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More Le Toux, USWNT cruise, more news

Philadelphia Union

Le Toux spotted with Tim Ream at Bolton's win over Liverpool on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Kyle Scott and crossingbroad.com

A report from The Bolton News on Friday quotes Wanderers’ manager Owen Coyle on Sebastien Le Toux, “I’ve had some decent reports on him. He’s very industrious, hard working and looks a very good team player, which is what I’m all about. But we obviously have to make an assessment and a judgment as to whether that transmits to the level we’re involved at. And that’s all we are doing, there’s nothing any further advanced than that.”

Coyle is a big believer in the talent available in MLS.

Recent Union signing Gabriel Gomez has been included on Panama’s 18-player roster ahead of Wednesday’s friendly with the US.

Freddy Adu, Zac MacMath and Amobi Okugo all started in the US U-23’s scoreless draw against Saprissa’s reserve team on Saturday. Sheanon Williams came on in the 77th minute. The roster at MLSsoccer.com lists Jack McInerney both as starting and as coming on as a sub.

The Union Dues wonders what happens if Le Toux is not signed by Bolton.

The Brotherly Game connects the dots in answering the question of why the Union will play a preseason scrimmage with Florida Gulf Coast University on February 11.

Philadelphia Independence

Here’s more on new Independence signing Katrin Omarsdottir. More too on the return of Holmfridur Magnusdottir. We love her.

Here’s a Q & A with Lauren Cheney.

Bianca D’Agostino, drafted by the Independence in 2011 but released by the club, has signed with Boston Breakers. D’Agostino is currently training with the US U-23 team.

CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifiers

Fresh off of their 14–0 nail-biting win over Dominican Republic on Friday, a drop in form saw the USWNT edge past Guatemala with a 13–0 victory to qualify for the semifinals. US Soccer Young Player of the Year Sydney Le Roux, making her second appearance with the senior squad, did an A-Rod and scored five goals in the second half. On Tuesday, the US faces Mexico (universalsports.com, 10:30pm), who earlier on Sunday defeated Dominican Republic 7–0, to avenge their World Cup qualifying loss and for first place in Group B to avoid playing Canada on home turf in the single elimination semis.

Amy Rodriguez and expected Philadelphia Independence teammate Lauren Cheney, as well as former Independence midfielder Lori Lindsey, were part of a ten minute flurry of four goals for the USWNT in the first half. Rodriguez also recorded two assists, Cheney recorded one.

There was criticism of Pia Sundhage as she high-fived those around her with every US goal in the thrashing of the Dominican Republic. This Canadian writer says her job is to train a team that wins games, so what else should she do, adding that the real problem is that CONCACAF’s expansion of the qualifying participants is the real problem.

ESPNW elaborates on the disparity gap.

US Soccer confirmed that defender Ali Krieger’s ACL and MCL in her right knee were torn in a reckless challenge in Friday night’s game. Krieger will be out six to eight months. Because teams cannot make additions to their rosters after the start of the tournament, former Philadelphia Independence and Philadelphia Charge defender Heather Mitts, who filled in for Krieger after the injury and in Sunday night’s win over Guatemala (in which she registered an assist), is likely to continue to start.

In Saturday’s Group A action, Canada defeated Cuba 2–0. Costa Rica defeated Haiti, also by 2–0. Canada faces Costa Rica today for first place and to avoid playing the US in the semis with a win.

Less than 8,000 people bought tickets to see Canada’s opening game against Haiti last Thursday in Vancouver. What does that mean?

Local

Southwest Philadelphia’s Junior Lone Star FC has joined the National Premier Soccer League, Division IV in the US soccer pyramid. The club was founded in 2001 by West African immigrants, mainly Liberians, many of whom came to the US to escape civil war in their countries.

Union Academy member Christian Kaschak, a native of York, PA, will be playing with Penn State beginning in the spring season.

Here’s a Q & A with Sons of Ben member and Northern New Jersey Energy Drink’s signing Christain Barreiro.

MLS

“New York Red Bulls: A Team in Disarray,” brought to you by SB Nation.

Montreal Impacts first scrimmage as an MLS team ended as a scoreless draw against Chivas de Guadelajara.

Surprise, surprise. After Robbie Keane scores two goals on Saturday in his first game since joining Aston Villa, team manager Alex McLeish says he’s welcome to stay.

Very briefly a member of the Philadelphia Union before joining Kansas City, Shavar Thomas is now a Montreal Impact.

US

Jurgen Klinsmann says of the USMNT’s performance against Venezuela on Saturday, “they implemented everything we told them, exact.” Feel free to offer your own response below.

ESPN and MLSsoccer.com have player ratings for Saturday’s friendly while the Shin Guardian has its own take on the game.

Goalscorer Ricardo Clark had not played in a match for club or country since August.

Soccer America thinks that the fact that “pit-bull defensive midfielder” Jermaine Jones, currently serving a suspension from the Bundesliga for intentionally stamping on another player, was named captain of the US team against Venezuela made for “a dark day in U.S. men’s national team history.”

Here’s an interview with Eric Westover, the goalkeeper for the U.S. National Amputee Soccer Team.

Elsewhere

To celebrate his selection as the US Soccer Male Player of the Year, on Saturday Clint Dempsey became the first US player to score a hat trick in the Premiership in Fulham’s 5–2 win over Newcastle. He scored a hat trick in FA Cup play on Jan 7.

Bob Bradley describes what life is like in Egypt. Sounds pretty cool, actually.

Europe’s top clubs will have a chance to express their grievances against UEFA and FIFA in February.

8 Comments

  1. The only thing I would like to add about the USMNT match is my sincere hope that after the match Tyler Twellman and Ricardo Ortiz were taken out to the back of the stadium and shot. Twice.

    • Holy crap. Could they have been worse. Hey, Ricardo, learn how to pronounce the names of the players on the field. Also he seemed like he was watching his first game of soccer.
      Taylor was just a dick. It’s actually a big problem with former players as commentators. They always remind you what someone should have done. But not in a good way. Not, “I would have bent the ball the other direction.” or “he should have passed but elected to shoot.”
      No. It was more. “He should have scored there.” “He should have shot the ball on frame.” “He should have beaten his man.” Yes captain obvious. But soccer is a very challenging sport,if everyone succeeded 100% of the time, games would end 23-21.
      But the worst announcing performance of the weekend was hands down Brandi Chastain. Good lord. From applauding Pia for wildly celebrating her teams 12th goal to criticizing a US player for not attempting a 14 yard diving header in the 75th minute. She was mean, unprofessional and often, just plain wrong.

      • If everyone succeeded 100% of the time? Couldn’t happen, muchacho. How could a striker score each time he puts the ball on frame if the keeper is successful in keeping said ball out of the net? Hmmmm? 😉

      • Welcome to my point. No one is perfect and you have to credit the opposition. TT did not acknowledge either.

      • That being said the US choked on a lot of shots, great goal tending aside there is no way the score should have been 1-0

      • I am forever indebted to you for this inmfortaion.

    • The Spanish commentators on Galavision were awesome. 😉

      Good showings from Cameron and Parkhurst. Larentowicz was invisible, which is probably good for a d-mid. Wondolowski and Jones were all over the place. Feilhaber had some nice touches, particularly that sweet split-the-defenders pass to Shea. Nobody else impressed that much (Clark’s unmarked goal aside), though Sapong was pretty active in his little bit of time.

      • I guess I’m alone, but I thought Benny was very poor. He made two highlight reel passes, but also tried 2 dozen other audacious flicks and silly, improbable through balls. He should have controlled the game for the US, but had very little consistent influence other than constantly complaining to the ref.

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