Daily news roundups / Featured

Mondragon training, Adu’s ankle, Solo sans, more morning news.

Photo: Rafael Stoian

Union

Faryd Mondragon has resumed his normal training routine on Wednesday for the first time since breaking a finger on September 3. Peter Nowak said of Mondragon’s status at Wednesday’s press conference , “We’ll see where we are at the end of the week. We’ll find out before we go to Seattle, but I believe he will travel with us.” When asked specifically if Mondragon will start on Saturday against Seattle, Nowak said, “I’m not sure about that. He’s not limited, but there are certain things he cannot do as well. We just need to be careful.” Zac MacMath was listed as questionable in Tuesday’s injury report.

Nowak says Freddy Adu has been hampered by an ankle injury. “We’re looking at his ankle, and he’s still not 100 percent. We just have to make sure he’s 100 percent for the next couple of days and we’ll see. The most important thing is to keep all of these guys fresh for this game or the next game or the next couple of weeks. We’ll see what happens with the standings and see what has to be done in the next couple of weeks.”

Nowak also shared some thoughts on the playoffs. “Before the season, we make predictions of where we want to be. Our goal was 10 wins would be a very good season. The rest, we believed, would take care of itself and 10 wins would be good enough for a playoff spot. It appears it’s not enough…We’re standing in front of the door. The door is open. We just need to make one necessary step to walk through.”

From MLSsoccer.com: “Philadelphia Union will clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs if:

  • they defeat Seattle (Oct. 8) AND
  • there is a winner in the Portland-Houston game (Oct. 14) AND
  • New York loses to Kansas City (Oct. 15)”

The Philadelphia Union will be among the individuals and organizations honored by Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture) at today’s the Green Power Awards. The list of award winners says of the Union, “Your award is for purchasing 100 percent of your electricity needs from renewable energy produced within Pennsylvania.” PPL will also be honored.

New York soccer blog Empire of Soccer is having a caption contest to give away two tickets to the New York v Philadelphia Union game on October 20. Wouldn’t it be hilarious if a Union supporter won? The deadline for entries is noon today.

The Union Dues is starting to think about the off season.

A piece at Bleacher Report on seven ways to start the Flyers season with a bang includes this line: “Changing the in-arena goal song from Pennywise’s ‘Bro Hymn’ to the DOOP theme used by the Philadelphia Union has been a success, and brings a sense of unity to a true sports city. The song is not the Union or the Flyers’ song, it is our song.” I don’t know what to say.

Local

La Salle’s Kelsey Haycook was named Atlantic 10 Women’s Soccer Rookie of the Week after scoring a hat trick against Temple last Friday. La Salle was ranked 25th in the nation by Soccer America on Tuesday.

The Inquirer rounds up Southeaster PA boys’ and girls’ high school soccer news. Over in south Jersey, Gateway girls’ soccer coach Rudi Klobach celebrated his 250th career win on Wednesday while Haddonfield’s Joe Falana became the second boys’ soccer coach in South Jersey history to reach 600 career victories. Shawnee coach Brian Gibney is South Jersey’s all-time win leader with 656 wins.

MLS

New York’s win on Tuesday eliminated Chivas USA and San Jose from playoff contention.

Big Apple Soccer says Tuesday’s win was nice, coming as it did against a tired and understrength LA, but that the Energy Drinks real challenges will be Kansas City and Philadelphia..

MLS has scored a B on the 2011 Race and Gender Report Card issued by the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports. The league scored an A for racial hiring practices and a C+ for gender hiring practices. In comparison, MLB scored a B+, the NBA scored an A and the NFL scored a B. While not yet available for download as of this writing, you should be able to find the report here.

After reports yesterday that Chicago Fire are interested in Rio Ferdinand, David Beckham says the defender should stay at Manchester United. Ferdinand’s manager says, “these stories are nothing to do with Rio.” A source told Goal.com that the Fire are interested in Ferdinand but that there have been no negotiations.

 

Hope Solo posted her ESPN “The Body Issue” cover shot on Wednesday. Whatever.

Montreal Impact have added former USMNT, MLS and Mexican Primera Division player Mike Sorber as an assistant coach.

US

Jeremiah Oshen writes at SB Nation, “Somewhat lost in all the hoopla surrounding the Seattle Sounders’ third-straight U.S. Open Cup is the reality that they’ve been able to achieve this feat while rarely having to go on the road. In three years, they’ve played outside of their own stadium just three times—twice against the then-second division Portland Timbers and for the 2009 final against DC United—which has surely contributed to their 13-0-1 all-time record in qualifying and the tournament proper.”

Brian Straus writes at The Sporting News, “That’s because the U.S. Soccer Federation, which organizes the Open Cup, awards hosting rights for games based upon blind, confidential bids from the competing clubs. Teams like the Sounders, who enjoy bumper attendance, can in essence buy as many home games as they want.” He continues, “MLS and U.S. Soccer officials have had conversations about revamping the bid system and the nearly-as-problematic format that requires certain MLS clubs to qualify for the tournament while giving others, like the Sounders, direct entry into the round-of-16…A source with knowledge of those discussions told Sporting News that an announcement could be imminent and that the sport’s administrators have agreed that the bid system is ‘shady and unfair.'”

Here’s a very interested read about the USWNT’s Ali Krieger and why she plays her professional ball in Germany.

The US Adult Amateur Soccer Association has moved its headquarters to Toyota Park.

Did you know Jurgen Klinsmann got his start making pretzels in his family’s bakery? Now you do.

Elsewhere

Alex Horne, English Football Association general secretary and member of the International Football Association Board, says that goal line technology is unlikely to be ready for the 2012 Premiership season.

Wayne Rooney’s father and uncle have been arrested in conjunction with an investigation into an alleged betting scam.

AC Milan president and dirty old codger Silvio Berlusconi has told Zlatan Ibrahimovic to cut his hair.

Der Spiegel is reporting that researchers at Humboldt University in Berlin have uncovered a letter that says three members of the 1966 German World Cup team breached FIFA’s doping regulations.

The FA says it has received a letter of apology from FIFA vice president Julio Grondona for “unacceptable” comments he made about England.

Hassan al Thawadi, the secretary general of Qatar’s World Cup organizing committee, says, “Perception (of corruption) will always be a sense of frustration until we overcome how people view us…Baseless accusations were made against our bid. We were presumed guilty before innocent without a shred of evidence being provided.”

The European Club Association is not impressed with UEFA’s plans to change the format for international qualifiers in order to maximize television income and audiences.

3 Comments

  1. The Flyers are poachers. Dooping is a Union celebration, the Flyers need to get one of their own.

  2. At least the Flyers are poaching us now and not other NHL teams. Bro Hymn was whack.

  3. the doop song is whack too. not so sure that’s a step up.

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