WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS
Whitecaps FC pass in 2015 MLS Waiver Draft; Azira goes to Colorado Rapids – Whitecaps FC
The lone player selected in Wednesday’s MLS Waiver Draft was Ugandan midfielder Micheal Azira, who went second overall to Colorado Rapids. Azira spent the last two seasons with Seattle Sounders FC. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, who had the 16th overall pick, passed.
Orlando City and general manager Paul McDonough agree to part ways – Orlando Sentinel
Orlando City general manager Paul McDonough will leave Orlando City after a brief transition period, the club announced. McDonough will help with the 2015 re-entry draft among other things before departing.
MLS to increase spending on player salaries with multi-million dollar investment – Goal
After a successful 2015 season, Major League Soccer has stepped things up again by giving teams $800,000 in targeted allocation money for each of the next two years.
Some financial flexibility for MLS teams – The Province
MLS teams will have more financial flexibility than ever heading into January’s transfer window. The league announced on Wednesday an additional commitment of $37 million US in leaguewide player compensation over the next two seasons.
MLS increases TAM, wants two expansion teams at a time – SI.com
In MLS expansion news, I’m told the league is prioritizing having two teams come in at the same time in the next expansion rounds, the better to keep scheduling and conferences even. That would mean Atlanta and Minnesota in 2017 and LAFC and Miami in 2018.
Sporting KC re-signs Seth Sinovic and Jon Kempin, adds Lawrence Olum – Sporting KC
Sporting Kansas City announced on Wednesday that the club has signed defender Seth Sinovic and goalkeeper Jon Kempin to new contracts. Per MLS policy, terms of the agreements will not be disclosed.
Seattle Sounders’ Garth Lagerwey says decision to trade Lamar Neagle was tough, but in team’s best interest – MLS
With the offseason in full swing coming off a disappointing playoff exit in the Western Conference semifinals, the Seattle Sounders parted ways with a fan favorite this week after Monday’s announcement that Lamar Neagle was traded to D.C. United in exchange for allocation money.
Angel investors: a culture takes form as Los Angeles FC’s 2018 debut approaches – The Guardian
In three years, Los Angeles Football Club will become Major League Soccer’s 22nd team, offering up the unique challenge of starting a culture from scratch
MLS sees 38% decline in 2015 MLS Cup TV viewing – World Soccer Talk
The final TV viewing numbers are in for 2015 MLS Cup, and it’s not good news.
B.C. Place ordered to take actions on violence against staff – OHS Canada
A recent WorkSafeBC inspection of B.C. Place — the Vancouver stadium that hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics and Expo 86, and also the home venue for Canadian Football League team The B.C. Lions — has yielded orders for the venue to comply with anti-violence workplace regulations by Dec. 28.
A rainy night in December. – Prost Amerika
At the beginning of the summer of 2012, a time period I think of as Portland’s Summer of Discontent, I wrote a thing on my personal blog about my belief that the ’12 Timbers still had a shot at hardware.
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BC SOCCER NEWS
BC Soccer Assoc. Takes Stronger Stance Against Youth Abuse in Soccer – BCSA
The BC Soccer Association believes that all youths deserve their every protection. To help ensure this protection, BC Soccer Assoc. has created a series of offenses in their Discipline Policy (Conduct, Ethics, and Discipline Standards and Policy) which are specific to address that of youth abuse.
Cascades women’s soccer team celebrates the season by making meal for people in need – UFV
As Christmas parties go, the one hosted by the University of the Fraser Valley women’s soccer team last Saturday was somewhat unconventional. Instead of gathering in front of a crackling fire and exchanging Secret Santa gifts while sporting cheesy-but-amazing holiday sweaters, the Cascades chose to spend the evening at Ruth & Naomi’s Mission in Chilliwack, preparing a meal for people in need.
Burnaby hall of fame class of 2015 includes Ross, Evans, Seebaran and Snepsts – Burnaby Now
For three decades, Doug Ross was a major factor in steering Burnaby’s youth soccer. He served 25 years as a member of the Burnaby District board of directors, receiving the Pioneer Award and a BC Soccer Award of Merit.
Comox Valley United chalks up another win on the road – Comox Valley Record
Comox Valley United feels right at home when they’re on the road. The local Vancouver Island Soccer League Div. 1 men’s squad has lost only one of six away games (4-1-1) this season, and made it two in a row on their current three-game road stretch on Dec. 5 in Victoria with a 2-1 win over VI Wave.
First place Cermaq claims another point – Campbell River Mirror
Cermaq City Wave FC faced a strong and well organized Cowichan team this past weekend.
Villa lose close match at home in stormy conditions – Powell River Peak
Stormy weather this past weekend left Powell River Villa unprepared for an aggressive attack from Sooke Loggers. The visiting Loggers capitalized on two quick tallies in the opening minutes of the first half and went on to hold off the surging Villa offence to gain a hard fought 2-1 victory in Vancouver Island Soccer League (VISL) play.
Pinnacle player earns honour mention on All-America team – Penticton Western News
Penticton product and former Penticton Pinnacle Crystal Schuder received an honourable mention by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for the 2015 All-America teams.
Road trip: Residency parents travel to Florida to support Whitecaps FC U-18 & U-16 sides – Whitecaps FC
As the Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-18 and U-16 Residency teams took to the pitch at the 2015 USSDA Winter Showcase in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, the parents were on hand as well, matching their boys’ passion for the sport.
Soccer And The Art Of Storytelling: An Interview With Peter Ostrovsky of The Evergreen Premier League – The American Pyramid
From the onset, EPLWA has always been about affording opportunities for the growth and development of all things connected to hometown soccer in Washington State. With respect to the players, it provides high-level amateurs from blue collar locals to college players returning home for the summer a place to showcase their talents in front of hometown fans and other higher level leagues. An example of such is the fact that since our first season there have been at least 6 EPLWA players who are now playing at a higher level or were drafted as professionals in other national leagues like the PDL, USL-PRO, MASL and MLS.
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CANADA SOCCER NEWS
Sinclair’s two goals in 3:0 win over Mexico put her one away from Mia Hamm – CSA
Canada came out strong against Mexico in the first match of the 2015 International Tournament of Natal at Arenas das Dunas in Brazil, scoring three goals before the half. Two early goals from Captain Christine Sinclair (13’ and 19’) made it Canada’s game to lose, and put her one goal away from tying Mia Hamm (158) as the second all-time scorer in women’s soccer, behind Abby Wambach (184) of the United States.
Sinclair scores twice, Canada blanks Mexico – Sportsnet
Christine Sinclair scored two goals and Nichelle Prince added a single as the Canadian women’s soccer team defeated Mexico 3-0 on Wednesday at the International Tournament of Natal.
Yellowknife soccer group wants better surface at fieldhouse, not multi-use floor – CBC
Rubber or plastic? When it comes to the soccer fields at Yellowknife’s fieldhouse, it’s a weighty question. The City of Yellowknife’s draft 2016 budget calls for a plastic, multi-purpose floor that can be installed on one of the fields, at a cost of $190,000.
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WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS
Class-action lawsuit filed over canceled U.S. Soccer game – Hawaii Now
A class-action lawsuit has been filed over the last-minute cancellation of Sunday’s U.S. Women’s soccer game, just as the state has launched its own investigation.
U.S. women back in action — on turf — in San Antonio – Soccer America
Four days after their match in Honolulu was canceled, setting off a flurry of accusations and even one lawsuit, the USA and Trinidad & Tobago will meet Thursday in San Antonio’s Alamodome
Thorns ready for fresh talent – Portland Tribune
Fresh off bringing in new coach Mark Parsons and the blockbuster trade to send superstar Alex Morgan to expansion Orlando, the Portland Thorns’ rebuilding effort is finally coming together, piece by piece.
Penn State hero Rodriguez: Costa Rica’s next pioneer – The Equalizer
Raquel Rodriguez’s 72nd-minute goal was all that separated Penn State and Duke on Sunday in the College Cup final.
U-20 Women’s World Cup Qualifying: Results and Schedule – Soccer America
The USA beat Haiti, 6-0, on Wednesday to finish atop Group B at the U-20 Concacaf Championship and will face Honduras on Friday in the semifinals. Mexico faces Group A winner Canada in the other semifinal. Friday’s winners and the winner of the third-place game earn 2016 U-20 Women’s World Cup berths.
New knock-out format for The FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup – The FA
Next season’s FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup will move to a knock-out format for the first time in the competition’s five-year history.
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NASL & USL NEWS
USL Winter Summit: League Continues Raising Bar – USL
The 2015 USL Winter Summit is in full swing in Clearwater Beach, Fla., and the progression of the event is palpable. From the increased number of on-site venders to a positive recap of the league’s significant 2015 USL season, the vibe among the league and its teams is at an all-time high.
Toronto FC II Announce Roster Moves – TFC II
Toronto FC II announced Wednesday that it has exercised contract options on six players, while two players are already under guaranteed contract for the 2016 season.
Harrisburg: Club commits to HBG by naming Roy Mehl president – Penn97
On Monday, the Harrisburg City Islanders announced that Roy Mehl, a Harrisburg-based businessman, would become the club’s new president. This hire shows the ownership’s commitment to keeping the club in Harrisburg.
Strikers to Field NPSL Team – Fort Lauderdale Strikers
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers boosted their player development efforts by today announcing the creation of Fort Lauderdale Strikers U-23, a developmental team that will compete in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) beginning in 2016.
RailHawks Sign Trinidad and Tobago International Kareem Moses – Carolina Railhawks
A busy week for the Carolina RailHawks continues with the signing of Trinidad and Tobago international Kareem Moses, pending USSF and ITC approval.
NASL Clubs busy as elves with post-season moves – Big Apple Soccer
Summary of all the player & coaching movement in the NASL off-season so far.
INTERNATIONAL ROUNDUP | Recapping 2015 For NASL Players – FC Edmonton
18 NASL players saw action in regional tournaments and World Cup qualifiers.
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WORLD SOCCER NEWS
Chelsea and Arsenal safely through to last 16 of Champions League – ESPN FC
Chelsea and Arsenal progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League, with both clubs winning on Wednesday night.
Mourinho grateful for Champions League fortune – Goal
Chelsea benefited from a slice of luck against Porto and Jose Mourinho felt it was no more than his side deserved.
Wenger revels in Champions League ‘greatest escape’ – Goal
Olivier Giroud scored a hat trick as Arsenal defied the odds to qualify for the Champions League last 16 courtesy of a win at Olympiacos.
Arsene Wenger: An apology to the Arsenal manager – The Telegraph
On behalf of your critics, we’d like to say sorry Mr Wenger.
Pallotta launches passionate defence of Roma players – AS Roma
AS Roma president Jim Pallotta last night launched a passionate defence of his players when he addressed the media after watching the team qualify for the knock-out stages of the Champions League for the first time since 2010-11.
Copa Sudamericana: Independiente Santa Fe is champion after defeating Huracán in shootout – CONMEBOL
Colombian club Independiente Santa Fe is champion of the 2015 Copa Sudamericana after defeating Huracán of Argentina 3-1 in a shootout (0-0 after 120 minutes) in the second leg of the final played on Wednesday in the El Campin Stadium in Bogota.
Putin orders football reforms, World Cup speed up, and a team play with ‘dignity’ – Inside World Football
Russian president Vladimir Putin called for an overhaul of the current system of administration of Russian football, for a speeding up of work on infrastructure projects for the 2018 World Cup and for the national squad to represent the country with dignity. He made his comments at president’s council for sports and the 2018 World Cup organising committee.
FIFA Club World Cup: Sanfrecce’s style too much for Auckland – FIFA
A goal in each half from Yusuke Minagawa and Tsukasa Shiotani sent Sanfrecce Hiroshima through to the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2015 as they overcame Auckland City 2-0 at Yokohama International Stadium.
‘FIFA, we’re coming to get you’ – is warning from US and Lynch – Inside World Football
Loretta Lynch, the US attorney general whose stunning raft of corruption-linked indictments has plunged world football into disgrace, has indicated her organisation will show no let-up in its pursuit of FIFA and its six confederations.
UEFA Europa League final-day permutations – UEFA
Twenty teams will chase the nine available knockout places when the groups end on Thursday with 14 of the matches having qualification at stake. Let us explain …
Nigerians Celebrate, As U-23 Eagles Pick Rio Olympics Ticket – All Africa
It was another celebration time for Nigerians yesterday, as the national U-23 team ended the dominance of host, Senegal, at the 2015 African U-23 Nations Cup.
Algeria break 35-year jinx to reach Olympics – CAF
A 2-0 win over South Africa on Wednesday at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar was enough for Algeria to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 35 years.
Swansea expect to move swiftly in appointing successor to Garry Monk – The Guardian
Swansea City are confident of moving quickly to replace Garry Monk as manager, with Huw Jenkins believed to have already identified the man he wants to appoint to drag the Welsh club clear from the relegation zone. The word inside the Liberty Stadium is that Jenkins, the chairman, is closing in on a manager currently working overseas, with the idea of Brendan Rodgers returning to Swansea regarded as a non-starter at this stage of his career.
Soccer fans back on board as boycotts suspended – Sydney Morning Herald
The active supporters from Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City will now attend the pre-Christmas derby at AAMI Park having “temporarily” suspended their boycott of matches. The uneasy truce between the active supporters and the FFA, the game’s governing body, will last at least until February.
Everton’s Steven Naismith buys Christmas dinner for hundreds of Glasgow’s homeless – The Guardian
Steven Naismith has paid for Christmas dinner for hundreds of homeless people though he may not be able to rely on his Everton salary for much longer after his manager Roberto Martínez hinted that the forward’s future may lie away from Goodison Park.
Floods clean-up continues in Cumbria as Carlisle United discover three CARP in goalmouth – The Mirror
Volunteers aiding with the clear up of Carlisle United’s stadium discovered FISH on the Brunton Park pitch as the club counted the cost of Storm Desmond.
Euro 2016 travel: Everything you need to know – The Independent
Simon Calder tells you everything you need to know if considering a trip to France for next summer’s tournament.
FA grassroots survey reveals pitch concerns among players – BBC Sport
The quality and availability of pitches is the biggest factor in how often people in England play football, says the biggest grassroots survey ever conducted by the Football Association.
Dan Petrescu: Jiangsu players ‘fools’ for not celebrating cup win – BBC Sport
Former Chelsea player Dan Petrescu has called his Jiangsu Sainty players “fools” for failing to celebrate winning the Chinese Cup. Far from being doused in champagne, the Romanian manager had to tell his dressing room how to toast their success following a 1-0 aggregate win over Shanghai Shenhua last month.