BC Soccer News, Weekend, February 17-19, 2017

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

Yordy Reyna’s wonky foot and four other Whitecaps post-pre-season thoughts Vancouver Sun
Ready or not, the Caps open their competitive season Feb. 22 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., against the New York Redbulls. It’s the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League.

Predicting MLS in 2017: Contenders, pretenders and the unknownsFour Four Two
MLS is always wide open, but a few teams look like way-too-early favorites to win MLS Cup. And a few look like they’re in for trouble.

Beyond the Lens – Army DischargeEighty-Six Forever
After my planned one day adventure into the Timbers Army, I felt that, on derby day, it would only be proper to represent the team and city that I love and sit with the regular fans. As expected, I was not antagonized, probably because it was very wet and kinda cold, so I was covered up most of the game. I found out after, from my hosts, that people were wondering where I was.

Emotional Ramblings: Subtracting a negativeAFTN
The Whitecaps concluded their adventurous preseason Wednesday night in Portland with a whimper and a whine. After attempting to ramp up the intensity by playing UK based sides in midseason form (which really didn’t result in much of a contest after all), the Whitecaps finished their preseason in Portland and looked equally as flat as last season, concluding with a flattering 2-1 loss to a completely dominant Portland Timbers side who waltzed through the Whitecaps back six with ease.

AFTN launches new premium podcast – “There’s Still (Extra) Time”AFTN
As we all know, the media landscape is quickly changing in this modern age, and this appears to be very much true when it comes to the world of Vancouver Whitecaps coverage.

Stejskal: How Fredy Montero landed in VancouverMLS
While the loan does not include an option to permanently acquire Montero, whose contract with Tianjin Teda expires at the end of 2017, ‘Caps VP of soccer operations Greg Anderson told me on Wednesday that the team will maintain his MLS rights as long as they make him an offer following the season.

TFC’s Steven Beitashour does not agree with Trump’s travel banSportsnet
Steven Beitashour is quick to tell you he is a soccer player, not a politician. But as a California-born Iran international, the Toronto FC fullback has a unique perspective on President Donald Trump’s controversial attempt to restrict who can enter the U.S.

New York City FC sign midfielder John StertzerMLS
New York City FC announced the signing of midfielder John Stertzer on Thursday. The 26-year-old, who previously played in MLS for Real Salt Lake, has been on trial with NYCFC throughout preseason.

Chicago Fire under pressure to deliver in 2017 following painful rebuildESPN FC
“For me, this year is the year for Chicago Fire. We have nothing to lose this year, and I’m so confident that we’ll do great things.”

DC United wins final approval for $300M soccer stadium  – Construction Dive
The D.C. United soccer club overcame its last zoning obstacle Thursday when the DC Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve the $300 million stadium design.

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BC SOCCER NEWS

KYSA TO OFFER SECOND PRO-D DAY CAMP OF THE YEAR KYSA
The Kamloops Youth Soccer Association is holding its second Pro-D Day Soccer Camp of the year on Friday, February 24th at the Kamloops Soccer Dome.

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

Road to the U-20 World Cup: Canada face Honduras on FridayWhitecaps FC
All of the competition matches are scheduled to be broadcast live on CONCACAF’s Facebook channel, with Friday’s Canada-Honduras opener kicking off at 3:30 p.m. PT. Canada Soccer will provide in-match coverage from Estadio Saprissa via Canada Soccer’s digital channels including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Flickr.

A closer look at Canada at the U20 CONCACAF ChampionshipRed Nation Online
From watching Canadian youth soccer develop over the past few years, one can only be excited by the potential talent in this country. This was brought to reality the U20 side’s famous 2-1 victory in England over the English U20 last March. Since then, I have very much looked forward to the progression of these young Canadian players, highlighted by the upcoming U20 CONCACAF Championship and potentially a place in the U20 World Cup.

‘Hungry’ Hundal Driven to Lead Canada U20sUSL
While he is the second-youngest member of the Canada U20 squad heading to Costa Rica for the CONCACAF U20 Championship this week, it would be a mistake to think of Toronto FC II forward Shaan Hundal as someone there to gain experience for the next cycle.

Toronto FC president Bill Manning thinks it would be ‘foolish’ for CPL to put a team in T.O.Toronto Sun
Toronto FC president Bill Manning says it would be downright “foolish” for the so-called Canadian Premier League to unveil a new Toronto team. Manning recently met with Hamilton Tiger-Cats CEO Scott Mitchell — the man heading up the newly-proposed league — to feel each other out.

2017 Canada Soccer Active Start Soccer Fest Applications Now OpenCSA
Canada Soccer is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the 2017 Active Start Soccer Fest program. Community soccer club staff administrators, coaches and volunteers are encouraged to apply online today to bring a fun-filled event to your community club and to help grow the game across the country.

Foothills WFC to compete in United Women’s Soccer league  – Calgary Sun
Foothills WFC will compete this summer in the newly expanded United Women’s Soccer (UWS) league, which is one level below the professional National Women’s Soccer League in the United States. The Calgary group is currently the only Canadian team to be accepted.

Ottawa soccer team raising money to send new Canadian teammates to GermanyCBC
An Ottawa soccer team is banding together to score big money to make sure three of its star players, all newcomers to Canada, make it to an upcoming tournament in Europe.

Canada at the CONCACAF Beach Soccer ChampionshipCSA
Canada will play three matches in four days in the opening phase of the 2017 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship. From the four-nation, round robin group, only two will advance to the championship round with hopes of qualifying for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017.

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WFC2, USL, NASL & NPSL NEWS

VIDEO: A 360 journey through WFC2 preseason with midfielder Will SeymoreWhitecaps FC
Watch the video below to get a unique look into what preseason is like for a WFC2 player. Emilie Rauschuetz and Jaione Belza Guede take us through this 360 video with midfielder Will Seymore (click and drag on the screen to look around).

FCE camp opens: Miller still wants to bring in another attacking option, get to know Konopka and Khattabthe11.ca
FC Edmonton’s players went through the paces Thursday at Commonwealth Fieldhouse in their first public training-camp session of the new campaign.

Swope Park Swoops to Sign Bennett IIUSL
The Swope Park Rangers announced on Friday they had signed midfielder Louis Bennett II. Bennett II signed his first professional contract with Cypriot outfit Anorthosis Famagusta FC in August after three years at Marquette University, and will join the Rangers pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and USL and federation approval.

Will the NASL come to San Diego?Soccer Nation
There is no guarantee that San Diego will get a Major League Soccer franchise. It is looking mighty likely of late, but the fate of the city’s expansion aspirations is far from sealed.

How I learned not to worry about MLSLouisville Coopers
Louisville City Football Club is not getting an MLS franchise in this round of expansion. MLS won’t come calling in the next round either, and it is not because we didn’t submit a bid by the “deadline”. MLS doesn’t want us. We’re not a big enough market. We don’t have a wealthy enough ownership group. We are too close geographically to a bunch of cities that MLS prefers over us.

MLS expansion may spell death for promotion/relegation dreamsBowdoin Orient
Even the mention of instituting this system in MLS raises blood pressures in U.S. soccer circles. Supporters of pro/rel, like the owners of clubs in the United Soccer League (USL) and the North American Soccer League (NASL), the two lower leagues in the U.S., see the system as a gateway to the top tier and the prestige and increased revenues that come along with it.

USWNT to play pair of friendlies against RussiaSBI
Deep in the heart of Texas, the U.S. Women’s National Team will play Russia in a pair of friendlies in early April.

NWSL Clubs Investing in Academy Infrastructure Soccer Nation
It can be argued that investing in girls academy soccer is perhaps more important to the professional game than boys academy soccer. While the boys side is starting to show a direct pipeline between the academy to a professional club in the United States, the same infrastructure is not yet in place for women. But the groundwork for that infrastructure is already being laid.

Colombia’s women get their own stageFIFA
After many years representing their country with distinction at international level, Colombia’s women footballers have finally been given the opportunity to show their skills on a domestic stage, with the long-awaited national professional league all set to get under way on Saturday 18 February.

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WORLD SOCCER NEWS

European Weekend Preview: Milan-Fiorentina, English F.A. Cup, and moreSBI
Despite no Premier League action this weekend, there is still an exciting slate of action all-across Europe.

Bundesliga Match Day 21 Preview Prost Amerika
European action and pre-season tours, that and more in the Bundesliga match day 21 preview.

FA Cup team news and previewsBBC Sport
The last 16 of the FA Cup – eight ties, each including a Premier League side up against lower-league opposition.

Nice target return to form against bottom club Lorient Ligue 1
OGC Nice are without top scorers Mario Balotelli and Alassane Pléa for the trip to FC Lorient, but remain confident of avenging a January Coupe de France loss to the Ligue 1 basement dwellers.

Gabriel Jesus: Manchester City forward ‘may be out for season’BBC Sport
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says forward Gabriel Jesus may not play again this season after breaking a metatarsal bone in his foot.

Jamaica edges Honduras in friendlyCONCACAF
Jamaica scored the only goal in the second half to earn a 1-0 win over Honduras in an international friendly on Thursday at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Europa League Rewind: Zlatan leads Man United to win, Tottenham loses at Gent, and more SBI
Manchester United cruised past an overmatched Saint-Etienne team thanks to a hat-trick from the team’s star forward.

AFC Champions League 2017 Group Stage set to get underway AFC
The Group Stage of the 2017 AFC Champions League begins on Monday, with 32 teams from across the continent kicking off what promises to be yet another action-packed edition of Asia’s premier club competition.

A-League: Adelaide United too good for Newcastle Jets in heated encounterThe Guardian
A spirited Adelaide United ground out a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Newcastle Jets at Coopers Stadium on Friday night, thanks in no small part to a second-half penalty from Marcelo Carrusca.

Germany has 18 cities willing to host Euro 2024 gamesSportsnet
Eighteen cities have applied to the German soccer federation to be part of its bid to host the 2024 European Championship.

Bournemouth charged by FA for breaching anti-doping regulations ESPN FC
The Cherries are accused of not keeping the governing body informed on the location of their players in order to facilitate drug-testing.

Italy still producing prize managerial exports from its winning systemThe Guardian
Coverciano outside Florence has been the nerve centre of the Italian game for almost 60 years and the reverence in which it is held by many seems to have had a positive effect on plenty of its graduates

Four Four Two’s 31 most powerful people in soccer in the United StatesFour Four Two
The diversity of the people we speak with got us thinking about who influences soccer here, and who holds the power to shape the sport’s future. Who are the gatekeepers of soccer in the United States?

Posted in BC Soccer News, British Columbia Soccer.