BC Soccer News, Thursday, February 23, 2017

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

NEW YORK RED BULLS 1  VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC  1

QUARTERFINAL, 1ST LEG

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017

RED BULL ARENA, HARRISON, NJ

‘Caps, Red Bulls battle to 1-1 draw in first leg of CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC scored a crucial away goal, David Ousted stopped a penalty, and Cristian Techera was shown a red card as the ‘Caps battled to a 1-1 draw with New York Red Bulls on Wednesday night in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.

Red Bulls 1 Whitecaps 1: Vancouver holds on, get crucial CCL road goal – The Province
The ship was creaky at times, but it’s the result that matters. Job done for the Vancouver Whitecaps, who held on for a 1-1 tie Wednesday at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., against New York in the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final.

The Whitecaps earn a 1-1 draw against NY Red Bulls in CCL quarterfinal action. – Eighty-Six Forever
The ‘Caps turned the script around by coming away with an away goal in the face of injury and adversity.

Vancouver Whitecaps bullish after tie in New York – Soccer Shorts
The CONCACAF Champion’s League quarter-finals exist in some strange kind of hinterland for the MLS clubs involved; existing as they do just at the end of the pre-season but just before the regular season gets under way.

New York Red Bulls pull a goal back to draw with the Whitecaps in the CCL  – Prost Amerika
Much like a bicycle chain which has sat outside in the rain a bit too long, so too did the New York Red Bulls look rusty as they took on the Vancouver Whitecaps in the first leg of this quarter-final series. The South Ward sang “We Love Ya” in full voice as the Red Bulls came out of the gate strong, debuting the new 4-2-2-2 for the first time in a competitive forum, but ultimately failed to overcome an equally struggling Whitecaps.

Whitecaps back on TSN radio for 2017 – The Province
The Whitecaps and TSN have reached a deal to air the soccer club’s 2017 games on the radio.

Week of Whitecaps: ‘Caps to celebrate start of season with community appearances – Whitecaps FC
To kick off the new season, the ‘Caps will host a Week of Whitecaps featuring several community events to celebrate the start of the 2017 season. The Week of Whitecaps will begin on Tuesday, February 28 with Whitecaps FC players visiting BC Children’s Hospital and will conclude with the team’s MLS home opener against Philadelphia Union on Sunday, March 5.

Red Bulls consider CCL draw to open quarterfinal “not a terrible result” – MLS
It was perhaps a bit of a cruel result for the New York Red Bulls, who controlled much of Wednesday night’s quarterfinal first-leg match in the CONCACAF Champions League with the Vancouver Whitecaps and had to settle for a 1-1 result.

Red Bulls Sign Long, USL’s Top Defender – Empire of Soccer
Aaron Long, the 2016 USL Defender of the Year, has been signed by the New York Red Bulls. The signing of Long has been the worst kept secret, especially after his inclusion in CONCACAF Champions League roster last year.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC: 2017 Season Preview – MLS Multiplex
With rivals Portland and Seattle winning the last two MLS Cups, the pressure is on the Vancouver Whitecaps to make it a Cascadian hat-trick. We preview what the upcoming 2017 MLS season is likely to hold in store for the league’s northernmost team.

SBI MLS Season Preview: Seattle Sounders – SBI
Brian Schmetzer began his team’s offseason with one simple message. There’s room for confidence, sure, as the Seattle Sounders begin their defense of an MLS Cup. There’s room for joy, jubilation, excitement, emotions felt throughout Seattle since that fateful day in frigid Toronto.

FC Dallas battles Arabe Unido in CONCACAF Champions League clash – Vavel
Supporters shield winners FC Dallas will kick-start their 2017 campaign tonight, when they host Arabe Unido in the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final.

Impact acquire midfielder Arregui from Argentine first division club – Sportsnet
The Montreal Impact added depth and youth to their midfield group Wednesday with the acquisition of Adrian Arregui on a one-year loan from Argentine first division club Atletico Temperley.

Montreal Impact ties 2-2 against Philadelphia Union – Montreal Impact
Mauro Biello’s squad continued its preparation towards the 2017 MLS season on Wednesday night, tying 2-2 against Philadelphia Union at Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex in Clearwater. The Impact now boasts a preseason record of two wins, one loss and one draw.

Preseason Recap: TFC vs. Minnesota United FC – Toronto FC
Toronto FC defeated expansion side Minnesota United FC in a preseason friendly on Wednesday afternoon. Both teams battled through harsh rain and slick conditions throughout the match, but it was the Reds who scored three times to hand the Loons their first defeat of the preseason. The Reds sent out a starting XI that consisted of seven starters from the MLS Cup Final.

Why a quiet offseason is good news for Toronto FC’s MLS Cup bid – Waking the Red
It would be hard to blame Toronto FC fans for getting a little restless at times this offseason. Coming off a trip to the MLS Cup final, the club was quiet for most of the winter transfer season. There were few rumours, and even fewer moves.

MLS and American soccer are paying the price for not retaining domestic talents – Howler
The failure to invest in preventing homegrown players from moving abroad can have far-reaching effects.

Steven Gerrard was a much better tourist than a player in LA – The Guardian
The former England captain has departed the LA Galaxy. And he always gave the impression of a man who valued the Californian lifestyle over MLS.

7 players primed to break out in the 2017 Major League Soccer season – Four Four Two
They are names you might recognize, all of whom have contributed to varying degrees in previous seasons. With the 2017 season fast approaching, however, we expect these players to break out with their best performances yet.

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BC SOCCER NEWS

VISL Upcoming Games – Feb.24-26 – VISL
Division 1 League games are on the schedule for this upcoming weekend. Games will have a big impact on who will end up finishing in what position come end of year for the VISL top flight, as well as qualifying for BC Soccer Provincial Cup.

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!

TSS FC Rovers Open Tryouts – TSS Rovers
Vancouver’s newest team, TSS FC Rovers, is looking for Canada’s best up and coming players to play for their first squad in 2017. If you are a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant, could possibly play for our national team one day, and meet the age requirment of 23 and under, we want to see you play!

To our Readers: A Choice – BC Soccer Web
Soccer has brought us to the United States many times. It’s a great place with decent people. We especially look forward to our Cascadia trips to Seattle and Portland. They’re incredible cities with wonderful supporters. That’s why it was so disheartening to see chaos and fear take hold in the airports and borders of our neighbours to the south.

FVSL All-Stars to face WFC2 in March – BC Soccer Web
January snow and ice in the Lower Mainland put the brakes on the annual clash between the Fraser Valley Soccer League All-Stars and the best from the VISL this year. That hasn’t stopped the FVSL from planning an ambitious All-Star series in March.

BC Soccer Assoc. is Now Accepting 2016-2017 Awards 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.

VMSL PHOTOS: Richmond FC Hibs 1, ICSF Columbus FC 0, November 5, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

MWSL PHOTOS: Van United Primas 0, Fraser Valley Action 2, October 30, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

PHOTOS: GNAC Women’s Soccer: SFU 1 Concordia U. (Ore.) 0, October 20, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

2016 BC Soccer Provincial Cup Photo Galleries – BC Soccer Web
Westhills Stadium & Goudy Park in Langford hosted the 2016 BC Soccer Adult Provincial Cup Finals. It was a thrilling weekend of soccer on Vancouver Island that saw seven champions crowned. Richmond FC & Surrey Pegasus qualified for the National Championships this Fall in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Both Coquitlam Metro-Ford Masters & Classics sides qualified for the Western Canadian Masters Championships in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In all, it was a clean sweep for teams from the VMSL & MWSL. Monique Lamoureux & Bill Currie from BC Soccer Web were on location that weekend, capturing the all the action.

Free Physiotherapy Clinical Trial for Achilles Pain at UBC – UBC Centre for Hip Health & Mobility
Do you have Achilles pain? Interested in free Physiotherapy? If yes, join our clinical trial to look at the effectiveness of intramuscular stimulation (IMS), a form of acupuncture therapy, in treating Achilles tendon pain.

The BC Soccer Web Guide to Empire Field – BC Soccer Web
Empire Fields and Plateau Sports Park is the lofty and formal name given to Vancouver’s newest addition to the soccer scene. Yet, anyone who’s ever kicked or carried both kinds of footballs around these parts knows the place by heart.

Introducing BC Soccer Web 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.

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CANADA SOCCER NEWS

Coach John Herdman picks young squad to defend Algarve Cup in Portugal – CBC
John Herdman’s fourth-ranked team leaves Thursday for Portugal and the 12-nation tournament that runs March 1-8. Canada defeated Brazil 2-1 in last year’s final.

Winnipeg soccer tourney shows our shortfall – Chronicle Journal
Many Thunder Bay teams played each other and usually when that happens the questions is, “Did we really have to travel that far to play another Thunder Bay team?” Yes we did! Thunder Bay no longer has a facility for our kids to play soccer. We practise on hard surface gymnasium floors (super dangerous for soccer), but had nowhere for league games to occur.

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Wanna play in LA? Galaxy hold pro trials in London and Manchester – Four Four Two
LA Galaxy II announced on Wednesday that the club will be hosting two separate open tryouts for the first time in England this summer, one in London and the other in Manchester.

New Atlanta soccer website teases big announcement, two franchises – Dirty South Soccer
On Wednesday, plans for a brand new 200-acre sports complex in DeKalb County were unveiled during a press conference. Those plans also called for a possible addition of two new professional soccer teams to the Atlanta area.

55 players on Women’s World XI shortlist – FIFPro
FIFPro today revealed the list with 55 female footballers who received most votes for the 2016 World XI. The list includes 6 players from Germany’s Olympic Gold medal team.

USWNT set to face Norway during European trip in June – SBI
The U.S. Women’s National Team has started to announce its plans for the summer. The USWNT will play two games in Europe in June, with the second game being played against Norway on June 11.

AFLW didn’t spark W-League vision but just proves it can be done – SBS
Suddenly associations and federations are waking up to the fact that the old time spiel of “Nobody wants to hear about the women!” is quite literally debunked. I have known this for a very long time.

Kyah Simon: Levelling the playing field – Husskie
Representing the country for 10 years, Kyah has notched up such credentials as kicking the winning goal to take the Matildas to the quarterfinals in 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup (securing Australia’s first ever knockout victory), as well as scoring the winning penalty to win the 2010 Asian Cup.

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WORLD SOCCER NEWS

Wednesday UCL Rewind: Sevilla defeats Leicester, Juventus impress at Porto – SBI
After back-to-back Europa League titles, Sevilla are looking to advance past the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history. The La Liga side held off Leicester City on Wednesday in a 2-1 victory at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium that brings them one step closer to that.

Sevilla dazzles, but element of naivety shows they have much to learn – Sportsnet
The Foxes came into Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League clash in woeful form, staring relegation from the Premier League in the face, with morale dented further after being dumped out of the FA Cup by 10-man, third-tier Millwall last weekend.

Porto still believe after Juventus setback – UEFA
“The tie looks very, very difficult, but it’s not yet done,” said Porto coach Nuno Espírto Santo after his side’s 2-0 home loss to Juventus, a sentiment shared by Danilo and Felipe.

Zaza and Orellana condemn Real Madrid to surprise defeat at Valencia – The Guardian
Real Madrid suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at struggling Valencia on Wednesday as they missed the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of La Liga after losing for only the second time in the league this season.

Lyon look to cement grip on Europe against Metz – Ligue 1
Olympique Lyonnais can pull seven points clear of AS Saint-Etienne in the fourth and final European place if they can win their game in hand against FC Metz on Saturday.

Alan Shearer: Ex-England captain to present documentary on football and dementia – BBC Sport
Former England captain Alan Shearer will present a BBC One documentary this summer on scientific research linking football and dementia.

Wayne Rooney: China or no China, as far as his legacy is concerned, he is done – The Guardian
Wayne Rooney looks certain to leave Manchester United, either in the next few days or in the summer, but wherever he ends up, it will only be retirement deferred and won’t change how he is remembered.

China football league like ‘lightning in a bottle’: Brighton boss – Yahoo Sports
China’s astonishing spending spree on foreign players could all end in tears like the United States’ first foray into building a football league in the 1970’s, according to Brighton chief executive Paul Barber.

Africa pushes for 10 slots in the 48-team World Cup expansion – Inside World Football
The regional fight for more slots in an expanded World Cup from 2026 is already under way with Africa stating it is looking for 10 places, double its current quota.

Oleksandr Gladkiy Refuses Transfer to Krylia Sovetov for Political Reasons – Futbolgrad
Dynamo Kyiv forward Oleksandr Gladkiy has refused a transfer from Dynamo Kyiv to Krylia Sovetov Samara, for political reasons. The Ukrainian striker joined Dynamo Kyiv last summer from league rivals Shakhtar Donetsk.

New Poland rediscovering old strength – FIFA
Roughly 40 years ago, Poland were among the world’s elite, becoming Olympic gold medallists in 1972 and finishing third at the FIFA World Cup™ in both 1974 and 1982. Now the Biało-Czerwoni (The White and Reds) are well on their way back to the top – and who better to assess their progress than Zbigniew Boniek, one of the key players in that legendary Polish side during the 1970s and 1980s and now president of the country’s national football association (PZPN).

Chinese march on the Saints gets a rival second column – Inside World Football
Chinese interest in acquiring Premier League Southampton looks to have doubled with a reported £246 million bid from materials giant Amer International and CITIC Securities to rival the Lander Sports Development bid of £200 million that was rejected by the club’s owner Katarina Liebherr.

Pie-gate leaves nasty smell – and it’s football’s links with betting industry – The Guardian
This season 11 of Premier League’s 20 teams have shirts sponsored by betting companies – is it healthy the gambling industry is so deeply embedded in our national sport?