BC Soccer News, Weekend, March 24-26

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC  vs.  L.A. GALAXY

MATCHDAY #4

SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2017, 7:00 PM

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AUDIO: The Whitecaps Weekly: Red Card Crises and Midfield Missives – The Province
Patrick Johnston and Mike Martignago are back to look at the Whitecaps in their week off.

VIDEO: Spencer Richey wins MLS Save of the Week – Whitecaps FC
Make your MLS debut, win MLS Save of the Week.

Horrible Histories: Can the Whitecaps change or are their problems too deep rooted? – AFTN
The footballing year is still a toddler, but the Whitecaps season is already akin to that infant that eats handfuls of sand and is having trouble with potty training way past an acceptable age when it is still cute.

2017 International Call-Ups: MLS players on national team duty – MLS
Atlanta United supporters are holding their breath that it wasn’t a serious injury that caused forward Josef Martinez to leave the field early in Venezuela’s Thursday qualifier against Peru. He came out of the match in the 59th minute, replaced by NYCFC’s Yangel Herrera.

MLS Week 4: Timbers aim to make it four in a row  – Soccer America
The Portland Timbers will look to improve to 4-0-0 when they play at Columbus Crew SC in one of three MLS games during FIFA’s international fixture window. They will be without two starters away on international duty: Costa Rican David Guzman and American Darlington Nagbe.

Preview: Revolution host expansion side Minnesota United FC in belated home opener – NE Revolution
Two weeks after their original home opener was postponed because of extreme cold in the Northeast, the New England Revolution will finally kick off their 2017 home schedule on Saturday afternoon when they host expansion side Minnesota United FC.

Spanish playmaker Victor Vazquez making his presence felt with Toronto FC – Times Colonist
It helps that Vazquez is happy in Toronto. After five successful years with Club Brugge, he had an unhappy 2016 with Mexico’s Cruz Azul. The fit wasn’t right and his family chafed in Mexico City. Toronto is a different story. The Spaniard is all smiles as he recounts how his wife is exploring the city and their young son is happily ensconced in his new school.

Greg Vanney gets to work on Toronto FC’s ‘principles’ during international break – Waking the Red
Whether it’s in MLS or in Europe, when the fixture list really starts piling up it can be almost impossible for managers to run any kind of meaningful training sessions at all. The work they are most fundamentally paid to do – coaching the team and improving the players on a day-to-day basis – is lost in a cycle of preparation, travel, game, travel, rest and preparation again.

A slow start for the Montreal Impact – Northern Starting XI
After the thunderous Major League Soccer playoffs run of the Montreal Impact in 2016, expectations were high among fans. Sadly, Biello’s men were slow out of the gate to start 2017. However, signs of improvement are preventing the alarm bells to sound. Here is a round-up of the situation in Montreal.

Landon Donovan confirms return to retirement – SBI
Landon Donovan’s playing future has been up in the air following last season’s late-season return, but the longtime LA Galaxy star has now reaffirmed his commitment to stepping away from the game.

MLS PHOTOS: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 Toronto FC 2, March 18, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

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BC SOCCER NEWS

Six Residency players called up to Canada U-17 national team camp – Whitecaps FC
Canada Soccer announced on Thursday that six Whitecaps FC Residency players have been called into camp with the U-17 men’s national team ahead of the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship tournament. The two-week camp will run from March 27 to April 9 in Toronto.

UFV lands Whitecaps residency product – Abbotsford News
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.

Cowichan LMG beaten by desperate Bays United – Cowichan Valley Citizen
Just a couple of days after they locked up the Garrison Cup as the top team in Div. 1 of the Vancouver Island Soccer League and secured a berth in the Jackson Cup final, Cowichan LMG struggled to find the motivation they needed for a late-season clash with Bays United at the Sherman Road turf on Tuesday night.

Canada Summer Games U18 team revelling in recent success – Whitehorse Star
The U18 Canada Summer Games boys soccer squad is gaining valuable experience ahead of this summer’s showcase tournament. Two weeks ago, the team went unbeaten at the Surrey Mayor’s Cup on the lower mainland and returned to Whitehorse to capture the Yukon Metro Soccer League title in their first season in the league.

Grenier returns from knee injury – North Island Gazette
Jaylon Grenier hurt his knee playing indoor soccer during a P.E. class, but he didn’t let it stop him from making a return to the soccer pitch. He played soccer in P.E. classes while growing up in Port Hardy, but he knew he wanted to play at a more competitive level, so he ended up trying out for the Marine Harvest U-15 Riptide soccer team.

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!

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.

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.

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.

3v3 Live Soccer Tour Comes to Canada

CANADA SOCCER NEWS

Pop-up stadium pitched for Halifax’s Wanderers Grounds – CBC
The Wanderers Grounds in downtown Halifax has a long history of hosting sporting events and a local company wants to continue that tradition by building a pop-up stadium on the site.

Pop-up soccer stadium could come together this summer  – The Coast
The three-year lifespan of the temporary facility allows the city to try on a stadium and see how it fits, before committing to anything permanent.

Canada falls to No. 5 in women’s soccer rankings, Germany takes over top – Sportsnet
Canada has slipped one place to No. 5 in the latest FIFA world women’s soccer rankings.

Fraser Aird dedicates his first Canada goal to his Scottish father – The Province
It was a night to remember for the Toronto-born Aird, albeit a bittersweet one as he dedicated his first goal for Canada to his Scottish father, who passed away in January.

Canada Soccer’s Men’s U-17 preparation camp  – CSA
Canada Soccer will hold a two-week camp in Toronto ahead of the CONCACAF Men’s Under-17 Championship in April. The camp will feature as many as 24 players as coach Paul Stalteri continues preparations for the qualification competition to the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017.

Player, Coach, and More: Canadian Alen Marcina – Northern Starting XI
Alen Marcina is a professional coach, having served as a head coach for 4 seasons in the NASL. After a near decade-long playing career, including time in Greece, New Zealand and The US, Marcina moved into a coaching role with the San Antonio Scorpions in 2012. He would become the team’s head coach in 2013 and lead them to a pair of championships in 2014. After a short stint with Rayo OKC, Marcina (now 37) has turned his attention towards expanding his knowledge of the business side of soccer and youth development.

Bison women’s soccer team announce commitment of nine recruits for the 2017 season – U. of Manitoba
Martinez Lagunas commented about the nine players commitment to Manitoba, “I am really proud of our 2017 recruiting class. It is made of a great group of talented players who will strengthen our Bison team in every positional line. Each one of them will have a positive influence in the development of our program in the upcoming years. I am really excited to welcome them to the Bison family and help them to achieve their maximum potential on and off the field.”

Nick Fetsch awarded player of the year – Yorkton This Week
Yorkton’s Nick Fetsch was awarded the Grassroots Player of the Year 2016 by Sask Soccer. Fetsch received his award on Saturday, Mar. 18 at a banquet in Swift Current. He received his award from Jason Devos, former national men’s team keeper and now board member with Canada Soccer Association.

Canadian Women’s Soccer Team Coach Bringing Inspirational Message To Red Deer – Todayville
Tuesday is a big day for Central Alberta soccer fans, and really for sporting fans and those who appreciate leadership skills as well.  Two time Olympic medalist John Herdman, Canada’s National Women’s Soccer Team Head Coach is Guest Speaker at the 14th Annual RDC Kings and Queens Scholarship Breakfast.

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UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE

WFC2  vs.  L.A. GALAXY II

SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 2017, 2:00 PM PT

STUB HUB CENTER, CARSON, CA.

ONLINE: WHITECAPSFC.COM

‘We want to excite’: Whitecaps FC 2 set for USL opener at LA Galaxy II on Saturday – Whitecaps FC
“We want to play quick, we want to excite.” Whitecaps FC 2 kick off the 2017 USL season this Saturday, and if first-year head coach Rich Fagan gets his way, then fans may be in store for another fun ride.

WFC2 Player of the Year Sem de Wit looking to grab season of opportunity “with both hands” – AFTN
Sem de Wit’s first season in Vancouver was a success. Named the Whitecaps FC 2 Player of the Year on the back of a team-leading 27 regular season starts and 2416 minutes, the Dutch centre back played every playoff minute of WFC2’s run to the USL Western Conference final.

LA Galaxy II announce roster ahead of 2017 USL Regular Season – LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy II announced today the full staff and roster ahead of the team’s opening match of the 2017 United Soccer League (USL) Regular Season. On Saturday, Los Dos will kick off their fourth season in USL at 2:00 p.m. PT against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium.

MLS teams’ top USL prospects in 2017 – MLS
Since first cracking open its doors to MLS partnerships in 2013, the USL has become a vitally locked-in piece of the league’s development landscape. And it’s still expanding.

State of the game in North America: NASL and USL season preview – Red Nation Online
Another season of tier two professional soccer is about to begin in North America, with the first games for the 2017 NASL and USL season starting this weekend. For me, the  two themes for the 2017 season are opportunity and survival.

2017 NASL Weekend Preview – MLS Multiplex
The 2017 North American Soccer League kicks off this weekend as six clubs begin their journey towards the final.

Toronto FC II sign Ryan Telfer – Toronto FC
Toronto FC II announced Friday that the club has signed forward Ryan Telfer to a USL contract.

Preview: The 2017 New York Cosmos – Empire of Soccer
Last year the New York Cosmos began the season as champions of the North American Soccer League. One year later, they again are defending champions but have been humbled after a turbulent off-season.

FC Cincinnati’s coach is new, Berry’s out and Okoli’s gone — but there’s no need to panic – WCPO
FC Cincinnati’s second preseason wasn’t as impressive on paper as its first, but new head coach Alan Koch was satisfied with what the club accomplished — especially given the circumstances.

Swope Park Rangers adds five players on loan from Sporting Kansas City – Sporting KC
The Swope Park Rangers have added five players on loan from Sporting Kansas City ahead of the club’s 2017 season opener against OKC Energy FC on Saturday night. Goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas, defenders Kevin Ellis and Colton Storm and forwards Latif Blessing and Daniel Salloi will all be available for selection on Saturday.

Phoenix Rising FC March 25 Home Opener is SOLD OUT – Phoenix Rising FC
Today, Phoenix Rising FC announced that its March 25 Inaugural Season home opener against Toronto FC II has been sold out.  All 6,200 seats and luxury suites in the new, Phoenix Rising FC Soccer Complex Stadium officially sold out at 2:15pm PST.

Technical Staff Changes Include Addition of MLS Veteran Trevor James as Assistant Coach & Director of Scouting – Indy Eleven
Indy Eleven today announced two changes to its technical staff on the cusp of the 2017 season in the arrival of Trevor James as the club’s new Assistant Coach and Director of Scouting and the departure of assistant coach Tim Regan, who is leaving the club to pursue other opportunities within the sport.

VAR Testing, Rule Changes in Place for 2017 USL Season – USL
The United Soccer League, the world’s largest Division II professional soccer league, is incorporating new rule changes and expanding its leadership role in Video Assistant Referee technology for the 2017 USL season.

UWCL quick hits: Lloyd goal carries day for Man City – The Equalizer
The 1st legs of the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarterfinals are in the books and the two prominent Americans are on course to clash in the semifinal round. Here’s where things stand at the midway point of the ties.

O’Reilly Settling in With Arsenal Ladies – Empire of Soccer
One the many adjustments Heather O’Reilly needed to make when she joined Arsenal Ladies in January was among the most prosaic — learning to expertly operate the washer and dryer in her apartment north of London.

AFC Non-Elite Women Referees and Assistant Referees course held in Kuala Lumpur – AFC
The main objective of the four-day course was to identify potential referees and assistant referees to be promoted to the AFC Elite Panel, with the opportunity to officiate regional, continental and international tournaments, as well as be part of further assessments and future developments.

‘Woman on!’ Arsenal’s girls benefiting from mixing it with the boys – The Guardian
Arsenal Ladies’ under-10s and under-12s are in a league with boys from this season and an afternoon watching the younger age group reveals a genderless environment which is helping the girls to achieve their potential.

UEFA WCQ Preview: Belgium hosts Greece, Wales face Ireland, and more – SBI
Matchday 5 of UEFA World Cup Qualifying takes place Friday through Sunday, and should provide some intriguing matches featuring some top competition.

International football: 10 things to look out for in World Cup 2018 qualifying – The Guardian
Wales have a great chance to beat an injury-ravaged Ireland, Gordon Strachan faces his last chance with Scotland and Kylian Mbappé could start for France.

Lionel Messi penalty leads Argentina past Chile in World Cup qualifier – SI.com
Argentina beat Chile 1-0 thanks to a penalty scored by Lionel Messi and managed to stay in the chase for a spot in the tournament, going third with 22 points.

Paulinho hat trick puts Brazil on verge of World Cup qualification – ESPN FC
Paulinho hit a hat-trick as Brazil recorded a 4-1 victory over Uruguay in Montevideo to move seven points clear in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying standings.

El Tri, Ticos clash as USA start fresh – FIFA
Top dogs Mexico and Costa Rica face off this Friday on the third matchday of CONCACAF’s final Hexagonal round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. And while bragging rights are on the line at the top of the table, struggling giants USA, and their new coach Bruce Arena, will be fighting for their very lives when Honduras come to town.

Gianluigi Buffon’s 1000th game just a number for evergreen goalkeeper full of surprises – The Telegraph
On Friday night, he will reach yet another milestone by making his 1000th career appearance in Italy’s World Cup qualifier against Albania in Palermo.

France’s best striker Karim Benzema tired of being unwanted – Sportsnet
For Real Madrid, Karim Benzema is indispensable. For France, he is disposable.

Rangers still aim to catch Celtic in ‘reasonably foreseeable future’ – Dave King – BBC Sport
Dave King says being forced to change managers will not alter Rangers’ plan to catch and overtake Celtic “within the reasonably foreseeable future”.

Manchester City broke anti-doping rules three times in less than five months – BBC Sport
Manchester City broke the Football Association’s anti-doping rules three times in less than five months, the governing body has said.

Laws of the Game and ‘What football wants’ – Soccer America
A couple of years ago, I started hearing from top level referee instructors and administrators the phrase “what football wants.” Now even the most conservative organ of soccer, the IFAB, talks about “what football wants.” What is “what football wants”?  It is definitely cyclical and situational. “What football wanted” 10 years ago is different than “what football wants” today, it will be different in 10 years later.

FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017: Kochi slammed on inspection for lack of preparedness – SN
It’s only months remaining for India to host its inaugural international football tournament in the guise of the U-17 World Cup.  A team of 21 members were tasked with scanning the six accredited venues but Kochi came up well short, when it came to its assessment.

Uwe Rösler: ‘English football is fantastic – wow. But you also have a dark side’ – The Guardian
Former Manchester City striker is working wonders at Fleetwood but feels too many clubs’ structures are flawed, leaving talented managers on the scrapheap.

La Liga keeps focus on Asia with Singapore office and ‘local’ kick offs – Inside World Football
Spain’s top division will carry on changing kick off times to suit the Asian market in a bid to increase its market share and boost brand awareness, says La Liga president Javier Tebas.

Anybody remember street soccer? Jorge Villafana does – Soccer America
In the age of academies, pre-academies, soccer classes for 18-month-olds and curricula demanding coaches precisely plan practices for 6-year-olds, you don’t hear much talk about free play and street soccer anymore.