BC Soccer News, Weekend, April 28-30, 2017

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

 MONTREAL IMPACT  vs.  VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

MLS MATCHDAY #8

SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2017, 12:00 PM

STADE SAPUTO, MONTREAL, QC

TV: CTV, TSN 2   RADIO: TSN 1410  ONLINE: TSN GO

Montreal Impact vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2017 MLS Match Preview – MLS
Neither of the Canadian sides meeting in Montreal have done too much wrong, per se – they’re both just toughing it out with middling records so far this season, each with seven points on the year. (The Impact stand currently at 1-2-4, and the Whitecaps at 2-4-1).

Everything you need to know about Saturday’s all-Canadian clash – Whitecaps FC
From a Cascadia rival to a Canadian one. After a hard-fought battle with Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps FC are headed east to face Montreal Impact on Saturday afternoon at Stade Saputo.

Teenage talent set to clash as Whitecaps’ Davies faces Impact’s Tabla – Sportsnet
The future of Canadian soccer may be on display when the Vancouver Whitecaps visit the Montreal Impact on Saturday.

Tabla vs. Davies. Who has more to prove heading into Saturday? – Mount Royal Soccer
The biggest storyline to follow heading into this all-Canadian matchup is no other than Jean Yves-Ballou Tabla against Alphonso Davies. The two Canadian prospects have Canadian soccer fans bouncing off walls. This matchup will show the two most promising talents face off for the first time, but Canadians would sure like to see them on the same national team for years to come!

Speedy Williams stops Whitecaps’ trial runs at right back – The Province
Two months into what Sheanon Williams hopes will be the rest of his Major League Soccer career, the worst we have discovered about the Vancouver Whitecaps’ right back is that he cheered for the Boston Bruins in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.

Has Anthony Jackson-Hamel era dawned for Impact? – Montreal Gazette
It was a tale of two halves for the Montreal Impact last weekend against the Philadelphia Union in an encounter that was loaded with lots of positives and a fair share of negatives for the Impact.

So far so good for Toronto FC’s Victor Vazquez, but expectations rising – MLS
When Victor Vazquez was brought to Toronto in February it was said he would be the one to pick the locks in the final third.  Seven appearances into his MLS career, it is safe to say that Vazquez has been as advertised, with five assists to go with his goal against Vancouver.

Toronto FC to have hands full with MLS top scorer Torres – Sportsnet
After welcoming Major League Soccer’s newest star to town, Toronto FC face another stiff challenge this week when they’ll be tasked with stopping the league’s top scorer.

Seattle Sounders vs. New England Revolution | 2017 MLS Match Preview – MLS
Both the Seattle Sounders and New England Revolution stand on nine points, but only one of the two sit about the red line nearly two months into the season.

McCarty ready for emotional return to Red Bull Arena – SN
Dax McCarty knows it won’t be easy, but he believes he is ready. He will board the Chicago Fire’s team bus on Saturday for a ride to Red Bull Arena he hasn’t had to take in six years. He will walk past the door to the Red Bulls locker room, potentially fighting the habit to grab it and head in. He will walk by walls where his picture hung just six months ago, and take the field he called home for six seasons, only this time he will be wearing a different badge over his heart.

Timbers coach Caleb Porter suits up in full kit as part of punishment – MLS
On Wednesday Porter wore a full Timbers kit around the team facility. The reason? It was a punishment for being late to a team meeting.

State Rep. Collins: UMass-Kraft stadium plan officially ‘dead’ – Dorchester Reporter
Discussions between UMass Boston and Robert Kraft’s sports empire to build a professional soccer stadium on the UMass-owned Bayside site in Dorchester have officially ceased.

MLS PHOTOS: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 Seattle Sounders FC 1, April 14, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

3v3 Live Soccer Tour Comes to Canada

BC SOCCER NEWS

2017 BC Soccer Adult Provincial Championships – BCSA
The Road to Burnaby continues! Complete brackets and list of this weekend’s game in the BC Provincial Cups.

2017 BC Provincial Cups: Keith Millar B Cup First Round preview – AFTN
Seeded teams enter the competition this weekend after the eight preliminary matches, so we should be getting down to brass tacks in short order.

2017 BC Provincial Cups: Deryl Hughes Masters Cup round of 16 preview – AFTN
With the preliminary round games in the history books last weekend, Canucks4Ever takes a look at this week’s round of 16 match ups.

Intriguing imports, local talent to fill Highlanders roster – CHEK
The Victoria Highlanders FC season is less than three weeks away, and final decisions are being made on their 2017 roster.

Whitecaps FC continue coaching education through elite international MLS program – Whitecaps FC
In conjunction with Major League Soccer, Vancouver Whitecaps FC confirmed on Thursday the club’s continued participation in the Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL), in addition to a new continuing education course in partnership with La Liga.

KSS girls claim prestigious UVic Vikes soccer tournament title – Kelowna Now
Coming off a tournament victory in Victoria and extending their unbeaten streak in Okanagan Valley league play this week, the Kelowna Owls are aiming to continue the winning ways at their own senior girls invitational soccer tournament on the weekend.

Roll-A-Dome back in play for indoor soccer – Prince George Citizen
Jon LaFontaine and Matt Mehrassa wanted to give indoor soccer a kick in a positive direction. Their planning and organizational efforts have resulted in the 2017 Roll-A-Dome Revival, today through Sunday at the building of the same name.

Greens prevail over Light Blues in youth soccer scoring-fest – Merritt Herald
The Merritt Youth Soccer Association’s first week of scheduled games began on April 18, with matches involving Grade 2/3 and Grade 8+ teams.

3V3 LIVE NATIONAL SOCCER TOUR COMES TO ABBOTSFORD – 3v3 Live Canada
3v3 Live Soccer Tour and Holbrook Sports Management are excited to announce the expansion of the 3v3 Live Soccer Tour into the Canadian soccer market.  With the first event previously announced to take place on the August 19/20 weekend in Surrey, BC, the 3v3 Soccer Tour will expand to Abbotsford, BC, on August 20 and will include men’s and women’s open divisions.

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.

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.

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.

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

CANADA SOCCER NEWS

Cyle Larin Sees ‘New Culture’ in Canadian National Team – Orlando City SC
Cyle Larin isn’t just one of the best young players in MLS– he is also the hope of the Canadian National Team. He’s made nineteen appearances for the senior team, earning his first call-up after his freshman season at the University of Connecticut. He plays there alongside Orlando City midfielder Will Johnson.

Canada faces Suriname in Friday group finale at CONCACAF Men’s Under-17 Championship – CSA
Canada will wrap up their group phase at the 2017 CONCACAF Men’s Under-17 Championship when they face Suriname on Friday at the Estadio Maracaná Panama. Canada are looking for a positive result after a pair of slim losses in Panama.

Former national coach Tony Fonseca lands top post at YRSA – Vaughan Citizen
The York Region Soccer Association hopes it has made a game-changing play. The local organization announced Wednesday afternoon the appointment of former Canadian Soccer Association technical director Tony Fonseca to the newly created position of director of soccer.

Can beIN Sports — an international giant but a minnow in Canada — eventually become a threat to TSN, Sportsnet’s dominance? – National Post
While almost every major sporting event in the world has sold its Canadian broadcast rights to one of the twin towers of domestic sports television, Bell and Rogers, the only way to see La Liga on TV in this country is on beIN Sports, a premium cable channel that is not even available in about a third of Canadian households.

U of R Rams football players avoid punishment after making racist, sexual comments – CBC
The University of Regina president considered — but ultimately decided against — cancelling the Rams’ 2016 football season after players made racist and sexual comments to a couple of members of the University of Saskatchewan women’s soccer team, CBC’s iTeam has learned.

Foreign policy and Trump antipathy: the problems for a World Cup in North America – The Guardian
The joint bid between the US, Mexico and Canada for the 2026 tournament appears to be a shoo-in. But there are still stumbling blocks to be overcome.

Register for the UBCO High-Performance Summer Training Camp in Kelowna

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE

WFC2  vs.  SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC

SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2017, 3:00 PM

BUY TICKETS

THUNDERBIRD STADIUM, VANCOUVER, BC

LIVESTREAM: WHITECAPSFC2.COM

Whitecaps FC 2 host perennial heavyweight Sacramento Republic FC on Saturday – Whitecaps FC
Looking to bounce back from a 2-1 loss last week, Whitecaps FC 2 are ready to face perennial heavyweight Sacramento Republic FC this Saturday at UBC Thunderbird Stadium. Kickoff is at 3 p.m.

USL Week 6: A Look Ahead – SBI
A 13-game week and a 10-game Saturday is what can be expected of week 6 in the United Soccer League. Highlighting week 6 are the Keystone Derby between the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Harrisburg City Islanders as well as San Antonio FC’s tour of the Pacific Northwest with a second game in four days after their week 5 game in Seattle.

T2 to host San Antonio FC Friday at Providence Park – Timbers.com
After earning their first victory of the season on the road last Saturday at Papa Murphy’s Park, T2 will play host to San Antonio FC at Providence Park on Friday, April 28. Set to begin at 7:30 p.m.

Ottawa Aims to Build on Defensive Base – USL
Coming off back-to-back shutouts, and only one goal conceded in the club’s past three games, Ottawa Fury FC Head Coach Paul Dalglish believes his side has built the foundation for a successful year ahead in the USL.

OCB, Saint Louis End Deadlocked – USL
Orlando City B and Saint Louis FC played to a 0-0 draw on Thursday night at Orlando City Stadium. Neither side was able to create much clear-cut early, with a good Orlando counter-attack in the 28th minute seeing Austin Martz shoot high in the 28th minute.

Panama International Pereira Joins TFC II – USL
Toronto FC II announced on Thursday the club has acquired midfielder Luis Pereira on loan from Club Deportivo Árabe Unido. Pereira will be added to the roster upon receipt of his ITC, work permit and visa.

MLS Expansion: The wild ride that is the Phoenix MLS bid – MLS Multiplex
This past week was easily the Phoenix Rising’s most notable in their short history. After submitting a bid earlier this year for MLS expansion, the USL club announced the biggest signing in league history.

USL PHOTOS: WFC2 1 SAN ANTONIO FC 2, April 22, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

Reign FC travel to Boston Breakers Saturday – GoalWA
This Saturday, Seattle Reign FC will visit the Boston Breakers for the first time this season. It is the club’s first road match of the 2017 NWSL season.

WSL 1 Week 2 Preview: Arsenal and Chelsea begin their campaign – Vavel
The WSL 1 resumes after kicking off last weekend, with title chasers Arsenal and Chelsea in action.

Coming Home: Camila Edition – WOSO Weekly
As soon as the Orlando Pride were announced as an expansion team, Camila Martins Pereira (or simply, “Camila”) knew she wanted to be a part of it. Watching from back home in Brazil, the native of São Bento do Sul remembers seeing the videos of the crowded stadium and the purple smoke and dreaming that one day she could don the crest of the purple and blue, too.

Former member of Iranian women’s football team ‘banned from sport’ after being photographed without veil – The Independent
A former member of Iran’s women’s football team claims she has been banned from the sport after being photographed with her hair uncovered abroad.

Why are female coaches still a rarity in women’s soccer? – The Equalizer
A longtime coach at the highest level of women’s soccer in the United States, second-year Washington Spirit head coach Jim Gabarra said he’s always believed in the importance of offering opportunities for women and girls to work in the game—and serve as good role models for younger generations. But when crafting a National Women’s Soccer League coaching staff, the No. 1 priority isn’t to hire females solely for the sake of employing women; they have to be coaches, first, Gabarra said.

Bob Lenarduzzi: Spurs get ready for final White Hart party – The Province
Arsenal is at Tottenham on Sunday, in what will be the last ever North London derby at White Hart Lane. The venerable stadium, where Spurs have played since 1899, is being demolished in favour of a luxurious new 61,000 seat facility that will open next door next year. Spurs will play at Wembley next season until the new stadium is ready.

Tottenham has greater ambitions than finishing above Arsenal – Toronto Star
Spurs’ win on Sunday could eradicate Arsenal’s 21-year reign in the Premier League standings, but team says it’s not on their minds.

Tottenham stadium: Club will play home games at Wembley in 2017-18 – BBC Sport
Tottenham have confirmed they will play their home games at Wembley for the 2017-18 season while construction work on their new stadium takes place.

United poor, City wasteful in derby but Guardiola’s men sense UCL football – ESPN FC
It’s not a usual sight to see the away end at the Etihad celebrating a draw. For many visiting teams, a point at Manchester City is a good outcome and the confirmation of the result can come with a great release of joy and satisfaction.

Soccer weekend: What to watch in Europe’s main leagues – Durham Region
With only the Bundesliga left to play for after losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League and Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup, Bayern Munich hopes to wrap up a record fifth straight title as soon as possible.

Ligue 1 title Monaco’s to lose against Toulouse – Ligue 1
AS Monaco welcome Toulouse FC to the Stade Louis II on Saturday afternoon with a first Ligue 1 title since 2000 theirs to lose.

They’re back! FIFA scandals enter new territory – Soccer America
The probe into soccer corruption, at FIFA and around the world, is expanding. On Thursday, French newspaper Le Monde reported that French authorities have launched an investigation into the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup rights and they have interviewed Blatter.

FIFA audit official admits bribery in US federal probe – Sportsnet
The sprawling American investigation of bribery and corruption in international soccer has reached into Asia and claimed the first guilty plea from a senior official in the new FIFA leadership.

Playoff push, relegation battle and more talking points ahead of Liga MX Round 16 – SN
Believe it or not, the Liga MX playoff race isn’t quite as insane as it has been in previous years. Don’t get things wrong; the race is still tight. But compared to the normal situation with half of the league in the mix for the top eight with two weeks left, this year the field doesn’t seem as crowded.

Mexican FA cited by Fifa for fans’ homophobic chants eight times in last 17 months – The Independent
Fifa has cited the Mexican FA for homophobic chants by its fans eight times in the last 17 months, new figures have shown.

Belgians move to pro ref structure in bid to increase top level representation – Inside World Football
The Belgian FA has offered eight referees a two-year semi-professional contract in a move to modernise and upgrade refereeing in Belgium.

Gambling ‘rife in Scottish football’, says PFA Scotland chairman John Rankin  – BBC Sport
Gambling is “rife” in Scottish football with managers, referees, directors and chairmen all involved, according to PFA Scotland chairman John Rankin.

Experts warn of £12.6bn scale of UK gambling problem – The Guardian
Explosion in online gambling and funding of research by betting industry leads one professor to say: ‘We’re not facing up to the potential for harm’

A year in the life of Marco Russ: a failed drugs test, cancer and a hero’s return – The Guardian
A year ago Marco Russ was accused of doping and then diagnosed with testicular cancer. This week he helped Eintracht Frankfurt reach the German Cup final.