Recently in International Soccer Category
Almost as instructive as the U.S. loss to Brazil Sunday in the final of the Confederations Cup if we are looking forward to gauge the national team's chances of future success on the world stage, was the Mexican scoreless draw with Guatemala in San Diego.
The U.S. goes down blazing against the world's best; Mexico struggles to get anything out of a game with a modest soccer nation.
It's all about attitude.
Get caught up on the weekend's soccer in 60 seconds or less:
*The Galaxy had three shots on goal, scored on one of them and beat the MLS-leading Dynamo Sunday at Home Depot Center.
*Highlights:
*Heartbreak for the Americans in South Africa.
*Reaction:
*Mexico and Guatemala drew Sunday in San Diego in Gold Cup warmup.
It's over: U.S. 2 Brazil 3
Coach Bob Bradley: "It feels pretty lousy to let this one get away."
The Galaxy's Landon Donovan: "We're at the point where we don't want respect. We want to win."
Half time: U.S. 2 Brazil 0
From the "if you thought that win over Spain was massive" department comes the final of the Confederations Cup.
I scarcely dare write this post.
The game is on ESPN.
Perhaps the most important 45 minutes of American soccer coming up since the 1950 World Cup.
Four links for Sunday:
*Chivas USA were dumped out of SuperLiga Saturday.
*Spain beat South Africa in the Confederations Cup today.
*U.S.-Brazil coverage begins at 11 a.m. Sunday live on ESPN. Freddy Adu tweeted at 9 a.m.: "bumping some eminem to get ready for this game. we are hyped right now."
(Updated 11 a.m.: U.S. lineup.)
I plan to blog from the game.
Coliseum officials announced today they had been forced to cancel the Independence Day exhibition game that was to star Lionel Messi after receiving word football's worldwide governing body had objected to the event:
Coliseum officials were notified by CONMEBOL that it has received communications from FIFA, dated June 23rd and 24th, stating that it is FIFA and CONCACAF's position that the exhibition scheduled for July 4th in the Coliseum is not permitted.The Coliseum hopes to resolve any FIFA concerns as soon as possible, so that the nine Futbol All-Stars events previously agreed to (annually) may proceed.
Refunds will be made available at the point of purchase.
The 4th of July Fireworks Extravaganza will go on as scheduled, without charge, with the 60 minute pyrotechnic display set to start shortly after sunset. Efforts are currently under way to introduce a soccer component to the day's festivities at the Coliseum.
Coliseum officials didn't specify what FIFA's concerns were. Fans had already questioned the credibility of the event especially after 100 Percent Soccer reported exclusively this week that Mexican striker Cuauhtemoc Blanco was not "confirmed" for the game as organizers were claiming (and advertising).
In Galaxy news, rookie defender Yohance Marshall left for Austin Thursday where he joined the USL Aztecs on loan at least through their U.S. Open Cup game Tuesday against the Houston Dynamo.
Let's hope he doesn't meet the same fate as the Galaxy's Julian Valentin, scheduled to undergo surgery today for a broken right foot sustained while he was on loan to Cleveland of the USL.
A busy weekend of soccer with all three pro teams playing at home and the U.S. in the final of a FIFA competition for the first time:
10 a.m. Saturday - The runaway WPS-leading Sol plays its last weekend game of the season at the early hour at Home Depot Center against the Chicago Red Stars. There's a ticket special: two for $30 plus a Marta bobblehead and a $50 ESPN Zone game card. Call 1-877-4-SOL-TIX.
7 p.m. Saturday - Chicago must defeat Tigres Saturday and then Chivas USA must beat San Luis by at least two clear goals to advance in SuperLiga. Tickets start at $15. Call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 for tickets.
11 a.m. Sunday - Coverage begins on ESPN and Univision for the U.S. showdown with Brazil in the Confederations Cup final. BTW, the National Soccer Hall of Fame tweeted that the organization "is requesting a game ball from Sunday's championship match for display What else should we ask for?" What about a U.S. win?
7 p.m. Sunday - $1 beer, $1 dogs as the 2-3-9 Galaxy play the Western Conference leading Houston Dynamo in Carson. Call 1-877-3GALAXY for tickets.
In related news, the Galaxy's Landon Donovan has again been nominated for an ESPY.
So has the Sol's Marta. The current and three-time FIFA World Player of the Year is up against Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, Mexican golfer Lorena Ochoa, Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice and Russian tennis player Dinara Safina in the category of Best Female International Athlete. I'm told only ESPN's international viewers can vote in this one.
ESPN hands out the awards in July at the Nokia Theater at LA Live.
Or should that be Brazil for brunch? After all, the South Americans only narrowly beat South Africa today in the second Confederations Cup semifinal.
Vote below and elaborate in the comments section if you wish.
Barcelona. Chelsea. AC Milan. And Burnley.
Add the humble Lancashire team to this summer's packed international soccer calendar
Newly-promoted EPL team Burnley, a founding member of the English Football League in 1888, will play in Ventura as part of a two-game U.S. tour July 21 against PDL team the Ventura County Fusion.
Tickets are a modest $10 for adults in advance.
One of the greatest performances in national team history (yes, let's veer from horror to hyperbole) even if it is a lightly-regarded tournament.
Where have these guys been?
Sheer effort, movement off the ball, closing attackers down, goalkeeper Tim Howard looking unruffled and seemingly increasing in confidence with every save; the U.S. had it all today.
And the world's best team couldn't break down that defense.
Wow!
Updated 3:35 p.m.: Freddy Adu just tweeted - "whattttttttt. greatest win in US Soccer history straight up. finals here we come."
The game will be shown again at 8 p.m. on ESPN2, BTW.
Barring two super results Saturday Chivas USA is done with SuperLiga.
Highlights:
Prediction: SuperLiga will soon go the way of this tournament.
U.S.-Spain Confederations Cup preview.
The game starts at 11:25 a.m. today on ESPN.
So just who is playing in the July 4 South American all-stars verses a Rest of the World team at the exhibition game?
Even the game organizers are still trying to figure that one out it appears.
And it's not just Blanco who is either not coming or remains a question mark. For instance, Brazilian great Roberto Carlos is still listed as participating on the Coliseum Web site as I write this. But he's not named among those playing in a press release I received Monday. Hmmm.
For what it's worth, here's the (unedited) list of the players on that latest press release:
South American All-Stars
1. Lionel Messi, NT Argentina - FC Barcelona
2. Andres D'Alessandro, NT Argentina - Internacional
3. Alexis Alejandro Sánchez Barbè, NT Chile - Udinese
4. Fabián Orellana, NT Chile - Udinese
5. Gary Medel, NT Chile - Universidad Católica
6. Jose Cevallos, NT Ecuador - LDU Quito
7. Walter Ayovi, NT Ecuador - Monterrey
8. Joffre Guerron, NT Ecuador - Getafe
9. Juan Arango, NT Venezuela - Real Mallorca
10. Diego Lugano, NT Uruguay - Fenerbahce
11. David Quiroz, NT Ecuador -Emelec
12. Jefferson Montero, NT Ecuador - Villareal
13. Pedro Quiñones , NT Ecuador - Santos Laguna
14. Cristian Benítez, NT Ecuador - Santos Laguna
15. Paolo Montero , NT Uruguay - Peñarol
Rest of the World All-Stars
1. Jared Borgetti, NT Mexico- CD Guadalajara
2. Francisco "Paco" Palencia, NT Mexico, UNAM
3. Marco Materazzi, NT Italy - Inter
4. Mauro Camoranessi, NT Italy - Juventus
5. Patrick Vieira, NT France - Inter
6. Stefano Fiore, NT Italy - Mantova
7. Edgard Davis, NT Netherlands - Ajax
8. Mariano Andrés Pernía -NT Argentina - Atletico de Madrid
9. José Antonio "Perla" Reyes, NT Spain - Benfica de Portugal.
10. Giourkas Seitaridis, NT Greece - Atlético Madrid
11. Fernando Couto, NT Portugal - Parma
12. Pedro Migel Carreiro "Pauleta", NT Portugal - Paris-Saint Germain
13. Ivan Helguera, NT Spain- Valencia CF
14. Fernando Morientes, NT Spain- Valencia
15. Jozy Altidore, NT United States - Villareal (Xerex)
The game begins at 5 p.m. and is followed by a one-hour-long fireworks show, BTW.
Still, not an auspicious start to organizing what is supposed to be an annual event. And just how big the crowd will be given the Galaxy game that same night and other major friendlies involving the likes of Chelsea, Barcelona and AC Milan scheduled for Southern California this summer remains to be seen.
"We're not expecting a sellout by any means or anything close to it," said Coliseum General Manager Pat Lynch.
Updated:
I received a response to the column from Fire VP of Communications Becky Carroll. Here is her (edited) response:
"Regarding Mr. Blanco's commitment to the upcoming game at the LA Coliseum...there was never a commitment or promise from either him (or the Fire) to participate in the July 4 match. As you know, the Fire has a regularly scheduled game that day against the Colorado Rapids, which has been on our schedule for the last several months. The only games that Mr. Blanco may play outside of the MLS at this point would be as a member of the Mexican national team."
And yeah, I know D'Alessandro plays for Brazil's Internacional and not Italy's Inter. I just didn't write that in the column.
Just so we're all keeping track:
Tuesday
SuperLiga - Chivas USA at Chicago Fire 5 p.m. on TeleFutura in the second game of the tournament. Chivas USA were outplayed 2-1 game at Home Depot Center against Tigres last weekend. Chivas USA striker Eduardo Lillingston is suspended after his red card. Chicago beat San Luis 1-0 last weekend on a Brian McBride goal. A game preview from a Chicago perspective is here.
Online chat - Galaxy defender Gregg Berhalter chats with ESPN SportsNation at noon. Follow this link.
Wednesday
Confederations Cup Semifinal - U.S.-Spain 11:25 a.m. ESPN. No. 1 ranked Spain, undefeated in 35 games and on a 15-game winning streak. Ulp. Defender Carlos Bocanegro remains "questionable." Absolutely useless factoid from U.S. Soccer: Michael Bradley's goal against Egypt was the sixth of his career; that matches the total scored by Bert Patenaude. He had six goals in four appearances back in 1930, according to my MNT media guide; Bradley has played more than 25 games. Get your finger out, lad!
WPS - Sol (8-1-4) at St. Louis Athletica (4-4-2). The Sol are unbeaten in eight games, a sequence stretching back to May 2; Athletica have yet to score on the Sol in two games this season, a scoreless draw and a 2-0 loss at the HDC in April.
Thursday
Confederations Cup semifinal - Brazil-South Africa 11:25 a.m. ESPN.
Saturday
WPS - Chicago Red Stars at Sol at 10 a.m. (!) at Home Depot Center. Deal of the week to soften the early hour: two tix, a Marta bobblehead and $50 ESPN Zone gamecard for $29.99. Call 1-877-4-SOLTIX. Quality bobblehead, BTW.
SuperLiga - Chivas USA -San Luis 7 p.m. at Home Depot Center.
Sunday
MLS - Best reason to attend the 7 p.m. Galaxy-Dynamo game at the HDC: $1 beers and $1 hot dogs before the game. Also, the first 10,000 fans get a free Galaxy Sinch Sack; the first 7,500 a free Galaxy Car Flag. The Dynamo are first in the West with an MLS-best 28 points; the Galaxy lost last time out to struggling San Jose. I'll have another hot dog, please. Weird fact: the Galaxy's current two-game losing streak is just the second in Bruce Arena's tenure with the Galaxy. ... Notable: Van Nuys' Tristan Bowen, the first player in MLS history to be signed by a club through the league's youth development initiative, made his MLS debut Saturday. The 18-year old forward is the fourth youngest player to ever play a game for the Galaxy; younger were Izzy Sesay, Memo Gonzalez and Quavas Kirk. Not good company.
Busy this weekend?
Get caught up here in 60 seconds (or less):
*The U.S. overcame staggering odds Sunday to see Italy suffer its biggest loss to Brazil in 33 years combined with the first American win ever over Egypt and improbably scoring three after only managing one in the tournament to that point. The no margin for error result: a semifinal berth in the Confederations Cup against Spain Wednesday. The world's No. 1 ranked team are unbeaten in 35 games.
*The Sol continued to shine Sunday.
Chivas USA defender Jonny Bornstein retains his place in the U.S. defense against Egypt on ESPN2.
I'll be paying more attention to Italy-Brazil over on ESPN.
About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
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