Total Futbol

Michelle's Monday Musings...

Did you stay up to watch MLS Cup last night? My thoughts...

Seattle is an awesome soccer town. 46,000 fans showed up, and their team wasn't even playing! The Sounders green and blue scarf has become a must-have fashion accessory in Seattle, which is tres cool. If only MLS could bottle that enthusiasm and sell it to the rest of the country.

Speaking of fashion, Jason Kreis wins best-dressed US coach. Bruce Arena, perhaps trying to live up to his counterpart's fashion sense, looked dapper, as well, in sport jacket. As for David Beckham's current hairdo...thumbs down.

Landon Donovan's cross for Magee goal was absolutely gorgeous. Textbook perfect. But his bad miss in PKs was brutal...Roberto Baggio bad. Poor Landon. Tough time to miss that badly. Otherwise, he played a great game.

Kyle Beckerman, formerly of Miami Fusion, was outstanding. He and his dreadlocks were flying around everywhere. RSL goalie Nick Rimando, also former Fusion player, was rock solid, stopping two PKs and saving the game for the second week in a row.

All in all, an entertaining MLS Final. Hard to believe, though, that a team with a losing regular-season record could beat the star-studded Galaxy. Nice work by RSL general manager Garth Lagerwey, former Fusion goalie, and Kreis.

Now, back to Europe...

Michelle's Thursday Musings...

Had a good time last night at Honduras vs. Peru. The Peruvians spoiled the Honduran party with a 2-1 win. Peru scored its first goal on an own-goal by Honduran Emilio Izaguirre in the 40th minute. David Suazo tied it up on a beautiful solo effort just after halftime, but then Hernan Rengifo knocked in the game winner in the 63rd minute. It was not the kind of warmup Honduras expected, especially against a team of mostly young, untested Peruvians.

The US had an equally horrid result, losing 3-1 at Denmark. NOT good. All three Danish goals in second half. A few key players, such as Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, were missing, but still...

Thierry Henry ADMITS it was a hand ball, but it doesn't matter. Ireland stays home. France goes to South Africa. Life isn't fair sometimes.

MLS names MVP today. Jeff Cunningham (who scored the lone US goal at Denmark), Donovan and Shalrie Joseph are finalists. Banking on Donovan.

If you haven't already, go to www.gousabid.com/miami and support your hometown bid.

Miami FC to play in breakoff league in 2010

From the TOA (much more to come):

Nov. 10, 2009 – The owners of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina Railhawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps, formerly of USL-1, together with St. Louis Soccer United today announced that they have formed a new professional soccer league to play in the United States and Canada beginning in April 2010.

The team owners yesterday submitted an application for sanctioning of the new league as a Division II Men’s Outdoor Professional League by the United States Soccer Federation.  An application for sanctioning as a Division I League will be submitted to the Canadian Soccer Association shortly and applications to other sanctioning bodies in the region will be submitted as needed.

Joey Saputo, President of the 2009 USL-1 champion Montreal Impact, was recently elected Chairman of the Board of Governors of the new league.

“This is not your typical new league,” Saputo said.  “Most of our teams have existed for years.  We have united some of the best owners, teams and markets around a new vision for a professional soccer league in North America.

World Cup in Miami

Miami is one of 27 cities bidding to make the cut of 18 for the USA World Cup bid for 2018 or 2022...The 18 cities will be named on Dec. 4. Local bid committee asks that all fans go to www.gousabid.com/miami and show your support. Then, spread the word to friends and colleagues. The more clicks they get, the better Miami's chances of getting games.

Bid committee met tonight with local soccer leaders at Land Shark Stadium and made a plea to get the word out.

Read more about the local efforts in Sunday's Herald.

Michelle Kaufman.

Big girls tourney coming to Coral Springs

Some of the best young soccer talent in the country will be on display in South Florida next month, participating in the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program Girls' Thanksgiving Interregional.

The event, which will feature local athletes Tina Shakes, Donish Cole and Sidney Parodie, runs Nov. 21-27 at the North Community Park, Cypress Park and Coral Glades High School.

The tournament will feature U-14 and U-16 players, and will draw scouts from the U.S. National Team and more than 125 collegiate coaches.

The matches will be streamed on usyouthsoccer.org.

This and that on a Tuesday afternoon

Hey soccer fans.

Going through World Cup qualifying withdrawal yet? It would be expected after the sugar rush the last day of qualifying brought, with fortunes made and lost all over the globe.

Well good news -- Just two and a half weeks until the U.s. plays...Slovakia!

One thing is certain: Oguchi Onyewu won't be on the field, and might not be again before the World Cup -- if even then.

That, and a hodgepodge of other stuff, below.

U.S. to play Cup qualifiers Slovakia in November

10-man Spain edges U.S. at U-17 World Cup

Man U manager admits FA charge over ref comments

Onyewu Out Six Months

Hull fines Altidore for tweeting apology

Davie's Stefan Jerome a rising star for U.S.

Jermaine Jones cleared to play for USA

Jermaine Jones, the German-American defensive midfielder who plays for Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga, was cleared by FIFA to switch allegiances from Germany to the USA. Jones, 27, has dual citizenship because his father is an African-American soldier who was based in Germany and his mother is German. He grew up in Frankfurt, but spent time in Chicago and Mississippi, as well. He has played for Germany in the youth national team system, but not as a full member of the national team. Jones has been sidelined with fractured leg for several months, and likely wouldn't be available to play for the US until after the new year.

In other news, Landon Donovan was named 2009 Honda Player of the Year.

Les Bleus vs. Les Green!

European World Cup playoff draw was today:

France vs. Ireland, Portugal vs. Bosnia, Greece vs. Ukraine, Russia vs. Slovenia

World Cup Qualifying recap

If anyone ever questions why you love soccer, point to just a few ticks before 10 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, Oct. 14.

Costa Rica was up a goal and just minutes away from the World Cup. The United States had already clinched, and had little to play for but pride, and the honor of seriously injured teammate Charlie Davies.

Then in the final few seconds of stoppage time, something amazing happened. Robbie Rogers looped in a perfect corner kick. Jonathan Bornstein headed it home. The crowd at RFK Stadium, holding up '9' signs in support of Davies, went bonkers.

Aftermath: The United States wins CONCACAF. Honduras is in, thanks to a 1-0 victory over El Salvador. Costa Rica now must survive Uruguay in two-game playoff.

Also, how about Diego Maradona telling off the Argentine press after sending his home country to the World Cup?

Classic.

Fans to salute Davies

Fans at RFK Stadium tonight for the USA-Costa Rica game are planning a 9-minute ovation in the 9th minute to salute forward Charlie Davies, who remains hospitalized in serious condition after a 1-car crash in DC that killed 1 of the passengers. Also, fans can send Davies get well wishes at charliedavies9@yahoo.com They will be printed out and given to him.

Nice guy. Sad story.

Michelle