Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Some Soccer News for Wed Mar 7, 2012

NOTICE

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COUNTDOWN TO MLS 2012 - SEASON 17 - FIRST KICK











STARTERS


Its History: Five. Cinco. Funf. Cinq. Kvin. Quinque. Nam. Bes. Fem. Cinque. Tano. Five. That is how many goals Lionel Messi put past Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League today. Forget that punk Jeremy Lin, this is Pure Insanity!

Messi is the first player to ever score 5 in a single UEFA Champions League game.

Lio Messi has scored 48 goals in 42 games in all competitions this season.

dN

EPL Talk reports that Fox Sports World Canada will be taken off the air by owners Shaw Media in late April, meaning that we could see the cancellation of the nightly program Fox Soccer Report.

DU NORD AT THE CONTROLS

du Nord at the Controls - Tue Mar 6, 2012 - new music mix at Spotify.

STORY OF THE DAY

On the eve of season 17!

Jeff Carlisle of ESPN does a Q & A with MLS commissioner Don Garber.

STORY OF THE DAY 2

Paolo Bandini of the Guardian writing for The Footy Blog raves about Michael Bradley at Chievo.
-Thankfully the haters are dwindling in numbers very fast these days.

TEAM USA - EL EQUIPO DE TODOS

Michelle Kaufman of the Miami Herald talks with Jurgen Klinsmann about his big picture plans and how he intends to get his players to that level.

USA U23/OLYMPIC TEAM

Training camp opens on the 13th and roster will be announced in the next few days.

Olympic qualifying begins on Mar 22 in Nashville.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Round of 16 - 2nd Leg

Barca wins huge, and APOEL pulls off a giant upset!

Matches & Scores:
2nd Leg (with 1st Leg scores included)
-Tue Mar 6
Arsenal 3-0 AC Milan - ACM advances 4-3 on aggregate - Ars goals by Laurent Koscielny, Tomas Rosicky & Robin Van Persie(PK).
Benfica 2-0 Zenit St Petersburg - Ben advances 4-3 on aggregate - Ben goals by Maximiliano Pereira & Nelson Oliveira.
-Wed Mar 7
Barcelona 7-1 Bayer Leverkusen - Bar advances 10-2 on aggregate.
APOEL 1-1 Lyon - series ends tied 1-1 - APO wins 4-3 in Penalty Kick Shootout.

The other 4 games will be played next Tue & Wed.

Adv: Benfica, Milan
OUT: Arsenal, Zenit

2011-12 CONCACACHAMPIONS

Quarterfinals

Defending champ Monterrey rolls to a huge road in the 1st Leg.

Both Seattle and Toronto see this as they biggest game in their club's histories.

Ryan Woldstadt of the Toronto Sun says LA is well aware of what Toronto could pull off.

Wolstadt writes that this is a huge game for TFC.

Kurtis Larson of the Toronto Sun looks at the key match-ups in TFC v LA.

Larson on LA's back four.

FIFA.com with an article on Santos Laguna's American forward Hercules Gomez.

Nigel Reed of the CBC sees Toronto v LA as a bigger story - Canada v USA.
-I don't think LA sees it that way at all.

Joshua Mayers of the Seattle Post previews the Seattle-Santos match.
-And has the keys to the game. And a prediction.

Don Ruiz of the Tacoma News Tribune wonders why less than 19,000 tickets have been sold for tonight's game in Seattle. (Half of their 2011 season average.)

Brian Straus of Sporting News sees the CONCACAF title as a possibility and a goal for LA.

dN

Matches & Scores:
1st Leg
-Tue Mar 6
Morelia 1-3 Monterrey - Mor goal by Joel Huiqui. Mon goals all by Humberto Suazo.
-Wed Mar 7
Toronto v LA Galaxy - 7pm CT on Fox Soccer
Seattle Sounders v Santos Laguna - 9pm CT on Fox Soccer
-Thu Mar 8
Isidro Metapan v UNAM Pumas - 9pm CT on Galavision

dN

The 2nd Leg matches will be played next week.

BEST IDEA I'VE HEARD ALL DAY

Chris Wondolowski of the San Jose Earthquakes has pledged $100 to help fight homelessness in the Bay Area every time he scores a goal.
-Thanks to Joe for the heads up.

DO YOU REALIZE

Hatem Maher of Ahram reports that Ahly and Zamalek will play a friendly to raise money for the people who were murdered in Port Said, Egypt last month.

HMMMMM, VERY INTERESTING

Here is one comparison of the Seattle Sounders and the New England Revolution. Look at the size of each teams staff:
Seattle
New England

FACT OF THE DAY

Houston has announced that their first game in their new stadium on May 12 is SOLD OUT!

THIS IS WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT

Mike Foss of USA Today with an article on young guns Brek Shea and Juan Agudelo.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

The Chicago Fire's Pavel Pardo graces the cover of the new edition of ESPN Deportes magazine.
























MLS MATCHES, SCORES & STANDINGS


FIRST KICK 2012

Matches & Scores:
-Sat Mar 10
Colorado Rapids v Columbus Crew - 5pm CT
Venue: Dick's Sporting Good Park
Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Montreal Impact - 5pm CT on TSN
Venue: BC Place
DC United v Sporting Kansas City - 6:30pm CT
Venue: RFK Stadium
San Jose Earthquakes v New England Revolution - 9:30pm CT
Venue: Buck Shaw Stadium
LA Galaxy v Real Salt Lake - 9:30pm CT
Venue: Home Depot Center
-Sun Mar 11
FC Dallas v New York Red Bulls - 2pm CT on NBC Sports Network
Venue: Pizza Hut Park
CD Chivas USA v Houston Dynamo - 6pm CT on Galavision
Venue: The Home Depot Center
-Mon Mar 12
Portland Timbers v Philadelphia Union - 8:30pm CT on ESPN2
Venue: JELD-WEN Field

MLS TEAM & PLAYER NEWS

General News

Jonathan Tannenwald of Philly.com pours his passion on to the page as he gets ready for the 2012 season! Nice stuff!
-Including his list of the creative leaders of each of the 19 teams. A very strong list.

dN

Kyle McCarthy of Goal.com with his Western Conference preview.

dN

Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America previews the Western Conference.

dN

Avi Creditor of Sports Illustrated with lots of preseason predictions.

dN

Player Transactions

Chicago has signed 32 year old German centerback Arne Friedrich who spent most of his career at Hertha and last played for Wolfsburg.
-He rarely played at Wolfsburg and was released in September after battling a slipped disc in his back for over a year. It was repaired surgically.
-He passed his physical in Chicago obviously.

dN

COLORADO RAPIDS

ISportConnect does a good job of introducing us to Rapids President Tim Hinchey.
-Hinchey has made the Rap organization look a lot more human and open. That is a huge step forward for a team that seemed to be a mystery to most outsiders.

COLUMBUS CREW

Adam Jardy of the Dispatch introduces us to Milovan Mirosevic, the player the Crew hopes will drive their engine and lead them back to the top. The player himself doesn't quite see it that way.

Jardy also writes about the team's final prep for First Kick.
-Some more team notes.

FC DALLAS

Jurgen Klinsmann will be a part of pregame ceremonies in Dallas for First Kick.

FCD has hired Fernando Clavijo as they new technical director. I think this is a great move. While he may not have had positive results as a head coach in New England and Colorado he did bring them a lot of good players.

Todd Date of 3rd Degree on George John's time away from FCD trying to land a contract at West Ham in England and his addition back on to the Dallas roster.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY SC

Charles Gooch of the Star with his SKC season preview.
PART 1 - Forwards

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION

Kyle McCarthy of the Herald on the new coaching regime and big roster changes for 2012.

PORTLAND TIMBERS

Geoffrey Arnold of the Oregonian looks at the stiff competition for starting places of the Timbers two outside midfielders.

Centerback Futty Danso suffered a broken foot in training and will miss up to 6 weeks.

Kip Kesgard of the Oregonian is writing an 8 part season preview, mainly focuses on the Timbers:
PART 1 - Home Field
PART 2 - Eastern Conference
PART 3 - Western Conference
PART 4
PART 5
PART 6
PART 7
PART 8

REAL SALT LAKE

Kurt Kragthorpe of the Tribune looks at how far RSL has come as an organization in a just a few years.

James Edward of the Deseret introduces us to all 8 first year RSL players.

Edward also looks at the team's injury pile.

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

Elliot Almond of the Mercury News talks to Simon Dawkins about his return to the Quakes for a second season on loan from Tottenham.

SEATTLE SOUNDERS

Don Ruiz of the New Tribune on the addition of Eddie Johnson to the Seattle roster.

TORONTO FC

Ben Rycroft of the CBC previews season 6 for TFC.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

Bruce Constantineau of the Sun says the Caps are aiming for the even-keeled attitude approach to the season - never too high, never too low.

AMERICANS IN EUROPE

Greg Seltzer of MLSsoccer.com talks to Clarence Goodson about a big season ahead at Brondby, and his future with the USA.

dN

Coming Up:

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE - Round of 16 - 1st Leg
Jozy Altidore - AZ Alkmaar - Thu Mar 8 v Udinese
Steve Cherundolo - Hannover - Thu Mar 8 at Standard Liege
Jermaine Jones - Schalke - Thu Mar 8 at Twente
Oguchi Onyewu - Sporting CP - Thu Mar 8 v Manchester City

MEXICO

Fulham has released full back Carlos Salcido from his contract and his is now set to move back to Mexico and join UANL Tigres.

SPAIN

Sid Lowe of Sports Illustrated with a hodge podge of notes from around Spain and La Liga.

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE

Round of 16 - 1st Leg

Matches & Scores:
-Thu Mar 8
Metalist v Olympiacos
Sporting CP v Manchester City
Twente v Schalke
Standard Liege v Hannover
Valencia v PSV Eindhoven
AZ Alkmaar v Udinese
Atletico Madrid v Besiktas
Manchester United v Athletic Bilbao

COPA LIBERTADORES

Vasco was the only team to get a win last night, but another point by Union Espanola helped solidify the lead in their group.

dN

Group Stage

Matches & Scores:
-Tue Mar 6
Penarol 1-1 Universidad Chile - Pen goal by Nicolas Freitas. UC goal by Junior Fernandes.
Vasco da Gama 3-2 Alianza Lima - VDG goals by Christian Ramos(OG), Dede & Juninho Pernambucano(PK). AL goals by Sebastian Charquero & Walter Ibanez.
Union Espanola 1-1 Universidad Catolica - UE goal by Emanuel Herrera. UC goal by Enzo Andia.
-Wed Mar 7
Deportivo Quito v Velez Sarsfield
Santos v Internacional
Corinthians v Nacional AsunciĆ³n
Boca Juniors v Fluminense
-Thu Mar 8
Flamengo v Emelec
Godoy Cruz v Atletico Nacional
Junior v Bolivar

dN

Standings

Group 1
6 The Strongest (+2)
3 Internacional (+2)
0 Santos (-1)
0 Juan Aurich (-3)
Group 2
3 Emelec (+1)
3 Olimpia (0)
1 Flamengo (0)
1 Lanus (-1)
Group 3
7 Union Espanola (+5)
3 Universidad Catholica (0)
1 Bolivar (-2)
1 Junior (-2)
Group 4
3 Arsenal (+2)
3 Fluminense (+1)
1 Boca Juniors (0)
1 Zamora (-3)
Group 5
6 Libertad (+4)
3 Nacional (0)
3 Vasco Da Gama (0)
0 Alianza Lima (-4)
Group 6
6 Cruz Azul (+5)
1 Corintians (0)
1 Deportivo Tachira (-4)
0 Nacional Asuncion (-1)
Group 7
6 Velez Sarsfield (+6)
3 Defensor Sporting (-1)
1 Deportivo Quito (-2)
1 Guadalajara (-3)
Group 8
6 Atletico Nacional (+6)
4 Universidad Chile (+2)
3 Godoy Cruz (-3)
1 Penarol (-5)

ASIA

Asian Champions League - Group Stage

Matches & Scores:
-Tue Mar 6
Gamba Osaka(Japan) 0-3 Pohang Steelers(S Kor)
Brisbane Roar(Aust) 0-2 FC Tokyo(Japan)
Al Rayyan(Qatar) 0-1 Esteghlal(Iran)
Baniyas(UAE) 2-0 Al Arabi(Qatar)
Al Ittihad(Saudi) 4-0 Pakhtakor(Uzbek)
Bunyodkor(Uzbek) 1-2 Adelaide United(Aust)
Ulsan Hyundai(S Kor) 2-1 Beijing Guoan(China)
-Wed Mar 7
Nasaf(Uzbek) 2-4 Al Jazira(UAE)
Lekhwiya(Qatar) 1-0 Al Ahli(Saudi)
Foolad Sepahan(Iran) 1-0 Al Nasr(UAE)
Al Shabab Al Arabi(UAE) 0-0 Al Gharafa(Qatar)
Al Hilal(Saudi) 1-1 Piroozi Athloetic(Iran)
Nagoya Grampus(Japan) 2-2 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma(S Kor)
Tianjin Teda(China) 0-0 Central Coast Mariners(Aust)
Buriram United (Thai) 3-2 Kashiwa Reysol(Japan)
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors(S Kor) 1-5 Guangzhou Evergrande(China)

Here are the all the groups, standings and matches.

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