My Friend Iko News

Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle is in Puntarenas Costa Rica with the Dynamo for their Champions Cup game tomorrow.
-The team knows that they have to be very wary of the curse of the Central American red card.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Having stolen their opponent's top striker during the offseason, DC United is not expecting a warm welcome in Honduras tomorrow when they take on Olimpia in the Champions Cup. From MLSNet.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jeff Carlisle of Soccernet previews this years CONCACAF Champions Cup.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
CONCACAF Champions Cup first round, first leg matches today and tomorrow. All games can be seen on Fox Soccer Channel:
-Wed Feb 21
Puntarenas v Houston - live at 1:30pm central
Olimpia v DC United - live at 8pm central
-Thur Feb 22
Pachuca v Marquense - live at 8pm central
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Looks like the USA wants to compete with at least England to host the 2018 World Cup. Would FIFA really go 3 tournaments in a row outside Europe? I don't think so. I have predicted 2022 for the USA to host again. But what about 2014? From Steven Goff at the Washington Post.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I somehow missed this last week. Shawn at The Offside Rules has a great rumor of a big international match on U.S. soil: Brazil v. Argentina. Look for the game to be played in late March .... in Florida, California, or Texas.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Michael Lewis at Big Apple Soccer interviews the Austrian man who is Mr. Red Bull. Dietrich Mateschitz is his name.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
James Edwards at the Deseret Morning News talks to new Real Salt Lake midfielder Freddy Adu about his new home and new team. This is a new article. All new stuff.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Chivas USA has officially signed forward Maykel Galindo. He played the last two seasons for Seattle after defecting from Cuba. The Seattle Times with Galindo's story.
-Andrea Canales at LA Soccer News talks to Galindo about his new team.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The LA Soccer News team puts Chivas USA veteran midfielder Jesse Marsch On The Spot (Q & A).
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
And Canales with a feature story on Chivas USA's MLS Rookie Of The Year and new USA sensation Jonathan Bornstein. For Soccer 365
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
New England is training in Bermuda and the team's site has a daily journal so we can follow along.
-They take on the Bermuda national team tonight. The local paper The Royal Gazette with a preview.
-And Frank Dell'apa at the Boston Globe says the Rev's are working on getting midfielder Shalrie Joseph a new contract & pay raise. Great idea. In 2005 he was the du Nord MLS Player Of The Year .... and we all know what that means.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Toronto Sun looks at who is making the grade, and who isn't, during TFC training camp.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
MLSnet looks in on 2nd year Dallas midfielder Dax McCarty.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jeff Bradley's newest First XI: Regrets, I have a few
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Mad Flopper, Jamie Watson, checks in again with this thoughts from the USA U23 team's trip to Japan.
-And the team's keeper, Chris Seitz, does an interview with US Soccer. Download and listen to the podcast.
-They play the first of 2 games tomorrow, v the Japanese U22 team.
-Japanese paper The Daily Yomiuri previews the match.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Yanks Abroad talks to young American striker Kamani Hill at Wolfsburg.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The 2007 Copa Libertadores - the group stage is in full effect. Here are this week's matches:
-Tue Feb 20
Alianza Lima - Necaxa
El Nacional - America
Libertad - Banfield
-Wed Feb 21
Nacional - Internacional
Flamengo - Maracaibo
Parana - Real Potosi
Cienciano - Toluca
-Thur Feb 22
Caracas - LDU Quito
Deportivo Pasto - Santos
Colo Colo - River Plate
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Champions League games today and tomorrow:
Tuesday-
Celtic v Milan
PSV v Arsenal
Lille v Man United
Real Madrid v Bayern Munich
Wednesday-
Roma v Lyon
Inter v Valencia
Barcelona v Liverpool
Porto v Chelsea
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Greg Lalas at Sports Illustrated wants to pick one soccer player on the planet who he could become - he chooses Lyon midfielder Juninho! I say, that's an inspired choice. I know it's a silly game, but me, I think I would choose to be Hernan Crespo!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune previews the Champions League by looking at the soap opera's that always surround the world's big clubs.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano has finally had his transfer from West Ham to Liverpool approved. There had been confusion over his contract status - ie. Who actually owned the player?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Guardian says that Reading is the next English club just waiting to be snapped up by some Gazillionaire with loose change in his pockets.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Times of London with a look at the first 6 months of Roy Keane's managerial career. It's gone quite well, and he hasn't melted down yet. Amazing.