BC Soccer News, Thursday, July 21, 2016

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Whitecaps FC acquire striker Fabián Espíndola from D.C. United in exchange for allocation money – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Wednesday that the club has acquired striker Fabián Espíndola from D.C. United in exchange for general allocation money – pending receipt of his international transfer certificate, medical, Canadian work permit.

Whitecaps acquire veteran striker Espindola from D.C. United – Sportsnet
Espindola ranks seventh overall in active goal scorers in MLS regular-season games with 64 goals over 10 seasons in the league. He has 73 goals and 42 assists in 252 appearances in all competitions.

Whitecaps’ David Edgar said chance to join MLS “too good to turn down” – MLS
The Vancouver Whitecaps have been one of the busiest MLS sides this summer transfer window, shoring up their defense and bolstering their attack.

Edgar eager for more after scoring in Whitecaps FC debut: ‘I’m ready to go’ – Whitecaps FC
On New Year’s Day 2007, a then 19-year-old Edgar scored against powerhouse Manchester United in his home debut for Newcastle – and just his second professional match. It was a goal that made headlines across the UK. And in Canada, too. Fast forward nearly 10 years, Edgar scored on his debut once again.

Whitecaps: Completing the puzzle – Soccer Shorts
There have been times this season when trying to figure out the Whitecaps best starting eleven and formation has been a bit like trying to complete a “Connect the Dots” game in which the dots are constantly moving and even the ultimate picture itself is in a state of flux.

Sounders turn to depth in US Open Cup clash, but “we found a way to lose” – MLS
There may be questions about the lineup fielded by the Seattle Sounders in their US Open Cup quarterfinal match on Wednesday. But that’s not an excuse for the result as far as the head coach is concerned.

Does the LA Galaxy take the US Open Cup seriously? – US Soccer Players
The US Open Cup is an odd one. It’s history doesn’t carry enough prestige to make it a coveted tournament. Some MLS teams don’t seem bothered at all, even in the later rounds. Adding the trophy is nice. Every coach and player would say that. But it’s not crucial.

Knighton shows he’s no back-up in Open Cup win against Union – Prost Amerika
Brad Knighton emerged as the New England Revolution’s latest hero, stopping two penalty kicks in a 4-2, extra time shootout victory over the Philadelphia Union in the US Open Cup quarter-finals at Jordan Field on Harvard’s campus Wednesday night.

FC Dallas advances in US Open Cup on a late Fabian Castillo goal – Big D Soccer
Fabian Castillo continues his hot form from league play as FC Dallas advances in the 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on a 1-0 win over the Houston Dynamo.

Chicago Fire advances to semifinals with 3-0 win over Fort Lauderdale Strikers – Vavel
It was a very easy night for the Chicago Fire as they made quick work of the NASL club at Toyota Park.

FC Dallas visits Galaxy, Revs host Fire in U.S. Open Cup semifinals – SBI
Four teams booked their spots in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal on Wednesday night, and now each knows the path they will need to take en route to the tournament’s finale.

Tosaint Ricketts Signing Makes Sense, But Comes With Many Questions Attached – Waking the Red
Toronto FC made its first splash in the summer transfer market today by signing Canadian international forward Tosaint Ricketts. The Alberta native had been training with Toronto FC for several weeks, but paperwork issues delayed Toronto FC’s signing process.

NYCFC trade Patrick Mullins to add Maxime Chanot  -Empire of Soccer
New York City FC acquired the international slot it needed to add Maxime Chanot to its roster today.

Report: Atlanta to sign Hector Villalba to Young Designated Player contract – MLS
Atlanta United appear to be on the verge of landing midfielder Hector Villalba from Argentine club San Lorenzo, with ESPN’s Taylor Twellman tweeting on Thursday morning that he expects the club to announce the signing of the 21-year-old to a Young Designated Player contract within the next 24 hours.

Impact deals for international roster spot as Braz eyes second-half surge – Montreal Gazette
Adam Braz, the technical director of the Montreal Impact, said he’s happy with the first half of the 2016 season but is looking for the team to get better over the final 15 games.

Blerim Dzemaili linked to Bologna and the Montreal Impact – Mount Royal Soccer
Swiss international midfielder, Blerim Džemaili, has been rumoured to leave Turkish giant Galatasaray to come back to Serie A. Reports from Italy are linking the 30-year-old to both Bologna FC and the Montreal Impact.

Interplay Between Orlando City Front Office and Jason Kreis Provides Point of Interest in New Era – The Mane Land
After an off-season of turnover and a change at the head coaching position, it will be intriguing to see what kind of freedom and patience new coach Jason Kreis is afforded by OCSC brass.

Epidemic: Marsch Blasts Refs, Says Officials Protect NYCFC DPs – Empire of Soccer
Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch has been vocal about his issues with officiating this year. That was apparent once again following the team’s 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union this weekend. However, with the Hudson River Derby coming this Sunday, the Red Bulls boss went public with his concerns, hoping those same issues don’t mar the final derby match of the season.

Don’t mock the Hudson River derby. True rivalries don’t happen overnight – The Guardian
The NYC FC-Red Bulls rivalry may seem forced, but remember: it’s only in its second season, and MLS remains a young league. These things take time to grow.

PHOTOS: INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY, Whitecaps FC 2, Crystal Palace FC 2, July 19, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

MLS PHOTOS: Whitecaps FC 2, Orlando City City SC 2, July 16, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccerweb by Bill Currie.

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BC SOCCER NEWS

PCSL Challenge Cup Saturday & Sunday at UBC – PCSL
The 2016 Men’s Challenge Cup tournament for the Men’s Premier Division will be hosted by Vancouver Thunderbirds. Games will be played at Thunderbird Stadium on Saturday, July 23rd and Ken Woods Field ( UBC) on the Sunday, July 24 th. The top 4 Teams in Regular Season Play will participate.

Third Annual Cross Border Challenge Takes Place Saturday July 23 in Bellingham – BCSA
BC Soccer Assoc. and the Washington State Adult Soccer Association (WSASA) have come together again for the third annual Cross Border Challenge. The match will be between the Men’s and Women’s British Columbia Soccer Association Adult Provincial Cup winners, Pegasus FC (men) and Richmond FC (women) Soccer Club and the top Men’s and Women’s WSASA Premier League Teams.

Three Kamloops soccer friends competing at BC Summer Games – CJFC
Tim Othymburu, Denzel Marican and Gio Trotta have been playing soccer together in Kamloops since they were 5 years old, and now they are travelling to Abbotsford together, representing the Thompson-Okanagan in the BC Summer Games.

Three Canada West members granted CIS national championships – Canada West
Next year, the CIS Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships will be staged by a pair of first-time hosts. The men’s tournament is heading to Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C., and the women’s event will be organized by the University of Manitoba, the first time it will be staged in the province.

Jay DeMerit launches Rise & Shine Captain’s Camp in Pemberton – Rise & Shine Foundation
A captain is an individual who unifies teammates into one team.  A captain has to be well rounded to lead by example. At the Rise & Shine: Captains Camps, the curriculum is specifically built around creating a balance of elite soccer training on the field, and all encompassing life skills training off the field.

BC Soccer Assoc. Releases their 2015-2016 Year in Review – BCSA
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 Mandate – BCSA
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 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

CBC Sports to broadcast Canada Soccer’s final pre-Olympic International Friendly against France – CSA
Canada Soccer’s final Road to Rio Women’s International Friendly match against France will be broadcast LIVE via CBC Sports on CBC, Canada’s Olympic Network, on 23 July at 15.00 ET / 12.00 PT with pre-match programming beginning fifteen minutes earlier. The match will also be available via live-streaming at cbcsports.ca and the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices. Radio-Canada will also provide French-language coverage via live-streaming at ici.radio-canada.ca.

Canada defeats China PR 1-0 in Olympic preparation friendly; look toward Saturday’s match against France – CSA
Jessie Fleming walked through China PR’s defense and found the back of the net in the sixth minute of Wednesday’s International Friendly match, scoring her third international goal for Canada’s Women’s National team. After picking up the ball at the top of the 18-yard box, the 18-year-old from London, ON slipped past two defenders and went over the keeper to find the top corner.

Fleming propels Canada women past China – CONCACAF
Jessie Fleming scored an early goal and the Canada women’s national team defeated China in an international friendly on Wednesday at the Stade Sebastien-Charlety.

Melissa Tancredi injured in Canadian women’s soccer win over China – CBC
Coach John Herdman called it a dominant performance but it was one that may have come with a cost. Veteran forward Melissa Tancredi came off in the second half with an ankle injury after colliding with Chinese goalkeeper Zhao Lina.

PDL Livestream: Calgary Foothills vs. Golden State Force | July 22, 2016 – YouTube
Follow Calgary Foothills’s PDL Playoff journey on Friday, July 22 (5:00pm PT).

Benito Floro looks forward to September opportunity – CSA
Looking ahead on Canada’s road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team Head Coach Benito Floro spoke about the team’s recent camp in Austria and the players’ individual preparations before Canada meet again in late August 2016.

Happy and ready to go: Canada Para Soccer sets sights on Denmark – CSA
Canada are ready to set sail for Argentina via Denmark with the 2016 IFCPF World Championship Qualification Tournament kicking off next Friday 29 July in Vejen. Canada’s National Para Soccer Team will leave Monday 25 July with a mission to qualify for the 2017 IFCPF World Championships.

2017 Canada Games all but avoids Investors Group Field – CBC
The largest sports venue in Winnipeg will only see limited action during next summer’s Canada Games. Hnatiuk said this is not a snub, as the host committee only considered Investors Group Field for the closing ceremonies as well as soccer finals which are now slated for the Ralph Cantafio Soccer Complex on Waverley Street.

Domtar Supports Dryden Youth Soccer – Stockhouse
The multi-use building at Rotary Park in Dryden has received some much needed funding from Domtar.

MLA blasts Liberals for lack of support for Northside recreation facility – Cape Breton Post
In August 2015, a dedicated community group entered the Kraft Project Play contest and won the top prize of $250,000 for upgrades to the Munro Park soccer field. Work is now underway on upgrades to the soccer pitch including resurfacing and drainage.

Western alumna Lisa Bowes brings sports to Canadian kids – Western Gazette
On June 20, Lucy and her creator, Western alumna Lisa Bowes, will be teaming up with Western’s women’s soccer team to promote the latest book in the instalment, Lucy Tries Soccer, at a book signing in Indigo North.

AUDIO: Coaches call it football, players call it soccer: Championship soccer team comes to Labrador – CBC
Staff from the Premiership winning club Leicester City are in Happy Valley-Goose Bay for soccer clinics this week.

Secret’s out: WFC2 left back Brett Levis turns heads against Crystal Palace – Whitecaps FC
His reputation as a versatile and dynamic left back already growing in the USL, Brett Levis had a coming out party of sorts amongst Vancouver Whitecaps FC fans on Tuesday evening at BC Place.

‘It’s pretty surreal’: Saskatoon soccer star hits the pitch with Vancouver Whitecaps – CBC
Saskatoon’s Brett Levis got a chance to take to the pitch with the Vancouver Whitecaps when they took on the English Premier League’s Crystal Palace.

Mid-size stadium not in the cards for FC Edmonton – Metro
FC Edmonton’s owners say if you build it, they will come. But city council, on the other hand, says fans will have to come in larger numbers before they’ll consider building anything.

New defender answers unexpected call for FC Edmonton – Edmonton Journal
Sometimes it’s better to just dive in. Karsten Smith did not expect to play with FC Edmonton on Sunday, considering he had been introduced to his new teammates earlier in the day.

FC Cincinnati sets new USL record in tough loss to NY Red Bulls II – Fox 19
FC Cincinnati failed to maintain its lead as it fell to the New York Red Bulls II 2-1 on Wednesday night at Nippert Stadium.

TFC II Seizes Equalizer Against Rhinos – USL
Thomas tallies second-half header to draw even with Rochester.

Molano’s Strike Leaves Rangers, Switchbacks Level – USL
Stoppage-time equalizer denies Colorado Springs top spot in Western Conference.

Bravo to make NASL debut with RailHawks on Friday – WRAL Sportsfan
The Carolina RailHawks announced Wednesday that Omar Bravo has received his ITC and P1 visa and is eligible for selection. The Mexican legend is expected to make his NASL debut Friday at 7:30 p.m. as the RailHawks host Miami FC at WakeMed Soccer Park.

As Beckham fights for soccer in Miami, original Strikers and Lockhart remain template – Miami Herald
What the British soccer icon David Beckham imagines and dreams for South Florida, we have seen before. It’s been done here. There is a template. Fewer and fewer of us remember it, though. Those who do have lived down here a long time and are middle-aged or older. The original Fort Lauderdale Strikers at Lockhart Stadium.

Minnesota United keeper scores remarkable own goal against Bournemouth – video – The Guardian
Minnesota United FC’s goalkeeper Sammy Ndjock scores an embarrassing own goal during a pre-season friendly match against AFC Bournemouth on Wednesday.

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WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS

2016 MAC Hermann Trophy watch list released, West Virginia’s Kadeisha Buchanan among early favorites – Excelle Sports
On Wednesday, the National Soccer Coaches Association announced the 36-member collegiate women’s Hermann Trophy watch list for 2016.

Brazil’s women aim for Rio Gold, but post games future is uncertain – Inside World Football
Brazil’s women will start as one of the favourites for the Olympic gold medal next month, but the host nation’s players fear the permanence of the team may be under threat.

THIRTY-EIGHT NWSL PLAYERS HEADED TO 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES – NWSL
With two weeks to go before the beginning of the women’s soccer competition at the 2016 Olympic Games, elite players from around the world – including 38 from the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – are gearing up for some of the biggest games of their lives.

The Lowdown: Kealia Ohai walks the walk in Dash win – Equalizer
In the 7th minute of the Dash’s Saturday night match against the league-leading Thorns, Rachel Daly played a ball to the right flank for Kealia Ohai and sprinted to the far post. Ohai was already behind her defender, held onside by the Thorns’ deep-sitting center backs. But her cross was slightly behind Melissa Henderson whose attempt to get a foot on it whiffed. For a split-second, 567 minutes of goalless soccer played out over six games and more than two months flashed before the eyes of all Dash fans.

Sweden 3-0 Japan: Substitutes unlock second-half to gift hosts the win – Vavel
Pia Sundhage will be happy that, despite not starting the likes of Emma Berglund, Olivia Schough, Lotta Schelin or Kosovare Asllani, her side looked smart and composed on the ball, forcing Asako Takakura’s new-look Nadeshiko into playing long balls to get behind the defence. However, after ten minutes of Swedish dominance, Japan finally found their footing and began to cause the home side some headaches.

Two heads better than one for Switzerland – UEFA
Heard the one about a team who elected to have two captains? Introducing Lesley Ramseier and Julia Stierli, who take turns to wear the armband for Switzerland’s women’s Under-19s.

Davison teen has wish granted by U.S. women’s soccer team, Alex Morgan – MLive
Just eight months ago, Mackenzie Toman was bedridden at the Hurley Medical Center after enduring a severe brain surgery in November. Toman was featured on the ESPN “My Wish” series on SportsCenter, sponsored by Make-A-Wish Michigan. Emmy-award winning reporter Chris Connelly delivered the gripping story.

The Hair Pieces: Queer acceptance in NWSL – Unusual Efforts
No one could ignore the fact that, in 2015, a lot of the women with the undercuts and the pixie bobs — and a lot more of the women sporting ponytails and flowing locks — were really, really queer. There were 18 publicly out participants in the World Cup. Abby Wambach and her wife (retired player Sarah Huffman) shared a kiss after the U.S. won that made headlines for days. Both Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach spoke extensively about homophobia and stamping out homophobia in sports before and after the U.S. won the Cup.

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WORLD SOCCER NEWS

Independiente, Nacional all square in Copa Libertadores final first leg – ESPN FC
There is still a chance of a happy ending to the fairy tale, with the Cinderella team Independiente del Valle of Ecuador snatching a draw in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores final against Atletico Nacional of Colombia on Wednesday.

Celtic beat Lincoln Red Imps to put Champions League slip-up behind them – The Guardian
Lincoln Red Imps will prove nothing more than a footnote to the tenure of Brendan Rodgers at Celtic.

Spain announces Lopetegui as Del Bosque’s replacement – Sportsnet
Spain’s football federation named Julen Lopetegui as the new coach of the national team on Thursday, replacing Vicente del Bosque.

David Moyes to replace Sam Allardyce as Sunderland manager – The Guardian
David Moyes is to replace Sam Allardyce at Sunderland, with his appointment expected swiftly once the outgoing manager’s role in charge of England is confirmed.

Man United in Italy to sign Paul Pogba as Liverpool move for Wijnaldum – ESPN FC
Paul Pogba’s never-ending move from Juventus to Manchester United looks like it could, finally, be drawing to a close. United officials are in Italy to thrash out a world-record transfer for Pogba, sources close to the English club have told ESPN FC.

Pogba, Ibra, Mkhitaryan — Mourinho must win title after £160M Man Utd spending spree – Goal
The Portuguese has spoken of his thirst to win, and now talk must become action after spending a huge amount of the club’s money in the market.

Georginio Wijnaldum: Liverpool agree £25m deal with Newcastle for midfielder – BBC Sport
Liverpool have agreed a £25m deal to sign Netherlands international Georginio Wijnaldum from Newcastle.

CSKA Moscow vs Zenit – 2016 Russian Super Cup Preview – Futbolgrad
The 2016 Russian Super Cup between CSKA Moscow and Zenit Saint Petersburg at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Moscow will be the first major club football match of the 2016-17 season. Traditionally, the Russian Super Cup is played between the Russian champion, in this case CSKA Moscow, and the Russian Cup winner, which was won by Zenit Saint Petersburg.

Lobbying or observing? The thin FIFA line in UEFA politics – Inside World Football
As Gianni Infantino awaits the most important verdict to date in his brief FIFA tenure, the FIFA president has come under yet more scrutiny over alleged dirty tricks – this time over accusations that he tried to influence the outcome of September’s UEFA presidential election.

Chinese group Fosun International completes takeover of Wolves – ESPN FC
Chinese group Fosun International has completed their £45 million takeover of Wolverhampton Wanderers, the club have announced.

Video ref trials underway at the Red Bull Arena in the US – Inside World Football
The first ‘live’ experiments with video refs complete today in New Jersey, US. The trials are part of a workshop organised by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) which governs the rules of the game, in cooperation with the MLS.

Italian federation to rule on Lazio bid for 1914-15 Serie A title – ESPN FC
The Italian football federation has set up a commission to investigate whether Lazio should share the 1914-15 Serie A title with Genoa for the season that was interrupted by World War I, according to a report.

Tickets: Barca, Bayern and Real are good value. Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are rip offs – Inside World Football
English Premier League fans are getting ripped off when it comes to buying tickets, compared to their continental neighbours. The findings come via an analysis by KPMG’s Football Benchmark team which show Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid give the best value for money in Europe’s football elite.