Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley will join the U.S. U-23 national team, which is aiming to qualify for next summer's Olympic Games, for the team's two-week January training camp in Carson, Calif.Without Donovan and Beasley, the Americans downed St. Kitts & Nevis in the second round of CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying by an aggregate score of 10-0 after receiving a bye in the first round.To qualify for the Olympic tournament, the Americans must finish among the top two at the final-round qualifying tournament Feb. 2-12 in Mexico, where they face Panama, Canada and Honduras in Group A. The top finishers in …

Less than a month after a quarterfinal run in the 2003 World Youth Championship, U.S. U-20 coach Thomas Rongen gets back to work with a new crop of players that begins preparations for qualifying for the 2005 U-20 World Cup.Freddy Adu is the lone holdover from the U-20s that played in the UAE. Arturo Alvarez, who was injured and replaced by Adu at the last minute, is also on the squad.The nucleus of the team consists of players from the U-17 team that reached the quarterfinals of the 2003 Under-17 World Cup.The U-20s will take part in the ODP …

The U.S. under-18 national team, which is formed every two years to begin a four-year cycle that concludes with the World Youth Championship, travels this weekend to the ODP Interregional Event at The Home Depot Center Jan. 2-9.The U-18s will play four matches in six games in their first gathering for the squad in 2004. The U-18s will play three regional teams and the U.S. U-20s during their stay in Carson, Calif.New U.S. U-18 head coach Bob Jenkins has called in 21 players for the event. Most are high school seniors. Also eligible for the 2007 World Youth Championship …

Claudio Reyna played the full 90 minutes for the third straight Manchester City game in eight days as the Blues tied Liverpool, 2-2. Manchester United, with Tim Howard in goal, held on to the Premier league's first-place spot with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.Brad Friedel helped struggling Blackburn to a 1-0 win over Newcastle while fellow keeper Kasey Keller lost with Tottenham for the fourth straight time and slipped into the relegation zone. ENGLAND (Dec. 28)* Claudio Reyna (Manchester City, PL) vs. Liverpool, 2-2. Started: 90 minutes. The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 8. ''Dream Team Star Man: Graft …

North Carolina defender Catherine Reddick, who missed the first half of her senior season while starting on the U.S. backline during the Women's World Cup, was announced Monday as winner of the Honda Award for women's soccer.Reddick, a three-time All-American from Birmingham, Ala., anchored the Tar Heels' backline through six NCAA tournament shutouts and was selected the College Cup's Defensive MVP after Carolina dominated UCLA and Connecticut at the final four to win its 18th national championship.She also was the College Cup Defensive MVP in 2000, her freshman year, when North Carolina won its 17th title.Teammate Lindsay Tarpley, Penn State …

SIGNING FREDDY ADU was a huge victory for MLS. Granted, some of the hyperbole coming out of those initial press conferences was alarming. ''The best young player in the world''? Please. There are at least 10 players his age, with his potential, in Brazil, Argentina, Africa and Europe. Some haven't been discovered yet, others are smartly being kept under wraps. And just because Freddy is advanced at this stage does not mean he will continue to leave the competition behind as he moves to higher levels of the game. But I don't blame the league one bit for …

By all accounts, Landon Donovan's performance at MLS Cup 2003 wasn't his best game. But as he did throughout the playoffs, the 21-year-old San Jose Earthquakes star dominated. The coach and the star both had their hands full at their latest moment of glory. When they stepped onto a stage for the MLS Cup 2003 postgame press conference, Coach Frank Yallop brought along his young son, Jack. Landon Donovan cradled the bottle of champagne from which he'd been taking healthy belts since he and his teammates left the field with a 4-2 victory over an unlucky and unready …

English clubs played a full schedule on Dec. 26 and seven Yanks saw action in the Boxing Day games. Jovan Kirovski, making his second league appearance of the season for Birmingham, came out on top in a clash with Claudio Reyna and Manchester City.Tim Howard was the only other American to celebrate a win, Manchester United downing Everton 3-2 and climbing into first place of the English Premier League. ENGLAND * Tim Howard (Manchester United, PL) vs. Everton, 3-2. Started: 90 minutes. Keeper Howard was victimized by a Gary Neville own goal and scored on by Duncan Ferguson. Manchester United …

For the U.S. national teamÆs first training camp of 2004, Coach Bruce Arena has named a 30-man roster with 27 MLS players. As expected, Arena did not call in the English-based players, whose league does not have a winter break.The camp, which begins on Jan. 4, leads up to the USAÆs friendly against Denmark Jan. 18 at the Home Depot Center 12:30 pm PT/3:30 pm ET (live on ESPN).The three foreign-based players are Wade Barrett (AGF Aarhus/Danish First Division), Cory Gibbs (FC St. Pauli/German Third Division) and Robbie Russell (FC Sogndal, Norwegian First Division).The roster includes nine uncapped players.The most …

U.S. U-20 midfielder Bobby Convey and goalkeeper Steve Cronin were named to the 20-player FIFA World Youth Championship All-Star Team, as selected by the FIFA Technical Study Group.The Thomas Rongen-coached U.S. U-20s, who became the first U.S. team to finish atop their group at a World Youth Championship, fell in the quarterfinals to Argentina, 2-1, in overtime.Convey notched two assists and scored two goals.American Eddie Johnson won the Golden Shoe as leading scorer with four goals. Three were penalty kicks.World Youth Championship FIFA All-Star TeamGOALKEEPERS: Steve Cronin Steve (USA) Sherif Ekramy Sherif (Egypt)DEFENDERS: Alcides (Brazil) Daniel (Brazil) Leandro Fernandez Leandro …

The United States will face the Netherlands in a friendly Feb. 18 in Amsterdam (live on ESPN2, 2:30 pm ET).The Americans and the Dutch have met twice before in friendlies. The Dutch won 2-0 May 19, 2002 in Foxboro, Mass., and won 2-0 Feb. 21, 1998 in Miami.The United States will be looking for its first victory on European soil under Coach Bruce Arena, who has lost in Germany (2002), Italy (2002), Ireland (2002) and Russia (2000).The United States opens its 2004 schedule with a friendly against Denmark Jan. 18 at the Home Depot Center (live on ESPN at 3:30 …

American keepers Tim Howard and Kasey Keller faced off in the English Premier League as Manchester United downed Tottenham Hotspur, 2-1. Both keepers made good saves and neither was faulted on the goals.Manchester City's Claudio Reyna saw his first league action of the month in Monday's 1-1 tied with Leeds United.In the English First Division, Eddie Lewis scored in Preston North End's 5-3 win over Burnley.ENGLAND* Tim Howard (Manchester United, PL) at Tottenham, 2-1. Started: 90 minutes. Howard made a spectacular diving save off a 20-yard rocket from Gus Poyet before being beaten by the Uruguayan in the 63rd minute. …

Rena Richardson, an assistant coach the past three seasons at the University of Alabama, was announced Friday as the University of Tulsa's women's soccer coach.Richardson, 32, spent two seasons in charge of Louisiana-Monroe's program, two seasons as an assistant coach at Texas A&M and three years as head coach at Hardin-Simmons, the first in an interim capacity, before joining the Crimson Tide.The former midfielder played four seasons at Hardin-Simmons, winning two team MVP awards while scoring 36 goals and 20 assists.Damon Gore resigned as the Golden Hurricane's coach following a 5-12-1 campaign in his fifth season as coach. Gore was …

(37 teams in 2004; 26 in 2003)NORTHERN CONFERENCENew England Division Boston Renegades, New Hampshire Lady Phantoms, Rhode Island Lady Stingrays, *Western Mass Lady Pioneers.North Central Division*Montreal, Rochester Ravens, Toronto Inferno, Ottawa Fury, *Sudbury Canadians.Northeast DivisionLong Island Lady Riders, New Jersey Lady Stallions, New Jersey Wildcats, New York Magic, South Jersey Banshees.CENTRAL CONFERENCEAtlantic DivisionAsheville Splash, *Bradenton Athletics, Carolina Dynamo, Charlotte Lady Eagles, Hampton Roads Piranhas, Northern Virginia Majestics, *Richmond. Midwest DivisionCincinnati Ladyhawks, Chicago Cobras, *Cleveland Internationals, Columbus Lady Shooting Stars, *Detroit Jaguars, *Fort Wayne Fever, *West Michigan Edge, Windy City Bluez.WESTERN CONFERENCEArizona Heatwave, *Calgary, Denver Lady Cougars, *Edmonton Aviators, Fort …

(55 teams in 2004; 49 teams in 2003)EASTERN CONFERENCEMid Atlantic Division*Carolina Dynamo, Chesapeake Dragons, Raleigh CASL Elite, Richmond Kickers Future, West Virginia Chaos, Williamsburg Legacy.Northeast DivisionAlbany Blackwatch Highlanders, Brooklyn Knights, Cape Cod Crusaders, Jersey Falcons, *New Jersey Stallions, *Reading Rage, Rhode Island Stingrays, South Jersey Barons, Vermont Voltage.SOUTHERN CONFERENCEMid South DivisionAustin Lightning, *El Paso Patriots, *Las Cruces, Louisiana Outlaw, Memphis Express, Nashville Metros, New Orleans Shell Shockers, Texas Spurs.Southeast Division*Ajax Orlando Prospects, Bradenton Academics, Central Florida Kraze, Cocoa Expos, Palm Beach Pumas.CENTRAL CONFERENCEGreat Lakes Division*Cleveland Internationals, Columbus Shooting Stars, Fort Wayne Fever, Indiana Invaders, Kalamazoo Kingdom, Michigan Bucks, Toledo …