Some Soccer News for Jan 31, 2017

It's Day 31 of 2017.


Minnesota United Preseason

The first preseason game was today in Casa Grande AZ:
-Tue Jan 31
Minnesota United 1-1 New England Revolution - MU goal by Eugene Starikov (39) - NER goal by Kei Kamara (78).

• The highlight of the game came in the 13th minute when new goalkeeper John Alvbage saved a well taken Penalty Kick by Teal Bunbury.
  
• I had hoped to be able to show you some video highlights by now, but they haven't been posted yet.

How did it go?

Good first performance from the squad! The Grind continues #MNUFC

— Christian Ramirez (@Chris_Ramirez17) January 31, 2017

Next preseason game:
-Fri Feb 3
Nogometni Klub Istra 1961 (Croatia)

Training camp roster:

• G: John Alvbage, Alec Ferrell, Marco Carducci (trialist), Sammy Ndjock (preseason invitee), Charlie Lyon (trialist)

• D: Francisco Calvo, Tiago Calvano (preseason invitee), Justin Davis, Vadim Demidov, Thomas de Villardi, Joe Greenspan, Ismaila Jome, Brent Kallman, Lance Laing (preseason invitee), Jermaine Taylor, Kevin Venegas, Andrew Tinari (trialist)

• M: Bernardo Anor, Raul Gonzalez (trialist), Ibson, Miguel Ibarra, Duke LaCroix (trialist), Collin Martin, Mohammed Saeid, Rasmus Schüller, Eugene Starikov (trialist), Tanner Thompson, Johan Venegas, Collen Warner

• F: Abu Danladi, David Goldsmith (trialist), Femi Hollinger-Janzen, Christian Ramirez

Photographs posted by the team show that Rasmus Schuller has now arrived in AZ too.

dN

The MLS All-Star Game will be played on Wed Aug 2 in Chicago at Soldier Field. No opponent has been named.

dN

Word from New York is that ownership groups from 12 cities have made bids to MLS for a one of 4 new franchises (potentially 5 if Miami doesn't come together):

• Charlotte

• Cincinnati

• Detroit

• Indianapolis

• Nashville

• Phoenix

• Raleigh

• Sacramento

• Saint Louis

• San Antonio

• San Diego

• Tampa

dN

So how did Sebastian LeToux end up signing for DC United? Love. By Steven Goff of the Washington Post.

• Le Toux is fluent in French, Spanish and, head coach Ben Olsen added, “some type of English.”

dN

American forward Fafa Picault and St Pauli have officially parted ways - tearing up his contract. Word from Hamburg is that he is signing with Philadelphia Union. Reported by both Jeff Carlisle and Brian Sciaretta.

Another American Rubio Rubin has been shipped out by Utrecht in Netherlands to Silkeborg in Denmark. Via Sciaretta.

dN

Looking ahead to that USMNT World Cup qualifier v Honduras on March 24 I have created this probable lineup:

• G: ???
• RFB: Yedlin
• RCB: Cameron
• LCB: Brooks
• LFB: ???
• RM: Pulisic
• DM: Bradley
• AM: ???
• LM: Johnson
• F: Wood
• F: Altidore

(can you help me fill in those empty spots?)

dN

USMNT January Camp - Final Friendly:
-Fri Feb 3
USA v Jamaica - 6:00pm CT on FS1
Chattanooga, Finley Stadium

Jozy Altidore earned his 100th USA international cap against Serbia on Sunday.

• Sebastian Lletget, Chris Pontius and Jorge Villafana all got their first USA cap on Sunday.

Here is the 21 player roster for the Jamaica game:

• G: David Bingham, Nick Rimando, Luis Robles

• D: DaMarcus Beasley, Steve Birnbaum, Brad Evans, Greg Garza, Chad Marshall, Jorge Villafana, Walker Zimmerman, Graham Zusi

• M: Alejandro Bedoya, Michael Bradley, Benny Feilhaber, Sebastian Lletget, Dax McCarty, Darlington Nagbe, Chris Pontius

• F: Juan Agudelo, Jozy Altidore, Jordan Morris

dN

Africa Cup of Nations
Semifinals:
-Wed Feb 1
Burkina Faso v Cameroon - 1pm CT on beIN
-Thu Feb 2
Ghana v Egypt - 1pm CT on beIN

Final:
-Sun Feb 5 - 1pm CT on beIN

dN

After a several year drought Inter Milan has again climbed up to the top group in Serie A. 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. by Paolo Bandini of the Guardian.

• On Sunday Juventus hosts Inter in the countries biggest derby.

dN

Biggest European matches this week:
-Tue Jan 31
Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea - #4 v #1
-Sat Feb 4
Chelsea v Arsenal #1 v #2
Bayern v Schalke - very old rivals
Dortmund v Leipzig - 34 v #2
Monaco v Nice - #1 v #2
-Sun Feb 5
Juventus v Internazionale - Derby d'Italia



The Bird Is The Word