The U.S. Under-23 men's national team finished off its January training camp with a victory,
topping Alajuelense 1-0 in a friendly in Costa Rica.
Tony Taylor scored the lone goal, taking a pass from the Columbus Crew's Dilly Duka at the top
of the box and finishing in the 41st minute.
The United States Under-23 National Team scrimmaged Saprissa's reserves today in Costa Rica.
Playing at the Monster's Cave, aka Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma, the two teams finished scoreless.
USA: 1-Zac MacMath; 4-Kofi Sarkodie (17-Sheanon Williams, 77), 3-Zarek Valentin (capt.)
(19-Royal-Dominique Fennell, 77), 2-Sebastien Ibeagha (Andrew Wenger, 46), 5-Jorge Villafana;
6-Amobi Okugo (15-Mix Diskerud, 46), 8-Jared Jeffrey (13-Michael Stephens, 61), 10-Dilly Duka
(12-Isaac Acuna, 67); 7-Freddy Adu, 9-Tony Taylor (11-Jack McInerney, 70), 11-Jack McInerney
(14-Joe Corona,.
By FRANCO PANIZO
Neven Subotic is one of the top young centerbacks playing in Europe, but his future is under
threat after Geman authorities opened a sexual assault investigation against him.
Subotic and three others are under investigation after a 21-year-old woman claimed she was the
victim of a sexual assault.
The U.S. MNT is training in Costa Rica
The U-23 Men's National Team is in Costa Rica for the conclusion of their January training camp,
and Saturday they played the first of two scrimmages when they took on the reserves of perennial
Costa Rican powerhouse Saprissa.
The teams dueled to a 0-0 draw at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa, which U.
Graham Zusi was flying down the flanks throughout the first half
Graham Zusi
and Jack McInerney traded sweet strikes as the National Team and the U-23's finished with a 1-1
draw in the second of two scrimmages played here between the teams at The Home Depot Center.
The full team lined up against the U-23 MNT for the first of two scrimmages while the teams share
space at The Home Depot Center. For both groups, it was the first opportunity to play 11 v. 11
since camp began and continue to evaluate players for the upcoming friendlies.
"These scrimmages are good for us and the Under-23s, that's why we do it purposely, because it's a
big year for U.
Clearing up a few odds and ends before the weekend (that would have posted hours sooner had our
soon-to-be-replaced blogging software not freaked out): *Galaxy midfielder Michael Stephens, Chivas
USA's Jorge Villafaña (formerly Flores) and UCLA midfielder Kelyn Rowe were named today to the
U-23 camp set for Sunday through
A healthy Josh Gatt and Mexican-American midfielder Isaac Acuña are among the 22 players called
in for the next U.S. Under-23 training camp by coach Caleb Porter.
The camp will take place at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., before the group departs
for Costa Rica to play friendlies against Saprissa reserves on Jan.
The USL Premier Development League has existed since 1995 as the highest amateur soccer level in
the United States. The name was changed and tweaked early on but by the time the Chicago Fire
entered a team into the league in 2001, it was referred to as what it is referred to today: PDL.
Chicago became the first Major League Soccer team to have a PDL team thanks to support from former
Fire President & General Manager Peter Wilt and the direction of current Fire Player Development
Director & Consultant John Dorn.
We're about a week and a half away from the MLS Superdraft in Kansas City. It's the first of two
drafts for the league, with a supplemental draft following a week later. KC have their natural 16th
pick in the 1st round of the Superdraft, and then have the 30th selection in the second round. That
selection came from FC Dallas in the trade that sent Kevin Hartman to Dallas.
By FRANCO PANIZO
BRADENTON, Fla. -- The U.S. Under-23 men's national team wrapped up its December camp with a
second intra-squad scrimmage on Thursday afternoon, and the competition for roster spots set the
tone for a physical and fiery match.
Split up into white and blue teams, the 29 players in camp (Bill Hamid left camp earlier in the
week due to family reasons) took part in a windy match at IMG Soccer Academy that saw its share of
physical play and rough challenges.
The December camp for the U-23 Men's National Team came to a close after eight days in Florida that
included eight training sessions on the field and two 90-minute intrasquad scrimmages. U-23 head
coach Caleb Porter and the coaching staff got a birds eye look at much of the player pool, and
spent significant time educating the group
Terence Boyd and Sebastian Lletget (pronounced leh-JET) put in two nice finishes in the game at the
IMG Soccer Academy in Bradenton.
With U.S. head coach Caleb Porter indicating there are about 50 potential players for the U.S.
Olympic Qualifying roster, the chance to evaluate the individuals in game conditions is clearly
important. It also gives the coaches a chance to gauge the progress of the group in understanding
the concepts of how they want the team to play.
United States Men's National Team head coach Caleb Porter named five Philadelphia Union players
as part of his 28-man roster for the Olympic squad's December camp, today. The Union players make
up the largest group of club teammates on the team.
Freddy Adu, Zac MacMath, Jack McInerney, Amobi Okugo and Sheanon Williams will head to Florida
from December 15-28 to train with the rest of the under-23 team at the Premier Sports Campus.
If its winter, it must be time for soccer camps. Here's a run-down: *The Galaxy's Michael Stephens
was called into the week-long U.S. Under-23 camp scheduled to begin a week from today in Florida.
The 2010 first round draft pick is one of 28 players participating. The full roster is
Caleb Porter has named a 28-man roster for his first camp in charge of the U.S. U-23 men's
national team, and there's talent aplenty.
Freddy Adu, Teal Bunbury, Mikkel Diskerud and Bill Hamid are just some of the more well-known
names in the eight-day camp that will be held in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
While the USMNT has their January "Camp Cupcake" coming up, the US U-23s will head to Florida
under the direction of new coach Caleb Porter on December 15th, to participate in their own camp
("Camp Junior Mint?") in advance of next year's Olympic tournament.
The Dynamo's Danny Cruz, an unheralded name in the mix.
This post by TSG staff
MLS continued it's full court marketing press by issuing it's unprotected list just a day after
the MLS Cup final.
2012's Jack Jewsbury...
Some fascinating players on the take (for the take?). Here's a feasible team based upon a
balance of "Don't get blown out" and "Priming for growth.
Clubs can protect 11 players ahead of the 10-round draft for the Montreal Impact, which will
join MLS next year.
A team can only lose one player.
Wonder if Impact Coach Jesse Marsch will take a player from his most recent former club, Chivas
USA? Will he bring home Canadian Ante Jazic, a solid addition to any expansion team's backline?
By ADAM SERRANO
CARSON, Calif. – Depth all over the field has been one of cornerstones to the Los Angeles
Galaxy's success this season, and if they are to advance past the New York Red Bulls in Thursday's
Western Conference semifinal second leg, they will need their bench to be decisive yet again.
More Morelia than Galaxy fans in the stands tonight - a bit of a sad commentary on Los Angeles
soccer fans, I'm afraid and half the stands are literally off limits to fans anyway - but at least
the majority of fans here are likely to go home happy.
No goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, striker Robbie Keane (um, apparently resting for Ireland's Euro
2012 qualifiers next week) or fragrance salesman David Beckham (he's suspended) for the Galaxy
tonight so, no chance of LA beating a top tier Mexican team and staying in the CCL I'd wager.
Columbus Crew 0 Galaxy 1
No David Beckham. No Robbie Keane. No Landon Donovan (until the second half). And no goals until
second half stoppage time when the Galaxy stole the victory in a not particularly noteworthy
game.
A Donovan shot was parried by Crew goalkeeper Will Hesmer into the path of Chad Barrett who
snapped up the chance to give the Galaxy three unexpected points after a long road trip.
Vancouver's Strategy Still trying to figure out how to best use his new signing, Tom Soehn
made a formation adjustment from the San Jose match. Peter Vagenas was left on the bench and Davide
Chiumiento started in the center. The switch resulted in a diamond 4-4-2 look, with Chiumiento in
front of the holding midfielder Koffie.
Euphoria from last night's performance, let alone victory, has yet to disappear. The monkey for
the Seattle Sounders is possibly off their back after the 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy. In
reading through the quotes from last night Landon Donovan sums up the match best;
It was a good atmosphere, it was a good environment.
I had the chance to talk to Mike Magee when the Los Angeles Galaxy came to town in April. He is
as down to earth as any Midwestern can be. In fact, two good friends of his growing up lived down
the street from me and were a good friends of mine. I plan on publishing the results of interviews
I had with Magee and fellow Chicagoland native Michael Stephens when the Fire travel to LA but for
now the big news is Mike Magee ended up as the goalie in tonight's Los Angeles Galaxy's game
against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Juninho battles Shalrie Joseph in the Galaxy's 1-0 win at New England on May 28th.
Three games in eight days has become almost routine for the Los Angeles Galaxy
this season, and for a few other teams as well, as the schedule makes room for not on the US Open
Cup, and the CONCACAF Champions League, but also the CONCACAF Championship, the Gold Cup with the
winner getting a slot in the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013 in Brazil.
Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena has made two changes from the side that beat Chivas USA 1-0 last
weekend with Chris Birchall and Michael Stephens coming in for the absent David Beckham and Mike
Magee dropping to the bench.
A Galaxy spokesman pointed out that it's the same midfield as we saw in Philadelphia on a
Wednesday when Beckham was rested and the personnel will have the same roles: Landon Donovan will
play as a withdrawn striker behind Juan Pablo Angel and Chad Barrett with the trio of Juninho,
Birchall and Stephens in midfield.
Photo by John Todd/ISIphotos.com
The Los Angeles Galaxy strengthened its hold atop the SBI MLS Power Rankings with a victory over
Superclasico rival Chivas USA, but it's another team from California that is starting to make some
noise on its way up the table.
The San Jose Earthquakes climbed another three spots this week, making that a six-spot
improvement over the last two weeks, from No.
The Oakland native was waived by Dallas May 5 and picked up by the Galaxy the next day.
He is eligible to play Saturday against Chivas USA after agreeing contract terms.
The 22-year-old started his pro career with England's Southampton in 2007, was selected by Real
Salt Lake in a weighted lottery in 2009 and was traded to Dallas less than two weeks later.
Gabriel Ferrari had a shot deflect off Houston defender Eddie Robinson for an own goal, and
Martin Rivas scored twice as the Chicago Fire topped the Houston Dynamo, 3-0, in MLS Reserve League
action on Sunday morning.
Rivas, a 19-year-old Argentine trialist, is hoping to catch on with an MLS club after trialing
with D.
Landon Donovan scores on a penalty kick putting the Portland Timbers down 2-0 in under 10
minutes.
This post title is courtesy of @jrodius (co-host, along with @jguesman, of the always insightful
Corner of the Galaxy podcast) who tweeted "If last night's Galaxy game were a movie it would've
been Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King.
Chad Barrett scores his first gol for the Galaxy after astrally projecting his spirit into
Chicago's attack causing open gol misses while he pounded his chance home.
It took until the (league-most) seventh game played but at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL, the LA
Galaxy finally got a second gol from a striker, finally got more than one gol in a game, and
finally got the full three points from a game in this 4800-mile road trip.
Chad Barrett scores his first gol for the Galaxy after astrally projecting his spirit into
Chicago's attack causing open gol misses while he pounded his chance home.
It took until the (league-most) seventh game played but at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL, the LA
Galaxy finally got a second gol from a striker, finally got more than one gol in a game, and
finally got the full three points from a game in this 4800-mile road trip.
Today's game against the Los Angeles Galaxy kicks off at 3:00 PM CST. Don't forget that you
might want to bring some extra cash because today is the Grand Opening of the Chicago Fire Toyota
Park team store and Section 8 is holding the silent auction for the cf#97 armbands that were worn
by the players in the home opener to commemorate the 4th anniversary of the publishing of Brandon
Kitchen's 'Stand and Deliver'.
BY ADAM SERRANO
The LA Galaxy will be without Landon Donovan yet again.
Donovan won't play in Sunday's match against the Chicago Fire due to knee inflammation, which
will be his third straight match out of the line up for the Galaxy. Donovan's missing the match
with the Fire causes particular trouble for the Galaxy, which will also be missing midfielders
David Beckham, Jovan Kirovski and Juninho due to suspension.
Edson. Edson. Come back.
Edson Buddle, How Do I Miss Thee?
How do I miss thee? Let me count the ways
I miss thee to the depth and breadth and height
Chad Barrett's shots do miss with all his might.
The ends of Becks' crosses very well placed
I miss thee as you did speedily race.
Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com
By ADAM SERRANO
It's time for the Los Angeles Galaxy to make some creative decisions.
With David Beckham and Juninho suspended, it is likely that head coach Bruce Arena will need to
inject some fresh blood in the central midfield when the Galaxy face the Chicago Fire at Toyota
Park on Sunday.
That's an aspirational headline, not an outright prediction. But, having hedged my professional
prognostication reputation with that disclaimer, let's just put it right out there: despite the
rigors of cross-country travel and lurking parity, the Los Angeles Galaxy is the better team in
each of the three match-ups that start tonight with the contest at RFK Stadium against DC United
(then Toronto FC and Chicago Fire).
NOTE: In case you're new to the site, and judging from our
traffic numbers during the off-season there are quite a few of you who are, one of the things we
really enjoyed doing last year was something we called Match Day Quick Reference Cards. What you
see above is the one for tonight's MLS First Kick match between the Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy,
which is mainly used to give our starting lineup projections.
Last season was supposed to be the year. After falling in penalties in the 2009 MLS Cup Final,
the 2010 Galaxy had the makings of a team that could finish the deal and win the club's first MLS
Cup since 2005.
The Galaxy fell short, but after a busy off-season that saw leading scorer Edson Buddle leave
and Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel replace him, Los Angeles once again heads into a season as a
major MLS Cup favorite.
