BC Soccer News, Monday, October 17, 2016

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES 0  WHITECAPS FC  0

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016

AVAYA STADIUM, SAN JOSE, CA.

Goalless and meaningless – 0-0 draw in San Jose a reflection of Vancouver Whitecaps season – AFTN
What could be worse than an end of season MLS game between two clubs that have already been eliminated from the playoffs? A goalless draw in the rain of course!

RECAP: Quakes 0, Whitecaps FC 0 – San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes played to a scoreless draw against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Avaya Stadium Sunday afternoon in their final home game of the 2016 MLS regular season.

Tornaghi gets shutout in first MLS start; Whitecaps tie Quakes – Sportsnet
Paolo Tornaghi had a clean sheet in his first MLS start and the Vancouver Whitecaps tied the San Jose Earthquakes 0-0 on Sunday in a game with no playoff implications.

Paolo Tornaghi shines in goal in first regular-season start for Vancouver – MLS
Making his first MLS appearance in 1,177 days, Paolo Tornaghi did not pass up the opportunity for a star turn.

Vancouver Whitecaps play a game of soccer in San Jose – Soccer Shorts
There are two ways of looking at the Vancouver Whitecaps 0-0 tie with the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday afternoon. It was either a meaningless end of season game which meant nothing to either team and so drifted predictably into nothingness or, alternatively, it was a fascinating insight into the mind of Carl Robinson has he prepares for 2017.

‘Caps to learn Champions League quarter-final opponent this week – Whitecaps FC
It’s going to be an interesting week for Vancouver Whitecaps FC. A few days before Whitecaps FC conclude the MLS regular season at home vs. Portland Timbers in a match that will determine this year’s Cascadia Cup champion (Sunday at 1 p.m. PT – tickets still available), they will learn their opponent for the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals.

Q & A with Caps co-owner Jeff Mallett: Time to define commitment – The Province
Whitecaps co-owner Jeff Mallett, who lives in the Bay Area, sat down with Marc Weber for a wide-ranging interview before kickoff Sunday at Avaya Stadium. Here is part one of that Q and A. Check out Tuesday’s paper, or provincesports.com, for part two. And see what Caps fans had to say in the 2016 Province Whitecaps poll.

Didier Drogba refused to play after exclusion from Impact XI – Biello – ESPN FC
“Didier wasn’t selected to start the game,” Biello said. “I spoke with him yesterday he didn’t accept the fact to come off the bench and, in the end, he did not want to be in the 18.”

Impact coach stands by decision to bench Didier Drogba after draw to Toronto FC  – Times Colonist
Montreal Impact coach Mauro Biello stands by his decision to put Didier Drogba on the bench, even if it prompted the Ivorian legend to go AWOL for Sunday’s game against rival Toronto FC.

Toronto FC shows fight in comeback draw vs. Montreal – Toronto Sun
“Winless in five” rarely yields positive reviews. It’s an eye-catching streak that’s almost always a troubling trend. But Toronto FC bench boss Greg Vanney saw Sunday night’s 2-2 draw here at Saputo Stadium as more than a stalemate. He saw it as a massive test, a good result, with playoffs just around the corner.

Altidore: If we don’t fix the defence it’s going to be a quick playoffs – Waking the Red
Jozy Altidore was encouraged by Toronto FC’s attacking play with Sebastian Giovinco back in the lineup but admitted the defensive side of their game must improve if they are to contend for the MLS Cup.

MLS Week 32 Recap, Highlights: RBNY tops East, more – Empire of Soccer
The penultimate week of the Major League Soccer season did not alck for surprises and plot twists. Most of the drama has been taken out of the final game for teams in the Eastern Conference, but a lot was left to play for out West.

Timbers lament “tale of two seasons” as playoff hopes hang on Decision Day – MLS
The Portland Timbers entered Week 33 below the red line, and finished it there. But in between, they laid the foundation for an improbable playoff push, grinding out a 1-0 victory against the Supporters’ Shield-contending Colorado Rapids on Sunday afternoon at Providence Park. A win against the already-eliminated Vancouver Whitecaps on Decision Day next Sunday.

Timbers again thrive in ‘must-win’ mode, but urgency remains – Four Four Two
The 2015 postseason gave Major League Soccer a glimpse of what the Portland Timbers are capable of when they get on a roll. For most of 2016, though, that glimpse had dwindled in the rearview mirror, with the specter of a second season in three without playoff soccer looking through the windshield.

Real Salt Lake, Sporting KC tie to leave playoff race open – SBI
A Sunday afternoon clash between Real Salt Lake and Sporting KC ended in a missed opportunity for each team.

Veteran Carlos Ruiz returns in style to help Dallas re-take Shield lead – MLS
Nearly 80 minutes into the match, FC Dallas were slowly watching their Supporter’s Shield and treble hopes slip away.

Report: Mauro Diaz suffers torn Achilles tendon – Four Four Two
FC Dallas midfielder Mauro Diaz will miss the rest of the Major League Soccer season with a torn Achilles tendon, according to reports. The Argentine suffered the injury after a challenge from Seattle defender Tyrone Mears during second-half stoppage time of his team’s 2-1 victory over the visiting Sounders.

Sporting KC striker Diego Rubio out for season with torn ACL – Kansas City Star
Sporting Kansas City’s insurance for striker Dom Dwyer will be obsolete for the remainder of the 2016 season.

Sounders FC falls 2-1 on the road to FC Dallas – Sounders FC
Despite a first-half goal from Nico Lodeiro, Seattle Sounders FC (13-14-6, 45 points) fell 2-1 on the road to FC Dallas (17-8-8, 59 points) Sunday evening at Toyota Stadium. Maximiliano Urruti and Carlos Ruiz each found the net late for FC Dallas as Seattle saw its six-match unbeaten streak snapped.

Red Bulls reflect on the past, with eyes on the future – Empire of Soccer
On a night where the Red Bulls all but clinched their Eastern Conference title and looked forward to the playoffs, most of the New York players and staff were taking a moment to reflect on the journey.

Fire close out home schedule with win – Prost Amerika
Despite drawing on Thursday, the Fire did eliminate Columbus from the playoffs. On Sunday, the Fire effectively did the same to New England by winning, 2-1, in their home finale. The Fire can still avoid the wooden spoon with Houston losing at home to LA and the Revolution are still mathematically alive, but their chances are improbable given the superior goal difference Philadelphia has.

Alan Gordon scores late against Dynamo as Galaxy seal third in West – SBI
A goal from Alan Gordon lifted the LA Galaxy into a comfortable third position in the Western Conference as the Galaxy disposed of the last-place Houston Dynamo.

D.C. United clinch playoff berth early against NYCFC – Prost Amerika
Sometimes teams need a full ninety minutes to deliver a result. Other times need just a half. On Sunday afternoon at RFK Stadium D.C. United was a case of the latter. Thanks to two early goals from Patrick Mullins and Bobby Boswell United pulled away from New York City Football Club and would go on to win 3-1.

Union’s slow slide gains speed with homecoming loss to Orlando City – Delco Times
Through international breaks and ill-fated road trips, the club sustained itself with a mantra: Wait for those last two games here. Just you wait, coach Jim Curtin repeated, as his team slid from first in the summer to third in August to sixth place. Just you wait. Those fans are still waiting for a reasonable facsimile of the playoff-worthy Union of the spring to show up after an absentee debacle of Sunday’s 2-0 loss to eliminated Orlando City, a team with little more than pride to play for.

Here’s who changed their MLS playoff fate on Sunday – Fox Sports
Summary of all of the teams who clinched playoffs on the weekend.

Kenwyne Jones suffers knee injury – Dirty South Soccer
Atlanta United striker Kenwyne Jones suffered a knee injury again Martinique in a Caribbean Cup qualifier on Wednesday. According to a press release sent out by Jones’ public relations staff, scans revealed a small tear in a ligament. However, the striker isn’t expected to miss much time and could be back in time for Trinidad and Tobago’s important World Cup qualifiers in November with the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying begins.

Atlanta to pick first Expansion Draft, Minnesota get top SuperDraft pick – MLS
The Expansion Priority Draft is in the books, with Atlanta United FC set to pick first in December’s Expansion Draft and Minnesota United FC slated to select first at the 2017 MLS SuperDraft in January.

Report: Gerard Houllier saved Bradley Wright-Phillips’ career with the New York Red Bulls – Once a Metro
Kristian Dyer, the Bradley Wright-Phillips of New York Red Bulls scoops, crammed a lot of news into a three-minute segment for MSG Networks on Sunday, October 16. Foremost among the cascade of RBNY stories he unleashed on MSG: BWP was very nearly cut by the Red Bulls before the beginning of the 2014 season.

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BC SOCCER NEWS

TWU Spartans women’s soccer team blanks Victoria, clinches division title – The Province
The reigning CIS silver medallist Trinity Western University Spartans have taken their first step toward another productive post-season.

RECAP: Timberwolves, Heat battle to draw in Kelowna – UBCO
The UNBC Timberwolves and UBC Okanagan Heat battled hard for the full 90 minutes en route to a 1-1 draw at Nonis Field on Sunday. Maddy Doucette (Prince George, B.C.) scored her first career CIS goal for the Timberwolves (0-10-1), while Susan Traynor (Calgary, Alta.) replied for the Heat (4-7-1). Traynor, the third year midfielder from Calgary was playing in just her second match of the season after recovering from injury.

Cascades blank T-Wolves, seize sole possession of third place – UFV
As they embarked on their weekend road trip to the B.C. Interior, the University of the Fraser Valley men’s soccer team’s post-season hopes hung in the balance.

Clan suffers setback in 3-0 loss to Seattle Pacific – SFU
The SFU Clan women’s soccer team (6-5-1, 4-4-0) suffered a blow to their playoff hopes on Saturday, falling 3-0 to the Seattle Pacific Falcons (8-2-3, 5-1-2) on the road in Seattle, WA.

Clan settles for draw after late Vikings PK – SFU
Extra time solved nothing on Saturday, as the No. 3-ranked SFU Clan men’s soccer team (10-0-2, 5-0-2) battled to a 1-1 draw with the Western Washington Vikings (4-4-4, 1-3-3) at Terry Fox Field.

WolfPack Blank Trinity Western In Men’s Soccer – TRU
On Saturday (Oct 15), the WolfPack knocked off the first place team in the Canada West Pacific Division 2-0, the Trinity Western University Spartans at Hillside Stadium. The Spartans are also ranked fourth in the CIS top 10 rankings this week.

Thunderbirds fail to weather a stormy seniors night – UBC
A Top-10 CIS women’s soccer battle went the way of visiting Fraser Valley on a blustery Saturday night at Thunderbird Stadium as the No. 9 Cascades blanked the 10th-ranked UBC Thunderbirds 1-0.

Vikes fall to Timberwolves in high-scoring contest – UVic
After mother nature refused to co-operate, a game that was originally scheduled to be played in Prince George was finally completed in Victoria on October 16. The UNBC Timberwolves  defeated the UVic Vikes by a score of 5-2 in the contest.

No. 2 ranked Spartans double up Vikes – UVic
In a battle between two teams guaranteed a spot in the Canada West playoffs the Pacific Division leading Trinity Western Spartans defeated the UVic Vikes by a score of 2-0.

VISL Division 1 Results & Standings – Week 5 – VISL
Week 5 had all its games played – even through the “storms” we had over the weekend.

CANADA WEST WSOC PHOTOS: UBC Thunderbirds 2 UVic Vikes 0, October 8, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

Canada West to livestream over 100 Soccer matches in 2016-17 – Canada West
With the 2016-17 Canada West regular season set to open later this week, Canada West is proud to launch passes for Canadawest.tv – the official streaming home of the conference.

BC Soccer Assoc. Releases their 2015-2016 Year in Review – BCSA
After another successful year of soccer in British Columbia, BC Soccer Assoc. is pleased to release their 2015-2016 Year in Review.  The creation of the BC Soccer Club Charter Program, delivery of a FIFA Live Your Goals Festival, along with the numerous Grassroots Festivals across the province and Coach Education highlight some of the major successes this past year.

BC Soccer Assoc. Delivery of Coach Mandate – BCSA
IMPORTANT:  If you are coaching in the ages U6-U12 you are required to complete the age appropriate course(s) even if you have a higher level of certification (ie. Soccer for Life, B pretest, C License, B License or A License). In order to enable our membership to deliver on the coaching mandate, BC Soccer Assoc. will be scheduling Learning Facilitator training sessions to assist organizations to have qualified individuals to deliver in-club coach certification courses to their coaches.

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.

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CANADA SOCCER NEWS

Canada’s Women’s National Team returns home for celebration match against Mexico – CSA
Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team will play at home for the first time since capturing bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games when they take on Mexico in a Women’s International Friendly on 4 February 2017 in Vancouver at BC Place.

Canada set friendly with Mexico, eye number 1 ranking – The Equalizer
Christine Sinclair is not retiring after all. Despite a flurry of activity on social media and fan speculation that Canada’s greatest soccer athlete would be announcing her retirement at a press conference Friday, she is not hanging up her boots anytime soon. You can see Canada’s all-time leading scorer in action on Saturday, February 4, when Canada hosts Mexico at BC Place. This will be the first home match for Canada in Vancouver since hosting the 2015 World Cup.

Women’s professional soccer overdue in Canada – Red Nation Online
Ever since I have started writing for RedNation Online, one of my most brought up points has pertained to all the new resources in Canadian Soccer that have been generated from the three Major League Soccer clubs. However, with that in mind, it is a shame Canada doesn’t have a professional women’s club.

Christine Sinclair quashes retirement talk: ‘I have loftier goals so I’m not done yet’ – CBC
Christine Sinclair sounded surprised, almost insulted, that rumours of her imminent retirement from competitive soccer had surfaced on social media this week.

Marie-Soleil Beaudoin to referee semi-final at FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Jordan 2016 – CSA
Marie-Soleil Beaudoin will referee today’s semi-final match between Japan and Spain at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Jordan 2016. She is one of 17 women’s referees and 28 women’s assistant referees from 33 different countries that will take charge of the matches.

CIS Men’s Soccer: Monday Roundups – CIS
Complete results from the weekend.

CIS Women’s Soccer: Monday Roundups – CIS
Complete results from the weekend.

Vaughan Crowned 2016 League1 Ontario Men’s Champions – League1 Ontario
League1 Ontario east division champions Vaughan Azzurri met west division champions FC London in the 2016 Men’s Championship Final on Saturday afternoon, with the Azzurri taking the title after a 4-2 defeat of London in front of 700 onlookers at the Ontario Soccer Centre.

Capers remain unbeaten in AUS women’s soccer – Chronicle-Herald
The Cape Breton Capers took their unbeaten show on the road this weekend for a pair of AUS women’s soccer victories in New Brunswick.

U of R Cougars heading for soccer showdown – Leader Post
The University of Regina Cougars women’s soccer team is part of a logjam as the Canada West regular season winds down.

National soccer body deepens roots in Saskatoon – Star-Phoenix
One of the biggest announcements in the history of our provincial soccer association was made this past week. Saskatoon has been named as a host city for one of seven REX programs across the country.

Canada in Group B at the 2017 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship – CSA
Canada will face Mexico, Guatemala, and Guadeloupe in the group stage at the 2017 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship. The 16-nation tournament runs next 20-26 February and will qualify two CONCACAF nations to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017.

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WFC 2 Fall to Swope Park 3-0, Season Over – Eighty-Six Forever
A disappointing end to a surprising season for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, as they fell 3-0 to the Swope Park Rangers on Saturday night in the Western Conference Final of the USL Cup playoffs. An ugly match to end the season, but fans shouldn’t let the match sour what was otherwise an unbelievable year for the second-year USL team.

Superior Swope ends WFC2’s title dreams – Northern XI
In a disappointing end to their sophomore season, Whitecaps FC 2 were eliminated from the USL Playoffs after a 3-0 loss to Swope Park Rangers in the Western Conference Final on Saturday in Kansas City.

WFC2 Left Disappointed After Playoff Elimination – USL
On the face of it, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 had control over the game early against the Swope Park Rangers in the Western Conference Final of the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs. The visitors at Children’s Mercy Victory Field had the bulk of possession, and were forcing the Rangers into nervous giveaways that saw the hosts put on the back foot early on Saturday night. But by the end of the first half, it was the Rangers who had a two-goal advantage, as WFC2 had yet to register a shot on goal.

WFC2 season draws to end with 3-0 loss to red-hot Swope Park in West final – Whitecaps FC
Whitecaps FC 2’s incredible season ended in Swope Soccer Village on Saturday evening, as the second-year USL side suffered a 3-0 loss to Swope Park Rangers in the USL Cup Playoffs.

Rangers Answer Call to Claim Western Championship – USL
With both fullbacks that started the club’s victory against Orange County Blues FC last Sunday afternoon suspended for Saturday night’s Western Conference Final of the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs, Swope Park Rangers Coach Marc Dos Santos had to make a major tweak to the lineup.

Season of positives comes to an end for WFC2 after USL Western Conference final loss to Swope Park – AFTN
There’s been a lot of excitement seen, a lot of pleasure gleaned, a lot of development undertaken, and a lot of all-round positives, but after a wild ride, WFC2’s second USL season has reached it’s end.

Swope Park Rangers’ win over WFC2 is actually a good thing for Canadian soccer – the11.ca
It’s still fresh, and the players, coaches and supporters of WFC2 aren’t going to want to hear this: But the fact that Swope Park Rangers (the American affiliate of Sporting Kansas City) beat WFC2 (the Canadian affiliate of the Vancouver Whitecaps) 3-0 in the USL’s Western Conference final is actually a good thing for soccer north of the border.

USL Playoffs: Red Bulls II and Swope Park reach final  – Soccer America
A MLS second team is assured of winning the USL championship for the first time. New York Red Bulls II and the Swope Park Rangers, Sporting Kansas City’s first-year team, reached the final with conference championships.

NYRB II Advance to USL Cup Final in Dramatic Fashion – NYRB
New York Red Bulls II advanced to the 2016 USL Cup Final by defeating Louisville City FC on Sunday night at Red Bull Arena. The teams played to a 1-1 draw before NYRB II advanced on PKs, 4-3.

Fitness a concern for NYRBII ahead of USL Final – Empire of Soccer
After two straight extra time games in the USL playoffs, New York Red Bull II head coach John Wolyniec is concerned about his team’s endurance heading into the biggest game in team history.

Jake Edwards Talks Expansion, Attendance and California’s Role in USL – Soccer Nation
On Sunday, New York Red Bulls II will face Swope Park Rangers in the USL Cup Final (5 pm PT, ESPNU). With the end of the 2016 season drawing near, SoccerNation spoke exclusively to USL President Jake Edwards about the state of the league, the role of California (including the all-important expansion question), player development and the status of the two Southern California teams currently in the USL, Orange County Blues and LA Galaxy II.

Preki Aiming to Build ‘Something Special’ in Saint Louis – USL
After missing the USL Cup Playoffs in both of the club’s first two seasons, Saint Louis FC could have a very different look in 2017 under Head Coach Preki, with the new appointment determined to make his mark quickly at his new club this offseason.

Arango Rallies Cosmos To Fall Title in Dramatic Win over Jacksonville – Empire of Soccer
Facing a late collapse on the road, the New York Cosmos were propelled to victory by two set piece strikes from Juan Arango in the final 10 minutes to defeat Jacksonville Armada FC 4-2.

NASL Weekend Rewind: Cosmos clinch Fall Season as playoff race tightens – SBI
While the New York Cosmos were able to rack up another regular season trophy this weekend, the race for the fourth and final playoff spot raged on.

Eddies give up three for the first time this NASL season; locked in as NASL’s No. 3 seed – the11.ca
FC Edmonton surrendered three goals in a game for the first time in NASL play this season, and the team’s hopes of hosting a first-round playoff match evaporated.

Minnesota United FC beats FC Edmonton 3-1, Controls 4th Playoff Spot in NASL – Fifty Five One
A temperate fall evening was met with one of Minnesota United FC’s best performances since the spring. An early goal off some miscommunication and a bad bounce from a free kick gave FC Edmonton the lead in the first half, but two goals from Christian Ramirez and a third by second half substitute Stefano Pinho gave Minnesota the 3-1 victory in front of 8,056 fans.

Rayo OKC keeps pace in playoff hunt with 3-1 victory vs. Ottawa – NewsOK
Billy Forbes and his Rayo OKC teammates were not thrilled entering halftime of Sunday’s match. The match was tied going into the break, but Rayo was not playing well and had wasted multiple scoring opportunities. Needing a victory to keep up with Minnesota for the final NASL playoff spot, coach Gerard Nus and the players shared an animated conversation.

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WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS

Reign FC Transfers Kim Little to Arsenal Ladies FC – The Bold
After three incredible seasons with Seattle Reign FC, midfielder Kim Little will be returning to Arsenal Ladies FC of the FA Women’s Super League (FAWSL) in England on a multi-year contract. Little had previously played for Arsenal from 2008 to 2013.

Impressive Korea DPR secure final berth – FIFA
Korea DPR reached the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final for a third time after a 3-0 win over Venezuela at Amman’s King Abdullah II International Stadium. Kim Pom-Ui and Ja Un-Yong, the goal heroines of their quarter-final win over Ghana, were again on target along with top scorer Ri Hae-Yon as the Asian champions proved too strong for Deyna Castellanos and Co.

WSL – Week 16 Round-Up: Belles down and Sheffield into fifth – Vavel
In another weekend of muted WSL action, Doncaster Belles confirmed their relegation in their final home game of the season as Watford all but condemned themselves to finishing bottom of WSL 2.

Report: Two-time NWSL champs FC Kansas City for sale – The Equalizer
FC Kansas City, the two-time National Women’s Soccer League champions, are for sale, according to Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl.

NWSL- 2016 Season in Review- FC Kansas City Blues- Rebuilding for the Future from Past Glories – MLS Multiplex
No one predicted that the Blues of FC Kansas would win a third consecutive championship in the 2016 NWSL season. However, not many expected that this would be a “rebuilding year” either.

UEFA Women’s Champions League Round of 16 Draw – Vavel
With two debutants and four of last year’s last sixteen set for rematches will there be any surprises on the cards?

Glasgow City and Hibs set up SSE Scottish Women’s Cup final showdown – The National
HIBERNIAN and Glasgow City will contest their fourth successive domestic final next month after both recorded big wins in their SSE Scottish Women’s Cup semi-finals at Ainslie Park.

Division 1 Féminine – Week Five Round-up: Only goal difference separates Lyon, Montpellier & Paris Saint-Germain at the top – Vavel
Montpellier and PSG both keep pace with defending champions Lyon as Albi move out of the relegation zone.

Women and Football: A difficult love story – Outside of the Boot
Women’s football, today played by over 30 million women around the globe, has a long history — a love story that faced many obstacles throughout the centuries, a long-lasting relationship that stands for emancipation and gender equality. Although football is often considered a sport owned and invented by men, women have played a significant role in the development of the most beloved sport on earth.

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WORLD SOCCER NEWS

Liverpool vs Manchester United Preview: Bitter rivals go head-to-head in huge Anfield clash – Vavel
Liverpool and Manchester United lock horns on Monday night at Anfield in a massive Premier League clash, with United looking for a record fifth straight league win in this fixture and Liverpool hoping to secure a fifth consecutive league win since March 2015.

Gary Neville: More Complicated Than Hate – The Player’s Tribune
For 89 minutes, the traveling Liverpool fans had been singing some unprintable songs about me and my mum. It was 0–0. We won a free kick just outside the Liverpool box. Ryan Giggs was standing over the ball. The crowd at Old Trafford was so loud that you couldn’t hear yourself think. In that moment, your mind, your body, your focus are on another level.

European Weekend Rewind: Spanish giants win big; Bayern struggles; and more – SBI
An American’s debut headlined the weekend’s European action, but several of the world’s top clubs cruised while Germany’s top club faltered.

Bradley impresses in his first game with Swansea but real work starts now – ESPN FC
Bob Bradley never looked like a rabbit in the headlights, even when his Swansea City side did appear dazzled. The 58-year-old’s debut as a Premier League manager ended in a 3-2 defeat to Arsenal and was an afternoon of extremes yet, throughout a see-sawing 90 minutes and its thrilling finale, the American was calm and focused. Afterward, Bradley spoke with an eloquent clarity.

Southampton climbs to eighth in Premier League standings – Toronto Star
As the goals have dried up for Jamie Vardy at Leicester, another former non-league striker has embarked on a hot scoring streak for a Premier League club. Charlie Austin made it seven goals in six games in all competitions for Southampton with a double in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Burnley that took the south-coast club up to eighth in the standings.

Mauro Icardi threatens fans in book, could be on way out of Inter Milan – Fox Sports
It’s hard to not to feel some sympathy with Inter boss Frank de Boer, appointed just before the start of the season. The latest issue he has to resolve–after falling out with Marcelo Brozovic and dropping Geoffrey Kondogbia–surrounds skipper Mauro Icardi, who incensed fans days after signing a new contract by criticizing them in his autobiography, Sempre Avanti, or Always Ahead.

Mauro Icardi: Inter Milan captain apologizes to fans over comments in autobiography – BBC Sport
Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi has been fined by the club over comments about fans in his autobiography.

Wolfsburg sack coach Hecking after losing run-reports – Yahoo Sports
VfL Wolfsburg parted ways with coach Dieter Hecking on Monday after their disappointing start to the Bundesliga season, according to media reports in Germany.

America has an opportunity and more things we learned from Liga MX Round 13 – SN
Liga MX is a league with plenty of history and tradition. The fact that Club America is celebrating its 100th anniversary this tournament and still isn’t one of the four oldest clubs in the country shows just how deep the roots go. But the league also shows a modern flair. America’s opponent this week, Club Tijuana, was founded in 2007 and already has a league title to its name.

Week 9 review: Nice widen lead, Paris take second – Ligue 1
OGC Nice and Paris Saint-Germain came out on top after a weekend of top-of-the-table action, the Aiglons trumping Lyon 2-0 and PSG besting Nancy 2-1 while Toulouse beat Monaco 3-1. OM claimed a precious home win over Metz.

Last minute penalty costs Dijon win vs. Saint-Etienne – Sportsnet
The reaction from Dijon players was as fiery as the mustard the eastern French town is famed for, following a last-minute penalty that denied the struggling team a valuable win at Saint-Etienne on Sunday.

Atletico Madrid adds prolific attack to its trademark defense – Fox Sports
Last season, Atletico Madrid had the best defense in La Liga, conceding 11 goals less than champion Barcelona, which scored an astonishing 49 goals more. It only scored four or more goals in one game, a 5-1 win over Real Betis in the 31st game of the campaign. This season, the numbers tell a different story.

Valencia gets Spanish league win in debut of coach Prandelli – Sportsnet
Former Italy manager Cesare Prandelli got off to a winning start in his coaching debut in Spain.

Javier Mascherano officially signs new Barcelona deal until 2019 – ESPN FC
Javier Mascherano has signed a new three-year contract with Barcelona, extending his stay until 2019.

FIFA’s North American World Cup landscape comes into focus – Inside World Football
North America seems virtually certain to host an expanded World Cup in 2026 after FIFA essentially barred Europe and Asia from bidding. FIFA’s new-look Council has agreed that the next two host confederations should not be allowed to bid again so soon, leading US Soccer federation president Sunil Gulati (pictured) to remark: “That has changed the landscape a little bit.”

Newcastle put four past Brisbane in latest A-League rout – The Guardian
Newcastle announced themselves as A-League finals contenders in becoming the third team this weekend to notch four goals in a trouncing of a rudderless Brisbane.

FA Cup first-round draw: League One & League Two clubs enter competition – BBC Sport
The draw for the FA Cup first round proper takes place on Monday and will be broadcast live on BBC Two and on the BBC Sport website.

Russia facing soccer refereeing disputes ahead of World Cup – Sportsnet
The season so far has been dogged by dubious refereeing calls and the disputes that follow have eroded trust to such an extent that Russia’s top football official has flirted with the notion of inviting foreigners to oversee big games instead of Russia’s much-maligned referees, who are already rarely picked to oversee major international games.

FIFA blocks stadium rock concerts ahead of 2018 World Cup – Yahoo Sports
FIFA has blocked rock concerts from being staged in World Cup stadiums in the weeks before the 2018 tournament kicks off in Russia.

Football in Hanoi, where Premier League clubs trump the Vietnamese champions  – The Guardian
The Vietnamese league contains skilful players but it needs to clean up its reputation to win over a population who prefer watching English football on TV.