MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
PORTLAND TIMBERS 1 WHITECAPS FC 1
CASCADIA CUP
7:30 PM, SATURDAY, JULY 18, 2015
PROVIDENCE PARK, PORTLAND, ORE. (TSN1,3,4,5)
‘Caps continue quest for third straight Cascadia Cup Saturday vs. Portland – Whitecaps FC
Only one point separates the bitter rivals in the hotly contested Western Conference standings. There are still 14 matches remaining, but this will be the last meeting between the two teams.
A look at the Cascadia Cup standings heading into Saturday’s match – Whitecaps FC
The origins of the Cascadia Cup date back to when Vancouver, Portland and Seattle were members of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) First Division. The combined supporters of the three clubs created the two-foot tall silver Cup, which is awarded annually to the team with the best head-to-head record over their Pacific Northwest rivals in regular season matches.
Whitecaps face back line decisions for Portland clash – Goal
With Kendall Waston and Pa Modou Kah unavailable, Vancouver could hand center back duties to youngsters Tim Parker and Christian Dean when it visits the Timbers this weekend.
Parker and Dean ready to get job done against Portland – Red Nation Online
The Vancouver Whitecaps are preparing for their final Cascadia clash with the Portland Timbers this Saturday night at Providence Park. Vancouver has already taken four points from a pair of matches with the Timbers in the spring.
Whitecaps’ depth will be put to the test against Portland Timbers – Metro
Carl Robinson stressed during the winter the need for depth at the centre back position, and it will be put to the ultimate test this weekend in a Cascadia Cup derby match against the Portland Timbers.
Whitecaps’ Teibert glad to be back, ready for action against Portland – The Province
The Whitecaps’ Canadian midfielder was back at practice after Canada’s scoreless exit from the CONCACAF showcase, and he looked like a kid at play.
Countdown: Toronto FC v Philadelphia – Red Nation Online
Toronto FC have found time between the Gold Cup and Pan Am games fit in a home game and are back to host Eastern Conference rivals Philadelphia Union on Saturday afternoon. The Reds are coming off a slugfest against New York City FC, a match where they got a sense of retribution from an earlier fixture that Giovinco was shut down in, but still are struggling to put in a disciplined defensive display.
Houston Dynamo “extremely excited” to finally bring Designated Player Erick “Cubo” Torres into the fold – MLS
After signing for a club record transfer in December, spending a six-month loan stint with Chivas Guadalajara, and waiting for a lengthy visa process to sort itself out, forward Erick “Cubo” Torres is in town for good and officially a member of the Houston Dynamo.
Portland Timbers sign Lucas Melano to DP deal, use targeted allocation – SI.com
The Portland Timbers have acquired 22-year-old Argentine forward Lucas Melano from Lanús for a $5 million transfer fee, a source with knowledge of the deal told SI.com on Thursday. Melano has signed a guaranteed four-year contract (with an option year) that will pay him around $1 million per year, and the Timbers will cover the entirety of the transfer fee.
Real Salt Lake’s long-term plans led to veteran forward Alvaro Saborio’s surprise exit – MLS
Just like that, Real Salt Lake’s all-time leading goal scorer has been traded. On Thursday, an announcement was made that RSL forward Alvaro Saborio had been traded to D.C. United in exchange for midfielder Luis Silva. The trade came as a bit of a surprise to many, but was made with an eye towards the future and added flexibility for RSL’s front office.
Orlando City linked to Sao Paulo midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso – Orlando Sentinel
On Thursday, a reputable network in Brazil reported that Orlando City has put in a bid to sign São Paulo midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso. The rumors first popped up on Twitter early in the day, but Globo Esporte later reported that Orlando City had indeed put its name in to sign Ganso.
Impact acquire Bekker from FC Dallas – TSN
The Montreal Impact dealt unhappy defender Bakary Soumare to FC Dallas for Canadian midfielder Kyle Bekker on Thursday. The 24-year-old Bekker, from Oakville, Ont., was drafted third overall by Toronto FC in the 2013 SuperDraft and was dealt to Dallas for allocation money before this season.
Sebastian Giovinco: I’m not going anywhere – Toronto Sun
Toronto FC anticipates astronomical, potentially never-before-seen transfer offers for Sebastian Giovinco this summer. The Reds won’t sell him, of course. They’ve made it clear they won’t even consider it.
MLS In Focus: Columbus’ Ethan Finlay – Empire of Soccer
On Wednesday night, Ethan Finlay of the Columbus Crew picked up his 11th assist of the year. That gives him two more than anyone else in MLS. And it’s more than just a hot start. Over the last season and a half, Finlay has 16 goals and 18 assists in 49 matches.
MLS Players Union Announces Ratification of New Agreement with Major League Soccer (PDF File) – MLS Players Union
The MLS Players Union voted 91% in favour of ratification.
LA Galaxy placing big expectations on talented new Designated Player Giovani Dos Santos – MLS
Giovani Dos Santos’ move to the LA Galaxy has been in the works, in one manner or another, since he scored that sensational goal at the Rose Bowl in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final four years ago.
Forget Dynasty. The Galaxy are Handcrafting the first MLS Super Club – LA Confidential
The LA Galaxy have been the dominant team in MLS for the past half decade. Now that they’ve won three of the last four MLS cups, questions have floated around as to whether or not this team can really be called a dynasty. I believe they’re on the verge of becoming more than a dynasty, they’re moving to a whole new level we’ve not seen before in MLS.
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CANADA – PAN AM GAMES & GOLD CUP
Canadian men’s team in tough at Pan Am Games – Sportsnet
The under-23 men’s side battled to a 0-0 draw against Panama on Thursday at the Pan Am Games, marking the third straight day that a Canadian national team failed to score—Canada was held to a 0-0 draw by Costa Rica on Tuesday at the Gold Cup, and the women’s team fell 2-0 to Costa Rica at the Pan Ams on Wednesday.
Lively second half not enough for Canada M23 to secure a win – CSA
Canada’s Men’s U-23 Team offered an entertaining match to the fans gathered at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, ON, on Thursday night, but had to settle for a scoreless draw against Panama in their second of three 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games matches.
Fire Floro? Not yet, but it’s never too early to cast a critical eye – Goal
There are some things that have become a near certainty in this life. There’s death and taxes, the inescapable downers of human existence, and just below that is Canada not scoring goals in official matches.
State of Canadian soccer: The glass is half full – Sportsnet
What a week it’s been for the average pathetic self loathing fan of the game in our country, of which I am proudly one: Gold Cup elimination, Pan Am reality for the men against Brazil, frustration for the women against Costa Rica, and all of this on the heels of a Women’s World Cup where the team did what they were supposed to do, but not more.
Despite cushy path to final, U.S. must improve to win Gold Cup – Goal
Just how easy is the U.S. national team’s path to a record seventh straight Gold Cup final? If you had asked Jurgen Klinsmann to hand-pick the teams to avoid in a quarterfinal bracket there is a good chance he would have drawn up the very bracket that has shaken out.
Golden Opportunity for CONCACAF underdogs – Goal
The second-tier teams in CONCACAF have acquitted themselves well so far and have to believe they can accomplish something special in this Gold Cup.
Nazon, Haiti’s unknown hero – FIFA
A year ago, Duckens Nazon was ready to quit football for good at the age of 20. “A lot of problems,” he admitted. “I just wanted to play with my friends for the love of it.”
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BC SOCCER
Vancouver United Set To Clinch PCSL Crown – BC Soccer Web
Vancouver United is poised to capture their first ever Pacific Coast Soccer League title this weekend as regular season play wraps up.
Victoria trio bound for Whitecaps Residency – Times Colonist
Unlike the North American pro staples football, baseball, basketball and hockey, which restock mostly through the draft, pro soccer clubs worldwide long have had a tradition of developing potential future players through their own academy programs. That tradition will take young Victoria soccer players Andre Earthy-Find, Liam McManaman and Charlie Miller to live and train on the Lower Mainland in the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency Under-18 program.
Saudis may surprise at 36th Nations Cup of soccer in Richmond – Richmond News
A total of 64 teams — men and women of all ages — line up for the football feast at Hugh Boyd this weekend .
Kelowna United produces several provincial champs – Kelowna Daily Courier
Kelowna United soccer teams were all over the podium at this past weekend’s provincial B Cup tournaments. The under-14 and U16 girls brought home gold, the U15 girls and U18 boys claimed silver, and the U13 and U16 boys captured bronze. The U13 girls also finished a respectable fifth.
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WOMEN’S SOCCER
The Lowdown: World Cup bump engulfs NWSL – The Equalizer
The World Cup bump has arrived. Following a weekend that saw the Dash smash their single-match attendance record and the Reign and Sky Blue set season highs, more big attendance numbers are anticipated this weekend. The Washington Spirit and Chicago Red Stars both announced sellouts for Saturday’s matches four days ahead of kickoff. For the first time, a relatively healthy women’s professional soccer league will have an opportunity to fully capitalize on this phenomenon.
Sasic bids farewell to her passion – FIFA
“Football is my passion. It has always been part of my life and will continue to be,” leading German striker Celia Sasic said at the start of her announcement to her Facebook fans on Thursday. “Nevertheless, I’ve decided to begin a new chapter in my life and call time on my professional football career,” she continued. “I’m now looking forward to a range of new things in my life. I want to finish my studies, sort out my career path, start a family and much more.”
Emma Hayes: WSL crowds could reach 4,500, says Chelsea boss – BBC Sport
Manchester City saw a club-record crowd of 2,102 for their game on Sunday, as average WSL 1 attendances rose by 78%. “It’s progress,” Hayes told BBC Sport. “It’s women’s football and you’re not going to go straight from 500 fans to 50,000 fans.
Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley set for record crowd – BBC Sport
A record crowd is expected for this year’s Women’s FA Cup final on 1 August, after the Football Association revealed 24,000 tickets have been sold for the showpiece. Wembley Stadium will host the final for the first time.
Leroux elated over World Cup win, Dwyer’s support – The Equalizer
Buying in as a team player can be difficult for some who don’t get a lot of playing time, but this was not the case with Leroux. The 25-year-old was more than happy with her role and the end result of becoming a World Cup Champion.
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NASL
Match Preview: FC Edmonton vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies – FC Edmonton
FC Edmonton (1-2-0) will play their final match of a three-match road trip this Saturday, July 18 at 5:30 p.m. MT versus Tampa Bay Rowdies (1-0-1) at Al Lang Stadium in Florida, aiming to remain atop the North American Soccer League (NASL) Fall Season table with a victory against the league’s top overall team.
A reunion with Thomas Rongen means this Freddy Adu move has a chance to work – Soccer Gods
So the only move that could detract from the LA Galaxy annoying Liga MX fans by snaring Giovanni dos Santos came from an NASL club? Yes, it did. An NASL club brought back Freddy Adu to revitalize his lifelong mission on Earth — to become the savior for U.S. soccer that he was desperately forced to be before puberty.
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WORLD OF SOCCER
Uruguayan soccer great Alcides Ghiggia dies at 88 – Washington Post
Alcides Edgardo Ghiggia, the Uruguayan soccer great who scored the late winning goal in a stunning 2-1 victory over Brazil in the final game of the 1950 World Cup, died Thursday. He was 88.
History maker Ghiggia passes away – FIFA
“Only three people have ever silenced 200,000 people at the Maracana with a single gesture: Frank Sinatra, Pope John Paul II, and I,” Ghiggia once famously said. “I have never seen people as sad as the Brazilians were after that defeat. It made you shudder. The biggest moment of my life was at the Maracana.”
The battle for Barcelona: a day in the life of presidential candidate Joan Laporta – The Guardian
Joan Laporta is standing on a box. “If I become the president of Barcelona again,” he promises, “I’ll make sure that we keep on winning, I’ll revive La Masía and I’ll lay the foundations for another decade of success. With me as president, Messi will always be happy and Unicef will return to the shirt.” On he goes, hands underlining each point, gaze fixed. “That’s why I’m asking for your vote,” he says, drawing towards a close.
Russia 2018 without Brazil? CBF to form ‘think-tank’ to put team right – Inside World Football
Brazil’s failure and early exit from the Copa America has prompted even more soul searching in-country, with commentators fearing that on current performance the team will not qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. A real possibility as their quarter final exit in Chile would not rank them in the qualifying slots.
Juventus: Pogba not for sale – FIFA
Juventus insist that Paul Pogba is not for sale despite reports in Spain linking the highly-coveted midfielder with a move to Barcelona.
Fabian Delph to Manchester City: £8m move is ‘back on’ as Aston Villa captain believed to be undergoing medical – The Independent
Aston Villa captain Fabian Delph is having a medical at Manchester City less than a week after saying he was staying at Villa Park. Delph committed his future to Villa when an £8m move to City broke down, and the club captain issued a statement to confirm that he is not leaving this summer – or so we thought.
Celtic, West Ham, Aberdeen & Inverness learn Euro draws – BBC Sport
Champions League third qualifying round first leg dates are 28 and 29 July, with the return on 4 or 5 August. Europa League third qualifying round first and second qualifying dates are 30 July and 6 August, respectively.
Iranian football at a crossroads as sanctions due to be lifted – Inside World Football
Under the sanctions regime, which saw an almost total trade embargo by the US and tightening sanctions on the energy and banking sectors from Europe, Iranian football held up extremely well – with the country enjoying top position in the FIFA Ranking of Asian countries, a relatively successful World Cup and boasting powerful club sides which enjoy massive match day attendances as well as success in the AFC Champions League.
Premier League sponsors urged to pull out over disabled facilities – BBC Sport
Premier League sponsors and broadcasters have been told to pull out of football unless progress is made in providing facilities for disabled fans. Lord Holmes of Richmond, Britain’s most successful Paralympic swimmer, made the call during the second reading of The Accessible Sports Grounds Bill.
FIFA to stop World Cup bidders splashing cash in ‘development’ projects – Inside World Football
Future World Cup bidders will be banned by FIFA from funding overseas development programmes in an attempt to put an end to the kind of vote-trading shenanigans that have plagued recent ballots.