Some Soccer News for Fri May 25, 2012

STARTERS

For the first time this MLS season all 19 teams are playing in this round.

dN

Simon Borg of MLSSoccer.com reports that talk of a combined CONCACAF and CONMEBOL tournament in 2016 has taken a step closer to reality.
-The first ever Pan American Cup or Copa Panamericana is likely to be played in the USA in 2016!

STORY OF THE DAY

The MLS Players Union has released the list of all salaries for the 2012 season.

MINNESOTA STARS FC

Match & Score:
-Fri May 25
Tampa Bay Rowdies v Minnesota Stars FC - 6:30pm CT
Venue: Al Lang Stadium

TEAM USA - EL EQUIPO DE TODOS

Clint Dempsey will definitely not play against Scotland due to a recent groin strain.

Jozy Altidore will not be not reporting until May 28, so he is out the first 2 games.

Michael Parkhurst and Clarence Godsoon arrived Thurs night from Denmark.

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Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated talks to Clint Dempsey who just finished a remarkable club season.

Stewart Fisher of the Herald Scotland talks to former New England head coach and Scotland International Steve Nicol about the USA team.

JC Carnahan of MLSsoccer.com with an article on Terrence Boyd.

US Soccer with game notes for Scotland.

The USA cut 4 players from the roster today and will have 23 going into the 5 games over the next 18 days. Here are the four that were released:
-Alfredo Morales - Hertha Berlin
-Danny Williams - Hoffenheim
-Graham Zusi - Sporting Kansas City
-Juan Agudelo - Chivas USA

Avi Creditor of Soccer By Ives with words from Klinsmann on his roster after the cuts.

Jeff Carlisle of Sports Illustrated previews the 5 games ahead.

Video from US Soccer:
-Focus Shifts To Scotland
-MNT in Scotland - Carlos Bocanegra Pt 1 (Burrito Aficionado)

Robert Grieve of the Scottish Sun with an article on young Scotland prospect Matty Phillips who should see action on Saturday.

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Matches & Scores:
-Sat May 26
USA v Scotland - Friendly - 7:00pm CT on NBC Sports Network
Venue: EverBank Field, Jacksonville FL
-Wed May 30
4 USA v Brazil - Friendly - 7:00pm CT on ESPN2
Venue: FedEx Field, Landover MD
-Sun Jun 3
Canada v USA - Friendly - 6:00pm CT on NBC Sports Network
Venue: BMO Field, Toronto ON
-Fri Jun 8
USA v Antigua & Barbuda - World Cup Qualifying - 6:00pm CT v Antigua & Barbuda on ESPN
Venue: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa FL
-Tue Jun 12
Guatemala v USA - World Cup Qualifying - 9:00pm CT on PPV
Venue: Estadio Mateo Flores - Guatemala City

dN

USA Roster (So Far)
G:
Brad Guzan - Aston Villa
Tim Howard - Everton
Nick Rimando - Real Salt Lake
D:
Carlos Bocanegra - Rangers
Geoff Cameron - Houston Dynamo
Edgar Castillo - Tijuana
Steve Cherundolo - Hannover
Clarence Goodson - Brondy
Oguchi Onyewu - Sporting CP
Michael Parkhurst - Nordsjaelland
M:
Kyle Beckerman - Real Salt Lake
Michael Bradley - Chievo
Joe Corona - Tijuana
Maurice Edu - Rangers
Fabian Johnson - Hoffenheim
Jermaine Jones - Schalke
Jose Torres - Pachuca
F:
Jozy Altidore - AZ
Terrence Boyd - Dortmund
Clint Dempsey - Fulham
Landon Donovan - LA Galaxy
Herculez Gomez - Santos Laguna
Chris Wondolowski - San Jose Earthquakes

dN

Scotland roster:
G:
Matt Gilks - Blackpool
Craig Gordon - Sunderland
Alan McGregor - Rangers
D:
Phil Bardsley - Sunderland
Christophe Berra - Wolverhampton
Gary Caldwell - Wigan
Russell Martin - Norwich
Charlie Mulgrew - Celtic
Lee Wallace - Rangers
Steven Whittaker - Rangers
M:
Barry Bannan - Aston Villa
Scott Brown - Celtic
Craig Bryson - Derby
Don Cowie - Cardiff City
James McArthur - Wigan
Shaun Maloney - Wigan
Matt Phillips - Blackpool
F:
David Goodwillie - Blackburn
Craig Mackail-Smith - Brighton
Kenny Miller - Cardiff City
Johnny Wilson - Dundee United

FIFA

Video of the press conference that ended the FIFA Congress meeting today in Budapest.

Three more topics from this congress:
-AP reports that FIFA is going ahead with legal action to regain property acquired personally by Jack Warner using FIFA money.
-AFP reports that FIFA wants to find an alternate way to end games rather than Penalty Kick Shootout.
-AFP on the handling of ethics reforms.

THE LAMAR HUNT US OPEN CUP

THIRD ROUND

There has been a lot of talk this week about 2 NASL teams selling their rights to host Third Round to their MLS opponents:
-The Seattle Times gives us a transcript of head coach Sigi Schmid's press conf concerning the Open Cup, and Seattle buying the rights to host the Third Round game from Atlanta.
-Brian Quarstad of IMSoccer News does a Q & A with Atlanta ownder Boris Johnson, focusing on selling the rights to Seattle.
-Joshua Mayers ‏of the Seattle Times on Twitter: "GM Adrian Hanauer estimated travel costs to Atlanta would've been around $53,000 (U.S. Soccer reimburses $8,000)."

dN

Matches & Scores:
-Tue May 29
San Antonio Scorpions v Houston Dynamo
Michigan Bucks v Chicago Fire
Sporting Kansas City v Orlando City
Richmond Kickers v DC United
Columbus Crew v Dayton Dutch Lions
FC Dallas v Charlotte Eagles
San Jose Earthquakes v Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Philadelphia Union v Rochester Rhinos
Harrisburg City Islanders v New England Revolution
Charleston Battery v New York Red Bulls
Ventura County Fusion v Chivas USA
Carolina RailHawks v LA Galaxy
Tampa Bay Rowdies v Colorado Rapids
Portland Timbers v Cal FC
Seattle Sounders v Atlanta Silverbacks
Real Salt Lake v Minnesota Stars FC

The Bracket

FACT OF THE DAY

Jose Mourinho has signed a new contract with Real Madrid through the 2015-16 season.

MLS MATCHES & SCORES

Week 12

-Wed May 23 New York Red Bulls 1-1 CD Chivas USA - NYRB goal by Kenny Cooper. CUSA goal by Juan Pablo Angel.
Venue: Red Bull Arena
Atten: 13,919
Chicago Fire SC 2-1 FC Dallas - CF goals by Sebastien Grazzini & Marco Pappa. FCD goal by Matt Hedges.
Venue: Toyota Park
Atten: 11,947
Seattle Sounders FC 0-2 Columbus Crew - CC goals by Justin Meram & Emilio Renteria.
Venue: CenturyLink Field
Atten: 38,311
LA Galaxy 2-3 San Jose Earthquakes - LAG goals by Hector Jimenez & Mike Magee. SJE goals by Steven Lenhart, Khari Stephenson(PK) & Alan Gordon.
Venue: The Home Depot Center
Atten: 16,512
-Sat May 26 Houston Dynamo v LA Galaxy - 1:30pm CT on NBCSN
Venue: BBVA Compass Stadium
Toronto FC v Philadelphia Union - 3:30pm CT
Venue: BMO Field
Columbus Crew v Chicago Fire SC - 6:00pm CT on Univision Dep
Venue: Crew Stadium
DC United v New England Revolution - 6:30pm CT
Venue: RFK Stadium
Real Salt Lake v FC Dallas - 8:00pm CT
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium
Colorado Rapids v Montreal Impact - 8:00pm CT
Venue: Dick's Sporting Goods Park
Portland Timbers v Vancouver Whitecaps FC - 9:00pm CT
Venue: Jeld-Wen Field
CD Chivas USA v Seattle Sounders FC - 9:30pm CT
Venue: The Home Depot Center
-Sun May 27 Sporting Kansas City v San Jose Earthquakes - 3:30pm CT on NBCSN
Venue: Livestrong Sporting Park

MLS NOTES

The first ever du Nord MLS Power Rankings

MLS STANDINGS

EAST
26 New York Red Bulls (+8)
24 DC United (+8)
22 Sporting Kansas City (+6)
18 Chicago Fire SC (+1)
15 Columbus Crew (-1)
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13 New England Revolution (-1)
13 Houston Dynamo (-1)
12 Montreal Impact (-5)
8 Philadelphia Union (-5)
0 Toronto FC (-14)
WEST
27 San Jose Earthquakes (+11)
26 Real Salt Lake (+7)
23 Seattle Sounders FC (+7)
18 Vancouver Whitecaps FC (-1)
16 Colorado Rapids (+1)
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14 CD Chivas USA (-5)
13 FC Dallas (-8)
12 Portland Timbers (-3)
11 LA Galaxy (-5)

MLS TEAM & PLAYER NEWS

Punishment

Osvaldo Alonso has been given a 1 game suspension, due to bad tackle against a Columbus player on Wednesday.

DC UNITED

Craig Stoufer of the Examiner tells us more about a potential new investor for DCU.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY SC

Charles Gooch of the Star looks at a SKC team that has gone cold.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

Michael Grant of the Herald Scotland on the Caps new signing Barry Robson as his English season ends and he prepares to move to Canada.

MLS RESERVE LEAGUE

Matches & Scores:
-Sat May 26
Toronto FC v Philadelphia Union
-Sun May 27
Portland Timbers v Vancouver Whitecaps

Standings
-This league is often changing schedules with no warning.

MLS SUMMER FRIENDLIES

Here is the complete schedule of all the big club matches going on this summer pitting MLS teams against European teams.

NASL SCOREBOARD

Matches & Scores:
-Fri May 25
Tampa Bay Rowdies v Minnesota Stars FC
-Sat May 26
Fort Lauderdale Strikers v Atlanta Silverbacks
-Sun May 27
FC Edmonton v San Antonio Scorpions

Watch online

Standings
17 Puerto Rico (+11)
15 Minnesota (+6)
14 San Antonio (+2)
11 Tampa Bay (0)
9 Fort Lauderdale (-4)
7 Edmonton (0)
5 Carolina (-7)
4 Atlanta (-8)

USA U18 TEAM

In Portugal for the Lisbon Tournament.

dN

Matches & Scores:
-Wed May 23
USA U18 1-1 Poland U19 - USA goal by Ben Spencer.
-Thu May 24
USA U18 0-0 Slovakia U19
-Sat May 26
Portugal U19 v USA U18

dN

Roster
G:
Ethan Horvath - Real Colorado
Zackary Steffen - FC Delco
D:
Jordan Allen - RSL AZ
Robert Michael Amick - De Anza Force
Mobi Fehr - FC Basel
Trevor Haberkorn - Solar Chelsea
Malcolm Harris - Baltimore Bays Chelsea
Jalen Markey - Seattle Sounders FC Academy
M:
Kellyn Acosta - FC Dallas Academy
Russell Canouse - Hoffenheim
Marky Delgado - Chivas USA
Matthew Dunn - OFK Belgrade
Alejandro Guido - Tijuana
Dillon Serna - Colorado Rapids Academy
F:
Jack McBean - LA Galaxy
Andrew Oliver - Chicago Fire Academy
Zach Pfeffer - Philadelphia Union
Stevie Rodriguez - Tijuana
Ben Spencer - Chivas USA Academy
Stefanos Stamoulacatos - Empire

AMERICANS IN EUROPE

Robert Grieve of the Scottish Sun talks to Carlos Bocanegra about salaries at Rangers for this past season, and next.

dN

Game Action:

SWEDEN - Superettan
Brian Edwards - Degerfors - Fri May 25 - went the distance as they won 2-0 v Landskrona.

AMERICANS IN MEXICO

Brian Sciaretta of Yanks Abroad introduces us to Necaxa prospect Alexandre Gonzalez.

SPAIN

Copa Del Rey - Final
-Fri May 25
Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona

GERMANY

Raphael Honigstein looks at where Bayern Munich stands after a season in which they finished 2nd in just about everything.

COPA LIBERTADORES

Quarterfinals

Both series ended tied and went to a Penalty Kick Shootout with U Chile and Santos advancing to the Semifinals, which begin on June 12!

Matches & Scores:
2nd Leg
-Wed May 23
Corinthians 1-0 Vasco da Gama Cor advances 1-0 on aggreagte - Cor goal by Paulinho.
Fluminense 1-1 Boca Juniors - BJ advances 2-1 on aggregate - Flu goal by Thiago Carleto. BJ goal by Santiago Silva.
-Thu May 24
Universidad Chile 1-1 Libertad - series ends tied 2-2 - UC advances 5-3 in Penalty Kick Shootout - UC goal by Marcelo Diaz. Lib goal by Osvaldo Gonzalez(OG).
Santos 1-0 Velez Sarsfield - series ends tied 1-1 - San advances 4-2 in Penalty Kick Shootout - San goal by Alan Kardec.

dN

Semifinals

Jun 13 & 20
Boca Juniors v Universidad Chile
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Corintians v Santos