Though it remains an open question as to how long, the Seattle Sounders now have three designated players. As rumors continue to swirl around the future of Freddie Ljungberg, Uruguayan National Team midfielder Alvaro Fernandez has joined the club. The 24-year-old veteran of the 2010 World Cup was most recently on loan from Nacional with Universidad of Chile. In 2008, he made 13 appearances for Puebla in Mexico’s Primera Division. Fernandez joins Ljungberg and recently signed Swiss international Blaise N'kufo as the Sounders’ designated players.
Continue reading "Seattle Announces Third Designated Player" »
Mexican League on Fox Sports en Espanol: Necaxa - Tigres at 9pm. ESPN Deportes has the Chivas - Manchester United friendly to open Chivas's new stadium in Guadalajara. From the pictures, it looks like something special. All Times Eastern
By Clemente Lisi - NEW YORK, NY (Jul 29, 2010) US Soccer Players -- There are signs of summer at every turn. Rising temperatures and crowded beaches are two signs of this very hot summer. For soccer fans, the clearest sign is the sight of barnstorming European clubs in the midst of preseason preparations playing friendlies on US soil. These big-spending European teams are not only looking for American dollars through exorbitant ticket and jersey prices, but also hoping to expand their brands and market themselves to new audiences. In fact, between July 14 and August 10, a total of 41 friendlies will be played in this country involving 23 clubs.
One series of exhibition matches that took place last week at Red Bull Arena - dubbed the “Barclays New York Challenge” - featured the New York Red Bulls, Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon and English sides Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. While it offered a gravy train of opportunities for the three European clubs involved, it also boosted the Red Bulls with the debut of French striker Thierry Henry before excited home crowds last Thursday and Sunday.
Another high-profile clash will take place at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday when Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini faces his former club Inter Milan in his side’s final friendly in the US before the start of a new EPL season next month. Mancini, 45, enjoyed a 20-year playing career – most notably with Italian clubs Sampdoria and Lazio – before taking over as Inter Milan coach in 2004. He guided the team to three straight Serie A titles before joining Manchester City last season. Mancini took time out to discuss the English game, his team’s preseason preparations in the US and shared his thoughts on the American game.
Continue reading "10 Questions With... Roberto Mancini" »
With J Hutcherson -- For me, the big takeaway moment from last night's All-Star Game was whether it was Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez getting his debut with Manchester United or Landon Donovan entering the game in the 63rd minute that got the biggest response from the Reliant Stadium crowd. Pick one, because the bigger point still holds. The next cycle of the USA - Mexico rivalry should be something.
Hernandez is the new hope for Mexico. The player who stepped up at World Cup level to justify the faith United had already put in him. Hernandez should be the star for Mexico over the next four years, the player other teams struggle to stop.
Continue reading "All-Stars And Champions" »
Seattle will take a one goal lead into the away leg against Metapan in their CONCACAF Champions League playoff series. Fredy Montero scored the game's only goal in the 60th minute on Wednesday night at Qwest Field. Montero's goal came just after being subbed in for Nate Jaqua, beating Misael Alfaro from distance. Kasey Keller had an easy night of it, seeing relatively little in front of his goal for the shutout.
Continue reading "CCL: Seattle 1 - Isidro Metapan 0" »
70,728 at Houston's Reliant Stadium saw the MLS All-Stars lose to Manchester United on Wednesday night. A record attendance for a soccer game at a venue normally associated with USA - Mexico games, United got the big stage for their new signing Mexican international Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez. Even with the level of opposition, one of the biggest noises of the night was for Landon Donovan, who came on in the 74th minute.
Federico Macheda had United up within a minute, and he made it 2-0 in the 12th. That lead carried through halftime, but Brian Ching subbed on for Juan Pablo Angel and cut United's lead in half in the 63rd. Darron Gibson put United up another goal three minutes later and Tom Cleverley made it 4-1 in the 72nd. Hernandez got the goal a lot of the crowd was hoping for, lobbing the ball from distance over MLS goalkeeper Nick Rimando in the 84th minute. Dwayne De Rosario got the All-Stars second goal in the 90th minute after slipping his mark at the top of the box. The All-Stars’ Brad Davis hit the post from distance a minute later.
Continue reading "MLS All-Stars 2 – Manchester United 5" »
No games today in the What We're Watching category.
By Michael Lewis - NEW YORK, NY (Jul 28, 2010) US Soccer Players -- In 2001, the Los Angeles Galaxy, coach Sigi Schmid and a young midfielder named Peter Vagenas thought they had reached the summit of international club soccer by becoming the first US pro team to reach the FIFA Club World Championship in Brazil. Then they had the carpet ripped out from under them when the tournament was canceled because FIFA's partner, ISL, went bankrupt. The Galaxy never got back to the top of the club world.
Not surprisingly, it left many on the Galaxy disappointed and devastated. After all, how many opportunities like this come around in a lifetime?
"It was like expecting to receive a new bike when you're a little kid at Christmas team and in the package there's nothing," Schmid said. "It left you with an empty feeling."
"It was kind of a shame for everybody," Vagenas said.
Continue reading "At Stake In Seattle" »
With J Hutcherson -- What to make of the Galaxy's 4-1 loss to Puerto Rico in the CONCACAF Champions League qualifiers? If you're another Major League Soccer club, you would need a replay of the roster decisions that put that version of the Galaxy on the field. Only Puerto Rico is likely to see that again with the Galaxy working through a crowded schedule the week of their second leg in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
Tuesday night's edition of the Galaxy didn't exactly melt down. The Islanders didn't hammer them in a way that suggested they got the Galaxy's number. It was more about what the Galaxy weren't doing. Their defensive communication and connections were off. There wasn't the sync between the midfield and the defense to pick up assignments and relieve pressure.
Continue reading "The 24 Hour Turnaround" »
To say that the first-leg of the Los Angeles Galaxy - Puerto Rico Islanders CONCACAF Champions League playoff series did not run to form on Tuesday night at the Home Depot Center is a bit of an understatement. The Galaxy lost 4-1, with the Islanders scoring all five goals.
Puerto Rico was up in the 26th minute through David Foley and had a 2-0 lead going into the half when Nicolas Addlery scored. Josh Hansen got Puerto Rico's third goal in the 55th and Addlery scored again in the 81st. Bill Gaudette's shutout attempt was ruined two minutes later when Richard Martinez put the ball in the back of his own net.
Continue reading "CCL: Galaxy Sets Up Tough Away Date, Toronto Wins" »
The MLS All-Star Game is on ESPN2 at 8:30pm. Seattle plays Metapan in the CONCACAF Champions League at 10pm on Fox Soccer Channel. All Times Eastern
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