Fresh off a transfer back to league leading Estoril and a successful camp with Caleb Porter's U-23 squad, Tony Taylor has reason to be optimistic for 2012.

The U.S. Under-23 men's national team has just over a month left before Olympic qualifying takes place, and Caleb Porter's side wrapped up its penultimate camp last week in Costa Rica with a pair of friendlies.

Playing without some of its top players, the Americans played to a scoreless draw with the Saprissa reserves.

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 U-23 Men's National Team wrapped up their January training camp with a scrimmage today against Alajuelense of Costa Rica.
Caleb Porter's squad has been in Central American since last week as they continue to prepare for Olympic Qualifying in March. A big part of that preparation as been acclimating themselves to the rhythm of a qualifying tournament and that's where this trip has come in: playing two games in four days is just the type of schedule the team will face when they take the field in Nashville for the group stage of the competition.

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.

I attended 4 of the sessions and both games versus Klinsmann's senior team.

Caleb Porter

First and foremost, if our praise for Caleb Porter hasn't been evident, let me repeat, Caleb Porter is legit.

Previously, we've been judging him solely from watching his Akron team (on TV and in person).

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.

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.

We're on the wait for a goal clip (that may or may not arrive today) as Tony Taylor potted a penalty near halftime of Atlético CP's 2-2 draw with Freamunde. The American had his side up two and looking like reclaiming first place, but a late red card and two later leaked goals forced a share.- Greg Seltzer

Despite not being part of Caleb Porter's recent training camp in Florida, Tony Taylor is hopeful of making the Olympic roster.

This is Part II of TSG's discussion with Amsterdam-based Greg Seltzer of MLSSoccer.com and No Short Corners. You can find Part I, here.

Gatt and a legend...

Matthew: So who are the key Americans abroad that US fans should truly be excited by? So many times one goal is enough to chop a forest worth's of timber to power the hype machine.

Been a little under the weather this weekend, so I've been moving slowly - another way of saying sleep all day. I nearly plum forgot about the owed Carlos Bocanegra goal clip and took a while to notice Tony Taylor's strike in a losing cause on Sunday. It's now Monday, which means tons to do, which means quit the moaning and get 'er done.

Oguchi Onyewu and Sporting will hope to keep the pressure on the league leaders with a win in an away game at Academica, while Caleb Patterson-Sewell and Tony Taylor will try to end Atletico's recent skid.

Oguchi Onyewu's second goal of the season clinched three points for Sporting againt Nacional, while Tony Taylor and Caleb Patterson-Sewell remained in first place after Atletico's tie with Penafiel.

Oguchi Onyewu will assume his customary role in the center of the Sporting defense when Nacional visits on Saturday, while Caleb Patterson-Sewell and Tony Taylor have home game against Penafiel.

While the U.S. senior national team was busy getting a result in Slovenia, the U.S. Under-23 side training in Germany played to a draw and lost in a pair of friendlies against Bayer Leverkusen reserve and youth sides.

A few days after topping VfL Bochum's reserve team and drawing against Azerbaijan's U-21 side, the U-23s jumped out to a lead on a team comprised of Leverkusen's reserves and U-23s but settled for a 1-1 draw.

My first bit from U-23 camp dropped at MLSS last night. There's more to come, but I wanted to share the things Tony Taylor said about club life that didn't make the final product.On whether the club wants to make his loan permanent:The coach wants me to stay. I'm happy. I'm playing, the team is winning.

U.S. U-23 MNT forward Tony Taylor lives and plays in Portugal, where he caught the eye of Caleb Porter to earn a call up to the training camp here in Germany. The powerful forward came on as a sub in the scrimmage on Friday, scoring one goal and setting up another.

While the U-23's ran out to a 3-1 win against Bochum, Taylor was quick to point out that the goal of the camp was more about building a familiarity with teammates and coaches moving towards 2012.

The U-23 Team taking on Bochum
In the first game the U-23 Men's National Team beat VfL Bochum 3-1. It was a combo of some pros on Bochum as well as some youth players. Here's the lineup the U-23's put out:
USA: 1-Sean Johnson; 2-Sheanon Williams, 4-Ethan White (12-Gale Agbossoumonde, 16), 5-Royal-Dominique Fennell, 3-Zarek Valentin; 8-Joe Corona (15-Joe Gyau, 46), 6-Amobi Okugo (capt.

MLS CUP PLAYOFFS
Final
Match & Score:
-Sun Nov 20
LA Galaxy v Houston Dynamo - 8:00pm CT on ESPN
Venue: The Home Depot Center - Carson CA
dN
General Playoff News
I know I pick on Chad Barrett of LA a lot. Have done so for years.

Terrence Boyd Scored the Tying Goal for the U-23s This Morning
This morning the U-23 U.S. Men's National Team headed 30 km due east from Duisburg to Bochum to face VfL Bochum in a scrimmage today. The Bochum team was a combination of first team players and youth players. It's an international break in Germany so no sign of the People's Rooney, but nonetheless it was a spirited match played in front of an appreciative crowd of about 200 people.

TEAM USA - EL EQUIPO DE TODOS
The Senior team is in France, while the Olympic team is in Germany
dN
Brian Straus of Sporting News does a Q & A with head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated examines today's France-USA game.

Photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com

After a few days together in a training-camp setting in Germany, the U.S. Under-23 national team got to take to the playing field on Friday and turned in a positive result.

Tony Taylor scored the go-ahead goal, while Terrance Boyd and Dilly Duka also got on the board as the U.

Tony Taylor and Caleb Patterson-Sewell took their customary spots in the Atletico lineup as yet another shutout victory stretched their lead at the top of the standings, while Oguchi Onyewu missed out on Sporting's win over Leiria through injury.

Oguchi Onyewu should return to the lineup and help Sporting begin a new winning streak, while Tony Taylor and Caleb Patterson-Sewell will take part in a first versus last matchup against Portimonense.

Oguchi Onyewu should return to the Sporting lineup against Feirense, while Tony Taylor and Caleb Patterson-Sewell will likely retain their spots in Atletico's starting eleven when Covilha come to town.

Tony Taylor and Caleb Patterson-Sewell were both in the starting lineup for Atletico and helped stretch their lead atop the Liga Orangina with another shutout victory.

Oguchi Onyewu hopes to overcome a groin injury against Gil Vicente on Monday, while Tony Taylor and Caleb Patterson-Sewell will likely start when Atletico returns to action after an extended break.

Oguchi Onyewu helped ten-man Sporting fight to a sixth straight win while Caleb Patterson-Sewell and Tony Taylor were both in Atletico's starting lineup for their shut-out win over Naval.

Oguchi Onyewu marshaled Sporting's defense as they continued to climb the standings with a convincing win, while Tony Taylor and Caleb Patterson-Sewell both put in 90 minute shifts in Atletico's first loss of the season.

Oguchi Onyewu and Sporting will host Setubal in search of their fourth straight win, while Tony Taylor and Caleb Patterson-Sewell will visit Arouca hoping to extend a three game streak of their own.

Oguchi Onyewu played the hero by scoring the game winning against Rio Ave, while a Tony Taylor strike and another shutout by Caleb Patterson-Sewell ensured Atletico's third consecutive win.

I may have used this title gag before. I don't care. Tony Taylor scored on his debut to help Atlético CP go top with a 3-0 win over Trofense. Problem is... this clip may take a while.Snide note: Guess what formation this team plays. No, just guess.- Greg Seltzer

Oguchi Onyewu will look to help Sporting to its third straight victory on their trip to Rio Ave, while Tony Taylor will hope to join Caleb Patterson-Sewell in the Atletico lineup when Trofense visits the Estadio da Tapadinha.

Caleb Patterson-Sewell once again backstopped Atletico to victory, while Tony Taylor made his debut as a second half substitute.

After a season and a half with Estoril in the Portuguese second division, Tony Taylor will suit up for Liga Orangina rival Atletico CP in 2011-2012.

Chris Rolfe and Aalborg made an early exit from the Danish Cup in a dramatic penalty shootout loss to Viborg while Brad Rusin and Koge rode a strong second half against Hellerup IK to the next round.

A few Americans made moves in Europe ahead of the close of the summer transfer window, but some of the bigger names being tossed around the rumor mill stayed put.

The major move to Arsenal never materialized for Clint Dempsey, who remains at Fulham. Jermaine Jones is still out of favor at Schalke.