US caps camp with friendly against Honduras

January 22, 2010

United States will conclude a 19-day training camp for the 2010 South Africa World Cup on Saturday with a friendly against fellow qualifier Honduras.

A largely US-based talent pool for the Americans includes forward Conor Casey, who scored two goals in a 3-2 victory last October at Honduras that clinched a World Cup berth for the US squad.

Defender Jonathan Bornstein, who also started against Honduras, and midfielder Benny Feilhaber, who replaced Casey in the American lineup, are also on hand for the latest matchup against the Central American squad.

“The match is a great way to start the year as we commence preparations for the World Cup,” US coach Bob Bradley said.

Ten players from a similar camp in 2006 made the final US World Cup roster while 13 from the January camp were on the US side that made the final eight in 2002.

The Americans, preparing for a sixth consecutive World Cup appearance, will face England on June 12 in their opener in South Africa and also face Slovenia and Algeria in first-round matches.

Honduras, which qualified for the first time since 1982, will open June 16 against Chile and also face Spain and Switzerland.

LOS ANGELES (AFP)

Tags: africa world, algeria, Benny Feilhaber, bob bradley, Chile, coach bob, England, Honduras, jonathan, jonathan bornstein, Los Angeles, match, matchup against, midfielder, slovenia, South Africa, talent pool, training camp, U.S., United States, us world cup roster, victory, world cup appearance, world cup berth

Wounded Eagles wary of falling prey to the Cup curse

January 13, 2010

Zambia are out to continue the tradition this Africa Cup of Nations is fast gaining of producing shocks against Tunisia in their Group D clash here on Wednesday.

Tunisia turned up in Angola wounded from missing out on a World Cup berth at the last throw of the qualifying dice.

The Carthage Eagles, who won the Nations Cup on home turf in 2004, led Nigeria for five World Cup qualifying rounds only to lose in Mozambique and be overtaken by a Super Eagles team that grabbed a late Nairobi triumph over Kenya.

Coached by local man Faouzi Benzarti, who was snapped up after being sacked by Libya, Tunisia are seeded to go through with group favourites Cameroon ahead of Zambia and Gabon.

But evidence from the opening shots in this competition nothing can be taken for granted, with Angola letting slip a four goal lead against Mali, Algeria falling to Malawi, and Burkina Faso holding favourites Ivory Coast to a goalless draw.

Benzarti said: “As we have seen the first games are very difficult, even if Zambia are classed as ‘outsiders’.

“We will have to be careful and concentrate on the game to get the first three points which will be good for our team in the next two matches, especially against Cameroon who are the group’s favourites.

“There are no bad teams in Africa, they’re all on the same level – may the best one win.”

The new man in charge added: “I’m approaching this in a very positive spirit as I can’t countenance the notion of defeat.

“The aim is to qualify from the first round, and then we’ll see after that.”

Benzarti’s men are out to better their last two quarter-final exits in the biennial African competition.

Their hopes of progress in Angola will in part rest on playmaker Oussama ‘Picasso’ Darragi.

The former national reject has become an instrumental figure, and gets on well with the coach who was in charge of him at Tunis club giants Esperance.

Germany-based defender Karim Hagui is the lone survivor from the 2004 title winning squad.

Tunisia go into the game on the back of a surprise 2-1 loss to Gambia last Saturday in a warm-up match, with their sole goal coming from Armine Chermiti in the fourth minute of injury time.

Tunisia, ranked 53rd in the world, are making their 14th appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations, which puts them on a par with Zambia, whose best showings have been two runners-up spots in 1974 and 1994.

Zambia are skippered by Christopher Katongo, who knows a thing or two about the command structure from his time as a Lusaka-based national army corporal.

He was promoted to sergeant after a devastating hat trick against South Africa in qualifying for the 2008 Cup.

Now a professional with German second division outfit Arminia Bielefeld Christopher, who will need to rediscover his scoring touch after one goal in qualifying, is joined in the squad by his younger brother Felix.

Zambia are coached by Herve Renard, who gained invaluable experience for Angola as an assistant to the then Ghana coach Claude Le Roy in 2008.

Zambia’s big problem is their scoring record, which by all accounts was abysmal with only four goals in 10 qualifying games.

Renard knows he must unlock Zambia’s attack if his side are to have any chance of causing an upset in a group that houses potential champions Cameroon and Gabon.

LUBANGO, Angola (AFP)

Tags: africa cup of nations, algeria, Angola, burkina faso, Carthage, Christopher Katongo, eagles team, Felix, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, home turf, Ivory Coast, karim hagui, kenya, Libya, lone survivor, Malawi, nairobi, nations cup, new man, nigeria, opening shots, Oussama, picasso, playmaker, positive spirit, Roy, shocks, South Africa, tunis, Tunisia, world cup berth

2009: Mexico wins fifth Gold Cup before capacity crowd

December 24, 2009

Giants Stadium has seen the FIFA World Cup, Pele and Franz Beckenbauer and two CONCACAF Gold Cup finals. Its last international match was one to remember – at least for Mexico.

A second-half onslaught sparked by a 56th-minute penalty by Gerardo Torrado led El Tri to a 5-0 victory over the United States before a crowd of 79,156 to cap an unprecedented 10th Gold Cup.

It was Mexico’s record fifth confederation title and first since 2003, and El Tri’s first win against the Americans outside of Mexico since 1999, ending a 15-game winless streak. The United States also saw its 58-match unbeaten streak against CONCACAF opponents snapped as Mexico’s “Golden Generation” re-emerged to deliver on some of its promise.

Giovani dos Santos, who scored two goals including one in the final, was selected the Most Valuable Player, while teammate Miguel Sabah claimed the Golden Boot Award as the tournament’s leading scorer with four goals.

Costa Rica’s Keilor Navas was chosen as the Gold Cup’s best goalkeeper.

Mexico’s victory against its bitter rival, which avenged a loss in the 2007 final, capped one of the most memorable Gold Cups in history. A total of 860,046 fans watched 25 matches in a record 13 different venues throughout the United States in one of the best attended Gold Cups.

That included the first-ever sporting event at the new $1.5 billion New Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where a crowd of 85,000 watched Mexico beat Haiti and Costa Rica defeat Guadeloupe in the quarterfinals.

While Mexico’s return to glory dominated the discussion, other players and events earned attention during the 23-day tournament.

The United States fell short of winning a second consecutive Gold Cup title, but young talent such as midfielder Stuart Holden and forward Charlie Davies emerged to played significant roles in the squad’s sixth straight World Cup berth.

Despite an unsettled political climate at home, Honduras advanced to the Gold Cup semifinals before being eliminated by the United States 2-0 at Soldier Field in Chicago.

“It’s very complicated, this topic, it’s not easy,” Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda said in Spanish after the loss. “The situation is only one motivation for us. We always wanted to do well in the tournament. The other situation is that everyone is thinking about their family, their parents, their sisters, their brothers so there’s some worry there.”

The momentum from the Gold Cup carried over to World Cup qualifying, enabling Honduras to earn its first World Cup berth since 1982 and a trip to South Africa.

Canada used the tournament as the beginning of its 2014 World Cup campaign. Utilizing some of the country’s best young talent, including 22-year-old midfielders Will Johnson, Marcel de Jong and Simeon Jackson as well as 24-year-old defender Dejan Jakovic, the Canadians were the surprise winners of Group A and advanced to the knockout stage where they fell to Honduras on a disputed penalty kick.

“Overall the guys did a good job throughout the whole tournament,” midfielder Julian De Guzman said. “I guess the most important thing we achieved in this tournament is that we feel like a team again.”

Interim coach during the Gold Cup, Stephen Hart was elevated to Canada’s full-time head coach in early December.

Against the odds, Panama also reached the knockout stage, losing to the United States for a third consecutive time. Coach Gary Stempel said it’s a continued improvement from its first UNCAF Nations Cup title in February.

“Panama is obviously growing as a football nation,” he said. “We’re a well-respected rival in Gold Cup.”

Guadeloupe and Haiti also had successful runs, displaying further hope for the future.

By Dylan Butler

Tags: consecutive gold, el tri, fifa world cup, franz beckenbauer, game winless streak, gerardo torrado, giants stadium, gold cup finals, gold cup semifinals, gold cups, golden boot, golden generation, keilor, navas, new cowboys stadium, political climate, return to glory, straight world, world cup berth

Settled Anelka making the difference for Chelsea

November 26, 2009

Nicolas Anelka’s arrival at Chelsea in January last year hardly had the fans buzzing amid all the big-money signings since Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich transformed the fortunes of the west London club.

The peripatetic France striker seemed like a stop-gap and few expected him to be part of Chelsea’s long-term future.

He had just spent 18 months at Bolton Wanderers after spells at Fenerbahce, Manchester City, Liverpool, Paris St Germain and, following the best piece of business in Arsenal’s history, Real
Madrid who he joined for 23 million pounds.

At none of those clubs, however, did he really settle and deliver the regular match-winning performances that made him such a deadly proposition under Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.

His first half-season at Chelsea produced just two goals and, although he was far more prolific last term with 25 and some excellent displays, there was always the feeling he was second fiddle to Didier Drogba.

This season, however, Anelka seems to have stepped up a gear and gives the impression that not only is he enjoying his football, a rarity for a man nicknamed ‘the incredible sulk’, but he is increasingly the focal point of Chelsea’s attack.

He headed the only goal on Tuesday in the Champions League win at Porto that secured top spot in Group D to maintain his record of vital goals this season having been the sole scorer in the home win over Porto and 1-0 victory at APOEL Nicosia.

He was also outstanding for France in the 1-1 playoff draw with Ireland that secured a World Cup berth, holding the ball up repeatedly with a sure touch and keeping possession despite some tough Irish tackling that previously might have seen him wilt.

“Not only in the Champions League but in all competitions Anelka is having a very good season,” Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti said after Tuesday’s win.

“He is a very important player, sometimes playing as a striker close to Drogba, sometimes helping the midfield. His position is very important for our play.”

On Sunday Chelsea face London rivals Arsenal, where Anelka made his name as a teenage tyro after being nabbed from PSG for a bargain 500,000 pounds by Wenger.

He scored there in last season’s impressive 4-1 triumph and any sort of repeat would be a huge help in Chelsea’s title push.

“It is a very good time for us and we have to keep this going because the players are in good condition, have a good mentality and want to maintain this momentum,” Ancelotti said.

“We know very well that Sunday will be a very difficult match but we know that now is a very good time to play Arsenal,” he added, with their opponents hit by a string of injuries.

Chelsea could be further boosted by an early return for Frank Lampard after a thigh strain. Ancelotti said the England midfielder was in full training and may be fit for Sunday.

PHOTO: Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka (R) is challenged by Liverpool’s Daniel Agger during their English Premier League soccer match at Stamford Bridge in London October 26, 2008. REUTERS/Stephen Hird

Source

Tags: billionaire owner, bolton wanderers, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, daniel agger, England, France, Germain, Ireland, Liverpool, london, london club, MADRID, manchester city, Nicolas Anelka, Nicosia, owner roman abramovich, paris st germain, peripatetic, PORTO, rarity, real madrid, second fiddle, Stephen Hird, stop gap, striker, sulk, vital goals, Wenger, west london, world cup berth

Loew calls up Hunt and Mueller for friendlies

November 6, 2009

Coach Joachim Loew has named promising Werder Bremen midfielder Aaron Hunt and Bayern Munich’s rising star Thomas Mueller in the Germany squad for friendlies against Chile and the Ivory Coast.

Loew’s squad will play Chile in Cologne on Saturday November 14 and the Ivory Coast in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday November 18.

Having already secured their World Cup berth for South Africa 2010 with a 1-0 win over Russia in Moscow last month, Loew is keeping one eye on the future by calling up 20-year-old Bayern midfielder Mueller.

And 23-year-old Hunt, who can play for Germany or England because of his English mother, has caught the eye with a series of strong performances for Bremen including two goals in a 2-2 draw at Nuremberg last weekend.

Both Mueller and Hunt are capable of playing as strikers and offer Loew plenty of flexibility as he looks at options for his World Cup squad.

Mueller is involved in Germany Under-21s European Championships qualifier against Northern Ireland in Belfast on Friday November 13, but will join the senior squad immediately after.

“Thomas will be with us for three or four days, simply to get to know the atmosphere around the national team,” said Loew.

But while Mueller is unlikely to get much game time for the national team, Loew said he has been impressed with Hunt and expects to give him a start.

“We now have the possibility of giving him a chance,” said Loew.

“Aaron has taken a step up this season and been very consistent with his performances.”

There is also a place for Leverkusen’s Steffan Kiessling who last played for Germany in the 1-0 defeat to Norway last February, but has helped his side to the top of the Bundesliga with seven goals in 11 games.

Both Leverkusen midfielder Simon Rolfes and Stuttgart striker Cacau are missing with injuries, but there is a place for 21-year-old Hamburg defender Jerome Boateng despite being sent off in Moscow on his full debut last month.

There is no place in Loew’s squad for Hanover goalkeeper Robert Enke, who has lost his number one place to Leverkusen’s Rene Adler, while Werder Bremen’s Tim Wiese and Schalke’s Manuel Neuer have been called up.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen)

Defenders: Andreas Beck (1899 Hoffenheim), Jerome Boateng (Hamburg), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Marcel Schaefer (VfL Wolfsburg), Heiko Westermann (Schalke 04)

Midfield: Michael Ballack (Chelsea/ENG), Christian Gentner (VfL Wolfsburg), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Aaron Hunt (Werder Bremen), Marko Marin (Werder Bremen), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Oezil (Werder Bremen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg)

Forwards: Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Stefan Kiessling (Bayer Leverkusen), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

BERLIN (AFP)

Tags: Aaron, aaron hunt, bayern munich, boateng, cacau, Christian Gentner, english mother, friendlies, game time, Germany, germany squad, Heiko Westermann, Ivory Coast, joachim loew, kiessling, Michael Ballack, midfielder, Per Mertesacker, robert enke, simon rolfes, steffan, strikers, thomas mueller, world cup berth, world cup squad

US break Costa Rican hearts but lose Onyewu

October 15, 2009

Jonathan Bornstein’s header in the fifth minute of stoppage time gave 10-man United States a 2-2 draw with Costa Rica that denied the Ticos a berth in the 2010 South Africa World Cup.

On a cold and rainy night where Bryan Ruiz scored in the 21st and 24th minutes to give Costa Rica a 2-0 lead, the Americans fought back to finish North American qualifying with three wins and two draws when foes score first.

“It’s a good thing we respond and compete,” US coach Bob Bradley said. “It was a strong effort. It’s not how you draw it up but it showed their maturity, the spirit of our team and we’re very proud of that.”

But the victory came at a heavy cost.

US star defender Oguchi Onyewu of AC Milan will be out three to four months with a torn left patellar tendon, the injury coming a day after a car crash that severely injured US forward Charlie Davies and likely took him out of the World Cup.

“We’ve had two days of tough news,” Bradley said. “It’s another setback for us.

“Gooch (Onyewu) has been such an important part of our team. It’s normally three of four months recovery time. He’s young. He’s healthy. He has good doctors. He’s someone we’re sure is going to get back.”

With Onyewu carried off on a stretcher in the 83rd minute, a 10-man US side was left since the Americans had used all their substitutions. It proved enough.

Michael Bradley, the US coach’s son, scored in the 72nd minute but the Ticos were still on track for a World Cup berth until defender Bornstein took a pass from Robbie Rogers and nodded it past Costa Rican goalkeeper Keilor Navas.

“We put a lot of numbers in the box,” Bornstein said. “I don’t usually go up for that but it was last shot time. No one marked me. I just snuck in there and the ball landed on my head.”

Seconds away from a victory that would have booked a third consecutive trip to the global football showdown, Costa Rica instead lost out to Honduras and must now play Uruguay in a two-leg playoff to decide which makes the World Cup.

The Americans finished atop the North American regional qualifying group at 6-2-2 for 20 points, one more than Mexico with Honduras third ahead of Costa Rica on goal difference plus-six to nil after each finished 5-4 with one drawn.

“We’re very proud to win the group,” coach Bradley said.

The Americans won a 19th consecutive World Cup home qualifier despite early struggles as Costa Rica has now gone 24 years since winning a qualifier on US soil.

Ruiz opened the scoring by racing around US defender Steve Cherundolo to the right of goalkeeper Tim Howard and left-footed the ball past the sprawled US netminder.

Ruiz struck again in the 24th minute on a give-and-go play, taking the ball at the top of the area and curling a left-footed kick high into the far corner past a diving Howard.

“Every time. Every (expletive) time,” Howard screamed at US defenders after the goal, which delighted thousands of loud, flag-waving Costa Rica supporters.

Bradley answered 27 minutes into the second half after Navas stopped a Landon Donovan shot, Bradley chipping the rebound over Navas into the net.

Ticos coach Rene Simoes, a Brazilian and former Jamaica coach hired for the last qualifiers, was ejected in stoppage time, escorted off before Costa Rica was delivered a heartbreaking blow.

The Americans lead Costa Rica 12-11 with five drawn in the all-time rivalry.

WASHINGTON (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, africa world, bob bradley, Bryan Ruiz, car crash, Charlie, coach bob, consecutive trip, Costa Rica, good doctors, Honduras, Howard, Jamaica, jonathan bornstein, keilor, landon donovan, Mexico, Michael Bradley, Milan, North American, patellar tendon, rainy night, recovery time, Rene Simoes, Robbie Rogers, shot time, South Africa, star defender, steve cherundolo, stoppage time, stretcher, ticos, tim howard, U.S., United States, uruguay, Washington, world cup berth

Injury time equalizer lifts United States, denies Costa Rica World Cup berth

October 15, 2009

Jonathan Bornstein scored with a head 4½ minutes into injury time to give the United States a 2-2 draw with Costa Rica on Wednesday and deny the Ticos a third straight trip to the World Cup.

The goal capped a U.S. rally from a two-goal first-half deficit, with the Americans getting a pair of goals in the final 18 minutes.

The result finished the United States atop the “hexagonal” with 20 points, one ahead of Mexico.

Costa Rica seemed headed for South Africa after Bryan Ruiz scored two goals three minutes apart midway through the first half. But the U.S. rally left Costa Rica with 16 points, same as Honduras but behind on goal difference. Honduras beat El Salvador 1-0 in its game Wednesday night to earn only its second World Cup appearance and first since 1982.

The Ticos have another chance to qualify, advancing to a two-leg playoff against Uruguay, the fifth-placed finisher from South America, November 11 and November 14 for the final berth in the 32-team field in South Africa.

The draw was the United States’ only tie in nine home games in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, having won the previous eight. The Americans were playing 36 hours after learning that teammate Charlies Davies was badly injured in an early Tuesday morning one-car automobile accident in the Washington area in which another person died.

Davies, who suffered facial, leg and elbow fractures and a lacerated bladder, had several hours of surgery Tuesday and was hospitalized in serious but stable condition, U.S. team spokesman Michael Kammarman said. Some teammates wore undershirts with Davies’ name and banners could be seen around the stadium bearing his likeness.

Ruiz scored in the 21st and 24th minutes, with the goals coming against the run of play. Needing a victory to assure itself of a World Cup berth, Costa Rica started with three defenders and five in the midfield, pushing Pablo Herrera up from his right back spot.

Michael Bradley pulled the United States within a goal in the 72nd and Bornstein shed his marker to nod Robbie Rogers’ corner from just outside the six-yard box.

The United States had the better possession early and the first serious chance on a counter when Conor Casey, who scored two in Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Honduras that qualified the Americans for the World Cup, shot high despite being unmarked in the ninth minute.

Walter Centeno forced U.S. keeper Tim Howard into a reaction save two minutes later, volleying a looping cross to the right post.

Ruiz put Costa Rica ahead, taking a ball from Michael Barrantes on the left side of the area, turning defender Oguchi Onyewu to get to the byline and then drilling a shot that Howard was able to deflect but not stop.

Three minutes later, Ruiz took his throw-in back from Walter Centeno, took a touch toward the penalty area and then unleashed a swirling left-footer that curled around a stretched Howard into the far-side netting. It was his fifth goal of qualifying, one behind team leader Alvaro Saborio.

With the lead seemingly secure, Herrera dropped back into a more convention 4-4-2 and the United States again dominated possession, but was plagued by poor finishing. Landon Donovan shot high twice and had a weak effort in the 44th with only goalkeeper Keilor Navas, who also thwarted Jozy Altidore a minute later when the American forward’s marker had fallen in the area.

Navas repeatedly raced off his line to punch balls out of danger, defusing several dangerous situations.

The Americans dominated possession in the second half as well and finally converted on a rebound. Donovan settled a flicked on cross and got off a right-footed shot from inside the top of the area that Navas blocked, but couldn’t hold. Bradley banged into the net with a right-footed swipe.

The United States’ chances seemed doomed when Onyewu was carried off after tearing a tendon in his left knee in the 83rd minute, reducing his team to 10 men with manager Bob Bradley having already used his three substitutions.

But the Americans continued to generate chances and hurriedly took a corner that saw Bornstein slip through a crowd and head Rogers’ corner off the right post.

The wild finish was preceded with Costa Rica manager Rene Simoes being ejected in the 89th minute, berating fourth official Haro Delgadillo for what appeared a dispute over a substitution.

WASHINGTON

By Brian Trusdel

Tags: car automobile, early tuesday, elbow fractures, goal difference, home games, injury time, jonathan bornstein, likeness, Michael Bradley, midfield, pablo herrera, stable condition, straight trip, team spokesman, three minutes, ticos, tuesday morning, world cup appearance, world cup berth

US forward Davies stable after crash

October 14, 2009

Three days after experiencing the joy of qualifying for the World Cup, the US football squad was stunned and saddened Tuesday after starting forward Charlie Davies was hurt in a fatal crash.

Davies, a 23-year-old striker who plays for the French club Sochaux, was in stable condition after undergoing extensive surgery Tuesday for injuries suffered in a one-vehicle accident, US Soccer Federation officials said.

The injuries were described as not life-threatening by team officials but it was not certain exactly what injuries Davies had suffered or whether or not they might jeopardize his career.

Police were investigating the circumstances around the 3:15 a.m. crash, in which there was a fatality, US Soccer officials said.

US Park Police identified the person killed as Ashley Roberta, 22, of Phoenix, Maryland, a Washington suburb. An officer who arrived on the scene of the crash said the vehicle had been ripped in half.

Officials said Davies was a passenger in the vehicle involved in the accident on a major highway in suburban Virginia.

Davies started and played the first 78 minutes in the American team’s 3-2 victory last Saturday at Costa Rica, assisting on the first US goal in a win that secured the US squad a berth in next year’s World Cup at South Africa.

The US squad will face Costa Rica on Wednesday at RFK Stadium in the US capital in the final North American regional World Cup qualifying match, with Costa Rica seeking a victory to secure a World Cup berth.

Davies was not missed immediately because a morning team breakfast was optional but US coach Bob Bradley gathered playrs in a small meeting room at their hotel to deliver the shocking news early Tuesday afternoon.

“Obviously as a team we’re saddened to learn this news,” Bradley said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Charlie and Charlie’s family and the other person in the car and the others involved.

“The team has asked that any other thoughts we have, to keep them with the guys. As a team, we are relying on each other in a moment that has for sure hit us all hard.”

Players were told in a team-only meeting but their reaction was the shock and sadness that might be expected, US Soccer spokesman Neil Buethe said.

“Obviously the players are very saddened by the situation and hope the Charlie has a quick recovery,” he said.

US teen forward Jozy Altidore, who replaced Davies in Saturday’s match, typed a series of frowning faces on his twitter page Tuesday afternoon and said, ‘I’m not tweeting anymore y’all. Just not feeling well.”

The US team’s resiliency faces a major off-field test after a qualifying year in which American fortitude has been impressive in the wake of challenges on the field.

Americans have three triumphs and a draw in the final-round qualifying matches where they have surrendered the first goal.

Speaking purely of on-field events, US all-time scoring leader Landon Donovan praised the attitude players have shown in handling setbacks from bad passes and missed tackles to surrendered goals and stinging defeats.

“You can’t always control what happens in the game but you can control how you react and that has been one of the big situations for us,” Donovan said. “That has been a big plus for us this qualifying cycle.”

Davies, a 2008 Olympian, has scored four goals in 17 matches for the US squad. He was first called up to the team in June of 2007 for a friendly against China after a solid showing with the Swedish club Hammarby.

WASHINGTON (AFP)

Tags: bob bradley, Charlie, China, coach bob, Costa Rica, early tuesday, fatal crash, federation officials, french club, landon donovan, Maryland, Neil Buethe, North American, park police, Phoenix, qualifying for the world cup, rfk stadium, Roberta, shocking news, small meeting room, soccer officials, South Africa, stable condition, suburban virginia, team officials, thoughts and prayers, U.S., us soccer federation, Virginia, Washington, washington suburb, world cup berth

Nakamura needs games at Espanyol: Japan coach

July 14, 2009

Japan coach Takeshi Okada said it was vital star midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura plays regularly at new club Espanyol so that he is in prime condition for next year’s World Cup.

“If you don’t play in matches, it is tough to keep up your playing instinct as well as your condition,” Okada said here Monday as the former Celtic star was unveiled before thousands of fans at Espanyol’s new stadium in Barcelona.

Okada said he would stick to his rule of calling up and using players who get enough time on the pitch with their clubs, Japanese media reported Tuesday.

But the coach praised the 31-year-old playmaker for making the move to the highly competitive Spanish league relatively late in his career.

“Even if he won’t be in good form at the World Cup in South Africa, his move will result in many positives in his life,” said Okada, who has relied on the left-footed master’s free-kicks in Japan’s qualifying matches.

Nakamura faces formidable competition at Espanyol from talent such as Ivan de la Pena and Luis Garcia, and in a league where a sprinkling of Japanese players have not fared well in the past.

Nakamura, who helped Japan book a fourth straight World Cup berth since their 1998 debut, changed his mind at the last minute about returning to his first club, J-League side Yokohama Marinos, after seven years in Europe.

He spent three years at Italy’s Reggina and four more at Celtic, helping the team win the Scottish premier league title three times.

Nakamura joined Espanyol on a two-year deal last month, with an annual wage estimated at 1.2 million euros (1.7 million dollars), after his contract with Celtic expired.

“For me the Spanish league has the best midfielders in the world and plays ideal football in my view. I have liked the league since I was small,” he said in Barcelona, according to Japanese media.

“The hurdles are high and there is a lot of pressure but once I am on that pitch I hope to give it my very best,” the 178cm (5ft10ins) player added. “I didn’t have time to build my body at Celtic and I will take care of that.”

Nakamura was greeted by hundreds of fans when he arrived in Barcelona for a medical Saturday and by over 6,000 at his presentation Monday.

Three Japanese players have failed to make much of an impression in La Liga before him — Shoji Jo at Real Valladolid in 1999-2000, Akinori Nishizawa at Espanyol in 2000-2001 and Yoshito Okubo at Mallorca 2004-2005.

TOKYO (AFP)

Tags: Barcelona, best midfielders in the world, celtic star, Europe, free kicks, ivan, ivan de la pena, j league, Japan, japan book, japan coach, japanese media, japanese players, LA Liga, luis garcia, okada, playmaker, prime condition, reggina, Scottish Premier League, shunsuke nakamura, South Africa, spanish league, straight world, Takeshi Okada, valladolid, world cup berth, YOKOHAMA

Costa Rica, El Salvador claim berths in Beach Soccer World Cup

June 21, 2009

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – Costa Rica and El Salvador both advanced to their first Beach Soccer World Cup, eliminating favorites Mexico and the United States in the semifinals of the CONCACAF championship on Saturday.

Costa Rica outlasted El Tri 2-1 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw while El Salvador subdued the United States 5-3 to assure CONCACAF of a champion from neither Mexico nor the USA for the first time.

It will be El Salvador’s second straight trip and Costa Rica’s first to the Beach Soccer World Cup, this year set for Dubai in the United Arab Emirates November 16-22.

In an earlier game, Canada handed the Bahamas its third straight loss, 4-3, to claim fifth place.

Jose Agustin scored for a third straight game, tallying twice in the opening four minutes to give El Salvador a 2-0 lead. The United States twice pulled within a goal, the last time when Raphael Xexeo scored to cut the deficit to 5-4, but Agustin scored his third of the game with 2:23 remaining to seal the victory for El Salvador.

Isaac Rodriguez and Christopher Flores rallied Mexico from an early deficit to give El Tri a 2-1 lead. But Richard Sterling equalized for Costa Rica with 5:40 to go in the third period and send the game to extra time. A goalless extra period sent the match to penalties, where Gustavo Rosales hit the post on his attempt, giving Enzo Mora the chance to claim a World Cup berth for Costa Rica.

“I can hardly believe we’re actually going to the World Cup, but we deserve it more than anybody,” Costa Rica coach Christian Ovares said. “We beat Mexico in their home in front of thousands of fans. I think we‘ve made a point. We belong among the best 16 teams in the world.”

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