BC Soccer News, Weekend, October 7-10, 2016

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES vs. WHITECAPS FC

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016, 2:00 PM

AVAYA STADIUM, SAN JOSE, CA.

TV: TSN 2  RADIO: TSN 1040  LIVESTREAM: TSN GO

Aird, Bustos appear for Canada in 4-0 win over MauritaniaWhitecaps FC
Fraser Aird and Marco Bustos earned their second caps for the Canadian senior men’s national team on Thursday as Canada defeated Mauritania 4-0 in a friendly in Morroco.

Playoff Scenarios: How will the Colorado-Houston match affect the chase?MLS
There may only be one match in Major League Soccer this weekend, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have playoff implications to run through.

Mancosu brings different look to Impact attackSN
Before Matteo Mancosu even says a word, it’s easy to understand that he is a man who is at peace with himself. His demeanor is mild, almost Zen-like.

AC Milan, Bologna show interest in Michael Bradley SI.com
Michael Bradley has now played nearly three seasons in Toronto, which he has guided back to the upcoming MLS playoffs. But Bradley, a former AS Roma and Chievo Verona player, is also drawing interest from clubs back in Italy.

What does the future hold for Italy-linked Bradley?Waking the Red
The appeal of Italy is a little less clear cut. AC Milan is a huge, prestigious club, but in something of a rebuilding phase and unlikely to be challenging for major honours any time soon. Bologna, meanwhile, finished 14th in Serie A last season and has had a fairly ordinary start to the current campaign.

Quiet Leader Bradley Wright-Phillips Pushing Red Bulls to the Top of MLS EastBleacher Report
Bradley Wright-Phillips isn’t your typical striker.  The New York Red Bulls forward is stellar in front of the net, but he doesn’t possess the flash and flair of many of the big personalities who play his position across the globe.

DaMarcus Beasley doubts he’ll return for Houston Dynamo next seasonESPN FC
DaMarcus Beasley doesn’t plan on retiring at the end of this Major League Soccer season, but he doubts he’ll be back with the Houston Dynamo in 2017.

New York City FC head to Mexico for ‘really special’ date with NecaxaThe Guardian
Head coach Patrick Vieira admits his Spanish is ‘really, really bad’, but NYC FC take on Necaxa on Friday – and hope to strengthen ties between MLS and Mexico.

Senators ask MLS chief Don Garber to explain money moving between SUM, U.S. national teamsPhilly.com
You don’t have to be a soccer business wonk to have heard of Soccer United Marketing, the commercial arm of Major League Soccer that handles sponsorship and marketing deals for many high-profile soccer events in the United States. But even the most keen observers of the industry have often struggled to shine light on SUM’s inner workings – especially the revenues generated by the events SUM puts on.

VIDEO: MLS should be embarrassed by commercial flight arragementSportsnet
Sportsnet Central Montreal panel outraged after learning that the MLS teams still travel Commercial flights instead of Chartered.

MLS International Roundup: Lodeiro scores as Uruguay top VenezuelaMLS
One day after Orlando City’s Kevin Molino bagged a hat trick for Trinidad and Tobago, Seattle Sounders star Nicolas Lodeiro kept the party going on Thursday, when he scored the first goal in Uruguay’s 3-0 win against Venezuela in a World Cup qualifier in Montevideo.

MLS PHOTOS: Whitecaps FC 1, Seattle Sounders FC 2, October 2, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

 Capture the  game in HD using aerial video, book now at www.gamevision.ca!

BC SOCCER NEWS

It’s Chopin’s show as UBC slips past Vikes on rainy night at Thunderbird StadiumUBC
On a cold, rainy night at Thunderbird Stadium the UBC Thunderbirds did just enough to secure a 3-2 victory over the UVic Vikes and move into first place in the Pacific Division of Canada West men’s soccer.

Late comeback not enough as Vikes lose to UBCUVic
On a cold, rainy night at Thunderbird Stadium the UBC Thunderbirds (7-1-5) did just enough to secure a 3-2 victory over the UVic Vikes (3-8) and move into first place in the Pacific Division of Canada West men’s soccer.

VISL DIVISION 1 LISTINGS & GAME OF THE WEEKVISL
This weekend’s upcoming Thanksgiving schedule for Division 1 – our flagship Division.

VMSL Week 4 Round-Up: Rainy days and raining goalsAFTN
Week 4 of the 2016/17 VMSL season is in the books and it’s already starting to feel like a two horse race in the Premier Division.

No. 2 Clan Unbeaten In 9 Games After 2-2 draw with Crusaders SFU
Extra time solved nothing on Thursday evening, as the No. 2-ranked SFU Clan soccer team (8-0-1, 3-0-1) picked up a 2-2 draw against the Northwest Nazarene Crusaders (4-3-3, 1-1-2), snapping the team’s season-opening winning streak at eight games.

Dickson’s brace paces Clan to 3-0 win over Northwest NazareneSFU
Less than a week after their 6-0 blowout of Western Oregon, the SFU Clan women’s soccer team (5-3-1, 3-2-0) kept up the offense in a dominant 3-0 win over the Northwest Nazarene Crusaders (3-8-0, 1-5-0) on Thursday evening.

RECAP: Heat win 2-0 in Kamloops behind Calgary connectionUBCO
After a tough battle on Hillside Stadium in Kamloops, the UBC Okanagan women’s soccer team come out with a (2-0) win against the WolfPack this Thursday night.

Heat Shutout WolfPack In Opener Of Canada West Women’s Soccer SeriesTRU
The University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat scored two goals in the first half and rolled to a 2-0 victory over the host Thompson Rivers University WolfPack in Canada West women’s soccer play.

SPARTANS HOST RIVALS FRASER VALLEY FRIDAY NIGHTTWU
The No. 4 Trinity Western men’s soccer team will host Fraser Valley this Friday at 7:15 p.m. at Chase Office Field in the first of a home-and-home series that will see the local rivals also play Sunday in Abbotsford.

Cascades Q&A: Michael MobilioUFV
Cascades Q&A is a weekly feature where we fire a series of random questions at a UFV athlete. Some of the questions are serious, others not so much. In the crosshairs this week is Michael Mobilio of the UFV men’s soccer team.

UFV Cascades’ Levarsky a prolific striker with goals beyond the pitch Vancouver Sun
Monika Levarsky’s life is so full and so busy that maybe it isn’t so surprising that she took care of a season’s worth of goal scoring in one weekend.

SFU’s Heer hits her markBurnaby Now
Monpreet Heer provided the spark, and the rest of the Simon Fraser University women’s soccer team followed. The first-year forward scoring twice and set up two others as SFU blasted Western Oregon 6-0 last week, picking up their fourth victory of the season.

Right at home: Oak Bay boys eye more soccer successTimes Colonist
The travelling road show known as Oak Bay High soccer finally has a home. The green and white weren’t there Tuesday, recording a 4-0 away victory over the host Mount Douglas Rams at Tyndall Park, but they now officially have a place to finally call their own.

Champions to be honouredDelta Optimist
Soccer standout Olivia Sheppard is one of the 2016 Sports Champions who will be recognized this month at a gala banquet in Tsawwassen

Employment Opportunity – KYSA Seeks Senior Staff CoachBC Soccer Web
The Kamloops Youth Soccer Association is moving to hire a full-time Senior Staff Coach. Applicants for this new position must possess a minimum Canadian Soccer Association Provincial B License coaching certification.

Canada West to livestream over 100 Soccer matches in 2016-17Canada West
With the 2016-17 Canada West regular season set to open later this week, Canada West is proud to launch passes for Canadawest.tv – the official streaming home of the conference.

BC Soccer Assoc. Releases their 2015-2016 Year in ReviewBCSA
After another successful year of soccer in British Columbia, BC Soccer Assoc. is pleased to release their 2015-2016 Year in Review.  The creation of the BC Soccer Club Charter Program, delivery of a FIFA Live Your Goals Festival, along with the numerous Grassroots Festivals across the province and Coach Education highlight some of the major successes this past year.

BC Soccer Assoc. Delivery of Coach MandateBCSA
IMPORTANT:  If you are coaching in the ages U6-U12 you are required to complete the age appropriate course(s) even if you have a higher level of certification (ie. Soccer for Life, B pretest, C License, B License or A License). In order to enable our membership to deliver on the coaching mandate, BC Soccer Assoc. will be scheduling Learning Facilitator training sessions to assist organizations to have qualified individuals to deliver in-club coach certification courses to their coaches.

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.

Train With Champions TWU Spartan Female Soccer Academy

CANADA SOCCER NEWS

U17 Women’s World Cup: Castellanos leads Venezuela to victory over Canada FIFA
With Friday’s victory, Venezuela claim the runners-up spot in Group B and will advance to play Group A winners Mexico in the U17 WWC quarter-finals in Amman on Wednesday 12 October. Defeat for Canada ends their campaign at Jordan 2016.

Ricketts rockets up career list in Canada’s winToronto Sun
The post-Benito Floro era is off to a solid start as Canada’s men’s soccer team upended Mauritania 4-0 in Marrakech, Morocco, on Thursday night.

Literally no one showed up to watch a Canadian soccer friendlyCBC
There is written and video evidence of the match, so its existence can’t be refuted, but because the sides squared off in an entirely empty stadium it sort of feels like it didn’t happen.

It’s good to be happy about latest Canada win, but don’t get carried awayMLS
As the classic cartoon Animaniacs taught us back in the mid-1990s, the line between a good idea and a bad idea can be very thin indeed. So, hearing that Canada beat Mauritania by a 4-0 scoreline—or maybe even seeing it, if you happened to be among the few dozen who caught the midday webstream of Thursday’s empty-stadium friendly from Morocco—may cause a person to draw certain conclusions.

Newfoundland Derby highlights even day of matches at Sport Chek National ChampionshipsCSA
A hotly contested Challenge Trophy Newfoundland derby in front of 2,000 fans at King George V Park in St. John’s highlighted Day 2 at the Sport Chek National Championships. Hard fought was the tone of the day as the majority of games saw a two or less goal difference.

#CanadaRed soccer weekly: No to 48-team World Cup, Yes to playoff gamesYahoo Sports
Everyone loves the Cinderella story like Iceland’s from the recent Euro Cup. If the plan for the one-game playoff were to be incorporated into the current 32-team format where four, six, or eight spots were up for grabs, FIFA may be on to something. But the idea of 48 teams should never come to fruition.

Successful Day 2 Wraps at U-14 Cup in MonctonCSA
Another sunny October day greeted participants and spectators at the Canada Soccer U-14 Cup in Moncton. The second match day featured games on both sides of the competition with all teams having now played at least one match. Ontario continue to lead the way with a win by Brampton East, now top of Group A in the Boys U-14 Cup and a tie between Waterloo United, who top Group B, and Bonivital (MB) on the Girls U-14 Cup side of the draw.

Day 2 sees Ontario, Quebec girls, Alberta boys leading at U-16 Cup in Lethbridge, ABCSA
Another chilly match day in Lethbridge, AB proved challenging for some teams, however, with all teams having played at least one game all groups remain competitive. Ontario and Quebec leading the way on the Girl’s side of the draw and Alberta the only unbeaten team remaining on the Boy’s side.

Competition heating up at U-18 Cup on Day 2 in Vaughan, ON CSA
Day 2 of the Sport Chek National Championships were matches filled to the brim with action, including early conversions in just about every match.

Local soccer linesman has sights set on the big leagues CBC Newfoundland & Labrador
Some of the top amateur soccer players in the country are in Newfoundland and Labrador taking part in the Challenge Trophy and Jubilee Trophy tournaments — and top national players require top referees.  Among the officiating staff working the lines is 22-year-old Jeff Au of St. John’s.

Elks donate soccer ballsMoose Jaw Times
The Moose Jaw Soccer Association will have no shortage of soccer balls for the upcoming season and they have the Moose Jaw Elks to thank for it.

PHOTOS: 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier: Canada 3 El Salvador 1, September 6, 2016BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie

Connect with Soccer in British Columbia! Advertise on BC Soccer Web today!

WFC2, USL & NASL NEWS

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE WESTERN SEMIFINAL

WFC2  vs. OKC ENERGY FC

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2016, 12:00PM

TICKET INFO

THUNDERBIRD STADIUM, VANCOUVER, BC

USL Cup Playoffs Preview: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 vs. OKC Energy FCUSL
After both earning upset victories in the Conference Quarterfinals, the No. 6-seed Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 and No. 7-seed OKC Energy FC will look to continue their runs in the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs on Saturday afternoon at UBC Thunderbird Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. PT.

USL Cup Playoffs Preview – Conference Semifinals WeekendUSL
The 2016 USL Cup Playoffs continue this weekend with the Eastern and Western Conference Semifinals, as the eight remaining teams look to move two wins away from a championship. After the top three seeds in the Western Conference were upset last weekend, we are guaranteed at least one new face in the 2016 USL Cup Final, Presented by Nike, while two former champions hit the road to face the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference.

Brett Levis fully focused on OKC Energy but knows WFC2 have “really good opportunity to make it to the final and even win the whole thing”AFTN
WFC2’s USL era got off to a pretty inauspicious start in March 2015. That’s putting it mildly. The 4-0 defeat at Seattle Sounders 2 was a wake-up call that trying to put together a competitive team at a week’s notice was not the best of ideas.

Balance, Experience Driving WFC2 in Second SeasonUSL
The progression of the club in its second season has been vast, with one of the biggest turnarounds in fortune throughout the USL, and WFC2 now finds itself two wins away from the USL Cup Final as it gets set to host OKC Energy FC in this Saturday’s Western Conference Semifinal.

Get ready to see more of WFC2’s Will Seymore Vancouver Sun
Seymore, now 24, has been a key cog in defensive midfield for Whitecaps FC 2 this season.

AUDIO: The AFTN Podcast (Semi. Sweet! with Alan Koch, Brett Levis, and Kyle Greig)AFTN
It’s the USL Western Conference semi-final on Saturday afternoon. WFC2 face off against OKC Energy and we have you covered with all the build up here on AFTN in a special USLcentric episode.

#StuffTheBird: Support WFC2 in playoff action this Thanksgiving weekendWhitecaps FC
It’s Thanksgiving weekend, and Saturday is the first ever Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) home playoff game at UBC Thunderbird Stadium. With that in mind, Whitecaps FC are asking fans to #StuffTheBird and fill Thunderbird Stadium to support the young ‘Caps in the USL Western Conference Semifinal against Oklahoma City Energy FC. Kickoff is at noon local time.

Official Statement from Spike on #StuffTheBirdWhitecaps FC
As you might not know, the turkey is a distant cousin of mine, and it is with the utmost regret that I must inform you, I cannot support #StuffTheBird. I do support the bird call to flock to the game and cheer on the Blue and White – in fact I squawk at any fan who doesn’t. But while I understand the idea of the campaign is to pack fans into Thunderbird Stadium (named in honour of the legendary Thunderbird), it would be a disservice to my fellow fowl to promote the stuffing of any bird.

Competition between MLS, independent clubs fueling USL’s riseFour Four Two
MLS affiliates have helped grow the USL and attract new owners. As Paul Tenorio notes, that has led to more competition, on and off the field.

Red Bulls II Ready for Challenge from Rhinos USL
For all they’ve accomplished this season, the New York Red Bulls II are going to have to claim a first in club history when they host the Rochester Rhinos in the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs on Friday night at Red Bull Arena.

Eddies can clinch NASL post-season berth with a win over the Rowdies on Sunday the11.ca
Before the 2016 season, FC Edmonton captain Albert Watson offered a blunt assessment of the previous three years he spent with the club. “In the three years, we really haven’t done anything,” he said. “You can’t say that you’ve done anything until you get into the fight for the cup.”

FC Edmonton looking for home-field advantage in playoffsEdmonton Journal
With their dramatic 2-1 win over the Indy Eleven this past Sunday, FC Edmonton are back in the hunt for the North American Soccer League Fall Season title.

Jacksonville Armada FC-Indy Eleven Match Rescheduled For WednesdayNASL
The match between Jacksonville Armada FC and Indy Eleven that was scheduled to be played on Saturday has been moved to Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET because of weather concerns related to Hurricane Matthew, the NASL announced Thursday.

FC Cincinnati stand out from crowd as they close in on MLS invitationThe Telegraph
After drawing a crowd of over 30,000 for the second time in their inaugural season, FC Cincinnati are now eagerly awaiting the attendance of one lone soccer fan to Nippert Stadium.

Ledgerwood’s contract extension is good news for NASL as a wholethe11.ca
There are so many rumours swirling around about the health of the league — including whispers that the Ottawa Fury and the Tampa Bay Rowdies may pack up, that the Fort Lauderdale Strikers needed a bail-out and that Rayo OKC’s Spanish ownership wants to see some changes made. So, news that one of the NASL’s founding clubs has re-signed one of its star players is a badly needed show of stability.

What does future hold for Indy Eleven, troubled NASL?Indy Star
While rumors of the NASL’s troubles have been discussed on social media and soccer circles for some time, a bleak picture was painted by Sports Illustrated last month, amidst speculation that up to five teams will either fold or depart for a different league.

What a Cosmos future without the NASL could look like – Part 1This is Cosmos Country
With the league being surrounded by uncertainty, and news about the future causing severe whiplash depending on what day of the week it is, one has to wonder what the future would look like for our boys in green if the NASL were to cease operation.

NASL commissioner Peterson maintains league will expand after crucial meetingsSI.com
In his first public comments since NASL owners met last week in Atlanta to plot the circuit’s future, commissioner Bill Peterson stressed to SI.com that the league intends to move forward from a position of strength. That means identifying and coalescing around a core of committed clubs next season, and then crafting a plan to expand intelligently in 2018 and beyond.

Follow BC Soccer Web on Twitter and get news throughout the day!

WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS

NWSL: Young stars on display in Sunday’s finalSoccer America
Fans will get a peak at what might be the future of the U.S. women’s national team when the Washington Spirit faces the Western New York Flash in the NWSL final Sunday at Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium. The Flash, which lost in the final three years ago, is loaded with young talent, led by three players called up to the U.S. women’s national team, while the Spirit features U.S. Olympians Ali Krieger and Crystal Dunn.

Lohman trying to bring trophy back home The Equalizer
Joanna Lohmnn is one of those players who can sometimes go unnoticed. Not because she’s a bad player (she isn’t), and not even because she’s having a bad game.

WESTERN NEW YORK FLASH FORWARD LYNN WILLIAMS VOTED NWSL MVPNWSL
Western New York Flash forward Lynn Williams was voted the National Women’s Soccer League Most Valuable Player for the 2016 NWSL season, the league announced Thursday.

NATIONAL WOMEN’S SOCCER LEAGUE ANNOUNCES 2016 BEST XINWSL
NWSL Shield winners Portland Thorns FC led the way with three selections to the squad .

Wubben-Moy: ‘To go home early from Jordan would be wrong’The FA
England’s Young Lionesses are not prepared for their FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup campaign to come to an end on Saturday, said captain Lotte Wubben-Moy.

UWCL: Records and drama in opening games UEFA
The UEFA Women’s Champions League round of 32 first legs produced records, comebacks, surprises and some awesome performances: we review the opening action.

Chelsea Ladies, despite loss, had big night at Stamford Bridge Sky Sports
Stamford Bridge has seen some special nights in its history, but perhaps none as significant as Wednesday when Chelsea Ladies had their first run out on the famous pitch in the UEFA Women’s Champions League against Wolfsburg.

Danielle van de Donk signs new contract with Arsenal LadiesVavel
Netherlands international commits her future to the Gunners with new deal.

Toppserien – Matchday 19 Preview: Can Avaldsnes make up lost ground on LSK?Vavel
With just four games remaining everything is starting to shape up, but there are still close battles at both ends of the table.

US Women Will Look to the Future in MinneapolisFifty Five One
US Women’s head coach Jill Ellis announced her 24-player roster today that will travel to Utah before playing at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on October 23. Notably absent from the squad are Megan Rapinoe, Ali Krieger, and Alex Morgan.

NWSL Commissioner on Abby Wambach and Bill Simmons: “Women’s Soccer Doesn’t Need Saving” Vice Sports
Oh thank heavens, we’re going to be fine. Last week, on Bill Simmons’ HBO show “Any Given Wednesday,” he and Abby Wambach revealed a “plan to save women’s pro soccer.”

Why I Am Kneeling: Megan RapinoeThe Player’s Tribune
I am kneeling because I have to do something. Anything. We all do. I haven’t experienced over-policing, racial profiling, police brutality or the sight of a family member’s body lying dead in the street. But I cannot stand idly by while there are people in this country who have had to deal with that kind of heartache.

Find a Team or Find a Player with BC Soccer Web FREE Classifieds!

WORLD SOCCER NEWS

Spain’s dominance undone by Italy’s directness, another Sergio Ramos errorESPN FC
There were eight minutes left when Sergio Ramos put his foot in it. Spain led 1-0, on course to become the first team to win in Italy for 17 years and the only side ever to defeat them there in a World Cup qualifier, when he stepped across Eder. It was late in Turin and so was he.

Mandzukic’s hat trick lifts Croatia over KosovoSportsnet
Mario Mandzukic struck a first-half hat trick for Croatia to hand Kosovo’s 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign a bitter setback on Thursday.

Chris Coleman ‘proud’ of Welsh ‘courage’ in Austria draw BBC Sport
Wales boss Chris Coleman says he was proud of his side’s “courage” in the 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw in Austria despite a below-par performance.

Bob Bradley calls out Klinsmann, U.S. Soccer in first Swansea press conferenceSBI
It’s unusual for Bob Bradley to be forward when asked a critical question, so his comments on Jurgen Klinsmann come as a surprise to many.

Balotelli free to face OLLigue 1
Ligue 1 leaders Nice have received a massive boost as star striker Mario Balotelli is now free to face Olympique Lyonnais in Week 9.

FIFA investigates ‘ineligible’ Bolivia player in World Cup qualifyingSportsnet
FIFA is investigating complaints from Chile and Peru that Bolivia fielded an ineligible player against them in World Cup qualifying matches.

Anger on streets in China as football team suffer shock defeat by war-torn SyriaThe Guardian
Chinese sports fans have taken to the streets to demand the resignation of the president of China’s football association after the national side crashed to a shock defeat to Syria in a major blow to president Xi Jinping’s football revolution. Xi, who Communist party propagandists promote as a dedicated football fan, has vowed to turn China into a footballing superpower.

USA-Cuba: Some Havana bondingSoccer America
The USA is back in Havana for the third time in the last 70 years after games against Cuba in 1947 and 2008.

Roar’s Luke DeVere stuns Victory in A-League openerThe Guardian
A sensational 96th-minute Luke DeVere equaliser has saved Matt McKay’s blushes to earn Brisbane a 1-1 draw against Melbourne Victory on the A-League’s opening night.

Enner Valencia dodges police via ambulance during Ecuador matchSBI
Ecuador vs. Chile was all lined up to be an exciting match and it was, though maybe not exactly as expected. In an incredibly entertaining twist, though likely not to him, Enner Valencia provided the biggest story of the night not on the pitch, but by escaping it.

Pep Guardiola: ‘I would not be here without Johan Cruyff. He was unique’The Guardian
In a rare, exclusive interview, the Manchester City manager talks about his former coach and mentor, a man who taught him to always ‘want more and more’.

Posted in BC Soccer News.