The Dreaded Backwash News

Allen Hopkins at Soccernet says midfielder Clint Mathis has been shipped by Colorado to the Red Bulls. (details to follow)


USA 0-0 Guatemala - last night:

-The du Nord Three Stars Of The Game:
3. Frank Simek - a very nice debut and showed that attacking desire needed by great outside backs.
2. Justin Mapp - ran his ass off on the left side, cut inside when he needed too and always made the other team nervous, plus his defense was better than I have ever seen it.
1. Guatemala defense - totally stuffed the USA offense with their tight marking and closed lanes.
-Others in the running for the third spot: Jimmy Conrad & Michael Bradley

It was bound to happen sooner or later.... yes, the match was a clinker. It was set up perfectly for a let down. The USA played the same opponent on the same pitch a year ago and easily won 4-0. Then the coach sends 4 top players back to their clubs and brings in several inexperienced players. Overconfidence, plus revenge from the opponent, plus inexperience = unflattering results. No surprise there. The USA team showed no real patience to make the one great move to set themselves up. And this worked perfectly for Guate who sat back and hacked like crazy.
-I was told by a couple different people now that even though the crowd was just under 11,000 they were quite boisterous. Ok. But wouldn't 20,000 boisterous people be a lot better. Shame on US Soccer for doing such a lame job with these games.
-Taylor Twellman had been in the first 11 for last night, but it turns out he got the flu and was not able to go. Bummer.
-5 other players did not see the field - Steve Cherundolo, DaMarcus Beasley, Kyle Beckerman, Brian Carroll & Brad Guzan.
-Post game quotes from USA players and coaches via US Soccer.
-The shut out was the 46th of Kasey Keller's USA career.
-There were great reviews of the condition of the field itself at Pizza Hut Park.

-Match Reports:
Fort Worth Star Telegram - Tobias Xavier Lopez
Dallas Morning News + Side article on Kenny Cooper & Carlos Ruiz
3rd Degree
AFP
US Players Assoc - Ken Pendleton analyzes the coaching job
Soccernet - Jen Chang (blog)
Soccernet - Steve Davis (with player ratings)
Soccer Times - Robert Wagman (analysis + player ratings)
Soccer Insider - Steve Goff (includes player ratings)
Soccer America - Ridge Mahoney + player ratings
Orlando Sentinel - blog with some hilarious observations like, "90 minutes felt like 300", & "3 steps forward, 1 step back".
-Marc Connolly of the US Players Assoc with a raving article on Michael Bradley.
-FIFA.com writes about the mixed results from Team USA this week, and the overall direction of the team.
-The official team blog. Which they FINALLY updated.

So check this out, The USA U20 team played a match v Haiti right before USA v Guatemala last night. I figured they would play the Haitian U20's. Oh no, turns out they played the full Haiti team. The same Haiti that beat Panama 3-0 on Saturday. And our boys did em 2-1. Yeah, that's right. Our U20's beat Haiti! As they should! Goals by Freddy Adu (PK) and the winner by Gabriel Ferrari! Excellent.
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The deal is done. DC United paid to get Fred2 released early from his contract at Melbourne (even though the season ended over a month ago they were gonna make him stay till late June). He has his papers in order and is ready to roll. They will need him v Chivas next Tues. Let's hope Melbourne never needs any favors from a MLS team. Ever.
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmm - rumor from waaaaaaay south of the border days Boca Juniors are interested in KC striker Eddie Johnson. I say sell sell sell! But it won't even come close to happening.
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More rumor mongering comes from Glasgow Scotland that says Rangers will be in LA to play the Galaxy on May 23.
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Reader Evan checks in with a New England preseason factoid: New England Revolution finished their pre-season schedule of matches last night (3/28), going undefeated in six matches, and outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 21-3. Rookie forward Adam Cristman led all goal-scorers with 5 goals and 4 assists (in only 4 matches).
-The New Orleans Times Picayune with a report from the game.
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Hey Dallas fans - remember Joselito Vaca? He scored Bolivia's goal in a 0-1 victory in South Africa! Ole!
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The Deseret Morning News chats with one of the best unsung young talents in MLS last year, Salt Lake defender Willis Forko.
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The Salt Lake Tribune decided to run their Real Salt Lake season preview a week early for some reason. Who knows why. Go to this first article, then read about 5 or 6 others in the left hand column.
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Andrea Canales of the LA Soccer News talks to Galaxy coach Frank Yallop after the teams Puerto Rico trip.
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Dylan Hernandez with the latest on a proposed San Jose stadium deal, from the San Jose Mercury News. Dylan covered the old Earthquakes team and it's always good to see his name in print again.
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The Toronto Globe & Mail with a report from TFC's win over New York. Their first win in preseason, making it their first win ever.
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The Daily Texan has a nice feature story on a man who works very hard to promote the beautiful game in south Texas - Glenn Davis. The Glenn Davis that writes for the Houston Chronicle, does the Soccer Hour radio show (and soon a TV show), and does commentary for MLS broadcasts on HDNet. He is ubiquitous, and deserving of praise.
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Carolina Challenge Cup
-Last Saturday's scores:
Houston 2-0 Toronto
Charleston 0-1 New York
-Wednesday scores:
Toronto 2-1 New York
Houston 1-1 Charleston
-Saturday matches:
Houston v New York
Charleston v Toronto
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Two rich bastards couldn't come to an agreement and now First Division team Virginia Beach is history. Just like that. The league rebuked their franchise and tossed em out of the league. With less than a month till opening day I can see why the league wanted an answer on the team finances and did not wait any longer to pull the plug. Brutal story. This will cause a trickle down in changes to all First Div team schedules.
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Yanks Abroad says American midfielder Brian West is back training at Fredrikstad in Norway after many injury problems.
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CONCACAF friendly matches and scores this week and last:
Thur Mar 22
Jamaica 0-2 Switzerland - Marco Streller & Goekhan Inler with the Swiss goals.
Sat Mar 24
Costa Rica 4-0 New Zealand - Alvaro Saborio with 2 goals, Alonso Solis & Bryan Ruiz with the other 2 for CR.
Panama 0-3 Haiti - goals by Eliphene Cadet, Fecien Brunel & Pierre-Roland Saint-Jean
Guadeloupe 2-2 Trinidad & Tobago - both Guade goals by Xavier Bematol, T & T goals by Christian Baptiste & Andre Toussaint.
Honduras 2-0 El Salvador - both Hondu goals by Carlos Olivia
Sun Mar 25
Bermuda 0-3 Canada - goals by Attiba Huchinson, Tomasz Radzinski & Paul Stalteri.
Mexico 2-1 Paraguay - both Mexi goals by Jared Borgetti, Para goal by Roque Santa Cruz
Barbados 0-0 Guatemala
USA 3-1 Ecuador - 3 USA goals by Landon Donovan, Ecu goal by Felipe Caicedo.
Mon Mar 26
Jamaica 1-1 Panama - Luton Shelton scored for Jamaica & Jose Luis Garces for Panama.
Tue Mar 27
El Salvador 0-2 Honduras - Both goals by Jairo Martinez
Wed Mar 28
Chile 1-1 Costa Rica - Reinaldo Navia scored first for Chile, and Rolando Fonseca tied it for CR. It was the 1000th goal in CR national team history.
Mexico 4-2 Ecuador (see below for details)
USA 0-0 Guatemala - ugh
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And you thought Landon Donovan scored quickly against Ecuador - 42 seconds into the game. Well Mexico's Paco Palencia topped that by a mile! He scored only 29 seconds into the match last night. Ecuador fought back and even took the lead. Tenorio scored in the 44th and Espinoza in the 55th. But Mexi came back strong in the final 20 minutes with goals by Rafa Marquez, Omar Bravo and finally Bozo Bautista for a 4-2 final score. Over 47,000 attended the match.
-Grahame Jones of the LA Times with a match report.
-Here is a very interesting photo op from the game: long time Mexican star Ramon Ramierez was honored on the field before game last night. Here he is posing with his family, plus an unknown dude on the far right, new DC United & SF Giants owner Will Chang, and SF Giants slugger Barry Bonds, who is wearing a Mexico scarf!!!
-The San Francisco Chronicle has a story on the amazing crowd on hand. (This is why some soccer fans in Dallas should be embarrassed. 11,000 v 47,000! Are you kidding me.)
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Copa Libertadores - here are the week's matches:
Mar 27
Audax Italiano 1-0 Alianza Lima
Gremio 1-0 Deportes Tolima
Mar 28
Bolivar 2-3 Cienciano
Defensor Sporting 3-0 Deportivo Pasto
Internacional 0-0 Velez Sarsfield
-Match reports via Sports Illustrated.
Mar 29
River Plate - LDU Quito
Colo Colo - Caracas
-With 2 rounds of the group stage still to be played both Santos & Flamengo have already qualified for the knock out stages.
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Valencia striker Fernando Morientes separated his shoulder in the Spain 1-0 win over Iceland, and will miss his clubs Champions League match next week at Chelsea.
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England who beat Andorra 0-3 last night moved all their excess players and staff off the team bench during the match because they were being heckled so badly, BY THEIR OWN FANS! Wow.
-The brilliant Barry Glendenning at the Guardian says England have the kind of fans they deserve. That is not a compliment.
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Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune rounds up last nights Euro qualifiers.
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Sadly Diego Maradona has crashed back into the hospital in very bad shape due to "alcoholism, poor diet & smoking". Nothing new here.