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March 28, 2007
Maybe you know, but perhaps not. The Carolina Challenge Cup is taking place this weekend. It usually consists of three MLS teams, and the Charleston Battery, a USL team. This year the Battery are joined by MLS Cup Winners Houston Dynamo, the New York Redbulls, and of course new boys Toronto FC (why else would I be telling you this?) Anyway, Toronto lost to Houston on Saturday by a scoreline of two - nil. Not too bad considering it was the first real game against an MLS team, and a championship side that’s been playing competitively in the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup. Their second match was today against the New York Redbulls. Toronto won two - one. Apparently the game could be watched online, unfortunately I was at class, and couldn’t catch it, but Jesse could. Check out his player ratings. Or you can read it on the MLS site. All I can say is look at those spiffy new kits. The grey one’s have to look good. Toronto wrap up the CCC on Saturday when they play the hosts, they then play Chivas in LA on April seventh in their first ever MLS match.

As it was International week in the world of football, there’s nothing to report on the Whites. Well, not directly. Idan Tal did score for Israel in their four - nil stomping of Estonia. Israel continues to keep the pressure on England at this point. After starting in Greece’s four - one loss to Turkey Stelios sound himself on the bench while Greece went on to a one - nil win over lowly Malta. Michalík who wasn’t evne called up for Slovakia’s three - one win over Cyprus had a spot on the bench for Slovakia in their one - nil defeat by Ireland. Jääskeläinen started in net as the Fins lost to Azerbaijan. Méïté and the Ivory Coast picked up a three - nil win over Madagascar keeping them atop their group with six points in two games. El-Hadji Diouf and Abdoulaye Faye picked up a win with Senegal four - nil over Tanzania. Diouf contributed two assists. Jamaica picked up a draw in their friendly.

Unfortunately I didn’t get to see Pumas this weekend, but they took on Atlante, and as form would have it. They drew. Four draws in a row. DT has the report, and a good one at that.

The US also had a couple of friendlies this week. The first against Ecuador. The second was today against Guatemala. I missed the first half, but managed to pick up the second. It was a game that didn’t really impress me too much. Dempsey didn’t look like much, and Donovan was a shadow of himself against Ecuador, which I guess is to be expected. The US kept forcing and trying to work in through the middle, when it clearly wasn’t working. Guatemala was packing bodies in the box making it difficult for the US to get any close passing down. That’s when it comes time to rip long range shots and hope rebounds land at the feet of teammates, and this was something they failed to do. Overall I wasn’t all that impressed. The US will play China next in June, and then on to the Copa America and Gold Cup.

- BC Pangie
Posted In: Football News, Toronto FC, MLS, US Soccer, Match Reports, U.N.A.M de Pumas
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US Win At Home

March 25, 2007
The US Men’s National team strung together their third win in as many matches under interim coach Bob Bradley against a lack luster Ecuadorian side in Tampa, Florida today. The US squad featured eight MLS players and ten international players.

Landon Donovan scored the first of his three goals only forty-five seconds into the match. Poor clearance from the box by the Ecuadorian captain put the ball at Donovan’s feet who was able to blast home on the far right hand side of the goal. Despite the early goal, neither side really looked dominant. The US had a few good opportunities, but so did the South Americans and it was they who would tally the next in the eleventh minute through Felipe Caicedo. Caicedo carried into the box, and managed to elude three or four American defenders. Eventually Tim Howard came out of goal to shut down the angle, but Caicedo’s shot caught Howard’s knee and subsequently found the back of the net. Just a minute prior to this goal Caicedo had beat the offside trap and forced Howard to come out off his line and make a great one on one save.

The rest of the first half really didn’t see much from the North Americans as it was Ecuador who seemed to be the better team, although not that much better, as the US developed some good chances through Eddie Johnson and DeMarcus Beasley, and Brian Ching in injury time.

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- BC Pangie
Posted In: US Soccer, Match Reports, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, Friendlies
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Dallman to Bolton?

February 18, 2007

"Who?" You ask.  Matthew Dallman, twenty-one year old, five-foot-five right-sided striker/midfielder from University of Portland has apparently spent the last week training with the Bolton Reserves.  Unfortunately for Dallman he is a bit short, however it has been noted that his character and quickness make up for his diminutive stature. 

Dallman was a stand-out player at University of Portland, and he also spent some time playing for Bradenton Athletics a premier development team out of Florida.   While playing with Bradenton  he played in fourteen games, logging just under 1,200 minutes of playing time, scoring two goals, assisting on seven and amassing only six fouls.

Apparently, Dallman does not appear very concerned about getting a contract offer from Big Sam as he has noted to the media he has other trials set up across Europe, with German side Bayern Munich among them.  Dallman has some ties with Europe as both of his fathers parents hail from England, while his great-grandfather, Roderick Welsh, played for Portsmouth and Port Vale.

If Dallman is signed by the Whites, he would not be the first American to play for Big Sam.  There is another American on the team in Johann Smith, who despite making his debut this season, was loaned to Football League One team Carlisle United F.C. 

Sources: 

Yank impresses on Bolton trial
Bradenton Athletics 

- BC Pangie
Posted In: Football News, US Soccer, Bolton Wanderers
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2007 Copa América

February 15, 2007
Groups for the 2007 Copa América in Venezuela were announced yesterday evening. Hosts Venezuela were drawn into group A along with Uruguay, Bolivia, and Peru. Brazil, the current holders of the Copa América, look to be the heavy favorite in group B as they will be taking on Mexico, Chile and Ecuador. The final group, group C will most likely be won by Argentina, leaving the United States, Paraguay, and Colombia to battle for the second place spot.
 

The tournament will kick off on June twenty-sixth as Venezuela takes on Bolivia, and Peru takes on Uruguay. Group play will be concluded on July fifth with the USA taking on Colombia, and Argentina rounding out play with Paraguay. The tournament will be concluded on July fifteenth.

As winners of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup the US has been given an invitation to join in the tournament. This will be the third time the US has entered into the Copa América competition, the last time being in 1995.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copa_Am%C3%A9rica_2007
http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_281700.html

- BC Pangie
Posted In: Football News, US Soccer, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL
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Some Defense and a Bit of Luck

February 7, 2007
The first-half of this "international derby," really wasn’t much of a first-half.  Both sides came out looking flat and uncreative.  The pace of play was slow, and neither team really looked to create many oportunities.  There were a few chances for both sides early on, but really nothing to speak of in the end.  Perhaps the best chance of the first-half came in the forty-third minute.  Jimmy Conrad had given up a corner kick after breaking up a potentially harmful Mexican counter attack.  The first corner was taken only to be blown dead while the referee had some words with Conrad.  The retaken kick found the head of ex-Bolton Wanderer Jared Borgetti, who glanced it wide and to the left.
 
The first-half may have been slow but the U.S. would have at least one good look at the Mexican goal before half-time.  Landon Donovan carried the ball in with speed, looked through a Mexican defender and took a tight angled shot that Oswaldo Sanchez did well to stop.  Had Donovan slowed the play up he would have been able to find Reading’s Bobby Convey making an overlapping run to his outside.
 
The second-half was a completley different game.  Both sides started out rather slow, but soon the pace quickened and provided a good match.  The first of the U.S. goals came off a Donovan corner kick that found Conrad virtually unmarked, as he easily slotted the ball in on the left post leaving little hope of a block for the Mexican stopper.
 
This first U.S. goal only seemed to give the Mexican side life as the rest of the game was seemingly dominated by El Tri.  In the fifty-seventh minute Andres Guardado did well to send a ball from the touchline through the U.S. box.  The ball went through the box a step behind a crashing Borgetti and missed everyone else.  It was Guardado again in the sixty-second minute causing problems for Christ Albright as Guardado dribbled by him and sent a cross over the goal which Borgetti touched back.  The following shot was deflected and the chance was lost.
 
The sixty-sixth and sixty-seventh minutes were the most worrysome for the U.S. side as El Tri missed two easily convertable tries on goal.  The first saw a mis-communication between Fulham player Carlos Bocanegra and captain Pablo Mastroeni.  Neither player stepped up on a through ball that slid through to the feet of a Mexican striker.  Luckily Albright and Tim Howard were able to clean up the mess and leave the U.S. side one up.    The next chance for Mexico came off a corner kick that once again found Borgetti who’s header skipped wide and remained in play only for Omar Bravo to knock his chance into the arms of a waiting Howard.  The third good chance in a heated two minutes of play came when Bocanegra tried to get a touch on a long ball falling over his sholder.  His touch, while a good effort, landed  at the feet of Borgetti who touched it square to a wide open striker who seemed to fall over the ball, ala Ricardo VazTe, and completley miss.  Another lucky break for the U.S. side.
 
The U.S. had a great chance as Bobby Convey and Eddie Johnson pressured a Mexican defender who coughed the ball up to Convey who dribbled in from the side and unleashed a shot to the far post that Sanchez punched away up the middle of the field.  Unfortunately for the U.S. no one was following up.
 
El Tri had their next - and really their last - chance at the U.S. net when a cross from Carlos Salcido caught the U.S. stopper a bit out of position, however it also caught Francisco Fonseca out of position as he had to stretch to reach the ball which narrowly missed his foot.
 
It was an injury time goal from Donovan, and a bit of a fault from the referee (Mauricio (CAN)), that really put this game out of reach of El Tri.  A Mexican pass across field was blocked by the referee into the feet of  Ricardo Clark who gave Donovan a dainty little pass to release the offsides.  Donovan then carried the ball with speed leaving the Mexican defenders chasing, as he calmly dribbled around Sanchez and slotted home making the game two nil to the U.S.
 
It was a great performance by Howard, in goal, with Conrad and Bocanegra in the center-back position that led the U.S. to a victory today.  With no doubt Conrad had one of the better performances of anyone on the U.S. side.  Not to be left out is Jonathon Bornstein who, despite being young, showed some degree of skill and confidence.  In the coming years he will be a player to watch if he continues with his hard work ethic.
 
In the end, it really was the defense that won the game for the U.S., as it was Mexico dominating for much of the match. 
 
U.S.: 6/10 | Mexico: 6.5/10 
 
Final Score: U.S. 2 - 0 Mexico
 

- BC Pangie
Posted In: US Soccer, Match Reports, CONCACAF
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