Thursday, October 20, 2011

Some Soccer News for Thu Oct 20, 2011

STARTERS

Jamie Hill of Yanks Abroad reports that Jozy Altidore has been replaced in the first 11 at AZ by coach Gert Verbeek due to his lack of effort and poor fitness.

dN

Hey Everyone! Take a deep breath and begin holding it NOW! Because tomorrow (Friday) FIFA will tell us all about their new reforms to curb corruption within their ranks. This should be something special!

dN

Every team in MLS has exactly 1 regular season game left in the 2011 season as of today.

dN

DC United is the latest team eliminated from the MLS playoff race. See sections below for details.

STORY OF THE DAY

Elliott Almond of the San Jose Mercury News reports that Bobby Convey's attempt to return to top form is over in San Jose. The player himself says he will NOT be back there next season.

NASL

Finals

Git yer Stars tickets!

The Stars will host an event to show off the new NASL championship trophy at Brit's Pub Friday night in downtown Minneapolis starting at 8pm.

The Dark Clouds pre-game tailgate will feature beer (must be 21) provided by the popular local brewer Surly, and tacos by the awesome Rusty Taco of St Paul!

Huge thanks to the Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Vikings for stepping up and supporting our team by buying blocks of tickets! Fantastic.

dN

Matches & Scores:
1st Leg
-Sat Oct 22
NSC Minnesota Stars v Fort Lauderdale Strikers - 7:30pm CT
2nd Leg
-Sat Oct 29
Fort Lauderdale Strikers v NSC Minnesota Stars - 6:30pm CT

dN

Regular Season Series:
4-15 FL 1-1 MN - FL goal by Eduardo Coudet(PK). MN goal by Devin Del Do.
5-07 MN 1-1 FL - MN goal by Simone Bracalello. FL goal by Eduardo Coudet(PK).
6-11 FL 3-0 MN - FLS goals by Yoximar Granado & Brian Shriver(2).
8-10 MN 0-1 FL - FLS goal by Martin Nunez.

FL won the series 2W-0L-2D, and 6-2 in goal differential.
FL finished the regular season 9-8-11 for 38 points
MN finished the regular season 9-10-9 for 36 points

DU NORD AT THE CONTROLS

du Nord at the Controls - Sat Oct 15, 2011 - brand new music mix on Spotify

TEAM USA - EL EQUIPO DE TODOS

Caleb Porter, the extremely successful head coach at Akron, has been named the USA Olympic team (U23) head coach.
-He will keep his job at Akron as well.

And Tab Ramos is the new U20 head coach.

2011-12 CONCACACHAMPIONS

Matchday 6 - The final round of the Group Stage - Oct 18/19/20

Recap du Nord: Colorado lost last night and now put their fate in other peoples hands. Santos Laguna and Pumas left no doubt that the Mexican teams are still far stronger then their MLS counterparts, both winning their group.

Of course all 4 groups were won by Mexican teams. Maybe this year the "luck of the draw" won't pit them all against each other in the knock out rounds before the Final.

Tonight's final 2 games of the stage still have lots of meaning.

Scott French of ESPN on the simple formula for LA tonight - win and advance, tie or loss and they're out.

Nigel Reed of the CBC is pretty pumped that TFC has gone through to the knock out stage.

Video highlights from all the games.

dN

Group Stage - Round robin, home & away - matches played Aug 16 to Oct 20

Matches & Scores:
-Tue Oct 18
Morelia 2-1 Alajuelense - Mor goals by Joao Rojas & Miguel Sabah. Ala goal by Pablo Antonio Gabas.
Dallas 0-3 Toronto - Tor goals by Danny Koevermans & Joao Plata(2).
Seattle Sounders 1-2 Monterrey - SS goal by Fredy Montero. Mon goal by Abraham Carreno & Cesar Delgado.
-Wed Oct 19
Santos Laguna 2-0 Colorado Rapids - SL goals by Aaaron Galindo & Jesus Escoboza.
Pumas 1-0 Tauro - Pum goal by Juan Cacho.
Herediano 4-1 Comunicaciones - Her goals by Jorge Barbosa(2), Cristhian Montero & Jose Cordero. Com goal by Carlos Meija.
-Thu Oct 20
Isisro Metapan v Real Espana - 7pm CT
Motagua v LA Galaxy - 9pm CT on Fox Soccer

dN

Advanced: (6 of 8) Monterrey, Morelia, Pumas, Santos Laguna, Seattle, Toronto

Eliminated: (5 of 8) Communicaciones, Dallas, Herediano, Motagua, Tauro

Standings:

GROUP A
ADV-12 Monarchas Morelia (Mexico) (+6)
12 Alajuelense (Costa Rica) (+2)
9 LA Galaxy (USA) (+3)
OUT-0 Motagua (Honduras) (-11)
GROUP B
ADV-13 Santos Laguna (Mexico) (+10)
7 Colorado Rapids (USA) (-3)
6 Isidro Metapan (El Salvador) (-6)
5 Real Espana (Honduras) (-1)
GROUP C
ADV-11 UNAM Pumas (Mexico) (+6)
ADV-10 Toronto (Canada) (0)
OUT-7 Dallas (USA) (-5)
OUT-5 Tauro (Panama) (-1)
GROUP D
ADV-12 Monterrey (Mexico) (+7)
ADV-10 Seattle Sounders (USA) (+3)
OUT-7 Comunicaciones (Guatemala) (-5)
OUT-6 Herediano (Costa Rica) (-5)

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Matchday 3 - is Oct 18 & 19

Rob Hughes of the New York Times reviews the Tuesday - and - Wednesday matches.

Group Standings

Matchday 4 will be played Nov 1 & 2

FIFASCANDALIZATIONINGS

Bill Archer at Big Soccer sees Jack Warner already several steps ahead of FIFA, CONCACAF and CFU with his planning to continue behind the scenes in Caribbean soccer power.

Big FIFA executive committee meetings going on for the next 4 days in Zurich. Should be interesting. New reforms to stop corruption are supposedly on the agenda, but reports say Day 1 came and went with no mention of reforms.

Chuck Blazer is NOT in attendance at these meetings due to Bronchitis.

But The Trinidad Guardian has quotes from Blazer firing back at Jack Warner, calling Warner's word "fiction".

FIFA Ethics Committee deputy chair PT Damaseb uses the FIFA website to defend himself against Jack Warner's allegations of having taken part in skullduggery in 2003.

The Trinidad Guardian also quotes the countries police commissioner saying that Jack Warner is being investigated.

Tariq Panja of Bloomberg reports that FIFA may open sealed files that show who did and did not take bribes in the 2001 ISL bankruptcy scandal.

Keir Radnedge says that Brazilian football chief Ricardo Teixeira is starting to feel the heat from the scrutiny of his actions with ISL and others.

Martyn Zielger of Press Assoc Sports talks to Michel Platini who is urging Sepp Blatter to announce real reform.

Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America with his own overview of FIFA culture.

David Bond of the BBC with a story on Worawi Makudi of Thailand who is one of the people already banned by FIFA in the current wave of scandals.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I think the league is much tougher than perhaps we expected. It's relentless; the games come thick and fast, the travel patterns, time zone changes, climate changes. The sheer grind has been really tough."
-Paul Barber, CEO Vancouver Whitecaps, commenting on the team's first season in MLS. See full Q & A in team section below.

BIG EUROPEAN CLUB MATCHES

Matches & Scores:
-Sat Oct 22
Malaga v Real Madrid - new money big spenders with no heritage v old money big spenders with heritage
Barcelona v Sevilla - #1 v #4
Aston Villa v West Brom - Birmingham derby
-Sun Oct 23
Manchester United v Manchester City - ooooooo-weeeeeee
Queens Park Rangers v Chelsea - a London derby
Villarreal v Levante - this years biggest strugglers v this years biggest surprise
Lille v Lyon - #4 v #3
Ajax v Feyenoord - Netherlands biggest rivalry

MLS MATCHES, SCORES & STANDINGS

Week 32
-Wed Oct 19
DC United 1-1 Portland Timbers - DCU goal by Dwayne DeRosario. PT goal by Kenny Cooper.
Venue: RFK Stadium
Atten: 14,317
-Thu Oct 20
New York Red Bulls v Philadelphia Union - 7:00PM CT on ESPN2
Venue: Red Bull Arena
-Sat Oct 22
Toronto FC v New England Revolution - 11:30AM CT on Direct Kick
Venue: BMO Field
Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Colorado Rapids - 6:00PM CT on Direct Kick
Venue: BC Place
DC United v Sporting Kansas City - 6:30PM CT on Direct Kick
Venue: RFK Stadium
Chicago Fire SC v Columbus Crew - 7:30PM CT on Direct Kick
Venue: Toyota Park
Real Salt Lake v Portland Timbers - 8:00PM CT on Direct Kick
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium
San Jose Earthquakes v FC Dallas - 9:30PM CT on Direct Kick
Venue: Buck Shaw Stadium
CD Chivas USA v Seattle Sounders FC - 9:30PM CT on Direct Kick
Venue: The Home Depot Center
-Sun Oct 23
Houston Dynamo v LA Glaxay - 6:00PM CT on Galavision
Venue: Robertson Stadium

dN

Standings:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
E1-*48 Sporting Kansas City (33 GP) (+9 GD) (Max 51)
E2-*48 Philadelphia Union (33 GP) (+9 GD) (Max 51)
E3-*47 Columbus Crew (33 GP) (0 GD) (Max 50)
WC-*46 Houston Dynamo (33 GP) (+2 GD) (Max 49)
WC-43 New York Red Bulls (33 GP) (+5 GD) (Max 46)
40 Chicago Fire SC (33 GP) (0 GD) (Max 43)
OUT-39 DC United (33 GP) (-2 GD) (Max 42)
OUT-32 Toronto FC (33 GP) (-23 GD)
OUT-27 New England Revolution (33 GP) (-20 GD)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
W1-*67 LA Galaxy (33 GP) (+22 GD) (Max 70)
W2-*60 Seattle Sounders FC (33 GP) (+17 GD) (Max 63)
W3-*52 Real Salt Lake (33 GP) (+8 GD) (Max 55)
WC-*52 FC Dallas (33 GP) (+5 GD) (Max 55)
WC-*46 Colorado Rapids (33 GP) (+2 GD) (Max 49)
41 Portland Timbers (33 GP) (-8 GD) (Max 44)
OUT-36 CD Chivas USA (33 GP) (0 GD)
OUT-35 San Jose Earthquakes (33 GP) (-7 GD)
OUT-28 Vancouver Whitecaps FC (33 GP) (-19 GD)

* - Playoff berth secured
E1/2/3 - Eastern Conference seeds
W1/2/3 - Western Conference seeds
WC - Wild Card (next best 4)

The first tiebreaker between two team tied on points is Head-to-Head record.

IF THE MLS PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY

Portland kept their playoff hopes alive with a tie last night while their opponent DC was eliminated from the playoff hunt.

New York, Chicago and Portland are the last 3 standing for 1 spot.

A win by NY tonight and the race is over.

But the battle for seeding will not end until the final game of the regular season is played on Sunday.

Here are the 10 teams (and the 2 remaining challengers):

WEST
*W1-67 LA Galaxy
*W2-60 Seattle Sounders
*52 Real Salt Lake

EAST
*48 Philadelphia Union
*48 Sporting Kansas City
*47 Columbus Crew

WILD CARD
*52 FC Dallas
*46 Colorado Rapids
*46 Houston Dynamo
43 New York Red Bulls (1 game left - v Philadelphia)
- - - - -
41 Portland Timbers (1 game left - at Salt Lake)
40 Chicago Fire (1 game left - v Columbus)

*In Playoffs
Clinched Playoff Seedings listed

MLS TEAM & PLAYER NEWS

General News

The next re-entry draft for MLS veteran players out of contract will be held on Dec 5 & 12.
-Last year saw a handful of players move teams successfully in this new process.

DC UNITED

Last nights tie game knocked them out of the playoff race.

NEW YORK RED BULLS

Thierry Henry is supended for tonights game.

Michael Lewis of Big Apple Soccer talks to Joel Lindpere about the Bulls quest for the final playoff spot.

Jack Bell of the Times says the Red Bulls know what they have to do tonight.
-Bell also sees the Bulls in denial over Henry's red card last weekend.

Brian Lewis of the Post talks to Luke Rodgers who is all ready to go for tonight.

PHILADELPHIA UNION

Kerith Gabriel of the Daily News says the Union are intent on winning the Eastern Conference by winning tonight and hoping for the best.

PORTLAND TIMBERS

The Timbers need a New York loss tonight to keep their season alive for one last game.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

The Province does a Q & A with Caps CEO Paul Barber as season 1 in MLS gets set to close.

The Prov also hands out season end Whitecaps awards.

MLS POST SEASON AWARDS

Official voting has begun for all post-season awards given out by the league.

MLS EXPANSION

MLive reports that the owners of the Silverdome in suburban Detroit are using Vancouver's remodeling of BC Place as a template if they were to land an MLS team.

USA U17 TEAM

The team is in Spain for the Albir Garden Sports Cup.

Matches & Scores:
-Sat Oct 15
USA 1-1 Mexico- USA goal by Chris Lema (PK).
-Mon Oct 17
USA 1-1 U.A.E. - USA goal by Herber Mejia-Flores
-Wed Oct 19
USA 2-0 Russia - USA goals both by Wesley Wade.
-Thu Oct 20
Spain v USA

Roster
G:
Paul Christensen - Seattle Sounders FC - Woodinville WA
Evan Louro - New York Red Bulls - South River NJ
D:
Conor Donovan - NC Alliance - Fuquay Varina NC
Elijah Martin - Cal Odyssey - Fresno CA
Shaquell Moore - Cobb FC - Powder Springs GA
Matt Nance - Vardar SC Freiburg - Washington MI
Kevin Politz - New York Red Bulls - Morganville NJ
John Requejo Jr. - Real So Cal - Carpinteria CA
Tyler Turner - South Central Premier - West Haven CT
M:
Steven Echevarria - New York Red Bulls - Slate Hill NY
Angel Heredia - San Jose Earthquakes - San Jose CA
Guyllain Kabala - New England Revolution - Manchester NH
Christopher Lema - New York Red Bulls - Ridgefield NJ
Declan McCabe - New England Revolution - Weston MA
Herber Mejia-Flores - McLean Youth Soccer - Manassas Park VA
Thomas Ziemer - Atletico Santa Rosa - Glen Allen CA
F:
Corey Baird - San Diego Surf - Escondido CA
Bradford Jamieson - CD Chivas USA - Los Angeles CA
Danya Kafai - Juventus Sports Club - Redwood City CA
DeAndre Robinson - Concorde Fire - Atlanta GA
Rubio Rubin - Westside Metros - Beaverton OR
Wesley Wade - New York Red Bulls - South Orange NJ

AMERICANS IN EUROPE

5 Americans participated in the Europa League today. See below for details.

dN

Game Action:

CZECH REPUBLIC - League Cup
Stefan Jerome - Sigma Olomouc - Wed Oct 19 - went the full 90 and scored as they won 1-0 v Spartak Sezimovo Usti.

NORWAY - 1 Divisjon
Colin Burns - Sandefjord - Wed Oct 19 - on the bench as they lost 3-0 at Kongsvinger.
Steve Clark - Honefoss - Wed Oct 19 - in goal as usual as they won 1-2 at Asker.
Kenneth Di Vita Jensen - Honefoss - Wed Oct 19 - on the bench as they wonh 1-2 at Asker.

UEFA - Europa League - Group Stage - Matchday 3
-Thu Oct 20
Jozy Altidore - AZ - came on as a sub in the 73rd min as they drew 2-2 v Austria Wien.
Steve Cherundolo - Hannover - went the distance as they drew 2-2 v Kobenhavn.
Clint Dempsey - Fulham - did not suit up as they lost 1-0 at Wisla.
Brad Friedel - Tottenham - did not dress for the game as they won 1-0 v Rubin.
Sacha Kljestan - Anderlecht - played the whole game as they won 0-2 at Sturm.
Jermiane Jones - Schalke - started and played 68 min as they won 0-5 at AEK Larnaca.
Oguchi Onyewu - Sporting - was not in uniform as they won 2-0 v Vaslui.
Jonathan Spector - Birmingham - played the full match getting a yellow card as they won 1-2 at Club Brugge.

MEXICO

Mexico - Primera Top 8 Standings (12 of 17 games played):
23 Santos Laguna (12 GP) (+7) - NEXT: Sat Oct 22 at Tecos
22 Cruz Azul (+4) - NEXT: Sat Oct 22 at Queretaro
22 Guadalajara (+3) - NEXT:
21 Tigres (+8) - NEXT: Sat Oct 22 v Monterrey
20 Jaguares (+2) - NEXT: Sat Oct 22 v Jaguares
20 Pachuca (-1) - NEXT: Sat Oct 22 v Pumas
20 Pumas (-3) - NEXT: Sat Oct 22 at Pachuca
17 Monterrey (+2) - NEXT: Sat Oct 22 at Tigres

CONCACAF

The Trinidad Express reports that the T&T football federation has now missed their 2nd deadline to pay their players from the 2006 World Cup who successfully sue the fed for money owed them from the tournament.

The Express also writes that those players are still not getting anywhere with their requests for an investigation into the finances of the T&T football fed and former leader Jack Warner who made the initial deal with the players.
-Its is estimated that the fed earned $40 Million from the World Cup and players were supposed to get 50% of the profits. After the tournament ended and the accounting was done the 23 players were offered less than $6000 each or $138,000 total!

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE

Matchday 3

A full round of games was played today. See all the scores and standings here.

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS 2012

Just 3 months before the tournament begins co-host Equatorial Guinea has seen their head coach Henri Michel resign.

BRAZIL 2014 WORLD CUP

FIFA has abandon the plan to have teams based regionally, schedule shows them going all over the country for 3 group stage games. Brutal on any fan trying to follow their team.

12 cities will host games. Here is the official FIFA game schedule.

Games will kick off at 1, 4, 7 & 10 pm local time.

Brazilian time in the major cities is 3 hours ahead of American CT.

The first game will include the host country and be played in Sao Paulo at 5pm local time.

The Final will kick off at 4pm local time on Sun Jul 13 at the Maracana stadium in Rio De Janeiro.

BIG PIMPIN

Andrew Das of the New York Times does a Q & A with Simon Kuper about his great new book Soccer Men.

Read the du Nord review of that book written by Paul Demko right here.

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