Two Lane News

The hot rumor of today is that Jay Jay Okocha, yes Jay Jay Frickin Okocha(!) has signed to play for Real Salt Lake. He is awaiting a visa. I know he is old, but he is Jay Jay! How did this happen?

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Architects renderings of a possible new DC stadium at Poplar Point. Very fancy!

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USA U20 right winger Sal Zizzo wants us all to know that his last name is pronounced ZEE-zoh.


Copa America:
-Massive Goal Fiesta in the Quaterfinal Matches where the winners combined for 20 goals(!!!) and the losers 2:
-Venezuela 1-4 Uruguay
-Brazil 6-1 Chile
-Argentina 4-0 Peru
-Mexico 6-0 Paraguay
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Semifinals:
Tue Jul 10
Brazil v Uruguay - live at 7:30 central on GolTV & Univision.
Wed Jul 11
Mexico v Argentina - live at 7:30 central on GolTV & Univision.
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The Final will be live on Sun Jul 15 at 4:00 central on GolTV & Univision.
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Jeff Carlisle at Soccernet looks back on the USA at Copa America and calls it a missed opportunity.
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This weeks MLS games & scores:
-Sat Jul 7
Columbus 2-0 Salt Lake - Goals by Eddie Gaven & Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
Match report from MLSnet.
Match report by Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch.
Match report from the Salt Lake Tribune.
Match report from the Deseret Morning News.
New England 1-1 Chivas - Chiv goal by Claudio Suarez. NE goal by Andy Dorman.
Match report by Frank Dell'apa of the Boston Globe.
Match report by Mike Biglin of the Metro West Daily News.
Post-game notes by Dell'apa.
Post-game notes by Biglin.
Chicago 1-1 Toronto - TO goal by Maurice Edu. Chic goal by Chad Barrett.
Match report from MLSnet.
Match report by Luis Arroyave of the Chicago Times.
Match report by Lacy Banks of the Chicago Sun Times.
Match report by Nick Firchau of Chicago's Daily Southtown.
Match report by Larry Millson of the Toronto Globe & Mail.
LA 2-2 KC - KC goals by Yura Movsisyan & Davy Arnaud. LA both goals by Cobi Jones.
Match report from the LA Times.
Match report by Phil Collin of the Daily Breeze.
-Sun Jul 8
Colorado 0-1 New York - Goal by John Wolyniec.
Match report from MLSnet.
Match report by John Meyer of the Denver Post.
Match report from the Rocky Mountain News.
Match report by Ives Galarcep of the North Jersey Herald News.
Match report from Big Apple Soccer.
Post-game notes by George Tanner of the Rocky Mountain News on his FC Rocky blog.
Houston 1-0 DC - Goal by Brian Ching.
Match report from MLSnet.
Match report by Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle.
Match report by Steven Goff of the Washington Post.
Post-game notes, player ratings and coach & player quotes by Goff on his Soccer Insider blog.
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The Chicago Fire held their big press conference this morning to introduce us to their 3rd ever head coach, Juan Carlos Osorio. Here is the official press release. And you can watch the press conference here.
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Luis Arroyave of the Chicago Times has news on his Red Card blog about 2 parties with potential interest in buying the Chicago Fire. One serious, and the other still in the pondering stage.
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Jere Longman of the New York Times says MSL does not need Beckham to "save" the league. The league is doing just fine, thank you.
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Tobias Xavier Lopez of the Fort Worth Star Telegram says FC Dallas is chasing two potential designated players. Remember the famous Denilson from Brazil. The guy with a million moves. He is one of them. The other is Chilean striker Sebastian Gonzalez, who is owned by Tigres, a partner of FCD.
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Dwayne De Rosario has signed a 3 year contract extension with his Houston Dynamo.
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Steve Davis at Soccernet checks in to see how the LA Galaxy are doing on the field with their boy Becksy-poo arriving later this week.
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New England midfielder Steve Ralston has now tied the legendary Carlos Valderama for most assists in MLS history at 114.
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Frank Dell'apa of the Boston Globe with an article on New England midfielder Andy Dorman.
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Mike Biglin of the Metro West Daily News says that New England is headed in the right direction.
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Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch with an article on Crew asst coach Robert Warzycha and his soccer playing family.
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Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch says the small crowds at Crew games are simply because they had been losing - win and they will come.
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Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle with some odds & ends notes on the Dynamo.
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Billy Witz at the Long Beach Press Telegram with an article on LA's new forward Carlos Pavon. Stunningly Pavon is the 14th forward to line up for the Galaxy since the start of last season. Ugly. (story ran before the weekends games)
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Dallas lost the first leg of the Rio Grande Plate to UANL Tigres in Monterrey 2-0. Tigres goals by Jesus Chaves & Gaitan. The return leg is in Dallas on Wednesday.
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Former New England midfielder Daniel Hernandez is headed back to the Mexican league, he signed with Puebla.
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The Durango (Colorado) Herald has a story on Chivas USA rookie John Cunliffe. He says everything is not roses at Chivas. Uh oh. He played his college ball in their town at Fort Lewis.
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Steve Davis at MLSnet with a weekend match round up.
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Soccernet MLS Power Rankings.
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The Sacramento Bee asks, Why not MLS in our city?
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Chuck Culpepper of the LA Times with a David Beckham sorta-Bio.
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All Headline News has an article on Beckham's arrival in LA and fits it into a historical look at soccer in America.
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The MLS Summer Friendly's start next week.
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And Super Liga featuring MLS v MFM begins July 24!
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Former MLS striker Cornell Glen has resurfaced in his native Trinidad & Tobago to suit up for Jabloteh. From the T&T Express.
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US Open Cup Third Round matches this week!
-Mon Jul 9
FC Dallas v Atlanta Silverbacks
-Tue Jul 10
Rochester Raging Rhinos v New England Revolution
Richmond Kickers v Los Angeles Galaxy
Charleston Battery v Houston Dynamo
Colorado Rapids v California Victory
-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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Gabriel Cabarrouy of the Dallas Morning News with a preview of tonight's Dallas v Atlanta Open Cup match.
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USL First Division matches & scores this weekend:
-Fri Jul 6
Rochester 2-1 Carolina
-Sat Jul 7
Charleston 0-0 Puerto Rico
Atlanta 2-0 Vancouver
California 0-3 Portland (CORRECTED)
-Sun Jul 8
Montreal 2-2 Carolina
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USL 1D Standings:
27 Vancouver
27 Rochester
25 Seattle
24 Portland
24 Montreal
22 Atlanta
20 Charleston
19 Carolina
17 Miami
16 Puerto Rico
11 Minnesota
11 California
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The U20 World Cup - USA group stage games are:
-USA 1-1 South Korea
-USA 6-1 Poland
-USA 2-1 Brazil - Goals: USA - both by Jozy Altidore. Bra - Leandro Lima.
Match report from US Soccer.
Match report from Top Drawer Soccer - includes quotes from USA players & coaches, and Brazil's coach.
Match report from Soccernet.
Post-game analysis by Jen Chang at Soccernet.
Post-game quotes by USA coaches & players from US Soccer.
Game photos from US Soccer.
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USA keeper Chris Seitz played out of this world, keeping Brazil at 1 goal. They had 7 or 8 prime chances to score more and he turned them away every time. Even their one goal was only inches away from being saved by Seitz. What a monster. He seemed to injure his leg about the 70 minute mark and did not take any goal kicks after that. Keep your ears open as to any injury update.
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Next USA game:
-Wed Jul 11 v Uruguay - Round of 16 - live at 6:45 central on ESPNU & Galavision.
Quotes from USA coaches & players as they prepare for Uruguay.
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The winner of the USA's match plays the winner of Austria v Gambia.
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Mexico faces Congo, with the winner taking on the winner of Argentina v Poland.
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Here is the full bracket for the knock out rounds.
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Steven Goff at the Washington Post looks at Freddy Adu and his chances to change the worlds currently perception of him as simply a marketing success.
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Andrea Canales at Soccernet talks to a couple of the USA players who have not seen the field yet at the U20WC, but play their club ball in Europe - Gabe Ferarri & Preston Zimmerman.
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Greg Lalas at Sports Illustrated urges Freddy Adu to go to Europe as soon as possible.
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USA U20 team blog.
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FIFA U20 World Cup site.
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Host nation Canada were knocked out of the tournament 2-0 by Congo.
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Brazil were the last team to make it into the next round as the top two in each group advanced along with the top 4 third place teams. Brazil was the 4th.
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A New York Times article on the surprising popularity of the U20WC in the host country.
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The Asian Cup kicks off on Saturday. Here are scores & matches:
-Sat Jul 7
Thailand 1-1 Iraq
-Sun Jul 8
Australia 1-1 Oman
Vietnam 2-0 UAE
-Mon Jul 9
Japan v Qatar
-Tue Jul 10
Indonesia v Bahrain
Malaysia v China
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Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune checks in on both the Copa America, and the Asian Cup.
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World Soccer magazine become the latest to try and figure out who Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich really is. Via Sports Illustrated.
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One of Italy's World Cup hero's, Fabio Grosso, has left Inter Milan to play for Lyon.
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Lyon's French midfielder Florent Malouda has joined Chelsea.
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In a surprise to no one, Getafe coach Bernd Schuster has been named the new man at Real Madrid. Maybe he can lead them to the title and get fired too like Capello and Del Bosque. And one time Denmark star Michael Laudrup becomes the new coach at Getafe.
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Lastly, have ya seen Wayne Rooney's new Nike advert for those screaming yellow shoes.