BC Soccer News, Tuesday, March 7, 2017

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES vs. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

MATCHDAY #2

SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017, 7:00 PM

AVAYA STADIUM, SAN JOSE, CA.

TV: TSN 1/3  RADIO: TSN 1410  ONLINE: TSN GO

MLS PHOTOS: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 Philadelphia Union 0, March 5, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

After dark 2016, Christian Dean makes good in rare start for Vancouver – MLS
For all the attacking pieces the Vancouver Whitecaps have added this offseason, big questions still remain around the ‘Caps defense.

Episode 179 – The AFTN Soccer Show (New Beginnings, Same Whitecaps? with guest Mauro Rosales) – AFTN
The 2017 season is already in full swing for Vancouver Whitecaps. While most teams played their first competitive match in this weekend’s MLS openers, the ‘Caps now have three under their belt, with two in the space of four days thanks to their CONCACAF Champions League heroics.

PRO Referee MLS assignments: Week 2 – PRO
The assignments for Week 2 of the 2017 MLS season.

San Jose bullish on Homegrowns Lima, Thompson after strong Week 1 showings – MLS
Following a fourth straight season of failing to qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs, the San Jose Earthquakes knew they needed to turn a new leaf in 2017. And while the team did look for help outside of MLS, their best signing of the offseason may be the one they made from within.

Vieira remains committed to seeing NYCFC build from back even as principles change – SBI
New York City FC center back, Maxime Chanot, was on the edge of the box in position to build out of the back and received a firm pass from his new goalkeeper, Sean Johnson. His teammates had created a large attacking shape on either side and in front of him. With Orlando City’s Carlos Rivas bearing down, Chanot elected to deliver a right-footed ball far up the pitch hoping that striker, David Villa, would be able to latch on to it.

MLS Confidential: Players polled on pro / rel, Beckham Miami team, salaries, Donovan return, Giovinco snub, more – ESPN FC
Overall, 140 players took part, representing 21 of the league’s 22 clubs — New York City FC was the only team that declined to participate — and, as you’ll see below, they didn’t hold back on giving their opinions.

MLS players: Seattle’s Alonso ‘crosses the line’ most, ahead of Felipe, Jones – ESPN FC
A survey of MLS players says the Seattle Sounders’ Osvaldo Alonso has the biggest reputation for crossing the line with his behavior on the field.

No country for old men: MLS teams swap aged stars for younger wingers – The Score
Change has come to Major League Soccer. Fueled by Targeted Allocation Money, a fair few teams in MLS are ignoring convention and trying something new; this is winger country, folks – enemy full-backs, beware.

Home sweet(er) home: How to improve BMO Field for Toronto FC fans – Waking the Red
In the last 3 years, MLSE has spent quite the pretty penny on improving the BMO Field experience. Between the addition of a second tier to the east stand, the connecting of the east, west and south concourses, improving of the video board in the north and addition of a canopy with new lights on three sides, the BMO Field of today feels and looks a lot different than it did during the 2013 season.

Atlanta United, fans must work together to stop hate chants – Dirty South Soccer
Atlanta United’s inaugural MLS match was amazing in many aspects – from the size and energy of the crowd to the electricity happening on the pitch. Unfortunately, a lot of the good/great things on display were tarnished (not ruined, but tarnished) with poor behavior and antics from a minor subset of the home fans. This makes me sad, because now those actions – drinks tossed on the field and the p*** chant on goal kicks – are some of the main talking points from the national media and the Twittersphere from the game.

PHOTOS: Whitecaps FC 2 NY Red Bulls 0, CONCACAF Champions League QF, March 2, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

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BC SOCCER NEWS

Residency teams play through snow with help from volunteers shoveling field – Whitecaps FC
Thanks to a number of parents, staff, players, and others who took time help shovel snow at Burnaby Mountain, Whitecaps FC Residency were able to play three Development Academy matches at home this weekend.

2017 Vancouver Futsal Spring Jamboree Series – Vancouver Futsal
Vancouver Futsal is proud to offer the Spring YPFL Jamboree Series. This program is geared at teams that would like to continue to play futsal on a semi-consistent basis through the Spring.

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 received by the British Columbia Soccer Association Office by March 31st.

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!

TSS FC Rovers Open Tryouts – TSS Rovers
Vancouver’s newest team, TSS FC Rovers, is looking for Canada’s best up and coming players to play for their first squad in 2017. If you are a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant, could possibly play for our national team one day, and meet the age requirment of 23 and under, we want to see you play!

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.

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.

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 soccer women advance to Algarve Cup final – CBC
Canada will defend its Algarve Cup title against Spain after advancing to the final with a 0-0 draw with Portugal on Monday.

In Search of a Saviour: Who Will be the Next CMNT Manager? – We Are The Red in the 6ix
There finally seems to be light. A flame that hopefully will be inextinguishable. The Canadian Soccer Association appears to be on the right path. A path that was once impossible to navigate, now has a clear direction. There have been many changes and they have been well documented. A cleansing? A rebirth? A full tear-down-to-the-studs renovation? Whatever the comparison, the long-term vision is in good hands. Those decisions appear to be etched in stone. But there must be decisions of the present to address.

City councillor assures soccer players northwest venue is secure – Calgary Herald
Minor soccer families worried about the future of their Calgary West Soccer Centre can take a breather, a city councillor said Monday.

Councillor pushes for no net loss of sports fields in Edmonton drainage plan – Edmonton Sun
Two baseball diamonds and one soccer field have already been lost to dry ponds in Ward 11, and Coun. Mike Nickel doesn’t want that trend to continue.

Two Syrian refugees kick-starting new life in Oakville – Oakville Beaver
Kicking off a new life in Oakville is helping two Syrian refugees pursue their love of soccer.

Canada Soccer looking for candidates to serve on the Board of Directors starting May 2017 – CSA
Deadline for application is 4:00 pm ET on Wednesday, 22 March 2017.

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Former Impact coach, players helping NASL expansion team in San Francisco – Montreal Gazette
A new soccer team is taking shape in the Bay Area, with a distinctly Canadian feel. Marc Dos Santos, whose coaching resumé includes the Montreal Impact, has called on several Canadian players as well as talent from Canadian teams to bring the San Francisco Deltas to life.

Tampa Bay Rowdies Sign Jamaican Forward Deshorn Brown – Tampa Bay Rowdies
The Tampa Bay Rowdies have signed forward Deshorn Brown, the club announced Tuesday, pending ITC Clearance, league and federation approval. Per club and league policy, further contract details were not disclosed.

Saint Louis Snaps Up Volesky – USL
Saint Louis FC announced on Monday the signing of forward Christian Voleksy, pending league and federation approval. Volesky enters his third professional season having recorded 18 goals in the USL regular season over the past two years. In 2015, the rookie helped the Rhinos claim both the USL Regular Season Championship and the USL Cup, and last year led the side with 10 goals as he appeared in every regular season contest.

2017 USL Preview: OKC Energy FC – USL
A Western Conference Finalist in 2015, the hope within OKC Energy FC’s camp was the side would go one better last season. A dramatic fall-off in production in front of goal instead saw the side almost miss out on the postseason completely. While a dramatic comeback victory against Rio Grande Valley FC in the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the USL Cup Playoffs gave OKC a high point, the offseason brought about numerous changes that Head Coach Jimmy Nielsen hopes will see the side become more consistent in 2017.

Lloyd, Ellis respond to new U.S. Soccer policy requiring players stand for national anthem – SBI
The news of the policy was broken hours before the USWNT’s SheBelieves Cup match against England, and when head coach Jill Ellis, along with the team’s captains, Carli Lloyd and Becky Sauerbrunn, were asked about the policy, they were surprised to hear about it.

SheBelieves Cup: France has inside track – Soccer America
The USA enters the final game of the SheBelieves Cup on Tuesday against France at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. needing a win to have a chance of capturing the tournament title for the second year in a row. A 1-0 loss to England on Saturday dropped the USA into a tie for  second place behind France, which beat England, 2-1, and tied Germany, 0-0.

Matildas to play for third at Algarve Cup – The West Australian
The Matildas will meet Denmark to decide third place at soccer’s Algarve Cup in Portugal, after goals by Emily Gielnik and Ellie Carpenter fired them to a win over China and a top finish in their group.

Russia 1-6 Denmark: Danes a class above as Russians are brushed aside – Vavel
A hat-trick from Pernille Harder helped seal an impressive 6-1 victory for the Scandinavian team.

Women’s football chiefs target rise in fans as new season approaches – Evening Times
Players and management of Scottish Women’s Football (SWF) hope to increase the number of fans and young girls getting into the game in the latest season.

Hibernian Ladies defender Claire Williamson aims to build on 2016 double cup success – Sky Sports
Claire Williamson hopes Hibernian Ladies can go one better this season and beat red-hot title favourites Glasgow City.

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WORLD SOCCER NEWS

UEFA Champions League Preview: Arsenal, Barcelona look to overcome first-leg deficits – SBI
On paper, the four matches set to take place in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 this week don’t seem too exciting as three of the four features teams with large advantages.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic hit with three-game ban for elbowing Tyrone Mings – Fox Sports
Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will miss an FA Cup quarterfinal match against Chelsea on Monday and two Premier League games after admitting to a charge of violent conduct for elbowing an opponent during a match.

Sevilla held by Alaves, loses ground in La Liga title chase – Sportsnet
Sevilla couldn’t manage more than a 1-1 draw at Alaves on Monday, seeing its title chances take a hit in the Spanish league after both Barcelona and Real Madrid won their weekend games.

Craig Shakespeare set to be named Leicester City manager – The Guardian
Leicester City are set to confirm that Craig Shakespeare has been given the manager’s job for the remainder of the season. Claudio Ranieri’s former No2 was in put in charge in the wake of the Italian’s sacking and has convinced Leicester’s owners that he is the right man to steer the club to safety after overseeing back-to-back Premier League wins over Liverpool and Hull City.

Ex-head of Salvadoran soccer federation given eight years in prison – Reuters
The former president of El Salvador’s soccer federation, who is wanted in the United States for alleged corruption, was sentenced to eight years in Salvadoran prison for labour fraud, the country’s attorney general’s office said on Monday.

Sebastien Migne named Congo boss ahead of African Nations Cup qualifiers – ESPN FC
Congo have named Sebastien Migne as their new coach ahead of their 2019 African Nations Cup qualification campaign.

Africans complete their line up for U20 World Cup in South Korea – Inside World Football
Senegal and South Africa have completed the line-up of the U20 2017 FIFA World Cup in South Korea after advancing to the semi-finals of the U20 CAF African Cup of Nations.

Ex-football coach faces abuse charges – BBC News
Former football coach Barry Bennell has been charged with eight counts of historical child sexual abuse.

England soccer leaders criticized for ‘sham’ diversity plan – North Bay Nipissing
England soccer leaders were criticized Monday for introducing diversity reforms that campaigners say still fail to ensure minority groups are adequately represented in the decision-making process.

Non-League manager quits his club… at half-time – Four Four Two
Petersfield Town manager John Robson had seen enough from his team, so decided simply to leave his post during a game.

Belize’s American manager: Richard Orlowski’s long route to Central America – The Guardian
A 59-year-old Pennsylvanian has made a home in an obscure corner of the international soccer orbit.