[ALGARVE CUP] The USA got goals from Amy Rodriguez and Megan Rapinoe in thefirst 18 minutes and held on to beat Japan, 2-1, in its opening game of the 2011 Algarve Cup. WPS veteran Aya Miyama nailed a free kick inthe 29th minute for Japan’s goal. The USA hit the woodwork twice before the […]
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Japan prevails with fantastic effort
[ASIAN CUP] Substitute Tadanari Lee‘s spectacular volley in overtime edged Japan past Australia, 1-0, in the Asian Cupfinal Saturday night in Doha, Qatar. Deprived of dynamic striker Shinji Kagawa, who suffered a broken foot in Japan’s semifinal shootout win SouthKorea, the Japanese fended off numerous Australian attacks before Yuto Nagatomo launched a cross from near […]
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Japan and Australia advance to final
[ASIAN CUP] Japan and Australia will meet in Friday’s final at the Asian Cup after winning Tuesday’s semifinals. Their paths could not have been more opposite.Japan needed a shootout to dispose of South Korea after their match ended 2-2 when its archrival equalized in the 120th minute, while Australia crushed Uzbekistan, 6-0. The Japan-SouthKorea thriller […]
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South Korea-Japan, Australia-Uzbekistan semifinals on tap
[ASIAN CUP] Yoon Bit-Garam‘s overtime goal gave South Korea a 1-0 win over Iran and moved it into Tuesday’s semifinalsof the Asian Cup against archrival Japan. Australia’s Socceroos also needed an overtime goal, from Harry Kewell, to dispose of defending champion Iraq, 1-0, onSaturday and move into the final four against Uzbekistan. South Korea’s win […]
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Surprise Jordan reaches quarterfinals
[ASIAN CUP] Surprise Jordan joined Japan in the final eight of the Asian Cup when it rallied to beat Syria, 2-1, on Monday in Qatar. Japan, the pre-tournamentfavorite, ended Saudi Arabia’s misery with a 5-0 victory that included a hat trick from Shinji Okazaki. Syria led on Mohamad al-Zino‘s 15th-minute goal, but an own goal […]
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South American pipeline expands
[MLS SUPERDRAFT] Ecuadoran Victor Estupinan (Chivas USA) and Uruguayan PaoloCardozo (Los Angeles Galaxy), two foreigners with no previous connection to U.S. soccer, were taken in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft, part of the league’s concerted initiative to makeSouth American talent available to its clubs. According to MLS Commissioner Don Garber, credit goes to […]
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Surprise Jordan eliminates Saudis
[ASIAN CUP] A change in coaches didn’t help Saudi Arabia this time. Just three days after Jose Peseiro was firedfollowing an opening 2-1 loss to Syria, the Saudis fell to surprise Jordan, 1-0, and were eliminated from the Asian Cup. Jordan and Japan, a 2-1 winner over Syria despite losing goalie Eiji Kawashima to a […]
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Upsets galore in Qatar
[ASIAN CUP] Favorite Japan needed a late equalizer from Maya Yoshida to settle for a 1-1 tie with lowly Jordan Sunday intheir opening Group B game at the Asian Cup in Qatar. In other shock results, host Qatar lost to Uzbekistan, 2-0, and 2007 runner-up Saudi Arabia fell to Syria, 2-1. Japan achieved someexcellent results […]
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Japan favored to win continental trophy
[ASIAN CUP] Shinji Kagawa, Borussia Dortmund’s 21-year-old Bundesliga sensation, will lead favorite Japan in its bid towin a record fourth title at the 2011 Asian Cup, which kicks off Friday in Doha. The tournament is the first since Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup but will be played in decidedly more moderate conditions — […]