We took in the United States Women's National Team international friendly against New Zealand in Frisco, Texas this past weekend. A pair of Alex Morgan late goals spared the Lady Nats blushes, but as always, when American soccer is on tap there's no question it was a good time.
We were joined at the tailgate by member several area chapters of the American Outlaws (Dallas-Forth Worth, Oklahoma City, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio)the San Antonio soccer supporters group, the Crocketteers (a NASL, the Scorpions starts play this season), and members of several FC Dallas supporters groups.

Alex Morgan scored a pair for the U.S. Women's National Team as they overcame a 1-0 deficit to grab the win in stoppage time, 2-1.
Fun fact: The two headers in the 88th and 93rd minute meant that ten of her career 16 goals have come in the 80th minute or later.
An uncharacteristically poor backpass to second half goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart gave New Zealand the lead shortly after halftime (49th minute), but the sometimes sloppy Lady Nats found another victory in the jaws of defeat.

While the marquee game of the weekend, Sunday's African Cup of Nations final between Zambia and Ivory Coast, is not being widely televised throughout the United States, there is still plenty of top-rate action to catch.

This weekend has the potential to be a landmark one for a number of Americans looking to make their mark on the European game.

Hope Solo denies an Alex Morgan blast
Can't say there is much to report from U.S. WNT training in chilly Frisco, Texas. All the players are healthy and gunning for spots on the 18-player roster for the New Zealand game, but since there's not much new, we decided to put together a top-10 What's New?

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The United States Under-23 men's national team is going to get a proper tune-up for CONCACAF Olympic qualifying, as it will square off against Mexico's Under-23 side in a friendly at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Feb. 29.

The match will be a culmination of a 10-day training camp in Frisco.

Lauren Cheney gets a step on Amy Lepeilbet, but Hope Solo stands between her and the goal
After a brief week-long break since winning the 2012 Olympic Women's Qualifying Tournament in Canada, the U.S. team has re-grouped in Frisco, Texas for a five days of training before facing New Zealand on Saturday, Feb.

Now that The USWNT team has qualified for the Summer Olympics after a superb tournament in Canada, Head Coach Pia Sundhage can now turn her focus onto her squads first friendly match of the new year against New Zealand. The match will be played at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas, marking the eighth time the USWNT will play in the Lone Star State.

photo by Stephen Brashear/ISIphotos.com

Fresh off a successful Olympic qualifying campaign, U.S. women's national team head coach Pia Sundhage has called up 28 players for its upcoming friendly against New Zealand.

Nineteen of the 20 players on the Olympic qualifying roster were summoned by Sundhage for the Americans' first game on home soil this year, including Alex Morgan, Hope Solo and Abby Wambach.

New Zealand goalkeeper Jenny Bindon (21), seen making a save in front of U.S. WNT midfielder Carli Lloyd in 2007, has been named to head coach Tony Readings' roster for a Feb. 11 match in Texas.

New Zealand head coach Tony Readings has named an 18-player roster for its international match against the U.

After qualifying for the 2012 Olympics by defeating Costa Rica in the semifinal, the U.S. WNT has just one more task at hand and it won't be an easy one. The Americans will face Canada in the championship game of the tournament in front of a crowd expected to be more than 20,000 screaming Canadians at BC Place on Sunday evening.

The original plan was to have these two matches on the same day, but snowfall in Denver pushed the Colorado Rapids v Columbus Crew game back to tomorrow. We'll bump the thread for that one. Tonight's match should be more entertaining as preseason favorites New York Red Bulls travel down to Frisco, Texas to face off against the fading FC Dallas.

Major League Soccer has taken some major strides during the 2011-2012 CONCACAF Champions League, but as the final games of group play approach, there is still work to be done before crowning this campaign as a great success.

Only one MLS team, Seattle, has clinched a place in the knockout stage so far, but that could all change Tuesday night.

At 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon, Sept. 24, the temperature in Frisco, Texas is predicted to be 91 degrees. The National Weather Service says it's going to be sunny with 0% chance of rain. Really, a pleasant day on the South Oklahoma plains for any visitors who happen to have the misfortune of actually showing up in Frisco tomorrow.

8th Annual Worldwide Day of Play set for Saturday, September 24 Network and partners, including US Youth Soccer, to Take Over D.C.'s Ellipse with Activities and Games for Kids and Families, and Appearances by Big Time Rush, Cast of iCarly and Victorious, SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and More!

While the U-18s and U-16s were playing their first matches on the road down in California over the weekend, both splitting, the biggest news concerning Seattle Sounders youth players would be the call-up of Paul Christensen to the US U-17 Fall Residency. Why haven't you heard of Christensen yet? Because he is part of the pre-Academy though eligible to play for the U-16s he's still young for that level.

FRISCO, Texas - Three months ago, FC Dallas midfielder Ricardo Villar was nowhere to be seen in head coach Schellas Hyndman's rotation. Nowadays, the 32-year-old Brazilian is such a vital cog to the team's success, Hyndman can't take him off the field.

After appearing in only four of FCD's first 12 games, the seasoned veteran of the Austrian, Asian, Greek and German leagues has made 11 straight starts in all competitions and demonstrated a deft touch on the ball as well as a creative mind in various parts of the pitch.

The way the U.S. Open Cup has played out, there's certainly a David bracket and a Goliath bracket.

The Chicago Fire and Richmond Kickers meet in the former, as both carry underdog stories into their Open Cup semifinal matchup at Toyota Park Tuesday night.

FC Dallas and two-time defending champion Seattle square off in the heavyweight matchup, with the winner undoubtedly being the favorite to capture the championship and automatic berth in the 2012-2013 CONCACAF Champions League that goes along with it.

After a week of drama revolving around the Seattle Sounders' options in attack, it was the defense that decided a chippy match against FC Dallas in difficult, scorching conditions in Frisco, Texas. The game had little flow thanks to physical play by both teams and the quick whistle of referee David Gantar, resulting in 41 total fouls called.

FRISCO, Texas - A long year for D.C. United's Academy finally came to an end last weekend with the conclusion of the Generation adidas Cup.

From a results perspective, there was mixed news: DC's U-17s finished fourth, wrapping up the week with a tough 6-0 loss against Chivas USA, while the U-15s managed their only win of the week on Sunday, defeating Houston 2-1.

On another hot night in Frisco, Texas, FC Dallas got the shutout and three points against Chivas USA. Marvin Chavez scored the game's only goal in the 26th minute, with Kevin Hartman recording his 12th shutout of the season. Conditions were such that the referee opted to give the teams a water break in the 35th minute.

Though it is technically the offseason for Development Academy clubs, that doesn't mean things aren't moving and shaking in the world of elite youth soccer. Here are just a few of the stories from the past week:
Goal.com has a look at the U.S. Soccer scouting program, which continues to grow under Director of Scouting Tony Lepore – Goal.

It was only 11 days ago that the Sounders U16 team finished 5th in the country at the US Soccer Development Academy Finals and only a couple of weeks before that the Sounders U18s were eliminated from the Playoff groups in Frisco, Texas. But the Sounders Academy didn't get much of a break before preparation for the new season began.

- Dwayne De Rosario is the best kind of All-star, the inactive kind. He'll be recognized as one of the league's top performers, get a nice little bonus, but won't have to miss any D.C. practices to go play an exhibition game. Which is certainly a good thing as he has only been with his current teammates for about a month now.

In a match that very much resembled the oppressive humidity in Frisco, Texas, D.C. United and FC Dallas slugged their way to a 0-0 draw tonight at Pizza Hut Park. Both teams wilted in the hot and humid conditions and ...

Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com

FC Dallas and D.C. United may be separated by 12 points in the standings, but if their two meetings this year are any indication, the teams are as even as can be.

Two months after battling to a scoreless draw at RFK Stadium, Dallas (10-5-5) and United (5-5-8) played to another 0-0 tie in Frisco, Texas on Saturday.

Exclusive three-year agreement designed to impact development opportunities of youth coaches and players and create a greater connection between youth, professional and national team players for the benefit of American soccer FRISCO, Texas and Washington, D.C. (July 5, 2011) – US Youth Soccer and the US National Soccer Team Players Association have entered into a 3-year exclusive partnership naming US Youth Soccer as the official youth soccer organization of the US National Soccer Team Players.

Being away from home doesn't mean losing touch with those closest to you.
Throughout his time in Residency and now at the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico, Zach Carroll is still keeping in touch with his teammates at Vardar as they move through the Development Academy Playoffs. Vardar's U-15/16 team is currently participating in the Development Academy playoffs in Frisco, Texas – an event that Carroll took part in a year ago in Greensboro, N.

FRISCO, Texas - It was not a pleasant homecoming for Texas native Kenny Cooper.

In Cooper's return to Pizza Hut Park, his new team the Portland Timbers were overwhelmed by FC Dallas, 4-0, on Saturday behind goals from Zach Loyd, George John, Brek Shea and Ruben Luna.

Portland won the first ever match-up between the two sides, 3-2, two months ago at JELD-WEN Field, but they could not rekindle their magic as Dallas outnumbered them in nearly every offensive category.

Congratulations to Empire United and D.C. United Academy - the only two Development Academy clubs who have won their divisions in both age groups.
The Playoff picture continues to come into focus as 18 more teams clinched berths to the event in Frisco, Texas, from June 24-28. The last regular season games are tonight, so stay tuned for the final field of 32 teams in each age group.

The Philly Soccer Page » Who's driving this thing?
As the Union return to Earth from their improbable early season success, questions abound as the defense tires and the offense continues to sputter. Despite an excellent start against Dallas, the Union netted another goose egg and looked mentally fragile as they folded like a card table once Brek Shea broke the deadlock.

As the Union return to Earth from their improbable early season success, questions abound as the defense tires and the offense continues to sputter. Despite an excellent start against Dallas, the Union netted another goose egg and looked mentally fragile as they folded like a card table once Brek Shea broke the deadlock.

The Los Angeles Galaxy head into Sunday on a major roll, with Landon Donovan back in form and the club rebounding well from the loss of defender Leonardo, but a road trip to Frisco, Texas awaits against a dangerous FC Dallas side (7pm, Telefutura).

Dallas begins life without David Ferreira, who is out with a broken ankle.

The New England Revolution are set to take on newly-minted Eastern Conference rivals Houston Dynamo at Robertson Stadium this evening. Neither team is a huge fan of the other and their clashes tend to be chippy and contentious affairs.

The key for the Revs today is going to be setting the tempo early and containing Brad Davis.

Fire captain Logan Pause (left) -- ISI PhotosBRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- One year ago the Chicago Fire had a vision of attractive and possession-driven play as its successful model.
After a trying 2010 MLS campaign that resulted in a sub-.500 record and a rare shortened season outside of the playoff picture, the Fire are hoping the implementation finally comes to fruition this 2011 season.

FRISCO, Texas — Major League Soccer side Dallas has signed 31-year-old Brazilian midfielder Ricardo Villar from Spielvereinigung Unterhaching of the German third division. Villar played for Pennsylvania State University from 1997-01 after playing youth soccer at Sao Paulo. He was with Hampton Roads and Pittsburgh in the U.