Capital Rally War Cry News

England are OUT of Euro 2008. They lost at home today to Croatia 2-3, and Russia won 0-1 at Andora, sending the Ruskies through and the Crumpet Eaters packing.

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Also today, Sweden, Portugal & Turkey joined Russia and the 12 already qualified for the tournament next summer in Switzerland & Austria.

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I forgot to mention yesterday that the Houston fans had a smoke bomb that went off when Ngwenya scored that was as awesome a smoke bomb as I have ever seen. It was massive. I mean absolutely massive. And it just kept going and going and going. I was blown away. I salute you! (you can see the amount of smoke this thing kicks out at around the 30 second mark of this video clip)

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Colombia beat Argentina in South American World Cup Qualifiers! See details below.


Houston fans are encouraging all of us to drop a note to Houston Mayor White and tell him to get a soccer stadium built in the Bayou City. Here is his email address: mayor@cityofhouston.net
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The Houston Chronicle with an article and video of the Dynamo homecoming celebration after winning the Cup.
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Bernardo Fallas of the Chron talks to Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear and some players about going for 3.
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Frank Dell'apa of the Boston Globe talks to New England coach Steve Nicol about his offseason plans to improve the team. The teams expects that midfielder Andy Dorman will move on, mostly likely somewhere in Great Britain.
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Chivas USA has signed defender Claudio Suarez for another season, which CS has said will be his last as a professional. Good for him, and the team.
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Big Soccer poster DCUtd has some translation of a La Prensa interview with DC striker Luciano Emilio. He wants a big raise, and DC have said no so far.
-But Steven Goff of the Washington Post says DC has picked up the option on Luci's contract for next year, and the player is going nowhere.
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I want to give a tip of the hat in the direction of a new Kansas City Wizards focused blog called Oz City. Last week they had a post speculating on a possible tweaking of colors for the Wiz next season.
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In case you haven't heard the news, Colorado has rewarded coach Fernando Clavijo with another year on the job after a nearly unwatchable 2007. Ugh.
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Jack Bell of the New York Times has an interview with MLS Commissioner Don Garber. And the Goal blog has the full transcript of the Q & A.
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The LA Galaxy has stolen a great idea from FC Dallas and started a blog for their team.
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Nick Green of the LA Daily News with his weekly column - LA needs consistency.
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Jonah Freedman of Sports Illustrated names David Beckham as his Sportsman Of The Year.
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MLS Commish Donny Garber mentioned over the weekend that people from the German Bundesliga were in DC to meet with MLS officials. An article about that meeting has turned up on die Bundesliga website, in English.
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Pete Grathoff of the KC Star with an update on Kansas City stadium talk.
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Bob Luder also of KC Star has an article (from last week) on a local boy done good, Doug Quinn who is the president of MLS's marketing company - SUM.
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Greg Seltzer of American Soccer Daily dropped me a line to let us know that American forward Kamani Hill was NOT released by Wolfsburg. Although it might happen in the January transfer window. Hill does not want to leave the club.
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The Philadelphia Daily News has an update and some quotes from their home town boy, Reading's Bobby Convey.
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Andrew Dixon of the US Soccer Players Assoc says the US is desperate for some real forwards, not the fake ones like Dempsey & Donovan who constantly play out of position. I don't want to dis Dixon here, but duuuuuuuuuuh. Isn't that just about every countries problem outside of the top 5 or so?
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Clemente Lisi also at the USSPA says the real success in USA soccer this year were the international road wins. Agreed. And I would add to that the fact that the team just played a much tougher overall schedule.
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On another USSPA front, the organization feels they have been slighted by MLS to such an extent that USSPA has decided to stop covering the league except to report directly on USA team players. Oof.
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West Ham United of London has signed a deal with the USL to work with the American minor leagues in finding talent, and eventually field a team in the in one of the league's divisions.
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Jaime Cardenas of the LA Times previews the Mexican Premiera quarterfinals.
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Luis Bueno at Sports Illustrated also previews the Mexican playoffs.
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Mexican Premiera Playoffs
Quarterfinal first leg Matches & Scores:
-Wed Nov 21
Cruz Azul v Atlante
San Luis v Guadalajara
-Thu Nov 22
Morelia v Santos Laguna
UNAM Pumas v Toluca
Quarterfinal second leg Matches & Scores:
-Sat Nov 24
Guadalajara v San Luis
Atlante v Cruz Azul
-Sun Nov 25
Toluca v UNAM Pumas
Santos Laguna v Morelia
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South America World Cup Qualifiers
Matches & Scores:
-Tue Nov 20
Venezuela 5-3 Bolivia - Venez goals by Daniel Armismendi(2), Alejandro Guerra & Giancarlo Maldonado(2). Bol goals by Marcelo Martins(2) & Juan Carlos Arce.
Colombia 2-1 Argentina - Col goals by Ruben Dario Bustos & Dayro Moreno. Arg goal by Lionel Messi.
-Wed Nov 21
Brazil v Uruguay
Ecuador v Peru
Chile v Paraguay
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Argentine forward Carlos Tevez was Red Carded in last nights loss to Colombia for kicking another player.
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Euro 2008 Qualifiers - The last day of matches and 4 teams will qualify today.
-Wed Nov 21
Serbia v Poland
Portugal v Finland
Azerbaijan v Belgium
Armenia v Kazakhstan
Ukraine v France
Italy v Faroe Islands
Georgia v Lithuania
Turkey v Bosnia-Herzegovina
Malta v Norway
Hungary v Greece
San Marino v Slovakia
Cyprus v Czech Republic
Israel v Macedonia FYR
Andorra v Russia
Sweden v Latvia
Spain v Northern Ireland
Denmark v Iceland
Slovenia v Bulgaria
Romania v Albania
Belarus v Netherlands
England v Croatia
Germany v Wales
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The Guardian with an article on Northern Ireland & Fulham striker David Healy. He scores tons for NI, so why not for F?
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FIFA has a Q & A with Ivory Coast coach Uli Stielike.
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Paul Gardner of the New York Sun writes about the constant disagreements that go on between FIFA and the worlds soccer clubs.
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The Times of London with an article on former Fulham coach Chris Cookie Coleman who has had a rough ride at his new Spanish team Real Sociedad. Its actually been worse than rough, its been scandalous.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Inter Milan is about to sign a new contract making him the highest salaried player in the world, making about $16 million a year. But I have to point out that this is nothing compared to what several American athletes make. A-Rod at 25 mill, KG at 22. What does Tom Brady get paid? Peyton Manning? Kobie Bryant? Kurt Schilling? Damn.
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Lastly, a new Indian top flight soccer league kicks off this Saturday. The I-League will consist of 10 teams. Here they are:
-Air India - Mumbai
-Churchill Brothers SC - Goa
-Dempo SC - Goa
-East Bengal Club - Kolkata
-JCT - Phagwara, Punjab
-Mahindra United - Mumbai
-Mohun Bagan - Kolkata
-Salgaocar SC - Goa
-Sporting Clube de Goa - Goa
-Viva Kerala - Kochin
Who you got your money on? I think I gotta go with my boys at East Bengal.