Brazil wants star Neymar to play in the 2016 Copa Centenario and Rio Olympics, but his club, Barcelona, only wants him to play in one summer tournament, leaving them at an impasse. Barca holdsall the cards. It is not required to release Neymar for the Olympics, so it is telling Brazil it must choose. If […]
copa centenario
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Klinsmann stance on Jordan Morris makes sense
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) He didn’t say it in so many words, but recent comments by U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmannregarding rookie forward Jordan Morris can be translated thusly: Back off. A middling start to his pro career in Seattle has made Morris, who just a few months ago helpedStanford win the NCAA Division I […]
Posted inOff The Post, Story
Shining era of Chilean soccer is tarnished by scandal
Third in the FIFA rankings and fourth in the Conmebol World Cup qualifying standings, Chile is adapting well to life as Copa America champion despite losing at home to Argentina last week. Fans crammed into the Estadio Nacional hoping to witness another vanquishing of Argentina, which fell in a penalty-kick shootout,4-3, last July as Chile […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Klinsmann failed test in Guatemala City
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) The song remains the same. Perhaps it was inevitable that the U.S. unbeaten streak against Guatemala inqualifying play had to end, but the timing sure was lousy. The USA is riding a bleak streak of ineptitude against Concacaf opponents, both in friendlies and games that count. Since stumblingagainst Jamaica and Panama […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
USA is going for the sweep against Guatemala
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) Six points should clinch. The objective for back-to-back games against Guatemala Friday and Tuesday isclear: win them both, even if road wins can be very hard to find in Central America, and attentions will be divided — as was the player pool — by a do-or-die Olympic playoff series for the […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Copa Centenario: U.S. opponents set for qualifiers
The USA’s three first-round opponents in the Copa Centenario will play their last competitive games before the summer tournament when they take part in World Cup 2018 qualifying. For a look at howColombia, Paraguay and Costa Rica stack up. COLOMBIA. Dates: March 24 — at Bolivia; March 29 — Ecuador. Coach Jose Pekerman is under […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Can Tim Howard deal lift Colorado to prominence?
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) As the Colorado Rapids proceeded to drink from bottles of champagne rather than spray liquid onto each other inthe BMO Field locker room, managing director Jeff Plush pondered a question: Did beating FC Dallas, 2-1, in the 2010 MLS Cup final to claim its first league championship significantlyboost the team’s presence […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Copa Centenario: The case for the USA
The USA will have its work cut out at the Copa Centenario, drawing Colombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay, to which it lost the last time it met each of them in friendly games and competitive matches.Group A is lot tougher than the groups the other three seeds drew but it is not an impossible draw. […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
2016 Copa Centenario Schedule
The USA will play Colombia in Santa Clara, California, Costa Rica in Chicago and Paraguay in Philadelphia in the 2016 Copa Centenario that begins June 3. For Sunday’s complete draw. 2016 Copa Centenario GROUP A: June 3 in Santa Clara USA vs. Colombia June 4 in Orlando Costa Rica vs. ParaguayJune 7 in Chicago USA […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Pots for Sunday's Copa Centenario draw revealed
How does a group with Ecuador, Bolivia and Haiti sound? Or Chile, Peru and Costa Rica? Those are the extremes of the groups the USA could draw in the Copa Centenario. Copa Centenario: Match Schedule The USA will learn its opponents onSunday when the draw is held at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City […]