By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) Caribbean opposition has occasionally been troublesome for the USA in its World Cup qualifyingcampaigns, and since head coach Jurgen Klinsmann doesn’t take advancement for granted until it happens, he’s summoned a few veterans who aren’t likely to be on the team in2018. If the inclusions of Kyle Beckerman and Chris […]
clint dempsey
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Klinsmann: 'We have a lot of attacking options'
Clint Dempsey and Gyasi Zardes, the USA’s top two contributors in 2016 with seven goals and six assists between them, are out, but U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann sayshis team has plenty of firepower for World Cup 2018 qualifiers against St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago. Dempsey is sidelined with a […]
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MLS Countdown: Timbers' health improving
Three players sidelined by injuries recently could be ready for Portland when it hosts archrival Seattle Sunday at Providence Park. Going through full training for the Timbers Wednesdaywere midfielder Ben Zemanski and defender Zarek Valentin. Both last played competitively July 31 in a 1-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City. Zemanski has been rehabbing a groin […]
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MLS Power Rankings: Eastern influence increases
Maligned as residents of the weaker conference, at least a few Eastern teams are making a case for inclusion among the league’s elite. Important wins for New York City FC and Toronto FC moved theminto second and third place, respectively, in Soccer America’s MLS Power Rankings,and a 2-2 tie by the Red Bulls on the […]
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MLS Talking Points: Altidore and Dempsey catch fire
With two World Cup 2018 qualifiers around the corner, U.S. national team strikers Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey both picked the right moment to get hot. Since MLS play resumedafter the All-Star Game three weeks ago, Altdore and Dempsey have scored nine goals between them for Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders, respectively, and both teams […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Schmid departure starts to clear Sounders' deck for Lagerwey
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) One of most intriguing questions that circulated a year and a half ago when Seattle hired GarthLagerwey as president of soccer and general manager was how he and head coach Sigi Schmid would interact and how long the relationship would last The full story has yet to bewritten but in discussing […]
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MLS Power Rankings: Road win moves FC Dallas to top spot
FC Dallas winning a third straight game and the Colorado Rapids tying their third in a row flipped those teams atop Soccer America’s MLS Power Rankings. A 1-0 victory at San Jose edged FC Dallas into first place and bumped Colorado into second despite a last-second goal that earned the Rapids a 2-2 tie at […]
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MLS Power Rankings: Tim Howard brings luck to Rapids
Colorado wasn’t able to mark Tim Howard’s return to MLS with a victory but by battling Portland to a 0-0 tie held top spot by a narrow margin over FC Dallas, which blasted OrlandoCity SC, 4-0. Montreal’s comeback victory over New England moved the Impact into the top five. New York City’s first triumph over […]
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Projecting U.S. roster for September qualifiers — five changes in 23
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) The aftermath of a fourth-place showing in the Copa America Centenario is a mixed bag for theU.S. national team and head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Three group matches and three knockout games didn’t transform midfielder Darlington Nagbe into alock-down starter, but they certainly confirmed the credentials of defender John Brooks and […]
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Soccer America's Copa Centenario Best XI
By Mike Woitalla@MikeWoitalla They went undefeated except against each other, so it’s natural thatplayers from champion Chile and runner-up Argentina dominate our Copa Centenario Best XI. Argentina outscored its foes, 18-2, and Chile bettered its opponents 16-5 until they stalemated in the finalto force a penalty-kick shootout. The choices for Copa Centenario Best XI, as […]