Some News for Wed June 10

STARTERS

The cheap seats for the July 22 visit to Toronto FC & BMO Field by Real Madrid are $140 (Canadian, $128 US). Yes, you read that right.

dN

The Mail & Guardian in Johannesburg, South Africa reports that security for stadiums, training grounds, hotels and VIPs during the Confederations Cup was not even hired until Friday May 29 and that the company contracted only had 1 day to hire and train employees. Wow.

MLS

MLS Week 13 Matches:
-Wed Jun 10
Houston Dynamo v Chivas USA - 7:30pm Central on ESPN2 & ESPN Deportes
-Sat Jun 13
DC United v Chicago Fire - 6:30pm Central on Direct Kick
Toronto FC v New York Red Bulls - 7pm Central on Direct Kick
FC Dallas v Houston Dynamo - 7:30pm Central on FSC & FSE
Kansas City Wizards v New England Revolution - 7:30pm Central on Direct Kick
Los Angeles Galaxy v Real Salt Lake - 9:30pm Central on Direct Kick
Seattle Sounders FC v San Jose Earthquakes - 9:30pm Central on Direct Kick
-Sun Jun 14
Columbus Crew v Chivas USA - 2pm Central on Telefutura

dN

New England Revolution forward Taylor Twellman was named Player Of The Week.

dN

But his neck injury is still so bad that he is only listed as day by day on the team medical list.

dN

Toronto released goalkeeper Greg Sutton to make room on their roster for centerback Nick Garcia.

dN

Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun on the growing fan unrest with TFC GM Mo Johnston.

dN

Ryan Johnston of Sportsnet reports that TFC midfielder Dwayne DeRosario has told Canadian soccer that he would prefer to stay with this club next month rather than join Canada for the Gold Cup.

dN

James Edward of the Deseret News says RSL coach Jason Kreis has a new tactic in trying to get his lame team moving - Be Aggressive! B-E Aggressive. B-E-A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E!

dN

Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle reports on the growing confidence of the Dynamo. They are looking very strong right now.

dN

Last Friday night as I stood at Toyota Park watching Houston forward Ade Akinbiyi I couldn't help but think - this is one of the slowest and oldest looking guys I have ever seen in a MLS uniform. He was Denilson slow.

dN

Chicago Fire fullback Brandon Prideaux has announced that this will be his last season as a professional soccer player.

dN

The Boston Examiner has a Q & A with New England centerback Gabriel Badilla. Some good stuff here.

dN

The Soccer Insider has some words with DCU inspirational leader Ben Olsen about a hamstring injury that has kept him off the field for the better part of a month.

dN

Colorado is scouring the globe for more strike power, and FSC commentator Christopher Sullivan reported that team Technical Director Paul Bravo is currently in Argentina scouting.

dN

The Kansas City Star with an article on the Wizards international stars and what its like for them in a smaller American big city.

dN

The Star also has an article about a day off from the team for Wizards rookies Graham Zusi and Matt Besler.

dN

Andrew Hush of Soccernet with his weekly MLS notes.

dN

MLS Summer Friendlies:
-Tue Jun 9
Los Angeles Galaxy 1-0 CS Herediano (Costa Rica) - LAG goal by Edson Buddle.
Venue: Home Depot Center - Carson CA
Attendance: 3,657

dN

OPB reports that legislation has been passed by the Oregon House today approving some of the money needed to upgrade PGE Park to MLS level.

US OPEN CUP

The tournament proper kicked off Tuesday night all over the country.

dN

1st Round Matches:
-Tue Jun 9
Harrisburg City Islanders 4-1 Reading Rage
Venue: Skyline Sports Complex - Harrisburg PA
Western Mass Pioneers 3-2 Emigrantes Das Ilhas
Venue: Lusitano Stadium - Ludlow MA
Carolina RailHawks 2-1 Richmond Kickers
Venue: WakeMed Soccer Park - Cary NC
Wilmington Hammerheads 2-0 Charlotte Eagles
Venue: Legion Stadium - Wilmington NC
Charleston Battery 2-0 Atlanta FC
Venue: Blackbaud Stadium - Charleston SC
Miami FC Blues 2-1 Lynch’s FC
Venue: Tropical Park - Miami FL
Cleveland City Stars 3-0 St. Louis Lions
Venue: Middlefield Cheese Stadium - Bedford OH
Rochester Rhinos 1-1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds - RR advance 4-2 on PK's.
Venue: Rochester Rhinos Stadium - Rochester NY
Minnesota Thunder 3-2 402
Venue: National Sports Center - Blaine MN
Chicago Fire PDL 3-1 Milwaukee Bavarians
Venue: Toyota Park Practice Field - Bridgeview IL
El Paso Patriots 2-1 Arizona Sahuaros
Venue: Patriot Stadium- El Paso TX
Austin Aztex 2-0 Mississippi Brilla FC
Venue: Nelson Field - Austin TX
Kitsap Pumas 0-3 Portland Timbers
Venue: Bremerton Memorial H.S. - Bremerton WA
Orange County Blue Star 2-5 Sonoma County Sol
Venue: Concordia University - Irvine CA
-Wed Jun 10
Ocean City Barons v Crystal Palace Baltimore
Venue: Carey Stadium - Ocean City NJ
Real Maryland FC v Aegean Hawks FC
Venue: Richard Montgomery H.S. - Rockville MD

dN

2nd Round Matches:
-Tue Jun 16
Carolina RailHawks v Wilmington Hammerheads
Venue: WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary NC
Rochester Rhinos v Cleveland City Stars
Venue: Marina Auto Stadium, Rochester NY
Harrisburg City Islanders v Western Mass Pioneers
Venue: Skyline Sports Complex, Harrisburg PA
Miami FC Blues v Charleston Battery
Venue: Tropical Park, Miami FL
Minnesota Thunder v Chicago Fire PDL
Venue: National Sports Center, Blaine MN
Austin Aztex v El Paso Patriots
Venue: Nelson Field, Austin TX
Sonoma County Sol v Portland Timbers
Venue: Santa Rosa High School, Santa Rosa CA
TBD Winner of Real Maryland & Aegean Hawks v winner of Ocean City Barons & Crystal Palace Baltimore

TEAM USA - CONFEDERATIONS CUP

USMNT Official Blog

dN

FIFA.com includes Tim Howard in an article on the worlds top goalkeepers who are likely to be in the World Cup next year.

dN

FIFA.com does a Q & A with Italy coach Marcello Lippi.

dN

Martin Rogers of Yahoo Sports reviews the last 2 USA qualifying matches and looks ahead to the Confederations Cup games.

dN

USA Group Stage Matches:
-Mon Jun 15
USA v Italy - 1:30pm Central on ESPN
-Thu Jun 18
USA v Brazil - 9:00am Central on ESPN2
-Sun Jun 21
USA v Egypt - 1:30pm Central on ESPN2

CONFEDERATIONS CUP SOUTH AFRICA 2009

Simon Kuper of the Financial Times looks to South Africa's messy recent past to preview what this tournament means to the country.

dN

David Mosse of ESPN Soccernet previews the tournament.

dN

Kick Off with an article on Egypt's very experienced team.

dN

Reports that the South Africa team has been thrown into chaos with new demands by the players to be paid more money by their federation to play in the Confed Cup has ended with the players gaining no new ground. Is this the end of it?

dN

The Mail & Guardian of Johannesburg with an article on the (short) history of the Confed Cup.

dN

Group A
Iraq
New Zealand
South Africa
Spain
Group B
Brazil
Egypt
Italy
USA

dN

The tournament starts on Sunday with a double header:
-Sun Jun 14
South Africa v Iraq
New Zealand v Spain

dN

Here is South Africa's roster:
G:
Brian Baloyi - Mamelodi Sundowns
Rowen Fernandez - Arminia Bielefeld
Itumeleng Khune - Kaizer Chiefs
D:
Matthew Booth - Mamelodi Sundowns
Siboniso Gaxa - Mamelodi Sundowns
Morgan Gould - SuperSport United
Bongani Khumalo - SuperSport United
Tsepo Masilela - Maccabi Haifa
Innocent Mdledle - Orlando Pirates
Aaron Mokoena - Portsmouth
Bryce Moon - Panathinaikos
M:
Lance Davids - SuperSport United
Kagisho Dikgacoi - Golden Arrows
Elrio van Heerden - Blackburn Rovers
Benson Mhlongo - Orlando Pirates
Teko Modise - Orlando Pirates
Steven Pienaar - Everton
Macbeth Sibaya - Rubin Kazan
Siphiwe Tshabalala - Kaizer Chiefs
F:
Terror Fanteni - Maccabi Haifa
Katlego Mashego - Orlando Pirates
Katlego Mphela - Mamelodi Sundowns
Bernard Parker - Red Star Belgrade

USL FIRST DIVISION

Here is the official Week 9 USL First Division Team of the Week:
G:
Nic Platter - Minnesota - Six saves in 0-0 draw at Rochester
D:
Cameron Knowles - Portland - Assist in 1-0 win over Montreal
Cristian Arrieta - Puerto Rico - Two goals in win, draw against Cleveland
Matt Bobo - Charleston - Goal in 2-0 win over Austin
Brent Sancho - Rochester - Led team in 0-0 draw against Minnesota
M:
David Testo - Montreal - Goal in 2-1 win at Vancouver
Pato Aguilera - Cleveland - Goal, assist in loss, draw at Puerto Rico
Tyler Hemming - Charleston - Two assists in 2-0 win at Austin
Jeff Harwell - Austin - Goal in 1-1 draw against Charleston
Felix Brillant - Montreal - Led team in 2-1 win at Vancouver
F:
Kendall Jagdeosingh - Puerto Rico - Goal in 2-2 draw against Cleveland

dN

Charleston Battery midfielder Tyler Hemming was named Player Of The Week.

AMERICANS IN EUROPE

Brent Latham of Yanks Abroad talks to Mikkel Diskerud of Stabaek about his good season so far. And what about his national team chances?

dN

YA also has stories on 3 little known Americans in Europe - Matthew Luzunaris, Connor Tobin and Lawrence Smith.

CONCACAF

World Cup qualifying standings (after 4 of 10 rounds):
12 Costa Rica (5 played)
10 USA (5 played)
5 El Salvador
- - PLAYOFFS - -
4 Honduras
- - OUT - -
3 Mexico
2 Trinidad & Tobago

EUROPE

Jere Longman of the New York Times with an article on American soccer traitor Giuseppe Rossi of Villarreal and Italy.

SOUTH AMERICA

Marcela Mora y Araujo of the Guardian looks at the anxiety of Argentina's trip to play in Ecuador after their disaster in Bolivia.

dN

The Global Post calls this a very crucial time in the coaching career of Maradona.

WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA 2010

The Johannesburg Times with an article on the political prisoners at Robben Island who kept the sport of soccer alive in South Africa during their darkest years of apartheid.

dN

The Times also with an article on soccer games that have brought warring nations back together.

dN

FIFA.com with an article on the worlds top goalkeepers who are most likely to see action at the World Cup.

WORLD CUP QUALIFYING

CONCACAF
Matches & Scores
-Wed Jun 10
Honduras v El Salvador
Mexico v Trinidad and Tobago

dN

ASIA
-Wed Jun 10
Iran 1-0 UAE
Japan 1-1 Qatar
Australia 2-0 Bahrain
South Korea 0-0 Saudi Arabia

North Korea & Saudi Arabia are battling for the final spot from Asia, with the loser getting a playoff spot to try and advance. Those 2 face off next Wednesday Jun 17 in the final match of qualifying. Great way to end the regional tournament!

dN

UEFA
-Wed Jun 10
Macedonia 2-0 Iceland
Sweden 4-0 Malta
Faroe Islands 0-2 Serbia
Ukraine 2-1 Kazakhstan
England 6-0 Andorra
Finland 0-3 Russia
Netherlands 2-0 Norway

dN

CONMEBOL
-Wed Jun 10
Ecuador v Argentina
Colombia v Peru
Venezuela v Uruguay
Chile v Bolivia
Brazil v Paraguay

dN

Group standings for all regions.

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES

Matches & Scores:
-Tue Jun 9
Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-1 Oman
Iraq 1-1 Poland
Azerbaijan 0-6 Spain
-Wed Jun 10
Italy 4-3 New Zealand
Grenada v Panama
Albania 1-1 Georgia
Belarus 2-2 Moldova
Estonia 0-0 Portugal
-Thu Jun 11
Tonga v Cook Islands
-Sat Jun 13
Tonga v Cook Islands - Yes, again!
Angola v Guinea
Cote d'Ivoire v Cameroon

ENDERS

The German Bundesliga averaged just over 42,000 fans per game this past season - tops in the world.

dN

Last weeks episode of Four At The Back podcast featured an interview with our friend Zach Walker who is huge into the world of subbuteo (a form of table soccer). Check him out at the American Subbuteo Association, where he is the 2008 Open division national champion!!!, and check out audio of the interview by Kenn and Dan here. By the way, the 2009 national championship is this coming weekend.