake are looking to the future just as much as they are hoping to win an MLS Cup title in 2012.

Real Salt Lake announced four moves on Thursday, including the re-signings of Fabian Espindola and Ned Grabavoy.

Joe Gyau made his pro debut while Daniel Williams and Fabian Johnson both started for Hoffenheim but the American trio could not stop Hoffenheim's slide as they crashed out of the German Cup to Greuther Furth.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

Even though TSG 1899 Hoffenheim was unceremoniously dumped out of the DFB Pokal quarterfinals by second-tier Greuther Furth on Wednesday, the match carried significance for one American.

U.S. Under-23 winger Joe Gyau, made his first-team debut for Hoffenheim, entering as an 80th-minute substitute for U.

Alfredo Morales should be in Hertha's starting eleven as they try to push past 'Gladbach to the semifinals while Daniel Williams and Fabian Johnson will do their best to help the Hoffe tame Furth.

Steve Cherundolo and Hannover ended their long winless run with a narrow win over Nurnberg while Fabian Johnson's first league goal for Hoffenheim was little consolation in their loss at Dortmund.

photo by ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

In a week that saw several young and inexperienced players make their cases for more playing time on the U.S. men's national team, it was the veterans of the United States who shined brightly.

Landon Donovan was one of those players, as he inspired Everton to victory by setting up both of its goals in a 2-1 win over Fulham in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday.

It may have have happened in a loss, but Fabian Johnson scored his first goal for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday.

Johnson opened his account with the club he joined last summer by netting in the second half of Hoffenheim's 3-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund. Johnson got on the end of a low cross and one-timed a powerful shot into the back of the net to prevent Hoffenheim from getting shut out for a second consecutive game.

Hoffenheim attacker Fabian Johnson pulled one back late in a 3-1 loss at Borussia Dortmund.szólj hozzá: Dortmund Hoffenheim 3:1 GOALS- Greg Seltzer

Three Yanks featured in the Bundesliga on Saturday with Danny Williams and Fabian Johnson playing for Hoffenheim, while Steve Cherundolo lined up on the opposite side for Hannover 96.

FC Dallas has emerged from its offseason slumber in a big way.

The club signed Panama striker Blas Perez and young Colombian defender Hernan Pertuz on Tuesday, addressing two areas of need with international-caliber talent. Neither deal was classified as a Designated Player signing according to a team release.

Fabian Johnson and Daniel Williams were all smiles as they reached the DFB Cup quarterfinal, while Jermaine Jones and Timothy Chandler were both knocked out of the competition by Gladbach and Furth.

This is Part II of TSG's discussion with Amsterdam-based Greg Seltzer of MLSSoccer.com and No Short Corners. You can find Part I, here.

Gatt and a legend...

Matthew: So who are the key Americans abroad that US fans should truly be excited by? So many times one goal is enough to chop a forest worth's of timber to power the hype machine.

Cobi Span was on the 2009 Academy Select Red Team before joining Djurgarden.
Brian "Cobi" Span has joined Swedish club Djurgarden and will start trianing with the team early next year.
Span, who got his nickname from U.S. Men's National Team star Cobi Jones, was a member of the U.

Jermaine Jones and Fabian Johnson were the only two Americans to start in the Bundesliga this weekend, as the German top-flight wrapped up the first half of the 2011-2012 season.

Team news: Agbonlahor ruled out and Henderson set for midfield start

Fabian Delph returns for home side

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-12-16 10:34:15 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Team news: Agbonlahor to miss Liverpool visit

Fabian Delph returns for home side

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-12-16 09:40:15 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Jermaine Jones and Schalke moved into the Bundesliga's top three thanks to their win in Berlin while Fabian Johnson's two assists helped trigger Hoffenheim's win over ten-man Nurnberg.

A trio of U.S. internationals were part of the Nurnberg-Hoffenheim encounter this weekend, with Timmy Chandler starting for the hosts while Fabian Johnson lined up in the first XI for the visitors. Johnson delivered a pair of assists to Vedad Ibisevic, Chandler saw red in the 43rd and Danny Williams came on for the final 24 minutes to help preserve a 2-0 win for Hoffenheim, who picked up only their second win in the last 10 matches.

Hoffenheim's Fabian Johnson set up a pair of goals for former St. Louis University striker Vedad Ibieviand#263; on Saturday afternoon, in a game also highlighted by Timothy Chandler's sending off as the Hoffe took all the points in Nurnberg's Frankenstadion.

Josue Martinez has officially joined the Philadelphia Union on a transfer, according to a press release on the team's website. As per Union official policy, the club will not release the terms of either Martinez's contract or the transfer itself.

Martinez had been linked multiple times to the Union over the course of the last six months, particularly throughout late Novemember and into December.

Liverpool have entered the race to sign Switzerland youngster Fabian Frei, but face competition from a host of European clubs such as Juventus and Schalke as interest intensifies.
Considered by many pundits as a hot prospect, Frei has established himself as full international since his step up from the Under-21 squad in the summer and remains an integral part of Basel's squad though Swiss media are suggesting that his seven year stay at the Swiss Super League champions could be coming to an end if the interest from Liverpool is genuine which its believed is.

As the US national team concluded its 2011 schedule with a 3-2 win over Slovenia, one of the most impressive new faces on the team is Hoffenheim midfielder Fabian Johnson.

Philadelphia Union midfielders Amobi Okugo and Zach Pfeffer are currently training with Bundesliga clubs, according to multiple reports.

Okugo, a first round SuperDraft pick by the Union in 2010, was today revealed to have flown to Germany today to train with Bundesliga relegation zone side SC Freiburg.

Timothy Chandler found the back of the net and Fabian Johnson picked up an assist in a full weekend of Americans playing in Germany.

As people across the United States get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, we give you some extra food for thought as we look at the year by the numbers. Here's 11 from '11:

• A total of 46 players earned at least one cap for the full team; under Klinsmann, 28 players got at least one game.

Securing victory over Slovenia was nice. And scoring three goals was even better, but until World Cup Qualification begins, the results still do not matter. Rather, it is the performance of individuals and how they help to shape the team's formation and tactics that are most important to evaluate as the pieces come together for Jurgen Klinsmann's US National Team.

The U.S. men's national team's 3-2 victory over Slovenia broke down into two parts. The exciting and encouraging offensive display in the first half and the shaky and discouraging debacle in the second half.

It was an important win for Jurgen Klinsmann, who ends his first year in charge of the United States on a winning note, and an encouraging note after an otherwise lackluster start.

The U.S. Men's National Team has completed the 2011 campaign, finishing on a high note with an entertaining 3-2 victory against Slovenia in Ljubljana. Along with the introduction of Jurgen Klinsmann as head coach, there were a few key highlights:

• Clint Dempsey finished with a team-high five goals
• Carlos Bocanegra and Tim Howard finished with team-high 15 starts, the most appearances in a year in each of their careers
• Bocanegra became the 12th player in U.

The U.S. Men's National Team has completed the 2011 campaign, finishing on a high note with an entertaining 3-2 victory against Slovenia in Ljubljana. Along with the introduction of Jurgen Klinsmann as head coach, there were a few key highlights:

• Clint Dempsey finished with a team-high five goals
• Carlos Bocanegra and Tim Howard finished with team-high 15 starts, the most appearances in a year in each of their careers
• Bocanegra became the 12th player in U.

The United States were able to gain a victory on European soil in their final friendly of 2011, defeating Slovenia, 3-2, in a rematch from the FIFA 2010 World Cup.
Mike Woitalla of Soccer America covers the United States' 3-2 victory over Slovenia.
It's what we've been waiting for since Jurgen Klinsmann took the helm in July: An entertaining, attack-minded performance from the USA.

Article by Pedro Gomes
The United States and Slovenia put on an entertaining show for fans of both sides on a very foggy evening in Ljublana. Both sides had a number of opportunities to score on the night and the score line could easily have read 5-5 by the time the referee blew the final whistle.

Their Words I was happy to get a few minutes, and hopefully there are more to come. Of course it's nice to get your first cap, but I hope that next time we are going to win. US National Team midfielder Fabian Johnson. Other Sources Klinsmann Has Time on His Side - from The NY Times' Andrew Das: the time left before the next World Cup — is a lifetime in soccer.

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

The U.S. men's national team faces its first World Cup 2010 rematch on Tuesday against the same Slovenia side the Americans earned a dramatic 2-2 draw against in World Cup group play.

Jurgen Klinsmann will look to find the right combination of players to help a sagging offense that has managed just two goals in six matches since he took over as head coach.

1. Carlos Bocanegra earned his 99th cap and could hit the century mark Tuesday against Slovenia.
2. Fabian Johnson collected his first cap for the United States after having received approval from FIFA for a change of association last month.
3. In honor of Veterans Day, the U.S. players will autograph their individual jerseys and donate them for an online auction to benefit the Disabled American Veterans organization.

Union de Santa Fe's Marcelo Sarmiento challenges for the ball with Newells Old Boy's Fabian Munoz, with Sarmiento coming out with his foot pointing in the wrong direction. Sarmiento even forgave Munos for his gruesome broken leg saying: "[Munoz] came to the locker room while I was being treated.

Cherundolo is one of three players on the U.S. roster who is the captain of his club team
Here's all the news and notes you need to get prepped for the USA's first match against France since 1979, and the first ever in the famed Stade de France. A few to get you started ..

The U.S. Men's National Team was back on the field Wednesday morning, putting in a solid session with 5v2 and 8v8+1 as part of the session. Our photographer was there to capture a few shots:
Fabian Johnson (Orange) tries to skip by Jermaine Jones. Johnson could earn his first cap for the USA in the game against France on Friday.

By Chris Wright

In which Marcelo Sarmiento of Union de Santa Fe (Southampton fans may recognise the name, Sarmiento briefly didn't play for Saints back in 2006) goes in for a challenge with Newells Old Boy's Fabian Munoz, only to look down and find his foot pointing in what can only be described as 'the wrong direction' if you'll excuse the medical jargon.

Where Jurgen Klinsmann spent his weekend

U.S. men's national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann took advantage of his trip to Europe to stop over and watch a trio of his players at their club addresses.

He was in Germany on Saturday to watch Fabian Johnson and Danny Williams at Hoffenheim, where the Bundesliga side drew 1-1 with Kaiserslautern.

BY JONATHAN VERA

CARSON, Calif.-- The last time Real Salt Lake and the Galaxy competed for a trophy, it was the 2009 MLS Cup FInal and RSL took the championship. History did not repeat itself on Sunday as this time they lost to the Galaxy on Sunday in a Western Conference final filled with missed opportunities.