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Jozy Altidore will be staying with Villarreal for at least the first half of the upcoming La Liga season.

The U.S. national team striker and former Red Bulls standout revealed that he will not be going to another Spanish club on loan, which had long been expected, and will stay with Villarreal as the club deals with a rash of injuries at th forward position.

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The task was already going to be tough, but when U.S. Olympic defender Michael Orozco drew a red card just four minutes into the U.S. team's crucial Olympic match against Nigeria, the job turned into trying to swim in a shark tank with your foot cut off.

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The task is simple, but far from easy. Avoid defeat against Nigeria and the U.S. men's Olympic team advances to the quarterfinals of the tournament. Secure a victory against Nigeria and the Americans advance AND avoid facing Argentina in the quarters.

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It's okay to admit it. The U.S. Olympic team's 2-2 tie vs. the Netherlands feels like a loss, doesn't it? Just seconds from the biggest win in U.

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With just two days between Thursday's 1-0 victory against Japan, and Sunday's showdown vs. the Netherlands, U.S. Olympic men's soccer coach Peter Nowak has some tough decisions to make.

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If you were watching the U.S. Olympic team play and felt like something was missing, it's because something was.

The U.S. Soccer crest (pictured below) that is emblazoned on every U.

The US men's Olympic team faced Japan in the opening match of the tournament for both teams on Thursday. If you want to read about the game and discuss it, then go to the jump. If you are still waiting to see the match, then feel free to return here after you have watched the match.

Holden goal helps USA down unlucky Japanese

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The Olympics are set to kick off for the U.S. men's national team on Thursday morning against Japan, which means that in less than two days we will know who head coach Peter Nowak has chosen to start.

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See that picture? It's Benny Feilhaber after he scored the eventual game-winning goal for the U.S. national team in a packed Soldier Field to defeat Mexico in the 2007 Gold Cup final.

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The U.S. men's Olympic team fell, 1-0, to Cameroon on Sunday in Hong Kong. A first-half penalty kick goal proved to be the difference for the Africans.

Here is the lineup the Americans trotted out against Cameroon:

--------------McBride-------------Altidore------------------

Rogers--------Holden------------Bradley------------ Kljestan

Orozco----------Edu---------Parkhurst---------------Wynne

------------------------Guzan------------------------------------

Freddy Adu came on for Altidore in the 64th minute.

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Good morning all. The end of a very busy and news-filled week is upon us and as we wind down toward Saturday's MLS schedule (and David Beckham's return to the New York area), it is time to catch up on some news and notes from the soccer world.

The U.S. Men's National Team for this year's Olympic games was announced today and it contains a great list of some very talented players. Coach Peter Nowak made some excellent choices, especially with the 3 over age 23 players that he is allowed to select in Brian McBride, Brad Guzan, and Michael Parkhurst.

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Jozy Altidore's reported $10 million move to Villarreal is closer to completion.

Altidore reached an agreement on personal terms with Villarreal on Tuesday and is set to sign a six-year deal with the Spanish Premier League club, sources told SBI on Tuesday.

U.S. national team defender Jonathan Spector is facing surgery to repair a torn labrum, surgery that could sideline him from three to six months and would force him to miss the Olympics.

If Spector does wind up having surgery, which appears likely, it would be a big blow to the U.

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Toronto FC midfielder Maurice Edu will replace Derby County midfielder Benny Feilhaber on the U.S. national team roster that will face England at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday, sources told SBI on Thursday.

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Toronto FC midfielder Maurice Edu will replace Derby County midfielder Benny Feilhaber on the U.S. national team roster that will face England at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday, sources told SBI on Thursday.

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Fulham is still alive. Yes, you read that right, the Cottagers' hopes of avoiding relegation stayed alive for another week courtesy of a 3-2 win against Manchester City. That means the five Americans who play for Fulham were given another chance to survive, at least one more game with something on the line.

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Fulham is still alive. Yes, you read that right, the Cottagers' hopes of avoiding relegation stayed alive for another week courtesy of a 3-2 win against Manchester City. That means the five Americans who play for Fulham were given another chance to survive, at least one more game with something on the line.

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.S. Under-23 national team goalkeeper and 2008 Chicago Fire draft pick Dominic Cervi is on trial with Scottish powerhouse Celtic. Ron Waxman, Cervi's New York-based agent, confirmed on Wednesday that Cervi has been with Celtic for more than a week as part of an extended trial.

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U.S. Under-23 national team goalkeeper and 2008 Chicago Fire draft pick Dominic Cervi is on trial with Scottish powerhouse Celtic. Ron Waxman, Cervi's New York-based agent, confirmed on Wednesday that Cervi has been with Celtic for more than a week as part of an extended trial.

It is clear, at least from the early look, that the Netherlands will be considered the favorites to advance from the U.S. Olympic team's group.

You know all about the Dutch senior team's stars, but you may know only a few of the Dutch Under-23 team's best. Here is what the Dutch lineup may look like when it takes the field in China this summer (as well as a look at some potential overage players for the Dutch):

Dutch Olympic Team Projected Lineup

-------------------------------------Ryan Babel-----------------------------------

-----------------Ibrahim Afellay--------------Jonathan DeGuzman-----------

---Royston Drenthe----------------------------------------Daniel de Ridder---

---------------------------------Hedwiges Maduro-------------------------------

Erik Pieters--------------Ryan Donk-----Ron Vlaar--------Gianni Zuiverloon

-----------------------------------Boy Waterman------------------------------

Other players to watch:

• Maceo Rigters
• Roy Beerens
• Ismael Aissati
• Otman Bakkal
• Collins John

Leading the way for the Dutch are Drenthe (Real Madrid), Maduro (Valencia) and Babel (Liverpool).

The U.S. men's Olympic soccer team will face Holland, Japan and Nigeria in this summer's Olympic Games.

The draw, held early this morning, placed the Americans in a group with a tough Dutch squad and a Nigeria team with a strong collection of young players that will include key figures from the squad that reached the 2005 Under-20 World Cup final as well as the team that just won the 2007 Under-17 World Cup.

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If you thought the last image you would ever have of Brian McBride in a U.S. uniform was him walking off the field after the U.S. team's World Cup loss to Ghana in 2006, think again.

Good afternoon folks. Apologies for the lateness of this post but it is Easter after all.

If you are a die-hard U.S. national team fan and watching today's qualifying final even though it doesn't mean much, please feel free to follow along with the match here.

Enjoy the match.

-----------------------------

FINAL- Honduras 1, USA 0.

It is going to be one of those holidays. You know the ones, where you have to find some very good excuses to score the necessary two to four hours of TV time to watch some marquee soccer action. Your family commitments are going to keep you busy but where there's a will, there's a way to still catch the can't-miss match (or matches).

It is going to be one of those holidays. You know the ones, where you have to find some very good excuses to score the necessary two to four hours of TV time to watch some marquee soccer action. Your family commitments are going to keep you busy but where there's a will, there's a way to still catch the can't-miss match (or matches).

Tonight is the night. Two teams enter, one team leaves with a ticket to the Olympics. The U.S. national team faces Canada in a crucial CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying semifinal and anyone thinking it will be a cakewalk for the Americans should think again. It will be a battle.

The match was scheduled to begin at 9pm but I'm not sure when kickoff will be now that Guatemala-Honduras is into overtime.

Tonight is the night. Two teams enter, one team leaves with a ticket to the Olympics. The U.S. national team faces Canada in a crucial CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying semifinal and anyone thinking it will be a cakewalk for the Americans should think again. It will be a battle.

The match was scheduled to begin at 9pm but I'm not sure when kickoff will be now that Guatemala-Honduras is into overtime.

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When the most attractive streaker in U.S. soccer history left the field at Raymond James Stadium dressed in bra, panties and American flag, there were plenty of questions going through the minds of U.

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When the most attractive streaker in U.S. soccer history left the field at Raymond James Stadium dressed in bra, panties and American flag, there were plenty of questions going through the minds of U.

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Okay folks, I know you've been wondering what the U.S. Under-23 national team lineup for tonight's match against Canada will be.

Wonder no more.

According to multiple sources, this will be the U.

Photo by ISI Photos

Okay folks, I know you've been wondering what the U.S. Under-23 national team lineup for tonight's match against Canada will be.

Wonder no more.

According to multiple sources, this will be the U.

Tonight is the night. The U.S. Under-23 men's national team can clinch a place in the Olympic Games with a win against Canada. The Americans have a healthy squad and have all hands on deck now that Jonathan Spector has joined the team.

The only question remaining now is who will Peter Nowak start?

Admit it, you saw the female streaker who ran around Raymond James Stadium and brought excitement to an otherwise boring match. You must have seen the repeated replays as Christian Miles nearly had to excuse himself from the FSC broadcast booth.

Well, now's your chance to re-live it one more time.

Admit it, you saw the female streaker who ran around Raymond James Stadium and brought excitement to an otherwise boring match. You must have seen the repeated replays as Christian Miles nearly had to excuse himself from the FSC broadcast booth.

Well, now's your chance to re-live it one more time.