BC Soccer News, Wednesday, March 8, 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, 2017BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

Whitecaps FC re-sign attacking midfielder Nicolás MezquidaWhitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Wednesday that the club has re-signed attacking midfielder Nicolás Mezquida to a new contract through 2018, with a club option for 2019.

Whitecaps FC confirm 2017 roster make-upWhitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC confirmed on Tuesday the club’s MLS roster make-up to start the 2017 season. Vancouver are currently using 28 of 31 roster spots, which includes one spot used for a season-long USL loan. The MLS roster size increased this year as the league recently announced two roster spots added for Homegrown players.

Whitecaps MLS roster make-up leaves some tantalizing questionsAFTN
Vancouver Whitecaps confirmed the initial make-up of their roster today for the start of the new MLS campaign. It’s led to some surprises, some disappointment, some over-reaction online, and most of all, it’s left some tantalizing questions about what may be to come.

Quakes encouraged but not giddy after impressive opener  – Soccer America
One game can’t erase four seasons of frustration, yet a spirited and efficient 1-0 defeat of Montreal at Avaya Stadium Saturday in the 2017 opener lifted the mood in the stands and locker room considerably.

Toronto FC monitoring Steven Beitashour for concussionWaking the Red
Steven Beitashour missed training on Tuesday due to what coach Greg Vanney described as a “mild concussion”, and will be monitored ahead of the meeting with the Philadelphia Union on Saturday.

TFC notebook: Giovinco needs to mix it up from penalty spot Sportsnet
Toronto FC was back in training on Tuesday ahead of its road game against the Philadelphia Union this weekend. Here are some news and notes from today’s practice at the club’s training facility in Downsview.

Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla, youngest player to have played senior minutes with the ImpactMontreal Impact
Even though the team lost 1-0 against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night, Impact supporters still had something to cheer about in the 63rd minute: Academy product Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla has rewritten a chapter in the club’s record book by becoming, at the age of 17 years and 338 days old, the youngest Impact player to have played MLS minutes.

Impact’s Hassoun Camara to miss home openerMontreal Gazette
Defender Hassoun Camara won’t make a fuss about being ejected from the Montreal Impact’s season-opening game in San Jose, even if it means he will have to sit out the team’s home opener.

Chicago Fire midfielder John Goossens sidelined by serious ankle injuryMLS
The revamped Chicago Fire will receive a quick test of depth, after the team announced Tuesday night that midfielder John Goossens would miss 5-6 months following ankle surgery.

FC Dallas left back Anibal Chala out after sports hernia surgeryMLS
A temporary blow to the (perpetual) youth movement at FC Dallas, after the team confirmed via Twitter that left back Anibal Chala was recovering from sports hernia surgery and is expected to miss a month of action.

MLS 2017: The Year of Financial Transparency? Eighty-Six Forever
We often, justifiably, bash Major League Soccer for their lack of transparency, there perceived hidden rules, and their perceived biases. However, it is important too that we recognize when Major League Soccer is doing good things.

MLS season takes off with record TV viewing, crowds and Etihad Airways renewalInside World Football
The growth and interest in Major League Soccer in the US continued to hit new highs with record viewing numbers. and big crowds for the opening weekend of the season. This week the league renewed official airline sponsor Etihad Airways.

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

Train With Champions TWU Spartan Female Soccer Academy

BC SOCCER NEWS

Whitecaps Residency product Kasper signs with CascadesUFV
The University of the Fraser Valley men’s soccer program has landed one of the highest-profile recruits in program history, as John Kasper has committed to head coach Tom Lowndes and the Cascades.

UBC Announces 2017 class of Sports Hall of Fame InducteesUBC
In nine seasons with the men’s team and 16 with the women’s, Dick Mosher’s teams posted a combined overall record of 244-54-50, including a record of 26-4-2 at U SPORTS championships. His sides amassed 14 podium finishes (nine gold, two silver, three bronze) in 14 appearances at the national tournament. His six national titles with the UBC men are a record for a head coach in U SPORTS soccer, while his three banners with the women’s squad put him in a tie for first.

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 CampaignTSS 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 RefereeBCSA
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 TryoutsTSS 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 MarchBC 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 NominationsBCSA
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 saleHighlanders 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, 2016BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

VMSL PHOTOS: Richmond FC Hibs 1, ICSF Columbus FC 0, November 5, 2016BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

MWSL PHOTOS: Van United Primas 0, Fraser Valley Action 2, October 30, 2016BC 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 SyndicationBC 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

Algarve Cup 2017 Final Preview: Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team faces SpainCSA
When Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team play Spain in the championship match of the Algarve Cup 2017, it will be the first time the two teams face each other in the history of women’s football. At a press conference the day prior to the match, both sides reflected on their journey to the Algarve Cup final and their excitement for the match ahead, but neither gave anything away.

Canada draws Honduras, Costa Rica, and French Guiana at 2017 CONCACAF Gold CupCSA
Canada will open the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup against debutants French Guiana before taking on Costa Rica and Honduras in the group stage of this summer’s confederation championship. Canada’s quest opens at Harrisburg, NJ on 7 July before moving to Dallas for the 11 July match against Costa Rica and Houston for the 14 July match against Honduras.

Canada draw tricky group for 2017 CONCACAF Gold CupWaking the Red
The Canadian men’s national soccer team just can’t seem to avoid Honduras. This morning’s draw for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, again paired the two familiar foes in the competition’s Group A. Honduras has ended Canada’s last two World Cup qualifying campaigns, including an infamous 8-1 victory in 2014 qualifying.

Should Canada have to qualify for the Gold Cup? It wouldn’t hurtSN
What’s it going to take to improve Canada’s men’s national team? It’s a question that has been asked ad nauseam as the team stumbles from failure to failure, having not qualified for the World Cup since 1986 and not getting out of the group stage from the other major tournament available to it — the CONCACAF Gold Cup — since 2009.

Soccer’s unifying spirit despite divisive politicsThe Aquinian
Every time Alex Hahn’s soccer cleats step on the turf, he feels release from the many issues he hasn’t been able to consolidate ever since he was a six-year-old girl. Hahn is a transgender first-year student at St. Thomas University from Moncton. About a year and a half ago, after educating himself more on gender transition, it all began to make sense and he decided to start his own transition.

Grizzlies indoor soccer teams battle at OCAA regionals Barrie Examiner
The Georgian Grizzlies men’s and women’s indoor soccer teams participated in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association Regionals on Monday hosted by Fanshawe College at the BMO Centre in London.

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

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WFC2, USL, NASL & NPSL NEWS

Toronto Adds Pais to SquadUSL
Toronto FC II announced on Tuesday that the club has signed former Saint Louis FC goalkeeper Mark Pais. “Improving our defensive group for TFC II has been a top priority for us as we head into the 2017 USL regular season,” said Toronto FC II Head Coach Jason Bent. “Mark worked hard throughout the preseason with both the first team and Toronto FC II and will continue to train with both teams. Mark has been a welcome addition to the club and we are pleased to finalize the deal.”

FC Edmonton heading to England for preseason tour Edmonton Journal
A year ago, FC Edmonton went on a preseason tour of Scotland, which led to their best North American Soccer League finish in franchise history.

New Neighborhood, New Possibilities for the Cosmos Empire of Soccer
New home, new neighbors. The New York Cosmos want to be good neighbors in their new community as they move to MCU Park in Brooklyn for the 2017 North American Soccer League season.

FC Cincinnati Passes 11,000 STMsUSL
FC Cincinnati announced on Wednesday morning the club had surpassed 11,000 Season Ticket Members for the 2017 USL season, a little over a month before its home opener against Saint Louis FC at Nippert Stadium on Saturday, April 15. The number marks a sharp increase from the club’s inaugural season, when it surpassed 6,000 Season Ticket Members, with the club having the chance to double that number prior to its first home game of the season.

USWNT loses to France, finishes last in SheBelieves CupSBI
The U.S. Women’s National Team’s run through the SheBelieves Cup ended in a major disappointment. After losing against England in the second match of the tournament, the U.S. lost to France, 3-0, on Tuesday at RFK Stadium in the final match of the SheBelieves Cup.

Germany deny England chance at SheBelieves crownThe Equalizer
England and Germany got things going at RFK Stadium in the final doubleheader of SheBelieves Cup 2017. The Lionesses were in with a shout to claim the tournament title, but Germany had other ideas. Anja Mittag scored her 50th goal for her country in the 44th minute to help Germany to a 1-0 win over England.

Women’s football finest: the World XIFIFPro
The team includes players from six countries, including two from Olympic Gold medal winners Germany.

Republic of Ireland striker Stephanie Roche ‘proud’ to reach 50-cap milestone ahead of Wales showdownWomen’s Soccer Utd.
Republic of Ireland striker Stephanie Roche reached her 50-cap milestone against Hungary on Friday, and says every cap still feels like her first.

Football marks International Women’s Day with series of events and calls to action Inside World Football
International Women’s Day is being marked by a series of initiatives around the football world to promote the women’s game and unite support for the increased participation of women in football both on and off the field.

Women scoring big victories in footballFIFA
“Women’s football and women in football is a priority – it’s part of the solution for the future of football,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino, speaking on International Women’s Day last year.

Ex-Arsenal coach Laura Harvey blazes a trail in Americainews
It was not the best of beginnings for the young Englishwoman abroad. Laura Harvey’s first match in charge of Seattle Reign delivered a point in Chicago, but that was as good as it got for the next few months as the next nine games all ended in defeat. As the mid-point of America’s newly-launched National Women’s Soccer League approached her future looked ominous.

Orlando Pride Launch Funded Girls’ Development AcademyOrlando City SC
Orlando Pride has announced the launch of a funded Girls’ Development Academy (DA), which will begin its inaugural year for the 2017-18 season, and will be open to players born between 1999 to 2005.

Rachel Yankey: Top female coach in men’s football ‘long way off’BBC Sport
On International Women’s Day, former Arsenal and England winger Rachel Yankey explains how views on women in football have changed over the past 15 years and why producing better female coaches is more of a priority than making a breakthrough in the men’s game.

Under valued, under funded, under the radar – women’s sport seek change in New ZealandChannel NewsAsia
The decision by captain Abby Erceg to walk away from the New Zealand women’s soccer team at the age of 27 did not come as a shock to sports academic Sarah Leberman, who views her experience as typical for female athletes in the country.

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WORLD SOCCER NEWS

Tuesday UCL Rewind: Bayern thumps Arsenal, Real Madrid tops NapoliSBI
Thanks to a comfortable 5-1 aggregate victory at the Allianz Arena three weeks ago, Bayern Munich were very much in the driver’s seat against Arsenal. On Tuesday, they simply added insult to injury for an Arsenal team that continues to flounder.

Free-scoring Lyon looking to roar past RomaLigue 1
After hammering Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar 11-2 on aggregate, Ligue 1 high-fliers Olympique Lyonnais entertain AS Roma on Thursday with a place in the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals in their sights.

Bournemouth’s Mings gets five-game ban for stamp on ZlatanNBC Sports
Despite protesting his innocence Tyrone Mings has been handed a five-game suspension for stamping on Zlatan Ibrahimovic‘s head.

Denmark striker Bendtner signs with Norwegian club RosenborgMetro
Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner has signed a three-year contract with Norwegian club Rosenborg. The former Arsenal forward says joining the Norwegian champions is “the perfect match.”

Mourinho slams pitch in Russia ahead of Europa League tieNBC Sports
Jose Mourinho is far from impressed about the pitch Manchester United have to play on in Russia on Thursday.

Scotland: Eighteen youth football clubs suspended over unchecked coachesBBC
Eighteen youth football clubs from across Scotland have been suspended from their leagues due to coaches not having full background checks.

Muller: Football players are just commercial goodsFour Four Two
Thomas Muller feels players are treated like commercial goods by their clubs and believes football is slowly turning into one big circus.

Chapecoense survivor Rafael Henzel on Copa Lib win: ‘My heart is bursting’ ESPN FC
Journalist Rafael Henzel said he was overcome with emotion after calling Chapecoense’s Copa Libertadores 2-1 debut victory on Tuesday night over Venezuelan club Zulia in Maracaibo.

Posted in BC Soccer News, British Columbia Soccer.