The MetroStars' utterly dismal performance against the Fusion in Lothar Matthaeus' opener brings back memories of the debut of Franz Beckenbauer, Matthaeus' former coach on the German national team and president at Bayern, with the NASL's New York Cosmos 23 years ago. Both made their debut for New York teams in Florida. And both lost. Badly. Few will remember this, but the Cosmos Beckenbauer joined in 1977 weren't a great team. Like the MetroStars, the Cosmos were blown out in their German star's debut, losing the Tampa Bay Rowdies, 4-2, before 45,000 fans in Tampa. The …

April Heinrichs accomplishes what her predecessors failed to do in four attempts Winning the Algarve Cup for the first time wasn't the only thing on April Heinrichs' agenda. Equally as important as the 1-0 victory over Norway in the final was the progress the players have made since their hasty debut against Norway in February, days after ending their strike. Still, the victory was mighty sweet. The Americans beat the archrival Norwegians, who had won both tests in Florida. And they won the prestigious Algarve Cup, played each winter in Portugal's winter resort area, for the first time in five …

Marcus Pelletier San Jose, Calif. In response to Mike Woitalla's field-wear comparison (March 28 Q&A with SA Editor): It is pretty obvious that football is worse on a grass field than soccer. Just look at the MLS fields that share with a college or NFL football team (just about all of them?). Year after year, nearly an entire MLS season goes by with no notable change in field conditions until the football teams start using the fields. Then they turn ratty (or into artificial turf, in New JerseyÆs case). Mike Woitalla: Indeed, Marcus, the evidence keeps piling up. And the …

Major League Soccer is sending a letter to the United States Soccer Federation notifying the sport's governing body of the league's intent to submit an application for a Division I professional women's soccer league. This decision follows the Feb. 15 announcement of intentions by billionaire and Discovery Communications CEO Ted Hendricks to start a women's pro league (WUSA). "MLS believes that the formation of a women's professional soccer league creates a unique opportunity for the entire sport of soccer in the United States," said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. "We are great believers in women's soccer and feel we have the …

March 29 in Quito Ecuador 2 Venezuela 0. Goals: Delgado 17, Aguinaga 50. Ecuador -- Cevallos, De la Cruz, Jacome, Montano, Cagua (Ayovi, 49), Blano=n, Tenorio (Chalß, 73), Aguinaga, Obregon, Graziani (Porozo, 38), Delgado. Venezuela -- Dudamel, Alvarez, Villafraz (Mea Vitali, 62), Becerra, Rey, Urdaneta, Rojas (Arango, 55), Bidoglio, Vera, Casseres, Garcfa (Ochoa, 55). Att.: 50,000. March 29 in Montevideo Uruguay 1 Bolivia 0. Goal: Garcia 26. Uruguay -- Carini, Mendez, Lopez, Montero, Rodriguez, Garcia, Cedres (Olivera, 57), Coelho, O'Neill, Recoba (Poyet, 89), Alonso (Zalayeta, 76). Bolivia -- Fernandez, Rivera, O.Sanchez, Pena, Sandy (Rimba 75), I.Castillo, Justiniano, Cristaldo, Guteirrez (Suarez, …

Need ancillary revenues? Tired of renting? Do it yourself! At least four stadiums are in various stages of planning or discussion by MLS teams. A proposal by the Los Angeles Galaxy to build a soccer complex has caught the most attention. Los Angeles. Philip Anschutz routinely refuses to be interviewed or quoted and has turned down requests from Newsweek, "60 Minutes" and dozens of other media outlets, but to those whom he is most important, he is well known. When he strolled near the team bench at Lockhart Stadium just prior to a preseason exhibition match last February, the Galaxy …

Saturday, April 1 - (4:30 p.m. ET). San Jose Earthquakes at Miami Fusion (Telemundo) Key players out: San Jose: M Wade Barrett (athletic hernia -- IR), M Mauricio Solis (foot fracture -- IR), Ronald Cerritos (El Salvador -- World Cup qualifying); Miami: Martin Machon (Guatemala -- World Cup qualifying). Referee: Noel Kenny. Saturday, April 1 - (7:30 p.m. ET). Chicago Fire at Columbus Crew (FOX Sports Chicago Plus). Key players out: Chicago: F Hristo Stoitchkov (red card suspension), G Zach Thornton (Calf tear); Columbus: M Brian Maisonneuve (ankle infection). Referee: Sandra Hunt. Saturday, April 1 - (8:00 p.m. ET) D.C. …

The roster picked by Coach Bruce Arena for the United StatesÆ April 26 game against Russia in Moscow: Armas, Chris (14 caps) Chicago Fire Berhalter, Gregg (9) Cambuur (Netherlands) Deering, Chad (15) Dallas Burn Fraser, Robin (25) Los Angeles Galaxy Friedel, Brad (64) Liverpool (England) Hejduk, Frankie (24) Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) Jones, Cobi (125) Los Angeles Galaxy Keller, Kasey (39) Rayo Vallecano (Spain) Lewis, Eddie (20) Fulham FC (England) McBride, Brian (39) Columbus Crew Moore, Joe-Max (79) Everton (England) Pope, Eddie (32) D.C. United (MLS) Regis, David (8) FC Metz (France) Reyna, Claudio (70) Glasgow Rangers (Scotland) Sanneh, Tony (6) …

'The league continues to improve on the field' Embarking on his third season as coach of the Chicago Fire, Bob Bradley talks about the signing of Bulgarian superstar Hristo Stoitchkov, offseason speculation that he might become the Olympic team coach and the state of MLS. SOCCER AMERICA: How relieved are you to have the Hristo Stoitchkov situation squared away? BOB BRADLEY: It was something that we worked on for a long time, and, obviously, it was frustrating at times, but I think from all sides, it's a good thing that it worked out. SA: And you didn't have to give …

March 28 in Bogota Colombia 0 Brazil 0. Colombia -- O.Cordoba, Martinez, I.Cordoba, Bermudez, Yepes, Rincon, Dinas, Viveros, Oviedo (Moreno, 75), Angel, Ricard (Maturana, 59). Brazil --Dida, Evanilson, Antonio Carlos, Aldair, Roberto Carlos, Emerson, Ze Roberto, Alex (Ricardinho, 46), Vampeta, Elber (Ronaldo Assis, 68), Jardel (Edilson, 46). Att.: 45,000.

Soccer AmericaÆs MLS Team of the Week from games played March 25-26. Goalkeeper Scott Garlick (1) Tampa Bay Defenders Joseph Addo (1) Tampa Bay Marcelo Balboa (1) Colorado Robin Fraser (1) Los Angeles Greg Vanney (2) Los Angeles Midfielders Chris Henderson (1) Kansas City Khodadad Azizi (1) San Jose Preki (1) Kansas City Forwards Cobi Jones (2) Los Angeles Diego Serna (1) Miami Raul Diaz Arce (2) Tampa Bay ò In parentheses is the number of times a player has been named to the Team of the Week

Participants: MLS Executive Vice President Ivan Gazidis MetroStars Head Coach Octavio Zambrano D.C. United Head defender Jeff Agoos Ivan Gazidis' Opening Comments: "It was another exciting weekend on the field and I think we had some good games. We saw Lothar's debut in Miami, and I know he's disappointed with the result down there. I'm sure that D.C. was also disappointed with the way they played this last weekend so both of those teams will be looking to bounce back against each other this weekend. As many of the media members on the call already know we have expressed an …

U.S. women's national team coach April Heinrichs selected 30 players to train at the U.S. women's Olympic residency camp at the ARCO Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. The camp will run from April 17 to June. Five players from the U.S. World Cup '99 team -- Tisha Venturini, Saskia Webber, Tracy Ducar, Tiffany Roberts and Danielle Fotopoulos -- did not make the cut. Goalkeepers -- Jenni Branam, Siri Mullinix, Briana Scurry, Hope Solo. Defenders -- Brandi Chastain, Joy Fawcett, Michelle French, Nandi Pryce, Carla Overbeck, Christie Pearce, Danielle Slaton, Kate Sobrero. Midfielders -- Michelle Akers, Aleisha Cramer, Lorrie Fair, …

Rick Worthen Edwardsville, Ill. My son's high school varsity soccer team shares the same field as the varsity football team. The football program wants the soccer team to play on another field. They contend the soccer players are harder on the field than they are. I find that hard to believe. Can you shed some light on this? Mike Woitalla: Indeed, Rick, we can shed some light on this. The kind of light that makes grass grow when big fat football players arenÆt blocking the sun. I wonÆt get too scientific about this, because that would make it difficult for …

Klaus Augenthaler captained Bayern Munich when an ambitious young man named Lothar Matthaeus joined the team in 1984. Augenthaler took the 23-year-old midfielder under his wing, but soon noticed that Matthaeus wasn't satisfied being a young soldier. He wanted to be a general. He had his eye on Augenthaler's captain's band. At a team Christmas party, Augenthaler gave each player a gift. When Matthaeus unwrapped his, he found a small toy ship and a note, "In my bathtub, I'm the captain." Matthaeus didn't appreciate the gag, according to Augenthaler. But neither did Matthaeus ever become more adept at hiding his …