Add BC Soccer Web to your Browser Favourites! (Press CTRL + D)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015 – DAY 1
High hopes and dreams of destiny – FIFA
In the 16th century, French explorer Jacques Cartier set out across the ocean on a pioneering adventure that would culminate in the triumphant discovery of the land known today as Canada. Nearly 500 years later, 24 football teams from all over the globe will soon begin their own journey of discovery and potential glory in North America, at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™.
Canada’s Scott learning to be more than ‘The Destroyer’ – The Province
Desiree ‘The Destroyer’ Scott wants to be known as a distributor, too. Canada’s tenacious 5-foot-2 defensive midfielder from Winnipeg made a name for herself at the 2012 London Olympics. She was a pain to play against. She gave Canada a crucial defensive platform to build from.
Amid injuries, Herdman not tipping lineup for opener – The Equalizer
Canada held a training session at Edmonton Soccer Complex on Thursday afternoon just as thunderstorms rolled in. Diana Matheson did light training on the side with fellow recovering players Rhian Wilkinson, and Marie-Eve Nault. If neither Wilkinson nor Nault are able to play in Saturday’s opener against China it is expected that Josee Belanger will start at right-back.
Team Canada players young and old calm as Women’s World Cup approaches – Vancouver Sun
The elements were agitated Thursday afternoon as Team Canada conducted its first practice here — thick clouds forming a black fist as they scudded past; angry winds whipping the bunting off the fencing. Were the nerves of the players at all shaken or stirred as opening day of the 2015 Women’s World Cup on Saturday approaches?
World Cup LeBlanc’s last hurrah – Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows News
LeBlanc said ultimately the decision to play her final games in a Team Canada jersey was based on the chance to say goodbye, right where it all started.
20 Questions with Canadian goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc – National Post
Karina LeBlanc had a cough, and the sniffles, and a raspy voice. It was a cold, and it was a bad time for a cold. She had appointments in the morning, soccer practice in the afternoon and the final international tournament of her career only a few days away.
Olympic heartbreak drives Erin McLeod as World Cup set to begin – North Shore News
North Vancouver resident Erin McLeod has never watched a replay of the match that made her a household name in Canada while simultaneously enraging soccer fans across the country.
Burnaby Girls Soccer Club part of Women’s World Cup – Burnaby News Leader
Two players from the Burnaby Girls Soccer Club will be on the sidelines of BC Place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. It’s a chance of a lifetime for the soon to be nine-year-old players who will represent their club among the 50-plus clubs across Canada who have been selected to participate in the FIFA Youth Programme.
Everything you need to know about the Canada women’s national team – MLS
It’s only fitting that the hosts kick things off with the opener on Saturday, June 6 against China (6 pm ET, FOX Sports 1 and Telemundo in USA and CTV in Canada). The only question is whether the home-field advantage can help the Canadians in their quest to make their first World Cup podium.
Will Canada live up to Women’s World Cup hype? – Sportsnet
At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, the Canadian women’s soccer team stole hearts and stole the show, all without reaching the top step of the podium.
FIFA Women’s World Cup: Canada projected as 5th best bet for title – CBC
That’s according to FiveThirtyEight, the Nate Silver-founded polls aggregation site that developed the Soccer Power Index prior to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Silver was a must-read for baseball sabermetric fans during his days with Baseball Prospectus before accurately predicting 100 per cent of the state-by-state electoral college votes in the 2008 United States presidential race.
Vancouver ready to kick off World Cup fan zone – Metro
Thousands of Canada fans draped in red and white (others are welcome, too) will have a place to call home throughout the Women’s World Cup as the City of Vancouver gets ready to open its FIFA Fan Zone on Saturday.
Women’s football stars raring to go – FIFA
The FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ is about to begin. Just like the fans, the players can hardly wait to get the ball rolling after anticipating this moment for the last four years and have spent most of the past 12 months preparing themselves for this global showdown.
Morgan participates in US’ first practice in Canada – The Equalizer
Morgan has not played a competitive match for club or country since April 11 due to a left knee contusion. U.S. coach Jill Ellis said on Saturday that Morgan’s minutes would be limited to start the World Cup due to the amount of time the U.S. striker has missed. The U.S. opens the World Cup on Monday against Australia in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The magic of the Opening Match – FIFA
The Opening Match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ always exudes a special kind of magic, and after four long years of waiting, the footballing world will finally get to see hosts Canada take on China PR on Saturday night. When the referee’s whistle signals the start of the encounter, it will be a sweet sound not just for the 22 players on the pitch, but also fans around the globe who have had to endure four years without the excitement of a World Cup.
How FIFA Has Hurt Women’s Soccer – Vice Sports
The U.S. Women’s National Team wasn’t exactly sad about FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s resignation earlier this week. “Ding dong the witch is dead. Daddy got his hand caught in the cookie jar,” wrote Megan Rapinoe, a midfielder on the U.S. women’s national team, on Twitter. “Hallelujah!” wrote former World Cup winning player Julie Foudy.
Crossing The Line: Goal-line technology set to make its Women’s World Cup debut in Canada – AFTN
It is still used in a very limited amount of games, considering how much football is played around the world each year, but the use of goal-line technology continues to grow all the time. And now it’s come to Canada.
The Official Book of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015. On Sale Now at Amazon.ca
WHITECAPS FC & MLS
Galaxy’s pitch a place of woe for Whitecaps – The Province
The Vancouver Whitecaps have lost three of their last four games. Now for the bad news: They’re in L.A. on Saturday.
From Quebec to California: Whitecaps FC return to action on Saturday against LA Galaxy – Whitecaps FC
After a midweek loss in Montreal, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (7W-6L-2D) visit LA Galaxy (5W-4L-6D) on Saturday for an important Western Conference tilt at the StubHub Center.
Star Map: Since the early days, the LA Galaxy have always built around local talent – LA Galaxy
The five-time MLS Cup champions have made it an annual practice of cultivating the area’s fertile soccer landscape to build a powerhouse that is the envy of its rivals in this country.
MLS assignments – Week 14 – PRO Referees
Ricardo Salazar is the referee for Saturday’s match between the LA Galaxy & Vancouver Whitecaps.
The story of Kekuta Manneh’s ‘really random and funny’ encounter with Mexican striker Chicharito – Whitecaps FC
You never know who you might run into at a coffee shop in Montreal. Just ask Kekuta Manneh. The 20-year-old Vancouver Whitecaps FC forward met popular Mexican striker Chicharito, or Javier Hernandez, on Wednesday in a “really random and funny” encounter in downtown Montreal.
Whitecaps FC launch Sea-to-Sky Academy Centre – Whitecaps FC
ancouver Whitecaps FC announced today the launch of a new Sea-to-Sky Regional Academy Centre to be based in Squamish and in partnership with Squamish Youth Soccer Association (SYSA), Whistler Youth Soccer Club (WYSC), and Pemberton Youth Soccer Association (PYSA).
Find a Team or Find a Player. Get Playing with BC Soccer Web FREE Classifieds
FIFA CORRUPTION CRISIS
Montagliani not thinking of CONCACAF presidency – Goal.com
Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) president Victor Montagliani says he has not given any thought to putting his name forward to become the next president of CONCACAF, nor has anyone from within the confederation approached him regarding the role.
Canada Soccer President grilled over FIFA scandal during WWC pres conference – Vancouver Sun
Canada Soccer president Victor Montagliani got a little testy with the media at the opening press conference for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Vancouver on Thursday.
World Cup could clear FIFA’s ‘dark clouds’: Montagliani – 24 Hours
The head of Canadian soccer said he hopes the Women’s World Cup can be a bright spot for the sport as the scandal enveloping FIFA continues to unfold on the eve of the tournament.
Ongoing FIFA scandal derails opening press conference for 2015 Women’s World Cup in Vancouver – Metro
Even the dullest of knives could’ve cut the tension by the end of Thursday’s opening press conference for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, as wave after wave of questions about the ongoing FIFA scandal rolled upon the dignitaries at the podium.
CSA board member Amelia S. Fouques proposes Canada withdraw from CONCACAF & FIFA – Statement
“Following numerous arrests of members of FIFA and of CONCACAF (which the CSA is still member of) it is urgent that we members of the Canadian Soccer Association Board (CSA) take immediate decisions to ensure best practices of governance and of utmost full transparency are the watchwords of the Association and thus are met.”
Internal bickering at CSA includes board member pushing for withdrawal from FIFA – Yahoo Sports
Criticism of FIFA is certainly well-deserved, but it’s somewhat disturbing that the CSA has a board member who believes a Canadian withdrawal from the organization and attempt to start a new soccer federation would accomplish anything. That “nuclear option” of a renegade federation trying to run its own tournaments has been discussed before, but mostly around UEFA, the powerful European regional federation, and even they were highly unlikely to ever actually take that step.
Report: Germany swung 2006 WC vote with bribes – Sportsnet
This time it’s the 2006 World Cup hosted by Germany, as revealed by English newspaper Daily Mail, who are reporting that ex-German chancellor Gerhard Schroder allegedly sent rocket-propelled grenades to Saudi Arabia in order to persuade them to vote for Germany in 2000.
FIFA Paid Ireland Not to Protest Costly Hand Ball – NY Times
The chief executive of Ireland’s soccer association said Thursday that FIFA had quietly paid compensation to his federation after a controversial hand ball by France’s Thierry Henry prevented Ireland from qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.
Do you follow @bcsoccerweb on Twitter? You should!
BC SOCCER
Sinclair, Team Canada inducted into Hall of Fame – Burnaby News Leader
The BC Sports Hall of Fame inducted the 2012 Canadian Olympic Women’s Soccer team and its B.C. members including Burnaby’s Christine Sinclair at the 47th annual Banquet of Champions on May 28 in Vancouver.
SFU athletic director resigns – Burnaby Now
Simon Fraser University’s senior director of athletics and recreation Milton Richards resigned on Monday after almost four years leading Clan athletics. Richards served as the athletics director at Simon Fraser University since 2011 and was instrumental in leading the university into the NCAA. Simon Fraser is the only school in Canada competing in NCAA.
Surrey schools on the podium at soccer finals – Surrey Leader
Three Surrey schools placed among the top four at the B.C. Senior AAA girls high school soccer championships in Saanichton last weekend.
Seyhawks soar to silver at AA soccer provincials – North Shore News
The Seycove senior girls soccer team scored silver at the AA provincial championships held last weekend in Burnaby, riding a late-season surge all the way to the championship final before ultimately losing to Powell River’s Brooks secondary T-Birds
North Shore squads win Coastal Cup gold – North Shore News
Three North Shore teams won gold in the B.C. Coastal Cup “A” soccer finals held last month in Aldergrove, securing berths in the provincial championships in the process.
Ike MacKay Amongst nine inducted into Victoria Sports Hall of Fame – Victoria News
One of the first Canadian soccer players to play in the UK, MacKay also played professional soccer with the Vancouver Royals and Portland Timbers as well as having nine World Cup appearances, plus Olympic qualifying and Pan American Games play with the Canadian national team.
Soccer star nets President’s Cup – Richmond Review
Richmond soccer sensation Carlita Branion-Calles has received one of the University of Victoria’s highest athletic honours. The President’s Cup is given annually to the outstanding student-athlete in fourth or fifth year who best combines scholastic achievement and athletic ability.
Introducing BC Soccer Web Premium Classified Ads
WORLD OF SOCCER
Can Messi, Neymar and Suarez be stopped by Juventus in UCL final? – ESPN
Of all the individual and collective goal-scoring statistics concerning Barcelona’s front three of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, the most telling figure has barely been mentioned. It’s simple: the proportion of goals scored by Barcelona’s forwards, and it has never been higher.
Barcelona’s historic run has taken Champions League back to its roots – Soccer Gods
Barcelona has thrown the champions of Europe’s finest leagues out of the Champions League one at a time, making its way north to Berlin for Saturday’s final, where it faces the one major league winner it’s yet to topple: Serie A winners Juventus. With five other league winners discarded, the new Spanish champion has already gone on a historic run.
Giorgio Chiellini injury can help Juventus do Italian job on Lionel Messi – The Guardian
The Juve tough guy is a vocal and hard-working leader but his likely replacement Andrea Barzagli is a more technically accomplished defender who may be better equipped to stifle Barcelona’s little maestro in the Champions League final.
Barça-Juve: Five battles in three cities – FIFA
Barcelona and Juventus have contested five ties in four competitions in three cities. Ahead of their sixth showdown, FIFA.com recaps their head-to-head history.
FIFA U20 World Cup: Nightmare for Argentina as hosts dream on – FIFA
The big shock, on a day on which Austria and Ukraine both advanced to the last 16 of the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015, was the elimination of Argentina. Held to a 0-0 draw by the Austrians in Wellington, the six-time champions were condemned to an early exit by the host nation’s 5-1 defeat of Myanmar.
Nairube: Fiji have realised an amazing dream – FIFA
Long-suffering football fans in Fiji are unlikely to forget the date of 4 June 2015 in a hurry. In recording a historic 3-0 success over Honduras in the group stage of New Zealand 2015, the Pacific islanders not only secured their first-ever victory in a FIFA-run tournament, but gave themselves an unexpected chance of reaching the Round of 16.
Breaking the Law: why Fifa should relax its eligibility rules – The Guardian
The latest in our series suggesting revolutionary ways to improve sport focuses on allowing players qualifying for more than one country to switch allegiances after they’ve declared. And then back again, if they so wish.