Total Futbol

U.S. Men's team invites 20 to camp

Less than two weeks before the U.S. team travels to Columbus to play Mexico in a World Cup qualifier, coach Bob Bradley announced the 20 players that will join him at a nine-day camp in Carson, Calif.

The roster is nearly identical to the group that trained together from Jan. 4 through 24.

The 20-man squad can be found here.

ESPN: Expansion race remains to close to call

Thursday's Need To Know

Every morning (that I make it out of bed before noon), I'll give you a digest of national and international news that you, well, need to know.

The headlines:

Beckham bends it again for AC Milan

Mexico falls to Sweden, has U.S. next

Speaking of which ... Mexico-U.S. game sold out

Brazil Legend Pele Condemns Robinho

From Thursday's Miami Herald

Busy, busy Wednesday night of soccer in South Florida, and we were everywhere. Most of the teams that were expected to roll did so, but there was a surprise or two.

The headlines:

Varela boys' soccer defeats Coral Reef in semifinal

North Broward Prep advances to district final

North Miami boys upset American 1-0

Aquinas girls' soccer team has a fiery muse

Cypress Bay boys ready for Western

North Broward Prep rolls

Injuries and illness forced North Broward Prep to scramble its starting 11 against Coral Springs Charter.

It didn't matter.

Jose Vega scored twice and Xavier Silva had a goal and an assist, spurring a 6-0 rout.

The Eagles face Pine Crest in the District 13-3A title game Friday.

More to come in Thursday's Miami Herald.

S. Fla. gets love from NSCAA/adidas

Six South Florida schools are ranked among the top 11 in Region I (Southern schools playing winter soccer) by NSCAA/adidas in their latest poll, released Tuesday.

They are: Wellington (No. 1), Boca Raton (No. 2), American (No. 5), Killian (No. 8), University School of Nova (T-No. 10) and North Broward Prep (T-No. 10).

Ranked in the top 10 nationally: Wellington (No. 2) and Boca Raton (No. 10).

The next round of polls come out Feb. 10.

Sudden death for Pompano High School

Awaiting the start of the North Broward Prep-Coral Springs Charter game, and just caught the end of a good one that preceded it.

Pine Crest dispatched Pompano with a goal by junior Andrew Logan midway through the first overtime after a scoreless regulation. In some other states, games tied after regulation have two 10-minute overtime periods, regardless of how many goals are scored.

Not in Florida. Absolute elation for Pine Crest and devastation for Pompano as the ball found the back of the net.

In Wednesday's Miami Herald

Found in the high school-heavy print version:

A recap of the Dade Christian's astounding 12th-straight district title in girls' soccer.

And a look ahead at the boys' tournament, in which Monarch looks to avenge last year's disappointing loss in the semis, its only district defeat in school history.

I'll be at the North Broward Prep-Coral Springs Charter boys' game tonight. NBP is a squad poised to make a run deep  into February.

Expansion Sounders FC to open 2009 season

Major League Soccer released its 2009 schedule Wednesday, and will feature its newest team right away. Seattle Sounders FC wil host the New York Red Bulls on Thursday, March 19. The game will air on ESPN2 at 9 p.m.

The complete schedule is available here.

And in case you're curious about the status of Miami's bid for an expansion franchise, we hear that an announcement will be made in the next seven weeks. Of course, you'll know as soon as we do.

In other MLS news:

D.C. United re-signs McTavish

Chivas USA signs Canadian defender Jazic

And from earlier: Beckham considering staying with AC Milan

Let's have a ball

OK, a corny joke, I know. But I can't promise it'll be the last one in this space. What I can promise is this will be fun -- for both the casual soccer fan and the die-hard. We'll blog what you want to know, what you need to know, what you ought to know, and what no one in their right mind should know. Should be a kick.