Aerodynamic Chav News

Can things get worse for the LA Galaxy before David Beckham arrives? Why yes they can, last night in the Open Cup they were beaten by Second Division team Richmond Kickers 1-0! (First Division team Charleston Battery also knocked off MLS champs Houston Dynamo 1-0.) J Hutcherson of the US Soccer Players Assoc had this comment to make about LA: It's odd watching a team in obvious transition. The Galaxy don't play as a unit. Half the team operates as if they have no clue what to expect, and this didn't suddenly happen - the result of too many trades and an off night in Virginia. An absurd way to play professional soccer. A team that couldn't even pull it together for the fifteen minutes they needed to put away a second division USL club.

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David Beckham on the cover of Sports Illustrated wearing the new LA Galaxy uniform. Here is another pic of the dark blue shirt. You can see the new team logo, which is just awfully lame isn't it. Front Dark. Front White. (all stolen from the mighty bigsoccer.com)

Copa America: Semifinals:
Tue Jul 10
Brazil 2-2 Uruguay - Brazil wins 5-4 on PK's. Bra goals by Maicon & Julio Baptista. Uru goals by Diego Forlan & Sebastian Abreu.
Wed Jul 11
Mexico v Argentina - live at 7:30 central on GolTV & Univision.
-The Final will be live on Sun Jul 15 at 4:00 central on GolTV & Univision.
-There is a third place game, but no one cares.
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MLS matches & scores this week:
Thu Jul 12
Chicago v Houston - 8:00 central on ESPN2
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Today's hot MLS transfer rumor has KC forward Eddie Johnson going to Derby County in the Premiership for big bucks. But Steven Goff of the Washington Post says on his Soccer Insider blog that the deal is off. And he is the man.
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Monday night on Glenn Davis's radio show in Houston guest Shep Messing who does commentary for New York Red Bulls games made an outrageous statement. He declared that "you can take this to the bank", MLS will not have 16 teams in 2010, they will have 20 teams! The new teams will be in Seattle, Atlanta, San Diego, New York-Queens, Philadephia, Oakland & Vancouver. But I gotta step in here and call Shep on this mess. OK, there might be people with some money who want to do this, but there is no way the league is gonna go and get this nuts right now. They are setting things in place to be stable for the long run. This is the most NASL idea I have heard yet. The #1 issue to stop this from happening is - where will the players come from. I don't think we have enough quality players to fill out 3 more teams by 2010. And by the way MLS Commish Don Garber has said himself on more than one occasion that we may be looking at 2011 for the 16. Come on Shep, this is nonsense and you know it. I am not going to be taking it to the bank, cuz I don't want it to bounce.
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USA Today on new Chicago manager Juan Carlos Osorio.
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Luis Arroyave of the Chicago Tribune checks in on the Chicago Fire days into the new coaches reign. They can still make a push for the playoffs. Easily.
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Arroyave on his Red Card blog says the Fire have forgotten about Marcelo Salas, who already has forgotten about the Fire.
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Gabriel Cabarrouy of the Dallas Morning News wonders how FC Dallas can attract Mexican fans. But the team holds fast to the stand that they will not sign a big name Mexican player for the sake of it. It has to be the right guy, where ever he is from.
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But Tobias Xavier Lopez of the Fort Worth Star Telegram writes that FCD have sign 19 year old Brazilian Ricardinho on loan from Paranaense, and he will probably play tonight in the Rio Grande Plate.
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The second leg of the Rio Grande Plate is tonight in Dallas as FDC take on UANL Tigres, who hold a 2-0 goal lead from the first leg.
-Dallas's home Pizza Hut Park is also being used by Tigres, and fellow Mexican top flight team San Luis as a base for some of their pre-season training.
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The Toronto Sun with an article pointing out how much MLS has helped USA soccer grow.
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The Toronto Star with an article on TFC's attitude on training during a long stretch of road games, and the push to win their first ever game on the away from home.
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The LA Times with a story on the two Cuban players who defected last month during the Gold Cup, Osvaldo Alonso & Lester More, and are now training with Chivas USA in hopes of getting a deal in MLS.
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Ivan Orozco of the LA Daily News with a similar story on the 2 Cuban players.
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Pete Gratoff of the KC Star looks at what the new MLS stadiums have done for the area surrounding them.
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LA Soccer News has a Q & A with Kansas City goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.
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Mark Zeigler of the San Diego Union Tribune looks at the revolving door of players at the LA Galaxy. You certainly can't win that way, just ask New England and Houston. Or better yet New York.
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George Tanner on the FC Rocky blog previews the Celtic midfielders featuring Thomas Graveson.
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Grant Wahl at Sports Illustrated has a cover story this week on Beckham.
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There is a new ESPN spot for Beckham's first Galaxy game, which is Jul 21 v Chelsea. (thanks to Alex for sending this to us)
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AP talks to Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho and some players about the match v the Galaxy and Beckham.
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The Guardian talk to Vinnie Jones who has some advice for Beckham in LA.
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Reuters talks to US Soccer Pres Sunil Gulati about the David Beckham effect. (thanks to Adam for this one)
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Jeff Bradley at MLSnet with his weekly column First XI: Heat-Induced Memories
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This one has nearly snuck up on me, but the Kansas City Wizards are coming to my town next Tuesday, July 17, to play my Thunder in a friendly. Ok.
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US Open Cup Third Round matches this week!
-Mon Jul 9
FC Dallas 1-1 Atlanta Silverbacks - FCD win 4-3 on PK's after extra time. Dal goal by Carlos Ruiz. Atl goal by Dan Antoniuk.
-Tue Jul 10
Rochester Raging Rhinos 2-4 New England Revolution Roch goals both by Hamed Diallo. NE goals by Steve Ralston(2) & Taylor Twellman(2).
Match report from the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.
Match report by Frank Dell'apa of the Boston Globe.
Match report from the MetroWest Daily News.
Richmond Kickers 1-0 Los Angeles Galaxy Rich goal by David Bulow.
Match report from the Richmond Times Dispatch.
Charleston Battery 1-0 Houston Dynamo In extra time. Char goal by Stephen Armstrong(PK).
Match report from the Charleston Post & Courier.
Match report from the Houston Chronicle.
Colorado Rapids 3-1 California Victory Colo goals by Jose Cancela, Herculez Gomez & Omar Cummings. Cali goal by Juan Epitie.
Match report from the Denver Post.
Match report from the Rocky Mountain News.
-Wed Jul 11
Harrisburg City Islanders v DC United
-Sun Jul 15
Carolina Railhawks v Chicago Fire
-Wed Jul 18
Seattle Sounders v CD Chivas USA
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The Lancaster Intelligencer Journal with a preview of Harrisburg v DC.
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Reuters is reporting that US Soccer is searching for a Technical Director to add strength to the overall set up. Sunil Gulati told the reporter that he wants to hire a "Latin" person for that job. I have no problem with hiring a Latino, but why would you limit yourself like that? Why make up rules ahead of time and then have to live within them?
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The St Louis Dispatch with a story on their hometown boy Mike Sorber who once played for Team USA and now is an assistant coach of that team under Bob Bradley. (thanks to Randy for the story)
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U20 World Cup
Knock out round matches -Round of 16:
-Wed Jul 11
USA v Uruguay - live at 6:45 central on ESPNU & Galavision.
Austria v Gambia
Spain v Brazil
Japan v Czech Republic
-Thu Jul 12
Chile v Portugal
Zambia v Nigeria
Argentina v Poland
Mexico v Congo
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US Soccer with pre-game detailed notes on the match.
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US Soccer's Studio 90 video show with a new episode today featuring an interview with Danny Szetela and others. (click on July 11 2007)
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Jack Bell of the New York Times with an article on USA keeper Chris Seitz. He has played fantastic so far in this tournament.
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Canada's National Post with an article on USA forward Jozy Altidore.
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FC Dallas Updates gets an email update from their first year defender Anthony Wallace who is on team USA.
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Soccernet previews tonight's USA v Uruguay game.
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Ken Pendleton of the US Soccer Players Assoc wonders why Freddy Adu's accomplishments are going unloved during this U20WC. Probably cuz the mainstream media does not want to invest time on him like they did 3 years ago and get no return for their buck. They are wrong, but I think that is the reason.
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Michael Lewis of Big Apple Soccer will be in Toronto tonight for the USA game, and he loves the city. He writes about his Top 10 soccer experiences in that city.
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FIFA.com with an article on the American attackers.
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John Smallwood (what a name) of the Philadelphia Daily News is taking a real shine to this Adu kid.
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USA U20 team blog.
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Mike Mullen with a killer piece on the 4 African countries in the U20WC knock out rounds - Congo, Gambia, Nigeria, Zambia. This is from his Needle In The Hay blog. (thanks Mike)
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Official FIFA U20 World Cup site.
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Grahame Jones of the LA Times declares that Mexico is #1 in CONCACAF not the USA. He is basing this on Copa America results.
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Our good friend BQ has joined the team of writers that adore Fulham at the great blog Craven Cottage Newsround. (The same chaps who brought us the great Fulham Review book featuring yours truly - see upper right for details.) This is excellent news for all us Americans who follow our boys McBride, Bocanegra & Dempsey as they battle the evil overlords of the Premiership.
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The Asian Cup - Here are the group stage matches:
Sat Jul 7
Thailand 1-1 Iraq
Sun Jul 8
Australia 1-1 Oman
Vietnam 2-0 UAE
Mon Jul 9
Japan 1-1 Qatar
Tue Jul 10
Indonesia 2-1 Bahrain
Malaysia 1-5 China
Wed Jul 11
Iran 2-1 Uzbekistan
S Korea 1-1 Saudi Arabia
Thu Jul 12
Oman v Thailand
Qatar v Vietnam
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Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune says Australia got a bit of a rude awakening in their first match of their first Asian Cup.
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Can you believe this - the Ukranian league starts their season this weekend. Last night in the kick off match, the Ukrainian Supercup, Dynamo Kiev beat Shakhtar Donetsk 4-2 on penalties after regulation ended tied 2-2.
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Barcelona have gotten their hands on a really good center back by signing Gabi Milito from Real Zaragoza.
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The Sacramento Bee with an article on Chelsea's "business" plans in America.
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From Vanity Fair, of all places, come a story on the Ivory Coast, Cote d'Ivoire, the World Cup, Didier Drogba their hero-son, and war and peace. Excellent. (thanks again Adam)
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Party party party for the players of Chile at the Copa America. Unfortunately they partied BEFORE their match v Brazil and got beat 6-1. Six players from the team have been suspended by their federation for 20 games. You read that right, 20! The story says the got drunk, stayed out all night and came back to trash their hotel lobby! Yowser!
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Before we go today, let's check in on the standings in Russian Premier League after 15 of 30 rounds:
27 Zenit St Petersburg
26 Spartak Moscow
22 Dinamo Moscow
22 PFK Samara Kryliya Sovetov
22 CSKA Moscow