Some News for Wed Jan 26, 2011

STARTERS

Some potential bad news appears to be brewing in the Netherlands as Oguchi Onyewu was subbed off after just 26 minutes in a league Cup game today at Twente due to what is reported to be a lower back injury. (Game info: tied PSV 1-1, and advanced 7-6 in Penalty Kick Shootout. So some good news for Gooch.)

dN

A young American fullback named Sean Cunningham has signed a deal with Molde FK in Norway's top flight, and the team is coached by Manchester United goal poaching star Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
-Brian Sciaretta of Yanks Abroad has the story.

STORY OF THE DAY

BREAKING NEWS: Richard Keys has resigned from his TV commentator role at Sky Sports in England.

The two men from Sky Sports behind the misogynist statements scandal in England have both apologized. But their approach could hardly be more different. One sounds sincerely sorry about his what he said, the other is sorry that his words were heard on TV, not what he said.

-"It was wrong. We were wrong, totally and utterly wrong."
Richard Keys, who was suspended but still have a job, has gone on Talk Sport and talked openly about what happened. Keys talks about how wrong he was in his remarks.

-"I am very sorry that certain comments made by me have caused offense. Such comments were made off-air to work colleagues, and were of course never intended to be broadcast."
Andy Gray, who was fired, issued a statement apologizing that comes off more like a self-centered whitewash. Gray basically says that his hateful words were wrong only because they were heard by the public. And he is very sorry for his lost job, which he says he loved.

TEAM USA

Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America considers which players from the January camp should be candidates for the upcoming match in Egypt.

dN

Jeff Carlisle of ESPN on Mixx Diskerud, who had a poor game against Chile, but possess a lot of talent. And he is just 20 years old.

STAT OF THE DAY

A recent Harris Poll of Americans asked them what their favorite sport was. Soccer is in 7th place, pretty much where I thought it would be.

Here is the top 10:

Pro football 31%
Baseball 17%
College football 12%
Auto racing 7%
Men's pro basketball 6%
Hockey 5%
Men's soccer 4%
Men's college basketball 4%
Men's golf 2%
Track & field 2%

OOF

Club America of Mexico has fired head coach Manuel Lapuente after just 3 games in the new season. They have 2 losses and a draw to show for their efforts.

MLS TEAM & PLAYER NEWS

CD CHIVAS USA

The team will have a new shirt sponsor for this season - Corona Extra.

COLORADO RAPIDS

Noah Davis at MLSsoccer.com does a Q & A with Marvell Wynne.

COLUMBUS CREW

Shawn Mitchell of the Dispatch tells us about Jeff Cunningham's arrival at training camp, without a contract.

HOUSTON DYNAMO

Houston will break ground on their new stadium on Sat Jan 29.
-More from the Houston Business Journal.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY SC

Pete Grathoff of the Star has the right idea - the Sporks new stadium needs a connection to team founder Lamar Hunt.

NEW YORK RED BULLS

Kristian Dyer of MLSsoccer.com on the team's new Norwegian - Jan Gunnar Solli.

PHILADELPHIA UNION

The Shin Guardian does a Q & A with new dues paying Union member Brian Carroll.

dN

The team released goalkeeper Brad Knighton from the team.

PORTLAND TIMBERS

The Bers signed 2 players from the 2010 D2 squad - goalkeeper Adin Brown and centerback Steve Purdy.

REAL SALT LAKE

The Casa Grande Dispatch looks at a bunch of players from RSL's Arizona youth team who are getting a chance to train with the senior team during preseason.

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

Noah Davis at MLSsoccer.com does a Q & A with Chris Wondolowski.

dN

The Quakes got the rights to newly signed Generation Adidas goalkeeper David Bingham. He is young, but highly touted.

SEATTLE SOUNDERS

Tim Booth of the AP talks to head coach Sigi Schmid about the third MLS season for the Sounders. Via USA Today.

TORONTO FC

The team has headed off to Turkey to begin their preseason training.

dN

John Molinaro of the CBC says that even though Dwayne DeRosario in Toronto for the start of preseason, don't think he isn't going to demand a raise.

dN

The Star has an interview with new head coach Aron Winter.

dN

Gareth Wheeler of The Sun sees a lot of work ahead for the new braintrust at TFC.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

Bruce Constantineau of the Sun on the teams Veteran/Greenhorn roster complexion.

AMERICANS IN EUROPE

Brad Guzan's loan deal to Hull has been extended through February.

dN

Brian Sciaretta of Yanks Abroad talks to one of the new breed of foreign raised American players - Timothy Chandler at Nurnberg.

dN

Game Action:

ENGLAND - League Cup Semifinals 2nd Leg
Jonathan Spector - West Ham - Wed Jan 26 started and went 106 min but lost in Extra Added Time 3-1 at Birmingham, thus being eliminated 4-3 on aggregate.

ENGLAND - Premier League
Clint Dempsey - Fulham - Wed Jan 26 went the distance but lost 1-0 at Liverpool.
Eddie Johnson - Fulham - Wed Jan 26 didn't dress as they lost 1-0 at Liverpool.

GERMANY - DFB Pokal Quarterfinals
David Yelldell - Duisburg - Wed Jan 26 played the full match and won 2-0 v Kaiserslautern to advance to the Semifinals.

NETHERLANDS - KNVB Beker Quarterfinals
Oguchi Onyewu - Twente - Wed Jan 26 started but was subbed out due to injury in the 26th min but they won 7-6 in a Penalty Kick Shootout after the game ended 1-1 v PSV Eindhoven.

SCOTLAND - Premier League
Mo Edu - Rangers - Wed Jan 26 came on as a sub in the 67th min and won 0-2 at Hibs.

CANADA

Gerry Dobson of Sports Net with the latest on Team Canada.

dN

And here is what their new shirts from Umbro look like:















ENGLAND

The next round of the FA Cup will be played this weekend, so no league games on tap.

dN

LEAGUE CUP

It will be Birmingham City v Arsenal for the Carling Cup on Sun Feb 27.

Semifinals
2nd Leg
-Tue Jan 25
Arsenal 3-0 Ipswich - Ars advances 3-1 on aggregate.
-Wed Jan 26
Birmingham 3-1 West Ham - Bir advances 4-3 on aggregate.

SPAIN

COPA DEL REY

After today's 1st leg games its looking almost certain to be Barca v Madrid for the Cup.

Semifinals
1st Leg
-Wed Jan 26
Barcelona 5-0 Almeria
Sevilla 0-1 Real Madrid
2nd Leg
-Wed Feb 2
Almeria V Barcelona (0-5)
Real Madrid v Sevilla (1-0)

GERMANY

DFB POKAL

It will be Schalke, Cottbus, Duisburg and Bayern in the Semifinals. No matchups set yet for Tue Mar 3/Wed Mar 4.

Quarterfinals
-Tue Jan 25
Schalke 3-2 Nurnberg
-Wed Jan 26
Energie Cottbus 1-0 Hoffenheim
Duisburg 2-0 Kaiserslautern
Alemannia Aachen 0-4 Bayern Munchen

ITALY

COPPA ITALIA

Palermo, Inter and Milan await the 4th team in the Semifinals.

Quarterfinals
-Tue Jan 25
Palermo 0-0 Parma - Pal advances 5-4 in a Penalty Kick Shootout.
-Wed Jan 26
Napoli 0-0 Inter - Int advances 5-4 in a Penalty Kick Shootout.
Sampdoria 1-2 Milan
-Thu Jan 27
Juventus v Roma

EUROPE

Uli Hesse of ESPN wonders why players even sign contracts these days. (thanks to Dylan for the heads up)

dN

Netherlands - KNVB BEKER
Quarterfinals
-Tue Jan 25
RKC Waalwijk 6-0 Noordwijk
-Wed Jan 26
Twente 1-1 PSV - Twe advances 7-6 in Penalty Kick Shootout.
Utrecht 3-2 Groningen
-Thu Jan 27
Ajax v NAC Breda

COPA LIBERTADORES

Initial Round (to fill the final 6 spots in the Group Stage)
Matches & Scores:
1st Leg
-Tue Jan 25
#5 Independiente (Argentina) 2-0 Quito (Ecuador) - Ind goals by Matias Defederico & Patricio Rodriguez.
-Wed Jan 26
#1 Corinthians(Brazil) v Tolima (Colombia)
#2 Alianza (Peru) v Chiapas Jaguares (Mexico)
#6 Liverpool (Uruguay) v Gremio (Brazil)
-Thu Jan 27
#3 Cerro Porteno (Paraguay) v Petare (Venezuela)
#4 Bolivar (Bolivia) v Union Espanola (Chile)

ASIA

Asian Cup
Jan 7-29
Qatar

dN

Japan has lost their midfield engine Shinji Kagawa due to a broken foot that could be a serious injury.

dN

Final
-Sat Jan 29
Japan v Australia

ENDERS

Waddaya say we end today with a little sacrilege!