As you're probably aware, Brazilian football (CBF and CONMEBOL for that matter) have no respect for the international break. So two matches took place in Brazil on Wednesday night one for Copa Sudamericana and one for the Brasileiro. And it was enough for the biggest collective nervous breakdown, I've ever seen.

Click to continue reading...

With football heavyweights France, Portugal and Russia looking to seal their place in South Africa you would be a fool to discount the action in Europe. But tonight in Omdurman, the largest city in Sudan, Egypt and Algeria clash in the day's most explosive tie.

Click to continue reading...

With football heavyweights France, Portugal and Russia looking to seal their place in South Africa you would be a fool to discount the action in Europe. But tonight in Omdurman, the largest city in Sudan, Egypt and Algeria clash in the day's most explosive tie.

Click to continue reading...

The Algeria vs Egypt match was played In the backdrop of potentially escalating violence, a build up to the game which saw the stoning of the bus carrying Algerians and injuries to three of their players.

Following the match, violence broke out in Marseille. In Egypt, 32 fans including 20 Algerians were hurt in clashes in Cairo and Nasr City.

Click to continue reading...

Although there were four big play-off games in Europe for us all to watch along with numerous friendlies, possibly the biggest game of the day was held in Cairo between Egypt and Algeria.

A rivalry that goes back to 1989, the intensity leading up to the game today reached fever pitch only a few days ago when the Algerian team bus was attacked by fans with rocks.

Click to continue reading...

The U.S. national team returns to action for the first time since qualifying for the 2010 World Cup today when it takes on Slovakia in a friendly in Bratislava (10am, FSC).

The Americans are without Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, as well as the injured Oguchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit, but there are still plenty of starters who will have chances to show they can play without the team's top players.

Click to continue reading...

Galaxy 2 Houston Dynamo 0

Who would have thunk it at the outset of this season?

Two extra time goals by Gregg Berhalter (!) and Landon Donovan - his 17th postseason goal, the most in MLS (he was tied with Carlos Ruiz previously) - has given the Galaxy the win before an energized 25,373 even though it's past 11:30 p.

Click to continue reading...

Landon Donovan started a 10 day trial with Germany's Bayern Munich (ASN, Nov. 11, 2009).

The trial soon turned into a loan spell amid (inaccurate, as it turned out) reports in the German press that a permanent deal was imminent. Donovan would return to Los Angeles in March.

Click to continue reading...

Ahead of the upcoming important Premier League match against Chelsea this Sunday, Man United defender Patrice Evra has said that he never loses against Chelsea. Over recent season's Evra has had one or two controversial moments at Stamford Bridge. The main one was after a game, things kicked off with Chelsea staff, you can read more about it here, here and here. Click to continue reading...

• Missouri state mens soccer climbs to #19 in the nation! Big wkend, MVC conf. tourny win needed to secure a spot in the NCAAs! via @JDemarzi #
• Stuart Ziegler named AMCC 2nd Team All-Conference via his Alma mater @ZizzerSoccer #
• Kickapoo takes a 1-0 lead in stoppage time at end of 1st half.

Click to continue reading...

• Missouri state mens soccer climbs to #19 in the nation! Big wkend, MVC conf. tourny win needed to secure a spot in the NCAAs! via @JDemarzi #
• Stuart Ziegler named AMCC 2nd Team All-Conference via his Alma mater @ZizzerSoccer #
• Kickapoo takes a 1-0 lead in stoppage time at end of 1st half.

Click to continue reading...

"The Galaxy made one play." The extent of Chivas USA head coach Preki's reaction to his team's 1-0 loss to crosstown rivals LA Galaxy Sunday night. With the loss, Chivas made its fourth straight first round playoff exit. After the final whistle a visibly irate Preki appeared to have words with Galaxy midfielder Demo Kovalenko, though the two were quickly separated.

Click to continue reading...

The second batch of Major League Soccer playoff games saw some tense football, great goals and short tempers. At the end of it, four teams progressed to the two conference finals. But did David Beckham and Cuauhtemoc Blanco make it?
On the 5th November, the King was dead. Columbus Crew were behind 1-0 on aggregate against Real Salt Lake and, despite quickly setting about overturning the deficit, the champions were ejected from the playoffs at the first hurdle. Click to continue reading...

Goals: Lyon (Pjanic 3, Govou 14, Lisandro 80, Lisandro pen 83, Bastos 90); Marseille (Diawara 11, Cheyrou 43, Kone 47, Brandao 79, Toulalan og 92)
Sanctions: Lyon (Makoun 20, Cris 54, Lisandro 86); Marseille (Niang 74, Diawara 87)

No words can adequately describe what will for sure end up being the match of the year.

Click to continue reading...

Hull defeated Stoke city 2-1 in their Premier League encounter to ease the pressure in the Hull camp to a great deal. It was the visitors who scored the first goal and took the lead and Hull seemed set to another defeat. But a goal in the second half and the second in the stoppage [...] Click to continue reading...

The Spanish Primera Division or La Liga had several matches on Saturday including FC Barcelona v Mallorca. Here's a recap and video highlights of the La Liga match from Saturday, November 7, 2009.

FC Barcelona beats Mallorca 4-2 Video Highlights

Barcelona took an early lead in the 11th minute as Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent a through ball for Pedro who scored.

Click to continue reading...

Arsenal traveled to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, November 7, 2009 in the English Premier League. The Gunners were 3rd in the league table and could move into 2nd with a win. Here's a recap of the match along with video highlights.

Arsenal beats Wolverhampton 4-1 Video Highlights

Arsenal cruised to victory over Wolves on Saturday in the EPL.

Click to continue reading...

Where to begin with this one? If you approached fans of Columbus and let them know in advance of the game, that they would take a two goal lead within the first 35 minutes at home, against the worst road team in MLS, they would have taken that in a hearbeat. And that's just what did happen, as two Guillermo Barros Schelotto goals got the Crew off to the start they needed.

Click to continue reading...

The Big Puma was Back, at Least for a Night
Rare is the sight in Mexican futbol of a stadium packed to capacity. It happens in some places with regualrity: the two Monterrey stadia, Santos, and San Luis Potosí seems to have sell outs every game. The big teams, on the other hand, only seem to pack the place when it's either a rivalry game or a late rounder in the liguilla. Click to continue reading...

The Chicago Fire routed the New England Revolution 3-0 in the return leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals to advance 3-0 on aggregate (ASN, Nov. 7, 2008).

The 3-0 score was one goal higher than ASN's chief Fire pundit had predicted on the eve of the match. With the victory, Chicago finally reversed a multi-year streak of exiting the playoffs at the hands of the Revs.

Click to continue reading...

The highlight of this weekend's fixtures was the match at the Olimpico in Turin between Juventus and Napoli. After numerous quality acquisitions over the Summer for Napoli, they had been expecting a good start to the season. However, after a less than impressive start, Roberto Donadoni was sacked and Walter Mazzarri brought in to try and settle the ship.

Click to continue reading...

It's about time we shone our Jeu du Jour spotlight on Auxerre as we look back on Week 11. The only team never to be relegated from France's top flight started off this season as though that might all change, but after a defeat in each of their first three games, they now find themselves unbeaten in eight and up to fifth in the table. Click to continue reading...

Jonathan Spector started the game on the bench for West Ham United, but was on the field within eight minutes as they beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Upton Park. Spector subbed on for injured defender Herita Ilunga, with West Ham saving the offense for late in both halves. Mark Noble put them up from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time, beating Brad Friedel. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool only managed a 1-1 draw away to Lyon tonight which may not be enough to qualify for the quarter finals of the Champions League. A depleted Liverpool team had most of the possession away to Lyon and had a few good attempts on goal saved by the Lyon keeper, until sub Ryan Babel scored with a magnificent thunderbolt shot on 83 mins to give the Reds a deserved lead. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool's chances of advancing to the UEFA Champions League knockout stage are on life support after the team's 1-1 draw at Olympique Lyon earlier today. With the point from the draw, Lyon become the first team in the group to advance. Likely to join them are Fiorentina, who sit second on nine points. Click to continue reading...

Atletico de Madrid put on a brave display to snatch a draw against Chelsea. The Spanish club have had a harsh time in the Primera Division, as well as in the Champions League. But two sensational strikes from Sergio Aguero ensured that fans at the Vicente Calderon did not go home unhappy. Aguero opened the scoring [. Click to continue reading...

The regular season is over and the playoffs are the order of the day in Major League Soccer. Surprise qualifiers Real Salt Lake made themselves known in the first leg of their tie with Supporters Shield winners Columbus Crew, while all four conference semi-finals were even matches with little to separate the sides. Click to continue reading...

Bordeaux earned a 2-0 result at the Allianz Arena to cruise past Bayern Munich and ensure a place in the next round of the Champions League. The visitors' prowess at set-plays was evident throughout the game, as every time a decision went the French way, minor problems in the Bavarian box were never far away. Click to continue reading...

The UEFA Champions League had a full set of group stage matches on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 including AC Milan hosting Real Madrid at the San Siro. Here's a recap of the match along with video highlights.

AC Milan draws with Real Madrid 1-1 Video Highlights

Real Madrid started the match with most of the possession and chances early.

Click to continue reading...

"It doesn't really change too much. We have to win at home and that's what we wanted to do anyways." Columbus Crew defender Frankie Hejduk on his team's loss to Real Salt Lake in the first round of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Click to continue reading...

In the (self-dubbed) newbie derby, Gold Coast have been defeated by a rampant North Queensland Fury side. Robbie Fowler lead the team from start to finish, getting on the scoresheet twice. The defeat has added to the horrible week that the Gold Coast have suffered, including a 6-0 whitewash by Wellington, and a huge condemnation by the public over club owner Clive Palmer's (right) decision to cap crowds at 5,000 to save money.

Click to continue reading...

The Revolution might have entered the playoffs in eighth-place, but that didn't matter on Sunday at Foxborough. Chicago went up in the 17th-minute when Chris Rolfe scored, and that almost held into halftime. Emmanuel Osei equalized for the Revolution two minutes into first-half stoppage time. Shalrie Joseph scored the winner in the 75th. Click to continue reading...

The Fire headed into Sunday's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at the New England Revolution knowing that they couldn't afford to give the Revs many set piece opportunities.

"We have to limit their set pieces," Fire Head Coach Denis Hamlett said earlier this week. "[We have to be careful on] throw-ins and corner kicks because they do well with those.

Click to continue reading...

Sorry it has been a while, leaves on the line or something. This isn't a proper match report as I only watched on the TV, but I can safely say that this was a cracking match that I think made a decent advertisement for football at this level. The stoppage-time equaliser by Lewis McGugan will [...] Click to continue reading...

Cardiff City 1 Nottingham Forest 1 All runs must come to an end, and it seemed that would be the case today in rainy Welsh Wales before Lewis popped up to unleash a left footed strike just into stoppage time to give the reds a draw which I think on balance is deserved, but in [...] Click to continue reading...