BC Soccer News, Weekend, June 24-26, 2016

PHILADELPHIA UNION vs. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 4:00 PM

TALEN ENERGY STADIUM, CHESTER, PA.

TV: TSN 2   RADIO: TSN 1410  LIVESTREAM: TSN GO

Preview: Whitecaps FC set to face Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Union – Whitecaps FC
Philadelphia Union were the third worst team in MLS last season. Now, one game away from the midway point of 2016, they sit atop the Eastern Conference standings. Are they the real deal?

Whitecaps’ Harvey has a big connection with Philly – Vancouver Sun
Jordan Harvey’s a West Coast kind of guy but Philadelphia remains a special place for the Whitecaps fullback.

Whitecaps want improved finishing against Union – Hamilton Spectator
Capitalizing on their opportunities is something the Whitecaps want to do when they face the Philadelphia Union Saturday in their Major League Soccer match at Talen Energy Stadium.

VIDEO: Match Preview: Vancouver Whitecaps – Philadelphia Union
Marisa Pilla and Dave Leno preview this Saturday’s match up between the Union and the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Preview: Union vs Vancouver Whitecaps – Philly Soccer Page
Vancouver Whitecaps seem to be constantly on the brink of breaking into the MLS elite. The club is loaded with young, athletic talent, but even after finishing second in the Western Conference last season they somehow never looked a real threat to make a deep run in the playoffs. That suspicion was borne out when the Caps were shutout over two legs by eventual champion Portland Timbers.

Match Preview: Philadelphia Union vs. Vancouver Whitecaps – Brotherly Game
The Philadelphia Union and the Vancouver Whitecaps have a short history despite some thrilling results over the last five seasons. In six matches against Vancouver, the Union have taken 8 points and are 2-2-2.

Know Your Opponent: Dangerous front four leads Vancouver, but defense has been shaky – Philadelphia Union
Philadelphia Union (6-4-5, 23 points) take on Vancouver Whitecaps FC (6-3-7, 24 points) this Saturday in Talen Energy Stadium at 7 p.m. This weekend will mark the seventh career meeting between these clubs. Through the first six matchups each team has registered one win, one loss, and one tie against the other, leaving the all-time series lead deadlocked at a (2-2-2) record.

Voyageurs Cup a rare chance of Whitecaps’ Tornaghi to shine – Sportsnet
Since joining the Whitecaps in February of 2014, Tornaghi has yet to make a single appearance for the club in a Major League Soccer match. He’s in the unfortunate—for him, at least—situation of being blocked by one of the league’s most outstanding ’keepers, 31-year-old David Ousted. The Voyageurs Cup, then, is a rare chance for Tornaghi to take the spotlight.

MLS Week 16: A Look Ahead – SBI
While the Colorado Rapids and Chicago Fire will be off this weekend, the MLS schedule features several high-profile matchups, which begins with the Seattle Sounders hosting New York City FC on Saturday afternoon.

MLS Countdown: Rivals wrap up season series early – Soccer America
There won’t be a another renewal of two of the league’s top rivalries in 2016 unless they meet in the playoffs.

MLS weekend preview: Dempsey-less Seattle need to get going against NYC FC – The Guardian
The West Coast’s two biggest teams are in need of a boost while Philadelphia Union have a goalscorer in fine form.

Kaká ‘good to go’ for Saturday’s match against Toronto – Orlando Sentinel
Orlando City will return key pieces to the lineup in time for a match against Toronto FC and reigning MLS MVP Sebastian Giovinco at 4:30 p.m. PT Saturday.

Columbus Crew SC’s Cedrick Mabwati sidelined by malaria – MLS
Columbus Crew SC have a slew of injuries at the moment, but one player has a rather unusual condition by MLS standards. Winger Cedrick Mabwati has contracted malaria.

MLS Disciplinary Committee suspends Bobby Boswell, fines Lucas Melano – MLS
The MLS Disciplinary Committee has suspended D.C. United defender Bobby Boswell, and fined Portland Timbers attacker Lucas Melano and San Jose assistant Ian Russell for actions taken in Week 15 of the MLS season.

Sounders expansion launch still (arguably) MLS’s best – News Tribune
Seattle Sounders FC remains the most successful expansion franchise in the history of MLS — although perhaps with a couple of asterisks. That was generally true in its first season, and it remains generally true today, even after six MLS expansion teams have followed. One of those — New York City FC — will visit Seattle for the first time Saturday in a nationally televised match.

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BC SOCCER NEWS

Eleven Kelowna United teams to vie for provincial soccer titles – Kelowna Now
Kelowna United captured six of a possible nine Thompson-Okanagan Youth Soccer League playoff championships on the weekend and will be represented by 11 teams at BC Soccer provincial tournaments in early July.

Residency Week: “Natural goalscorer” Alan Camacho leading North America as he lights it up for Vancouver Whitecaps U16s – AFTN
Alan Camacho Soto has had a phenomenal season with the Whitecaps U16s. The striker has banged in 29 goals in 31 matches, the most of any player, at any age group, in the USSDA system this season.

New home for UFV Cascades soccer teams – Abbotsford News
After playing their home games at Panther Field at Abbotsford Senior Secondary the past two years, it was announced last week that the Cascades men’s and women’s soccer squads will be moving to the MRC (Matsqui Recreation Centre) Sports Complex starting this fall.

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.

Thompson Okanagan FC has 12 players selected to BC Soccer High Performance Program –  TOFC
BC Soccer has selected the following Thompson Okanagan FC players for the BC Soccer High Performance Program July 2016. Congratulations to all of you. Your hard work and dedication to developing your game at TOFC has earned you this honor and opportunity.

Unity put Campbell River soccer on the map – Campbell River Mirror
It’s been two years since the barrier was broken down. Two years and Cermaq City is stronger than ever, following the amalgamation of two soccer clubs from different sides of the tracks. The predominantly First Nation Golden Wings club and the Masters FC merged two years ago to become today’s version of Cermaq City. Coaches Rob Shaw and Peter McWilliams say it was the best thing that could have happened for Campbell River soccer.

Soccer continues to grow in Sicamous – Eagle Valley News
Sicamous’ third soccer season was a fantastic success. This year, the community had three teams practicing in Sicamous and playing against Salmon Arm teams.

Nine teams to represent Nelson at soccer provincials – Nelson Star
Nelson will be well represented at provincial soccer tournaments next month. Nine teams have qualified for the various events set to run July 7 to 10 at different locations in BC. The under-13, 14, 15, 16, and 18 boys teams will compete as will the U13, 14, 16 and 18 girls teams.

Great games at Merritt youth soccer’s final weekend – Merritt Herald
It was fitting that on the final weekend of Merritt Youth Soccer Association action, spectators were treated to some thrilling matches in the older divisions as teams battled it out for playoff supremacy.

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.

Victoria Highlanders 2016 Season Tickets Now Available – Select Your Seats
The Victoria Highlanders are ready to return to the PDL for 2016. BC Soccer Web encourages all soccer fans on Vancouver Island to get behind their team. Season tickets are now on sale and extremely affordable. Support Local Soccer!

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.

EPIC presents the 2016 Western Canada College ID Camp

CANADA SOCCER NEWS

Canada still No. 10 in FIFA world women’s soccer rankings – Sportsnet
Canada remains 10th in the latest FIFA women’s world soccer rankings released Friday.

#CanadaRed soccer notebook: Different kind of Olympic test ahead for Canada – Yahoo Sports
Compared to their run to a bronze medal in England four years ago, Canada’s Olympic-bound footballers face a different kind of test this summer in Brazil. The Rio Games’ soccer venues are scattered across the country and much more difficult to reach than was the case for London 2012, so media attention may not be as high as before, leaving Canada to prepare in relative comfort compared to the rest of the Olympic athletes.

Late Kovacevic Tally Sends London To Semis Of L1 Cup – League1 Ontario
Aurora United got off to a great start against FC London in a cracking second round L1 Cup fixture, but FC London’s depth and quality got them the result when Tanna Portenay (82′) and Jade Kovacevic (90′) got late goals.

North Miss Women Move On To L1 Cup Semi-Finals After 2-1 Victory Over Durham– League1 Ontario
Defending women’s L1 Cup holders North Mississauga proved it is their silverware to keep after handing Durham United FA their first loss in any competition this season with a 2-1 result at Kinsmen Park, Pickering.

Provincial U15, U16 teams in Showcase showdowns in Maritimes – The Telegram
The province’s top under-15 and U16 soccer players will be in Halifax and Moncton, N.B,. this weekend competing in an Atlantic Showcase event.

Hurricanes land ‘goal-scoring threat’ – PEI Guardian
Sabrina Molnar, who was named one of the top 30 soccer players in Ontario for her age category in 2010, is coming to play for the Holland College Hurricanes.

United girls do well in Saskatoon tourney – Yorkton This Week
The U10 Yorkton Rush Girls soccer team had a stellar showing at their first tournament of the season held in Saskatoon over the weekend June 17-19. Winning three of four round robin games placed Yorkton in the final against a strong Saskatoon team, where the Yorkton Rush came away with the silver medal.

Kenora teams strike gold, silver at Slurpee Cup in Winnipeg – Kenora Daily Miner
Two gold and a silver medal was what Kenora Association Soccer Club teams returned home from Winnipeg with on June 19.

WFC2, USL & NASL NEWS

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE

OKC ENERGY FC vs. WFC2

SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016

TAFT STADIUM, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK.

USL LIVESTREAM

Princeton degree completed, Thomas Sanner is back with WFC2 and looking to add “another physical presence up top” – AFTN
Thomas Sanner has had a long wait to make his professional debut with Vancouver Whitecaps. Sanner was a second round selection by the Whitecaps in this year’s MLS SuperDraft, going 36th overall. Signed with a view to playing in the USL with WFC2, the rookie spent some time in the ‘Caps MLS preseason camp before training and playing some friendlies with the USL side.

Louisville City vs FC Cincinnati: An Eastern Conference Showdown – Indomitable City Soccer
We’re in for a show with this Saturday’s USL Game of the Week. The top Eastern Conference clubs are meeting in a clash of an unstoppable force and an immovable object.

Match Preview: Toronto FC II Take On The Charleston Battery – Toronto FC
The Young Reds will be back at home after a two game road trip as they host the Charleston Battery on Sunday evening.

Perry Van Der Beck Named USL VP of Competition and Operations – Empire of Soccer
USL has announced that former player, coach and and administrator Perry Van Der Beck will now serve as Vice President of Competition and Operations.

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WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS

Women’s Champions League qualifying round draw – UEFA
The qualifying draw has been made, with the first Kosovan entrants in any European competition, Hajvalia, travelling to Cyprus for a group containing sole 16-time entrants KÍ Klaksvík.

Harris, Spencer heroics keep Pride perfect at home – Equalizer
Jasmyne Spencer’s dramatic, stoppage-time goal kept the Orlando Pride perfect at home on the wings of a 1-0 victory over the Houston Dash. The winner came moments after Ashlyn Harris made two remarkable saves to keep the Dash off the scoreboard.

Lloyd, Rapinoe return to USWNT as Ellis prepares for final decisions – Empire of Soccer
With time dwindling before the Rio Summer Olympic Games, coach Jill Ellis is in the final countdown before she names her 18-player roster for the United States squad.

U.S. soccer’s Megan Rapinoe isn’t backing down – San Francisco Chronicle
If you like your athletes milquetoast and quiet, unwilling to venture into hot-button issues, Megan Rapinoe is probably not the athlete for you. One of the stars of the U.S. women’s soccer team, Rapinoe is not afraid to speak her mind, be authentic, and fight for causes she believes in. On Thursday, she was in San Francisco, where she was named an ambassador for streetfootballworld, an organization that uses soccer as a unifying force to inspire change.

Portland Thorns’ fan support stands alone in women’s soccer – Oregon Live
It was a cold and overcast day in April 2013, but that didn’t deter 16,479 zealous women’s soccer fans from walking through the turnstiles at then-Jeld-Wen Field to watch the Portland Thorns beat the Seattle Reign 2-1 in their inaugural National Women’s Soccer League home opener.

Sky Blue’s Rodriguez nominated for ESPY award – Empire of Soccer
The collegiate honors for Sky Blue FC midfielder Raquel “Rocky” Rodriguez may not be done. The first-round 2016 draft pick has officially been named a finalist for the ESPY Award for Best Female College Athlete of the Year.

The rise, fall, and rise of the Western New York Flash – Excelle Sports
At their height, the Flash were winning leagues even if the women’s soccer climate necessitated playing a different one almost every year. They were also a popular draw at Sahlen’s Stadium thanks to global star Marta in 2011 and local icon Abby Wambach in 2013 and 2014.

WSL 1 – Week Six Preview: Huge relegation clash in thrilling week of action – Vavel
With the mid-season break now over, the FA Women’s Super League 1 returns for its sixth week of action. There are plenty of mid-table clashes to watch out for this week as well as a pretty big relegation scrap. Here’s the scoop on this week’s upcoming matches.

Westfield Matildas to face Brazil in lead up to Rio Games – Football Australia
The Westfield Matildas’ preparations for the Rio Games have been bolstered with confirmation they will play an international match against 8th world ranked Brazil on 23 July in Fortaleza.

Kashmir’s first woman football coach dribbles past gender barriers – Hindustan Times
The first woman soccer coach and referee from Kashmir, Nighat wears her passion for the game and devotion to one of the game’s biggest stars — Cristiano Ronaldo, or CR7 — loud and clear, with JJ7 emblazoned on her jersey. JJ7 is her three-month-old football club and she is training the players for a B-division tournament planned after Eid. And yes, JJ is short for Jiya Jaan, the name Nighat is called by at home.

2016 COPA AMERICA CENTENARIO

FINAL

ARGENTINA vs. CHILE

SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 5:00 PM

MET LIFE STADIUM, EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ.

TV: PAY PER VIEW (ENGLISH & HD), UNIVISION CANADA (SPANISH)

VIDEO: Will Lionel Messi finally lift an international trophy? | Club & Country – MLS
MLSsoccer.com’s Russ Thaler and Calen Carr preview the final two matches Copa America Centenario, where we’ll see USA vs. Colombia play the third-place game as well as the rematch from the 2015 Copa America final: Argentina vs Chile.

Lionel Messi has nothing to prove for Argentina – Sergio Romero – ESPN FC
Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero says it is good for his team that birthday boy Lionel Messi still has records yet to break, while Carlos Tevez says his erstwhile teammates deserve to win Sunday’s Copa America Centenario final against Chile.

Centenario edition is most successful Copa America in history – LA Times
With two games still to play, the Copa America Centenario is already the most successful edition of the world’s oldest international soccer tournament, having smashed records for attendance, television viewership, digital and social media engagement and revenue.

Osorio to remain in charge of Mexico despite Copa America ‘failure’ – SBI
Juan Carlos Osorio watched helplessly from the bench as his team was thrashed, 7-0, by Chile in the Copa America quarterfinals. Now, the Mexico national team manager will be charged with pushing his team out from the wreckage of that defeat.

COPA AMERICA 2016 Photos: Argentina 3, Bolivia 0, June 14, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Bill Currie’s exclusive photos from the Copa America Centenario in Seattle for BC Soccer Web.

COPA AMERICA 2016 PHOTOS: USA 2, Ecuador 1, June 16, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Bill Currie’s exclusive photos from the Copa America Centenario in Seattle for BC Soccer Web.

COPA AMERICA 2016 PHOTOS: Peru 1, Haiti 0, June 4, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Bill Currie’s exclusive photos from the Copa America Centenario in Seattle for BC Soccer Web.

TSN’s Euro 2016 TV Schedule – TSN
The most up to date resource for upcoming Euro 2016 Matches on TSN.

Chaos, caution and fairytales – is Euro 2016 about to catch fire? – The Guardian
By fluke rather than a questionable format Uefa has ended up with a mouth-watering knockout stage that could yet paper over the tournament’s cracks

Lenarduzzi: Euro knockout stage starts Saturday with three games – Vancouver Sun
The knockout stage of Euro 2016 begins Saturday with three games. The early match has Switzerland against Poland., with the Poles still waiting for star striker Robert Lewandowski to find the net. The noon match features Croatia, who were surprising winners over Spain, versus Portugal, which is the only team still in the competition yet to record a win.

Portugal await as Croatia leave troubles at home to play their best football in years – The Guardian
With a deep – and deeply worrying – divide back home that transcends football, Anto Cacic has forged a team full of outstanding individuals with a clear strategy, playing to its strengths

Deschamps unlikely to change France favourites for Ireland game – Yahoo Sports
A brilliant opening half in France’s final group game at Euro 2016 is unlikely to persuade Didier Deschamps to reshuffle his favourite midfield for their last 16 clash against Ireland on Sunday.

Germany’s Jerome Boateng backed to be fit vs. Slovakia by Manuel Neuer – ESPN FC
Boateng was withdrawn with calf problems in Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat of Northern Ireland and is facing a race against time to return to full fitness for Germany’s meeting with Slovakia in Lille.

France v Republic of Ireland: Long not on Henry revenge mission – Four Four Two
“The Henry handball will not be on our mind” – Shane Long says payback not a factor for Republic of Ireland when they face France.

Euro 2016: Stephen Ward a fitness concern for Republic’s game against France – BBC Sport
Republic of Ireland full-back Stephen Ward is a fitness doubt for Sunday’s Euro 2016 game against France but Jonathan Walters may return to action.

UEFA’s Collina wants keepers to stay on line for penalties – Sportsnet
Goalkeepers who leave their goal-line early to save a penalty should get a yellow card and the kick should be retaken, UEFA’s head of referees said Friday.

Emotional moments what Euro 2016 experience is all about – Toronto Sun
That Ireland assistant Roy Keane couldn’t escape the emotional peaks here at Euro 2016 attests to why this tournament is one of the great sporting events on the planet.

Brexit referendum: How football and the Premier League will be hit by Britain leaving the EU – EuroSport
The people of Britain have voted to leave the European Union by a margin of 52%-48%, throwing the world into turmoil – and football will not escape unscathed.

EU referendum: Brexit could have ‘big effect’ on football – BBC News
British football could be radically changed if the UK votes to leave the European Union, according to experts and leading voices in the game.

Premier League confident Brexit will not diminish its success – Goal
Britain’s impending exit from the European Union will not affect the global appeal of the Premier League, the body said in a statement.

Brexit: British clubs could suffer in transfer window, warns sports expert – BBC Sport
British football clubs could find it more difficult to buy summer targets after the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, an expert has warned.

Brexit vote mirrors the power of football to unite, or divide – ESPN FC
Apparently there is only so much unity that something like 52 percent of the British populace can take. The result was already sending shockwaves through France, where it can seem as though nobody cares about anything, so it must be a really big deal. A friend of mine here had joked that the Remain side would win if only because so many of the Leave side were here watching football. Turns out more than enough of the Leave side had stayed home.

Betting sites list Klinsmann as favorite for Southampton job – SBI
Jurgen Klinsmann still has plenty of work to do with the U.S. Men’s National Team, but betting sites across the Atlantic see the German-born head coach as an surprisingly favored candidate for a Premier League job.

Manuel Pellegrini snub could be a costly mistake for Southampton – ESPN FC
It is a measure of how far Southampton have come in a relatively short space of time that they believe they can afford to turn their backs on a coach of the calibre of Manuel Pellegrini as they look to fill their vacant managerial position.

Russia After Euro 2016 – The Way Forward – Futbolgrad
It has now been four days since Russia was officially eliminated from Euro 2016 after a 3:0 defeat to Wales. Right after the final whistle, Russia’s manager, Leonid Slutsky, announced that he would no longer lead the Sbornaya (as Russia’s national team is often called).

African Zone World Cup Qualifying Groups Draw – African Football
The draw for the African zone of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup was staged by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) at Marriot Hotel in Cairo, Egypt on Friday.

Numerous Nice players suspended for betting on Ligue 1 matches – Sportsnet
Players from French first-division club Nice have been suspended and fined for betting on French league games.

Montagliani, Gulati and Infantino manoeuvre Caribbean into submission – Inside World Football
Manipulation of football administration in the Caribbean is nothing new. But in a region desperate to shake off the long shadows of former presidents Jack Warner and Jeff Webb, the old ways of operating seem to be alive and kicking. They may have even taken a turn for the worse with regional confederation CONCACAF stepping into the game with the support of FIFA and its new president Gianni Infantino.