BC Soccer News, Monday, February 22, 2016

WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

Whitecaps FC suffer first loss of the preseason, fall 3-2 to Fire in Simple Invitational openerWhitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC suffered their first loss of the preseason on Sunday afternoon, falling 3-2 to Chicago Fire in their 2016 Simple Invitational opener at Providence Park.

Vancouver Whitecaps Fall 3-2 to Chicago Fire in Pre-Season Eighty-Six Forever
The Vancouver Whitecaps have kicked off their second tournament of the 2016 pre-season with a loss, falling to the Chicago Fire 3-2 on Sunday. After a perfect, 3-0 run in Tucson Arizona a few weeks ago, the Whitecaps traveled to Portland for the 2016 Simple Invitational, a three team tourney that features the Timbers, Fire and ‘Caps.

The Waston watch is on already The Province
Carl Robinson said on Sunday that pre-season is all about “getting minutes under belts.” By that count, their game at Providence Park was a rousing success: eight players went 90 minutes. They also lost 3-2 to the Chicago Fire, who hung out in the MLS basement last season. So what did we learn?

Let the internal battles beginVancouver Sun
As the prototypical modern-day fullback — high-end pace, a strong instinct to push forward and a first-class crosser of the ball — Sam Adekugbe is practically giddy at the possibilities with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Deybi Flores called up to Honduras U-23 team for friendly versus ColombiaWhitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC confirmed today that midfielder Deybi Flores has been called up to the Honduras U-23 men’s national team for an upcoming friendly.

Fan Expectations of Carl Robinson for 2016 Eighty-Six Forever
The majority of our focus is often centered on the players performing on the field. However, with such a young manager, we believe that it is as important to focus some attention on the expected growth of Carl Robinson this season.

Vancouver Whitecaps and the signs of the timesSoccer Shorts
Ticket prices and “sellouts”- You may think that the rarified world of semiotics and the grubby dealings of business are completely separate entities. Wrong! Marketing is essentially semiotics to the maximum degree. So when the Whitecaps choose to keep the tarps on despite almost certainly being able to sell a few more tickets they are making a conscious decision to give out the signal that their games are sought after. Canucks ticket prices are low? Then they must be struggling. Whitecaps ticket prices are low? Great I’ll give it a go.

New York City FC acquire Boca Jr.’s Federico Bravo on loan Empire of Soccer
The wait is over. New York City FC have officially announced the acquisition of Boca Jrs. midfielder Federico Bravo on a season long loan. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, the loan is pending receipt of his ITC.

Armchair Analyst: Climbing up from rock bottom starts at the back for Chicago FireMLS
Any time you have a season as bad as what the Chicago Fire put together in 2015, you’ll most likely enter 2016 with an “Under Construction” sign hanging above the locker room. GMs tend to not bring back a ton of guys from 30-point seasons.

PRESEASON RECAP | Portland Timbers 4, Minnesota United FC 0Timbers.com
Receiving goals from Fanendo Adi, Lucas Melano, Darlington Nagbe and Diego Valeri, the Portland Timbers opened play in the 2016 Simple Invitational with a 4-0 win against North American Soccer League (NASL) side Minnesota United FC in preseason play before 13,431 fans at Providence Park on Sunday night.

Real Salt Lake Finishes Preseason with a 1-1 DrawRSL
Real Salt Lake wrapped up the 2016 preseason with a pair of matches on Saturday – one a 45-minute scrimmage against FC Tucson and the other a full match in the FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup.  In the first, RSL’s projected starters for Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal match against Tigres in Mexico got out to an early start and romped FC Tucson 4-0 in a 45-minute tune-up.  Then in the evening, MF Jordan Allen scored in a 1-1 draw against MLS Cup finalist Columbus Crew SC.

Red Bulls veteran Ryan Meara impressed with homegrown crop NYRB
Only gone for but a season, Ryan Meara has noticed plenty of changes since he was last with the New York Red Bulls. After spending a year with crosstown rivals New York City FC, Meara has returned to the other side of the Hudson River, and it hasn’t exactly been status quo around the club he once again calls home.

Omar Gonzalez predicts MLS teams will struggle vs. Liga MX sides in CCLESPN FC
United States and Pachuca center-back Omar Gonzalez is predicting that Major League Soccer sides will have a difficult time against Liga MX teams in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League next week.

CONCACAF Champions League: Reasons for despairSounder at Heart
Yes, the Seattle Sounders beat UANL Tigres. There’s a reason that felt so amazing: Because it was. It was the first time that a Major League Soccer side beat a Liga MX side in the knockout rounds, and MLS teams have only done so twice in fourteen tries. For all of Don Garber’s wishes, the talent level in Mexico is greater than the talent level in the US and Canada.

Oduro scores twice in Impact’s 4-1 preseason win against D.C. United Montreal Gazette
Dominic Oduro scored twice as the Impact dominated D.C. United 4-1 Saturday in the second preseason match of the Rowdies Suncoast Invitational.

Sloppy second half does in TFCToronto Sun
For 45 minutes on Sunday, Toronto FC looked like one of the best teams in the league. Then the second 45 minutes came, leading to a 2-1 pre-season loss to Orlando City.

Toronto FC, BMO extend stadium rights partnership 10 years, kit deal through 2016MLS
Just one day after raising the roof over BMO Field’s south end, MLSE and Toronto FC announced on Monday that BMO has agreed to a 10-year renewal of their naming rights sponsorship of the stadium.

MLS player tracker with complete rosters (Feb. 19-21) Soccer America
Current MLS rosters and Free Agents as of February 21.

An Open Letter to MLS: MNUFC Rebrand is a PR DisasterMidfield Press
The recent rumors of a potential Minnesota United FC rebrand has me quite confused. I’ve been trying to think of who you have probably already heard from on this issue and I came up with this likely list:

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BC SOCCER NEWS

BC Soccer Assoc. is Now Accepting Candidates for its Board of DirectorsBCSA
BC Soccer Assoc. is accepting candidates for its Board of Directors for terms commencing June 11, 2016. Prospective candidates are invited to review the information provided on the BC Soccer web site www.bcsoccer.net. Candidates who provide notice to BC Soccer Assoc. of their intent to stand for election by May 1, 2016 will have their applications circulated to the membership in early May.

VISL Jackson Cup Round 1 ResultsVISL
There were 16 teams left, after today only 8. Should be an interesting 4 games next week.

United trio to play for Cascades Surrey Leader
Three members of the Surrey United soccer program have committed to playing for the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades next season.

Hall of Fame journalist Cross, 92, passes away CSA
Jeff Cross, an honoured member of The Soccer Hall of Fame, has passed away at the age of 92. The former journalist won the Canadian Sports Federation Sportswriter and Broadcaster Award in both 1968 and 1973.

JdF U15 boys gunning for Island goldGoldstream Gazette
The Juan de Fuca under-15 gold level boys have proven their Cup soccer superiority in Greater Victoria. Now they’re out to do the same for Vancouver Island, as they prepare to take on Comox Valley United on Feb. 28, a match that will determine who qualifies for the provincial championships. The venue has yet to be determined, but will on the North Island.

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 vs. MEXICO, March 25, 2016 @ BC PLACE STADIUM. Buy Tickets Today!

CONCACAF WOMEN’S OLYMPIC QUALIFYING

FINAL

UNITED STATES  2   CANADA   0

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2016

BBVA COMPASS STADIUM, HOUSTON, TX.

CANADA SOCCER NEWS

Canada takes silver, looks forward to Road to Rio after qualifying for OlympicsCSA
Canada’s Women’s National Team have achieved what they set out to do at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship earning a spot at this summer’s Olympic Games. Canada will have the chance to defend their Olympic bronze medal this summer after they earned their third-straight qualification through a 3:1 win over Costa Rica on Friday, February 19th.

Canada loses 2-0 to U.S. women’s team at CONCACAF soccer final CTV News
After rolling the dice with his lineup, Canadian coach John Herdman was left wondering what might have been in the final of the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship. He did it without his runner’s-up medal, having wasted little time donating it to a fan in the crowd in the aftermath of Sunday’s 2-0 loss to the U.S. before 9,363 at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Canadian Coach John Herdman Throws Silver Medal Into Stands After Loss to USAWaking the Red
“I don’t play this game for medals… and not silver ones anyway,” Herdman told media after the match.

A learning experience for Reds in CONCACAF final Sportsnet
Tickets to a Canada versus the United States in women’s soccer practically sell themselves. The meetings are always fierce, physical and passionate.

Sinclair’s brace sends Canada to Riothe11.ca
A lot has been made of Canada’s evolution, its youth movement, the “mavericks” (coach John Herdman’s term) who have been brought in since the World Cup to bring more inventiveness to the national women’s team.

Canada’s Sinclair: “The feeling never gets old”CONCACAF
For veterans of the Canada women’s national team, it may be a third trip to the Olympic Games, but the sensation produced by such an achievement remained as new as ever.

Canada’s Beckie moves on from World Cup omission Sportsnet
Forward Janine Beckie has been scoring with regularity in recent months for the Canadian women’s team, perhaps offering a glimpse of her potential to become Canada’s next great goal-scorer.

Kingston Clippers Brings Pro-Am Women’s Soccer To Eastern Ontario League1 Ontario
An original member of the League1 Ontario men’s division, Kingston Clippers Soccer Club is now expanding into the 2016 women’s division, and in doing so offers the highest level of women’s soccer east of the Greater Toronto Area.  “Women’s soccer has very strong presence in Kingston, and for that matter Eastern Ontario,” said Clippers’ technical director, Chris Eveleigh.

Eighteen Woodbridge Strikers Women’s League1 Players Accept Scholarships League1 Ontario
Woodbridge women’s team head coach Joe Parolini has had a record number of players from the group accept full ride scholarships to NCAA D1 schools, with a small group also accepting offers at York University.

Mount Carmel soccer players off to the NCAA Mississauga.com
Having one student committed to an NCAA scholarship is reason enough to celebrate, but Our Lady of Mount Carmel is proud to say they have three.

Woodbridge soccer star heading to PrincetonVaughan Citizen
When Natalie Grossi was in elementary school, she had an opportunity to visit Princeton University along with the rest of her rep soccer teammates and while there, enjoyed her time on their campus. At that time though, the Woodbridge resident thought the odds of some day becoming a part of their student population and the Ivy League culture was just a remote possibility.

West Ottawa Soccer Club welcomes refugeesStittsville Central
West Ottawa Soccer Club is welcoming newcomers to Canada by offering free soccer registration for refugee families. The program is open to all ages, for refugees from anywhere in the world, during their first year in Ottawa. West Ottawa Soccer largely serves the Stittsville, Kanata and West Carleton areas.

Competitive foosball on display in the capitalCTV News
In the fast-paced world of competitive foosball Canada is one of the best. It’s a game most people associate with bars and basements but Canada Foosball is trying to change that image. The non-profit organization that oversees Canada’s regional and local table soccer clubs, or foosball clubs, estimates there are about 700 recreational players and about 300 competitive players in Canada.

BC Youth Soccer Player Development

(Editor’s Note: Welcome to our new section on BC Youth Soccer Player Development; a new resource designed to help youth coaches and players. Throughout the week, we’ll feature news, drills and videos from the most noted professionals in the field of player development. If you have any articles or resources you enjoy, send them our way, and we’ll share them with the BC Soccer community.)

In Terms of Developing a Youth Player (6-21years), Does the Rondo Aid or Hinder Development?Inspire Coach Education
Out of the dozens of positive processes that have influenced youth development in England (the presentations are available for anyone to see) Spain has one principle which has become very popular; the ‘rondo’. The following article will look at the rondo, providing statistics, data and my own opinion (I realise how narcissistic that sounds but I have been asked to write this!) on the exercise as a development tool.

BC Soccer Leagues & Clubs – Share your News With The BC Soccer Community!

WFC2, USL & NASL NEWS

Miller tells FCE supporters that club has signed former USL scoring star Jason Plumhoff the11.ca
FC Edmonton held its season-kickoff event for its season-ticket holders on Sunday, and there were a couple of tidbits coming out of coach Colin Miller’s address to the fans in attendance.

Thomas Pleased After TFC II Preseason VictoryUSL
Toronto FC II took a 2-0 victory against Vaughan Soccer Club on Saturday in its first preseason contest of the season, and defender Skylar Thomas was pleased with the way the side performed in its first outing of the club’s second season.

Bob Lilley: Rochester Rhinos are Indeed Preparing for the 2016 SeasonThe Bent Musket
While official word from the team or the USL has been lacking since David and Wendy Dworkin were identified as the new ownership group, head coach Bob Lilley is actually preparing for training camp.

FC Cincy ties in Florida, wins with fans back home Cincinnati.com
There’s much for FC Cincinnati to feel good about after its first-ever preseason game. Down in Bradenton, Florida at the IMG Academy Suncoast Pro Classic, Cincinnati came back from a 2-0 deficit in the second half to earn a 2-2 tie Saturday against Reykjavik FC, a team from Iceland. Xavier University product Luke Spencer was credited with Cincinnati’s first goal in about the 77th minute. Corben Bone cracked a long-distance goal.

Los Dos Sweep to Third Preseason Victory USL
The LA Galaxy II got a pair of goals from Jack McBean as it swept to a third consecutive preseason victory with a 5-0 win against the University of Nevada Las Vegas on Saturday night at StubHub Center.

Detroit City FC capture the imagination – and provide symbol of hope – with Keyworth Stadium renovationThe Telegraph
In a city ravaged by decline and decay, a fourth-tier soccer club have provided hope of regeneration by raising $740,000 to redevelop an 80-year-old venue.

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WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS

US defeats Canada to continue regional dominanceThe Equalizer
The United States defeated Canada, 2-0 on Sunday at BBVA Compass Stadium to win the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament. Lindsey Horan and Tobin Heath scored in the second half for the U.S.

USWNT tops CONCACAF Olympic Qualifiers with win over Canada Empire of Soccer
The best team in the world once again proved their regional dominance as the U.S. Women’s National Team beat Canada 2-0, finishing atop the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament for the fourth time in a row.

The Case Against Leo Cuellar Keeper Notes
Two nights ago after falling to Costa Rica 2-1, the Mexican Women’s National Team was eliminated from the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic qualifying tournament. Just two nights prior, the women of El Tri had held the USWNT scoreless for 80 minutes before falling victim to a dubious penalty decision for a phantom handball. There is an argument, however, that Mexico was eliminated before the tournament even began.

Teenager Mallory Pugh is the Future of Women’s SoccerSIKids.com
As captain of the US Women’s National Team U-20 squad, Mallory is the youngest player to take the field for the USWNT since 2005 and the youngest to score a goal in the past 16 years.

WNY FLASH ANNOUNCE PAUL RILEY AS HEAD COACH NWSL
The Western New York Flash announced today that it has appointed veteran manager Paul Riley as the head coach of the National Women’s Soccer League club. Riley, who was previously the head coach for Portland Thorns FC, becomes just the second head coach in the history of the Flash.

Lionesses pair in line to reach landmark caps tally in USAThe FA
Fara Williams and Eniola Aluko are in line to make their 150th and 100th appearances respectively for England Women at next month’s SheBelieves Cup.

England women recall Katie Chapman for SheBelieves Cup BBC Sport
Chelsea captain Katie Chapman has been recalled to the England squad for next month’s inaugural SheBelieves Cup in the United States.

Mary Earps: Goalkeeper joins Reading from Bristol AcademyBBC Sport
Reading women have signed former Bristol Academy and England Under-23 goalkeeper Mary Earps.

Brighton extend unbeaten run with draw at CoventryThe FA
FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division leaders Brighton & Hove Albion salvaged a 2-2 draw with Coventry United thanks to Sophie Perry’s injury-time free-kick.

Round-Up: Jarrett keeps Wexford in huntContinental Tyres Women’s National League
Rianna Jarrett’s goal seven minutes from time secured Wexford Youths’ spot in the Continetnal Women’s National League Cup semi-final.

Lucy and the Seattle Reign to Forge Ethiopian PartnershipEthiosports
The Ethiopian Football Federation and representatives of one of America’s leading professional women’s soccer teams, the Seattle Reign, met today in Addis Ababa and took the first steps in forging a strategic partnership aimed at forging international linkages and strengthening Ethiopian women’s soccer.

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WORLD SOCCER NEWS

Copa América 2016 draw: USA face tough test against Colombia and Costa RicaThe Guardian
It might not be the group of death, but the toughest pool in this summer’s Copa America could yet represent a terminal blow to Jurgen Klinsmann’s future as US national team coach. Make no mistake: USA, on home soil, have a difficult task just to get out of the group – and failure to finish first in group A could mean a last-eight date with Brazil.

The U.S. Copa America draw is bad, but stick a pike in ‘Group of Death’ Top Drawer Soccer
For the second major tournament in a row, the American group is not even the most difficult in its own event. In 2014, the U.S. was roundly considered to be a part of the most difficult group in the Brazilian World Cup. It was, sadly, called The Group of Death almost immediately.

Complete Schedule and Ticket Info for Copa America CentennarioCopa America 2016
Matches begin June 3. Seattle hosts Haiti vs. Peru on June 4, Argentina vs. Bolivia on June 14, and a Quarterfinal on June 16.

Dempsey: USA’s Copa America Centenario challenge is excitingGoal
The Seattle Sounders attacker spoke with Goal about this summer’s Centenario tournament, in addition to his team’s preseason work and expectations.

Arsenal’s speed gives them a faint chance of a UCL upset vs. Barcelona ESPN FC
So what’s all the fuss about Barcelona? Listening to the caterwauling from Arsenal fans this past week, you’d think they were a genuine European juggernaut — like, say, FC Midtjylland.

Dynamo Kyiv vs Manchester City – Champions League PreviewFutbolgrad
Europe’s most prestigious international club competition will pick up at the end of February, where Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kyiv will compete in a two legged fixture against English heavy weights Manchester City. With much at stake for both sides, Futbolgrad’s Vadim Furmanov and Mark Temnycky provide their analyses on the upcoming fixtures.

Juventus and Bayern Munich prepare for their Champions League reunionESPN FC
Juventus and Bayern Munich meet in Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie. Ahead of the game, we asked Raphael Honigstein and James Horncastle to look ahead by explaining the mood at each club and pinpointing some key tactical battles.

Chelsea thrashes understrength Man City in FA CupSportsnet
Chelsea reached the quarterfinals of the FA Cup with a 5-1 victory against an understrength Manchester City side on Sunday, while London rivals Crystal Palace and West Ham also advanced.

Manchester City team selection was a slap in the face for the fansThe Guardian
You can only tell yourself for so long that despite all the hundreds of millions, your football club is still normal, still grassroots, still one of us. But eventually the reality slaps you hard in the face. My reality slap came yesterday at Chelsea. It was an hour before kickoff and the team had just been named.

Bolton Wanderers agree £7.5m takeover deal with Sport Shield GroupBBC Sport
Championship club Bolton Wanderers have agreed a £7.5m takeover by the Sport Shield consortium, headed by former striker Dean Holdsworth.

Why you should care about the FIFA presidential electionsESPN FC
Simply put, whoever replaces Sepp Blatter will take over an organization that is less “top-down” than at any point in the past 40 years, if the FIFA Congress (the 209 member nations) approves the package of measures drawn up by the reform committee. (And given that the FIFA executive committee approved it unanimously last December, you’d hope they’d get the three-quarters majority needed to pass the bill.)

Cahill signs with Chinese Super League’s HangzhouSportsnet
Australia international Tim Cahill signed with Hangzhou Greentown of the Chinese Super League on Monday, less than a week after leaving Shanghai Shenhua following the arrival of a new coach.

The A-League does have ‘vision’ – just not enough for Tim CahillSydney Morning Herald
​Tim Cahill says the A-League doesn’t have enough “vision” for him. David Gallop says the FFA did try to lure the Socceroos star home after he was cut by Shanghai Shenhua, but that Cahill’s people made it clear the domestic competition couldn’t afford him.

‘It was always my No1 choice’: Justin Meram, the US-born Christian playing for IraqThe Guardian
Justin Meram was written off as too small, but now he’s starring for a Columbus Crew side on the up – and he’s also turning out for his parents’ home country.

Glasgow steps up to host the 2016 Homeless World Cup in Europe’s other showcase Inside World Football
While Europe’s football elite will be strutting their way round France in five-star accommodation and with plenty of cash to flash, another group of footballers will be taking far more significant and humble personal journey to Glasgow. The Scottish city will host the 2016 Homeless World Cup from July 10-16, the 14th edition of the event and the second time it has been hosted in Scotland.

Trabzonspor player sent off for showing referee the red card against Galatasaray The Guardian
Trabzonspor player Salih Dursun was sent off after showing dissent to the referee by picking up and brandishing his red card, moments after his team-mate has been sent off.

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