WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS
Second-half Mattocks brace leads Whitecaps FC to 2-1 win over Sounders FC in first preseason match of 2016 – Whitecaps FC
Striker Darren Mattocks scored twice in the second half to lead Vancouver Whitecaps FC to a 2-1 win over Seattle Sounders FC on Wednesday evening in their first preseason match of 2016.
Vancouver Whitecaps Top Seattle Sounders 2-1 in Pre-Season Play – Eighty-Six Forever
Some issues with the live stream meant much of the game was unavailable to view, but the Vancouver Whitecaps prevailed in their first scrimmage of the pre-season, 2-1 over the Seattle Sounders.
The View From 202: Searching For The Winning Formula – AFTN
Last season, the 4-2-3-1 formation was the flavour of the year, with sprinkles of 4-3-3 and even a 4-4-2 diamond in one of the early games. I thought the 4-2-3-1 was great; it provided lots of width for our speedy wingers, but also compacted the opposition enough that we could press high and get the full backs involved.
Whitecaps add rugged, rival striker Blas Perez to their forward mix – Vancouver Sun
With a central strike force that comes with at least as many questions as answers, the Vancouver Whitecaps have moved this week to fortify their attack with a proven Major League Soccer goal-scorer.
MLS Players Union Reveals Full Text of MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement (PDF File) – MLS Players Union
Here is the full text of the MLS Players CBA that is scheduled to run through 2020.
Beitashour Eyes Elusive Prize in 2016 – Toronto FC
Based on where the following interview took place, Steven Beitashour has settled in nicely with Toronto FC. The veteran right back spoke with torontofc.ca following Wednesday morning’s training session in an interesting locale.
New York City FC targeting Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas – source – ESPN FC
Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas is a target for Major League Soccer franchise New York City FC, a source has told ESPN FC.
Galaxy gets creative to acquire three European players – LA Times
Before the Galaxy could land its three latest European stars, the front office had to persuade a skeptical group of Major League Soccer executives that the deals didn’t violate the league’s restrictive salary guidelines.
After 11 years, Stuart Holden ends playing career: “Time to stop fighting my body” – MLS
In an open letter posted by US Soccer on Wednesday, Holden announced his retirement as he looked back fondly on his time with the Houston Dynamo, where he won two MLS Cup championships, and with the USMNT, where he represented his country in the Olympics and a World Cup.
Portland Timbers players Lucas Melano, Dairon Asprilla impressing in preseason – The Oregonian
After a recent training session, Portland Timbers coach Caleb Porter pulled Lucas Melano aside to tell the young Argentine winger just how pleased he was with the 22-year-old’s performance in the early days of preseason.
Chicago Fire acquire Brazilian U-20 international Rodrigo Ramos on loan – MLS
The Chicago Fire added to their new-look roster on Wednesday with the announcement they have acquired defender Rodrigo Ramos on loan for the season from Brazilian club Coritiba. Ramos will be added to the roster upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P-1 visa.
BMO Field renovations nearing completion in Toronto – Toronto Sun
The original BMO Field — once considered a model fan experience in Major League Soccer — was the butt end of jokes Wednesday afternoon. Phrases like “Erector Set” and “Ikea Stadium” were used to describe what this place looked like back in 2007.
Is College or Academy the Way Forward for Youth Development in Major League Soccer? – Waking the Red
There is often discussion amongst supporters of MLS teams in regards to which way is the right way to bring youth into the professional game. As it stands now, there are two ways a young player can make it as a pro. They can go to college, graduate, and declare themselves for the MLS SuperDraft or they can join a professional team’s academy and come up as young player through a club’s development system.
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BC SOCCER NEWS
SAAC Announces TSS Academy as Its Newest Full-time Member – Soccer Academy Alliance of Canada
Soccer Academy Alliance Canada (SAAC) is proud to introduce TSS Academy as its first full member from outside Ontario. TSS has long been an Associate Member of SAAC but more recently they have been embraced as full members after successfully undergoing a review by the SAAC board of directors.
EA SPORTS BC Soccer Premier League releases full schedule for 2016 phase 1 – EA BCSPL
With league games scheduled to start on the February 20/21 weekend, the BCSPL has now posted all league games for phase 1 that runs through the June 11/12 weekend.
Whitecaps FC Residency end three-match California trip in style – Whitecaps FC
Whitecaps FC Residency teams ended their three-match road trip on a high note Tuesday with a pair of victories over Sacramento Republic FC Academy.
Academy Centre Players of the Month – January – Whitecaps FC
Here are the Whitecaps FC Academy Centre Players of the Month for January.
World Cups Youth Soccer Festival Partners with Peninsula Co-op – BC Soccer Web
The World Cups Youth Soccer Festival organizing committee are pleased to announce that Peninsula Co-op will be the title partner for the 2016 edition of one of Victoria’s longest serving youth soccer tournaments.
Saanich Fusion soccer association reboots youth World Cups event – Times Colonist
When Canada qualified for the World Cup in 1986 for the first, and as of yet, only time, the late Frank Leversedge of the Cordova Bay Soccer Association wanted to mark the breakthrough with something unique and grassroots. So the World Cups festival was born that year. It featured youth players on various “national” teams with Germany playing Netherlands, Brazil taking on Argentina and Canada versus U.S.A., and so on. The annual Easter weekend tournament became so popular that thousands participated at Lochside Park.
FVSL All-Stars to Play WFC2 on March 9 – BC Soccer Web
The Fraser Valley Soccer League has announced that a FVSL All-Star team will play Whitecaps FC 2 of USL on Wednesday, March 9 at Port Moody Town Centre Turf. Kickoff is at 8:00 PM.
Soccer community honours family – Squamish News
As they took to the pitch Saturday morning, coach Tim Sjogren’s U12 selects team put black bands on the arms to wear in their home game against Richmond. They were not alone, as other local teams repeated the gesture at games throughout Squamish. The act was in honour of longtime soccer fixture Jose Oreamuno, whose son Cristian, 41, died in an accident shortly before Christmas.
Former soccer star finds academic success – Powell River Peak
As part of the final Max Cameron High School graduating class, Katelin Albert said she had no scholarly leanings beyond plans to play soccer at Vancouver Island University (VIU).
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.
CANADA vs. MEXICO, March 25, 2016 @ BC PLACE STADIUM. Buy Tickets Today!
CANADA SOCCER NEWS
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Keys to the Match for Canada in Friendly Against the United States – Waking the Red
A breakdown of what Canada needs to work on tomorrow during their friendly with the United States.
LIVE coverage of Canada’s soccer matches at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship Texas 2016 – CSA
Canadians will have the opportunity to follow LIVE and cheer along Canada’s Women’s National Team when they compete at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship Texas 2016 from February 11 to 21 in Houston, Texas.
Report: Canadian Premier Soccer League closer to reality – The Province
Of course, one has to wonder if this isn’t just the old “build us a stadium (or, cover it) and we’ll come to your city” kind of stunt. There’s been little hard evidence that this league will be up and running any time soon.
Canadian Premier League closing in on becoming a reality – Waking the Red
Canada is getting a professional soccer league of its very own. The idea had been out there for quite some time with a variety of different reports about the new league surfaces over the past year but we now have access to more details about the proposed league than we have been given in the past.
Flurry of activity for Manitoba Blizzard on soccer signing day – Winnipeg Sun
Adrianna Karpa has wanted to play college soccer since she was a little girl. That’s where the Manitoba Blizzard entered the picture. It is a Winnipeg-based club soccer team whose main mission is to get its players the opportunity to secure scholarships. It appears it is doing a good job of that, too, because on Wednesday, which was NCAA national signing day, it had 13 players sign letters of intent to play soccer at the university level in either Canada or the U.S.
Indoor Men’s and Women’s Soccer Teams have gone Varsity – The Argus
Over the last two academic years, Lakehead Orillia’s indoor soccer players were limited to a co-ed extramural league in Barrie, but that recently changed. Both the men’s and women’s teams emerged and played in a tournament at Conestoga College, and I had the opportunity to speak with Coach Eric Frohman about the women’s team.
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.)
U14-18 Practice: Possession for Penetration and Combination play (PDF File) – Massachusetts Youth Soccer
Here’s a practice plan to improve your team’s ability to possess, penetrate, and combine effectively.
BC Soccer Leagues & Clubs – Share your News With The BC Soccer Community!
WFC2, USL & NASL NEWS
Strikers to Embark on Preseason Tour in China – Ft. Lauderdale Strikers
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers will be the first North American Soccer League (NASL) team to visit China in nearly four decades as the club today announced a preseason tour of the Asian country. The Strikers will embark on the trip on Sunday, February 28, and will stay in China for a 14-day period until Saturday, March 12. Part owner Ronaldo will join the club in China.
Toronto Signs Academy Standout Davis – USL
Toronto FC II announced its latest signing on Wednesday as TFC Academy standout Martin Davis was added to the club’s squad for the 2016 USL season. Davis appeared in a pair of contests in the USL last season for TFC II, and also competed for the club’s teams in the PDL and League1 Ontario. The 19-year-old midfielder has previously competed for the Jamaican U17 and U20 National Teams.
Swope Park Rangers Sign Kevin Oliveira from Benfica B – Reporting KC
The building of Swope Park Rangers roster continued with the signing of Kevin Oliveira from Portugal’s Benfica B.
Bethlehem Steel FC Adds Five New Members To Technical Staff – Vavel
With their season just seven weeks away, Bethlehem Steel added five new members to their training staff before their 2016 inaugural USL Season.
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WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS
U.S. Soccer Federation Files Lawsuit against Women’s Team Player Association – Empire of Soccer
The United States Soccer Federation filed a lawsuit in a Chicago federal court against the players’ association that represents the World Cup champion United States women’s team in an effort to confirm the existence of the collective bargaining agreement.
Explained: why US Soccer is suing its own World Cup winners – The Guardian
In an apparent move to fend off a player strike, US Soccer has sued the union representing the women’s national team over an ongoing contract dispute. This isn’t the first time the team’s collective bargaining agreement has been brought up lately, but it is the surest sign negotiations are, to put it mildly, not going well.
USWNT forward Mallory Pugh signs with UCLA after NWSL reports – SI.com
The Highlands Ranch, Colo. native joins UCLA’s stacked 2016 recruiting class, which includes Canadian national team midfielder Jessie Fleming, as well as U.S. youth national team players Jacey Pederson, Marley Canales, Kaiya McCullough and Sunny Dunphy. Junior college All-America selection Julia Hernandez will also join the Bruins’ squad in 2016.
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WORLD SOCCER NEWS
Referee halts Lazio v Napoli Serie A match after racist chants – BBC Sport
Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly praised referee Massimiliano Irrati for suspending a top-flight Italian match because of apparent racist chanting. The game at Lazio was stopped for three minutes after booing from some home fans when Koulibaly touched the ball.
Tottenham are Premier League title contenders in this most open of seasons – ESPN FC
One phrase crops up time and time again whenever old pros gather to talk about Tottenham Hotspur: they “flatter to deceive.”
‘Mercenaries!’ – Angry fans turn on Neville’s Valencia – Goal
Supporters launched verbal abuse at the coach and players after a 7-0 Copa del Rey defeat at the hands of Barcelona on Wednesday.
Liverpool owners FSG brag about ‘transforming fans into customers’ on website – The Telegraph
As a football club who has just announced a spectacularly unpopular hike in ticket prices, you may think it just good sense to take a more sensitive approach to the press in the days that follow. Alas, Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group have skirted around that fundament of supporter relations, with a post on their website crowing about “turning fans into customers”.
Liverpool fans plan walkout protest at £77 ticket prices – BBC Sport
Liverpool supporters’ groups are planning a walkout protest during Saturday’s Premier League match at Anfield against Sunderland.
Copa Libertadores Review: Puebla, Cesar Vallejo held at home – Goal
Puebla and Cesar Vallejo were held to home draws in the Copa Libertadores by Racing Club and Sao Paulo, respectively.
Where have all the blood-sweat-and-tears football captains gone? – The Guardian
John Terry’s likely departure from Chelsea feels like a potentially defining moment for the Captain, Leader, Legend species, whose existence appears under threat.
Estudiantes v Gimnasia La Plata brawl: 15 players given bans – BBC Sport
The Argentine FA has sanctioned 15 players with bans ranging from one to eight games after a mass brawl in a pre-season friendly match.
Former treasurer of Fullerton youth soccer league, accused of embezzling $174,000, is arrested today – Orange County Register
A former treasurer of a youth soccer league in Fullerton was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of stealing more than $174,000 from the nonprofit.
French League loses court battle with FFF over relegation places – Inside World Football
France’s highest administrative court – the Conseil d’Etat – has ruled against the French Football League’s legal bid to reduce the number of teams relegated from the top flight from three to two.
Want to work in football? There are degrees for that at Wembley Stadium – The Guardian
The football sector is employing more people than ever and one college, which was set up in Burnley before expanding to Wembley and now to the Etihad in Manchester, is trying to produce graduates qualified for this unusual industry.