Only The Fully Bonded News

Colorado midfielder Kyle Beckerman comments on the Dallas fans: "I didn’t hear them. They were pretty weak. The adult fans are pretty weak. The kids are good but the adult fans were pretty weak. They’re a weak, weak bunch." Now that is funny. I laughed very hard as I read it! Brilliant. Thanks Kyle. No offense intended on my part to the Dallas fans either. I just think that is a hilarious remark.


MLS games coming up tonight and tomorrow:
Wed April 25
-Kansas City v Toronto - 7pm on Direct Kick - hope opener for the Zards.
Thurs April 26
-Dallas v New York - 7pm on ESPN2 - this could be a firecracker of a match.
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Bob Luder of the Kansas City Star with a KC game preview.
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Larry Millson of the Toronto Globe & Mail checks in with TFC as they continue to tinker with roster and line ups. They have back to back home and away league matches v Kansas City starting tonight and finishing with their home opener on Saturday. That should be first game in TO should be huuuuuuuuge.
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Morgan Campbell of the Toronto Star talks to the TFC's new defender, speed-demon Marvell Wynne.
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Dean McNulty of the Toronto Sun with a match preview, and story on the return to KC of TFC coach Mo Johnston (former player) and his assistant Bob Gansler (former head coach).
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Andy Herron of Columbus was given a 4 game suspension for the elbow he threw into the face of New England's Jay Heaps last Saturday. He was also fined. Shalrie Joseph of New England was fined for a push to the face of Herron after the elbow incident. And Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljesten was suspended for 2 games and fined for his foul on Salt Lakes Andy Williams that left Williams with a badly bruised ankle. Details of the punishment and video clips of the incidents are here. I wonder if Andy Herron still insists that one of his teammates threw the elbow. What an idiot. And I think Joseph deserved a red card for what he did as well. He should have been suspended for 1 game too. We have all seen plenty of red cards for a face push like that.
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Take a look at the 5 man Red Bull attack and try to tell me they don't have a chance to win it all.
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And another picture of pure joy - stolen from the official FC Dallas blog - Carlos Ruiz brings his dog "Savage" to practice with him!
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DC United have officially signed 25 year old Jamaican forward Nicholas Addlery to their roster. More offense will not solve defense.
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The excellent blog From College To The Pros is keeping track of the contestants for 2007 MLS Rookie Of The Year. I agree with their list. Dane Richards of New York sits in first place on my list after 3 weeks.
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Mark Zeigler of the San Diego Union Tribune examines the chances of San Diego fielding an MLS team.
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Jeff Bradley's column at MLSnet - First XI: Early alarm bells
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Grahame Jones of the LA Times with his column Corner Kicks.
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Sports Illustrated's MLS Free Kicks column, including Power Rankings.
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Adam Spangler of This Is American Soccer looks at the early season attendance numbers and perceptions.
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Richard Snowden, aka Neil from the Young Ones, is back at Soccer 365 with his thoughts on the early MLS season. He likes it.
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US Open Cup - MLS qualifier matches and scores. (The 4 teams who did not make the playoffs last year get underway first, then take on the 6th & 7th teams.):
Tuesday April 24
-Columbus 0-1 Los Angeles - Nate Jaqua with the lone goal.
Match report by Andrea Canales of the LA Soccer News.
Match report by Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Crew.
-Next Round matches:
Saturday April 28
-Salt Lake v Colorado
Date TBD
-Los Angeles v New York
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Brian Quarstad at Blue Sky Soccer has a wide ranging Q & A with former MLS & USA player Manny Lagos, who is currently the Director of Soccer Operations for the Minnesota Thunder. Great stuff from the man who played for New York, Chicago, Tampa, San Jose and Columbus.
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USA U17 ’91 team in the Ballymena International Tournament.
Team USA is in Group B along with Scotland, Czech Rep & Ireland.
Group A is Canada, Finland, Northern Ireland and Switzerland.
Here is the USA group schedule & scores:
Mon - USA 1-1 Scotland - USA goal by Parker Walsh
Tue - USA 3-2 Czech Republic - USA goals by Dersu Abolfathi, Ryan Finley & Kofi Sarkodie
Wed - Apr 25 v Republic of Ireland
Fri - Trophy games TBD, based on finish in group stage, ie. 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, 4v4.
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The full USA U17 team will head to Jamaica this weekend for CONCACAF qualifying for the World Youth Championship next August in South Korea.
Coach John Hackworth has announced his team roster:
G:
Josh Lambo (Middleton WI) - Chicago Magic
Zac MacMath (St Petersburg FL) - Clearwater Chargers
D
Mykell Bates (Roseville CA) - River City Clash
Tommy Meyer (St Louis MO) - Scott Gallagher
Howard Turk (Fairfax VA) - SYA Force
Sheanon Williams (Boston MA) - FC Greater Boston Bolts
Brandon Zimmerman (Pasco WA) - Crossfire Premier
M:
Alex Dixon (Humble TX) - Texans FC
Bryan Dominguez (Atlanta GA) - Condorde Fire
Greg Garza (Grapevine TX) - Dallas Texans
Jared Jeffrey (Dallas TX) - Dallas Texans
Brendan King (Naperville IL) - Chicago Magic
Nick Millington (Raleigh NC) - CASL
Jesse Paredes (Los Angeles CA) - ISC Strikers
Dane Shea (College Station TX) - Texans FC
Daniel Wenzel (Federal Way WA) - FC United
F:
Abdusalam Ibrahim (Richfield MN) - FC Dallas
Ellis McLoughlin (Seattle WA) - Crossfire Premier
Alex Nimo (Portland OR) - FC Portland Academy
Billy Schuler (Allentown NJ) - Matchfit Academy FC
-Matches:
Sun Apr 30 v Trinidad & Tobago
Wed May 02 v Canada
Fri May 04 v Jamaica
Sun May 06 v Costa Rica
-Three teams from this group will advance to the big tournament.
-Honduras and Haiti have already qualified from the other CONCACAF group. Defending champs Mexico were knocked out in qualifying.
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Newcastle have officially passed on signing USA defender Oguchi Onyewu beyond this seasons loan. He is now free to seek another club.
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USA & Charlton defender Cory Gibbs is nearing that point in the long road back from knee surgery where he can train again. Yanks Abroad talks to him about his situation with the team, progress so far, and plans for the future. Do not expect to see him with Team USA for either tournament this summer though.
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Tonight is the CONCACAF Champions Cup final!
Second leg match (with first leg score included):
-Pachuca v Guadalajara (2-2)
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Copa Libertadores - this is the final week of the group stage - matches and scores:
Apr 24
Gremio 1-0 Cerro Porteno
Deportes Tolima 3-4 Cucuta Deportivo
Match reports via Sports Illustrated.
Apr 25
Necaxa - Alianza Lima
Sao Paulo - Audax Italiano
River Plate - Colo Colo
LDU Quito - Caracas
Apr 26
Toluca - Cienciano
Boca Juniors - Bolivar
-Gremio & Cucuta advanced last night.
-Flamengo, Santos, Colo Colo, Caracas, Libertad, America, Parana, Nacional, Velez Sarsfield & Defensor Sporting have already advanced to the knock out stages. The last 4 will join them this week.
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UEFA Champions League Semifinals - Matchday 11:
Tues April 24
Manchester United 3-2 AC Milan - Man U goals by Cristiano Ronaldo & 2 for Wayne Rooney. Both Milan goals by Rikki Kaka.
Wed April 25
Chelsea v Liverpool - 1:30pm central on ESPN2
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Did Kaka torture Man U in that first half or what? But where was he in the second half? He did have some chances, but his teammates didn't help much. Aaaaah. The million dollar question, which only Man U stood up to answer. The 90 minute game can kill you if you only play 89. Take a bow Wayne Rooney.
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Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune with his views on last nights Champions League match.
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Michael Ballack is out of today's first leg match for Chelsea with an ankle injury.
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Ian Plenderleith at the US Players Assoc gives credit to David Beckham for the way he handled his treatment by Real Madrid after signing with the LA Galaxy and being publicly dissed by his coach and team executives.
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Lastly, if some dude in England or Spain did this we would all be spazzing out, but since it happened in Germany it's like no one is even aware that it happened! The awesome midfielder Diego of Werder Bremen catches the Aachen keeper out of his net and puts in a goal from about 75 yards! Amazing!