BC Soccer News, Weekend, October 27-29, 2017

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS & MLS NEWS

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC vs. SEATTLE SOUNDERS

2017 MLS WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL, 1ST LEG
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Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Seattle Sounders | 2017 West Semifinals PreviewMLS
Cascadia rivals fighting for a spot in the Western Conference Championship series – it doesn’t get much bigger than an 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs matchup between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders.

Episode 226 – The AFTN Soccer Show (The History Boys – San Jose postgame, Seattle preview, Jake Nerwinski, Nicolas Mezquida, Brian Schmetzer, and Stefan Frei)AFTN
History was made, but that’s just what it is now. History. Time to go make some more.

Whitecaps’ fans pumped up for historic playoff battle with SeattleThe Province
Vancouver Whitecaps fans are ready to do battle with Seattle when the MLS club’s home-and-home playoff round gets underway this Sunday afternoon.

Western Conference Semifinals Preview: A look at the Seattle Sounders-Vancouver Whitecaps seriesSounders FC
Sounders forward Clint Dempsey will miss the first leg in Vancouver due to a red card he received last Sunday against the Colorado Rapids in the last match of the regular season. He will be eligible to play in the return leg in Seattle.

Marinovic repays Vancouver Whitecaps’ faith in him with playoff shutoutMLS
It takes a brave coach to make a goalkeeping change for your playoff-bound team in the last month of the regular season. Even more so when the goalkeeper you’re replacing has been a virtual ever present for you over the past four and a half seasons.

Kendall Waston is the most dominant physical force in Major League SoccerWhitecaps FC
If ever there was a Shaq of MLS, it is clearly Vancouver Whitecaps FC centre back Kendall Waston, a man who has been hugged by defenders more than a worn-out Teddy Bear. In fact he’s so loved by his opponents these days that some are trying to rip the jersey right off his back.

Whitecaps: Fredy’s ready to rumble, make Sounders tumble in playoffs  – The Province
Three times Fredy Montero has faced his former team in 2017. Sunday at B.C. Place Stadium (5:30 p.m., TSN, TSN 1040 AM) will be Round 4 in this Cascadian tale: it’s the first leg of the MLS Western Conference semifinal between the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Sounders. The second leg is next Thursday in Seattle.

AUDIO: Whitecaps, Tim Parker gearing up for playoff showdown with SeattleSportsnet
Vancouver Whitecaps defender Tim Parker joins Sportsnet 650’s On Point with Perry Solkowski and Randip Janda to talk about defeating the San Jose Earthquakes in the MLS playoffs and preparing for the Seattle Sounders.

Can the Vancouver Whitecaps Defeat a Playoff Team or Have They Lucked Out Beating Non-Playoff Teams? Eighty-Six Forever
Throughout the season there have been questions around how good of a squad are the Vancouver Whitecaps. Have they feasted on poor teams while faltering against high-caliber squads? We look into their record a bit more to try and answer that question.

Crew SC savor underdog win: “We relish the idea of knocking people off”MLS
Crew SC, facing off-field adversity with questions surrounding the team’s future, came up aces in the game’s biggest moments, despite requiring a penalty shootout to break a 0-0 draw. The manager said he knew his team was up for it as soon as the game kicked off.

Atlanta United elimination ends what was still a special debut seasonSN
The fans came, and the scoring chances came, but the first playoff win in Atlanta United’s history did not come Wednesday night.

Columbus Crew ‘wanted to shut Atlanta crowd up’ – Zack SteffenESPN FC
Columbus Crew SC goalkeeper Zack Steffen said he was inspired to shut up Atlanta’s crowd during a 3-1 penalty shootout victory that saw his side advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals on Thursday.

Watch: Columbus Crew SC return to town with a standing ovationMassive Report
When the team returned home well into the night, the players and coaches were greeted by a group of fans at the airport.

Houston Dynamo 1, Sporting Kansas City 0 | MLS Cup Playoffs RecapMLS
It took extra time – and a few extra touches – but Alberth Elis struck in the 94th minute to put the Houston Dynamo past Sporting Kansas City in the 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs Knockout Round.

Time to rebuild? Changes in view after Sporting KC’s latest playoff failureFour Four Two
Sporting’s annual fall swoon culminated in Houston, with the former champs bowing out in MLS’ knockout round.

MLS Playoff Schedule: First legs of conference semis played over three daysSoccer America
The MLS conference semifinals begin Sunday when Vancouver hosts Seattle. They continue with two games on Monday — New York Red Bulls-Toronto FC and Houston-Portland — and conclude on Halloween Tuesday with Columbus-New York City FC.

TFC notebook: Red Bulls’ press a challenge for Toronto FC Sportsnet
Toronto FC was back in training on Thursday ahead of its opening game of the MLS playoffs next week.

How to talk to your hockey-obsessed friends about Toronto FCWaking the Red
A day before the game against Atlanta United last week, a friend who I play basketball with asked me to describe who were the most important players on Toronto FC. He sheepishly admitted that he doesn’t really watch soccer (at all) but had heard that TFC were on their way to a historic season, and he wanted to get an idea of which players were the ones to keep an eye on as he got ready to jump on the playoff bandwagon.

Portland Timbers entering MLS playoffs with confidence, playing their best soccerOregonian
During his tenure in Major League Soccer, Portland Timbers coach Caleb Porter has reliably found a way to bring his teams together to play their best soccer at the end of the year.    This season was no different.

More Lineup Decisions as NYCFC Prepares for PlayoffsEmpire of Soccer
A year of great change has come and gone but New York City FC is in the same position: Holding the second seed, waiting to find out the opposition will be and unsure who will actually play for it. While City know who its starting goalkeeper will be this year, it does not know who will be on the backline.

RSL signs Mike Petke to multi-year extensionKUTV
Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen announced Thursday that the club has signed head coach Mike Petke to a multi-year contract extension.

Did Don Garber hint towards next MLS expansion markets?NBC Sports
However, perhaps the most interesting nugget was that Garber mentioned the same four MLS expansion cities as he did during his address at the 2017 MLS All-Star Game in Chicago back in August.

LA Football Club, Gensler act on supporters’ stadium design ideas  – LA Biz Journal
As the Los Angeles Football Club began the process of building Banc of California Stadium more than two years ago, owner and President Tom Penn said the ownership group came to a quick realization. “It dawned on us from Day 1 that we didn’t know anything about our supporters’ culture or their preferences. We could try to guess what they’d want, but it’d be the completely wrong thing to do,” he said.

Canada WNT vs USWNT at BC Place, Vancouver – November 9 – Buy Tickets!

BC SOCCER NEWS

T-Birds look to defend their Canada West titleUBC
Win, or go home – it’s playoff time! The Thunderbirds are off to Saskatchewan to begin their title defence against the Manitoba Bisons in a Canada West winner-take-all play-in game on Friday, October 27 at 9:00 a.m. PT.

#CWplayoffs: Soccer play-ins, quarters on tap this weekend Canada West
The Canada West soccer playoffs open this weekend with a new look on the women’s side highlighting the first weekend of action.

WSOC: Timberwolves vs Dinos/Vikes Playoff PreviewUNBC
“Making the playoffs is truly the result of many years of work. The program is new, and had to go through tough years to get to a year where it can make playoffs.”

WSOC: Seniors play key role as Clan crushes Saint Martin’s 8-0SFU
Simon Fraser University women’s soccer honoured seniors Mikaela Guerreiro, Kaely Biring and Priya Sandhu on Thursday evening and they all played a role in the Clan’s 8-0 win over Saint Martin’s on Terry Fox Field.

Clan suffers shocking 2-1 road loss to YellowjacketsSFU
No. 9 ranked Simon Fraser University suffered a shocking 2-1 road defeat to Montana State University Billings, who won for the first time ever against the Clan.

SFU soccer men set sights on NCAA berthTri-City News
An automatic berth into the NCAA post-season tournament is still within the grasp of the Simon Fraser University Clan men’s soccer team, thanks to the scoring heroics of Coquitlam’s Matteo Polisi.

Road to threepeat starts as #2 seedCapilano U.
By taking three of possible four points during their final weekend of regular season play, the CapU men’s soccer team geared up for playoffs and secured the #2 seed at the upcoming PACWEST Championships, where they’ll compete for their third-straight provincial title.

Blues soccer looks to take PACWEST throneCapilano Courier
Capilano’s soccer program hasn’t been this strong on both fronts in a decade and will look to capitalize this weekend.

Provincials a primer for Royals’ national aspirations New West Record
A two-game run – that is what’s required for the Douglas College Royals’ women’s soccer team to advance to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championships.

WolfPack men’s soccer team goes into Canada West playoffs as the underdogs Kamloops This Week
Despite finishing third in their division and putting up a competitive 27 goals during the regular season, the WolfPack men’s soccer team will be heading into the Canada West playoffs as underdogs.

Soccer grads look to make most of last opportunityCFJC
Last Saturday was the final regular season fixture for the WolfPack men’s soccer team.   For Ryan Glanville, Allan Connor, Brandon Mendez and Colton Walker it was the final time they would suit up for a regular season game.   They are all playing out their eligibity.  Walker says it brings back a flood of memories, “I remember the first game I played, I was terrified — coach looked me in the eye and said don’t worry about it, do what you can, and we’ll be happy with it.”

BC Soccer Web’s 2017 Soccer & Sports Book RecommendationsBC Soccer Web
Over the years, there have been many books on soccer and sport that have given us joy, laughter, and much to think about. We’re happy to share these with you. We’ll be updating this list as new titles become available, so keep checking.

PCSL CHALLENGE CUP PHOTOS: Vancouver Utd. 3, Mid-Isle Mariners 1, July 30, 2017BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Richard Howes.

2016-2017 BC Soccer Year in ReviewBCSA
BC Soccer Assoc. is proud to release their 2016-2017 Year in Review after another successful year of soccer. The #respectall initiative, High Performance License, Club Charter Program activity, along with the delivery of hundreds of coaching courses and referee clinics this past year highlight some of the successes.

BC PROVINCIAL WOMEN’S A CUP PHOTOS: Surrey United 1 NSGSC Renegades 0, May 13, 2017 BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

2017 VISL JACKSON CUP PHOTOS: Nanaimo Utd. 2 Cowichan LMG 1 (XT), April 2, 2017 BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

FVSL PHOTOS: Pakenham Cup Final, PMO Rangers 1 PMO Lordco Gunners 0, April 1, 2017BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Richard Howes.

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!

PHOTOS: CANADA WEST WOMENS FINAL, UBC 3, TWU 0, NOVEMBER 6, 2016BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

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.

Canada WNT vs USWNT at BC Place, Vancouver – November 9 – Buy Tickets!

CANADA SOCCER NEWS

CANADA vs. UNITED STATES

WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017, 7:00 PM
BC PLACE, VANCOUVER, BC

OUA women’s soccer: McMaster knocked out of playoffs with 2-0 loss to LaurierHamilton Spectator
Riding a three-match winning streak as they entered the playoffs Wednesday, McMaster’s hopes of a deep conference run were denied at the familiar first hurdle.

OCAA men’s & women’s soccer championship preview Durham Lords
After a couple of absent seasons, the Durham College men’s and women’s soccer teams will appear in the OCAA championships for the first time since 2014 and 2009, respectively.

Niagara College one win away from first medal in men’s soccerWelland Tribune
All that stands between the Knights and, at the very least, a silver are the Durham Lords. Their 2-1 victory over the Fanshawe Falcons sets the stage for a semifinal game against Niagara at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) championships Friday in Peterborough.

MUN men’s soccer team out to score a post-season berth The Telegram
There are no guarantees, but there’s a very good chance Memorial University’s men’s soccer team will be playoff bound should it come away with a pair of wins this weekend on home turf.

Memorial Sea-Hawks women’s soccer team looking to clinch first-round playoff byeThe Telegram
Top two finishers in regular season will go directly to semifinals at AUS playoff tourney, MUN tied for second entering final games against visiting Moncton.

Josh Power eyeing a future in soccer Southern Gazette
Josh Power is hoping an invitation to play at the 2018 Mediterranean International Cup held in Barcelona, Spain will give him a chance to go further with the sport that he loves.

A Canadian Abroad: It’s Derby TimeUnder the Cosh
Madison Solow is a Canadian midfielder playing in Italy for Chievo Verona. We interviewed her in the summer to find out how the move came about, and here Madison tells us more about little Verona, its four Serie A clubs and the upcoming local derby between her newly promoted side and their long established top flight rivals.

Saskatchewan Huskies soccer rookie a veteran in netGlobal
Saskatchewan Huskies goalkeeper Patrick Pranger is in Saskatoon for a good time, but not for a long time. The Austrian always wanted to do an exchange program, and this year the cards finally fell in his favour.

Soccer field damaged by ATV and truckCornwall Seaway News
Rene Longchamps of the Seaway Valley Soccer Club recently revealed that damage has been done to their new field at Gray’s Creek. Longchamps said that he believed that the damage was caused by a large pick-up truck and some sort of All-terrain vehicle (ATV) sometime over the weekend.

Elegant Woodhouse shows his prowessWhitehorse Daily Star
Goalkeeper Geoff ‘the cat’ Woodhouse was in imperious form for Tony’s Pizza as they overcame a depleted Yukon Info.com squad 7-3 in Whitehorse Rapids over 35 soccer action.

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USL, NASL & LOWER DIVISION NEWS

USL Playoff Preview: Swope Park Rangers v Sacramento RepublicThe Blue Testament
If you look at the rankings above, it seems obvious who should be hosting this game. But earlier this week the USL tried to pull a fast one and pull the game from Kansas City, where the Swope Park Rangers draw some of the leagues smallest crowds, and move it to Papa Murphy’s Park in Sacramento where the Republic average the leagues second highest amount of attendance.

USL PLAYOFFS: Louisville City prepares for conference semiNews & Tribune
The Rochester Rhinos were a collective (t)horn in the side of Louisville City FC in its first year in the United Soccer League. But after going 0-2-1 against Rochester in 2015, LouCity is unbeaten against the Rhinos.

Louisville Council Approves Stadium Land PurchaseUSL
Four measures approved to allow City FC to move forward on soccer-specific stadium.

Red Bulls 2 getting ready to be RowdieOnce a Metro
In the next round of the USL Playoffs the USL Bulls head down town Tampa Bay and face the Rowdies.

1904 FC Announces Stadium Location, General ManagerNASL
Capping off a week of spirited engagement with local communities from across the region, 1904 FC announced today that long-time soccer coach and player development specialist Alexandre Gontran will lead San Diego’s 1904 Football Club as general manager and head of football operations.




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WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS

W-League preview: Season 10 ready for take-off with big stars and a sport on the rise  – ABC Australia
How do you build excitement for a competition that’s been around a decade? You recruit some of the biggest stars in the game and pump up the competitive storylines that drive each team.

Westfield W-League 2017/18 season previewVavel
The 10th season of the W-League kicks off this weekend and we preview all nine teams going into week one of fixtures.

Alex Scott: Arsenal Women and ex-England right-back to retireBBC Sport
Arsenal Women and ex-England defender Alex Scott says she will retire from playing at the end of this season to concentrate on her broadcasting career.

No more Mr. Nice Guy: Sermanni’s steel forged Orlando’s 2017 NWSL success Four Four Two
Don’t let that genial smile fool you. The Scot made some canny, calculated moves to lead Orlando to the playoffs.

NCAA Preview Week 11: Thursday night highlighted by key conference matchupsThe Equalizer
This week’s lineup features several highly anticipated matchups that could have significant implications for the postseason. Here’s a quick rundown of a few matches to enjoy.

Bipartisan cheers seek congressional honor for champion ThornsPortland Tribune
How’s this for bipartisanship? Oregon’s congressional delegation has introduced resolutions in the U.S. House and Senate honoring the NWSL champions Portland Thorns.

Dream day for budding referee as Clara meets her hero Melissa BurginThe FA
It was a sweet moment between a football-mad little girl and a female assistant referee – and it sent Twitter crazy.




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WORLD SOCCER NEWS

Bob Lenarduzzi: Good form of Spurs will be put to the test at Old Trafford  – The Province
Manchester United hosts Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday’s early game in the Premier League, in a battle for second place. United suffered its first loss last Saturday, 2-1 away to Huddersfield, allowing rivals Manchester City to take a five-point lead in the standings.

Madrid keeps focus on soccer as it heads to CataloniaNBC Sports
Madrid faces Catalan club Girona on Sunday amid heightened tensions in the northeastern region, which is seeking independence from Spain.

Don’t blame the referee – Bayern boss Heynckes sends warning to RB LeipzigSN
Jupp Heynckes has told RB Leipzig to focus on their own performance and not refereeing controversies ahead of a trip to face his Bayern Munich side on Saturday.

Antonio Conte furious over reports linking Carlo Ancelotti with ChelseaThe Guardian
Chelsea’s manager reacted furiously when he was asked about stories linking Carlo Ancelotti with a return to Stamford Bridge and suggestions that his players are unhappy with his training methods.

Is AC Milan’s Chinese revolution already on the verge of collapse?SN
Despite the acquisition of 11 high-profile players during the summer, Milan, who finished sixth last season, have already lost four of their opening 10 games and presently sit eighth in the table, ahead of the visit of reigning champions Juventus on Saturday.

England U17 coach Steve Cooper plays down World Cup favourites tag ESPN FC
England coach Steve Cooper says he is flattered that his side are considered by some to be favourites for the Under-17 World Cup, but that he will not be underestimating Spain in Saturday’s final in Kolkata.

Santos president confirms PSG have paid Neymar solidarity feeESPN FC
Modesto Roma Junior, president of Neymar’s formative club Santos, has confirmed that Paris Saint-Germain have paid them nearly €9 million in solidarity money after the Brazil international’s world-record €222m transfer from Barcelona.

Prosecutors: Chapecoense not negligent in air crashSportsnet
No evidence has been found linking Brazilian soccer club Chapecoense to negligence in the hiring of the plane that crashed in Colombia last year and killed 71 people, including most of its team, local prosecutors said.

Road to the FIFA eWorld Cup begins on 3 November FIFA
The FIFA Interactive World Cup has evolved rapidly since its inception in 2004 and has set the standard for competitive football played on EA SPORTS FIFA, giving virtual footballers the chance to express themselves at the highest level of competition.

England to host 2018 World Cup, sort of…Inside World Football
England wanted to stage a football World Cup in 2018 – and now it is to get its wish. No, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has not donated hosting rights to the 2018 FIFA World Cup to one of his country’s beaten rivals. But London is getting the 2018 World Football Cup, a somewhat smaller affair – run under the aegis of CONIFA, the Confederation of Independent Football Associations.

2017’s TOP SOCCER BOOKSAmazon.ca

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