Official Announcement by WPS press release:
WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER
SUSPENDS PLAY FOR 2012 SEASON
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (January 30, 2012) – Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) announced today that its Board of Governors has voted to suspend the 2012 season to permit the League to focus on the resolution of certain pending legal issues and the challenges that now face the League as a result of its ongoing dispute with a former owner.

Norfolk SharX Press Release:
SHARX NAME JIM GOOLEY GENERAL MANAGER Lucy Gimbel named Director of Operations Troy Catindig named Director of Group Sales
Norfolk, Virginia – The Norfolk SharX are pleased to announce that Jim Gooley has joined the staff as General Manager.

photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com

The CONCACAF Olympic Women's qualifying tournament takes place later this month, and we now know who will be representing the U.S. women's national team in it.

Head coach Pia Sundhage has named a 20-player squad for the eight-team tournament in Vancouver, B.

The Boston Breakers have signed veteran U.S. National Team midfielder Heather O'Reilly, the club announced today. Terms of deal were not realesed.

O'Reilly, 26, is a three year WPS verteran having last played with Sky Blue FC. She usually features on the flank and has contributed four goals and 11 assists in her domestic career.

Having faced uncertainty about its future in recent weeks and months, WPS appears to have avoided doomsday. At least for now.

WPS reportedly received conditional Division 1 sanctioning for 2012 from U.S. Soccer's board of directors on Monday evening despite it only having five teams and the minimum for Division I status typically being eight.

U.S. right back Ali Krieger played 90 minutes in FFC Frankfurt's 2-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of the Round of 16 of the UEFA Women's Champions League. Despite the loss in Paris, Frankfurt advanced to the quarter-finals on the strength of its 3-0 victory in the first leg in Germany, giving them a 4-2 aggregate goals victory.

The U.S. WNT players did a lot of different and fun stuff on their six-week breaks before the team opens camp this Monday in Arizona, but only one of them traveled to a different country to support their favorite club.
That would be Tobin Heath, the U.S. WNT resident soccer junky, who traveled with best buddy and Sky Blue FC teammate Casey Nogueira to London to take in an Arsenal match at The Emirates.

U.S. WNT defender Ali Krieger played the full 90 minutes in FFC Frankfurt's 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16 for the UEFA Women's Champions League this morning and now takes a commanding lead back to France for the second leg on Nov. 9, so Krieger will be a bit delayed coming into training camp in Arizona.

Manchester City FC has launched Sky Blue – the club's first ever international membership programme, with specific benefits for fans in the UAE.

It's only Monday, but already it's almost time for another match. And for a moment it's almost as though Liverpool were back in Europe once again, the games coming thick and furious and with hardly a moment to decompress in between them. Then you remember that Liverpool's last bit of midweek football was a will-sapping friendly at Rangers, and that this week's sees a trip to Stoke to face a side renowned for its ability to sap the will of opponents and their fans alike.

Manchester City and United fan's have been urged to unite and trash their Tevez shirts for brand new replica shirts ahead of this Sunday's much anticipated Manchester Derby at Old Trafford. The cheeky publicity stunt was thought of by gambling firm Betfair who are using sky blue and red skip lorries in their advertising which is set to be headline news ahead of the tie.

By Chris Wright

Carlos Tevez was forced to train alone in footballing limbo on his return to Man City this afternoon after serving a two-week ban and saw fit to plug his new 'Tevez 32′ clothing company both before and after his solitary session at Carrington...

(Sky) blue steel, work it bitch!

Tottenham Hotspur striker Emmanuel Adebayor has vowed to never celebrate scoring a goal against former club Arsenal and has apologized to the Gunners for running the length of the entire field to celebrate his first strike against them as a Manchester City player two years ago.

Adebayor rose to prominence during his time at Arsenal but his departure from the club in 2009 created bitterness between the player and the North London club, particularly after he stamped on the face of former teammate Robin van Persie just minutes after the infamous aforementioned celebration.

August is finally over. Let's review what happened:

The Union started out with a loss to Colorado. PSP/KYW talked to Alexi Lalas about the dissonance between self-assurance and consistently incorrect predictions. Ed summed up the Union-Chicago tie well: U.G.L.Y. When PSP spoke with John Hackworth, he gave us some insight on how the team was dealing with the rough patch and how the coaches were trying to improve the performances.

Today US Soccer announced the roster for the women's team when they visit KC to take on Canada on September 17th at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. The roster contains all 21 players from the USA's run to the World Cup final this year in Germany. It'll be a nice doubleheader for those wanting to go out on that Saturday as following the US game they'll be showing the Sporting KC vs Real Salt Lake game.

With distance comes perspective, and from the very back of the Putney End the view was... well what was it? Despite my best efforts the game entirely passed me by. There they were, 22 men in white and sky blue, back and forth, up and down, then we all went home after an hour and a half of watching them run about.

Joey Barton welcomes Gervinho to life in the Premier League with an embrace

Us Arsenal fans have been approaching the beginning of this new campaign with a sense of dread. On the field, the team fell of a cliff last spring in quick sucession, they handed the Carling Cup to Birmingham in the waning minutes; got eliminated from the Champions League yet again by nemesis Barcelona, and fell from within striking distance of the top of the Premier League to barely hanging on to a Champions League spot.

CAMRBIDGE, Mass. With their playoff hopes on the line, the Breakers got two goals from Lauren Cheney as their 2-0 victory over Sky Blue FC earned them a trip to the WPS postseason on the final day of the regular season.

Cheney, who only recently came back from an ankle injury she suffered earlier this summer, scored in the 1st and 18th minutes while Alyssa Naeher made seven saves on the night to help steer Boston to its second consecutive WPS playoff appearance.

Why antiquated anti-standing laws prove in football the customer is not king

The crowd behind each of the goals at Wembley Stadium on Sunday may have been divided into red and sky blue, but one thing at least did unite them: the fact that they were all standing up. The desire of a number of fans not to sit down during matches is one that the football authorities do not wish to seriously address.

Sunday's match, the last home game of the regular season, was Fan Appreciation Night.

Tasha Kai once again proved why she is essential to this team, scoring the first goal...

...with this shot over Sky Blue's keeper, Jenni Branam.

photo by Michael Long

A stoppage time goal from Lianne Sanderson kept the Independence in the race for a first place finish in WPS on Sunday night at Widener University. Tasha Kai gave Philly the lead on 17 minutes with a wonderful strike from distance only to see her opener cancelled out seven minutes later by an Eniola Aluko goal.

Featured image: Paul Rudderow

Union

The Union are surely feeling the effects of their performance over the last two games, earning only one point out of six. If they are in need of a boost, the news that the Union have acquired the full rights to Carlos Valdes, who was on loan from Independiente Sante Fe, just might do the trick.

The Philly Soccer Page " Player ratings: Union friendlies
In-depth analysis is probably not warranted after a pair of European friendlies that saw the visitors in lame form. Everton mailed it in like a cereal box UPC for a free beanie and if you looked at Real Madrid's second half formation from a blimp, it spells out "aburrido.

Photo: Michael Long

After winning six straight matches to take the top spot in the WPS table, the Independence traveled to New Jersey on Saturday night and played one of their worst games of the season. After a listless first half, Casey Nogueira netted a second half brace to give Sky Blue the 2–0 victory.

photo by Michael Long

Holmfridur Magnusdottir, Icelandic international and PSP favorite, has left the Philadelphia Independence to return to Iceland. The official press release from the Independence says that the club and Magnusdottir "have agreed to a mutual termination of contract.

The thrilling ride that was the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup is over, but as we know you still want to see your favorite WNT players in action, Women's Professional Soccer has you covered with three matches this weekend...
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Sky Blue FC vs. Philadelphia Independence
Yurcak Field – Piscataway, N.

The Women's World Cup Final will be grabbing most of the attention of American soccer fans today, but it certainly isn't the only match on today's schedule.

The final two places in the Copa America semifinals will be filled today as Brazil looks to avoid the fate of fellow favorite Argentina by beating Paraguay.

Copa America 2011
Argentina 0:0 Colombia
The host nation has embarked on a round of navel-gazing following a second successive draw in the Copa America.
On a foggy night in Santa Fe, Argentina, despite boasting the likes of Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez in their lineup, failed to catch fire and stumbled listlessly to a goalless finish with Colombia.

Copa America 2011: Notes on Matchday 1 is a post from: Just Football

A few thoughts and observations after Matchday 1 of the 2011 Copa America in Argentina:

1) Barça-no-la

Sergio Batista's desire to mould his Argentina team into the Catalan sky-blue and whites is well documented, and appears to have filtered down to his players.

Manchester City And The Dubious Pleasures Of Gael Clichy - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

So to be a top team you need attacking fullbacks. This is not just general opinion but to a degree in the modern game it is quite literally a must have. In a time of wingers who cut inside and trequartistas who have far greater mobility,fullbacks provide the width for these players to operate.

The Financial Times is carrying an interesting Simon Kuper article about how every tiny aspect of a football match is now recorded and scrutinised; and specifically how the likes of Sam Allardyce have been in the vanguard of this quiet revolution. Kuper describes a recent visit to Manchester City's tranquil training ground in the village of Carrington.

Sunday night on Fox Soccer Channel two of last years stars on the University of Virginia women's soccer squad where on the same field in Atlanta during the telivised Fox Soccer Channel WPS Sunday Night Game.
Sinead Farrelly MF (Drafted #2, 2011 WPS Draft) now playing for the Philadelphia Independence battled against Meghan Lenczyk F (Drafted #14, 2011 WPS Draft) now of the Atlanta Beat on T.

Goalkeepers: Nicole Barnhart (Philadelphia Independence), Jill Loyden (magicJack), Hope Solo (magicJack)
Defenders: Rachel Buehler (Boston Breakers), Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers), Ali Krieger (out of contract), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (Atlanta Beat), Christie Rampone (magicJack), Becky Sauerbrunn (magicJack)
Midfielders: Shannon Boxx (magicJack), Tobin Heath (Sky Blue FC), Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence), Carli Lloyd (Atlanta Beat), Heather O'Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (Philadelphia Independence), Lindsay Tarpley (magicJack)
Forwards: Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers), Alex Morgan (Western New York Flash), Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence), Abby Wambach (magicJack)

What seemed like not much of a title race in England has suddenly become a contest as Chelsea's win on Saturday has given Manchester United a reason to feel some pressure.

Chelsea's win against Tottenham means Manchester United will need to secure all three points from its visit to Arsenal today in order to avoid losing even more ground heading into their meeting with Chelsea next week.

Over the past six weeks, I've been on the road a ton, so just a quick check in here as my various digital/soccer journeys continue. In early March, I was in Washington D.C. where I met the fine folks at DC United and saw RFK stadium. Then I was off to Seattle for MLS First Kick and some QT with the Sounders digital team.

Week three of Women's Professional Soccer is in the books with two matches played over the weekend of April 23-24. The Boston Breakers traveled to Florida to take on magicJack which won 1-0 on Saturday. The WNY Flash traveled down to Atlanta to take on the Beat where they played to a 2-2 draw.

For magicJack, this was their first game ever after the game the week before in Philadelphia was postponed.

In one corner you have Manchester United, the team nicknamed 'the Red Devils'. If you visit their website, they refer to themselves as ‘Reds'. The club has become much more than a simple team. Manchester United is constantly marketing the ‘brand'. Their annual trips to the United States are based around expanding the fan base and reaching out to new audiences.

The 2nd week of Women's Professional Soccer is over and the season is well underway! The second week should have consistent three matches, but the Philadelphia Independence match versus magicJack was canceled because of severe thunder and lightning. Instead, just two matches were played. The Atlanta Beat earned a win over Sky Blue FC, and the Boston Breakers lost their home opener to the Western New York Flash.

Talk about an impact substitute.

UW-Milwaukee forward Sarah Hagen (Appleton North) came off the bench to score the equalizer in the 79th minute and set up the 83rd-minute winner by Sky Blue FC midfielder Casey Nogueira (Cedarburg) as the U.S. Under-23 women's national team stunned Norway 3-2 Tuesday to win the Four Nations Tournament in La Manga, Spain.

Three state players traveled with the U.S. Under-23 women's national team for a tournament in La Manga, Spain.

UW-Milwaukee forward Sarah Hagen (Appleton North), Atlanta Beat midfielder Katie Bethke (Eau Claire Memorial) and Sky Blue FC midfielder Casey Nogueira (Cedarburg) were named to the team.