Marked man: Galaxy forward Gyasi Zardes fends off the close attention of several Panama players in a 1-1 USMNT draw Tuesday night to close out the group stage of the Gold Cup (Associated Press Photo).
USA’s Gyasi Zardes, right, scores the 1-1 goal past Netherlands’ Daryl Janmaat during an international soccer match between Netherlands and the US at ArenA stadium in Amsterdam, Friday, June 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
The real excitement came at the end of the game as the U.S. came from behind with two goals in as many minutes to overhaul a classy opponent, but Gyasi Zardes will be well pleased with scoring the (first) equalizer with about 30 minutes gone.
Zardes’ first U.S. goal came in his seventh international appearance.
Twitter Reaction:
A+ ball by Fabian Johnson. A+ run and finish by Gyasi Zardes. A+ goal by the #USMNT.
— Jimmy Conrad (@JimmyConrad) June 5, 2015
Zardes w/a nice finish, but has also had handful of plays that simply needed to be better. A work in progress, but goal = confidence booster
— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) June 5, 2015
Congrats to @gyasinho on his first international goal! Many more to come! #LAGalaxy #USAvNED
— Baggio Husidic (@Ba66io) June 5, 2015
Seeing @gyasinho play for USMNT is so amazing! We grew up in the same hood, went to the same school! I'm so proud his accomplishments!
— [G]uppy (@BellaChrista121) June 5, 2015
Good Morning, USWNT: Abby Wambach and other members of the USWNT appeared on “Good Morning, America” before heading to Canada for the World Cup (Photo courtesy ABC News)
U.S. Soccer is releasing a series of videoes profiling members of the U.S. World Cup squad called “One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories.”
This is the video for veteran striker Abby Wambach.
And here’s more from ABC:
ABC News Videos | ABC Entertainment News
Here are the previously blogged videos for Christen Press of Palos Verdes Estates and Whitney Engen of Rolling Hills Estates.
(Photo courtesy U.S. Soccer).
U.S. Soccer is releasing a series of videos profiling members of the U.S. World Cup squad called “One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories.”
This is the second in a series of profiles of players from Southern California featuring Whitney Engen of Rolling Hills Estates.
Christen Press of Palos Verdes Estates is profiled here.
Goalkeepers — Jeff Caldwell (University of Virginia; Todd, N.C.), Ethan Horvath (Molde FK; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Zack Steffen (Freiburg; Downingtown, Pa.)
defenders — Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur; Westcliff on Sea, England), Matthew Miazga (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Shaquell Moore (Unattached; Powder Springs, Ga.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), Desevio Payne (FC Groningen; Greenwood, S.C.), John Requejo (Club Tijuana; Carpinteria)
midfielders — Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; Plano, Texas), Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana; Chula Vista), Russell Canouse (Hoffenheim; Lancaster, Pa.), Marco Delgado (Toronto FC; Glendora) Emerson Hyndman (Fulham; Dallas), Joel Soñora (Boca Juniors; Buenos Aires,)
forwards — Jordan Allen (Real Salt Lake; Rochester, N.Y.), Bradford Jamieson IV (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht; Beaverton, Ore.), Maki Tall (Red Star; Washington, D.C.), Tommy Thompson (San Jose Earthquakes; Loomis, Calif.)
The U.S. plays against Myanmar May 30; New Zealand June 2 and Ukraine June 5 in its group games. Camp opens Monday in Carson.
Two more locals associated with soccer — agent Richard Motzkin and Galaxy defender Robbie Rogers, who is emerging as a respected spokesman in the gay community — make the list of the top five up and comers.
And of the five whose stock has fallen the most in Southern California sports circles, there are two with soccer ties: former AEG head honcho Tim Leiweke and former owner of the now-defunct Chivas USA Jorge Vergara.
Seattle Sounders coach Sigi Schmid, who grew up in Torrance and still has a Manhattan Beach house, was named to the National Soccer Hall of Fame (Photo courtesy Seattle Sounders).
Kasey Keller, Sigi Schmid & Glenn “Mooch” Myernick elected to National Soccer Hall of Fame. http://t.co/4w5GmcvU0O pic.twitter.com/SBxalEAsca
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) April 8, 2015
Schmid: “I am honored to be inducted alongside Kasey Keller, who is a Seattle soccer icon. It sort of makes it a Sounders’ class.”
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) April 8, 2015
With all due respect to Tim Howard, but Kasey Keller remains the greatest goalkeeper ever to play for the U.S. national team while South Bay favorite son Sigi Schmid, who moved to Torrance at age 10 from his native Germany, is the greatest U.S. coach never to have assumed the helm of the national team.
It’s typical of Schmid though to say that his accomplishments pale in comparison to the lasting friendships he has made through the sport:
“It’s a reflection of your peers acknowledging what you’ve done, and it’s a reflection of the body of your work, so this is something I am very proud of,” Schmid said of his hall of fame induction. ““The biggest thing for me has been the players I have had the privilege coaching and the players that have become friends; the relationships and friendships that have existed beyond coaching players — now that for me is the biggest reward. That is bigger than the trophies or any of the awards, just knowing that you have been meaningful in someone’s life.”
For more on this year’s inductees into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, click here.
Hopefully, Schmid will receive a round of applause from the StubHub Center crowd when the Sounders visit Carson to play the Galaxy this weekend.
Despite retiring at the end of last season after 14 years in MLS, Landon Donovan’s name will live on after the league today unveiled its new Landon Donovan MVP Award.
“Landon Donovan’s commitment to growing the game in North America is unrivaled and his contributions to Major League Soccer are immeasurable,” said Commissioner Don Garber. “When he joined MLS in 2001, he showed other American players that this was his ‘League of Choice.’ His legacy will be forever etched in our league’s history, and we appreciate everything he has accomplished, both on and off the field.”
The Southern California native, the all-time leader in MLS goals and assists, said he was “extremely humbled” by the gesture:
“As a child, soccer was merely an outlet for me — a way to express myself,” said Donovan. “To have this prestigious award named after me is truly unimaginable.
Check out the full ceremony:
For the first 25 years of his life, Robbie Rogers would not admit — even to himself — that he was gay.
And he confided to no one his fears and hopes during a lifetime of denial:
“Why didn’t I speak to anyone — a therapist or anyone?” he wondered during an interview Thursday. “That just shows how afraid I was.”
But today, Rogers has the support of his family, friends and the extended soccer community who encouraged the only active gay athlete in a major U.S. sport not to quit the game. To complete his journey — and that of Landon Donovan — the Galaxy must win Sunday against the New England Revolution in Carson.
“There’s been a lot of things happening outside of soccer and we’ve all supported each other,” he said. “I think it shows on the field.”
“I feel very blessed,” he added. “Now it’s the perfect way to end a perfect yr.”
Read more about how Rogers is “Coming Out To Play” in this story that ran on the front page page today of Los Angeles News Group newspapers.