The U.S. boys' U-17 national team drew 0-0 against Jamaica on Feb. 28 to finish second in the 1999 CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament held in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The U-17s will now play El Salvador in May in a home-and-away playoff series for the third and final CONCACAF berth in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship. The USA will play in El Salvador for the first match of the playoff series on May 9. The second match will be played on either May 21, 22 or 23 in the United States at a site yet to be determined. Landon Donovan, the …

The U.S. women's national team earned a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Finland on a hot, windy day at the University of Tampa's Pepin/Rood Stadium as defender Joy Fawcett and forward Mia Hamm set up each other for the USA scores. The USA dominated possession and did well to maneuver through the packed Finland defense to out-shoot the Europeans 25-1 for the match. Still, it took a set play to get the first goal as the Americans scored off a corner-kick in the 29th minute. Hamm drove her cross to the near post where Fawcett met the ball off a slashing …

The following is a Feb. 26 statement released by Dane H. Butswinkas of the Washington, D.C. law firm of Williams & Connolly concerning Debbie Keller's demand for arbitration with respect to her exclusion from the U.S. women's national team resideny camp: "This afternoon, Williams & Connolly instituted legal action on Ms. Keller's behalf with the American Arbitration Association against the United States Soccer Federation. Ms. Keller seeks arbitration pursuant to the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act for the Federation's failure to include Ms. Keller as one of the 26 regular members of the 1999 Women's National Team Residency …

The following is a statement from U.S. Soccer: "Today, the law firm of Williams & Connolly filed an action on behalf of ,Debbie Keller, a member of U.S. Soccer's Women's National Team player pool, challenging U.S. Soccer's decision to invite other players into its residency training program. Ms. Keller's attorneys have alleged that her absence from this program is the result of discrimination and retaliation. Nothing could be further from the truth. U.S. Soccer Proudly Supports Women's Soccer "U.S. Soccer is proud of its accomplishments and continuing efforts to promote women's soccer. U.S. Soccer is committed to women's soccer and …

Clint Nurnberg Springfield, Mo. Would you please explain what the MLS "discovery" periods are (international and domestic), the definition of a discovery player and how it all affects a team's roster and salary cap concerns? Pete Bailey: Each MLS team is allowed to designate two discovery players per year. A player qualifies as a discovery player if he is not currently under contract to MLS and is generally not on the league's active scouting, projected player or draft lists. There is a specific dollar amount that teams cannot exceed in order to obtain their discovery players. Discovery players have ranged …

The U.S. U-17 national team struck with two first-half goals to defeat Honduras, 3-0, in CONCACAF U-17 qualifying Feb. 26 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The U.S., unbeaten in its last nine international matches, dictated the tempo from the beginning, pressuring Honduras all over the field and taking advantage of their team speed on the flanks and up front. "We did a much better job dealing with the weather today, keeping possession, pressuring and letting the ball do the work," said U.S. coach John Ellinger. "We finished our chances today and the team really stepped it up and controlled the game." …

U.S. coach Tony DiCicco announced in a Feb. 25 conference call that former University of North Carolina star Debbie Keller, along with Portland alum Justi Baumgardt, will be added to the U.S. national team residency camp in Orlando, Fla., as floaters, or temporary players. Keller, whose lawsuit against North Carolina coach Anson Dorrance, the university and current and former UNC employees awaits trial in federal court, had decided earlier in February to seek arbitration to determine her status with the national team. Floaters currently in U.S. camp are Notre Dame players LaKeysia Beene, a goalkeeper, and Jen Streiffer, a midfielder.

The Tampa Bay Mutiny has signed midfielder Cesar Alvarado as a discovery player for the 1999 MLS season. Alvarado, 20, has been with the club on a trial basis since near the end of the 1998 regular season and impressed Mutiny head coach Tim Hankinson with his ability and tenacity. "Cesar Alvarado is an outstanding young player," said Hankinson. "We have had an opportunity to observe him for quite some time and are impressed with not only his ability but his knowledge of the game and his dedication towards making himself better. He has the potential to be a top-flight …

If you are a fan, player, college coach, high school coach, referee or youth soccer administrator, you have something in common with Sunil Gulati. While a high-school player, Gulati earned pocket money refereeing. He coached at Bucknell University, and made $600 the year he coached a New York high school. Otherwise, he spent his adult life, until 1992, as the game's most effective volunteer. His first administrative duties came with the Cheshire Soccer Club in Connecticut -- he was still a teenager -- and then he served the state's select team program at age 21 before moving on to regional …

The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup not only carries the significance of nations playing for soccer's ultimate prize, but the tournament will take on the added importance of serving as qualification for the women's soccer competition at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. The most simple scenario for Olympic qualification is if the eight quarterfinalist teams in this year's Women's World Cup include Olympic host Australia, then all eight qualify for the Olympics. If Australia does not make the quarterfinals, then the best three losing quarterfinalists will advance to the Olympics along with the four winners, leaving a spot open …

Women's soccer got a glimpse into the future as the U.S. women's national team, featuring a lineup of primarily young players, defeated Finland, 3-1, at the Seminole County Sports Training Center in a closed-door match on Feb. 24. U.S. coach Tony DiCicco will bring his veterans for the rematch Feb. 27 at the University of Tampa. Kickoff is 4 p.m. ET, with the match to be aired live on espn2. Six players earned their first cap with the national team, while two scored their first international goals, as the USA built a 3-0 lead before allowing a late goal for …

The Colorado Rapids have acquired goalkeeper Ian Feuer from the New England Revolution in exchange for future considerations. Feuer, 27, started 26 games for the Revolution last season after joining the MLS club prior to 1998 from Luton Town of England's Second Division. At 6'6", Feuer is the tallest player in MLS history. He became available after Revolution head coach and former Italian international goalkeeper Walter Zenga announced that he would serve as the team's player-coach in 1999. Rapids coach Glenn Myernick said that the acquisition gives him unprecedented depth at the goalkeeper position. "I am thrilled to have the …

The U.S. boys' U-17 national team opened the 1999 CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament with a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica in Montego Bay, Jamaica at Jarrett Park Stadium. "You can play in all these tournaments and prepare all you want but until you actually set foot in a CONCACAF competition you don't feel the pressure of having to win and our team felt the pressure today for the first time," said U.S. coach John Ellinger. "Of course we would have liked a win but a tie is a positive result and now we will prepare for Honduras." The U.S. came out …

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The MetroStars have acquired Costa Rican international midfielder Roy Myers, team vice president and general manager Charlie Stillitano announced Feb. 24. Myers, 29, has made 35 full international appearances for his national team and made his World Cup debut in Italy in 1990 as a 19-year-old under current MetroStars Head Coach Bora Milutinovic. Costa Rica made a splash by advancing to the second round in a group that also included Brazil, Sweden and Scotland. A native of Limon, Myers has over 13 years of first division soccer experience in Costa Rica, Uruguay and Mexico. He made his professional debut as …