BC Soccer News, Wednesday, March 22, 2017

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC  vs.  L.A. GALAXY

MATCHDAY #4

SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2017, 7:00 PM

BUY TICKETS

BC PLACE, VANCOUVER, BC

TV: TSN 1   RADIO: TSN 1040   ONLINE: TSN GO

Play of the Week 3: Dissent/offensive, insulting or abusive language – PRO Referees
Dissent is once again one of the main points of emphasis for 2017. During our preseason preparations, officials were instructed not to allow dissent.  A Major League Soccer and a Professional Referee Organization representative, along with a referee, visited every MLS team at their preseason camps in February to explain the points of emphasis and to reinforce that dissent would not be tolerated.

MLS Referee assignments: Week 4 – PRO Referees
The assignments for Week 4 of the 2017 MLS season.

Elis and Quioto’s Catracho Connection in full effect for Houston Dynamo – MLS
Through three MLS games, the Catracho Connection of Alberth “La Pantera” Elis and Romell “El Romantico” Quioto has been as advertised for the Houston Dynamo.

A look at potential candidates for the RSL head coaching job – SBI
Although the timing in the grand scheme of the season seems a bit early to fire a coach, RSL now has plenty of time to install a new boss before things get even worse in the competitive Western Conference. The RSL brass has to get the hire right, and there are plenty of intriguing options out there to guide the Claret and Cobalt for the rest of the 2017 campaign.

Toronto FC Sign Oyvind Alseth – Toronto FC
oronto FC announced Wednesday that the club has signed defender Oyvind Alseth. He will be added to the roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and work permit.

Norwegian wingback puts banking job on hold to play for Toronto FC – Metro
Toronto FC’s gain has proved to Norwegian banking’s loss. One day after getting a job in a bank back home, wingback Oyvind Alseth learned he had been drafted by Toronto in the third round — 65th overall — in the January MLS SuperDraft.

TFC signs Hernandez – Toronto Sun
Toronto FC announced Tuesday it has signed free agent defender Jason Hernandez after New York City FC declined his option at the end of last year.

Giovinco back in training for Toronto FC after injury – CP24
Sebastian Giovinco was back at training with Toronto FC on Tuesday, seemingly as good as new.

Ex-TFC midfielder Lovitz starting over with Montreal Impact – Sportsnet
We’re a few weeks into the Major League Soccer regular season, and Daniel Lovitz’s head is still spinning. Really, you can hardly blame him.

Atlanta United complete permanent transfer of striker Josef Martinez – MLS
Josef Martinez has only played three MLS games, but Atlanta United have seen enough to keep him around on a permanent basis.

NYCFC Doesn’t Disappoint Through Opening Weeks of 2017 MLS Season – Elite Sports NY
NYCFC have claimed just one win in their opening three matches, but their performances should provide confidence.

USMNT: Now a US citizen, does Dom Dwyer make it onto the USMNT roster? – MLS Multiplex
Now that Sporting Kansas City forward Dom Dwyer is a citizen of the United States, what are his chances at making it on the national team?

LA Galaxy to host Manchester United at StubHub Center on Saturday, July 15 – LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy, in conjunction with Relevent Sports, announced today that the club will host Premier League side Manchester United at StubHub Center on Saturday, July 15. 2017.

Real Salt Lake and Rio Tinto Stadium to Host Manchester United on July 17 – RSL
Rio Tinto Stadium and Real Salt Lake will host iconic and legendary international power Manchester United – winners of a record 20 top-flight titles in England (including 13 in the Premier League era) and three European championships – on Monday, July 17 (evening kickoff TBA), RSL Owner Dell Loy Hansen announced today.

Schweinsteiger signing does little to dispel view of MLS as retirement home – The Guardian
The Fire’s splashy $4.5m move for the former German international seems to share many parallels with ill-fated veteran signings of the past.

MLS PHOTOS: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 Toronto FC 2, March 18, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

Train With Champions TWU Spartan Female Soccer Academy

BC SOCCER NEWS

TSS FC Rovers squad taking shape after successful open tryouts – AFTN
Three days, 55 players, and a lot of will and determination were on display at the recent TSS FC Rovers open tryouts in Richmond.

Canadians for Canadians – TSS Rovers
Canada is a funny place if you’re a football fan. You grow up surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people who play the game, millions that care about events such as the Champions League and the World Cup, soccer facilities abound and yet, we are a culturally insignificant country as far as participation at the highest level of the sport go. Such an odd state of affairs.

Nanaimo United makes Jackson Cup final – Nanaimo News Bulletin
The United Div. 1 men’s soccer team won its semifinal match this past weekend and will compete for the Jackson Cup, the Vancouver Island Soccer League’s top prize.

Cowichan LMG returns to Jackson Cup final – Cowichan Valley Citizen
In a span of just two days, Cowichan LMG advanced to the Jackson Cup final and clinched the Vancouver Island Soccer League Div. 1 title.

Soccer game brings people together for Black History Month – Alaska Highway News
It began as a continent versus a country, and ended with camaraderie and more than a few laughs. The Pan African Caribbean Association of Fort St. John held its fourth annual Canada vs. Africa soccer game on March 17 as part of their Black History Month celebrations. The boys on each team may have been representing different parts of the world, different races, but it was clear that they all shared a common love of the sport.

NVFC going places – North Shore News
Each year North Vancouver FC sends an under-12 squad to Europe to train, play and take in professional soccer games.

BC Soccer Assoc. Scholarships – BCSA
BC Soccer is proud to award scholarships every year to players and referees proceeding on to post-secondary education. The Scholarships are presented at a special Scholarship Celebration at a Whitecaps FC match in June/July each year. Applications must be received by the British Columbia Soccer Association Office by March 31st.

REVIEW: The Miracle Mile. Stories of the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games – BC BookLook
Author Jason Beck is curator of the BC Sports Hall of Fame in BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, and convenor two years ago of an excellent exhibition about the 1954 Games. In his first book, he proves to be a meticulous researcher, a compelling story-teller, and a crafty realist who knows how to hook his readers. Watch how, two pages into the book, he uses filmic technique to evoke the arriving athletes’ youthful buzz and give period colouring and costuming, but then smartly moves his camera in to introduce his stars.

TSS Rovers launch website & 2017 Season Ticket Campaign – TSS Rovers
TSS FC Rovers play their inaugural season in the PDL at iconic Swangard Stadium. Season Tickets are $70 for Adults, $49 for U12 Youth.

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!

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.

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.

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.

3v3 Live Soccer Tour Comes to Canada

CANADA SOCCER NEWS

MEN’S INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY

 SCOTLAND  vs.  CANADA

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2017, 12:45 PM PT

EASTER ROAD, EDINBURGH

ONLINE: TSN GO & CANADASOCCER.COM

Scotland vs. Canada | International Friendly Match Preview – MLS
Another new day dawns for the Canadian men’s national team on the shores of the North Sea on Wednesday, as newly-appointed head coach Octavio Zambrano begins his tenure with a friendly vs. Scotland.

Fraser Aird – A heart to heart with Scotland hero Ian Durrant convinced me to play for Canada – Scotland Herald
Canada have a former Tartan Army hero to thank for the fact that Fraser Aird will be lining up for them, rather than perhaps against them, at Easter Road on Wednesday night. Ian Durrant would have won far more than his 20 international caps for his country had injury not intervened and it was the voice of the Rangers Under-20 coach which came through loudest and clearest as Aird agonised over which side of the Atlantic he should play his international football.

Interim Canada coach reunited with Scottish counterpart after 34 years – Chronicle-Herald
In 1983 while Scotland was touring Canada, manager Jock Stein requested a closed-door game in Vancouver to help fine-tune his team. Michael Findlay was one of the Canadian players who made up the opposition for what turned out to be a one-sided runout in favour of the Scots. “I think it was 5-1 or something,” he recalled.

Moncton eyes spot in professional Canadian soccer league – CBC
Soccer New Brunswick, which is trying to bring a professional soccer team to Moncton in the next three years, hopes the city will get a spot in the proposed Canadian premier soccer league.

Foothills FC’s Tyrin Hutchings joins Swedish professional team – Calgary Herald
Tyrin Hutchings is heading to Sweden. The 24-year-old Calgarian signed with FC Gute this week after playing a pivotal role in Foothills FC’s 2016 run to the Premier Development League championship game.

Roberts named senior female athlete of the year – Journal-Pioneer
Briar Roberts of Newton was recently recognized as the P.E.I. Soccer Association’s senior female athlete of the year.

Sudbury soccer club to kick off free classes for girls – CBC
A new program being offered in Sudbury aims to break down barriers for young girls playing sports by offering soccer classes for free.

Truro soccer players training, competing at Vancouver Whitecaps events – Truro Daily News
Three Truro athletes are attending camps and tournaments hosted by a professional soccer team in British Columbia.

New Club Profile: OSU Force – League1 Ontario
As League1 Ontario heads into a fourth season, expansion is again one of the off-season buzzwords.  With four new clubs being added to the league, and a brand new region in Ottawa via the additions of OSU Force in the men’s east division and West Ottawa Soccer Club in the women’s division, the league is now up to 27 teams and extends from Windsor in the southwest to Ottawa in the northeast.

Foster positioned for Under-20 World Cup squad – Cambridge Times
Cambridge’s Rylee Foster is one of 20 players returning from the Women’s National EXCEL (NEX) Camp in preparation for the next FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, set for 2018 in France.

Bell and Rogers offer sports bars unpleasant choice: Give us more money or lose TSN and Sportsnet – The Province
Smaller bars — less than 100 seats — will be charged about $120 monthly for both channels on top of existing fees, and the cost increases according to seating capacity. The new prices — not that anyone was keen to put them on the record — will also apply to customers who subscribe to those channels through a third party like Shaw or Telus. Shaw confirmed Tuesday that the new prices are set by the channel owners, regardless of service provider.

 Premium Classified Advertising on BC Soccer Web Starting at 50 cents per day!

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE

WFC2  vs.  L.A. GALAXY II

SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 2017, 2:00 PM PT

STUB HUB CENTER, CARSON, CA.

ONLINE: WHITECAPSFC.COM

Whitecaps FC add defender Dominick Zator to WFC2 roster – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Tuesday the addition of defender Dominick Zator to the Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) roster for the 2017 United Soccer League (USL) season – pending league and federation approval.

Four potential breakout players for Whitecaps FC 2 in 2017 – Whitecaps FC
The USL season kicks off this Saturday when Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) travel on the road to face LA Galaxy II at 2 p.m. PT

2017 USL Preview: LA Galaxy II – USL
The LA Galaxy II reached their third successive postseason in 2016 as the club continued to serve as the standard-bearer for MLS owned-and-operated teams in the USL.

Cosmos’ Commisso Sounds Off – Empire of Soccer
As Rocco Commisso settles into his role as the controlling owner of the New York Cosmos, he’s becoming increasingly comfortable expressing his opinion on the state of soccer in the United States. His opinion is not a favorable one, to say the least.

NASL announces continued TV partnership with beIN Sports – SBI
Just several months ago, the NASL was all but dead. On Wednesday, the league announced a return to national television.

NYRB II Re-Sign Bonomo, a Forward – Empire of Soccer
New York Red Bull II has re-signed forward Stefano Bonomo for the 2017 USL season. Bonomo was out of contract after the 2016 season.

2017 USL Preview – Enhanced Experiences – USL
Stadium openings in Rio Grande Valley, Phoenix this week advance the league’s vision.

New Scottsdale soccer stadium intended to lure Major League Soccer team to Valley – ABC 15
As Phoenix Rising FC COO Bobby Dulle tells it, the Valley already has three of the four necessary ingredients to attract a Major League Soccer franchise.

Evans, Abbé and Miedema on Bayern-Paris – UEFA
Three of Bayern München’s many international imports – Scotland’s Lisa Evans, Switzerland’s Caroline Abbé and the Netherlands’ Vivianne Miedema – preview their tie with Paris Saint-Germain.

Lyon success has not sated Hegerberg’s hunger – UEFA
Ada Hegerberg was Lyon’s scorer in last season’s final win against Wolfsburg and as they meet again in the quarters she tells UEFA.com that she just wants to keep improving.

Seattle Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock is set to become first Welsh player to hit 100 caps – Excelle Sports
Seattle Reign FC midfielder Jess Fishlock could be the first player from Wales to reach 100 international caps if she plays in the two friendlies against Northern Ireland this April.

Tibetan Women’s Soccer Team Denied U.S. Visas to Attend Tournament Will Host Its Own – NBC
A Tibetan women’s soccer team that said it was denied United States visas last month to attend a tournament in Texas has responded by organizing its own event in India.

Ronnie Moran: Former Liverpool captain and coach dies, aged 83 – BBC Sport
Former Liverpool captain and coach Ronnie Moran has died at the age of 83. Moran made 379 appearances for Liverpool between 1952 and 1966 and was the club’s longest-serving employee when he retired in 1998.

Ronnie Moran: The ‘barking dog’ with the genuine inside knowledge of what made Liverpool so successful – The Independent
Ronnie Moran has separately been termed ‘barking dog’, a ‘Rottweiler’ and a ‘very angry man’. I found none of those descriptions accurate when I met the oldest living member of the famed Boot Room.

U.S. must win Friday to avoid facing perilous World Cup qualifying odds – SN
Is the U.S. national team’s World Cup qualifier against Honduras on Friday a must win? Not in the most literal sense of the term. But in practical terms, anything short of a victory would be disastrous for the U.S.

Brazil on verge of landing World Cup berth for Russia – NBC Sports
The only team to play in every World Cup is about to qualify for the next one.

England set to face Germany with Michael Keane in three-man defence – The Guardian
Gareth Southgate is planning a bold change of system that is expected to see Michael Keane make his England debut against Germany on Wednesday as part of a new defensive formation featuring three centre-backs.

UEFA president to consider squad limits and transfer reforms – BBC Sport
Uefa must consider bringing in “luxury taxes, squad limitations and fair transfer rules”, president Aleksander Ceferin said.

UEFA president says few countries can host 48-team World Cup – Sportsnet
There are only a few countries in Europe that would be able to host a 48-team World Cup, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said Tuesday.

Sir Alex Ferguson: Man United have a ‘great incentive’ to win Europa League – ESPN FC
Sir Alex Ferguson says potential qualification for the Champions League provides a “great incentive” for Manchester United to focus on winning the Europa League this season.

Ivory Coast says it has hired former Belgium coach Wilmots – Sportsnet
Ivory Coast says it has hired former Belgium coach Marc Wilmots to lead its national soccer team.

China are the England of Asian football: big hopes followed by inevitable failure – The Guardian
Chinese clubs are spending a fortune on players but the national team are 86th in the world rankings and have little chance of going to the World Cup in Russia.

Sir Patrick Stewart plans to watch soccer for the next two months – The Record
The ‘Logan’ actor resides in the US – but is to spend the next two months in Yorkshire, England, watching his beloved Huddersfield Town, who are currently fighting for promotion to the top tier of English soccer.

Eric Dier: Dreams – The Players’ Tribune
When I was 10 years old, Zinedine Zidane scored a penalty in the Estádio da Luz that made England lose and me cry. It was Euro 2004 in Portugal, and I was at the stadium on a hot, summery day for England’s first match against France.

Barcelona, Man United, Real Madrid headline International Champions Cup field – SBI
The International Champions Cup is set to return to the U.S. this summer, bringing some of the world’s top teams stateside for friendly action.

Kameni reveals racism pain – Football Espana
Malaga goalkeeper Carlos Kameni has opened up regarding ongoing racist abuse he suffers in Spain during football matches.

Syria: Football on the frontline – BBC
You can’t speak of daily life in Syria without looking at the impact the violence has had – and sport is no different. The relationship that exists between this national team and its people depicts the power of sport on a personal, cultural and political level. It goes to the heart of what makes sport matter.