The USA fell to China, 5-4, on penalty kicks Thursday in the semifinals of the Under-20 Women's World Championship in Moscow. Tim Schulz's Americans had a chance to win the shootout, but Notre Dame's Brittany Bock hit the outside of the right post on the fifth U.S. attempt after goalie Val Henderson had stopped the fifth Chinese shooter. With the score tied 4-4, Zhu Wei scored for China, then Lauren Cheney, Henderson's UCLA teammate, fired high and straight at Chinese goalkeeper Zhang Yanru. Outshooting China, 23-5, the USA dominated the game …

Houston's Dwayne De Rosario scored his ninth goal of the season by beating Chicago goalkeeper Zach Thornton with a shot from the halfway line. The incredible strike gave the Dynamo a 2-1 lead, but Chicago came away with a 2-2 tie thanks to Andy Heron's 75th minute penalty kick, awarded for a Brad Davis foul on Chris Armas. De Rosario's strike puts him in position to win a third-straight goal of the year award. ... Bruce Arena's Bulls put on a good show in Kansas City thanks much to Amado Guervara but settled for a 2-2 tie, which keeps them …

A scintillating series of friendlies showcasing many of the world's best players generated excitement but won't change Major League Soccer's reliance on stadiums and sound business practices to flourish.If nothing else, a six-game swing through the United States by Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid vividly demonstrated to MLS officials that their nomenclature needs refining.A ''sellout'' refers to stadiums full, or very nearly so, of paying spectators. Packed to the brim was each facility used during a giddy, glorious 10-day stretch and the occasional empty place merely emphasized the fullness of the section surrounding it.By contrast, rarely - if ever - …

By Ridge MahoneySenior Editor, Soccer AmericaOnly one-third of the MLS season remains after the All-Star break, yet many teams are still riddled with concerns heading into the final phase.Time is running out for the teams chasing playoff spots, and those that do figure to play in the postseason are filing away rough spots in preparation for games that can redeem or ruin what occurred in the regular season.Parity may be the objective of league officials but this season there are more teams further away from .500 than in many past seasons, including last year, when expansion teams Real Salt Lake …

By Ridge MahoneySenior Editor, Soccer AmericaSkipper says Major League Soccer coverage will have a new look in 2007 on ESPN2.Even in a suit and tie, summoned to a press-conference microphone or posing for pictures with the commissioner of a professional league, John Skipper exudes a hang-loose persona quite unlike that normally associated with corporate America.''Nobody ever said taking my picture was a photo opportunity, so I thank you for that,'' joked Skipper upon being informed that photographers attending the MLS All-Star media luncheon at Toyota Park were free to snap away at him and MLS boss Don Garber.Under terms of …

As part of his quest to instill positive team spirit into his squad, England's new coach Steve McClaren took his players on a comedy club field trip prior to its Euro 2008 qualifiers against Andorra and Macedonia. Said Steven Gerrard, ''We went to a comedy place and had a few comedians who were fantastic. They got us giggling and that helps to bring the boys together.''

SOCCER AMERICA MEN'S TEAM OF THE WEEK G Kevin Guppy (Cal State Northridge) D Leone Cruz (SMU) D Dustin Kirby (Ohio State) D Georgios Spanos (St. John's) M Sal Caccavale (American) M Stephen King (Maryland) M Paul Leitelt (Valparaiso) M Trini Gomez (Loyola Marymount) M Mike Videira (Duke) F Brian Ackley (Indiana) F Dane Richards (Clemson)

MLS: Game Summaries (Aug. 30) Aug. 30 in Kansas City Kansas City 2 New York 2. Goals: Sealy 28, Wolff (Burciaga Jr., Victorine) 71; Wolyniec (Guevara) 30, Dunivant (Djorkaeff) 53. Kansas City - Oshoniyi, Groenwald (Zotinca, 74), Garcia (Wahl, 11), Thomas, Burciaga Jr., Zavagnin, Arnaud, Victorine, Sealy, Johnson, van den Bergh (Wolff, 54). New York - Meola, Wynne, Mendes, Parke, Dunivant, Djorkaeff (Henderson, 74), Guevara, O'Rourke, Kovalenko, Buddle (Cila, 46; Jolley, 94+), Wolyniec. Yellow Card: New York - O'Rourke 38. Referee: Marcel Yonan. Att.: 6,103. Aug. 30 in Salt Lake City Real Salt Lake 1 Los Angeles 0. Goal: …

WOMEN'S PLAYER OF THE WEEK M Mami Yamaguchi (Florida State) WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE WEEK G Alison Whitworth (Auburn) D Lauren Leslie (San Diego State) D Alivia Mazura (California) M Paige Carmichael (Texas A&M) M Sarah Dwyer (Penn State) M Emily Maynard (Maryland) M Mami Yamaguchi (Florida State) F Kiki Bosio (Santa Clara) F Ashley Hamblin …

Florida State’s Mami Yamaguchi was selected as the Soccer America Women’s Player of the Week after scoring the game-winning goal in the Seminoles’ 2-1 win over defending champion Portland on Sunday.   The goal by Yamaguchi, a Japanese international, completed Florida State’s comeback from a 1-0 halftime deficit and helped end Portland’s 26-game unbeaten streak.  The sophomore midfielder collected a long throw-in, fired a shot that was deflected, then collected her own rebound and beat Pilot goalie Cori Alexander for the goal.

SMU defender Leone Cruz won't quickly forget his college debut. The defender from Round Rock, Texas, is the Soccer America Men's Player of the Week after scoring both game-winning goals in the No. 2 Mustangs' 1-0 victories over Wisconsin and then-ranked Wisconsin-Milwaukee at Tulsa's Great Western Downtown Plaza/Golden Hurricane Classic. Cruz, who played for FC Texas, came off the bench to connect from 20 yards in overtime against Wisconsin and from 10 yards in the 84th minute against Wisconsin-Milwaukee. …

Hannover 96, for which American Steve Cherundolo starts at right back and serves as vice captain, became the first Bundesliga club to discard its coach in the 2006-07 season. After Hannover lost its first three games by a combined score of 11-2, the club accepted Peter Neururer's resignation. Hannover's next coach will be the Cherundolo's eighth since the 27-year-old Californian joined the German club in January of 1999. ... In Belgium, Standard Liege coach Johan Boskamp was sacked after four games, from which the team that has American Oguchi Onyewu on the backline earned just two points. Standard Liege …

With the MLS season winding down, playoff hopes remain for all 12 teams, but Columbus' chances look dim and if it fails to catapult itself into the top four of the East Conference it will miss the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Also in danger of repeat failure are Kansas City, Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA. Teams that missed the playoffs in successive seasons: San Jose Season (Coach) 1997 Laurie Calloway (15 games); Brian Quinn (17). 1998 Brian Quinn. 1999 Brian Quinn (27), Jorge Espinoza (2), Lothar Osiander (3). 2000 Lothar Osiander. D.C. United Season (Coach) 2000 …

Texas A&M shattered the NCAA women's attendance record for a non-NCAA Tournament game when it drew 8,204 fans Friday night for the Aggies' 1-0 victory over North Carolina. The Aggies or Tar Heels have played in the games drawing nine of the 10 largest crowds. The 1999 Big East game between UConn and Syracuse that ranks No. 3 on the list was part of a men's and women's doubleheader.CROWD TEAMS (YEAR)8,204 Texas A&M-North Carolina (2006)6,527 Navy-North Carolina (2003)6,070 Connecticut-Syracuse (1999)6,024 North Carolina-Notre Dame (1998)5,596 Portland-North Carolina (1992)5,514 North Carolina-Santa Clara at Duke (1999)5,447 Texas A&M-Stephen F. Austin (2005)5,384 Texas …

No. 1 Ft. Lewis opened the defense of its NCAA Division II men's title with a 4-0 victory over No. 4 SIU-Edwardsville in Denver. Star John Cunliffe scored one goal and set up freshman David Barden for the second of his two goals. Barden's goals came after the Cougars had players sent off in the 59th and 66th minutes.Several clashes between top 10 NAIA women's teams took place on the opening weekend. Two days after returning from a 16-day trip to Africa, No. 3 Westmont headed to Portland, Ore., to play at the Cavalier Holiday Inn Classic, where it beat …