We know the Americans will play their opening qualifying series for the 2010 World Cup in June against Barbados or Dominica. Let's reach out there on that limb and say the US do advance, I know, a real stretch here. Next up is a four-team, semifinal-round group between August and November with the top two nations [. Click to continue reading...

The U.S. Under-23 national team is on the way back home after its two-game friendly series against China in China and the Americans were forced to settle for a pair of ties after a goal-less first match and some questionable officiating in the second match.

Robbie Rogers, Patrick Ianni and Charlie Davies scored first-half goals to stake the U.

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abio Capello is a top coach in international club football. He is someone who understands tactics and developing young players. For a nation like England who are in dire straights in both regards (tactical flexibility and player development) he is a smart hire. Capello as many of our readers know actually spent several hours in September discussing a role with the US Federation in a meeting with Sunil Gulati and Bob Bradley. Click to continue reading...

You can start calling Michael Bradley a goal machine.

Bradley was the unquestioned star among Americans Abroad last weekend, netting a first-half hat-trick to lead Heerenveen to a 4-2 derby victory against Groningen on Sunday.

Bradley wasn't the only American to do well. Bobby Convey was stellar in helping Reading knock off Liverpool on Saturday.

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Hot on the heels of Saint Bobby's good deeds for the little ones being brought to light came a pretty decent outing for the former United midfielder in Reading's 3-1 shocker over Rafa's Reds. Con-vee, Con-vay, or possibly Con-way (the crack Brit announcing crew tried all three), knocked the ball into space that lead to Carragher continuing his mission to maul anybody who dares enter the Click to continue reading...

Michael Bradley cannot stop scoring.

The U.S. national team midfielder netted his first career hat trick on Sunday to lead Heerenveen to a 4-2 win against Groningen on Sunday. Bradley scored all three goals in the first half to help Heerenveen win its derby.

When was the last time an American scored a hat-trick in European soccer?

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For more on the game, please visit US Soccer Spot on CSRN. Click to continue reading...

If you were hoping to see some high-profile European club matches this weekend, I'm afraid to break it to you. There aren't any can't-miss encounters.

That doesn't mean there isn't still some good soccer to watch. Fiorentina at Palermo and Espanyol at Zaragoza are two of the better matches on offer this weekend, while EPL lovers can turn to Liverpool-Reading and Manchester City-Tottenham for good match-ups.

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Goedemorgen everybody. It is bright and early and I would be feeling just fine if I wasn't in the midst of an all-nighter. I just came from Atlantic City where some friends and I celebrated the last night of bachelorhood for one our buddies (well, not THE last night, but the last night 10 of us could pile into a limo and make a run to AC).

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Today is a real slow day for news around the MLS. Not a lot of deals going down or things to make real note of so this post may be a bit random to some. Just wanted to touch base on a few things and throw out my opinions on them. As always feel free [...] Click to continue reading...

If you are sitting around wishing there was some soccer to watch this afternoon, you are in luck.

The U.S. Under-17 national team will be playing Russia today on Fox Soccer Channel at 3pm. The match is part of the Nike Friendlies down in Florida.

I'm not sure which players will be playing, but you may get a chance to see U-17 national team standouts such as Maykell Bates (captain, standout defender, first-round MLS pick if he goes), Billy Schuler (The next star from Jersey), Zach MacMath (Yes, the U-17 goalkeeper called up to the U-23 tour of China) and Sheanon Williams (striker and another kid with a good pro future).

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Good morning SBI Nation, it is Tuesday and there should be plenty to discuss today. I will start the day off with the weekly installment of Americans Abroad.

There were no goals scored by Americans this past weekend but there were more players playing than usual (at least it seemed that way).

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Good afternoon folks. A few SBI updates for you. I won't be doing Americans Abroad today (Fulham plays today so I'll just wait a day) and I was unable to finish the rest of the Q&A (some real tough ones in the latest batch). I'll try to finish them tonight. There will also be a second SBI Roll Call coming in the near future.

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I guess you could say I am starting the week off in a very hypothetical mood. Most of what you are about to read is purely wants and desires that I would like to see happen. I know some things will never change in the MLS and I am alright to a degree about that. [...] Click to continue reading...

DaMarcus Beasley's injury for Rangers in this week's Champions League action open the door for several left footed players in the US National Team setup while Beasley is nursing his injury over the next several months.

Eric Wynalda pointed out on CSRN's "Around the League" this week that during the during the qualification process it is beneficial to have veteran players in the squad who can handle hostile atmospheres and understand the critical nature of getting a result.

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DaMarcus Beasley looks to be out for the year with damaged knee ligaments, according to the Glasgow Daily Record. Beasley injured his left knee after colliding with Stuttgart goalkeeper Raphael Schafer during Stuttgart's 3-2 Champions League win against Rangers on Wednesday.

If Beasley has torn knee ligaments, he could be sidelined through the summer, with a fall return likely at best.

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So the tortured process of the march to the Hexagonal repeats this time around in CONCACAF qualifying. Assuming the favorites advance past their elimination games to reach the semifinal group stage, the groups would look like what you see at the right. I've added a couple of columns showing the nations' worldwide and confederation-wide status according to FIFA's sponsored (but of course) Click to continue reading...

U.S. national team winger DaMarcus Beasley was taken off the field on a stretcher during Rangers' 3-2 loss to Stuttgart on Wednesday. The details of Beasley's injury are not known yet but Rangers manager Walter Smith is calling the injury serious.

More on this as information becomes available.

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Freddy did it again.

Yes, Freddy Adu scored another goal and Benfica fans are starting to feel the same Adu-mania that enveloped MLS fans just a few years ago.

Adu was the only American to deliver a goal in Europe last week, but there were plenty of other quality performances.

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Today's World Cup Qualifying draw wasn't the best news for the US National Team. Let me preface my remarks by stating that the US is the best team in its group and should advance to the hexagonal. That having been said, the grouping could have been a whole lot more favorable.

Assuming each of the favorites advances beyond preliminary qualifying, the US will face Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba in the first qualifying group.

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The U.S. national team's path to the 2010 World Cup will begin with a match-up against the winner of the Dominica/Barbados play-in qualifier. As you may recall, the US team faced Barbados at this stage in the last World Cup qualifying cycle.

If you are wondering about Mexico, 'El Tri' will face face the winner Belize/St.

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English Football suffered an embarrassing home defeat to a good Croatia side Wednesday night. While I believe Croatia is as good if not better than England at the moment, losing to the Croats at Wembley when they have already qualified for the Euro 2008 finals and the Three Lions had everything to play for is unacceptable from the perspective of those of us who believe International Football and the growth of the game here in the US need a strong England side fighting for trophies and honors.

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English Football suffered an embarrassing home defeat to a good Croatia side Wednesday night. While I believe Croatia is as good if not better than England at the moment, losing to the Croats at Wembley when they have already qualified for the Euro 2008 finals and the Three Lions had everything to play for is unacceptable from the perspective of those of us who believe International Football and the growth of the game here in the US need a strong England side fighting for trophies and honors.

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Good morning folks. It is the day after one busy weekend of soccer action. You had MLS Cup, the US national team playing its last game and European championship and South American World Cup qualifiers going on. It truly was a soccer fan's paradise.

Here is a look back at some of the weekend's highlights:

MLS Cup XII.

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The US continued improvement on the road is a welcome sight for fans of the national team. International Football is all about performance on the road: grinding out results unlike Russia's failure today in Israel, and building confidence and an ability to play at altituide and in bad weather. Today the US took a big step towards international respectibility with the 1-0 victory in Johannasberg against 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa. Click to continue reading...