Daily news roundups

Union look for result against SJ, US ready for CR, more news

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Philadelphia Union

Jeff Parke said of Sunday’s game against San Jose, “With seven games left, every point is dire, and coming to San Jose it definitely is important to get at least one point on the road.”

Sebastien Le Toux said of the Union’s game plan, “We just need one goal to score to win. We hope to score one and then we’ll see how the game goes.”

Brian Carroll on how San Jose is different than Montreal: “In some ways they’re more dangerous. They have bigger bodies. They like to whip balls in and crash the box. They are more smash mouth, in your face and they have quality. They like to mix it up and have the personnel to be a bit more direct.”

Here’s our preview and our quick reference with stats and video highlights of the past games between the Union and San Jose. Look for preview in the Guardian later this morning. More previews from Brotherly Game, WhoScored.com, 7msports, and Goal.com.

At Goal.com, Kyle McCarthy predicts a draw. “Philadelphia must retain its recent defensive solidity (five clean sheets in its past seven matches) and strike once or twice at the other end in order to ensure the necessary result.” Whoscored.com predicts a San Jose win.

San Jose is 5-0-0 at Buck Shaw stadium under interim manager Mark Watson.

Sheanon Williams admits the players look at the league standings. “I think we’re all human and like to look and see what the standings are like, but when it’s time to play, we’re completely focused on that game on that day.”

Ray Gaddis says the Union defense doesn’t get the respect it deserves. “It’s definitely a motivational point. We don’t talk about it too much, but quietly everyone knows. We’re all on the same page. We know what we’re doing…Of course you feel like, hey, we should get some respect. But hey, when we go out there, we’ve just got to continue to go out there and do our jobs.”

David Murphy says it’s not only time for McInerney to start scoring again. “[T]his weekend, the ball needs to start going in, not only for Jack but for the others who’ve started contributing recently.  If not, fans can look forward to more games like last week (a draw that probably should’ve been a win) and a tenuous march toward a playoff berth.”

At CSN Philly, Dave Zeitlin lays out why the YSC Academy is such a big deal.

More on the academy from Goal.com and Crossing Broad.

Zeitlin also quotes Nick Sakiewicz on the possibility of girls attending the academy. “For girls aspiring to go to college, play in a professional league or play for the US national team, it would be a great opportunity and it’s absolutely in our plans,,” adding, “But it’s too early.”

It’s always interesting to read a player’s take on things but the latest “Le Toux Corner” on the Union website is misleadingly titled “What a month it’s been” in that the Frenchman reviews games from the middle of July through the middle  of August.

An article on the Union website looks at how the personalized skate deck designs of Sons of Ben member Bill Gusler have made him a hit in the Union locker room.

The Development Academy season kicks off this weekend with the Union U-14, U-16, and U-18 academy teams hosting Richmond Kickers on Saturday and Richmond Strikers on Sunday at YSC Sports.

US

Previews for tonight’s World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica (10 pm, beIN Sport) from PSP, US Soccer, MLSsoccer.com, and SISoccer America and Steve Sampson have a scouting report on the Costa Rica team.

Michael Bradley said, “We’re coming to play. We’re coming to make chances. We’re coming to fight and be hard as a team, but that in every way we’re looking to come away with three points.”

Landon Donovan said, “We have what it takes to beat this team on Friday. And there’s no reason why we can’t go in there with the attitude that we can win this game.”

Tim Howard said the team’s recent success stems from a more aggressive approach. “In large part, we’ve been pressing teams when the ball turns over, and we’ve made that a priority,. I think when you do that, as you see with Barcelona, who really kind of started all this, you win the ball higher up the field. You’ve got less work to do. You don’t have to build and break a team down. You’ve basically made the ball turn over and you’re right back at them.”

Jurgen Klinsmann discussed the impact that having eight players one yellow card away from suspension has on his starting lineup selection. “It doesn’t condition our lineup. It’s about Costa Rica. It’s about that game. Whatever happens Friday night, we will adjust to the Mexico game. Is it ideal? No. It’s eight guys. That situation is not an easy thing but we’ll take it the way it is. We’re not holding back by any means.”

While Jozy Altidore has been declared fit after a hamstring injury last week, Klinsmann said his status is day-to-day as a starter. “We take it day by day…Everything is healed with the hamstring issue. We did an MRI. We did tests. Nothing can happen, but he hasn’t trained in a full rhythm for seven, eight days.”

If Altidore doesn’t start, Aron Johansson is ready to go.

Landon Donovan is feeling good. “I guess if I had to evaluate, I’d say this is the best I’ve ever played. The energy I had when I was 20 is pretty close to being matched now, but I have the experience of all the years. Everything has really slowed down for me now. I see everything very clearly on the field. Everything sort of makes sense. Not every play is perfect, but I feel like every time I get the ball I have a real chance to impact the game. That’s a great feeling. I’m just going to keep enjoying it.”

Soccer America looks at the past history of Mexican referee Marco Antonio Rodriguez, the referee for tonight’s game, with the US.

At the Washington Post, Steven Goff sets the scene in Costa Rica.

Here’s a look at Costa Rica’s Estadio Nacional, built by China with Chinese labor as a gift in exchange for Costa Rica ending relations with Taiwan.

Soccer America notes the chances the US will clinch a World Cup berth tonight are small. Like 7.4 percent small.

At the Wall Street Journal, a nonsensical article called, “Why the US may not win the World Cup.”

Earlier this week we linked to an article about a possible US friendly in Scotland in November. Now comes word of a possible friendly in November against Spain.

Here’s a look at 11-year-old Joshua Pynadath, the first American to join Real Madrid’s youth academy.

Local

There are multiple home openers this weekend for area college teams.

Alex Shuptar tells PSP, “On Sunday, the United Soccer League of Pennsylvania will begin its 2013/2014 season, celebrating its 54th anniversary as one of the country’s premier men’s amateur leagues. The league will consist of seven teams this season with the addition of Montgomery United Soccer Club and departure of the West Chester Predators, last year’s Eastern Pennsylvania over-30 champion.

“The first week of play features several quality matches with three-time defending champion Phoenix S.C. visiting Ukrainian Nationals, West Chester United Majors squaring off against Danubia, and Vereinigung Erzgebirge playing host to United German Hungarians at the club’s 76th annual Oktoberfest – Sportsfest.”

The Casa League fall season also kicks off this weekend.

Reading United will be the administrators of the Wilson Fall Classic, Oct. 11-13.

Mechanicsburg’s Cumberland Valley High School girls’ soccer team is ranked 19th in the country.

MLS

Toronto FC have confirmed the departure of president and general manager Kevin Payne. The team also announced, “out of consideration for season seat holders, renewals for 2014 TFC season seats would be delayed from later this month until January, 2014 to give supporters proper time to evaluate the team’s off-season moves and progress before committing.”

Tim Leiweke, president & CEO of Toronto FC owners Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, said that head coach Ryan Nielsen has his support. “What I am certain of is that with respect to the way that we need to go as an organization, Ryan sees the world exactly the way we do. I’m supportive of Ryan. He will be our coach next year.”

Leiweke also said the team is in the market for an Italian DP.

The Portland Timbers have acquired midfielder Brad Ring from San Jose in exchange for a 2014 draft pick. The team also announced that defender Ryan Miller is out for the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his left tibia.

Dan Hunt, president of FC Dallas owners the Hunt Sports Group, believes more lucrative TV deals are right around the corner for MLS.

Here’s a look at the five finalists for Chicago’s new third kit design contest for fans.

FC Dallas is expected to name its new stadium sponsor on Tuesday.

Orlando mayor Budd Dwyer says city residents cannot be partial owners of the Orlando City Lions even if they pay for much of the cost of a new stadium.

More on San Antonio mayor Julian Castro’s support of the NASL’s Scorpions becoming an MLS franchise.

Elsewhere

Eric Abidal says Barcelona didn’t pay him when he was out for a liver transplant.

Citing Danish reports, ProSoccerTalk says, “Danish UEFA Champions League participant FC Copenhagen has instituted a policy by which fans whose names do not sound Danish will not be able to buy tickets to group-stage matches except in the away section.”

Ahram Online reports that the Egyptian Cup will begin on Oct. 17 with the Egyptian Premier League to resume play on Nov. 23.  The 2013 season was cancelled after Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi was ousted in July. The 2012 season was cancelled after the massacre of soccer fans in Port Said in February of that year.

3 Comments

  1. Thought I read somewhere that Bearfight FC’s inaugural game is this Sunday morning (Sept 8th) at 10AM somewhere in Huntingdon Valley.

  2. Look at the difference between the quotes of the Union players and the USMNT players about playing on the road and trying to go for the win or “get a result.” Very telling about the coaches.

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