On Wednesday of this week, interim CONCACAF president Alfredo Hawit gave the clearest signal yet that the confederation will collaborate much more closely with CONMEBOL than they have in the past. Will it be a merger in everything but name? Not yet, but significant factions within both groups are considering the possibilities.

Hans Backe wants to go for it all. (Getty Images)

File this under "we've heard this before".

New York Red Bulls manager Hans Backe made a sweeping declaration yesterday to reporters while in Mexico. He plans to go all-in this season.

"I say we should go for it all: the Open Cup, the Shield, the MLS Cup," Backe told reporters in a conference call on Thursday from Mexico, where the Red Bulls are training.

With the second half of the season well underway from Mexico to Europe, there's a few particular things to look forward to until it comes to a close.

WE'RE BACK! Ultras Alive returns this Monday February 13 at 10pm for it's 35th show and the first one in 2012 with guests Gabriel Gabor Major League Soccer / Soccer United Marketing's (Twitter: @MLSGabor )who will be promoting the Mexico vs Colombia game this coming February 29, 2012
We will also be giving out 2 tickets to the game so stay tuned on how you can win them.

photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

Conmebol's Copa America is the oldest international continental tournament in soccer, and 2016 will mark its 100th birthday.

That could also be the year that many American soccer fans have a dream come true.

According to Mexican outlet mediotiempo.

It's time for a quick roundup of the action from the Argentine foreign legion in Italy, Spain, Mexico and Portugal, as Lionel Messi found the net after four games without a goal, Chelo Delgado scored a fine goal in Mexico, ... Continue reading →

US Soccer announced today that the US U-23 national team will take on the U-23 team from Mexico on Wednesday February 29 in at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.

The United States Under-23's will play Mexico's U-23's in a friendly at FC Dallas Stadium on February 29th. The game will cap a 10-day training camp. "This game is very important for our players and comes at a critical time for us before the start of Olympic qualifying," USA U-23 coach Caleb Porter said.

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.

Photo by John Todd/ISIphotos.com

United States fullback Eric Lichaj has completed his return from a hip injury that kept him out of action for the better part of the last five months, making the bench for Aston Villa's first team in its last two matches. Despite Lichaj being a candidate to go on loan upon his return, Aston Villa appears to be remain committed to seeing what he can do for the club, even if that means moving him to a new spot on the field.

You didn't actually think I'd shut my yap just because some windows closed, did you?I can report that Ryan Nelsen was considering a return to D.C. United when Tottenham swopped in at the last minute. I can also tell you he still plans to come back to the Red-and-Black. There should be a full report up at MLSS before long.

photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

The San Jose Earthquakes have added some punch to their attack, and it comes in the form of Colombian midfielder Tressor Moreno.

The Earthquakes announced they signed Moreno on Thursday, adding a 33-year-old attacking midfielder with experience playing for clubs in Colombia, France, Mexico, Peru and Chile.

While it's possible something else wiggled through the window, it appears Edson Buddle rejoining L.A. and Charles Renken heading to the Portland Timbers will stand as our late fireworks.As I was informed to be likely, the DaMarcus Beasley move to Nancy did not come off, most likely because Puebla execs are too busy trying not to go to jail.

Just days after selling Tim Ream to Bolton, the New York Red Bulls have secured the services of his replacement, signing Colombian centerback Wilman Conde after making a trade with the Chicago Fire.

The Red Bulls dealt allocation money (which one source put at $150,000) to the Fire for the chance to sign Conde, who returns to MLS after spending 2011 in Mexico with Atlas.

Puebla winger DaMarcus Beasley's first goal of the young season has put the visitors up just three minutes into their tilt at Jaguares (and, subsequently, compelled me to bastardize a Run DMC lyric).- Greg Seltzer

The president of the Ecuadorian football federation suggests that the tournament would feature 16 teams, six of whom would come from CONCACAF. "I have no doubt that the obstacles are being overcome," Luis Chiriboga is quoted as saying."

United States, Mexico Both Reportedly In Running To Host 2016 Copa America - SBNation.

Lauren Sesselmann (Green Bay Notre Dame) is headed to the Olympics this summer.

Sesselmann returned from a knee injury to start and played 63 minutes at left back as Canada beat Mexico 3-1 in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament on Friday night in Vancouver to earn a berth in the London Games.

Hope Solo could potentially miss tomorrow nights all important semifinal match against Costa Rica with a lingering quad injury. The timing could not be any worse as whoever loses the match tomorrow will not qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Solo was seen clutching her right knee during the game against Mexico this past Tuesday night.

photo by Stephen Brashear/ISIphotos.com

The U.S. women's national team cruised through the Group Stage of Olympic qualifying and now just needs a win on Friday against Costa Rica to reach the Summer Games in London.

There's one problem: Hope Solo might not play.

Quick bit of news from yesterday, the Dynamo's trip to face the San Jose Earthquakes in the second match of the 2012 has been rescheduled, just slightly. Instead of the match being played on Sunday, March 18th at Buck Shaw Stadium has been moved up a day and will instead take place at AT&T Park. The move is so the match can be part of a double header with the Mexico U-23 v.

With an eye toward making the cut for the London Olympics while evaluating players to use in this summer's qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the Mexican national team had more at stake than a mere friendly Wednesday night at Reliant Stadium. Although Mexico's biggest stars were missing while with their European teams, [.

The USWNT is pissed. Seriously.How else would you explain the fact that they went 3-0 in the group stages of Olympic Qualifying with a +31 goal differential and no goals against?The latest installment saw the US beat Mexico by a score of only 4-0. I say only because with 14-0 and 13-0 scorelines in the previous two matches, 4-0 seems kind of anticlimatic.

The USWNT is pissed. Seriously.How else would you explain the fact that they went 3-0 in the group stages of Olympic Qualifying with a +31 goal differential and no goals against?The latest installment saw the US beat Mexico by a score of only 4-0. I say only because with 14-0 and 13-0 scorelines in the previous two matches, 4-0 seems kind of anticlimatic.

*Galaxy defender A.J. DeLaGarza and the U.S. plays Panama at 5:30 p.m. today live on Galavision. *Mexico faces Chivas USA's Alejandro Moreno and Venezuela in Houston (live 6 p.m. KMEX). More here. *FOX Soccer announced today it will air live the FA Cup showdown between Americans Landon Donovan, Tim Howard

After two blowout wins against Dominican Republic and Guatemala, the US Women's National Team got its revenge defeating Mexico yesterday 4-0. The star of the match was Carli Lloyd, with... Read more »

The US Women did it again last night, defeating a Mexican squad that actually gave them a run for their money. Don't let the 4-0 score fool you; the USWNT got lucky with two quick goals in the 7th and 8th minutes. That was it for the first half. Despite the strong will of Mexico, it wasn't enough to stop the US who scored two more goals in the second half, winning Group B with all nine points.

Carli Lloyd scores a hat trick, Heather O' Reilly chips in with another as USA easily beat Mexico, 4-0, to secure a semi-final spot against Costa Rica in the Olympics qualifiers. This result reversed their shocking loss to Mexico in the World Cup qualifiers which forced them into a playoff match.

This generous lady poetically proves USWNT supporters can run with some rivalry smack as good as the fellas - albeit in their own particular grrrl-y way. Her offering actually came before last night's 4-0 Olympic qualifying win over Mexico (who do we have to bribe up to get highlights?!?), I think it also stands pretty well the day after.

The U.S. Women's National team played their 3rd game in 5 days in the 2012 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament at BC Place Stadium and walked away with a 4-0 win over Mexico. The win gave the U.S. all 9 points and puts the team through as the winner of Group B. The U.S. now [...]

Midfielder Carli Lloyd scored a hat trick to lead the United States Women's National Soccer Team to a 4-0 win over Mexico in both teams' final group stage match of...

The next US women's international game is set to start in the next few minutes, and it's not a friendly. The team is playing for it's right to play in win the London Olympics. The concacaf playoffs for that opportunity have been anything but competitive, but this game looks to be promising.

The United States is away to Panama at 8:30pm on ESPN3 (web only) and Galavision. Mexico hosts Venezuela at 9pm on Univision. Liverpool - Manchester City 2:30pm - Fox Soccer Carling Cup semifinals, and a tricky second-leg for our Premier League leaders Manchester City. Down an away goal and facing the unfriendly confines of Anfield, City are coming off a late win against Spurs over the weekend.

Golden girls: UCLA product Sydney Leroux and Diamond Bar's Alex Morgan celebrate one of the numerous goals the U.S. scored Sunday against Guatemala (AP Photo). Having scored an incredible 27 goals in its first two Olympic qualifiers, the U.S. shifts its attention today to sturdier prey: Mexico. The USWNT is

Hope Solo is focused on the huge match with Mexico on Tuesday night in Vancouver

As if going 14-0 in a single match during qualifying wasn't enough, you had to go out and drop 13 on Guatemala? Somewhere, MC Hammer is screaming about copyright infringment.LeRoux got a natural hat-trick (3 goals in the same half, all uninterrupted)... actually, she got four before someone else found the net.

Here are the highlights of the USA vs Dominican Republic CONCACAF Olympics match played in Vancouver, BC. Abby Wambach and Co., made mincemeat of 88th seeded Dominican Republic. Amy Rodriguez scored five, Heather O' Reilly poured in another three as the US Women scored a record 14 goals to nil.

The USA has an all-time record of 2-0-1 in matches played in Arizona. In addition to the 2-0 win against Mexico on Feb. 7, 2007, the U.S. played in two matches in the early 1990s at Sun Devil Stadium. The U.S. played to a 2-2 draw against Denmark on Jan. 30, 1993, and a 2-1 win against Norway on Jan.

Almost two years ago, Paraguayan forward Salvador Cabañas was months away from being a starting striker in the World Cup until he was left in a fight for his life after being the victim of a shooting at a Mexican bar.

Now he's on the verge of a stunning comeback to professional soccer.

Soccer fans! This Saturday come out to Mickey Byrnes in Hollywood to check out USA vs Venezuela at 9PM. Come join the American Outlaws South Florida for a great night of fun and prizes, starting with a PS3 FIFA '12 championship prior to the game. (Starting at 7 pm)
During half time of the USA vs Venezuela game the Ultras, South Florida's premiere soccer supporters group, will be giving away 4 tickets to the Mexico vs Colombia game scheduled for February 29, 2012 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

The United States moved up one place to 33rd in the January 2012 FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. Mexico stays 21st, remaining first overall in CONCACAF. Spain remains the World #1, with Holland, Germany, Uruguay, and England rounding out the top five. Elsewhere in CONCACAF, Panama moves up to 47th and Honduras is 51st.