BC Soccer News, Monday, April 3, 2017

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC  4  L.A. GALAXY  2

MATCHDAY #4

SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2017

BC PLACE, VANCOUVER, BC

MLS PHOTOS: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 4 LA Galaxy 2, April 1 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

Whitecaps finally roll after Robinson goes all-in with Manneh trade – The Province
In his first 112 games in MLS, holding midfielder Matias Laba scored twice. He matched that in 20 minutes Saturday night.

Montero, Laba, Techera lead second-half offensive onslaught as ‘Caps win 4-2 over LA Galaxy – Whitecaps FC
Fredy Montero, Matías Laba, and Cristian Techera led a second-half offensive onslaught in front of 25,083 fans as Vancouver Whitecaps FC (1W-2L-1D) won 4-2 against LA Galaxy (1W-3L-0D) in a wild Saturday evening at BC Place.

Whitecaps 4, Galaxy 2: Hair today, gone tomorrow as Caps clip Galaxy for first MLS win – The Province
Not only do the Vancouver Whitecaps look suddenly better on the field, their fans are going to look spectacular in the stands, too. Power to the people! Free haircuts for all!

Montero shines in Whitecaps comeback – Whitecaps Fan Blog
What a change!  After three matches in which no Whitecaps player has played well we get a match in which it is hard to pick man of the match because so many played so well.  Was it Montero, who scored one and created two more?  Was it Laba who score two?  Was it Techera who got it all rolling, scoring one and creating another?  Was it Tchani, who, in his debut match for the Whitecaps played for 30 minutes and was on the pitch for 3 Whitecaps goals?

And the winner is LaLa Land… no wait wrong envelope, it’s the Whitecaps – AFTN
It’s still very early in the season to call a team desperate, but with five of their next six MLS matches coming up on the road, Vancouver Whitecaps were already bordering on desperate times just a few weeks into the new campaign.

Clement Diop shoulders the blame for Vancouver defeat: “This is on me” – LA Galaxy
Goalkeeper Clement Diop willingly shouldered the brunt of the blame for the LA Galaxy’s disappointing 4-2 defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday.

Vancouver Whitecaps v LA Galaxy: What did we learn? – Soccer Shorts
Fair warning to you all that I watched the majority of the Vancouver Whitecaps 4-2 win over the LA Galaxy on my phone while waiting to board a flight to the UK so the insights contained within will be those of a man both jet lagged and uninformed.

From a snowstorm in Edmonton to the Champions League semifinals: ‘Caps look to continue ‘incredible journey’ – Whitecaps FC
On Wednesday night at BC Place, when Vancouver Whitecaps FC host reigning Mexican champions Tigres UANL in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals (7 p.m. PT – tickets still available), they will be continuing a journey that’s been almost two years in the making. A journey that – yes, you guessed it – started with a snowstorm.

MLS Weekend Rewind: Week 5 – SBI
Following the conclusion of the international break, MLS returned with a full schedule, one which included several surprises and plenty of duds along the way.

Reds lose Irwin for at least a month – Toronto Sun
Toronto FC goalkeeper Clint Irwin will miss 4-5 weeks after sustaining a hamstring strain during last Friday night’s home opener.

Excuses, Excuses as Red Bulls Falter – Empire of Soccer
It is Jesse Marsch‘s third season in charge of the New York Red Bulls and the continuing storyline of “team self-discovery” is wearing thin.

Chicago Fire 2, Montreal Impact 2 | 2017 MLS Match Recap – MLS
On Saturday afternoon, Bastian Schweinsteiger wasted no time in showing the Chicago Fire the kind of impact he will make for his new club. The German legend opened his MLS account by scoring in the 17th minute of his debut with the Fire at Toyota Park. Then, after the Montreal Impact looked to have spoiled the day for Fire fans with two second-half goals, Luis Solignac rescued a share of the points for the Fire with a final 2-2 draw.

Impact feel frustrated after 2-2 tie vs Chicago Fire – Mount Royal Soccer
It was a first for many actors involved in the 2-2 tie between the Montreal Impact and the Chicago Fire.

Impact faces looming contract crunch for key trio – Montreal Gazette
The Montreal Impact are only a few games into the 2017 season, but it’s never to early to look ahead slightly as it relates to the status of players. “Players come and players go” is the old saying in sports. With that in mind, I have a few personnel issues for the club to consider.

MLS Counterattack: Altidore invaluable for Toronto FC – Sportsnet
And then there was one. While TFC was held to a draw in its home opener after earning three points in Vancouver, the Whitecaps finally picked up their first win of the season with a solid comeback effort. The Impact, on the other hand, let a victory slip through their hands—again!

Minnesota United FC Exorcize Their Demons, Beat Real Salt Lake 4-2 At Home – Fifty Five One
Minnesota United FC defeated Real Salt Lake 4-2 at TCF Bank Stadium. A brace by Christian Ramirez, along with goals by Kevin Molino and Johan Venegas, proved the difference for Minnesota’s first MLS win.

Earthquakes “frustrated and concerned” as subtle errors extend road woes – MLS
“It’s a new season, so this is only our second chance, which is the way we want to look at it,” said San Jose forward Chris Wondolowski. “Our second chance at not being able to come away with three points is frustrating. We’re not coming here for a 0-0 draw, we’re here to come away with three points and to not come away with that is frustrating and concerning.”

CONCACAF Champions League: FC Dallas v. Pachuca Leg 2 Preview – MLS Multiplex
FC Dallas look to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League Final in Pachuca, Mexico while holding a 2-1 advantage.

FC Dallas always targeted CONCACAF Champions League title – ESPN FC
Winning the CONCACAF Champions League has proven to be a tall order for MLS clubs, but Matt Hedges says FC Dallas has always been aiming for the trophy.

Can Pachuca, Tigres maintain Liga MX dominance over MLS in CONCACAF? – ESPN FC
In the CONCACAF Champions League, it’s Liga MX vs. MLS in the semifinal second legs, with Tigres and Pachuca seeking to make it another all-Mexican final. Seven of the last 10 CCL title games have been disputed between two Liga MX clubs, with the Vancouver Whitecaps and FC Dallas looking to become the first MLS team to win the competition since the LA Galaxy won in 2000.

MLS reported attendances for 2017 on par with 2016 so far despite glut of empty seats – World Soccer Talk
For the first 45 games of the 2017 MLS season, the average attendance is virtually even with 2016 despite lots of empty seats at many MLS stadiums, particularly from this past weekend.

Alan Green says summer broadcasting role with MLS side Atlanta United has given him ‘a surge of electricity’ – The Telegraph
When Alan Green ended his interview with Atlanta United president Darren Eales, the veteran BBC broadcaster did not think for one second that it would lead to a commentary job with the MLS club.

Atlanta United’s ambition: to become ‘the biggest club in America’ – Yahoo Sports
As far as scoreless early-season Major League Soccer draws go, the 0-0 tie last Friday between the Seattle Sounders and Atlanta United was as good as it gets.

Debate over soccer stadium funding highlights divisions in St. Louis – Howler
The promising, cynical, deeply unfortunate campaign to bring Major League Soccer to St. Louis

Train With Champions TWU Spartan Female Soccer Academy

BC SOCCER NEWS

Nanaimo United wins Jackson Cup – Nanaimo Bulletin
Nanaimo United’s Div. 1 men defeated Cowichan FC by a 2-1 score in extra time Sunday in Victoria.

Richmond FC Becomes the First Club to Achieve BC Soccer Club Charter Standard 1 – BCSA
BC Soccer Assoc. is proud to announce that Richmond FC is the first club to achieve BC Soccer’s Club Charter Standard 1.  Richmond FC achieved the standard 1 criteria outlined within BC Soccer’s Club Charter Program which are based on three top line categories: Technical; Governance; and Administrative.

REVIEW: The Miracle Mile. Stories of the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games – BC BookLook
Author Jason Beck is curator of the BC Sports Hall of Fame in BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, and convenor two years ago of an excellent exhibition about the 1954 Games. In his first book, he proves to be a meticulous researcher, a compelling story-teller, and a crafty realist who knows how to hook his readers. Watch how, two pages into the book, he uses filmic technique to evoke the arriving athletes’ youthful buzz and give period colouring and costuming, but then smartly moves his camera in to introduce his stars.

TSS Rovers launch website & 2017 Season Ticket Campaign – TSS Rovers
TSS FC Rovers play their inaugural season in the PDL at iconic Swangard Stadium. Season Tickets are $70 for Adults, $49 for U12 Youth.

Becoming a BC Soccer Referee – BCSA
Whether you are an experienced referee new to British Columbia or if you are new to the discipline of refereeing BC Soccer Assoc. has a clinic and a pathway for you.  The minimum age to become a referee is 12 years old (small sided) and 14 years old (11-a-side). Please enjoy the short video showcasing some Referee programs that BC Soccer offers and continue below for more on how to become a referee in BC!

To our Readers: A Choice – BC Soccer Web
Soccer has brought us to the United States many times. It’s a great place with decent people. We especially look forward to our Cascadia trips to Seattle and Portland. They’re incredible cities with wonderful supporters. That’s why it was so disheartening to see chaos and fear take hold in the airports and borders of our neighbours to the south.

Victoria Highlanders 2017 Season Passes now on sale – Highlanders FC
Support local soccer on Vancouver Island. Join the excitement of Highlanders FC PDL Soccer!

PHOTOS: CANADA WEST WOMENS FINAL, UBC 3, TWU 0, NOVEMBER 6, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

2016 BC Soccer Provincial Cup Photo Galleries – BC Soccer Web
Westhills Stadium & Goudy Park in Langford hosted the 2016 BC Soccer Adult Provincial Cup Finals. It was a thrilling weekend of soccer on Vancouver Island that saw seven champions crowned. Richmond FC & Surrey Pegasus qualified for the National Championships this Fall in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Both Coquitlam Metro-Ford Masters & Classics sides qualified for the Western Canadian Masters Championships in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In all, it was a clean sweep for teams from the VMSL & MWSL. Monique Lamoureux & Bill Currie from BC Soccer Web were on location that weekend, capturing the all the action.

Free Physiotherapy Clinical Trial for Achilles Pain at UBC – UBC Centre for Hip Health & Mobility
Do you have Achilles pain? Interested in free Physiotherapy? If yes, join our clinical trial to look at the effectiveness of intramuscular stimulation (IMS), a form of acupuncture therapy, in treating Achilles tendon pain.

The BC Soccer Web Guide to Empire Field – BC Soccer Web
Empire Fields and Plateau Sports Park is the lofty and formal name given to Vancouver’s newest addition to the soccer scene. Yet, anyone who’s ever kicked or carried both kinds of footballs around these parts knows the place by heart.

Introducing BC Soccer Web Syndication – BC Soccer Web
You can now add BC Soccer Web news to your website simply by adding our new RSS Feed! Find out more.

Send your Soccer News to BC Soccer Web! – BC Soccer Web
BC Soccer Web is the hub for soccer in British Columbia. We want to share your soccer news with the entire province, and you can help by letting us know! We want your match reports, club news, league standings, and info on upcoming tournaments and clinics. Whether you submit links to existing news on the web, or your own original writing, we want to share it with the soccer community in B.C.

3v3 Live Soccer Tour Comes to Canada

CANADA SOCCER NEWS

PLSQ Takes Many Steps Forward in 2017 – Northern Starting XI
Spring has undeniably arrived: the Première ligue de soccer du Québec (PLSQ) has recently revealed its 2017 schedule. Once again, seven clubs will battle it out in the top league of the province. Here are a few things to look out for this season.

VIDEO: Could Professional Soccer Work in Halifax? – CTV
Wanderers’ Stadium proposal to go in front of Halifax City Council.

Ashlee ends Panthers career with male athlete of the year award – PEI Guardian
For five years, it’s been all about team success for Mark Ashlee. But the spotlight was shining on him Saturday night, as the UPEI Panthers centreback was named the university’s male athlete of the year.

High marks for Peterborough player following first year of university soccer – My Kawartha
Peterborough’s Rhiannon Kissel was named freshman athlete of the year at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology year-end awards banquet.

Kicking Off The Outdoor Soccer Season In Red Deer! – Todayville
Fresh off a recent visit from the Canadian Women’s Soccer Team Head Coach John Herdman last month, the Red Deer City Soccer Association is gearing up for another outdoor season. Registrations remain ongoing but the season is set to start on May 1st and continue until June 23rd, for the recreational teams at least.

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UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE

RENO 1868  1   WFC2  1

SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2017

GREATER NEVADA FIELD, RENO, NV.

Whitecaps FC 2 battle to 1-1 draw on the road against Reno 1868 FC – Whitecaps FC
It was a perfect night for soccer in Nevada as Reno 1868 FC hosted Whitecaps FC 2 in the second match for both sides this young USL season.  The ‘Caps and 1868 FC both suffered opening night losses and were looking to get their first wins of the year. In the end, a hard­ fought battle ended in a 1-1 draw.

Reno, WFC2 Settle For Draw – USL
Two teams coming off losses in their opening-week matches settled for a draw as Reno 1868 FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 finished tied 1-1 on Saturday at Greater Nevada Field. Brenton Griffiths scored the first goal in 1868 FC history within the first four minutes, only to see Vancouver forward Thomas Sanner find an equalizer just four minutes later.

Match Recap: Saint Louis FC -v- Fury FC – Ottawa Fury
Ottawa Fury FC showed great character and fight Saturday evening in their season opener coming back from an early 2-0 deficit, but an 88th minute goal from Saint Louis FC gave the home side a 3-2 win. Ottawa native Eddie Edward and defender Onua Obasi scored the goals for Fury FC.

Match Recap: FC Edmonton concedes 1-0 loss to Armada in opening match – FC Edmonton
An 80th minute solo goal from midfielder J.C. Banks condemned FC Edmonton to a season-opening loss to Jacksonville Armada FC in the club’s first match of the 2017 North American Soccer League (NASL) season.

Armada beats FCE on Banks’s goal – the11.ca
JC Banks pounced on an FC Edmonton giveaway in the middle of the park — and then made the visiting Eddies pay.

TFC II fall in Florida to the Tampa Bay Rowdies – Waking the Red
Toronto FC II’s positive start to the 2017 USL season suffered a setback on Saturday night as the team was humbled in Florida, falling 4-0 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Seattle Sounders FC 2 rallies to take down Portland Timbers 2 for first win of young USL season – Sounders FC
Seyi Adekoya and Zach Mathers scored goals within two minutes of each other in the second half, pacing Seattle Sounders 2 to a 2-1 victory over Portland Timbers 2 in Sunday’s USL Cascadia derby at Starfire Sports Complex.

NASL Weekend Rewind: Miami silences Cosmos, Indy, Puerto Rico play to thrilling draw – SBI
Week 2 in the NASL delivered 10 goals in three matches, with one contest in particular establishing itself as a contender for game of the season.

Cosmos, Losers by 3-0, Are Not Trending in Brooklyn – Empire of Soccer
The amenities at MCU Park for the New York Cosmos’ first home match of year received positive reviews from the 6,204 who made the trip to Coney Island on Saturday night. Unfortunately, the onfield product wasn’t ready for prime time as the Cosmos fell, 3-0, to Miami FC — failing to register a shot on goal for the second straight week.

Negotiations Intensify Over New Deal for U.S. Women’s Soccer Team – NY Times
More than a dozen members of the United States women’s national soccer team took part in hours of negotiating sessions with U.S. Soccer representatives over the weekend. It was a renewed — and potentially promising — push to complete a new collective bargaining agreement before many players scatter for the start of their league season in two weeks.

England first to name Women’s EURO squad – UEFA
“We are confident this is the right group to win this summer,” said England manager Mark Sampson after naming his squad for UEFA Women’s EURO 2017.

Morgan showing why move to Lyon was right – The Equalizer
“I’ve decided to take a huge risk and bet on myself.” Those were the words of Alex Morgan five days before Christmas when it was announced she had signed for UEFA Women’s Champions League holders Olympique Lyonnais, and after a stop-start opening to her career in France, she has definitively found her feet.

Kerr appointed Scotland women’s team coach – UEFA
Former Scotland captain Shelley Kerr will replace Anna Signeul as coach of her country after UEFA Women’s EURO 2017, the former defender saying she is “extremely proud and honoured”.

WSL 2 Week 5 Review: Durham stay top – Vavel
Late goals kept the two top tied on points with nothing but goals to sperate them as Millwall pulled off a surprise win against Everton and Aston Villa ease to victory over Brighton.

USWNT: 16-year-old called in to replace Tobin Heath for Russian friendlies – MLS Multiplex
Midfielder Tobin Heath has been ruled out for the United States Women’s National Team’s friendly matches against Russia, and a young star will be her replacement.

Women’s Under-17 finals line-up complete – UEFA
Holders Germany were best runners-up, joining hosts the Czech Republic and group winners England, France, Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Ireland and Spain in Friday’s draw.

Seattle Reign FC season preview: “This is my club” – The Equalizer
Seattle Reign FC missed out on the 2016 playoffs by two points for an underwhelming fifth place finish, after winning the NWSL shield back-to-back in 2014 and 2015. The team did well at home with a 6-2-2 record, but as most NWSL teams do, struggled on the road with a 2-4-4 record.

Sunday European Rewind: Arsenal and Man City share points, Napoli ties Juventus, and more – SBI
Arsenal showed some fight in battling back from a pair of deficits on Sunday, but the hard-earned draw against Manchester City doesn’t do much for the Gunners hopes of climbing back into the English Premier League’s top four.

Premier League weekend review: Spurs turn up the heat on Chelsea – Sportsnet
Here’s what happened in the Premier League this weekend, in case you missed it…

David Moyes slap ‘joke’ shows football still has a problem with women – Talk Radio UK
This latest imbroglio has repercussions far beyond Moyes and his Sunderland team, who are currently marooned at the bottom of the Premier League. It speaks to football’s wider problem with sexism and misogyny, a disease which the world’s most popular game has yet to cure.

Sunderland boss David Moyes ‘deeply regrets’ slap remark to female reporter – ESPN FC
Sunderland manager David Moyes has said he “deeply regrets” comments in which he said a female reporter “might get a slap” after a postmatch interview.

Merseyside derby shows gap in class between Liverpool and Everton – Sportsnet
Life offers only a limited number of certainties, but the outcome of a Merseyside derby is among that precious few.

PSG thrash Monaco to lift French League Cup for fourth year in a row – France 24
Paris St Germain thrashed Monaco 4-1 in the French League Cup final on Saturday to lift the trophy for the fourth year in a row and gain a potential psychological edge over their rivals for the Ligue 1 title race.

Week 31 review: Balotelli fires for Nice, Lorient move on up – Ligue 1
Nice took a 16-point lead over Lyon with a 2-1 win over Bordeaux in Week 31, striding closer to securing a UCL finish, while FC Lorient’s 1-0 win over Caen got them off the bottom of the table for the first time since Week 9.

Celtic only going to get better, says Brendan Rodgers after title win – BBC Sport
Manager Brendan Rodgers said he is “very content” at Celtic after clinching the Premiership title in his debut season.

America winning ugly, Tigres complacent and more we learned from Liga MX Round 12 – SN
As we returned from the international break, there were some definitive things to take from this weekend in Liga MX play (see Goal of the Week) and then there were some things that left us scratching our heads (see points two and three). Of course, it wouldn’t be sports and it certainly wouldn’t be Liga MX if things went according to plan.

Napoli holds Juventus to draw amid jeers for Higuain – Sportsnet
Gonzalo Higuain’s every touch was greeted with whistles and jeers by his former fans but the Argentina forward had little impact as Juventus could only draw 1-1 at Napoli in Serie A on Sunday.

A-League players to be booked if they appeal to referee for video referral – The Guardian
A-League players will be shown a yellow card if they urge referees to video review a decision once the technology comes into play from Friday night’s Melbourne City-Adelaide match.

FIFA bans former Guatemala FA president Brayan Jimenez for life – ESPN FC
Brayan Jimenez, a former member of the FIFA Committee for Fair Play and Social Responsibility, last year pleaded guilty in a United States federal court to racketeering and wire fraud.

Eldense 12-0 loss to Barcelona B bears match-fixing ‘hallmarks’ – La Liga chief – ESPN FC
La Liga president Javier Tebas confirmed on Monday that the 12-0 score in Segunda B game will be investigated after Eldense’s board of directors requested a probe into the possibility that match-fixing was involved.

A Museum About Soccer, and About Germany – NY Times
Just 16 months old, the national museum to the national sport of football has charged into visitors’ consciousness like one of Germany’s soccer greats dodging and weaving to score a crucial goal.

British managers are overrated by English clubs – and the stats back it up – The Guardian
Forget what pundits say: foreign managers do better in across all four divisions of English football – even though clubs seem to hold them to higher standards.

Flying oranges, riots and lynchings: The amazing story of English referees that took charge in Argentina – SN
While Argentine football was enjoying its golden era before and after the Second World War, efforts to control events on the pitch and in the stands were suffering. Faced with constant challenges to their authority, crowds liable to turn violent at the slightest provocation and the ever-present suspicion of bribery and other illicit pressures, local referees were widely suspected of acting in favour of the nation’s biggest teams. In 1937, Englishman Isaac Caswell was hired by the Argentine Football Association to stop the rot, and was plunged straight into the deep end as he made his debut in a game between Racing Club and Ferro.