Mexican champ Monterrey advances to Libertadores

January 15, 2010

Mexican Apertura champion Monterrey defeated America 3-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw to claim the 2010 InterLiga title and a place in the start of next month’s Copa Libertadores.

Wednesday night’s victory before a capacity crowd of 27,000 at The Home Depot Center put Monterrey, which in December qualified for the 2010-2011 CONCACAF Champions League, in Group 2 of the Libertadores along with Sao Paulo of Brazil, Nacional of Paraguay and Once Caldas of Colombia. It begins play Feb. 10 against Sao Paulo.

Monterrey finished second in its InterLiga group behind Puebla, earning the match against America, which it beat in the quarterfinals of the Apertura Liguilla.

Estudiantes Tecos also advanced to the Libertadores, rallying to beat Puebla 3-2 earlier in the night and securing a place in the preliminary round. It will face Juan Aurich of Peru in a two-leg series for a berth in the main draw.

Both join fellow Mexican clubs Morelia, San Luis and CD Guadalajara in the Libertadores. Morelia had the best regular-season record in the Mexican league of any team not already playing in the CONCACAF Champions League. San Luis and CD Guadalajara were given a special invitation following their withdrawal from last year’s tournament due to influenza fears.

CARSON, California

Concacaf

Tags: America, berth, brazil, California, capacity crowd, CARSON, carson california, champ, colombia, concacaf, concacaf champions league, copa libertadores, Guadalajara, home depot, home depot center, influenza, interliga, invitation, Juan, juan aurich, mexican apertura, Monterrey, paraguay, peru, Puebla, quarterfinals, San, sao paulo, tecos, wednesday night

Beckham´s Galaxy book berth in MLS title match

November 14, 2009

Gregg Berhalter and Landon Donovan scored in extra time as the Los Angeles Galaxy secured their berth in Major League Soccer’s title match with a 2-0 victory over Houston.

David Beckham’s free kick set up Berhalter’s goal in the 102nd minute.

Houston’s Eddie Robinson tried to clear Omar Gonzalez’s header off Beckham’s free kick but Berhalter was able to slot the ball into the net from seven yards out.

Donovan added another goal in the 109th minute when he converted a penalty – setting an MLS record for career playoff scoring with 17 goals. The penalty was awarded after Dynamo’s Ricardo Clark tripped Alan Gordon.

The Galaxy’s triumph in the Western Conference title contest means they will play in their first MLS Cup final since 2005 on November 22 in Seattle against the winner of Saturday’s Eastern Conference final between Chicago and Real Salt Lake.

Not only did they have to overcome Houston, they had to wait out two power outages that saw the lights go out and play halted at the Home Depot Center for a total of 36 minutes.

The Galaxy will make their sixth MLS Cup final appearance since the league began in 1996. The Galaxy won championships in 2002 and 2005.

Another trip to the championship match seemed unlikely early in the season for a club that equalled the league’s worst record in 2008, and started 2009 with 11 draws in their first 13 matches.

England star Beckham was at the centre of a storm as he stayed on at Italian club AC Milan four months beyond his original loan period, provoking the ire not only of Galaxy fans but also of teammate Donovan – who questioned Beckham’s commitment to the US league in a book.

Coach Bruce Arena, named this week the MLS Coach of the Year, helped reconcile his warring stars in plenty of time for a playoff push.

Dynamo’s Brian Ching had the best chance to score in regular time, heading a ball from short range off Brian Mullan’s cross.

But Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts got his right hand to the ball to deflect it toward the crossbar.

Houston’s Andrew Hainault appeared to score on a header off Brad Davis’s ensuing corner kick in the 80th minute but Luis Angel Landin’s foul before Hainault’s shot meant the goal was disallowed.

The two stoppages when the lights went out – for 18 minutes in each half – disrupted the flow of the match but didn’t faze the crowd of 25,373.

Players tried to stay loose and warm by running on the dim pitch or having treatment from trainers.

A statement released by the Home Depot Center said the outages were caused by “two significant power dips in the Southern California Edison industrial grid in which the facility sits” and caused the stadium lights to reset.

LOS ANGELES (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, alan gordon, Andrew Hainault, brad davis, brian ching, brian mullan, coach bruce arena, David Beckham, donovan ricketts, Eastern Conference, eddie robinson, gregg berhalter, home depot, home depot center, Houston, landon donovan, Los Angeles, los angeles galaxy, Luis Angel Landin, Major League Soccer, Milan, mls cup, mls record, omar gonzalez, real salt lake, Ricardo Clark, Seattle, title contest, U.S.

Beckham fined for confronting own fans

July 25, 2009

Soccer star David Beckham was slapped with a 1,000 dollar fine for provoking his own team’s fans during the Galaxy’s 2-2 draw with AC Milan at the Home Depot Center.

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber fined the Los Angeles Galaxy’s midfielder for his part in an ugly halftime scene where he allegedly challenged abusive Los Angeles fans to come down onto the field.

“We support our players interacting with fans, whether it is at clinics, charity events or by high-fiving their supporters in the stands while celebrating a goal,” Garber said.

“However, our players should never engage in conduct that can be interpreted as encouraging fans to come out of the stands and onto the field, regardless of the reason.”

Video footage of the incident of the July 19 exhibition game also apparently shows Beckham trying to climb over a sideline railing before being stopped by security guards.

Police arrested a fan who left the stands to meet Beckham’s alleged challenge.

Beckham has incurred the wrath of Galaxy fans who say he is overpaid and refer to him as a part-time player because of his sidetrips to Europe to play for other teams.

LOS ANGELES (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, challenge, charity events, commissioner, David Beckham, don garber, Europe, exhibition game, home depot, home depot center, Los Angeles, los angeles galaxy, Major League Soccer, midfielder, Milan, part time, railing, security, security guards, soccer, soccer star, star david, time player, video footage, wrath

Beckham makes low-key return to MLS

July 17, 2009

David Beckham’s return to Major League Soccer was a low-key affair, the star midfielder barely factoring into the Los Angeles Galaxy’s 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls.

Playing in a stadium nearly three-quarters empty, Beckham looked sluggish, making no significant crosses, taking no free-kick opportunities near the goal and not even taking all of the Galaxy’s corner kicks.

It was Beckham’s first MLS match since the finish of the Italian League season on May 31.

The 34-year-old former England captain had been loaned by the Galaxy to AC Milan with the proviso that he return for the entire 2009 MLS season, but he got his stay in Europe extended.

Some fans clearly still felt the lure of his fame, angling for pictures when he did take a corner kick, but many booed when Beckham came out of the match in the 70th minute.

Not only was Beckham’s belated return to the MLS seen as a slap in the face to US football, but a squabble with Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan has further sullied his return.

Beckham appeared to go out of his way to be friendly with Donovan, who criticized his teammate in a book published this week, charging Beckham failed to give his all for the Galaxy in the latter stages of their disappointing 2008 campaign.

Beckham and Donovan, who has resumed his role as captain after the armband was stripped from the Englishman, shook hands and embraced prior to Thursday’s kickoff.

Whether Beckham will be able to smooth things over with US fans, however, remains to be seen.

The Galaxy drew a crowd of 66,237 for their 5-4 win at the Red Bulls two years ago, the largest football crowd at Giants Stadium for a US league game in 27 years.

Attendance dropped to 46,754 for last year’s 2-2 draw and fell by 50 percent to 23,238 Thursday. While the turnout was low, it was still more than double the Red Bulls’ previous home average this year of 11,385.

The Galaxy said Thursday that their upcoming exhibition against AC Milan at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles is sold out.

Alecko Eskandarian, Donovan and Eddie Lewis scored first-half goals for the Galaxy, who are battling for an MLS playoff berth.

Juan Pablo Angel scored on an 87th-minute penalty, but failed to convert another in the 90th minute for the MLS-worst Red Bulls.

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, corner kick, David Beckham, Donovan, Eddie, England, england captain, Europe, football crowd, giants stadium, home depot, home depot center, italian league, juan pablo angel, landon donovan, latter stages, league game, Lewis, Los Angeles, los angeles galaxy, Major League Soccer, Milan, MLS, mls season, New Jersey, New York, new york red bulls, proviso, RUTHERFORD, slap in the face, squabble, three quarters, U.S.

El Salvador stuns Costa Rica 2-1 with late goal

July 4, 2009

CARSON, California – El Salvador charged to the top of the the Gold Cup’s Group A Friday night, beating Costa Rica 2-1 with an 86th-minute goal from Osael Romero.

It was Romero’s second of the evening, adding to his 20th-minute tally that put El Salvador ahead. Costa Rica equalized in the 64th, but were unable to contain a potent El Salvador that ended a four-game losing streak to its Central American neighbor.

The game began at a frantic pace, both teams bolstered by a thunderous capacity crowd at The Home Depot Center. El Salvador had the better of play, creating a few near-chances inside the Costa Rican penalty area and drawing two yellow cards on the “Ticos” in the first 10 minutes.

“La Selecta” was finally rewarded in the 20th minute when William Reyes headed a long Miguel Montes punt into the path of Osael Romero. Romero broke free down the left side of the box, beat Costa Rican defender Pablo Herrera with a quick stepover, and drilled a shot into the top left corner.

Seemingly not content with the potency of his attack in the first half an hour, Costa Rican manager Rodrigo Kenton brought in speedy midfielder Andy Herron to replace Harold Wallace in the 32nd minute to add speed in the offensive third. The move almost had an immediate effect, with Herron earning a handful of throw-ins and corner kicks, and providing Centeno with a good option on the right flank.

Costa Rica responded with its own push, threatening El Salvadorian net several times. The best chance came in the 40th minute when Celso Borges got onto the end of a Walter Centeno corner kick, heading a low ball against right post before being it was cleared.

El Salvador almost doubled its lead in the 50th minute when Julio Martinez sent a cross in from the right flank that Reyes almost put into the top corner. Only a diving swat from goalkeeper Keilor Navas held the lead to one.

Costa Rica found its equalizer when Esteban Sirias broke free along the left flank and sent a high cross into the penalty area. Substitute striker Warren Granados rushed into the area and volleyed the ball into the top of the net to even the score 1-1.

The Ticos continued to pound the El Salvadorian defense as the game went on, but were caught napping in the 86th minute. Reyes sent a low ball into the penalty area that was deflected into the path of Romero. The striker hammered home the game-winner to take Costa Rica to the top of Group A ahead of the second round of games in Columbus on Tuesday.

By Jeffrey King

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Tags: Andy Herron, California, CARSON, carson california, Central American, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, corner kick, corner kicks, Costa Rica, El Salvador, el salvadorian, Esteban Sirias, frantic pace, game losing streak, gold cup, Harold Wallace, high cross, home depot, home depot center, Jeffrey King, julio martinez, keilor, lead, left flank, Miguel Montes, minute goal, pablo herrera, Rodrigo Kenton, sirias, ticos, Walter Centeno, Warren Granados, William Reyes, yellow cards

Confederations Cup teams permitted to boost Gold Cup rosters

July 1, 2009

NEW YORK – Any team playing in both the Confederations Cup and Gold Cup in the same year will be allowed to increase its roster from 23 to 30 players, CONCACAF announced Tuesday. The decision will enable the United States to add seven players to its already announced squad for the tournament that starts Friday.

“In light of the consecutive competitions, the Confederations Cup and the Gold Cup, with the objective of providing the best performance possible for the public, and in recognition that the back-to-back tournaments strain players and their clubs, CONCACAF will give permission to any team who also is participating in the Confederations Cup in the same year to enlarge their roster to 30 from the 23 already permitted,” CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said.

“This year, we have the Confederations Cup ending just five days before the start of the Gold Cup. This allowance will be extended to any team in the future that finds itself in the same situation.”

All teams still will be limited to 18 players for any one match.

The United States played two World Cup qualifiers in four days to start June, then traveled to the Confederations Cup in South Africa where it played five more games including the title match against Brazil, losing 3-2 on Sunday in its first FIFA tournament final.

The two-time defending champion USA opens its Gold Cup schedule on Saturday against Grenada in Seattle, the second game of a doubleheader following Honduras vs. Haiti. It was expected to announce its roster additions by Wednesday.

Canada will play Jamaica to open the Gold Cup on Friday at The Home Depot Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, with a second game between Costa Rica and El Salvador.

The 23-day event will be staged in a record 13 venues across the United States, concluding with the final at Giants Stadium outside New York City.

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Mexico set to bring veteran/youth mix to Gold Cup; Costa Rica, El Salvador preparing full squads

June 20, 2009

NEW YORK – Mexico will bring a mix of veteran fan favorites with younger recently established regulars, while teams from Costa Rica and El Salvador are planning on a nearly full-strength roster in their bids to win the CONCACAF Gold Cup next month.

All 12 teams have submitted their preliminary rosters, which must be reduced to 23 players no later than 24 hours before their first game.

The Gold Cup opens July 3 with a doubleheader at The Home Depot Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, featuring Canada vs. Jamaica, and Costa Rica vs. El Salvador.

Gerardo Torrado, Omar Bravo and Jonny Magallon will comprise the basis of Mexico’s veteran core of a largely domestic roster with emerging stalwarts Giovani Dos Santos and Carlos Vela, both European based, Memo Ochoa and Omar Arellano bolstering the roster.

Costa Rica, which leads the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying at its midpoint, will bring all but a handful of its regulars in a bid to win a first Gold Cup title. Los Ticos, who reached the final in 2000 before falling to Canada, will have its midfield contingent Celso Borges of Norwegian club Fredrikstad and Saprissa’s Walter Centeno along with strikers Andy Furtado and and Alvaro Saborio up front.

Christian Castillo, Eliseo Quintanilla and Rudis Corrales will lead an El Salvador team, looking to advance past the quarterfinals for the first time.

The United States, coming off the Confederations Cup in South Africa, will bring a mix of foreign and U.S.-based players, from Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan and Xerex striker Jozy Altidore to 2008 Olympians Stuart Holden of the Houston Dynamo and Robbie Rogers of the Columbus Crew.

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Tags: brad guzan, Canada, Carlos Vela, CARSON, Christian Castillo, columbus crew, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, Costa Rica, El Salvador, eliseo quintanilla, fan favorites, gerardo torrado, home depot, home depot center, Houston, Jamaica, jonny magallon, Los Angeles, Mexico, New York, norwegian club, omar arellano, Robbie Rogers, Santos, saprissa, South Africa, Stuart Holden, United States, veteran fan, Xerex

Schwarzenegger joins US World Cup effort

June 3, 2009

NEW YORK (AFP) – California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has joined the bid committee trying to bring the World Cup to the United States in either 2018 or 2022.

“Soccer is the world’s most popular sport and California has been home to some of its most exciting games, and I am proud to be a part of bringing the World Cup back to the United States,” the former Hollywood star and bodybuilder said.

California venues have traditionally been used for major international matches in the United States.

The Rose Bowl in the Los Angeles suburb of Pasadena hosted the 1994 World Cup final and the 1999 Women’s World Cup final.

The 2003 Women’s World Cup final was held at the Home Depot Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson.

Six stadiums in California are among 58 venues in the United States under consideration to host World Cup matches in 2018 or 2022: the Rose Bowl, Stanford Stadium, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Memorial Stadium in Berkeley and Oakland-Alameda County Stadium.

No other state has that many venues in the hunt.

“The millions of fans from around the globe that will travel to the United States to cheer their teams will prove a great benefit for our state, our nation and the world of soccer,” the Austrian-born Schwarzenegger said.

The United States is one of nine countries that have put their hats in the ring to host the World Cup in either 2018 or 2022.

Australia, England, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and Russia, with joint bids proposed from Netherlands-Belgium and Portugal-Spain.

Qatar and South Korea have applied only as candidates to host the 2022 tournament.

All candidates must have their formal bid applications to FIFA by May 14, 2010. FIFA will award the tournaments in December of 2010.

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Gold Cup tickets go on sale Friday

April 16, 2009

NEW YORK – Tickets for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup go on sale to the general public Friday, April 17, making available seats for all 25 games in 13 venues from coast-to-coast across the United States.

Fans wishing to purchase tickets may visit www.goldcup.org and click on the city, date or games they want to attend.

Prices start at $20 in some venues and a Family Four Pack option of four tickets at a discount for an upgraded location will be available in all cities except Miami. . The United States is the two-time defending champion, after defeating archrival Mexico in a memorable, soldout 2-1 final in Chicago’s Soldier Field in 2007.

The Gold Cup, which has seen record attendances and television ratings in each of the past two competitions (2005 & 2007) will feature CONCACAF’s 12 best national teams for the region’s biennial title, beginning July 3 in Los Angeles and finishing with the championship match at Giants Stadium on July 26.

More information about the Gold Cup can be found on the confederation’s official Web site: www.CONCACAF.com.

GROUPS

GROUP A: Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Jamaica

GROUP B: Grenada, Haiti, Honduras, USA

GROUP C: Guadeloupe, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama

SCHEDULE

First Round

Friday, July 3 – Los Angeles (The Home Depot Center)

Saturday, July 4 – Seattle (Qwest Field)

Sunday, July 5 – San Francisco (Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum)

Tuesday, July 7 – Columbus, Ohio (Crew Stadium)

Wednesday, July 8 – Washington (Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium)

Thursday, July 9 – Houston (Reliant Stadium)

Friday, July 10 – Miami (Florida International University Stadium)

Saturday, July 11 – Boston (Gillette Stadium)

Sunday, July 12 – Phoenix (University of Phoenix Stadium)

Quarterfinals

Saturday, July 18 – Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field)

x-matches scheduled for 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. with order TBD

Sunday, July 19 – Dallas (Dallas Cowboys New Stadium)

y-matches scheduled for 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. local (4 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT) with order TBD

Semifinals

Thursday, July 23 – Chicago (Soldier Field)

z-matches scheduled for 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. local (7 p.m. and 10 p.m. EDT) with order TBD

Final

Sunday, July 26 – New York (Giants Stadium)

Semifinal winners, 3 p.m. (3 p.m. EDT)

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Tags: alameda county, COLUMBUS, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, concacaf gold cup, confederation, Costa Rica, crew stadium, Dallas, edt usa, El Salvador, giants stadium, gillette stadium, guadeloupe, home depot, home depot center, kennedy memorial, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, qwest, qwest field, Reliant Stadium, robert f kennedy, robert f kennedy memorial stadium, San Francisco, soldout, television ratings, time defending champion, usa group, Washington

CONCACAF starts preparations for 2014 World Cup with referees confab in Los Angeles

January 12, 2009

CARSON, California — The 2010 World Cup is more than 18 months away and CONCACAF already is beginning preparation for the 2014 championship.

A day-long meeting Saturday of various elements of the confederation’s referees’ community at the Home Depot Center in suburban Los Angeles started the region on the path to Brazil, reviewing past programs, determining new policies and setting future goals.

The meeting was held amid InterLiga tournament games at the Home Depot Center and two days before the U.S. Soccer Federation began its weeklong referee instructor course Monday, part of the FIFA Futuro initiative.

"We are very pleased with the progress made during the CONCACAF Referees Committee meeting,” CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said. “The gathering provided us an excellent opportunity to chart our course for the next several years as we expand the size and scope of our referee program."

"Together with FIFA and our member associations we are developing a referee development plan that will yield measurable results between now and 2014."

Besides planning the program to develop referees for the 2014 World Cup, CONCACAF also set in motion other priorities.

The confederation will expand the elite referee program to include assistant referees, with the course to be held in the lead-up to the 2009 Gold Cup. Courses will be introduced for referee assessors and a special emphasis is to be placed on fitness training and nutrition.

Other policy and planning accomplishments included clarifying and solidifying roles within the referee division with the introduction of the FIFA Referees Assistance Program (RAP), outlining preparations for match officials for 2009 CONCACAF competitions such as the U-17 and U-20 championships as well as Champions League and beach soccer tournament, and a review of RAP courses in 2008 with consideration for 2009 schedules and priorities.

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