VANCOUVER WHITECAPS & MLS NEWS
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC vs. SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
MLS MATCHDAY #4
SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2019, 2019
BC PLACE, VANCOUVER, BC
TV: TSN 1 RADIO: TSN 1040 ONLINE: TSN DIRECT
Episode 332 – The AFTN Soccer Show (Slipping Block – Vancouver v Seattle Preview Show) – AFTN
What’s the best thing for a winless team to have after some time off for the international break? If you said a derby game against an unbeaten side, then you’ll be happy for what lies in store for Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday evening. You’re also nuts.
Is left-back Ali Adnan a Whitecaps stopgap or saviour? – The Province
Ali Adnan played in the top-flight Italian league, Serie A last season, and has joined the Vancouver Whitecaps on a short-term loan. Can the team convince the elite-level talent to stay in MLS once his loan is up?
Adnan of Action – Eighty-Six Forever
Ali Adnan arrived this week and began training with the Whitecaps as the ‘Caps took training to BC Place ahead of Saturday’s first Cascadia derby of the season against the Sounders.
Defending from the front: Analyzing the defensive work rate of Seattle’s attacking players – Sounders FC
Since the start of the 2019 MLS season, one word keeps popping up in interviews with Seattle Sounders players and coaches: tempo.
Toronto FC vs. New York City FC | 2019 MLS Match Preview – MLS
Toronto FC are looking to extend a perfect start to the 2019 season, and might have new signing Alejandro Pozuelo in the lineup when they host a New York City FC side seeking their first win of the campaign Friday night at BMO Field.
All that’s left for Pozuelo to do in Toronto is play – Toronto Sun
It has been a whirlwind few days for new Toronto FC midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo since arriving in T.O. on Friday night.
Montreal Impact sign defender Jukka Raitala to one-year extension – Sportsnet
The Montreal Impact have signed Finnish defender Jukka Raitala to a one-year extension, keeping him under contract with the club through the 2020 season.
Wondolowski looking to ignite Quakes-LAFC rivalry in quest for record – MLS
The quest is still on for #WondoWatch, and the next opportunity to make history comes on Saturday for Chris Wondolowski.
FC Cincinnati has all its players back from international duty. Now what? – Cincinnati.com
The biggest FC Cincinnati storyline heading into Sunday’s match at New England Revolution was the sudden subtraction of five key players due to injury and international duty.
LAFC’s Steven Beitashour fined by MLS Disciplinary Committee – Angels on Parade
MLS announced on Wednesday that Steven Beitashour has been fined for violating the policy of hands to the face, neck or head of an opponent, after a tangle with Real Salt Lake’s Bofo Saucedo on Saturday.
For better or worse, El Trafico is very real – LAG Confidential
As much as LAFC have achieved the past few years, the growing pains the organization are dealing with policing fan behavior at the Banc are a serious concern. Hopefully the venue will continue to work with the club and supporters until the issues are sorted: In lightning speed the rivalry has become a fully-realized thing. El Trafico is fun. It needs to stay that way.
Edwin Cerrillo makes first FC Dallas start nine years after being a mascot – MLS
As FC Dallas Homegrown midfielder Edwin Cerrillo took the hand of his mascot to walk out the tunnel into Toyota Stadium for his first MLS start on Saturday, the 18-year-old had a flashback from half his lifetime ago.
Union legend Sebastian Le Toux to make his broadcast debut this weekend – The Brotherly Game
Le Toux will be on PHL17 before, during and after the Union’s match against FC Cincinnati
BC SOCCER NEWS
PACIFIC FC vs. HFX WANDERERS FC
CANADIAN PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHDAY #1
SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 2019, 4:00 PM
WESTHILLS STADIUM, LANGFORD, BC
Best and brightest honoured at 2019 SFU Athletic Awards – SFU
Men’s soccer claims ‘Team of the Year’, while Dominique Parrish, Addy Townsend, Adrian VanderHelm, Mamadi Camara win night’s major individual awards.
Cowichan LMG’s ‘outstanding’ season ends with win – Cowichan Valley Citizen
Having already clinched their fifth straight Garrison Cup as Vancouver Island Soccer League Div. 1 champions, Cowichan LMG had one last league game left to play, and wrapped up the season tidily with a 2-1 win over Gorge FC.
Division title slips away from Powell River Villa – Powell River Peak
At halftime on Saturday, March 23, Powell River Villa was 45 minutes away from a division title. One week after earning promotion to Vancouver Island Soccer League Division 1, the club played its last game of the season with a chance to overtake idle Victoria Highlanders for the Division 2 title. Only fourth-place Saanich Fusion stood in the way.
Okanagan Premier League wraps inaugural season – Kelowna Capital News
The Okanagan Premier League finishes its first season Wednesday. In its inaugural year, the league supplied competitive soccer throughout the winter.
Cowichan Red Arrow earns promotion – Cowichan Valley Citizen
A win in their season finale on Saturday gave Cowichan Red Arrow the best record in Div. 4 of the Vancouver Island Soccer League this season and promotion to Div. 3 for next year.
AUDIO: Victor Montagliani: From Vancouver kid to president of Concacaf – Sportsnet
Victor Montagliani chats with Sportsnet 650 about growing up in Vancouver, his rise to president of Concacaf, the upcoming Nations League, and Canada preparing to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
CANADA SOCCER NEWS
Canada draws USA and Cuba for Concacaf Nations League A – CSA
Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team will look forward to tougher tests and more meaningful matches when 2019-20 Concacaf Nations League A kicks off this Fall. From 12 nations in Concacaf’s top league, Canada will face USA and Cuba in a series of home-and-away matches starting this September.
Americans could find new soccer rival in CanMNT – CanPL
Wednesday’s CONCACAF Nations League draw saw the Canadian national side drawn into Pool A with the U.S. and Cuba. That means coach John Herdman and his crew of young players will get a chance to do what many generations of Canadian players who have come before have failed to do — give the Americans a CONCACAF archrival other than Mexico.
Cavalry FC signs French-born Congolese striker Dominique Malonga – TSP
Cavalry FC announced the signing of French-born Congolese international striker Dominique Malonga Wednesday, as the Calgary club continues to build its squad for the inaugural season of the Canadian Premier League (CPL), Canada’s new professional soccer league.
‘Ali the Moose!’: Valour FC winger Musse aims for breakout season – Valour FC
On the field, Musse is a presence. The left-footed Winnipeg native stands out at every training session. How much so? When asked about his play early in training camp, Valour FC head coach Rob Gale beamed and then gave a loud “Ali the Mooooooooose!” It seems a nickname has evolved.
2019 Futsal Canadian Championship schedule announced – CSA
Canada Soccer has unveiled the competition schedule for the 2019 Futsal Canadian Championship to be held 11-14 April 2019 and streamed LIVE on CanadaSoccer.com from Queen’s University in Kingston, ON.
USL & LOWER DIVISION NEWS
Republic FC’s Cameron Iwasa earns USL Championship Player of the Week – Galt Herald
Sacramento Republic FC forward Cameron Iwasa has been voted the USL Championship Player of the Week for Week 3 of the 2019 season. The club’s all-time leading scorer recorded a hat trick in the span of 11 minutes and also tallied an assist to lead his side to a 4-1 victory against OKC Energy FC at Papa Murphy’s Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Real Monarchs, with tons of new faces, on the right track to make noise in USL Championship – Salt Lake Tribune
It’s a season of new for the Real Monarchs. A slew of new players. A new head coach. And so far this season, all that new has taken some time to settle in. But after a dominant 5-0 win over L.A. Galaxy II on Saturday, things have started to take shape for the Salt Lake City’s United Soccer League Championship team.
Charleston Battery owner to sell pro soccer club’s Daniel Island stadium – Post-Courier
The longtime home pitch of the Charleston Battery is set to be sold to a real estate developer in a deal that will likely bring the professional soccer club’s matches to downtown Charleston next year.
NWSL & WOMEN’S WORLD SOCCER NEWS
Barcelona, Bayern, Chelsea Lyon advance to UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals – The Equalizer
Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Chelsea and Lyon advanced to the UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals on Wednesday. Lyon will play Chelsea in one semifinal, while Bayern and Barcelona will meet in the other in late April.
13-year-old Olivia Moultrie debuts for Portland Thorns in preseason game – Oregon Live
FIFA rules generally prevent players from signing with foreign clubs before they turn 18, making a move to Europe all but impossible. The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) also prevents players from competing in the league until they turn 18.
Report: FC Barcelona cools pursuit to launch NWSL team – Angels on Parade
We’re going on two years of European superpower FC Barcelona publicly whispering in every ear they can find to relay the news they want to launch an NWSL team, but the latest twist in the saga is that the pursuit may be dead, at least for now.
Andres Cantor reflects on women’s soccer’s meteoric rise – The Equalizer
Andres Cantor has seen a lot of goals. And he has burst into many a living room to let us know about many of them with his transcendent “Goooooool!’ call, usually in Spanish but sometimes in English. The word needs no translation. So when Cantor bumped into Carli Lloyd in Portugal earlier this year, and told her that the 58-yard wonder goal that completed her hat trick in the 2015 World Cup final was one of the best goals in the history of soccer, regardless of gender, his word definitely holds some weight.
Ex-Yale coach set to plead guilty for soliciting almost $1 million in bribes in college admissions scandal – USA Today
A former soccer coach at Yale University was expected to plead guilty Thursday in Boston to fraud-related charges after authorities say he solicited more than $1 million in bribes from wealthy parents seeking to gain admission for their children into the prestigious school.
WORLD SOCCER NEWS
Manchester United make coach Solskjaer permanent hire – The Star
Manchester United hired Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as its permanent manager on Thursday as a reward for leading the team to 14 wins in 19 games in his impressive interim spell.
Solskjær ‘beyond excited’ at three-year deal as Manchester United manager – The Guardian
“From the first day I arrived, I felt at home at this special club,” Solskjær said. “It was an honour to be a Manchester United player, and then to start my coaching career here. The last few months have been a fantastic experience and I want to thank all of the coaches, players and staff for the work we’ve done so far. This is the job that I always dreamed of doing and I’m beyond excited to have the chance to lead the club long-term and hopefully deliver the continued success that our amazing fans deserve.”
FC Bayern sign Lacus Hernandez – FC Bayern
“I’m very happy we’ve been able to sign one of the best defenders in the world, a World Cup winner, in Lucas Hernandez,” said FC Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic. “Lucas can play both in central defence and at left-back. Moreover, Lucas will continue our great tradition of French footballers and improve our team.”
International Champions Cup schedule: Madrid Derby in New Jersey – NBC Sports
Is it still a Madrid Derby if it’s played in New Jersey? That’s one of the questions inspired by Wednesday’s release of the 2019 International Champions Cup schedule, which includes Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, and Manchester United.
Tanzania players rewarded with land for reaching African Cup – NBC Sports
The president of Tanzania has rewarded national soccer team players and officials with $5,000 each and a plot of land in the capital city for qualifying for the African Cup of Nations.
UEFA charges Ireland for tennis balls protest by fans – London Free Press
UEFA says it charged Ireland for fans throwing tennis balls on the pitch to stop play, in protest against the national soccer federation’s top official.
‘They’ve just scratched the surface’ – football tackling mental health but more can be done – The Guardian
Work by charities, the PFA, clubs and players is helping the sport open up, though no one claims to have all the answers.