Mexico is not Brazil, so any preview or prediction based on the 4-1 pasting administered nearly a month ago is completely irrelevant. And the U.S. is not Argentina, which Mexico led, 2-0, in its mostrecent friendly before conceding two late goals to settle for a 2-2 tie. The U.S. centerbacks will not be Ventura Alvarado […]
jozy altidore
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Jozy Altidore
“Just personal issues, and when things aren’t right there, it makes it tough to go to work. I’ve been able to hopefully correct all those things and now get back to focusing on soccer. For a littlebit of time, it wasn’t at the forefront of my focus, which isn’t fair to the club I was […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Slog of frustration weighs on Toronto and Montreal and march to MLS playoffs
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) While rival Vancouver rides along atop the Western Conference as clearlythe class of Canada, the Eastern representatives, Toronto FC and Montreal, are mired in a slog of frustration. Both are embroiled in the playoff race from which six Eastern Conference teams willemerge, and neither is close to clinching. Both teams are […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Bad day at the office or bad omen?
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) Any team can have a bad day at the office, especially when thoseself-proclaimed masters of the game tear through the foyer and boardroom and lunchroom at will, flicking balls here and there as several Brazilians did in that famous Nike airport ad of several yearsago. Tuesday night at Gillette Stadium, the […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Jurgen Klinsmann
“What I’m worried in the longer run is to find strikers that on a international level give you a goal every second game at least. This is something where we have problems. We have problems to developa young generation of strikers consistently scoring — in their club teams and then coming into the national team, […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA-Brazil Preview: Oct. 10 lineup comes into focus
No team has dominated the USA quite like Brazil, winner of 16 of 17 meetings, including the last nine in a row. But Tuesday night’s friendly isn’t just about ending that losing streak. It’s aboutpreparing for the Oct. 10 Confederations Cup playoff against Mexico. Here are three storylines to follow. U.S. Friendly: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA-Peru Takeaways: MLS has its benefits after all
Jurgen Klinsmann sent Jozy Altidore to Toronto FC in the middle of the Gold Cup to get back in shape and rediscover hisscoring form. Altidore did just that, and it carried over to the USA-Peru match, which he decided with two second-half goals. For these takeaways from Friday’s 2-1 win. The USA ralliedfrom a goal […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA-Peru International Friendly Player Ratings
USA-PERU EXPRESS: Sept. 4 in Washington, D.C. USA 2 Peru 1. Goals:Altidore 59, 68; Chavez 20. Att.: 28,896. ———————————— A pair of second-halfgoals by Jozy Altidore wiped out a 1-0 deficit and gave the USA a 2-1 victory over Peru Friday in its first game since the Gold Cup. Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann used his […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Scouting Report: U.S. vets set for return against Peru
The USA plays Peru Friday night in the first of two friendly games as it prepares for the Oct. 10 Confederations Cup playoff game against Mexico. JurgenKlinsmann answered some burning questions about who he wants to play in goal (Brad Guzan remains the No. 1) and at outside back (Fabian Johnson and DaMarcus Beasley). Several more […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. national team vets coming and going
U.S. men’s national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann named the initial squad of 23 players who will gather for friendlies against Peru and Brazil in the finalpreparation games before the Oct. 10 playoff game against Mexico at the Rose Bowl for a spot in the 2017 Confederations Cup. Four 2014 World Cup starters who did not […]