VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS
MLS PRESEASON
PORTLAND TIMBERS vs. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017, 7:30 PM
PROVIDENCE PARK, PORTLAND, OREGON
LIVESTREAM: WHITECAPSFC.COM
Whitecaps set to swoop for Fredy Montero – The Province
A striker was asked for, a striker may have been got. The Whitecaps look to be on the verge of a big signing: ex-Seattle Sounders striker Fredy Montero.
Reports: Ex-Sounders star Fredy Montero close to MLS return with Vancouver – MLS
Colombian newspaper El Heraldo first reported on Sunday that Fredy Montero, who starred for Seattle from 2009 to 2012 before making a high-profile transfer to Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon, is close to inking a return to MLS with the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Episode 176 – The AFTN Soccer Show (As Easy As Pythagoras with Don Garber) – AFTN
Like a triangle, there’s three sides to every story, at least that’s how it feels in the world of football – the club’s version, the fan’s version, and the truth that most likely lies inbetween.
Toronto FC see defensive upgrade in well-traveled newcomer Chris Mavinga – MLS
After falling a fingertip short of the 2016 MLS Cup title and returning most of their core for 2017, it appeared there was relatively little for Toronto FC to address in the offseason.
Checking in on Toronto FC’s Eastern Conference rivals – part one – Waking the Red
Taking a look at how the Reds’ half of MLS is shaping up, Atlanta through Montreal.
Reyna scores first goal as ‘Caps draw 1-1 with RSL in penultimate preseason match – Whitecaps FC
Newcomer Yordy Reyna scored his first goal for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in his second preseason appearance as the ‘Caps played to a 1-1 draw versus Real Salt Lake at the Portland Timbers preseason tournament on Sunday.
Eight, nine or ten for the Whitecaps? – Soccer Shorts
Anyway, it’s a truth universally acknowledged that Vancouver just need a good finisher to make everything okay isn’t it?
Beyond the Lens – Enlisted – Eighty-Six Forever
As I did last pre-season, I find myself in the Rose City for the most of the pre-season tournament after a stressful 24hrs leading up to my departure, with 2 track obstructions on the Amtrak line south of Everett. What it all meant, is that I could still take the Cascades train down to Everett, a transfer to coach transportation to Amtrak Seattle.
Sounders newcomer Gustav Svensson looking forward to ‘physical’ MLS play – Seattle Times
Sounders newcomer Gustav Svensson is looking forward to the more physical style of play in MLS after spending most of his career in Sweden and lately, China, before joining Seattle two weeks ago.
Impact star Piatti says winning, not goals totals, is the target this season – Montreal Gazette
Ignacio (Nacho) Piatti is not setting a target on how many goals he will get this season, but chances are he will score a lot.
Changes to Detroit stadium proposal could force a delay in bid for MLS expansion – SBI
A proposal from investor Dan Gilbert is seen as a key component of Detroit’s MLS bid, and the acceptance or rejection of the plan could make or break the city’s hopes entirely. Now, even with an approval, the delay on a decision could leave Detroit at risk of missing out on spots 25 and 26 with MLS set to decide who makes the final cut by the end of 2017.
MLS side Philadelphia Union advertise for Chief Tattoo Officer – The Telegraph
Well it’s certainly one way to make a mark. Major League Soccer club the Philadelphia Union have taken the relationship between football and tattoos to a whole new level by advertising for their own tattoo artist.
Train With Champions TWU Spartan Female Soccer Academy
BC SOCCER NEWS
Whitecaps FC host Academy Centre High Potential Prospects camp this week – Whitecaps FC
This coming week, the Whitecaps FC Academy Centre Network will take another big step forward. For the first time, the club will hold a High Potential Prospects camp in Vancouver featuring players from academy locations across the country, including provincial association partners and both Ontario centres.
BC Soccer Assoc. Scholarships – BCSA
BC Soccer is proud to award scholarships every year to players and referees proceeding on to post-secondary education. The Scholarships are presented at a special Scholarship Celebration at a Whitecaps FC match in June/July each year. Applications must be signed off by your Youth District Soccer Association Chairperson or Adult League President. The completed application can either be forwarded to BC Soccer by the Youth District/Adult League or the individual who is applying for the scholarship application.
VISL – Sir John Jackson Cup – VISL
102 Years later and the same trophy exists for the same tournament that 1st took place in the year 1915.
TSS Rovers getting set for inaugural USL PDL season as schedule revealed – AFTN
The final piece to your summer footballing plans is now in place. The USL Premier Development League (PDL) has released their schedule and conference alignment for the 72 teams competing in the 2017 regular season, with new Burnaby-based side TSS Rovers amongst that number.
Vancouver’s PDL team: TSS FC Rovers – Northern Starting XI
Vancouver’s brand new PDL franchise brings a new level of development for the youth of the Lower Mainland: TSS FC Rovers. Known in the community as TSS Academy, they have long provided soccer support and full-time soccer training. Now they make the jump to the PDL. I took some time and had a chat with head coach Colin Elmes, and assistant coach Will Cromack about how this all came to be, and what the future looks like for Vancouver football.
Parksville Golden Oldies Sports Assoc. launch Walking Soccer – PGOSA
Walking soccer is a way of playing soccer that keeps all of the enjoyment but allows older or physically challenged players to keep playing. The key difference is that instead of running, players must walk.
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.
FVSL All-Stars to face WFC2 in March – BC Soccer Web
January snow and ice in the Lower Mainland put the brakes on the annual clash between the Fraser Valley Soccer League All-Stars and the best from the VISL this year. That hasn’t stopped the FVSL from planning an ambitious All-Star series in March.
BC Soccer Assoc. is Now Accepting 2016-2017 Awards Nominations – BCSA
We are pleased to inform everyone that BC soccer Assoc. is currently accepting Awards nominations until the submission deadline date of March 31, 2017. Selection of the award recipients is based on many factors including the individual’s commitment, community involvement and willingness to give back to the game. This year any BC Soccer Assoc. member and their affiliate clubs may submit a nomination.
2017 BC Soccer Assoc. is accepting candidates for its Board of Directors – BCSA
BC Soccer Assoc. is accepting candidates for its Board of Directors for terms commencing June, 2017 (following the BC Soccer Annual General Meeting).
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.
VMSL PHOTOS: Richmond FC Hibs 1, ICSF Columbus FC 0, November 5, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.
Tickets now on sale for Canada Soccer Women’s National Team celebration match 4 February in Vancouver – CSA
Individual tickets to the Canada v Mexico Women’s National Team Bronze Medal celebration match on 4 February 2017 in Vancouver are now on sale to the public. Complete ticket information can be found at CanadaSoccer.com/Tickets.
MWSL PHOTOS: Van United Primas 0, Fraser Valley Action 2, October 30, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.
PHOTOS: GNAC Women’s Soccer: SFU 1 Concordia U. (Ore.) 0, October 20, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.
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
Is global view the cure to Canada MNT’s longtime misfortune? – Four Four Two
The Canadian men haven’t made the World Cup since 1986. The world is getting smaller, and the program is looking for all eligible players.
The road to the FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017 – CSA
The 2017 CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship runs from 17 February to 5 March, with the new competition format divided into two stages. From the first stage, 12 nations are divided into three round-robin groups, with two nations from each group to advance to the Classification Phase.
Canada Soccer picks squad for CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship – CSA
Canada Soccer has announced their 11-player squad for the upcoming 2017 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship in Nassau, Bahamas. The Canadian squad will participate in the seventh edition of the continental championship from 20-26 February.
Canadians prepare indoors for CONCACAF beach soccer qualifying tournament – Western Star
Adrian Cann, Marc Jankovic, Anthony Alves and Milos Scepanovic rented an indoor beach volleyball court in Hamilton to prepare for the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship, which runs Feb. 20-26 in the warmer climes of Nassau, Bahamas.
P.E.I.’s Cameron O’Hanley preparing to try out for national para soccer team – CBC
After suffering a brain injury in a motor vehicle accident 3.5 years ago, Charlottetown’s Cameron O’Hanley thought he’d never play soccer again. But O’Hanley, now 20, has been invited to a one-day training session in Ontario in March to try to qualify for Canada’s Para Soccer Team.
Pepsi breezes to league title in over-35 soccer with one game remaining – Whitehorse Star
Scott Wood, a veteran of many over-35 seasons, has never scored a better goal than the one he buried on Saturday morning.
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WFC2, USL, NASL & NPSL NEWS
Watson Returns For Fifth Season With FC Edmonton – FC Edmonton
FC Edmonton announced, Monday, the return of veteran centre back Albert Watson for the club’s 2017 North American Soccer League (NASL) campaign. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Watson: For FC Edmonton, nothing less than a championship will do – the11.ca
Albert Watson says that, unlike last season, FC Edmonton will not surprise any of their NASL opponents in 2017.
‘Strong’ proposal submitted for USL expansion team in Baltimore – Washington Post
A group of Baltimore investors has submitted an application to launch an expansion team in the United Soccer League, sources close to the blossoming second-tier circuit said Monday.
Sehgal of NASL Is Bullish on Division II Super Cup – Empire of Soccer
Shortly after the United States Soccer Federation mandated provisional sanctioning for the North American Soccer League and the United Soccer League at the Division II level, word began to seep out that the owners of the eight NASL clubs were interested in organizing a match between the league champions.
PDX FC joins as 6th club in NPSL NW Conference for 2017 – GoalWA
The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce that PDX Football Club (Portland, OR) has joined the league as an expansion team. The club will compete in the West Region’s Northwest Conference.
Timbers U23 hire Aaron Lewis as new head coach – Statesman Journal
The Timbers U23s announced that Corban men’s soccer coach, Aaron Lewis, will take over the head coaching duties as the team makes the move to Salem for the 2017 season.
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WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS
Melbourne crowned champs, tight races in France and Spain – FIFA
In Australia, Melbourne defended their Westfield W-League title in style. The leading pair in France and Spain continued to dominate, while the pacesetters in Belgium and Italy have now built up sizeable leads.
Jess Fishlock gives Melbourne City back-to-back Championships – Prost Amerika
A 2-0 scoreline sealed the deal for Melbourne City‘s women side Sunday night in the championship final over Perth Glory, capping off a tougher run than the season before.
Melbourne City enter pantheon of teams known for owning big moments – The Guardian
In securing their second title in as many years, City displayed the kind of clinical edge that is in keeping with their club’s superior investment and professionalism.
Audience records tumble in Westfield W-League decider – W-League
Melbourne City FC’s win over Perth Glory in yesterday’s Westfield W-League 2017 Grand Final was the most viewed decider in the competition’s history, both in terms of attendance and TV ratings.
Division 1 Féminine – Matchday 14 Review: PSG and OL continue the battle for first – Vavel
Both teams are neck-and-neck at this stage of the season and although Olympique Lyonnais have a game in hand, Paris Saint-Germain will not give up first place easily.
Australia, Germany, others release tournament rosters – The Equalizer
Just a day after the Australian W-League crowned Melbourne City as the Grand Final Champions, the Australia women’s national team released its roster for the upcoming Algarve Cup tournament camp.
Chinese blueprint in women’s football – Vavel
The eight-team league is the highest tier in Chinese women’s football. The 2017 campaign will kick start on March 18 and will see its end in November.
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WORLD SOCCER NEWS
UEFA Champions League Preview: PSG hosts Barcelona, Arsenal visits Bayern and more – SBI
Sixteen clubs are now a step closer to Millennium Stadium after surviving their respective groups in the UEFA Champions League, and eight of them will kick off the knockout-stage action this week in first-leg fixtures.
Arsenal handed boost as Ribery & Boateng ruled out for Bayern – SN
Bayern Munich will be without in-form winger Franck Ribery and central defender Jerome Boateng for their Champions League clash against Arsenal on Wednesday.
Zidane calls for Madrid focus – Football Espana
Zinedine Zidane has described Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Napoli as ‘50/50’ and has called on his side to show focus.
Unai Emery’s PSG hybrid faces crash test against Barcelona in Champions League – The Guardian
For all their domestic highs, French club have failed to make inroads in Europe but tie against Barcelona should highlight if season of change is paying off.
Sterling leads Manchester City over Bournemouth, into second place – Fox Sports
Manchester City jumped into second place in the Premier League with a 2-0 win at Bournemouth on Monday.
AC Milan end losing run in Serie A by drawing with Lazio – Sportsnet
Suso saved AC Milan from more misery by scoring a late equalizer at Lazio for 1-1 in Serie A on Monday.
Week 25 match reports – Ligue 1
Every single game report with video highlights from a gripping Week 25 of the Ligue 1 season – they are all in here!
Univision announces deal to broadcast Liga MX on Facebook – SBI
Liga MX, Univision and Facebook have combined to announce a historic broadcast deal. Univision announced on Monday that select Liga MX matches will be broadcast in English live on Facebook. The deal begins on Saturday, February 18th, and continues throughout the 2017 season. (U.S. only)
£26 million, 10 games, ZERO goals: Is Ezequiel Lavezzi the worst CSL signing ever? – SN
Both on the field and off it, Ezequiel Lavezzi has carved out a reputation for being somewhat of a joker. Hebei China Fortune, however, will probably not be laughing once they take stock of the numbers as the Argentine celebrates a year in the Chinese Super League.
Fan TV: a revolution or just a vehicle for venting attention-grabbing fury? – The Guardian
Channels such as Arsenal Fan TV claim they give supporters the chance to have their say but are viewers just hoping to watch a car-crash moment?