By Clemente Lisi - NEW YORK, NY (Jul 5, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Talk about putting on a fireworks show. A young US team cruised to an easy win on the Fourth of July in Seattle, overpowering Grenada 4-0 at the Gold Cup.
Just six days after the heartbreaking loss to Brazil in the Confederations Cup final, coach Bob Bradley assembled a relatively inexperienced team for its Gold Cup defense. You wouldn’t know it from watching the team play against Grenada.
USYSA's rules for each level of small-sided play (see What are the rules for each level of small-sided play?) state that no goalkeeper should be used in 3v3 and 4v4 small-sided games. Once the numbers increase to 6v6 or 7v7, it is important to start incorporating the role of the goalkeeper into the soccer practice and game. Once the players hit the 8 v 8 level, the goalkeeper is required and it is a good idea for the players to have already had some exposure to the position beforehand.
At young ages, soccer experts advise avoiding the "isolation" of the goalkeeper. Not only does this isolation create non-game-like situations, but it just isn't as much fun for a player to work one-on-one with an adult for most of practice while the other players are running around together on the field.
With a chance to reshuffle the top of the Eastern Conference table, only Chicago takes all three points. Meanwhile, a new signing makes the difference for Los Angeles while Houston adds three more points to the to of the Western Conference.
DC 1 - Columbus 1
Christian Gomez put DC United up in the 33rd minute and that carried into halftime. Columbus equalized through Alejandro Moreno in the 59th, splitting the points and keeping the total at the top of the Eastern Conference at 24. United stays top on goal difference to Chicago, with Columbus a point behind in third. "I'm happy with the point," Crew coach Robert Warzycha said. "I don't think it was our best game, but it was very important to get the point when you're not playing your best."
Gold Cup on Galavision: Panama - Guadalupe at 5pm. On Univision: Mexico - Nicaragua at 7pm. WPS on Fox Soccer Channel: Washington - Los Angeles at 6pm. Uruguayan League on GolTV: Nacional - Defensor Sporting at 3pm. Brasileirao on GolTV: Cortiva - Sao Paulo at 5pm.
As expected, the United States pushed the offense in their CONCACAF Gold Cup Group B opener against Grenada on Saturday night in Seattle. With the US going with a new-look lineup, Robbie Rogers found Freddy Adu in the 8th minute to put the US up. It was Rogers again in the 32nd, finding Stuart Holden. Rogers made it 3-0 in the 60th with a goal of his own. With his substitute waiting on the sidelines, Charlie Davies made the most of his last moment on the field, scoring in the 68th. Troy Perkins picked up the shutout for the USA.
The San Jose Earthquakes scored both goals at Rio Tinto Stadium on Friday night. Arturo Alvarez put the Earthquakes up in the 63rd and Quakes defender Chris Leitch was responsible for the unlikely equalizer in the 91st. RSL lost the most effective part of their offense in the 77th minute when Fabian Espindola was red carded. “We need to close out games better," Alvarez said. "We let a lead get away against Dallas a couple of weeks ago and then again tonight. Tonight was still a good result for us, but we could have had three points. We need to go back home and get three points next week." San Jose has now gone 17 games without a road win. This is the fourth time in 2009 RSL has lost a player to a red card.
Gold Cup on Galavision: Honduras Haiti at 7pm. On Fox Soccer Channel: Grenada - USA at 9pm. Major League Soccer on Fox Soccer: LA - New England at 11pm. Brasileirao on GolTV: Flamengo - Vitoria at 5:30pm.
By Andrew Dixon - MIAMI, FL (Jul 3, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- I was slightly amused a few weeks ago to see FIFA General Secretary Sepp Blatter aka Grand Poobah renew his call for the MLS to play its season from fall to spring as the rest of the world does.
While I stand by the reasons why he was ultimately wrong on this issue, I can name 15 people who wouldn't mind so much if the league switched schedules: MLS coaches. More specifically, MLS coaches who lose players to international tournaments. Given the thin roster depth of most MLS squads, the summer months are arguably where MLS coaches earn their paychecks. They choose their game day rosters for matches in MLS, the US Open Cup, Superliga and CONCACAF Champions League Qualifying around international call-ups and friendlies.
By Clemente Lisi - NEW YORK, NY (Jul 3, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Depending on who you ask, some will know Grenada as a small island that was once a British colony. Others will recall that it’s famous for a variety of tasty spices such as ginger and nutmeg. The Trivia Pursuit buffs will remind you that the US invaded the island in October, 1983.
What they would like to be known for after the 2009 Gold Cup is their soccer. Though Grenada will be heavy underdogs on Saturday in Seattle and throughout their Group B schedule, there's still a lot to play for.
With J Hutcherson -- Another chance for Major League Soccer to work on the idea that Friday just might be the night for work week soccer. Real Salt Lake hosting San Jose tonight (10pm - DirectKick) in a battle to tease out what bad really means in the Western Conference.
Yes, RSL has gotten a few results and currently is a point up on Los Angeles for fifth. They also should be looking at an easy night's work courtesy of a San Jose team that has an entire point from their road schedule this season. Ten games for one point, and no good excuses for RSL doing anything other than making that eleven.
It's an intriguing problem for MLS Season XIV, trying to distinguish between good, mediocre, and bad. Salt Lake would probably prefer we go ahead and edge them towards the good category. What about average? Right now that's just not happening.
Continue reading "Friday's Daily: The Merits Of Mediocrity" »
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