Gold Cup: Guatemala v Mexico Highlights

Mexico was kept to a respectable score line, but still moves on after an early scare from Guatemala in the 1st half.



Video: Footytube

A Little Weekend Entertainment

Remember the whole Joga Bonita campaign from Nike? We stumbled on one from their ads in Brazil. A little Portugal v Brazil fest ala the Brazil airport one. Enjoy.



Video: Nike

USWNT Roster and WC Schedule

Got a rundown for those of you jonesing for some women's soccer (there are a few of you I'm told). I'll also be trying to get you updates and highlights from the Women's WC2011 in Germany over the next month.

Date Opponent Time (ET) TV Venue
June 28 Korea DPR 11:45 a.m. ESPN in Dresden
July 2 Colombia 11:30 a.m. ESPN / Galavision in Sinsheim
July 6 Sweden 2:30 p.m. ESPN / Galavision in Wolfsburg

(All times EST)

U.S. Women’s World Cup Team Roster by Position
GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart (Philadelphia Independence), Jill Loyden (magicJack), Hope Solo (magicJack)
DEFENDERS (8): Rachel Buehler (Boston Breakers), Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers), Ali Krieger (out of contract), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (Atlanta Beat), Christie Rampone (magicJack), Becky Sauerbrunn (magicJack)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Shannon Boxx (magicJack), Tobin Heath (Sky Blue FC), Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence), Carli Lloyd (Atlanta Beat), Kelley O’Hara (Boston Breakers), Heather O’Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (Philadelphia Independence)
FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers), Alex Morgan (Western New York Flash), Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence), Abby Wambach (magicJack)

Photo: Fifa

EPL 2011-2012 Schedule Released

There are some interesting ones here as transcribed from Sky Sports:

Opening day fixtures

Blackburn v Wolverhampton
Fulham v Aston Villa
Liverpool v Sunderland
Man City v Swansea
Newcastle v Arsenal
QPR v Bolton
Stoke v Chelsea
Tottenham v Everton
West Brom v Man Utd
Wigan v Norwich

Boxing Day fixtures (Dec 26th for all those who don't know)

Arsenal v Wolverhampton
Bolton v Newcastle
Chelsea v Fulham
Liverpool v Blackburn
Man Utd v Wigan
Norwich v Tottenham

EPL Free Agency Begins

Looks like several teams are dumping roster money. Can't say I'm surprised to see some of these names... Woodgate for Spurs (great player and guy but if you look at him funny he gets injured), Newcastle's Kuqi (why did they even bother with that fatboy?) et al...

Take a peek courtesy of Sky Sports

Arsenal

Thomas Cruise, Roarie Deacon, Mark Randall

Aston Villa

Durrell Berry, John Carew, Ellis Deeney, Calum Flanagan, Harry Forrester, Arsenio Halfhuid, Isaiah Osbourne, Robert Pires, Nigel Reo-Coker, Moustapha Salifou

Birmingham City

Marcus Bent, Lee Bowyer, Sebastian Larsson, James McFadden, Mitchell McPike, James O'Shea, Stuart Parnaby, Kevin Phillips, Daniel Preston, Luke Rowe, Robin Shroot, Maik Taylor

Gold Cup: Guadeloupe v US Highlights

Jozy finally shows what we've been waiting for with a screamer from 30yrds out. Damn. Too bad our million shots on goal ended in a 1-0 win... US needs to get that shooting thing figured out. Oh, and Wondolowski stinks it up again.



Video: Anatoliy_65

Gold Cup Quarters Set

Saturday June 18th @ New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.

Costa Rica vs. Honduras, 5 p.m. EST
Mexico vs. Guatemala, 8 p.m. EST

Sunday June 19th @ RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.

Jamaica vs. United States, 3 p.m. EST
Panama vs. El Salvador, 6 p.m. EST

As usual, all games will be on FSC or if you don't have that channel, try Veetle to watch the game online (usually with a 30-40 sec time delay off the live action).

An aside. Remember the last time US played Jamaica? Me neither. I went back to check the stats on FIFA's site and the last time we matched up was 2006... in Cary NC. We hold a 6-4 agg score since 2004, but our record against them is a more pedestrian 1-3-0 in that span. Let's just not get worked up into a lather if Jamaica puts up a real fight because they do have a solid team, despite making the WC only once, in 1998.

Photo: CONCACAF

Gold Cup: Honduras v Jamaica Highlights

This one was a close game. The difference? The cruel hand of fate hits the Honduran keeper. I feel a McDonald's commercial on this one. Crossbar, keepers back, nothing but net...



Video: Univision

Best Goal in MLS history?

The internet is all abuzz with this goal scored yesterday by Frenchman Eric Hassli of Vancouver Whitecaps. Even more remarkable is that Vancouver tied the game in Seattle at 1-1 in the 81st minute, Seattle regained the lead in the 84th, and then in the 85th minute, this beauty.



A shame that a silly statistic obscured the live shot of the goal, but at least the view was intact on replays. The news media are calling it the MLS goal of the year, for sure, and I think it might even be the prettiest goal in MLS history.

Video courtesy WhitecapsHD

Too Early To Call for Bob Bradley's Head?

Going into the Gold Cup this year, Bob Bradley was riding a high. He had a decent, albeit extremely lucky WC 2010 showing, a win against Spain, a first half surprise upset in the making on Brazil before they came back, and there was even talk about him taking over the US Olympic team as well.

Fast forward to Friday, June 3rd. Spain comes to Foxborough with a full squad and proceeds to dismantle a US team trying to tune up for the Gold Cup to the sounds of a 4-0 whooping. Our starting lineup was a joke. Sure, we said we're resting Gooch... and Jones and Dempsey and Jozy and well, pretty much the whole team apparently.

How we even get friendlies like this astonishes me.

Gold Cup: Panama v USA Highlights

While some of the referee calls were questionable, it is no excuse as the US loses it's first group stage match of the Gold Cup... ever... 2-1 with a simply horrific display along the back line. Goodson's goal late doesn't make up for the penalty he caused nor the hack fest he put on display last night.



Video: anatoliy_65