Thursday, July 05, 2012

Some Soccer News for Thu Jul 5, 2012

STARTERS

HERE IT IS! The debut podcast episode of the du Nord Futbol Show is ready for your ears! Thanks in advance for listening.

dN

Word from Montreal is that Alessandro Nesta is all set to sign a 1 1/2 year deal. Any time now. But not official yet.

dN

Only three teams in MLS have crossed the double digit loss line - Montreal with 11, Toronto with 10, and now LA with 10. Yes, LA.
dN

Two big name players returned to MLS action last night after long periods out due to injury. David Ferreira played the last 30 minutes for Dallas after having his leg pulverized 15 months ago, and Omar Gonzalez started and went 45 minutes for LA after tearing up his knee in January.

dN

Chris Wondolowski of the San Jose Earthquakes was named the MLS June Player of the Month.
-No surprise, the dude is nearing worship status.

dN

Greg Seltzer of MLSsoccer.com reports that Charlie Davies is done at Sochaux. His rep is currently searching for potential new teams.

STORY OF THE DAY

FIFA has given the thumbs up to the use of goal line technology to assist referees.

The International Football Association Board meeting at FIFA headquarters today approved 3 new upgrades for the sport - first the approval of the use of goal line technology, second the addition of 2 more referees, and third the allowance of players to wear head coverings for religious conditions.

IFAB has a great article on how such a goal line technology system will work and what steps it must be put through before it becomes official.

FIFA.com has a Q + A with their supreme ruler Sepp Blatter, on the matter of goal line technology.

MINNESOTA STARS FC

Matches + Scores:
-Wed Jul 4
Minnesota Stars 4-0 Puerto Rico Islanders - MS goals by Martin Nunez(2), Simone Bracalello + Amani Walker.
Venue: National Sports Center Stadium - Blaine MN
-Sat Jul 7
Minnesota Stars v Atlanta Silverbacks
Venue: National Sports Center Stadium

DU NORD AT THE CONTROLS

du Nord at the Controls - Tue Jul 3, 2012 - new music mix at Spotify.

COPA LIBERTADORES

Final

Corinthians won the second and deciding leg in convincing fashion and claim the Copa Libertadores title for the first time in their long history on Wednesday night in Brazil. Hooray Corinthians.

Emerson Sheik, what a name!, scored both goals and a big party exploded from there.

Here are video highlights of the game, including some shots of that amazing looking trophy, one of the coolest looking in all sports!






















Matches + Scores:
2nd Leg
-Wed Jul 4
Corinthians 2-0 Boca Juniors - Cor wins 3-1 on aggregate - Cor goal both by Emerson Sheik.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Reports in the British media that the LA Galaxy has offered an 8 figure contract" to Frank Lampard.

If this is true then one of Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane or David Beckham would have to be dropped from a Designated Player salary contract? Oh to be the British Media and just write shit without having any idea who the rest of the world operates.

BUMMER OF THE DAY

Another MLS player sees his career end way too early due to concussions - Adam Cristman of the LA Galaxy announced his retirement on Tuesday.

DID YOU KNOW?

The debut issue of the new soccer magazine XI Quarterly is almost upon us. Did you order yours?

WELL WELL WELL

He is getting off light.

David Beckham of the LA Galaxy midfielder was given a 1 game suspension for kicking a ball at a San Jose player and the referee during their game last Saturday, and then getting into it with half the players on the field verbally. He actually fired 2 balls at the player on the ground but the first one missed. The league referred to the incidents as "confrontational and provocative behavior during and immediately following the game."

Brek Shea of Dallas was given a 3 game suspension for kicking the ball directly at the assistant referee earlier this season.

And Rafa Marquez got a 2 game suspension for candy-assedly threw a ball at Landon Donovan in the playoffs last year that started a fake skirmish in which Marquez also pretended he got hit by someone.

Again, the league let Beckham off very lightly. He deserved the same 3 games Shea got.

And don't forget that Beckham was incensed by San Jose's Sam Cronin who was "injured", yet when Beckham's kicked ball hit him Cronin was miraculously healed and leaped to his feet ready to go after Becks. Cronin should be riding the pine for 1 game too. But he appears to have gotten nothing.

Boooooooooooooooooooo to you MLS Committee to Handout Punishment.

FACT OF THE DAY

You want to know why San Jose is the best team in MLS right now? Because they have three guys in the top 15 goal scorers.
-Chris Wondolowski - 14
-Alan Gordon - 6
-Steven Lenhart - 6

OOF

Just cuz they got a new head coach in Toronto does not mean all is well.....

Kurtis Larson of the Sun reports that forward Joao Plata has gone AWOL and announced on Twitter that he wants to return to play in Ecuador.

MLS MATCHES AND SCORES

Week 18

Matches + Scores:
-Tue Jul 3
Houston Dynamo 0-0 Chicago Fire SC
Venue: BBVA Compass Stadium
Atten: 22,039
Portland Timbers 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes - PT goals by Danny Mwanga + Jack Jewsbury. SJE goal by Alan Gordon.
Venue: JELD-WEN Field
Atten: 20,438
-Wed Jul 4
Montreal Impact 1-3 Sporting Kansas City - MI goal by Patrice Bernier. SKC goals by Kei Kamara(PK), Graham Zusi(OK) + Jacob Peterson.
Venue: Saputo Stadium
Atten: 12,085
FC Dallas 1-1 Toronto FC - FCD goal by Zach Loyd. TFC goal by Danny Koevermans.
Venue: FC Dallas Stadium
Atten: (unreported)
Colorado Rapids 0-1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC - VW goal by Darren Mattocks.
Venue: Dick's Sporting Goods Park
Atten: 18,757
Real Salt Lake 0-0 Seattle Sounders FC
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium
Atten: 20,363
LA Galaxy 1-2 Philadelphia Union - LAG goal by Chad Barrett. PU goals by Jack McInerney + Michael Farfan.
Venue: The Home Depot Center
Atten: 27,000
-Sat Jul 7
Sporting Kansas City v Houston Dynamo - 7:00PM CT
Venue: Livestrong Sporting Park
Real Salt Lake v Portland Timbers - 8:00PM CT
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium
FC Dallas v San Jose Earthquakes - 8:00PM CT
Venue: FC Dallas Stadium
CD Chivas USA v Vancouver Whitecaps FC - 9:30PM CT
Venue: The Home Depot Center
Seattle Sounders FC v Colorado Rapids - 10:00PM CT on NBCSN
Venue: CenturyLink Field
-Sun Jul 8
Chicago Fire SC v LA Galaxy - 2:00PM CT on ESPN
Venue: Toyota Park
Philadelphia Union v Toronto FC - 3:00PM CT
Venue: PPL Park
New England Revolution v New York Red Bulls - 6:00PM CT on Galavision
Venue: Gillette Stadium
Montreal Impact v Columbus Crew - 6:30PM CT
Venue: Saputo Stadium

MLS MATCH NOTES

EJECTIONS
-None!

Philly pulled off a dramatic second half stoppage time winner in LA!

Two teams are in the middle of very dubious streaks:
-Dallas is winless streak to 12 games.
-Seattle is winless streak to 9 games.

Three teams made upward moves in the standings:
-Kansas City moves 3rd to 2nd in East
-Vancouver moves 4th to 3rd in West
-Portland moves 8th to 7th in West

HOORAY! Toronto hit 10 points on July 4, their 16th game of the season.

MLS STANDINGS

EAST
33 DC United (+12)
32 Sporting Kansas City (+6)
31 New York Red Bulls (+7)
28 Chicago Fire SC (+2)
24 Houston Dynamo (-2)
-----
22 Columbus Crew (+1)
19 New England Revolution (0)
18 Montreal Impact (-8)
14 Philadelphia Union (-3)
10 Toronto FC (-12)
WEST
36 San Jose Earthquakes (+12)
33 Real Salt Lake (+7)
29 Vancouver Whitecaps FC (0)
27 Seattle Sounders FC (+3)
22 Colorado Rapids (+2)
-----
20 LA Galaxy (-3)
19 Portland Timbers (-5)
19 CD Chivas USA (-7)
15 FC Dallas (-10)

MLS TEAM AND PLAYER NEWS

Punishment

Montreal head coach Jess Marsch was fined for bashing referees in the press.

LA head coach Bruce Arena was also fined for bashing referees in the press.

Player Transactions

New England has made a great looking signing with 25 year old Honduran forward Jerry Bengtson. They signed him to a designated player contract.

Portland has acquired right fullback Kosuke Kimura from Colorado in exchange for allocation money and an international roster spot.

CHICAGO FIRE

Orrin Schwarz of the Daily Herald on the Fire's lack of a natural derby rival.

LA GALAXY

Omar Gonzalez started the game last night and played the first 45 minutes. There was no reason given for subbing him out at half time, but it appears as though that was the plan all along.

PHILADELPHIA UNION

Kerith Gabriel of the Daily News with a feature story on 17 year old pro Zach Pfeffer, who also goes to high school.

NASL SCOREBOARD

Matches + Scores:
-Tue Jul 3
Carolina RailHawks 2-1 Atlanta Silverbacks
-Wed Jul 4
Tampa Bay Rowdies 3-1 Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Minnesota Stars 4-0 Puerto Rico Islanders
San Antonio Scorpions 1-0 FC Edmonton
-Sat Jul 7
Carolina RailHawks v Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Puerto Rico Islanders v FC Edmonton
Minnesota Stars v Atlanta Silverbacks

Watch online

Standings
28 San Antonio (+10)
24 Puerto Rico (+7)
24 Tampa Bay (+2)
23 Minnesota (+4)
20 Carolina (+2)
19 Fort Lauderdale (-4)
12 Edmonton (-4)
8 Atlanta (-17)
AMERICANS IN EUROPE

4 Americans played today in the first leg of the first round of the 2012-13 Europa League Season. It started already? Damn.

dN

Game Action:

UEFA - Europa League - First Qualifying Round
Etchu Tabe - KuPS - Wed Jul 5 - went the distance as they won 2-1 v Llanelli.
Erik Benjaminsen - Stabaek - Wed Jul 5 - on the bench as they lost 2-0 at JJK.
Ricardo Clark - Stabaek - Wed Jul 5 - started and went 79 min but lost 2-0 at JJK.
Sean Cunningham - Stabaek - Wed Jul 5 - went the distance but lost 2-0 at JJK.
Giuseppe Funicello - Thor Akureyri - Wed Jul 5 - played the full 90 as they drew 0-0 at Bohemians.
Jann George - Senica - Wed Jul 5 - did not dress as they drew 1-1 at MTK Budapest.

FINLAND - Ykkonen
Justin Moose - SJK - Wed Jul 4 - came on as a sub in the 51st min but lost 2-0 at PK-35 Vantaa.
Pat Phelan - SJK - Wed Jul 4 - played the entire match but lost 2-0 at PK-35 Vantaa.
Aaron Wheeler - KooTeePee - Wed Jul 4 - went the distance but lost 0-3 v RoPS.

NORWAY - NM Cupen - Round of 16
Rhett Bernstein - Mjondalen - Wed Jul 4 - played the whole game but lost 6-1 at Stromsgodset.
Kyle Helton - Mjondalen - Wed Jul 4 - started but came off in the 58th min as they lost 6-1 at Stromsgodset.

AMERICANS IN CENTRAL AMERICA:

Tom Marshall of MLSsoccer.com looks at the Guatemala clubs getting in on the search for players in the USA.

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS 2013 QUALIFYING

The 30 remaining teams were paired up for a home and away series to determine the 15 teams who will join host South Africa in the Jan 2013 tournament.
-The draw was held today:

Matches + Scores:
1st Leg
Thu Sep 6
Mali v Botswana
Zimbabwe v Angola
Ghana v Malawi
Liberia v Nigeria
Zambia v Uganda
Cape Verde Islands v Cameroon
Mozambique v Morocco
Sierra Leone v Tunisia
Guinea v Niger
Sudan v Ethiopia
Libya v Algeria
Cote d'Ivoire v Senegal
Congo DR v Equatorial Guinea
Gabon v Togo
Central African Republic v Burkina Faso
2nd Leg
Thu Oct 11
Botswana v Mali
Angola v Zimbabwe
Malawi v Ghana
Nigeria v Liberia
Uganda v Zambia
Cameroon v Cape Verde Islands
Morocco v Mozambique
Tunisia v Sierra Leone
Niger v Guinea
Ethiopia v Sudan
Algeria v Libya
Senegal v Cote d'Ivoire
Equatorial Guinea v Congo DR
Togo v Gabon
Burkina Faso v Central African Republic

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home

Newer Posts Older Posts