Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Some Soccer News for Wed Aug 22, 2012

STARTERS

Episode 8 of the du Nord Futbol Show podcast is now ready for blasting! As in, blasting from your speakers dude!

dN

Brand new soccer TV channel beIN has bought the rights to show all USA road World Cup qualifier leading up to 2014 (EXCEPT GAMES AT MEXICO). All of them! I have beIN via Directv. Do you? I know Dish Network is also carrying the new channel. So get on the phone to your cable company right now and start raising hell!
-Now let's hope they won't have their guys calling these games from the studio, that would be insulting.
-And for those who don't know - beIN Sports is owned by Al Jazeera.
-Paul Kennedy of Soccer America with a lot of details on this story, and who beIn is.

dN

Tonight there are 2 good MLS games, and an MLS team in the CONCAChampions - a good night for soccer watching!

dN

Does it mean anything that American billionaire George Soros bought 2% of the Manchester United stock that went on sale to the public a couple weeks ago? I can't see where it does. Its interesting but I don't see it mattering much.

STORY OF THE DAY

Brian Straus of Sporting News talks to Jozy Altidore who has started the new season in the Netherlands in almost perfect form.

DU NORD AT THE CONTROLS

du Nord at the Controls - Tue Aug 21, 2012 - new music mix at Spotify.

CONCACHAMPIONS 2012-13

A rough but deserved home win for RSL night - but it came at a price as captain Kyle Beckerman was red carded for a vicious high boot to the thigh of an opponent that seemed retaliatory.
-Martin Renzhofer of the Salt Lake Tribune with a match report.
-James Edward of the Deseret News with a match report from Salt Lake.
-By the way, I did not find RSL's win nearly as convincing as those two reports. Solid, yes, but fumbling and frantic at times too. And Kyle Beckerman's red card was yet another sign that he is fully capable of a team killing meltdown (althought they survived it last night due to the inferiority of the competition.)

Xelaju pulled off a big upset winning at home over Guadalajara.

And Santos Laguna rolled again to another convincing victory. When they put their first team on the field there is no doubt they are the best team in CONCACAF right now.

Tonight's its Houston's turn to join the party from MLS as they travel to Salvadoran power Club Deportivo Futbolistas Asociados Santanecos aka FAS.

Jose Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle preview's the Dynamo's trip south.

dN

Matches + Scores:
-Tue Aug 21
Santos Laguna 5-0 Aguila - SL goals by Carlos Quintero(3), Edgar Lugo + Daniel Luduena.
Real Salt Lake 2-0 Tauro - RSL goals by Alvaro Saborio + Kyle Beckerman.
Xelaju 1-0 Guadalajara - Xel goal by Edgar Chinchilla.
-Wed Aug 22
Caledonia AIA v Marathon - 7:00pm
Alajuelense v Tigres UANL - 9:00pm
FAS v Houston Dynamo - 9:00pm on Fox Soccer
-Thu Aug 23
Chorrillo v Municipal - 7:00pm
LA Galaxy v Isidro Metapan - 9:00pm on Fox Soccer

Standings

All games are shown on the internet at CONCACAF TV.

Y'ALL READY FOR THIS?

Jonathan Wilson of the Guardian puts the big money ways of Paris St Germain into perspective - the bar should be set even higher than it already is.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Where was the MLS Disciplinary Committee when Martin Renee's Carolina Railhawks goon squads were running rampant around the NASL for 2+ years? His teams were some of the worst cheap-shot artists many of us fans of lower division soccer had ever seen. I guess the chickens are now coming home to rooster in Vancouver.
-Don't get me wrong Rennie's "Jailhawks" teams were in second place to the Montreal Impact teams for sheer levels of psychotic behavior in recent 2nd division history.

DID YOU KNOW?

Matthew of the Shin Guardian does a Q + A with the hardest working man in tracking American players around the globe Brian Sciaretta of Yanks Abroad. (Part 1)

HMMMMM, VERY INTERESTING

Tom Marshall of MLSsoccer.com writes that US Soccer is recruiting Tijuana's Mexican-American goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo for the USA national team.

A-MAZ-ING

For all combo Spanish football + fine wine connoisseurs - Copa Del Rey Cabernet! On Sale now.

VIDEO OF THE DAY

US Soccer gives us video from field level of the dramatic USA win in Mexico City.

MLS MATCHES AND SCORES

WEEK 25

Matches + Scores:
-Wed Aug 22
Columbus Crew v Toronto FC - 6:30pm CT
Venue: Crew Stadium
DC United v Chicago Fire SC - 6:30pm CT
Venue: RFK Stadium
-Fri Aug 24
Philadelphia Union v Real Salt Lake - 6:30pm CT on NBCSN
Venue: PPL Park
-Sat Aug 25
Montreal Impact v DC United - 3:30pm CT
Venue: Saputo Stadium
Columbus Crew v New England Revolution - 6:30pm CT
Venue: Crew Stadium
Houston Dynamo v Toronto FC - 7:30pm CT
Venue: BBVA Compass Stadium
Portland Timbers v Vancouver Whitecaps FC - 9:30pm CT
Venue: Jeld Wen Field
CD Chivas USA v Seattle Sounders FC - 9:30pm CT
The Home Depot Center
San Jose Earthquakes v Colorado Rapids - 9:30pm CT
Venue: Buck Shaw Stadium
-Sun Aug 26
LA Galaxy v FC Dallas - 6:00pm CT on NBCSN
Venue: The Home Depot Center
Sporting Kansas City v New York Red Bulls - 8:00pm CT on ESPN2
Venue: Livestrong Sporting Park

Everyone plays this round!

MLS STANDINGS

EAST
46 Sporting Kansas City (31)
44 New York Red Bulls (43)
41 Houston Dynamo (37)
41 Chicago Fire SC (30)
37 DC United (37)
-----
36 Montreal Impact (39)
30 Columbus Crew (23)
24 Philadelphia Union (24)
23 New England Revolution (27)
20 Toronto FC (27)
WEST
47 San Jose Earthquakes (48)
42 Real Salt Lake (37)
40 Seattle Sounders FC (34)
37 LA Galaxy (44)
37 Vancouver Whitecaps FC (28)
-----
32 FC Dallas (33)
27 CD Chivas USA (15)
26 Colorado Rapids (32)
21 Portland Timbers (24)

MLS TEAM AND PLAYER NEWS

General News

J.R. Eskilson & Travis Clark of Top Drawer reveal their list of top MLS prospects in this years college soccer season.

Punishment

3 suspensions handed out:
-Hassoun Camara of Montreal got an extra game tagged onto his red card for trading smacks to the head with Steven Lenhart of San Jose who also got a red card. (Its pretty clear that Lenhart deserved an extra game for baiting Camara too. Lenhart does this crap way too often to go unpunished.
-Gershon Koffie of Vancouver got a 1 game suspension for planting his studs in the chest of a Seattle player as both sky-ed for a ball. That's a REALLY high boot. And it turns out it cause broken ribs too. Oof.
-Victor Bernardez of San Jose is suspended for 1 game for a bad play on Lamar Neagle of Vancouver that I have not seen video of.

CHICAGO FIRE

Seth Gruen of the Sun Times looks at Daniel Paladini filling in for Logan Pause - how's it goin?

COLUMBUS CREW

Adam Jardy of the Dispatch looks at the key contributions youngster Cole Grossman has made this season.

dN

Jardy previews tonight's opponent Toronto.

DC UNITED

Thomas Floyd of the Times, Craig Stouffer of the Examiner and Steven Goff of the Post all write about the emotions that have been boiling over in DC.

PHILADELPHIA UNION

Kerith Gabriel of the Daily News looks at the huge game ahead for the Union's playoff dreams - hosting Salt Lake on Friday night.

PORTLAND TIMBERS

Geoffrey Arnold of the Oregonian reports that owner Merritt Paulson has given gm/head coach his full support despite the teams continued struggles on the field.

REAL SALT LAKE

Brad Rock of the Deseret News writes that RSL really needed that CONCACAF win last night after a month of struggles.

dN

Gordon Monson of the Tribune writes that RSL could see drastic changes to the team come next season if this group does not get the job done.

SEATTLE SOUNDERS

Joshua Mayers of the Times gives goalkeeper Michael Gspurning a lot of credit for another strong season from the Sounders.
-And where would they be if he hadn't missed that long string of games while injured?
-8-2-1 with him. 3-4-6 without him.

TORONTO FC

Kurtis Larson of the Sun writes that TFC's role against Columbus tonight is to play playoff spoiler.

dN

The Royal Gazette talks to Bermudan goalkeeper Freddy Hall who recently signed with TFC and is enjoying be with his new team quite a bit.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

Gary Kingston of the Canadian Press asks if the Caps have a discipline problem. The head coach of course says no. Via the Sun

dN

Russell Berrisford of the Sun with an article on the latest Whitecaps suspension.

WOMEN'S U20 WORLD CUP

The tournament is underway. Here are the groups:

Group A
4 Japan (+3)
4 New Zealand (+1)
3 Mexico (-1)
0 Switzerland (-4)
Group B
4 Nigeria (+2)
3 S Korea (0)
2 Brazil (0)
1 Italy (-2)
Group C
3 Canada (+6)
3 N Korea (+2)
0 Norway (-2)
0 Argentina (-6)
Group D
3 Germany (+4)
3 USA (+4)
0 China (-4)
0 Ghana (-4)

dN

Group Stage Matches + Scores:
MATCHDAY 2
-Wed Aug 22
Mexico 2-0 Switzerland
Japan 2-2 New Zealand
Brazil 1-1 Nigeria
Italy 0-2 S Korea
-Thu Aug 23
N Korea v Argentina
Norway v Canada
Ghana v Germany
USA v China
MATCHDAY 3
-Sun Aug 26
Mexico v New Zealand
Switzerland v Japan
Italy v Nigeria
S Korea v Brazil
-Mon Aug 27
Norway v Argentina
Canada v N Korea
USA v Germany
China v Ghana

AMERICANS IN EUROPE

The Birmingham Mail has a few words from Birmingham City head coach Lee Clarke on Jonathan Spector and Will Packwood.

dN

Game Action:

UEFA - Champions League Play-Off Round 1st Leg
Bryan Gerzicich - Hapoel Kiryat Shmona - Wed Aug 22 - out injured as they lost 2-0 at BATE Borislov.
Sacha Kljestan - Anderlecht - Wed Aug 22 - went the full 90 as they lost 2-1 at AEL Limassol.

dN

Coming Up:

UEFA - Europa League Play-Off Round 1st Leg
Jozy Altidore - AZ - Thu Aug 23 at Anzhi Makhachkala
Terrence Boyd - Rapid Wien - Thu Aug 23 at PAOK
Steve Cherundolo - Hannover - Thu Aug 23 at Slask Wroclaw

Michael Diskeruud - Rosenborg - Thu Aug 23 at Legia Warszawa
Josh Gatt - Molde - Thu Aug 23 v Heerenveen

AMERICANS IN MEXICO

Kyle McCarthy of Fox Soccer checks up on Liga MX so far this season and also how the Americans are doing.

dN

Alejandro Guido made his debut for Tijuana in the Copa MX last night.
-Stevie Rodriguez was on the bench but is still waiting for his pro debut.

dN

Game Action:

COPA MX Groups Stage - Matchday 4
Greg Garza - Tijuana - went the distance as they won 2-1 v Celaya.
Alejandro Guido - Tijuana - started and went 71 min as they won 2-1 v Celaya.
Stevie Rodriguez - Tijuana - on the bench as they won 2-1 v Celaya.
Marco Vidal - Lobos BUAP - played the whole game but lost 0-2 v Puebla.

dN

Coming Up:

COPA MX Groups Stage - Matchday 4
Ventura Alvarado - America - Wed Aug 22 v Correcaminos
Isaac Acuna - Merida - Wed Aug 22 v Pumas UNAM
Sonny Guadarrama - Merida - Wed Aug 22 v Pumas UNAM
Moises Orozco - Correcaminos - Wed Aug 22 at America

MEXICO

Tom Marshall of Soccer 365 with the weeks look at Liga MX.

COPA MEXICO

It's fascinating that 8 teams all have 7 points but no one has more than that.

dN

Group Stage

Group 1
7 Morelia
7 Leon
6 Dorados
2 Est Tecos
Group 2
7 Cruz Azul
5 Altamira
4 Toros Nexa
2 Atlas
Group 3
7 Pachuca
6 Atlante
4 Univ Guadalajara
3 La Piedad
Group 4
7 San Luis
7 Necaxa
4 Jaguares
4 Pumas Morelos
Group 5
7 Correcaminos UAT
5 Queretaro
4 Veracruz
3 America
Group 6
7 Tijuana
5 Pumas UNAM
5 Celaya
1 Merida
Group 7
6 Irapuato
6 Puebla
4 Lobos BUAP
4 Toluca

dN

Matchday 4
Matches + Scores:
-Tue Aug 21
Estudiantes Tecos 0-3 Leon
Univ Guadalajara 1-1 Atlante
Jaguares 1-1 Pumas Morelos
Queretaro 2-2 Veracruz
Morelia 6-0 Dorados
Cruz Azul 0-0 Altamira
Pachuca 1-1 La Piedad
Necaxa 1-0 San Luis
Tijuana 2-1 Celaya
Lobos BUAP 0-2 Puebla
-Wed Aug 22
Toros Neza v Atlas
Merida v Pumas UNAM
Toluca v Irapuato
America v Correcaminos UAT

SPAIN

Coming up: Spanish Super Cup Final
1st Leg
-Thu Aug 23
Barcelona v Real Madrid
2nd Leg
-Wed Aug 29
Real Madrid v Barcelona

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

The Playoff Round is coming Tue Aug 21 + Wed Aug 22 and Tue Aug 28 + Wed Aug 29.

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE

The Playoff Round is coming Wed Aug 22 + Thu Aug 23 and Tue Aug 28 + Thu Aug 30.

2 Comments:

Anonymous jw7 said...

Qatar now owns the rights to US MNT games...

10:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Re: the bernardez suspension from the MTL/SJ match, you can see neagle writhing at 4:06 of the match highlights on mlssoccer.com, and on the replay at 4:39 you can see it clearly - bernardez does like a half step right on him after the ball is in the net Looked a bit like josh wicks stomping on Montero in the US Open Cup final a couple years ago.

2:20 AM  

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