Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Some News for Wed Feb 23, 2011

STARTERS

Who is going to the USA game against Argentina in New Jersey on Mar 26? I will be there.

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE

A really ugly game last night in Columbus on a frozen field and small crowd. It seemed like every shot was a mile from goal.
-Three red cards were also handed out - Tony Beltran of RSL got his for two dumb fouls leading to yellow cards, and then both Nat Borchers of RSL and Emilio Renteria of the Crew got tossed after smacking each other.

Remember when head coach Enrique Mesa and attacking midfielder Chaco Gimenez were leading Pachuca to CONCACAF dominance a few years ago? Well they are doing it again with Cruz Azul. Taking them to a 2-0 win last night at home over Santos Laguna.

dN

Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch with a match report.
-More game notes.

Mitchell wrote a different game story for the Deseret News in Salt Lake.

Michael C Lewis of the Salt Lake Tribune with a match report.
-More post game notes.
-RSL looks ahead to game 2.

dN

Quarterfinals:
1st Leg
-Tue Feb 22p
Columbus Crew 0-0 Real Salt Lake
Venue: Crew Stadium - Columbus OH
Attendance: 4,665
Cruz Azul 2-0 Santos Laguna - CA goals by Javier Orozco & Chaco Gimenez.
Venue: Estadio Azul - Mexico City DF
-Wed Feb 23
Toluca v Monterrey
Venue: Estadio Nemesio Diez - Toluca, Edomex
-Thu Feb 24
Saprissa v Olimpia
Venue: Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma - San Jose

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Round Of 16
Matches & Scores:
1st Leg
-Tue Feb 22
Kobenhavn 0-2 Chelsea - Che goals both by Nicolas Anelka.
Lyon 1-1 Real Madrid - Lyo goal by Bafetimbi Gomis. RM goal by Karim Benzema.
-Wed Feb 23
Marseille v Man United - Live at 1:30pm Central
Inter v Bayern - Delayed at 4pm Central

All games shown in the USA on Fox Soccer Channel.

CONCACAF U17 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING

The 2011 CONCACAF U17 Championship/World Cup Qualifying is now under way in Jamaica.
-Mexico has already qualified as the hosts of the tournament. 4 more CONCACAF teams will advance.

dN

Panama & USA advanced on Tuesday.

Canada beat T&T to make it to their first U17 World Cup in 16 years!

The hosts Jamaica are the final team to qualify.

US Soccer with a match report from the USA U17 Quarterfinal victory.

dN

Quarterfinals
-Tue Feb 22
Costa Rica 0-1 Panama - Pan goal by Alfredo Stevens.
USA 3-2 El Salvador - USA goals by Alejandro Guido, Mario Rodriguez & Marc Pelosi. Sal goals by Jose Pena & Gerardo Iraheta(PK).
-Wed Feb 23
Canada 2-0 Trinidad & Tobago - Can goals by Chris Nanco & Keven Aleman.
Jamaica 2-1 Honduras - Jam goals both by Jason Wright. Hon goal by Bryan Rochez.

dN

Semifinals
-Fri Feb 25
Panama v Canada - 3pm Central
USA v Jamaica - 6pm Central

dN

Final
-Sun Feb 27
CONCACAF Championship - 6pm Central
Panama/Canada winner v USA/Jamaica winner

FACT OF THE DAY

Soccer America reports that MLS has signed 26 foreign players so far this off-season.

THIS IS WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT

Robb Heinemann, President of Sporting Kansas City tells us what the team's Members are in store for this season. (thanks to Adam for the link)
-This is some really great stuff, including a chance for free away game tickets and a Members only section of the stadium.

VIDEO CLIP OF THE DAY

American Nate Weiss played in Latvia last season for Jelgava. In the winter he got a try out with the Chicago Fire. But it went badly and left Weiss very unhappy. He is now in Sweden looking for a new team and has been documenting his daily life on video then posting it via Twitter.

See what its like first hand to be an American trying to give it everything you have to live your dreams as a footballer in Europe's non-glamor leagues.

WHY NOT!

Joshua Mayers of the Seattle Times reports that the Sounders now have a beach soccer team and they will play in the Club World Cup beginning March 20 in Brazil!
-Did they have to qualify?

MLS PLAYOFFS

Here is the format for the 2011 playoffs:

Ten of the 18 teams will make it this season.

Sadly we are still stuck with a home and away series in one round, while the other three rounds are single elimination - BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Either go all 2 legged series or none, make up your mind.

The league lays it out like this.

Let me try to explain it like this:

Top 3 in each conference, plus the next best 4 (Wild Card) qualify.

Wild Card Round - single elim
(top 6 teams get a week off)
1WC v 4WC
2WC v 3WC

Quarterfinals - 2 Legs
1 Overall v Lowest Wild Card winner
2 Overall v Other Wild Card winner
E2 v E3
W2 v W3

Semifinals - single elim
1/LWC winner v 2/3 winner from same conf
2/OWC winner v 2/3 winner from same conf

Final - single elim
-Location unannounced

MLS TEAM & PLAYER NEWS

General News

Brian Straus of Fanhouse talks to the director of soccer at Adidas and gives us a round up of all 18 team's uniforms for 2011.

CHICAGO FIRE

Chicago and New York played to a 1-1 tie today. The CF goal was scored by Marco Pappa.

And a team of Fire reserves beat NY reserves 4-2. with Orr Barouch scoring all 4 for the Fire!!

Sam Stejskal of MLSsoccer.com talks to Fire tech director Frank Klopas.
-This is the season when we find out if Klopas really knows what he is doing.

Ghana Soccernet has an article on Patrick Nyarko.

CD CHIVAS USA

Scott French of ESPN reports on a new fullback signing for CUSA - Seth Owusu of Ghana.
-They are clearly building from back to front. If the other team can't score then you can't lose.

COLUMBUS CREW

Chad Marshall did not play on Tue night in the Champions League after suffering concussion symptoms in practice Monday. Damn.

The Crew signed young goalkeeper Alex Riggs from Missouri State.

FC DALLAS

FCD lost 1-0 to New England today.

DC UNITED

Blake Brettschneider Brett Blakeschneider scored for DCU in a 1-0 win over UC Santa Barbara. A CLASSIC DU NORD NAME SCREW UP

HOUSTON DYNAMO

Jose du Jesus Ortiz of the Chronicle introduces us to the man who will try to replace legend Pat Onstad in the goal for the Dynamo - Tally Hall.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY SC

The AP with an article on Omar Bravo.

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION

New England beat Dallas 1-0 today on a Sainey Nyassi goal.

Frank Dell'Apa of the Globe talks to Sainey Nyassi who needs to really step up to the challenge this season.

NEW YORK RED BULLS

Leander Schaerlaeckens of ESPN begs people not to crown Juan Agudelo just yet.

New York drew 1-1 with Chicago today. Joel Lindpere got the NY goal.

And NYRB reserves lost 4-2 to Fire reserves. John Rooney and Corey Hertzog scored for the Bulls.

PHILADELPHIA UNION

James Clark of the Press of Atlantic City and Christopher Vito of the Delaware County Daily Times both chime in on the team's signing of forward Carlos Ruiz.

Jonathan Tannenwald of Philly.com tries to predict the opening day first 11 for the Union.

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

The Quakes did not play the Tottenham reserves today as had been previously reported. They beat some team from Colchester.

Preseason games in England:
-Wed Feb 23
Colchester United reserves 0-3 SJE - SJE goals by Ellis McLoughlin(2) & Matt Luzunaris.
-Thu Feb 24
Leiscester City v SJE

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

Geoffrey Arnold of the Oregonian with an article on this year's #1 Superdraft pick Omar Salgado.

Bruce Constantineau of the Sun with today's team notes.

Marc Weber of the Province says the Caps are impressed with 18 year old winger Russell Teibert.

Weber also reports on veterans John Thorrington and Terry Dunfield who have crossed pathes before.

Ghana Soccernet has an article on the Caps Ghanaian U20 player Gershon Koffie.

MLS EXHIBITIONS

DISNEY PRO CLASSIC - Orlando FL
-Wed Feb 23
Orlando City v FC Dallas
-Thu Feb 24
Toronto FC v Houston Dynamo
-Sat Feb 26
Winners play for 1st place
Losers play for 3rd place

AMERICANS IN EUROPE

Grant Wahl with an article on Michael Bradley and his big move to Aston Villa.

dN

Coming Up:

UEFA - EUROPA LEAGUE - Round of 32 - 2nd Leg
Mo Edu - Rangers - Thu Feb 24 at Sporting (1-1)
Sacha Kljestan - Anderlecht - Thu Feb 24 at Ajax (3-0)
Oguchi Onyewu - Twente - Thu Feb 24 v Rubin Kazan (2-0)

ENGLAND

Recap du Nord: 2nd place Arsenal made an early goal last as they won today and kep the pressure on 1st place Man United, not to mention a 7 point cushion over 3rd place Man City.

Top of the Premier League Table: (26 GP)
57 Man United
56 Arsenal - Wed Feb 23 W 1-0 v Stoke (27 GP)
49 Man City (27 GP)
47 Tottenham (27 GP)
45 Chelsea

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE

2nd leg matches in the Round of 32 are happening now.

dN

CSKA Moscow advanced on Tuesday.

Porto lost to Sevilla 0-1 today leaving the series tied at 2-2. But Porto advances on the away goals tie breaker.

dN

And the other 14 matches are on Thursday.

Dig in to the Matches & Scores right here.

COPA LIBERTADORES

Cruzeiro is absolutely rolling right now, winning their first two games by a combined 9-0.

dN

Group Stage
Matches & Scores:
-Tue Feb 22
Cruzeiro 4-0 Guarani - Cru goals by Wallyson(2), Ernesto Farias & Thiago Ribeiro.
San Martin 2-0 San Luis - SM goals by Gianfranco Labarthe & Carlos Marinelli.
Emelec 1-0 Jorge Wilstermann - Eme goal by Eduardo Morante.
Once Caldas 1-1 Libertad - OC goal by Dayro Moreno. Lib goal by Victor Ayala.
-Wed Feb 23
Leon Huanuco 1-0 Oriente Petrolero - LH goal by Carlos Zegarra.
Internacional v Jaguares
Estudiantes v Deportes Tolima
Fluminense v Nacional
-Thu Feb 24
Independiente v Penarol
Argentinos Juniors v America
Junior v Gremio

dN

Standings:
Group 1
6 Universidad San Martin (Peru) (+5 gd) (2 gp)
4 Libertad (Paraguay) (+1 gd) (2 gp)
1 Once Caldas (Colombia) (-3 gd) (2 gp)
0 San Luis (Mexico) (-3 gd) (2 gp)
Group 2
3 Gremio (Brazil) (+3 gd) (1 gp)
3 Junior (Colombia) (+1 gd) (1 gp)
3 Leon de Huanuco (Peru) (0 gd) (2 gp)
0 Oriente Petrolo (Bolivia) (-4 gd) (2 gp)
Group 3
3 America (Mexico) (+2 gd) (1 gp)
1 Argentinos Juniors (Argentina) (0 gd) (1 gp)
1 Fluminense (Brazil) (0 gd) (1 gp)
0 Nacional (Uruguay) (-2 gd) (1 gp)
Group 4
3 Velez Sarsfield (Argentina) (+3 gd) (1 gp)
1 Universidad Catolica (Chile) (0 gd) (1 gp)
1 Union Espanola (Chile) (0 gd) (1 gp)
0 Caracas (Venezuela) (-3 gd) (1 gp)
Group 5
3 Cerro Porteno (Paraguay) (+3 gd) (1 gp)
1 Santos (Brazil) (0 gd) (1 gp)
1 Tachira (Venezuela) (0 gd) (1 gp)
0 Colo-Colo (Chile) (-3 gd) (1 gp)
Group 6
4 Emelec (Ecuador) (+1 gd) (2 gp)
3 Chiapas Jaguares (+2 gd) (1 gp)
1 Internacional (Brazil) (0 gd) (1 gp)
0 Jorge Wilstermann (Bolivia) (-3 gd) (2 gp)
Group 7
6 Cruzeiro (Brazil) (+9 gd) (2 gp)
3 Tolima (Colombia) (+1 gd) (1 gp)
0 Guarani (Paraguay) (-5 gd) (2 gp)
0 Estudiantes (Argentina) (-5 gd) (1 gp)
Group 8
3 Gody Cruz (Argentina) (+1 gd) (1 gp)
- Penarol (Uruguay)
- Independiente (Argentina)
0 Liga Quito (Ecuador) (-1 gd) (1 gp)

4 Comments:

Anonymous Bill_Urban said...

Bruce:

In the DC United section, 'Blake Brettschneider,' rather than 'Brett Blakeschneider," is correct...

8:12 PM  
Blogger brucio said...

hahahahahahaha
thanks as always bill
a classic screw up on my part

8:32 PM  
Blogger Zathras said...

Am I the only one who is still sad about the loss of the stripes on the DC United jerseys? I kind of wish they'd worked out a deal for Adidas to sponsor the team so that they could keep that look.

9:00 AM  
Anonymous Nordy said...

Ugh...why so many teams in the MLS playoffs? Me no likee. I know this isn't a new sentiment, but something must be done to make the regular season games more meaningful.

BTW, love the new whale logo!

9:59 AM  

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