The Bars of Aragon, part of the Catalonian flag will feature in the 2013-14 kit
Two days ago, a million and a half Catalonians demonstrated in Barcelona in an unmistakably fervent call for independence from Spain. The president of Barcelona, Sandro Rosell attended that demonstration with his family as a private citizen, not representing the club.
Mexico at the Azteca Stadium beat Costa Rica through a Javier Hernandez header in the 60th minute. With a flawless record, a full nine points from three matches, El Tri coast to the hexagonal part of the CONCACAF qualifying round.
Five other countries will join them in this last round to decide the first three World Cup spots with a fourth that could be added potentially if they beat the top team of the Oceania Football Confederation which in this case is most likely to be New Zealand.
The giddy highs of Andy Murray winning yesterday at the US Open gave way to the more familiar struggle of Scotland trying to qualify for a World Cup now going on its 14th year.
This time against an enterprising Macedonian side which was fortunate to get on the scoreboard through what looked like an offside goal scored by Nikolche Noveski.
Yevhen Konoplianka at 22 years of age is a marked man. Marked by bigger clubs who sat up and took note of the winger who had his way with Glen Johnson at will and scored Ukraine's goal with a beautifully curling shot from 20 yards out. A little bit of yevhen.
He was a notch above his better known team mate Andriy Yarmalenko whose biggest contribution was two bits of play acting that resulted in Jermain Defoe's goal being annulled as well inadvertently creating the break away that resulted in Konoplianka's strike.
The USA sit behind Jamaica in Group A, tied for second with Guatemala. The Americans meet Jamaica today, for the second time in four days after their first match resulted in a historic victory for the Reggae Boyz. The Guatemalans travel to Antigua and Barbuda where they hope Carlos Ruiz and Dwight Pezzarossi, their in form strikers will continue to find their goalscoring touch.
Kealia Ohai scores the game winner in the 44th minute following great work down the right flank
by full back Crystal Dunn and then celebrates a la Megan Rapinoe.
Congratulations, girls, that was a sweet victory against a formidable opponent who had beaten
the USA, 3-0 in the group stage.
Leo Messi continues his incandescent national form which can only be good for Argentina's World
Cup chances. The little maestro unleashed a free kick that swerved past the wall and lodged into
goal. The Albiceleste's Real Madrid contingent also contributed with Angel Di Maria opening his
country's account and Gonzalo Higuain adding to that tally.
Frank Lampard collects a brace from a spot kick and a header. Jermain Defoe combines with Alex
Oxlade - Chamberlain in an Arsenal- Spurs hook up to score a third. James Milner collects a fourth
after a clever interchange involving Tom Cleverley and Theo Walcott. And Leighton Baines finishes
off hapless Moldova with a deflected free kick.
The USA return to World Cup qualifications today with their match against Jamaica at Kingston.
They are without Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley who are out with injuries. Amongst the
midfielders, Bradley has an established reputation for his box to box contribution and link up with
the strikers up top.
Caught in the midst of angst and anxiety of Arsenal getting on board with scoring, comes the
news of Pia Sundhage's stepping down as US Women's national team coach over the weekend. She joined
in 2007 in one the lowest points in team history, the 4-0 loss to Brazil in the World Cup
semi-finals following a huge conflagration between Greg Ryan and Hope Solo which resulted in the US
goalie's dismissal.
When is a deal between two clubs not a straight deal? When it involves a third party.
Spurs found out Joao Moutinho's economic interests were not just owned by Porto but a third
party investor who wanted to be paid his share of the transfer fee. It's all quite complex and the
Guardian has the goods.
Newly promoted Sampdoria delivered a message for AC Milan and it wasn't a good one. Christian
Abbiati could not move a muscle as Andrea Costa powered in his header to give Sampdoria the winner.
In another disturbing sign, the San Siro was half empty as the fans stayed away, disillusioned by
the club's failure to sign quality replacements for Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva.
The little Croatian finally lands up in the Bernabeu after Daniel Levy made life miserable for
Florentino Perez. He could not have arrived sooner to help reverse Real's faltering start to the
Liga.
Spurs have tabled a bid for Rennes midfielder Yann M'Vila who most Arsenal fans have included in
their fantasy team but the money offered is supposed to be a wee short of club expectations.
Looks like the future of US women's soccer is in very capable hands. The U20 World Cup got going
in Japan and the USA celebrated a 4-0 thrashing of Ghana in their opening match. Maya Hayes scored
a hat trick after Ghana's Linda Addai scored an own goal to get the scoreboard rolling.
The USA face China on Friday, 23rd August, at 5:50 EST.
One current Arsenal player and a former one contributed to Spain's 2-1 winning score. Santi
Cazorla swung a ball which had all kinds of movement past the Puerto Rican goalie and then Cesc
Fabregas hit a full blooded volley to get Spain's second. Marc Cintron scored a consolation for
PR.
In the 79th minute Brek Shea squirting free down the left nutmegs his way through and then
crosses the ball to Terrence Boyd whose back heel is swept into goal by Michael Orozco Fiscal. In a
bit of comeuppance Orozco plays for San Luis in the Mexican Primera.
The goal came after Mexico dominated the proceedings and had the better chances.
The title should actually read what fails Brazilian soccer? Clearly, with all its unsurpassed
talent, Brazilian soccer should have no ailment. Jonathan Wilson's article in the Guardian exposes
Brazil's fatal flaws when competing against teams which individual talent may find tough to
overcome.
As iconic an image: Could the USA top this in the finals?
Yes, all you football/ soccer lovers. This is one of the most anticipated clashes, the USA vs
Japan showdown, all year. Destiny had both countries renewing their rivalry in the Olympics women's
soccer final. The USA for redemption.
Yuki Otsu's magnificent strike in the 12th minute gave the Japanese men hope that they too could
emulate their women's team entering the Olympic finals but El Tri happened to be much stronger.
Marco Fabian, Oribe Peralta, and Javier Cortes scored to turn things around as Mexico marched to
their first Olympic finals.
Sepp Blatter was around to see his fondest dream of seeing women playing in "tighter shorts".
Yes, he really did say that as a way of attracting more male spectators amongst many of his other
pearls of wisdom.
The match underscored the importance of having a good goalie and in Miho Fukumoto, the Nadeshiko
had theirs.
An instant classic. Christine Sinclair was a one woman wrecking crew for Canada as she scored a
hat trick with the USA having to play catch up with each of her goals. They had a reply each time
and then went one better with Alex Morgan's 123rd minute header for the winner as seconds remained
in the match.
There are days when Daniel Sturridge could not hit a barn door even if it meant never having to
suffer through a Adam Sandler or a Seth Rogen movie ever again. Yesterday, was not one of them.
That was Messi-esque for team GB's final score.
Team GB moved the ball around with ease through Ryan Giggs, Craig Bellamy, Joe Allen, and Tom
Cleverley.
The mighty Rojas are done for. Well, at least their U23 team plus Adrian Lopez and Juan
Mata.
Los Catrachos, the Olympics version sent Spain crashing out of the tournament with a 1-0 win as
Roger Espinoza who plies his trade for Sporting Kansas City mailed in a cross that was met by Jerry
Bengtson of the New England Revs for a perfectly placed header past David De Gea.
You're no lady, Lady Andrade. The Colombian forward threw a nasty right hook at Abby Wambach as
the US striker fell onto the pitch clutching her face. Play continued on with the referee unaware
of what had just happened and the Colombians continued their unsportswoman like conduct by keeping
the ball in play.
There is talk as per Marca.com that the 23 year old Turkish midfielder who has found playing
minutes hard to come under Jose Mourinho maybe on his way to the Premier League on loan, possibly
Arsenal. Sahin was left out of Real's pre-season match against Benfica sparking transfer
rumours.
As the recently concluded pre season match against City demonstrated, Arsenal had plenty of ball
but again lacked that killer bit of midfield creativity to unlock the defense.
Earlier this month Megan Rapinoe came out and discussed her sexuality in Out Magazine. She has
been in a relationship with an Australian soccer player for three years.
"I feel like sports in general are still homophobic, in the sense that not a lot of people
are out," she says.
Stop press. Spain finally beaten. In the pecking order of bragging rights, the Olympics may not
be such a big deal compared to the World Cup or the Euro, but lets not forget it was not another
European giant beating them, it was Japan. A perennial Asian powerhouse but not known for winning
results against the big boys of world football.
Looks like the IOC have shut down any official highlights and we can only rely on shaky handcams
and cell phones to follow the progress of the US women's team. The long and short of it. The USA
faced an uphill climb after a very good French side took a 2-0 lead within the first 15
minutes.
Today, the MLS All Stars take on Chelsea. And yes, the All Stars beat the Blues, 1-0 in 2006.
The Blues were not too shabby then coached under the Special One and boasting the likes of Didier
Drogba but Dwayne De Rosario had other plans in store for them. The Canadian midfielder is this
year's All Stars captain and he heads a line up with David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Jay De Merit,
and Landon Donovan who have had experience playing against some of Chelsea's squad.
" Sold to you Mr Al-Thani for the princely sum of €36 million "
The Spanish media has little to add to the Guardian report that so categorically stated Santi
Cazorla's arrival at the Emirates was a done deal. The basic thrust of the report was Cazorla's
personal terms had been worked out and now it was left to Malaga to accept Arsenal's €20m
offer.
The Guardian is reporting that Malaga winger, Santi Cazorla will be the next transfer arriving
at the Emirates for a reported £16m. Malaga is in serious financial trouble unless the Qatari
businessman, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani, bankrolling them does not come up with a last
minute cash infusion.
About half of the Brazilian Olympic squad on display in today's warm up have been linked to
Premiership sides.
Remember when Chelsea were gyrating their hips fast and furiously to attract Neymar earlier this
year. But it is Olympic team mate, Oscar who has reportedly undergone a medical at Chelsea, in line
to be their newest acquisition although the club officially has yet to announce him.
Rangeramerica no more: Carlos Bocanegra and Maurice Edu seek new homes
As anticipated Carlos Bocanegra and Maurice Edu will not be part of newco Rangers, the entity
formerly known as Rangers FC, who will begin their lives in the third division of the SFL.
According to owner Charles Green, the pair would have considered staying on if they had dropped
one league below but playing in the basement was always going to be a tough sell for the US
internationals.
More Sepp Blatter or blather. He is now insinuating that the 2006 World Cup was rigged to favour
Germany.
When asked by the Swiss publication Blick about rumors of corruption surrounding the
decisions to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments to Russia and Qatar respectively,
Blatter responded: "World Cups being purchased.
Leo Messi continues his incandescent national form which can only be good for Argentina's World
Cup chances. The little maestro unleashed a free kick that swerved past the wall and lodged into
goal. The Albiceleste's Real Madrid contingent also contributed with Angel Di Maria opening his
country's account and Gonzalo Higuain adding to that tally.
Leo Messi's recent national goalscoring is well ahead of his Barca output. He scored his 9th
goal in five matches. Unleash the kracken as they say. Sami Khedira got the ball rolling for
Argentina with an own goal, Messi followed suit, and then it was the goal of this day's friendlies
when Angel Di Maria absolutely belted the ball from 30 yards out.
