November 2007 Archives

The UCLA women's team plays at 7 tonight at Drake Stadium (kick off was pushed back an hour to accommodate TV in the Pacific Northwest, although there's no local broadcast) against Portland with a place in the final four at stake.

The two teams are arguably the hottest in the country right now with the Bruins taking a 16-match winning streak into the game, while the Pilots have won 11 in a row.

The Daily Bruin has a preview.

Tickets are $10 adults and $8 for youths and students.

The USC women face the tall order of beating West Virginia on the Mountaineers' home turf today in their bid for a place in the final four.

The Daily Trojan has a preview.

David Beckham continues to wow the Kiwis in advance of Saturday's game against the Wellington Phoenix.

He'll impress even more if he can duplicate the goal he scored against Sydney:

Meanwhile, ESPN has announced it will televise the Euro 2008 draw at 6 a.m. Sunday on ESPN2.

The draw details:

The draw will place the 16 teams, set to compete in the 2008 championship for Europe’s national teams, into four groups of four teams. Austria and Switzerland automatically qualified as hosts and the remaining 14 teams are broken into four pots and will be drawn from each pot into one of the group. The winner of EURO 2008 will represent the UEFA at the 2009 FIFA Confederations in South Africa where the U.S. Men’s National Team will represent the CONCACAF region having won the 2007 Gold Cup in Summer.

Pot 1: Austria (host), Greece (defending champions having won Euro 2004), Netherlands, Switzerland (hosts).

Pot 2: Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy, Sweden.

Pot 3: Germany, Portugal, Romania, Spain.

Pot 4: France, Poland, Russia, Turkey.

ESPN will air all 31 games from the June 7 through June 29 tournament.

Finally, FIFA has announced its three World Player of the Year finalists.

In the wake of the World Series of Football and SuperLiga comes the latest meaningless tournament with a grandiose name: the Pan-Pacific Championship.

Essentially a MLS pre-season tournament scheduled for February, the four-team event in Hawaii unveiled today will involve trophy-winning teams from Japan and Australia, MLS champs the Houston Dynamo, as well as the Galaxy, which will participate because they have David Beckham and MLS Cup runner-up the New England Revolution doesn't.

"This tournament will unite four terrific clubs from across the region to crown a true Pan-Pacific champion," said Doug Quinn, president of Soccer United Marketing (apparently with a straight face), which is organizing of the event.

Well, no, it won't Dougie. If it did we'd have teams from Korea, Mexico, (insert other countries here) all playing as well.

Just call it what it is: a way to make more money off Becks and expose another American market to the MLS product. Or another excuse for a Hawaiian vacation. Nothing wrong with doing that is there?

MLS' credibility (or lack thereof) is called into question (yet again) when self-important and inaccurate press releases are issued containing such pronouncements as the tournament "will crown the top club from the Asian and North American soccer confederations.

Let's hope Becks doesn't twist his ankle again.

Full details are here.

The official Web site is here.

The season has ended for the UCLA men's team after a 3-1 loss to Santa Clara in the NCAA Tournament.

The Galaxy and David Beckham receive a New Zealand welcome.

And MLS holds its waiver draft later today. Carlos Pavon anyone? Didn't think so.

While much of the media coverage today about USC's threat/negotiating ploy to leave the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum has centered on USC fooball, it should be noted that the venerable stadium is the second most important soccer venue in Southern California, after Carson's Home Depot Center.

It's practically the second home of the Mexican National Team and has been part of America's soccer history since the days of the now-defunct North American Soccer League.

I've been there both as a fan (most recently for the Manchester United tour a couple of years back) and as a reporter (I was one of a handful at the USC-Florida women's NCAA Tournament game Saturday) and was reminded on both occasions of how much the stadium blows in pretty much every respect

It's an embarrassment on the scale of the LAX terminals.

USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett summed up the (minimal) needed improvements:

1. Complete replacement of concession facilities to afford modern food and beverage services like those offered at all major stadiums.
2. Replacement of, and additions to, the currently inadequate restroom facilities.
3. All new, state-of-the-art video and score boards.
4. Replacement of the grossly inadequate sound system.
5. Improved access through renovated and replaced stairs, elevators and escalators.
6. Repair of crumbling concrete stairs, walkways and infrastructure.
7. Replacement of all seats.
8. Reconfiguration of entry gates in order to move fans in and out of the stadium safely and efficiently.

Even the parking is poorly signed and incredibly tight and inconvenient. And you have to leave the stadium to reach (or get back from) the (tiny) press conference room.

To turn down $100 million in renovations from a private school requires more explanation even if there are significant strings attached (sounds like it comes down to control of the venue).

I dread going there and I know most soccer journalists do.

A fix is direly needed.

Still, Pasadena shouldn't get smug.

The Rose Bowl is a 50,000-seat stadium masquerading as a 90,000-seat stadium (have you ever sat in those seats?) and access through those residential neighborhoods is a task.

While I'm at it, shouldn't the city of Pasadena have updated their Web site by now that observes "the Rose Bowl is home for the UCLA Bruins Football team and the Galaxy Soccer team."?

The Galaxy, of course, haven't been tenants since 2003.

Plenty of familiar names on the roster named today for the U.S. Men's Under-23 National Team (which doubles as the Olympic team) training camp that opens this weekend at Home Depot Center.

The list includes MLS Rookie of the Year Maurice Edu of Fontana and Toronto FC; Robbie Rogers of Rolling Hills Estates and the Columbus Crew; Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan; Mike Randolph of the Galaxy; and former Galaxy players Nate Sturgis and Robbie Findley (both Real Salt Lake).

Here's today's (edited) press release from U.S. Soccer:

U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team head coach Peter Nowak has called 22 players into training camp at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., in preparation for a two-match tour in China where the U.S. will face the Chinese U-23 national team.

This will be the first gathering of the U-23 MNT since Nowak took the reins in August, and is the first major camp in preparation for the final round action of the 2008 CONCACAF Men’s Under-23 Championship to be held from March 11-23, 2008, in Los Angeles, Tampa and Nashville. The eight-team tournament will send the two finalists to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

The team will gather on Saturday in Carson and train for a week before departing on Dec. 8 for China. The U-23’s will play two matches against the Chinese U-23s, first on Dec. 13 at the Changsha He Long Sports Centre in Changsha, then three days later at the Yue Xiu Shan Stadium in Guangzhou.

"This is an excellent opportunity to begin preparing to qualify for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing,” said Nowak. "We will have the chance to get in a good week of training before playing two matches against a very good opponent. As we have seen in the past, the possibility of getting to travel and play in the host country before a tournament is especially valuable, so we are going to take full advantage of it.”

Of the 22-man roster assembling in Carson, 20 are playing professionally in the United States and abroad. Charlie Davies (Hammarby) and Sal Zizzo (Hannover 96), are the representatives from Europe, each having earned their first caps with the full team earlier this year. All told, seven players on the squad made their debut at the senior international level in 2007, including Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan who made four appearances, including three as a starter.

The heavily-MLS laden roster features the 2007 Rookie of the Year Maurice Edu as well as two winners from the MLS Cup-winning Houston Dynamo, midfielder Stuart Holden and defender Patrick Ianni. New England Revolution striker Adam Cristman represents the runners up having posted four goals and four assists in his rookie season for the Revs.

Nine players are graduates of the U-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla., and 14 of 22 players have represented the United States in a world youth championship event.

Seven players were part of the USA’s quarterfinal run in the 2007 U-20 World Cup in Canada this past summer. Four players – Jozy Altidore, Robbie Rogers, Nathan Sturgis and Zizzo – started all five matches for the United States, while goalkeeper Chris Seitz turned in one of the stellar performances for the U-20’s in Canada. Additionally, both Sturgis and Tim Ward were part of the squad at the 2005 FIFA Youth World Championship in Holland, where the U.S. opened with a stunning 1-0 victory over eventual champions Argentina and then shutout Germany (0-0) and Egypt (1-0) to win Group D before eventually falling to Italy, 3-1, in the Round of 16 to finish in 11th place.

The U.S. is gearing up for CONCACAF Olympic qualifying in March, with seven out of the eight participating teams having been finalized. Reaching the final round to join Canada, the USA and Mexico were qualifiers Guatemala and Honduras from the Central American Zone, and Cuba and Haiti from the Caribbean Zone. Panama and Costa Rica will play a two-game home-and-away playoff series later this month, with the winner becoming the eighth team in the final round tournament.

The Home Depot Center and Raymond James Stadium will each host three doubleheaders in group play, while LP Field in Nashville will host the semifinals on Thursday, March 20, and the championship match and third-place game on Sunday, March 23.

U.S. Under 23 Men’s National Team Roster By Position: GOALKEEPERS: Zac MacMath (St. Petersburg, Fla.), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake).

DEFENDERS: Hunter Freeman (New York Red Bulls), Patrick Ianni (Houston Dynamo), Jon Leathers (Furman University), Mike Randolph (Los Angeles Galaxy), Nathan Sturgis (Real Salt Lake), Tim Ward (Columbus Crew), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC).

MIDFIELDERS: Arturo Alvarez (FC Dallas), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Michael Harrington (Kansas City Wizards), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Sacha Kljestan (CD Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas).

FORWARDS: Josmer Altidore (New York Red Bulls), Adam Cristman (New England Revolution), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), Sal Zizzo (Hannover 96)

The Galaxy are in New Zealand readying for their next loss, um, game on Saturday.

Actually, they should have a chance of winnning this game since the Wellington Phoenix are an A-League expansion team currently lying seventh in the eight-team league.

Among their roster is former UC Santa Barbara defender Tony Lochhead who was drafted, but never played, for the New England Revolution.

UCLA plays today in their second round NCAA tournament game against Santa Clara.

The Daily Bruin has a preview here.

Finally, The (London) Times opines that OC resident Jurgen Klinsmann is not the man to become the next England coach.

Despite a trademark David Beckham goal from a free kick, the Galaxy lost 5-3 to Sydney F.C. before more than 80,000 in Australia where Tuesday night has come and gone.

New Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit saw midfielder Kevin Harmse sent off in the supposed friendly and shaky goalkeeper Joe Cannon was pulled at half time.

Full details here.

Back here in LA I devoted Tuesday's column to the USC women's soccer program, enjoying its best season in history, and defender Amy Massey from Manhattan Beach.

More information on the nonprofit mentioned in the story is here.

Steven Goff over at The Washington Post said two sources have told him Chivas USA Coach Preki is interested in the New York Red Bulls about its coaching vacancy

But that didn't stop Chivas USA from trading reserve goalkeeper Preston Burpo to expansion team San Jose Earthquakes for a fourth round draft pick. The (edited) Chivas USA press release:

“This was a key trade for us ahead of next year’s SuperDraft,” Preki said. “We also hope it represents a good opportunity for Preston to compete for a starting spot in a new environment in San Jose.”

Burpo, 35, was a member of Chivas USA for two seasons, in which he accumulated a 1.18 goals-against average (GAA) in 22 regular-season games played (all starts). However, Burpo played just three of those games in 2007, when he served primarily as a backup to Panasonic MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Brad Guzan.

Burpo was originally acquired by Chivas USA in March 2006 as a discovery pick from United Soccer Leagues Division I side Seattle Sounders.

The trade raises the possibility Chivas USA will have an entirely new goalkeeping corps in 2008 if Guzan heads to Arsenal of the English Premier League when the European transfer window opens in the New Year.

And Lawndale's Kei Kamara is heading back to California after being traded to San Jose from the Columbus Crew. The (edited) Crew release:

The Columbus Crew announced today that it has acquired midfielder Brian Carroll from the San Jose Earthquakes in exchange for forward Kei Kamara. Carroll, a member of D.C. United’s 2004 MLS Cup-winning squad who has earned six caps with the U.S. National Team, appeared in 121 games over five seasons with D.C. before being selected by San Jose in Wednesday’s MLS Expansion Draft.

“We are excited to acquire someone of Brian Carroll’s ability and experience,” said Head Coach Sigi Schmid. “He is someone who has been a part of an MLS championship and he will help bring that mentality to our team. At the same time, we thank Kei for his efforts on behalf of the Crew and wish him the best of luck in San Jose.”

Carroll, a 26-year-old native of Springfield, Va., was originally selected by D.C. United in the second round (No. 11 overall) of the 2003 MLS SuperDraft out of Wake Forest University. In 2007, the defensive midfielder saw action in 28 games (19 starts) and collected a career-high four assists. He has two goals and 11 assists in his career. Carroll also represented the United States at the Under-20 and U-23 levels, prior to his six appearances at the senior level.

Kamara, a native of Sierra Leone who played collegiately at Cal State Dominguez Hills, spent two seasons with the Crew after being selected by Columbus in the first round (No. 9 Overall) of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft. He scored five goals in 36 games (13 starts) in Black & Gold.

Finally, the U.S. Under-15 Girls National Team wrapped up a three game series in Florida over the weekend with two losses and a win.

Southern Californians on the roster were Michelle Cruz of Thousand Oaks, Natalia Ledezma of La Mirada and Haley Rosen of Palos Verdes.

The U-15s end the year with a 5-2-4 overall record, the most-ever international matches played by the U.S. U-15s in a calendar year.

This is Kyle's fifth post.

Wow!

What a year for UCLA men's soccer.

I haven't blogged in a while, so for those who haven't been following our season closely, I'll try to catch you up.

We ended up finishing our season with a 8-8-3 record; not particularly what we were hoping for, but we all knew we needed to have at least a .500 record to have any hope of qualifying for the playoffs.

With our fingers crossed, we anticipated the day of the draw to find out that we did, in fact, make the playoffs and were going to have a first round home game.

We were all very relieved to hear the news and for an entire week prepared for our first round game against New Mexico, anxious to get the playoffs started.

The one point we all made before going into the Saturday night game was that the past is history.

We all knew that we did not have the season we had hoped for, but each individual learned something important from every setback we encountered this year. We did not look at the season as a failure, but as a learning experience.

Most importantly, we discussed how important it was for us to act now, and that the present is a gift.

So, why not take advantage of the opportunity that we are given?

With that mindset, we came out with a win in our first playoff game in front of a large, supportive crowd. We set the past behind us and focused on what was at hand.

The playoffs are a second chance to showcase to the nation our great ability as a team. I believe we truly did accomplish that with our win against New Mexico, with great performances by everyone on the team.

With the first win behind us, we are looking forward to our second round game against Santa Clara on Wednesday at Santa Clara.

If anyone is not aware, we lost to Santa Clara earlier this year in overtime.

We are seeking revenge.

Go Bruins!

Kyle is apparently too modest to talk about his contribution in the win against New Mexico.

Here's how the UCLA press office described it:

Bend It Like Naka — Sophomore midfielder Kyle Nakazawa's bending free kick for a goal with 1:39 remaining in regulation provided a dramatic finish for the Bruins in a 1-0 victory over New Mexico in the NCAA first round. Nakazawa earned the free kick when he was taken down just outside the penalty box. His curled his free kick around the Lobos wall and into the back of the net for his third goal of the year and first off a free kick.

"It was an unbelievable way to finish the game," Nakazawa said. "When I first lined it up, I didn't see an angle, but then I found a little hole and thought I could bend it in. I couldn't have hit it any better. It was one of the greatest feelings I have had in my college career."

It was Nakazawa's second game-winning goal of the season. Both have come in the final two minutes of the game. On Oct. 21 at Washington, he scored the game-winner with 53 seconds left in regulation in a 3-2 victory. Nakazawa ranks second on the team in goals (3) and points (13) and is the team and Pac-10 leader in assists with seven.

Late with the blogging today, but here's a couple of quick kicks to update the Galaxy's tour down under.

David Beckham continues to wow the natives in Australia despite an injury scare ahead of Tuesday's game.

And Becks optimistically believes he's up for another England World Cup campaign.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy have joined the blogging party.

The U.S. learned today that it opens qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in June against the winner of the Barbados-Dominican Republic game after the draw in South Africa.

Meanwhile, with fewer than two minutes remaining in UCLA's NCAA Tournament opener against New Mexico Saturday, Palos Verdes Estates' Kyle Nakazawa scored a dramatic winner from a 20-yard free kick to send the Bruins through to the next round, 1-0 .

“It was an unbelievable way to finish the game,” Nakazawa said of his third goal of the season. “When I first lined it up, I didn’t see an angle, but then I found a little hole and thought I could bend it in. I couldn’t have hit it any better. It was one of the greatest feelings I have had in my college career.”

UCLA (9-8-3) faces Santa Clara on Wednesday at Buck Shaw Stadium. Last month when the teams met the Broncos won 2-1 in overtime, scoring both goals while the Bruins were down a man.

“It would be great to get revenge on Santa Clara,” UCLA Coach Jorge Salcedo said. “Santa Clara has been a very successful team this year, and in the game we played up there earlier in the year, we played well enough to win. They don’t play the most attractive soccer, but they’re effective, and our team will be ready for the battle.”

Meanwhile, the Galaxy have arrived in Australia where the familiar scenes of Beckhammania are playing out and Landon Donovan is called just "another Galaxy player."

USC qualified for the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in its history tonight, beating SEC Champion Florida 1-0 and earning the right to play West Virginia Friday, Saturday or Sunday. It's unclear yet whether the game will be played here or back East; USC and UCLA have a pointy ball game Saturday at the Coliseum.

McAlister Field, the usual home field for USC, has a capacity of just 1,000 and is considered inadequate for tournament play; the Trojans drew a crowd of 1,469 tonight.

Florida's 14-game undefeated streak - and its season - ended on a Kasey Johnson header from seven yards out in the 47th minute. The freshman from Sierra Madre got on the end of a Ashley Nick free kick to score her first-ever collegiete goal.

"It was really shocking," Johnson said."I didn't think it was going to happen."

USC dominated Florida, which had lost its second-leading scorer KeLeigh Hudson to a season-ending knee injury last weekend, out-shooting their tiring opponents 9-2 in the second half.

USC could have made it two, but top scorer Amy Rodriguez put the ball wide of the next from seven yards with only the goalkeeper to beat with just six minutes left in the game.

Updated: USC Coach Ali Khosroshahin, who joined a program in turmoil at the start of the season when his predecessor, Torrance resident Jim Millender, was fired, was shocked at how far his team had come.

"If you would have told me at the beginning of the season we'd be in this position, I'd have asked you what drugs you were on," he said. "We weren't a very cohesive unit at the start of the season."

"They're believing in us, they're believing in the plan," he added when asked what had changed for his players. "We're really starting to enjoy being around one another, which at the start of the year that wasn't the case at all."

Khosroshahin still sees plenty of room for improvement, though, even though the team had spent plenty of time slogging up and down the Coliseum steps.

"Our finishing could have been better and it wouldn't have been as nail biting as it was," he said. "Our fitness level still isn't very good, but it's better than it was."

Florida Coach Becky Burleigh said her team was disjointed this evening and observed the difference was a well-worked free kick.

"It was a good goal that they scored on a set piece," she said. "We were a little bit out of rhythm in terms of connecting passes in the final third."

Here's how Scott French saw the game for The Gainsville Sun.

Here's the complete tournament bracket.

USC, which went with the same starting eleven that beat Missouri 1-0 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, had the better of the attacking opportunities in the opening half at a rather desolate-looking Coliseum.

USC's two best opportunities came at either end of the first half.

The first came after six minutes when a close-range shot by Lauren Brown hit the bar and denied the striker out of Chino Hills her seventh goal of the season.

The second came two minutes before half time, when junior Kelly Finch just failed to prod home a ball from three yards out.

Florida looked dangerous on the counter attack, but was unable to put USC under sustained pressure.

Bruin Ball

UCLA striker Lauren Cheney broke the Bruins' single-season school record for points Friday, with a goal and an assist in a 2-1 overtime win over Virginia at Drake Stadium.

She now has 55 points on the season, moving past the 52 Traci Arkenberg notched in 1997.

The UCLA men (8-8-3, Pac-10 runner-up) open NCAA Tournament for the 25th straight year at 7 tonight at Drake Stadium against New Mexico (12-4-2, MPSF champions).

The game pits the 2006 NCAA runner-up (UCLA) against the 2005 NCAA runner-up. The two programs last met in 2006, UCLA winning 2-0 on the back of two Maxwell Griffin goals in New Mexico.

Griffin leads UCLA this season with nine goals in 18 games.

Tickets to the game are $9 adults and $7 for students and youth and can be purchased at the door.

An audio broadcast along with live stats will be available at UCLABruins.com.

Trojans Tackle Florida

Making the first-ever trip to the NCAA Third Round, USC (16-3-2) is seeking to set a program record of 17 wins with a victory over No. 3 seed Florida (17-4-3) tonight at the Coliseum.

It's the first USC women's game at the 92,000 capacity stadium in six years.

USC shutout Creghton and Missouri respectively in the first two rounds of the tournament, winning by a combined score of 4-0.

The game kicks off at at 7 p.m. with live stats and live video available at www.usctrojans.com.

Tickets are $10 adults and $5 for children, seniors and students. Parking will be available at Lots 4 and 5 (at the intersection of Martin Luther King and Hoover) for $8.

I plan to blog from the game.

As hard as it is to believe the 2010 World Cup draw is Sunday with U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller helping out, although games are already under way in South America and elsewhere.

You can watch it at fifa.com, and will have to if you live in the U.S. because I don't see a listing on any of the ESPN channels. (Even with what seems like three jillion ESPN channels the U.S. is not one of 173 countries to show the draw live?).

Meanwhile, the U.S. dropped one spot to 19th in the monthly world rankings released today.

The top-seeded UCLA women (18-1-2) and fourth-seeded Virginia (13-3-6) meet at 6 o'clock tonight at Drake Stadium to battle for a spot in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

A preview is here.

Tickets for the game are $10 for adults and $8 for youths and students.

Meanwhile, Franz Beckenbauer is talking up Orange County resident and one-time Galaxy advisor Jurgen Klinsmann for the now-vacant England coaching job.

Finally, Chivas USA has announced a Dec. 2 benefit game in Orange County for victims of the devastating floods in Mexico against a team that includes former Galaxy stars Carlos Hermosillo and Luis Hernandez.

From the (edited) Chivas USA press release:

After finishing atop Major League Soccer’s Western Conference with a 15-7-8 regular-season record, Chivas USA will close out 2007 in style, as it plays for the very first time in the city of Santa Ana, Calif., against a team of Mexican Soccer Legends featuring Carlos Hermosillo, Luis Hernández, Alberto García Aspe, Jose Manuel ‘Chepo’ de la Torre and many other Mexican futbol stars in a special benefit match at Santa Ana Stadium next Sunday, Dec. 2 at 4:00 p.m.

Tickets, costing $20 for adults and $15 for kids go on sale at noon Monday via Ticketmaster or by calling 1-877-CHIVAS-1.

All proceeds from next Sunday’s Chivas USA vs. Mexican Soccer Legends match will go to victims of recent flooding in the southeastern Mexican states of Tabasco and Chiapas, which has destroyed countless homes and prompted the evacuation of over a million inhabitants. In turn, Banamex’s disaster relief fund will match dollar-for-dollar all monies collected by Chivas USA during the match.

This will be Chivas USA’s second benefit match in two weeks dedicated to the residents of Tabasco and Chiapas, but the first in the United States; on Nov. 17, Chivas USA faced parent club Chivas de Guadalajara in an historic Tabasco and Chiapas relief match at Guadalajara’s Estadio Jalisco.

Chivas USA’s opponent, an all-star team of Mexican Soccer Legends, includes key stars from the Mexican National Team and the Mexican First Division during the last 10 years.

Confirmed particpants include Carlos Hermosillo, Luis Hernández, Manuel Negrete, Jose Manuel ‘Chepo’ de la Torre, Adolfo Ríos, Adrián Chávez, Alberto García Aspe, Alfredo Tena, Martín Zúñiga, Daniel Osorno, Jesús Ramírez, José Luis Salgado and Joaquín del Olmo.

I've watched Scottish games with a bunch of wound-up Scots, games in Germany with every nationality you can think of and now a Croatia game with a couple of hundred Croats at San Pedro's Croatian American Club.

It's the differing nationalities and ethnicities brought together by soccer that makes the sport truly unique and yet the experience, no matter where you watch a game in the world, is universal.

What's more, England are always likely to disappoint.

Check out the atmosphere of the England-Croatia Euro 2008 qualifier here. And thanks to San Pedro's Croatian community for their hospitality.

David Beckham said England's players are hurting (he should try being a fan).

England Coach Steve McClaren was fired as expected today in the wake of the game.

And there's one thing we Brits can do to ease the pain: blame America.

Catch upon the rest of the Euro 2008 qualifiers here.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy named its travel squad late Wednesday for its trip down under.

From the Galaxy press release:

Nineteen players, including the newly acquired Clint Mathis, but not forward Gavin Glinton who was taken earlier today in the MLS expansion draft, will make the trip to Australia on Friday for next week’s games against Sydney FC on Tuesday and Wellington Phoenix on December 1.

The game in Australia will be the Galaxy debut of the club’s new head coach, Ruud Gullit, who will be assisted by Trevor James and Cobi Jones.

The Galaxy’s complete travel squad for these matches: goalkeepers Joe Cannon, Steve Cronin and Lance Friesz; defenders Chris Albright, Ante Jazic, Troy Roberts and Kyle Veris; midfielders David Beckham, Kevin Harmse, Quavas Kirk, Chris Klein, Josh Tudela and Peter Vagenas; forwards Edson Buddle, Mike Caso, Landon Donovan, Alan Gordon, Clint Mathis and Carlos Pavon.

Of those 19 players, two are unlikely to see any action as Alan Gordon and Quavas Kirk are still not match fit. Earlier this month, Gordon underwent surgery on his left foot to correct lingering problem that plagued him for most of the 2007 season. He will join Kirk, who is rehabbing a case of plantar fasciitis in his left foot, in working with the Galaxy medical staff to continue their rehab work.

Defenders Ty Harden and Abel Xavier will not make the trip as a result of injury, nor will midfielder Kyle Martino. Both Harden and Martino underwent a hernia operation in Milwaukee earlier today while Xavier remains in Portugal rehabbing a left knee injury.

Kelly Gray, Mike Randolph and Israel Sesay are all healthy but will not make the trip for various reasons. Gray, who was acquired by the Galaxy in July, is scheduled to be married in Northern California on December 1 and will therefore miss out, while Sesay has already returned to his hometown of Gaithersburg, Md. for the offseason.

Randolph will remain in Los Angeles after having been named to the U.S. Under-23 National Team’s provisional roster for their upcoming camp. The U.S. roster is expected to be announced next week and if Randolph is named in the squad, it will be his first career call-up to the National Team at any level.

Incidentally, These games will be televised in Australia and New Zealand and last I heard the Galaxy were attempting to have them shown in the U.S.

Finally, Thanksgiving Day marks the kick off of the Daily Breeze's annual ball drive.

So give.

Happy Thanksgiving.

David Beckham will stay with the Galaxy all summer next year after England today ineptly backed their way out of Euro 2008, despite Becks getting an assist in a 3-2 loss to Croatia.

That was about the only silver lining for the Galaxy's English fans, although the 200 crazy Croats I watched the game with in San Pedro were pretty happy. I'll have more on that in a story in Thursday's Daily Breeze.

Meanwhile, the San Jose Earthquakes went shopping in the pre-Thanksgiving sale known as the MLS Expansion draft and picked up Galaxy supersub Gavin Glinton and sometimes Chivas USA starting defender Jason Hernandez among others.

From the Galaxy press release:

Glinton finished the 2007 season tied for third on the Galaxy with a career-high four goals in 19 games. Used primarily off the bench, Glinton started just three of his 19 games but still managed to score a number of crucial goals for the club, including three during the Galaxy’s late season, seven-game unbeaten streak. Two of those goals were game-winners while the other gave LA the lead late on in the eventual 2-2 draw at Real Salt Lake on Sept. 19.

Glinton appeared in 51 career games for the Galaxy during two stints with the club. Originally drafted by the Galaxy in 2002, he won the MLS Cup as a rookie after scoring once in 22 games. Midway through the 2003 season, Glinton was dealt to Dallas. After spending some time as a college soccer coach and in the USL First Division, Glinton return to the Galaxy late last season, playing in one game.

As Galaxy Director of Soccer Paul Bravo observed earlier this week, Los Angeles (and presumably Chivas USA) will probably lose a player they don't want to see picked in today's MLS Expansion Draft set for 10 a.m.

For San Pedro's large Croatian community (an estimated 35,000 strong) and English expats like me living in Southern California the big event of the day is today's crucial Euro 2008 qualifier at noon. England have dropped the Galaxy's David Beckham from the starting lineup along with error-prone goalkeeper Paul Robinson in a game they must not lose.

I plan to watch the game on closed circuit television at San Pedro's Croatian American Hall and will have a story in Thursday's Daily Breeze on the atmosphere. And no, I won't tempt fate (or excitable Croats) by wearing an England replica jersey.

Meanwhile, USC and UCLA are priming themselves for this weekend's NCAA tournament third round games. A preview is here.

Finally, for Anaheim's Jorge Flores, the winner of a reality show to make the Chivas USA squad, the dream lives on with a call-up for international duty. From the Chivas USA press release:

The 18-year-old Anaheim native, signed to a Developmental Contract earlier this year after winning Chivas USA’s Sueño MLS reality tryout in March, has been called up by the U.S. Under-20 National Team for its upcoming trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, from Nov. 23 to Dec. 3.

This is the first international call-up for Flores, the 2007 graduate of Anaheim High School who made his MLS debut for Chivas USA in September and also started five games in the 2007 MLS Reserve Division. This past Saturday, Flores even played 15 minutes for Chivas USA at Guadalajara’s Estadio Jalisco in a benefit match against parent club Chivas de Guadalajara.

Led by head coach Thomas Rongen, the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team will conduct an 11-day training camp in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that will include matches against the U-20 squads of Paraguay (Nov. 26), Argentina (Nov. 28) and Uruguay (Dec. 1). Rongen’s 18-player roster departs the day after Thanksgiving, and returns to the U.S. on Dec. 3, one day after Chivas USA closes camp for 2007.

In March 2007, Jorge Flores reached national prominence when he was officially named the winner of ‘Sueño MLS: Chivas USA Wants You!’, a nationally televised open tryout held by Chivas USA and Major League Soccer in which more than 2,000 participants competed for a spot on Chivas USA’s roster.

Corrie Hirokawa ended the season with nine goals and nine assists for the 14-5-4 Cal State Dominguez Hills women, the highest points total on the team. This is her final post for 100 Percent Soccer.

Our 2007 college soccer season has finally come to an end.

I will never play in a competitive college soccer match again, and believe me, that is hard to swallow.

We traveled up to Seattle for the first round of the NCAA playoffs to face UC San Diego once again.

We battled hard and never stopped fighting even when it went into overtime.

With only one minute left in the first overtime I passed the ball to Yvonne Vasquez and she sent it right into the net.

The way I felt at that moment is what I will always remember about playing college soccer.

I was so proud of the team and of all the hard work we put in together to win that game.

It was a fight from start to finish and we never gave up. After the game I started crying because I was so physically and emotionally exhausted.

Those feelings of intense passion for the game of soccer are what I will always cherish.

Of course I am going to try to play on other teams, but nothing will ever compare to my years playing for Cal State Dominguez Hills.

The final match of my senior season was against Seattle Pacific, which was ranked second in the nation.

Their record was 20-0, a perfect season, and going into that match, although I knew it was going to be a tough battle, I had faith in the team that we were going to give it our best shot.

SPU was a great team and beat us 3-0, but our team never gave up.

Seattle Pacific worked well as a team and was ahead by three goals at the beginning of the second half.

When I looked at the game clock during the final minutes of the match, I knew that we were going to lose the game, but we did not stop fighting. And in my eyes that says a lot about our character.

Even though my season came to an end, I wasn't upset with the effort we put in against Seattle Pacific.

And I have had a tremendous four years of college soccer and have made beautiful friendships and memories that will last forever.

Life without college soccer brings tears to my eyes, but it has been a pleasure playing with my teammates and playing against some of the best players in the nation.

I will now look forward to what the rest of my life has in store for me.

Thank you for reading my blog posts. It has been fun!

And as always, GO TOROS!

Corrie Hirokawa, #9

I talked to Paul Bravo, the Galaxy's director of soccer, in what I believe was the first in-depth interview he has given since his appointment in late August for my weekly column.

A couple of things left out of the column for space reasons:
*Bravo said the team is looking for a consistent goal scorer (goodbye Carlos Pavon?), a holding midfielder to protect the back line (goodbye Pete Vagenas, Kevin Harmse?) and some pace wide in left midfield.

Meanwhile, the English player Croatia said they fear most in Wednesday's European qualifier is David Beckham, which probably tells you how mediocre this England team is than anything else.

The UCLA men Monday were awarded a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

More details here.

Finally, U.S. Men's Paralympic Team midfielder Marthell Vazquez, originally from Long Beach, was named the Most Valuable Player of the recently-concluded 2007 Cerebral Palsy International Sports & Recreation Association World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Vazquez was the leading scorer for the U.S. with four goals. The U.S. team finished in 10th place.

The newly-minted San Jose Earthquakes will choose 10 players from the other 13 MLS teams at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the expansion draft.

Each time can lose a maximum of one player and three won't lose any.

Chivas USA left these players available today: temperamental and punted playmaker Amado Guevara (they still own the MLS rights), French striker Laurent Merlin, defenders Alex Zotinca, Jason Hernandez and Orlando Perez, Honduran Ramon Nunez, backup goalkeeper Preston Burpo, rookie English striker John Cunliffe, Anaheim's Jorge Flores, David Arvizu, Anthony Hamilton, injured veteran defender Carlos Llamosa, Rodrigo Lopez, LMU's Bobby Burling, Justin Myers, Desmond Brooks, Eder Robles and Erasmo Solorzano.

The Galaxy's list: Kyle Martino, Pete Vagenas, reserve strikers Gavin Glinton and Alan Gordon, veteran Kelly Gray, Canadian Kevin Harmse, newly signed Clint Mathis, Josh Tudela, defenders Kyle Veris and Abel Xavier as well as backup goalkeepers Steve Cronin and Lance Friesz and Newhall's Mike Caso.

Other notables for Earthquakes Coach Frank Yallop to consider (one per team): Chadwick School's John Thorrington (Chicago Fire), ex-Galaxy midfielder Jovan Kirovski (Colorado Rapids), ex-Galaxy midfielder Ned Grabavoy (Columbus Crew), Denilson (FC Dallas), ex-Galaxy defender Greg Vanney (DC United), former Earthquakes goalkeeper Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo), former Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman (Kansas City Wizards), the San Fernando Valley's Willie Sims (New England Revolution) and (briefly) ex-Galaxy player Santino Quaranta (Red Bulls).

Presumably captivated by the possibility Clint Mathis (sorry, I meant David Beckham) could lead the Galaxy to next year's MLS Cup (insert chuckling here), the league announced today its championship game will return to Carson next year.

From the press release:

MLS Cup 2008 will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET (live on ABC and TeleFutura) on November 23, 2008 at the home of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

“We are proud and excited to bring Major League Soccer’s championship event back to the City of Los Angeles and The Home Depot Center, one of the finest sports venues in the United States,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “The pageantry and top-notch presentation of two previous MLS Cups and the inaugural SuperLiga final prove that The Home Depot Center is a superb stage for national and international showcase events like MLS Cup 2008.”

The two previous MLS Cup matches held at The Home Depot Center were resounding successes. In 2003, a sold out crowd of 27,000 witnessed a remarkable match with the San Jose Earthquakes taking home the title with 4-2 victory over the Chicago Fire in a wide-open contest. In 2004, D.C. United lifted the MLS Cup trophy after an intense 3-2 win over the Kansas City Wizards.

“The LA Galaxy are honored to once again be hosting Major League Soccer’s premier match, MLS Cup, at The Home Depot Center,” LA Galaxy President and General Manager Alexi Lalas said. “We feel that we have the best fans in MLS and I can think of no better way to reward them for their support than winning our third MLS Cup in front of them at home next season.”

Since opening its doors in 2003, The Home Depot Center has served as the home of two-time MLS Cup Champion and five-time MLS Cup finalist the Los Angeles Galaxy. Designated as an “Official U.S. Olympic Training Site,” this facility is also home to Chivas USA and the National Training Center for the United States Soccer Federation’s (USSF) Men’s and Women’s National Teams. In addition to two MLS Cups, the stadium has hosted numerous memorable soccer matches, including the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup Championship game, the 2003 MLS All-Star Game, CONCACAF Men’s and Women’s Gold Cup matches, InterLiga, this year’s inaugural SuperLiga series and several other elite soccer competitions.

“Hosting the most important game in American professional soccer at The Home Depot Center for the third time shows our continuing commitment to bring exciting and entertaining events to this stadium and city,” said Rod O’Connor, general manager, The Home Depot Center. “We are proud to partner with MLS and the Galaxy for what promises to be a great day for soccer fans in the city of Los Angeles, and across the country.”

"I can think of no better place to host soccer's biggest match than right here in Los Angeles," said City of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "Los Angeles is the international hub of the world and is a place where everyone comes with a vision and a drive to achieve beyond themselves. We proudly welcome the 2008 MLS Cup match and the league's teams to chase their championship dreams right here in Los Angeles at our Home Depot Center."

The Home Depot Center has apparently moved to LA?

His options dwindling, Red Bulls striker-attacking midfielder Clint Mathis was traded by New York to the Galaxy in the brief three-hour MLS trading window this morning in exchange for a third round draft pick.

Mathis, whose big-money contract with MLS expires at year's end and under-performed (as usual) in New York, is expected to sign an incentive-laden contract with the Galaxy so the mercurial midfielder can prove he still has what it takes to play in the league.

"We're hoping Clint is motivated and ready to continue," said Paul Bravo, the Galaxy's director of soccer. "I think he thrives in this kind of environment - if we can make him see the light.

It's always going to be a challenge with Clint," Bravo added. "But we're looking to bring in guys who can handle a pressure cooker environment - I think he gets bored. For a third round draft pick, he's definitely worth the risk."

By the way, the Galaxy had the inside track on Mathis because his in-laws live in OC.

Also, Bravo said the Galaxy see Mathis as a potential back-up playmaker for David Beckham, should he end up playing for England next summer at Euro 2008.

From the Galaxy press release:

Mathis, who was originally drafted by the Galaxy in the 1998 SuperDraft, is the 16th leading scorer in MLS history with 59 goals in his nine-year MLS career. He will join his new Galaxy teammates in Los Angeles this week before heading to Australia with the club on Friday.

Mathis, who will turn 31 on Sunday, was drafted by the Galaxy in the first round (sixth overall) of the 1998 MLS College Draft and went on to appear in 65 games for the club, scoring 15 goals and adding 17 assists. Midway through the 2000 season, Mathis was traded to the MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) as part of the Galaxy’s acquisition of Luis Hernandez. He played the next three and a half years in New York, where he is now the club’s all-time leading scorer in all competitions, and with whom he was a finalist for the 2000 MLS Honda MVP Award and was named to the 2000 MLS Best XI.

After a year in the German Bundesliga with Hannover 96, Mathis returned to MLS, joining expansion club Real Salt Lake in 2005 before being traded to Colorado for the 2006 season and then on to the Red Bulls in 2007, with whom he scored six goals and added two assists in 26 games. In the Red Bulls 5-4 win over LA in August, Mathis tallied a goal and an assist, with the goal giving him a team-record 45 in all competitions during his career with the club.

A member of the U.S. National Team, Mathis has collected 46 caps and scored 12 goals since debuting with the National Team in 1998. He was a member of the U.S. squad that reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup scoring the American’s only goal in the 1-1 draw with the host nation Korea Republic.

Red Bull New York Technical Director Jeff Agoos was also pleased with the move:

“By acquiring this pick, we will now be able to have a selection in every round of the 2008 SuperDraft. This allows us more flexibility moving forward.”

Is Mathis still capable of scoring five goals like this?

What do you think?

I'll have more on my conversation with Bravo and word of a Chivas USA player who won't be leaving the team as rumored after all in Tuesday's 100 Percent Soccer column in the Daily Breeze and Daily News.

A quick update before I head off to the Galaxy practice this morning:
England players are gathering ahead of Wednesday's crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia.

And while England wants no repeat of the last-gasp David Beckham free kick it needed six years ago to qualify for the 2002 World Cup there are calls to bench Becks against Croatia.

Meanwhile, the UCLA and USC women both made it through Sunday to the next round of the NCAA tournament.

Playing for 76 minutes a man down, the Loyola Marymount men (3-16-1) suffered their eighth one-goal loss of the campaign and lost 2-1 to Saint Mary’s Sunday in their last game of the season.

Finally, the Galaxy host their annual Thanksgiving meal in the Stadium Club this afternoon for more than 200 local children and their families:

Several Galaxy players and front office members, as well as staff from The Home Depot Center and Albertsons, will be on hand to help serve meals, which will include all of the traditional Thanksgiving fare. Galaxy players including Landon Donovan, Quavas Kirk, Mike Randolph, Troy Roberts, Peter Vagenas and more, as well as other special guests, including actress Bianca Kajlich, the star of the CBS comedy “Rules of Engagement” and the wife of Landon Donovan, will also be signing autographs and taking photos with the children.

Sporting an all ex-Galaxy front line of Joseph Ngwenya and Nate Jaqua, the Houston Dynamo beat the New England Revolution 2-1 today in a come from behind win.

This is a team initially molded by former Galaxy Coach Frank Yallop, of course, and four MLS titles in six years is a testament to what can be achieved if stability exists.

Are you listening Galaxy?

The Galaxy at least won something this weekend: retired Galaxy great Cobi Jones on Saturday won the Commissioner's Award

That was a nod to the past.

If we're talking about the present, two Chivas USA players, goalkeeper Brad Guzan and defender Jonathan Bornstein of Los Alamitos were named to the MLS Best XI:

GOALKEEPER (1): Brad Guzan* (Chivas USA)

DEFENDERS (3): Michael Parkhurst* (New England Revolution), Eddie Robinson*(Houston Dynamo), Jonathan Bornstein* (Chivas USA)

MIDFIELDERS (5): Christian Gomez (D.C. United), Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), Dwayne De Rosario (Houston Dynamo), Ben Olsen* (D.C. United) Guillermo Barros Schelotto* (Columbus Crew)

FORWARDS (2): Luciano Emilio* (D.C. United), Juan Pablo Angel *(New York Red Bulls)

* First time Best XI recipient

No Galaxy players on the list, you'll notice.

Sigi Schmid agreed to guest blog as MLS wraps up 2007:

MLS Cup is the culmination of a long season.

Some rambling thoughts come to mind:

1. The winner of MLS Cup is very rarely the best team in the league.

It is a Cup; not a league championship.

An old coaching friend of mine said to me long ago that during a season the cream rises to the top; in a cup competition it is like Fantasy Island - everyone's dream can come true.

Although this year two of the more consistent teams made the finals, that is not always the case.

2. Are new rules coming?

Perhaps two designated players per team.

We have the Beckham rule; now we might have the Landon Donovan rule.

I see arguments on both sides; we will see what happens.

Trading for a second DP spot is possible, but it has a value that needs to be respected.

3. On the expansion Seattle franchise - New teams and marching bands. I love it.

Fans as members. I agree - let's get involved.

Now we need a team name.

Are we going to get another FC team or team FC?

I hope not.

Maybe it will be an SC for soccer Club.

How about an SSC, Soccer and Social Club? I like that.

4. High profile coaches - I think it is great for our league.

Big salaries - great. I wish some of that would pass down to the current coaches.

MLS is different.

When you are used to going player shopping and not looking at price tags, it is hard to start hunting for bargains.

A bargain for a European team is $2 million or less.

In MLS that is called a DP.

Happy hunting, time to go to those big outlet stores for those quality specials.

5. Finally, MLS gets better every year.

The fans are better every year.

There is a better atmosphere every year in the stadiums.

Media coverage is getting better.

The teams are better.

Players are better.

Now if only the refereeing would do the same.

U.S. Escapes South Africa With 1-0 Win

Good morning, especially to those who rose early to watch a young American team beat the 2010 World Cup hosts 1-0 at altitude today in Johannesburg.

Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan came on at the half to preserve the shutout, while his club teammates Sascha Kljestan and (briefly) Jonathan Bornstein also saw action in the last U.S. game of the year.

Freddy Adu started in attack for the U.S., while Fontana's Maurice Edu, the MLS Rookie of the Year, acquitted himself well and earned an assist on Steve Cherundolo's goal.

Next for the U.S.: a game against Sweden Jan. 19 at Home Depot Center in Carson.

Next for armchair soccer fans, especially those of English descent, the 9:55 a.m. game on Fox Soccer Channel between Israel and Russia. England need help from Israel if they are to qualify for Euro 2008, remember.

Program notes

I'll be a guest this afternoon on Ultimate Soccer, a radio show on 1260 The Team Sports Radio out of Edmonton, Alta., talking about Becks' time with the Galaxy, etc.

How did I hook up with a soccer show from the Great White North?

Turns out the show's host is married to a daughter of my Canadian-born wife's father's cousin. Hey, I'll take the distant nepotism.

I'll chat with host Soccer Steve, a former pla