Some Soccer News for Wed Sep 5, 2012

STARTERS

Here is the du Nord Futbol Show Podcast Ep. 10 - Listen Now!

dN

Team USA World Cup Qualifying Viewing In The Twin Cities - Fri Sep 7 at Jamaica - AND - Tue Sep 11 v Jamaica

dN

Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero has signed with Sydney FC in Australia, making him the leagues biggest ever signing.

dN

Kerith Gabriel who has been covering the Union for the Daily Mail has left the newspaper and will become the new Digital Media Manager for the Union. Huge congrats to him.

MINNESOTA STARS FC + NASL NEWS

The NASL playoff picture is getting very clear now - Atlanta and Edmonto MUST WIN this weekend or they will be eliminated.

dN

And the league has announced a new schedule format for next year: It will eliminate the playoff structure completely, split the season into two tournaments (home and away), and feature a Championship game between the winners of the two half seasons.
The seasons will run Late March through Jul 4 - and the beginning of August through October. Final to be played in early November.
-Brian Quarstad of IMSoccer News with all the details on the schedule change.

dN

Matches + Scores:
-Sat Sep 8
Minnesota Stars v Edmonton
Venue: NSC Stadium

DU NORD AT THE CONTROLS

du Nord at the Controls - Tue Sep 4, 2012 - new music mix at Spotify.

TEAM USA - EL EQUIPO DE TODOS

World Cup Qualifying

Video from US Soccer: U.S. Men's National Team Begins Training in South Florida

Michelle Kaufman of the Miami Herald with an article on Clint Dempsey.

Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated previews the USA trip to Jamaica.

Steven Goff of the Washington Post with lots of notes from Kingston.

FIFA.com has a Q + A with Tim Howard.

Michael Adubato of Yanks Abroad with an article on Michael Parkhurst who is following up one great season with another.
-The UEFA Champions League group stage awaits him.

Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America sees a Jamaica team that has weaknesses in defense.

Robert Andrew Powell of MLSsoccer.com with a recap of Tuesdays out of the ordinary training sessions.

dN

Words from Jamaica:
-Jamaica Observer - Boyz ready to go, says Whitmore
-Jamaica Gleaner - Taylor Aims To Regain Starting Spot
-Jamaica Gleaner - 'It Was Not Personal'
-Michael Lewis of Tropigol on Dane Richards.

dN

WORLD CUP QUALIFYING
Matches + Scores:
-Fri Sep 7
Jamaica v USA - 7pm CT on beIN Sport
Venue: National Stadium - Kingston
-Tue Sep 11
USA v Jamaica - 7pm CT on ESPN2
Venue: Crew Stadium - Columbus OH

dN

USA Roster
G:
Brad Guzan - Aston Villa
Tim Howard - Everton
Sean Johnson - Chicago Fire
Nick Rimando - Real Salt Lake
D:
Carlos Bocanegra - Racing Santander
Geoff Cameron - Stoke City
Steve Cherundolo - Hannover
Maurice Edu - Stoke City
Clarence Goodson - Brondby
Fabian Johnson - Hoffenheim
Michael Orozco - San Luis
Michael Parkhurst - Nordsjaelland
Jonathan Spector - Birmingham
M:
Kyle Beckerman - Real Salt Lake
Joe Corona - Tijuana
Jermaine Jones - Schalke
Brek Shea - Dallas
Jose Torres - Pachuca
Danny Williams - Hoffenheim
Graham Zusi - Sporting Kansas City
F:
Jozy Altidore - AZ
Terrence Boyd - Rapid Vienna
Clint Dempsey - Tottenham
Herculez Gomez - Santos Laguna
Coach:
Jurgen Klinsmann

dN

Jamaica roster
G:
Jacomeno Barrett - Montego Bay United
Duwayne Kerr - Strommen
Dwayne Miller - Syrianska
v D:
Andrae Campbelll - Nottodden
Adrian Mariappa - Reading
Nyron Nosworthy - Watford
Lovel Palmer - Portland Timbers
Jermaine Taylor - Houston Dynamo
Shavar Thomas - Montreal Impact
Dicoy Williams - Toronto
O’Brian Woodbine - Vaasan Palloseura
M:
Rodolph Austin - Leeds
Ewan Grandison - Portmore United
Jason Morrison - Aaelsund
Dane Richards - Vancouver Whitecaps
Joel Senior - Harbour View
Errol Stevens - Arnett Gardens
JeVaughn Watson - Houston Dynamo
F:
Kavin Bryan - Vicem Hai Phong
Omar Cummings - Colorado Rapids
Ryan Johnson - Toronto
Darren Mattocks - Vancouver Whitecaps
Luton Shelton - Karabukspor
Tramaine Stewart - Aaelsund
Coach:
Theodore Whitmore

PRICELESS

Brian Straus of Sporting News looks at what is easily the greatest turnaround in MLS club history - Sporting Kansas City.

Y'ALL READY FOR THIS?

The Houston Chronicle reports that Leslie Alexander is nearing completion of the purchase of the Houston Dynamo.
-He also owns the Houston Rockets NBA team.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Is that fair?

Kyle McCarthy of Goal.com writes about the potential signings of big name foreign free agents by LA and Seattle down the stretch.
-How do they fit these players into the salary cap?
-McCarthy didn't even get to the question of "Where do these teams get all the international roster spots?" New York anyone?

I am sure there is an answer, but for instance, each team is allowed 8 international players on their roster and New York has 14, while LA has 8.
-So it would make sense that LA would need to remove 1 player from their roster to add Wilhelmson.
-Seattle has 15 international players, but only 6 count officially for one reason or another according to their detailed roster page. The Sounders are one of the only teams that gives roster designation for contractually "international" players. While New York gives no designations of any kind at all for their players.

Fascinating stuff.

FACT OF THE DAY

Joshua Mayers of the Seattle Times with a detailed timeline of the return of Steve Zakuani - from badly broken leg to the Seattle starting 11 again.

MLS MATCHES AND SCORES

WEEK 27

Matches + Scores:
-Wed Sep 5
New England Revolution v Columbus Crew - 7:00PM CT
Venue: Gillette Stadium
Colorado Rapids v Portland Timbers - 8:00PM CT on NBCSN
Venue: Dick's Sporting Goods Park
-Thu Sep 6
Houston Dynamo v Real Salt Lake - 7:30PM CT
Venue: BBVA Compass Stadium
-Sat Sep 8
Seattle Sounders FC v CD Chivas USA - 3:00PM CT
Venue: CenturyLink Field

MLS STANDINGS

EAST
50 Sporting Kansas City (34GF/27GP)
46 New York Red Bulls (46GF/27GP)
44 Chicago Fire SC (35GF/26GP)
42 Houston Dynamo (39GF/27GP)
42 Columbus Crew (33GF/26GP)
-----
41 DC United (43GF/27GP)
39 Montreal Impact (43GF/29GP)
26 Philadelphia Union (25GF/25GP)
25 New England Revolution (33GF/27P)
21 Toronto FC (30GF/27GP)
WEST
53 San Jose Earthquakes (56GF/27GP)
46 Real Salt Lake (38GF/28GP)
44 Seattle Sounders FC (41GF/26GP)
43 LA Galaxy (48GF/28GP)
37 Vancouver Whitecaps FC (29GF/28GP)
-----
33 FC Dallas (34GF/29GP)
28 CD Chivas USA (20GF/25GP)
27 Portland Timbers (27GF/26GP)
26 Colorado Rapids (33GF/27GP)
-(Goals For/Games Played)

The first tie breaker is goals scored.

MLS TEAM AND PLAYER NEWS

Player Transactions

LA has announced the signing of 32 year old Swedish midfielder Christian "Chippen" Wilhelmsson who was a free agent with a long list of former teams.
-He played for Sweden this summer at the European Championship.

COLUMBUS CREW

Michael Arace of the Dispatch on the arrival and instant impact of Federico Higuian.

dN

Adam Jardy of the Dispatch writes that the tight game schedule right now is helping the Crew stay focused.
-More from Jardy on their heavy stretch of games.

DC UNITED

Thomas Floyd of the Times with an article on Lionard Pajoy who has gone straight into the starting lineup after recently being acquired from Philadelphia.

PORTLAND TIMBERS

Geoffrey Arnold of the Oregonian writes that after winning two in a row at home the Timbers are now looking for their first win on the road this season.

REAL SALT LAKE

Martin Renzhofer of the Tribune looks ahead to RSL's important midweek game against Houston with a shorthanded roster.

dN

James Edward of the Deseret writes about Paulo Jr's somewhat surprising recent run in the starting lineup ahead of Fabian Espindola.

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

Friendly
Match + Score:
-Thu Sep 6
San Jose Earthquakes v San Luis(Mexico)
Venue: Buck Shaw Stadium

TORONTO FC

Torsten Frings has suffered a hip injury that will require surgery and knock him out for the rest of the season.

USA U18 TEAM

The team heads to Holland for a training camp and a series of friendlies from Sep 6th to the 17th.

Matches + Scores:
-Tue Sep 11
Netherlands v USA
-3 More TBA:
Feyenoord Rotterdam U-18
Borussia Dortmund U-18
Club Brugge U-18

Roster
G:
Ethan Horvath - No Club
Zackary Steffen - Maryland
D:
Michael Amick - De Anza Force
Suliaman Dainkeh - DC United Academy
Dylan Greenberg - Albertson SC
Trevor Haberkorn - Solar Chelsea SC
Jalen Markey - Seattle Sounders FC Academy
M:
Kellyn Acosta - FC Dallas
Marco Delgado - CD Chivas USA
Romain Gall - FC Lorient
Jacori Hayes - Baltimore Bays
Piakai Henkel - Amiens FC
Kristian Scott - Stoke City
F:
Jordan Allen - Real Salt Lake Arizona
Paul Arriola - LA Galaxy
Julian Green - Bayern Munich
Benjamin Lopez - Real Salt Lake Arizona
Zach Pfeffer - Philadelphia Union
Ben Spencer Jr. - CD Chivas USA
Travis Wannemuehler - Indiana Fire Academy

CONCACAF

World Cup Qualifying

Matches + Scores:
-Fri Sep 7
A - Jamaica v USA
A - Guatemala v Antigua + Barbuda
B - El Salvador v Guyana
B - Costa Rica v Mexico
C - Cuba v Honduras
C - Canada v Panama
-Tue Sep 11
A - USA v Jamaica
A - Antigua + Barbuda v Guatemala
B - Guyana v El Salvador
B - Mexico v Costa Rica
C - Honduras v Cuba
C - Panama v Canada

Standings:
Group A
4 USA (+2)
4 Jam (+1)
1 Gua (-1)
1 A+B (-2)
Group B
6 Mex (+3)
4 CR (+4)
1 ElS (-1)
0 Guy (-6)
Group C
6 Pan (+3)
4 Can (+1)
1 Hon (-2)
0 Cub (-2)

MEXICO

LIGA MX
Carlos de los Cobos has been fired as head coach of Queretaro.
-He is the 7th or 8th coach fired already this season in the league. (Sorry I lost count.)
-Sergio Bueno has been hired as the new boss.

ENDERS

I promise that you have never seen Sean Penn in a movie like this before.