VANCOUVER WHITECAPS & MLS NEWS
‘Caps face Galaxy in closed-door scrimmage Wednesday at StubHub – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC continue their preseason schedule on Wednesday against LA Galaxy in a closed-door scrimmage at StubHub Center Field #1.
Romain Alessandrini has won over Galaxy with his play, now eyes more wins – LA Times
After the best debut season by a midfielder in Galaxy history, no one would have begrudged Romain Alessandrini if he had taken a trip home to France for some relaxation and celebration this winter. Yet he did neither, staying in Playa Vista where he began working out for the new MLS season before the old one had officially ended.
David Ousted comes to D.C. United looking to regain a starting role in MLS – Black & Red United
Before the end of the 2017 season, D.C. United knew they were in a position in which they would have to replace goalkeeper Bill Hamid. Hamid, who was one of the first homegrown players signed in MLS back in 2009, had decided to try his luck overseas after seven seasons as United’s starting keeper, signing with FC Midtjylland in Demark at the conclusion of his contract with the Black-and-Red.
Toronto FC ride “confidence and continuity” to CCL win over new-look Rapids – MLS
There’s no MLS Cup hangover for Toronto FC. The Reds proved as much on Tuesday night, dispatching the Colorado Rapids 2-0 in subfreezing conditions to take an early aggregate lead in in the first leg of the teams’ 2018 CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16 series at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Colorado Rapids 0-2 Toronto FC: Giovinco powers Reds to victory – Waking the Red
It may have been -10 degrees, but Sebastian Giovinco is still hot. Toronto FC marched into Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Tuesday, and they emerged 2-0 victors over the Colorado Rapids from the CONCACAF Champions League round of 16 opener.
Reds off to hot start in CONCACAF Champions League despite frosty conditions – the11.ca
The temperature at kickoff was a slightly nippy -19 C with the wind chill (and, as Canadians, we always include the wind chill). But, even though the frozen pitch was their own, the Colorado Rapids were the team that never heated up.
Gulp. Beer lines freeze during frigid Colorado Rapids, Toronto FC soccer game. And that’s when things got real. – The Denver Post
It was so cold, in fact, that the beer lines literally froze at the concession stands.
CCL: Toronto wins; Wild Herediano comeback – NBC Sports
Tuesday’s other first leg saw Herediano and Tigres play to a 2-2 draw in Costa Rica, with the Liga MX visitors taking a pair of away goals but shocked by a pair of stoppage time concessions.
CCL Preview: FC Dallas relying on experience ahead of CCL test against FC Tauro – SBI
For MLS teams, there’s nothing quite like an away match in CONCACAF Champions League play. It’s a unique setting, a different vibe. The environment, culture and style is unlike any seen in MLS.
FC Dallas Signs Goalkeeper Kyle Zobeck – FC Dallas
Former Valparaiso goalkeeper and Iowa native joins FC Dallas ahead of Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions’ League match vs. Tauro FC
The depressing history of MLS versus Liga MX in CONCACAF Champions League – Pro Soccer USA
CONCACAF Champions League fever is fully underway, with the tournament kicking off yesterday between Toronto FC and the Colorado Rapids.
Impact faces Philadelphia Union Wednesday night in Clearwater – Montreal Impact
The Montreal Impact will play its fourth preseason game this Wednesday at 4pm PT, at Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex, in Clearwater, against the Philadelphia Union. The game will be broadcast live on impactmontreal.com.
SBI MLS Season Preview: Seattle Sounders – SBI
“I went on a cookie binge, which was needed. For about a week.” That — chased with a week on the beach in Mexico — was the rather wholesome way Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei processed perhaps the most humbling loss in club history, a 2-0 drubbing at the hands of Toronto FC in the 2017 MLS Cup. The score, thanks largely to Frei’s brilliance in goal, does not begin to describe the hosts’ dominance on that December afternoon in Toronto.
MLS homegrown minutes go up but chances for young U.S. talent limited – ESPN
As Major League Soccer grows older, its players continue to skew younger. Teams in the domestic first division, which kicks off its 23rd season on March 3, signed 73 players during the offseason. Those men boasted an average age of 24 and three-quarters. The nine designated players, led by 19-year-old Uruguayan Diego Rossi, were even greener at just over 22-and-a half years old. MLS, saddled by a reputation as a league for aging stars, is becoming something else.
Major League Soccer announces details for first eMLS Cup tournament – MLS
After the announcement last month of eMLS, a new competitive EA Sports FIFA 18 league featuring the best 19 FIFA players from the US and Canada, we now know more details about its championship event.
The Crew want to move to Austin – but does Austin want the Crew? – The Guardian
The MLS franchise is planning to leave Columbus and move 1,200 miles to the south. But not everyone in their proposed home would welcome them.
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BC SOCCER NEWS
Steve Nash’s first broadcasting chance won’t be in basketball – NY Post
Sources told The Post that Nash would be a studio analyst, among other potential roles, on coverage of the UEFA Champions League coverage, which switches from Fox Sports to Turner’s TNT, TBS, TruTV and a yet-to-be-named streaming service next year.
SFU Men’s Soccer Spring Identification Camp Information – SFU
The SFU men’s soccer Spring Identification Camp is designed to give players a platform to showcase themselves .
Sports briefs: Villa drops cup game – Powell River Peak
After claiming the Vancouver Island Soccer League Division 3A title last weekend, Powell River Villa soccer club was knocked out of the Challenge Cup tournament in a 2-1 loss to Victoria’s Castaways, a team that placed fifth in Division 3B.
Register for the 55+ Games this September in Cranbrook, BC – 55+ Games
Upcoming 55+ Games being held in Cranbrook BC September 11-15th preparations underway and looking for participants in the following Soccer Divisions: 55, 60, 65, and 70 Men’s Divisions AND Women,s 55+ Division.
Canadian legends Nick Dasovic & Andrea Neil team up for Individualized Coaching Program – Dasovic-Neil Coaching
Nick Dasovic & Andrea Neil have teamed up to provide training programs for players & coaches. The programs specialize in individual, positional, age, and gender specific training for players, with a combined technical and physical focus while providing education and mentorship opportunities for coaches to improve their skills and deepen their knowledge base.
PCSL CHALLENGE CUP PHOTOS: Vancouver Utd. 3, Mid-Isle Mariners 1, July 30, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Richard Howes.
2016-2017 BC Soccer Year in Review – BCSA
BC Soccer Assoc. is proud to release their 2016-2017 Year in Review after another successful year of soccer. The #respectall initiative, High Performance License, Club Charter Program activity, along with the delivery of hundreds of coaching courses and referee clinics this past year highlight some of the successes.
BC PROVINCIAL WOMEN’S A CUP PHOTOS: Surrey United 1 NSGSC Renegades 0, May 13, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.
2017 VISL JACKSON CUP PHOTOS: Nanaimo Utd. 2 Cowichan LMG 1 (XT), April 2, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.
FVSL PHOTOS: Pakenham Cup Final, PMO Rangers 1 PMO Lordco Gunners 0, April 1, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Richard Howes.
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!
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.
CANADA SOCCER NEWS
Plante on World Cup: We won’t go ahead without cash from Ottawa and Quebec – Montreal Gazette
Under the terms of the joint bid, Canada and Mexico would each host 10 matches, while the U.S. would host 60 matches in the expanded tournament, which will swell to include 48 teams in 2026.
One Problem Facing North American 2026 World Cup Bid – Last Word on Soccer
There is just one problem facing the North American 2026 World Cup bid, the President of the United States of America. Recent policies put into place by the Trump administration seen as negatives have trickled down to the soccer world. The problem spills into intangible obstacles facing the bid and gives the competing bid an advantage.
Rankin FC headed for the national stage – Nunavut News
The Rankin Football Club (RFC) tore through the opposition to claim the first futsal national-club-qualifier tournament ever held in Nunavut earlier this month in Rankin Inlet.
Stacking Up: Early predictions of the Canadian Premier League’s on field quality – Northern Starting XI
How the Canadian Premier League stacks up against other leagues is not a question that needs to be asked in order to support it. If you are a fan of soccer and live in Canada, support for our top domestic division should be a given regardless of its initial level. No matter where you are from or what your club allegiances are, anyone who has ever wished that the sport was stronger in Canada should be stepping up to help ensure the Canadian Premier League is a success. After all, the only way to help grow something that starts small is to support it.
Four Park players earn NCAA scholarships – Sherwood Park News
In an almost unheard of flurry of ink on NCAA college signing day on Feb. 7, four young women who all came up together playing for the Sherwood Park Phoenix rep soccer program were snapped up by U.S. schools.
Rattlers teams win in Edmonton, Red Deer – Medicine Hat News
The Rattlers Academy Soccer Club under-14 boys won their division at the Family Day Tournament in Edmonton this past weekend.
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USL, NASL & LOWER DIVISION NEWS
Toronto FC II sign midfielder Gideon Waja – Toronto FC
Toronto FC II announced Tuesday that the club has signed midfielder Gideon Waja to a USL contract after reaching a transfer agreement with West Africa Football Academy SC (WAFA SC). The midfielder will be added to the roster upon receipt of his Canadian work permit.
Striker Tomi Ameobi Added To FCC Roster – FC Cincinnati
Forward Oluwatomiwo “Tomi” Ameobi is the second player to join FC Cincinnati this week as the Newcastle, England native has signed a contract with the Orange and Blue and will begin training with the team, pending USL and federation approval.
WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS
How many U.S. soccer employees made more money than the USWNT coach? A lot. – Washington Post
The U.S. Soccer Federation this week posted its most recent tax form and, although context is important in understanding the numbers, the optics are not great.
NWSL announces full schedule and Game of the Week on Lifetime schedule – NWSL
The NWSL released the full 2018 schedule on Wednesday. All nine teams will play a 24-game regular season schedule, with 12 home games and 12 away games.
Former Boston Breakers players adjust to life with the Dash – Houston Chronicle
Less than one month ago, Sammy Jo Prudhomme and Tiffany Weimer were putting the final touches on their preparation for preseason camp with the Boston Breakers.
England, France release SheBelieves Cup rosters – The Equalizer
Newly-appointed head coach Phil Neville has named his first England roster ahead of the 2018 SheBelieves Cup. For the third consecutive year, the Lionesses will participate in the USWNT-hosted friendly tournament, which takes place March 1-7.
SheBelieves Preview: Germany Look to Recover From a Rotten 2017 – Backline Soccer
One year ago, Germany was flying high. They arrived at the 2017 SheBelieves Cup as the Olympic champions, and one of the favorites to win the upcoming Euro championship.
Nick Cushing: It has to enthuse you (VIDEO) – Coaches’ Voice
Manchester City Women’s manager Nick Cushing talks about his approach to managing in women’s football, and reveals in this exclusive piece with The Coaches’ Voice why he believes his current role has given him the best possible grounding in football management.
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WORLD SOCCER NEWS
Champions League Weds. preview: Sevilla-Man Utd, Shakhtar-Roma – NBC Sports
Jose Mourinho says Manchester United is one round away from having legitimate hopes of winning the UEFA Champions League.
Barcelona draws with Chelsea as Messi ends goal drought – Sportsnet
Lionel Messi finally managed one of the few things he had yet to achieve in football.
As World Cup looms, Willian claims Chelsea spotlight – Metro
It wasn’t just his 11th goal of the season — the opener that rattled Barcelona in the second half — or the two occasions he thundered shots against a post. There was speed he provided down the right flank, finishing as the game’s top dribbler and winning the most aerial duels among the home players.
Bayern see both sides of Beşiktaş demolition – UEFA
Bayern beat Beşiktaş 5-0, but Jupp Heynckes and Thomas Müller could see the flaws behind the scoreline.
Caribbean Club Shield heads for Dominican Republic as top tier comp gets underway – Inside World Football
The Dominican Republic will host the inaugural edition of the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield this April 13-21. The 12-team championship provides a pathway for the region’s smaller football nations towards the newly formed 2018 Scotiabank CONCACAF League.
AFC Champions League Review: Kanazaki braces inspires Kashima – Four Four Two
There were wins for Kashima Antlers and Jeju United in the AFC Champions League while Shanghai Shenhua and Sydney FC shared the spoils.
CAF to introduce Video Assistant Referee this weekend – African Football
The Confederation of African Football has announced plans to debut the video assistant referee (VAR) for the first time this weekend in the CAF Super Cup.
Leicester City to pay Football League £3.1m to settle Financial Fair Play dispute – BBC Sport
Leicester City will pay the Football League £3.1m after settling a Financial Fair Play (FFP) dispute from the 2013/14 season when the club won the Championship.
AC Milan owner Li Yonghong dismisses finance rumours saying his assets are safe – Inside World Football
The Chinese owner of AC Milan has described suggestions that he has been declared bankrupt as “fake news” amid unconfirmed reports in Italy that his assets will be auctioned off on Taobao, the Chinese equivalent of eBay, to settle his debts.
Villarreal Defender Ruben Semedo Arrested for Third Time in Four Months – SI.com
Villarreal defender Ruben Semedo has been arrested by police for a third time in four months after allegedly beating up a man, kidnapping him, tying him up and raiding his house.
Europa League position gives Wenger opportunity to test youth – ESPN
Arsenal take on Östersunds FK at the Emirates on Thursday from a strong position. They won the first Europa League leg in Sweden 3-0 and it means that Arsene Wenger can rotate his squad with Sunday’s Carabao Cup final in mind.
FIFA lifts ban on 2026 World Cup voters publicly backing bid – Fox Sports
A ban on voters publicly endorsing a 2026 World Cup bid has been lifted by FIFA in the face of criticism from soccer officials.
Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon to launch singing career? – ESPN
With his 40th birthday now come and gone and the joints beginning to creak, it would appear that Gianluigi Buffon is beginning to prepare for a career beyond football.
David Weatherston: “The dressing room is a tough place to be if you have anxiety or depression” – The Guardian
The former St Johnstone and Falkirk striker writes about how mental health issues affected his career.