Photo by ISIphotos.com

Major League Soccer announced its Best XI on Monday, with no real surprises among the selections.

MVP finalists Landon Donovan, Shalrie Joseph and Jeff Cunningham headed the group, while MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Zach Thornton also got the nod.

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Kickette had this masterpiece last week and I just recently came across its glory. Word is this gal is an ex-WAG, so it's still semi-soccer relevant.
She must be desperate for attention.
Now some other links:

• Mancini a possible Rafa replacement? [Daily Mail]
  
• A new world's top 25.

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FC Barcelona has just one loss this season, and the defending European champions will get their chance to avenge that loss on Wednesday when they travel to Russia to take on FC Rubin Kazan on Wednesday.

The Russian champions cracked this week's SBI European Club Top 10 with its latest league victory, and on the strength of its 2-1 win at the Camp Nou and its draw vs.

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FC Barcelona has just one loss this season, and the defending European champions will get their chance to avenge that loss on Wednesday when they travel to Russia to take on FC Rubin Kazan on Wednesday.

The Russian champions cracked this week's SBI European Club Top 10 with its latest league victory, and on the strength of its 2-1 win at the Camp Nou and its draw vs.

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So Jozy Altidore was dropped for showing up to a Hull City game late. Then he was fined for tweeting an apology for being late.
Not a good day for the youngster.
Maybe some links will cheer him up.

• Ryan Giggs wants to coach Wales. [UK Press]
  
• A mass brawl in the Bulgarian league.

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It's November, which means it is time for SBI to crank out last month's Q&A installments.

While a few weeks have passed since questions were submitted, most questions are still just as relevent today as they were two to three weeks ago.

U.S. national team questions rule the day as usual, with more World Cup questions starting to filter in now that the Americans have qualified and the clock is ticking quickly toward South Africa.

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It's November, which means it is time for SBI to crank out last month's Q&A installments.

While a few weeks have passed since questions were submitted, most questions are still just as relevent today as they were two to three weeks ago.

U.S. national team questions rule the day as usual, with more World Cup questions starting to filter in now that the Americans have qualified and the clock is ticking quickly toward South Africa.

Click to continue reading...

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. Under-17 national team won a World Cup game on Thursday, but for many American observers, the 1-0 victory against Malawi didn't quite feel like a triumph. The disappointing performance led to some criticism (from SBI among others), and while it might seem misguided to be critical of a team of teenagers, the fact remains that this U-17 squad isn't just some youth team.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. Under-17 national team won a World Cup game on Thursday, but for many American observers, the 1-0 victory against Malawi didn't quite feel like a triumph. The disappointing performance led to some criticism (from SBI among others), and while it might seem misguided to be critical of a team of teenagers, the fact remains that this U-17 squad isn't just some youth team.

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The Seattle Sounders will make their MLS playoff debut tonight against the two-time MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo in the opening match of their Western Conference playoff series (10pm, ESPN2).

The Sounders are new to the playoffs as a club, but have plenty of experience across the board, from two-time MLS Cup-winning coach Sigi Schmid, to European soccer veterans Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg.

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_______________________________Photo by ISIphotos.com

The 2009 MLS playoffs are set to kick off tonight with the Houston Dynamo taking on the Seattle Sounders and SBI will spend the next two days previewing the four first-round match-ups.

We will preview the Houston-Seattle series later today, along with the Chicago-New England series.

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_______________________________Photo by ISIphotos.com

The 2009 MLS playoffs are set to kick off tonight with the Houston Dynamo taking on the Seattle Sounders and SBI will spend the next two days previewing the four first-round match-ups.

We will preview the Houston-Seattle series later today, along with the Chicago-New England series.

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   Photo by ISIphotos.com

The 2009 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award was far from an easy one to vote for, with the only clear aspect of the voting being that it should probably go to a keeper from the Western Conference.

Kasey Keller looked like he might run away with the award early in the season, but neither he or the Sounders could keep up that early pace.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

Now that the 2009 MLS regular season is over, it is time to start thinking about the end-of-year league awards.

Last week, SBI had readers vote on all the major awards, and while there weren't any shocking choices, there was some interesting voting breakdowns.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

Now that the 2009 MLS regular season is over, it is time to start thinking about the end-of-year league awards.

Last week, SBI had readers vote on all the major awards, and while there weren't any shocking choices, there was some interesting voting breakdowns.

Click to continue reading...

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

Landon Donovan won his sixth Honda Player of the Year award on Tuesday, also earning Honda Player of the Decade honors in the process.

The award, which goes to the top U.S. national team player, was voted on by 221 members of the American sports media.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

Landon Donovan won his sixth Honda Player of the Year award on Tuesday, also earning Honda Player of the Decade honors in the process.

The award, which goes to the top U.

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The UEFA Champions League has kicked off with some crazy early scores as Barcelona and Inter Milan both fell behind in the opening moments. Ives is doing a running commentary at SBI, or you can watch the games yourself on Fox Soccer Channel (or their auxiliary channels on DirecTV). If neither of those works for you, check out the live scores at Soccernet. Click to continue reading...

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by FRANCO PANIZO

The day many American soccer fans have been waiting for has finally arrived, the day FIFA 10 makes it to the United States.

The world reknown EA Sports soccer game hit stores across North America on Tuesday, and United States soccer gamers are now finally able to get their paws on the latest installment in the FIFA series.

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Could Preki be on the move after this season? (Getty Images)

I must say today has been full of good stuff. From MLS playoff scenarios to U-17 World Cup rosters to other items it has been a full day. Needless to say if you have missed some of these items you are in luck as I have saved some of the best links of the day to discuss here tonight.

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the U.S. men's national team will play its final World Cup qualifier on Wednesday night in Washington D.C. and even though the team has already qualified for the 2010 World Cup, the match vs. Costa Rica is an important one to U.S. fans who want to see their team finish strong.

With that in mind, where will you be watching Wednesday's match vs.

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The U.S. men's national team will play its final World Cup qualifier on Wednesday night in Washington D.C. and even though the team has already qualified for the 2010 World Cup, the match vs. Costa Rica is an important one to U.S. fans who want to see their team finish strong.

With that in mind, where will you be watching Wednesday's match vs.

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The U.S. men's national team wasted no time scheduling an opponent for a November friendly after qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

The U.S. team will travel to Europe next month to take on fellow World Cup qualifier Denmark on Nov. 18 in Aarhus. The announcement came just three days after the USA qualified for the World Cup with its 3-2 victory vs.

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The moment has arrived. The first chance for the U.S. men's national team to clinch a berth in its sixth straight World Cup.

Standing in the way is a Honduran team that can also book its place in South Africa with a victory tonight.

I will be doing a live commentary for ESPN.

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The moment has arrived. The first chance for the U.S. men's national team to clinch a berth in its sixth straight World Cup.

Standing in the way is a Honduran team that can also book its place in South Africa with a victory tonight.

I will be doing a live commentary for ESPN.

Click to continue reading...

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Those wondering whether Edgar Castillo should have been called up by the U.S. national team for its upcoming World Cup qualifiers should know that Castillo is sidelined with a hamstring injury, but is expected to return to action for Tigres when the club returns to action on Oct. 18 against first-place Toluca.

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Those wondering whether Edgar Castillo should have been called up by the U.S. national team for its upcoming World Cup qualifiers should know that Castillo is sidelined with a hamstring injury, but is expected to return to action for Tigres when the club returns to action on Oct. 18 against first-place Toluca.

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Looks like this guy is doing his best Dr. Emmett Brown impersonation.
You know, the wacky scientist in Back to the Future.
Ahhhh, now you're seeing it.
To the links:

• Rangers win the Old Firm bout 2-1. [Telegraph]
  
• Garber backs Kroenke to buy Arsenal.

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A pair of English giants looking to rebound from disappointing performances in the UEFA Champions League headline this weekend's soccer on TV.

Chelsea takes on Liverpool in a battle of EPL powers. Chelsea will be looking to regroup following a disappointing mid-week performance in the UEFA Champions League, and it's shock loss to Wigan last weekend, by beating a Liverpool team still recovering from a 2-0 loss to Fiorentina in mid-week.

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A pair of English giants looking to rebound from disappointing performances in the UEFA Champions League headline this weekend's soccer on TV.

Chelsea takes on Liverpool in a battle of EPL powers. Chelsea will be looking to regroup following a disappointing mid-week performance in the UEFA Champions League, and it's shock loss to Wigan last weekend, by beating a Liverpool team still recovering from a 2-0 loss to Fiorentina in mid-week.

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Dirty Tackle is trying to figure if that's what Ghana U-20 team was trying to pull off in this celebration.
I can see it. Except for the guy with heartburn.
Now the links:

• Former AEK Athens owner a fraud. [Yahoo!]
  
• Pep cleared in doping case. [SI]
  
• UEFA W.

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The USA-Honduras World Cup qualifier scheduled for Oct. 10 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras will be played as scheduled, FIFA announced on Tuesday after an executive committee meeting to determine a course of action.

FIFA determined that the political conflict in Honduras had not caused safety concerns that would put the match at risk, but did state that FIFA's stance could change if the situation worsens.

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Mere seconds away from being the hero in Manchester City's stirring comeback against Manchester United, Craig Bellamy is now fighting to avoid being the villain as he faces a potential suspension for his treatment of a fan that invaded the Old Trafford pitch during Sunday's derby match, won by Manchester United in the final seconds.

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Richie Williams side showed a ton of heart this weekend, and could have taken the win, had it not been for a horrendous non call in the box, when New England's leg breaker, Osei, nearly took off Wolyniec's legs with a drop kick of epic proportions.

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The new season of the UEFA Champions League kicks off today with eight matches to get you back into the flow of watching the world's best club soccer.

Here is today's TV schedule for the UEFA Champions League:

2pm- Setanta Sports USA- Chelsea vs.

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