BC Soccer News, Weekend, May 12-14

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

 HOUSTON DYNAMO vs. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

MLS MATCHDAY #10

FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2017, 6:00 PM

BBVA COMPASS STADIUM, HOUSTON, TX.

TV: TSN 1  RADIO: TSN 1410  ONLINE: TSN GO

‘Caps set sights on third straight win Friday night in Houston – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC will look to make it three straight wins on Friday night when they visit the new-look Houston Dynamo to conclude a four-match road trip.

Houston Dynamo vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2017 MLS Match Preview – MLS
Winning on the road is never an easy thing to do in MLS. Winning on the road in consecutive weeks is something you almost never see. Winning three road games over three weekends seems almost impossible. Still, this is a feat that Vancouver Whitecaps FC will try to accomplish when they visit the Houston Dynamo on Friday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Dynamo the next test on Whitecaps’ path to redemption – Sportsnet
One of the more enjoyable aspects of Major League Soccer is its never-ending capacity for surprise. The league’s parity makes for unpredictable seasons: a team might be thrilling one year and terrible the next, or they could disappoint but bounce back quickly the next season.

Match Preview: Houston Dynamo v Vancouver Whitecaps – AFTN
The smash and grab is always a good away plan, and so far it seems the Whitecaps have been finding a good rhythm with the switch to a 4-1-4-1, no matter if they are getting possession (as in Montreal) or looking for a counter (like in Colorado). Its seems the pieces we have right now fit this formation well.

Know Your Opponent: Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo wrap up a two-game home stand this Friday night at 8 p.m. against Western Conference foes Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Both teams are sitting above the red line in the West, as Vancouver carries a 4-4-1 record (13 points) and a two-game winning streak into BBVA Compass Stadium.

Christian Bolaños enjoying stability of Whitecaps line-up, feels “key” to their success – AFTN
Three away games, three unchanged starting line-ups, two victories. What was looking like a gruelling four game road stretch that would perhaps reap few rewards for Vancouver Whitecaps, has turned into a run that could shape how the team looks for the rest of the season.

Painting a fair picture of Caps’ midfielder isn’t Brek and white – The Province
Brek Shea has always resisted the quick and easy characterization. On this day he isn’t especially keen on pulling back the curtain to reveal the inner workings of his restless imagination.

MLS Week 11: Three Games to Watch – Soccer America
With the domestic transfer window closed, MLS teams can only sign out-of-contract players until the secondary window opens in early July. By then, the Gold Cup will be underway and many teams will have also lost players during the FIFA international fixture interval in early June. For a couple of weeks, teams can go with what they’ve got and in addition to the usual diet of weekend games there’s another busy Wednesday next week during which 10 teams will play.

Earthquakes riding boosted confidence into latest road trip – SBI
In a young season that has already seen some ups and downs, the San Jose Earthquakes are in the midst of another high, and head into the weekend confident this one will last longer than the last one.

Impact brass hopes Blerim Dzemaili can put club on winning path – Montreal Gazette
The Impact officially introduced Dzemaili during a news conference Thursday morning at Centre Nutrilait. The 31-year-old was originally expected to join the Impact in July on loan from Italian Serie A club Bologna FC, but the process was speeded up so Dzemaili could come to Montreal before the MLS primary transfer window closed this month. With four games remaining in the Serie A season, Bologna has already avoided relegation.

TFC’s start about more than just superstars – Toronto FC
Nothing defines Toronto FC’s depth better than the contributions throughout this season from players up and down the roster — some of which were non-factors just a month ago.

LA Galaxy place Robbie Rogers on Season Ending Injury list – MLS
The LA Galaxy placed defender Robbie Rogers on their Season Ending Injury (SEI) list on Thursday, a consequence of Rogers’ offseason surgery to repair nerve damage in his left ankle.

League rescinds Alonso yellow, suspends Delem following case of ‘mistaken identity’ – SBI
The Seattle Sounders will be without Jordy Delem when they take on the Chicago Fire this weekend thanks to a mixup in their last match.

Portland City Council supports Timbers’ planned Providence Park expansion – MLS
The Portland City Council unanimously voted on Wednesday to approve supporting the Timbers’ proposed $50 million expansion that would add 4,000 seats to Providence Park.

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 results from the weekend’s games in the BC Provincial Cups.

Rovers ready for Swangard debut – Burnaby Now
With two games under their belts, the TSS Rovers will be battling butterflies of a different kind tonight (Friday, 7 p.m.) when they host Lane United at Swangard Stadium.

The only way is up for TSS Rovers after points deduction and tough start on the road  – AFTN
It’s been an eventful first week in the PDL for TSS FC Rovers. There’s a lot of ways the team could have envisaged their first competitive week playing out, but ending it bottom of the table with a minus points total wouldn’t have been one of them.

Battle scars can’t slow John Kasper, UFV Cascades welcome a soccer survivor – Varsity Letters
Fraser Valley Cascades head coach Tom Lowndes watches his new recruit, one he calls “A face for the future of the program.” He is, of course, talking about John Kasper, who over the three-and-a-half cancer-free years following his surgery has indeed got right back on his horse.

Brienna Shaw to bolster ‘Birds backline in 2017 – UBC
Brienna Shaw, a two-time CIS champion with the Queen’s Gaels, will utilize her fifth year of U SPORTS eligibility with the UBC Thunderbirds. Shaw is one of the most decorated female soccer players to ever lace up boots in the OUA, being named conference All-Star four times and helping the Gaels to consecutive CIS (now U SPORTS) championships in 2010 and 2011.

Richmond teams win Coastal titles – Richmond News
Richmond F.C. proved to be the road warriors en route to being crowned B.C. Soccer’s Coastal “A” Cup champions. The Metro Selects League girls side capped off a marvellous month with a 3-2 win in penalty kicks over the Upper Vancouver Island Tide last Saturday in Aldergrove.

Travis Selje to be honoured and remembered at Whitecaps home match with Sporting KC – AFTN
Everyone present is being asked to take part in a minute’s applause when the match hits 35:00. Number 35 was Travis’ jersey number, with the number holding special meaning to him and his family as it was also his birthday – March 5th.

UBC, Ottawa, Laval and Alberta to host U SPORTS soccer and volleyball championships in 2018-19 – USports
It will mark the sixth time UBC will welcome the nation’s best in U SPORTS men’s soccer, having last hosted the tournament in 2007. The Thunderbirds last won the Sam Davidson Memorial Trophy in 2013, the team’s 13th title and second straight.

Donaldson, Popadynetz To Play High Level Soccer This Summer – TRU Wolfpack
Two of the top players on the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men’s soccer team are getting the chance to improve their skills at a high level this summer.

The Mid-Isle Mariners will be a young team in transition during this PCSL season – Nanaimo News Now
The Pacific Coast Soccer League season is just around the corner for the Mid-Isle Mariners.

1933 Chinese Students soccer team honoured in Asian Heritage Month – RCI
The Chinese Students’ Soccer Team was formed in Vancouver in 1920 and its success provided hope and inspiration at a time of discrimination against the Chinese community in Canada. The team is one of a list of “Notable Canadians of Asian heritage” compiled by the Canadian government for Asian Heritage Month.

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

Pro soccer in Saskatoon? Ownership group explores its options – Star-Phoenix
Lee Genier helped sparked a lacrosse-stick boom in Saskatoon. He figures there’s room here for professional soccer, too. Genier, who left his post as Saskatchewan Rush president in February, was light on details Wednesday — but he did confirm he’s part of a group seeking to bring a Canadian Premier League team to Saskatchewan.

Halifax’s bid for pro soccer team inches closer – Chronicle Herald
The Canadian Premier League is finally a go. Now all that’s left is for Halifax to secure its team. In a unanimous decision by board members, Canada Soccer approved the membership approval and pursuit of the Canadian Premier League — the country’s own professional domestic division — last weekend to “further grow the game” in the country.

Toronto FC to face off against Ottawa Fury FC in Canadian Championship – MLS
Ottawa Fury FC defeated FC Edmonton on Wednesday night, ensuring their place in the semifinals of the Canadian Championship and a date with Toronto. Ottawa beat Edmonton 3-2 on the road thanks to an opener just 40 seconds in from Sito Seoane and two from Steevan dos Santos. Fury FC beat the Eddies 4-2 on aggregate after taking the first leg at home 1-0.

Dundee gaffer McCann backs Haber to keep up scoring run – Evening Telegraph
Dundee interim boss Neil McCann is backing Marcus Haber to continue his scoring run — if his supply is kept up.

Ottawa Fury and the Canadian Premier League – Northern Starting XI
The Canadian Soccer Association announced last weekend that they had unanimously sanctioned the Canadian Premier League and hope to begin play following the 2018 World Cup. While it is generally understood that the three Canadian MLS sides and their USL counterparts will not be taking part in the CPL, there does remain many questions around FC Edmonton and Ottawa Fury’s potential participation in the nation’s domestic league.

KW United Rushes to Prepare for the Season – Northern Starting XI
KW United has their work cut out for them in the 2017 season. Their players began to arrive a week before their first game; some are still arriving, and some will not arrive until after KW United has faced off against one of the toughest teams in the league, the Michigan Bucks.

Ontario Soccer Webinar – Player Development – Why kids quit sports – YouTube
A lot of things are changing in the youth soccer world, but one thing has remained sadly consistent: Soccer loses 70 per cent of youth players by the age of 13.

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

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE

WFC2  vs. COLORADO SPRINGS SWITCHBACKS FC

SUNDAY, MAY 14, 3:00 PM

BUY TICKETS

THUNDERBIRD STADIUM, VANCOUVER, BC

ONLINE: WHITECAPSFC2.COM

Roughnecks Keep WFC2 at Bay – USL
Ian Svantesson notched a pair of goals, while Juan Pablo Caffa had a goal and assist as Tulsa Roughnecks FC earned a 3-1 victory against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 on Thursday night at ONEOK Field.

Amanda scores first pro goal for WFC2 in 3-1 road loss to Tulsa – Whitecaps FC
18-year-old forward Gloire Amanda scored his first professional goal for Whitecaps FC 2, but former Spanish La Liga attacker Juan Caffa tallied a goal and an assist to lead Tulsa Roughnecks FC to a 3-1 victory on Thursday evening at ONEOK Field.

NASL Sues Strikers’ Owners – Empire of Soccer
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers, a club that is on indefinite hiatus from playing in the North American Soccer League, is being sued by the league.

NASL Announces California Expansion Team – Empire of Soccer
The North American Soccer League announced on Wednesday its first expansion team since surviving a tumultuous off-season that nearly caused it to cease operation. Orange County will be home to the NASL’s second team on the West Coast starting in 2018, following in the path of this year’s newcomer, the San Francisco Deltas.

Toronto FC II to offer glimpse of the future in BMO Field doubleheader – Waking the Red
This Saturday, fans who trek to BMO Field for Toronto FC’s match against Minnesota United at 3pm are invited to stick around for TFC II’s encounter with Bethlehem Steel.

Sounders’ farm team in Tacoma is a big, beautiful goal – News Tribune
Hey, Bleacher Bums: You might want to fetch your faded Hawaiian shirts from the attic. A professional version of the beautiful game could return to Tacoma after 25 years, and that’s a beautiful thing.

Inside Drogba’s road to Phoenix and his role in its promising MLS expansion bid – Fox Sports
When Didier Drogba left Chelsea after eight legendary seasons and signed with a club in Shanghai, his wife and children remained in London. When Drogba then moved to Galatasary in 2013, he did so alone. And when he joined the Montreal Impact two years ago, his family still stayed behind.

USL PHOTOS: WFC2 0 Sacramento Republic FC 0, April 29, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

Birmingham City Ladies eye FA Cup final win at expense of big spenders – The Guardian
When Birmingham City Ladies walk out at Wembley on Saturday they will be confronted by the best elements of their past and by a vision of the future they hope to embrace.

It looks like Mallory Pugh will play for NWSL’s Washington Spirit – Washington Post
Mallory Pugh has yet to formally announce whether she will play in Europe or the National Women’s Soccer League, but all factors favor the NWSL and, more specifically, the Washington Spirit, which has first dibs on the rising U.S. national team star.

NWSL: Barcelona approves plan to launch women’s team  – Soccer America
Barcelona’s board of directors approved a plan to start a team in the NWSL. The goal is to have a team in the 10-team U.S. women’s league in 2018. In a statement, Barcelona said its aim is to promote its name in the United States and strengthen its women’s program.

NWSL: Seattle’s Mathias handed three-game suspension – Soccer America
The NWSL’s Disciplinary Committee suspended Seattle Reign FC defender Merritt Mathias for three matches and fined her an undisclosed amount for an an incident involving Portland’s Emily Sonnett. It’s believed to be the longest suspension handed down after the fact in the league’s five seasons.

Frauen-Bundesliga – Week 20 Review: Freiburg net fifth successive win – Vavel
Having barely drawn breath from Matchday 19, the Frauen-Bundesliga team were all back in midweek action, Wolfsburg able to confirm a top-two finish against Essen and both Potsdam and Munich kept their dreams of the Champions League alive.

Seattle one of three host cities for US Women in Tournament of Nations – GoalWA
U.S. Soccer and the U.S. Women’s National Team today announced that CenturyLink Field is hosting the opening two matches of this summer’s Tournament of Nations, a four-team elite international tournament from July 27-August 3, featuring the U.S. Women’s National Team, Australia, Brazil and Japan.

Division 1 Féminine – Week 21 Preview: Race heats up for Champions League spot – Vavel
After Olympique Lyon were crowned winners of the league following their victory on Monday, Montpellier and PSG look to grab second place to play in 2018’s UEFA Women’s Champions League.

Icons of women’s football history set to grace Edinburgh Festival – FIFA
Over 130 years of women’s football is set to unfold on stage during the prestigious Edinburgh Festival this August, it has been announced, in the shape of theatre production ‘Offside’.

‘Soccer isn’t just for boys’: How a team of girls bucked tradition and won a Spanish league championship – National Post
The ponytailed forward cut through the rain and the defence and drove a low shot past the outstretched arm of the goalkeeper. The pinpoint strike — her 38th of the season — confirmed Andrea Gómez as the top scorer for her championship team. The boys Gómez left in her wake, though, were not the first ones forced to retrieve one of her shots from their net.

Lenarduzzi: John Terry hoping net Premier League title No. 5 with Chelsea – The Province
Chelsea is on the verge of winning the Premier League title, as the Blues need just one more win to raise the trophy. That could come as early as Friday, as Chelsea visits struggling West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns.

Nervy Man United stumbles into Europa League final – Sportsnet
Manchester United survived a late scare against Celta Vigo to stumble into the Europa League final on Thursday, keeping alive its hopes of winning the only major trophy missing from the English club’s collection.

Celta Vigo were ‘infinitely superior’ to Manchester United – Iago Aspas – ESPN FC
Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas has said his side were “infinitely superior” to Manchester United at Old Trafford, despite going out of the Europa League.

Ajax withstands Lyon comeback to reach Europa League final – Sportsnet
Ajax withstood a brilliant comeback from Lyon to reach the Europa League final despite a 3-1 away defeat on Thursday.

Monaco on cusp of Ligue 1 title with LOSC up next – Ligue 1
A win for AS Monaco against LOSC at the Stade Louis II on Sunday would all but assure the principality side a first French top-flight title since 2000.

Slim leads for Atlas and Morelia over Chivas and Xolos  – Prost Amerika
Home teams Monarcas Morelia and Atlas FC picked up slim leads in the first leg matches of the Liga MX 2017 Clausura quarterfinals. Both Morelia and Atlas took 1-0 wins at home against Tijuana Xolos and Chivas Gudalajara respectively. Both teams will now need to travel and close out the series away from home but they both will travel with the comforting thought that any draw in the second leg match will see them through to the semifinals.

Preview: CAF Champions League Group Stage – ESPN FC
The expanded group stage in the African Champions League gets under way this weekend as weary defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns host Saint George from Uganda in Group C on Saturday evening.

Barcelona confirm collaboration with Georgetown University – ESPN FC
Barcelona have confirmed a collaboration agreement with Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. as they continue to seek new ways to grow their brand in the United States.

VIDEO: Plymouth refugees’ football team ‘unites nations’ – BBC
A team of refugees and asylum seekers in Plymouth is breaking down barriers thanks to the common language of football.

FIFA boss Infantino blames spreading of ‘fake news’ for organization woes – Toronto Star
FIFA president Gianni Infantino blamed troublemakers for distorting coverage of his progress in repairing the scandal-battered organization.

The Dictator’s Team – ESPN
Backed by FIFA’s tacit support, Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria has woven soccer into its grisly campaign of oppression, tearing apart a generation of players.