The Official 2010 Pre- World Cup Thread

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]World Cup Warmups

[/size][b][size=1]May 28th, 2010 12:18AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][DATEBOOK] [/color]A busy weekend of World Cup warmups begins Friday when U.S. opponent Algeria faces Ireland in Dublin. It will be a big test for the Desert Foxes, who have lost midfielder [b]Mourad Meghni[/b], out with a knee injury. For this weekend's warmup schedule and television viewing information ...

[color=#FF0000]SCHEDULE:[/color]
[color=#FF0000]May 28 in Dublin, 2:45 pm ET[/color]
Ireland vs. Algeria
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[color=#FF0000]May 29 Geneva, Switzerland[/color]
North Korea vs. Congo DR
[color=#FF0000]May 29[/color][color=#FF0000] in Klagenfurt, Austria[/color][color=#FF0000], 8 am ET[/color]
Cameroon vs. Slovakia
[color=#FF0000]May 29 in Klagenfurt, Austria, 11:15 pm ET[/color]
New Zealand vs. Serbia
[color=#FF0000]May 29 in Innsbruck, noon ET[/color]
Spain vs. Saudi Arabia (ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com)
[color=#FF0000]May 29 in Philadelphia, 2 pm ET[/color]
USA vs. Turkey (ESPN2, Galavision, ESPN3.com)
[color=#FF0000]May 29 in Budapest, 3 pm ET[/color]
Hungary vs. Germany (ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com)
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[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Graz, Austria, 8:15 am ET
[/color]England vs. Japan (Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports en Espanol)
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Kufstein, Austria, 9 am ET[/color]
South Korea vs. Belarus
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Thonon-les-Bains, France, 11 am ET[/color]
Ivory Coast vs. Paraguay (ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com)
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Bayreuth, Germany, 11 am ET[/color]
Mexico vs. Gambia
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Milton Keynes, England, 11 am ET
[/color]Nigeria vs. Colombia
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Rades, 3 pm ET
[/color]Tunisia vs. France (ESPN3.com)
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Santiago, 3:15 pm ET
[/color]Chile vs. Northern Ireland (ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com)
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Santiago, 7 pm ET
[/color]Chile vs. Israel
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[color=#FF0000]May 31 in Polokwane[/color]
South Africa vs. Guatemala [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38254/world-cup-warmups.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38254/world-cup-warmups.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[b][size="6"]Travel Alert [/size][/b][/size][/color][/font][/color]
[color="#404040"][font="Tahoma, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][size="2"][b][size="6"]Bureau of Consular Affairs[/size][/b]

[b][size="4"]May 25, 2010 South Africa[/size][/b]
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[color="#404040"][font="Tahoma, sans-serif"]The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in South Africa to safety and security issues related to the FIFA World Cup taking place in nine cities across the country from June 11 to July 11, 2010. This travel alert expires July 31, 2010. Full information about the World Cup for American visitors is available on the U.S. Mission to South Africa's dedicated[url="http://www.sa2010.state.gov/"]World Cup website[/url].[b]TERRORISM:[/b] Large-scale public events like the World Cup may present a wide range of attractive targets for terrorists. There is a heightened risk that extremist groups will conduct terrorist acts within South Africa in the near future. While a number of terrorist threats against the World Cup in South Africa have appeared in the media in recent weeks and months, the U.S. Government has no information on any specific, credible threat of attack that any individual or group is planning to coincide with the tournament. In the event the U.S. Government receives information of any specific and credible threat, the Department of State will provide information on that threat to the public immediately through an updated Travel Alert or Travel Warning. All USC citizens in or traveling to South Africa are urged to[url="http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/registration/registration_4789.html"]register with the U.S. Mission to South Africa[/url] in order to receive these alerts as quickly as possible.

[b]CRIME:[/b] The vast majority of visitors complete their travels in South Africa without problems; however, visitors should be aware that criminal activity, including violent crime, is prevalent throughout the country. Be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times, looking out for your own personal security. While driving, keep doors locked and windows closed, avoid having purses, phones, bags and luggage in plain view, and when stopping at intersections at night or in isolated locations, leave enough space in front of your vehicle for a quick exit. Be wary of street vendors at traffic lights, planted obstacles and staged "accidents" that may be traps for unsuspecting motorists. Do not stop for cars with flashing lights unless they are clearly marked as police or emergency service vehicles. Park your car in secure, gated parking lots or garages wherever possible, and do not leave bags or valuables in plain view. Travellers to South Africa should avoid carrying or displaying expensive items or wearing eye-catching jewelry, stay in a group, and avoid walking at night. Keep a photocopy of your passport with you, leaving the original in a hotel safe or other secure location. Lost or stolen passports should be reported to the local police and nearest [url="http://southafrica.usembassy.gov/consulates.html"]U.S. Consulate[/url].

[b]PUBLIC DISTURBANCES:[/b] Organized or wildcat labor actions and protests in poorer communities against shortfalls in public services may occur during the World Cup. While localized and normally well away from typical tourist destinations, these disturbances can develop quickly and unpredictably, sometimes turning violent. Use caution and avoid any areas where protests, demonstrations or other public disturbances are taking place.

[b]IMMIGRATION, CUSTOMS, PUBLIC HEALTH:[/b] Scrutiny of foreign travelers arriving at South African ports of entry will be tightened during the World Cup. U.S. citizens should ensure they have two blank pages marked "Visas" in their passports as required for South African entry formalities. Those travelers with criminal records should consult the nearest South African Consulate or the South African Embassy in Washington, D.C., before traveling. Questions about carrying firearms or other unusual items into the country may also be directed to the nearest South African embassy or consulate. Any traveler coming from or passing through the so-called "yellow fever belt" of Africa and South America must carry certification of having received a yellow fever vaccination upon entry into South Africa. The yellow fever belt is defined to include the following countries/territories:

Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Congo-Kinshasa, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda.

South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, and Suriname.

[b]LODGING:[/b] Extreme shortages of hotel rooms are likely during the World Cup, particularly in the smaller World Cup host cities including Bloemfontein, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, and Rustenburg. Visitors are urged to book rooms well in advance. See the [url="http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/loc/01/20/26/44/fanguidelres.pdf"]FIFA 2010 World Cup Fan Guide[/url] for commercial accommodation services covering all World Cup host cities. Assistance with last-minute accommodation needs can also be obtained by calling South Africa Tourism at 087-803-INFO (4636), or from outside South Africa at 27-87-803-4636 (available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day).

[b]TRANSPORTATION:[/b] While South Africa has adequate and generally safe intercity air and surface transportation including planes, buses, and trains, public transportation within cities is poorly developed and not nearly up to U.S. standards. Travelers are advised to use rental cars or book private transport from one of the many commercial operations available. While park-and-ride and park-and-walk facilities are being established around all 10 World Cup stadiums, space for parked cars is expected to be extremely limited. The website [url="http://www.findyourway.co.za/FindYourWay2010"]Find Your Way[/url], operated by the South African Department of Transport and still under construction as of mid-May, promises to provide useful transportation-related information in time for the opening of the tournament. Assistance with transportation can also be obtained by calling South Africa Tourism at 087-803-INFO (4636), or, from outside South Africa, at 27-87-803-4636 (available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day).

U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the [url="https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/"]State Department's travel registration website[/url] so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security. U.S. citizens without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, U.S. citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. For additional information, please refer to [url="http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html"]"A Safe Trip Abroad."[/url]

[/font][/color][color="#404040"][font="Tahoma, sans-serif"]For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the[url="http://travel.state.gov/"]Bureau of Consular Affairs web site[/url] where the current Worldwide Caution, travel warnings, and travel alerts can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Additional travel-related information may also be found in the State Department's[url="http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1008.html"]Country Specific Information for South Africa[/url], and the [url="http://travel.state.gov/_res/pdf/WorldCup2010FactSheet.pdf"]World Cup Fact Sheet[/url]. [/font][/color] [/quote]



[url="http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_3250.html"]http://travel.state....pa/pa_3250.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

You know people will call in sick. The Futbol Flu will hit all over the world here in a couple weeks. Probably would be a good idea for employers to be proactive in this situation. Won't happen in the USA though.

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[b][size="5"]Unions ask companies to let staff watch WCup games[/size][/b]
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[color="#111111"][font="arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif"][size="2"]LONDON (AP)—Britain's trade unions are asking companies to let employees watch the World Cup at work to prevent them from faking sickness during England matches.After many workers called in sick during the 2006 World Cup, the Trade Union Council said Thursday that companies should allow televisions in the workplace or introduce flexible working hours during the June 11-July 11 tournament.

England's group matches against the United States and Algeria are scheduled to kickoff in the evening but its June 23 game with Slovenia, which could decide whether England progresses to the next round, starts at 3 p.m. British Summer Time (1400 GMT).

"The best way to ease tensions is for employers to discuss the issue with staff," TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said. "Rather than impose a blanket ban on football and run the risk of demotivating staff and losing hours through unauthorized sick days, we would encourage employers to let people watch the games if they like and claim back their time afterwards.

"That way, everyone wins."

A study by accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers said that 53 percent of British men and 21 percent of women planned to watch World Cup matches during office hours. PWC said that 5 percent of all staff said they would watch without permission or pretend to be ill, with another 20 percent taking annual leave or using flexible hours to ensure they are free.

"There is huge goodwill to be gained from accommodating flexible working requests or allowing staff to take a couple of hours out," said Michael Rendell, leader of PWC's human resource services. "With pay rises scarce and bonus pools down, this is a great way to thank and engage staff."

England's final group match is its only one likely to affect those working traditional office hours. If England progresses to the second round or beyond, it can only be involved in fixtures scheduled for evenings or weekends.

"People in England work the longest hours in Europe and we believe rigid working hours contribute to their unhappiness," Barber said. "Allowing people more flexibility makes them happier and ultimately more productive for their employers."

The TUC added that companies needed to be mindful of the fact that many workers in Britain will be supporting other nations.

[/size][/font][/color][color="#111111"][font="arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif"][size="2"]Although Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland did not qualify for the showpiece, the last national census in 2001 showed that 8.3 percent of Britain's population was born overseas.[/size][/font][/color][/quote]



[url="http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-wcup-britishworkers"]http://sports.yahoo....-britishworkers[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Bradley set with most of lineup

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/45/paul-kennedy/"][size=1]Paul Kennedy[/size][/url][size=1], May 29th, 2010 2:50AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][USA-TURKEY][/color] After many starters sat out Tuesday's friendly against the Czech Republic, look for Coach [b]Bob Bradley[/b] to field close to his first team for Saturday's friendly against Turkey in Philadelphia (TV: ESPN2, Galavision, live, 2 pm ET).

“We’re pretty set with most of our lineup," he said. "Those decisions will be based on the need to see some different players and based on the fitness of others after the game the other day.”

Key decisions involve three players:

-- If [b]Jonathan Spector [/b]plays, where will he play? He played at left back -- to mixed reviews -- for most of the year at West Ham United, but he was a right back for the USA at the 2009 Confederations Cup.

-- Will [b]Maurice Edu[/b] remain in the starting lineup in midfield? He played the first half there against the Czech Republic before moving the middle of the backline, where he played at the 2008 Olympics. Edu is pushing[b] Ricardo Clark[/b] for a starting job in midfield next to[b]Michael Bradley[/b].

-- Where will [b]Clint Dempsey[/b] start? He started on the right side of midfield for most of 2009 but might be used up front in the position formerly held by [b]Charlie Davies[/b].

A largely pro-American crowd of more 50,000 fans is expected at Lincoln Financial Field for the send-off game. The fact that Tuesday's game in East Hartford, Conn., also drew a pro-American crowd was not lost on [b]Landon Donovan[/b].

"I was a little disappointed the other night not to be able to play in a game like that because it’s not too often we have such pro-American crowds," the U.S. star said. "When we play in qualifiers, we always have a large contingent of passionate American fans, but more often than not our opponents’ fans are more prevalent in the stadium. So [the other night] was cool and we expect the same again. There’s no better way to head to South Africa than with a home game like that.” [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38268/bradley-set-with-most-of-lineup.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38268/bradley-set-with-most-of-lineup.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]High-visibility match to be played at Meadowlands

[/size][b][size=1]May 29th, 2010 2:42AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][USA-BRAZIL] [/color]Four years ago, the USA didn't play a game the rest of the year after the World Cup.In 1998 and 2002, it went more than four months before playing a friendly after the World Cup.

This year, the Americans will be back in action less than a month after the final in South Africa, and the game will be a biggie ...

The U.S. national team play will play its first game at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Aug. 10 when its hosts five-time world champion Brazil.

A sellout crowd is expected for Brazil's first appearance in the New York area in 14 years.

The high-visibility game is of importance to U.S. Soccer since less than four months later FIFA will decide the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

The USA is a leading candidate to host the 2022 World Cup.



The U.S. national team didn't play a game in 2006 after the World Cup finals because it did not have a head coach. [b]Bruce Arena[/b]'s contract was not renewed, and a replacement -- [b]Bob Bradley[/b] as interim coach -- was not found until late in the year after[b] Juergen Klinsmann[/b] turned down the job. [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38267/high-visibility-match-to-be-played-at-meadowlands.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38267/high-visibility-match-to-be-played-at-meadowlands.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Desert Foxes devoured in Dublin

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/45/paul-kennedy/"][size=1]Paul Kennedy[/size][/url][size=1], May 28th, 2010 10:14PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][ALGERIA] [/color]U.S. opponent Algeria's final preparations for the World Cup got off to a miserable start as the Desert Foxes fell to Ireland, 3-0, in Dublin on Friday. Poor defending -- a problem this year for the Algerians -- continued in the absence of star [b]Madjid Bougherra[/b] in the middle of the backline.

[b]Paul Green [/b]put Ireland ahead in the 31st minute, and [b]Robbie Keane[/b]added goals in the 52nd and 85th minutes, both aided by defensive errors.

Goalie [b]Fawzi Chaouchi[/b]'s weak punch went straight to Keane on the second goal, and left back [b]Djamel Mesbah[/b] fouled him for a penalty kick he converted for the third goal.

“They were superior to us and deserve a place in the World Cup,”[b]Rabah Saadane[/b] said of Ireland, which was edged by France in a controversial playoff series for a berth at the World Cup.

Bougherra, who plays for Scottish champion Rangers, has been out with a calf injury.

Also out on the backline was [b]Antar Yahia[/b], whose goal against Egypt earned Algeria its place at the World Cup.

Mesbah was one of three uncapped players to play for Algeria for the first time along with right back[b]Habib Ballaid[/b] and center back [b]Adlene Guedioura[/b].

[color=#FF0000]Algeria -- [/color]Chaouchi (Mbolhi, 67), Guedioura, Ballaid, Halliche, Mesbah, Mansouri (Kadir, 67), Lacen, Belhadj (Boudebouz, 67), Ziani, Djebbour (Saifi, 58), Ghezzal (Abdoun, 77). [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38264/desert-foxes-devoured-in-dublin.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38264/desert-foxes-devoured-in-dublin.html[/url]

[JC]

Boy did Jozy, Landon, and Deuce look spectacular last night. Even Jr. got in on some attack. I can't wait to see how they play at altitude.

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote name='JC' date='30 May 2010 - 09:05 AM' timestamp='1275228357' post='890800']
Boy did Jozy, Landon, and Deuce look spectacular last night. Even Jr. got in on some attack. I can't wait to see how they play at altitude.
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I will definitely be watching this one on DVR. Only thing I know so far is the scoring. I want to see how the first half went being down 0-1.

[MAGICTOUCH]

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[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Good and bad of send-off victory

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/45/paul-kennedy/"][size=1]Paul Kennedy[/size][/url][size=1], May 29th, 2010 2:41PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][USA-TURKEY][/color][b]Jozy Altidore[/b]and[b] Clint Dempsey[/b]scored in the second half to give the USA a 2-1 win Saturday in its friendly against Turkey in Philadelphia. Here's what we liked and didn't like along with video highlights ...
[color=#FF0000]We liked ...[/color]

-- Halftime subs [b]Robbie Findley[/b] and [b]Jose Francisco Torres[/b], who played very well. Findley had his best game for the USA and helped set up the first goal. Torres was excellent in midfield.

-- The finishing of Dempsey, who took a half-chance and scored the winning goal. It's same kind of efficiency Dempsey showed last summer at the Confederations Cup.

-- How the game gave the USA a chance to deal with two situations -- it came from behind to take the lead and held it.

[color=#FF0000]We didn't like ...[/color]

-- The lack of spark the USA showed in the first half when it failed to take the game to the Turks. Surprising, given the pro-U.S. crowd of more than 55,000 encouraging the Americans on.

-- Its continued propensity to give away easy goals and its failure to shut the Turks down after it took the lead. Poor defending contributed to all five goals in the send-off series.

-- How after both sat out Tuesday's game against the Czech Republic, [b]Ricardo Clark[/b] and [b]Benny Feilhaber[/b] lacked bite in midfield. They both came off at the half.

[color=#FF0000]Goals:[/color]

[color=#FF0000]0-1:[/color] The USA fell behind in the first half when [b]Arda Turan[/b] scored on a counterattack. With right back [b]Jonathan Spector[/b] having moved into the U.S. attack, Arda had acres of room to race into the penalty and beat Spector and [b]Jay DeMerit[/b] before slotting the ball past [b]Tim Howard[/b].

[color=#FF0000]1-1:[/color] Altidore equalized for the USA in the 58th minute when he scored into an open net after Findley had sprung [b]Landon Donovan [/b]down the right side and the Galaxy star fed Altidore in the middle.

[color=#FF0000]2-1:[/color]Off a throw-in, [b]Donovan [/b]fed Dempsey on the left side, and the Fulham striker beat two Turkish defenders before slotting the ball home.

[color=#FF0000]May 29 in Philadelphia[/color]<br style="font-weight: bold; ">[b]USA 1 Turkey 1. [/b]Goals: Altidore 58, Dempsey 75; Arda 27.
[b]USA -- [/b]Howard, Spector (Cherundolo, 46), DeMerit, Goodson (Onyewu, 46), Bocanegra (Bornstein, 75), Donovan, Bradley, Clark (Torres, 46), Feilhaber (Findley, 46), Dempsey, Altidore (Holden, 81).
[b]Turkey -- [/b]Volkan, Sabri, Servet, Caglar, Gokhan, Hamit (Semih, 73), Belozoglu, Arda (Ozan, 90), Selcuk (Mehmet, 53), Tuncay (Nihat, 77), Kazim-Richards (Sercan, 60).


[b]Att.: [/b]55,407. [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38271/good-and-bad-of-send-off-victory.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38271/good-and-bad-of-send-off-victory.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[font="Trebuchet MS"][size="4"][color="#FF0000"][size="4"][color="#000000"][size="5"]U.S. Player Ratings

[/size][b][size="1"]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/49/ridge-mahoney/"][size="1"]Ridge Mahoney[/size][/url][size="1"], May 29th, 2010 6:52PM[/size][/b][/color][/size][/color][/size][/font]

[color="#FF0000"][USA-TURKEY REPORT CARD][/color] Soccer America's [b]Ridge Mahoney[/b] grades the U.S. players after the USA'S 2-1 win over Turkey in Philadelphia on Saturday.
[color="#FF0000"]USA[/color]
[b]STARTERS:
Rating/Player (Club/Country) GP/G[/b]
[b]5 Tim Howard[/b] (Everton/ENG) 50/0
No tough saves to speak of, but sharp and active, headed ball out of danger.
[b]3 Jonathan Spector [/b](West Ham/ENG) 25/0
Caught upfield on first goal, struggled to find the right positions.
[b]4 Jay DeMerit[/b] (Watford/ENG) 18/0
Floundered in first half to plug holes, better but not great afterwards.
[b]5 Clarence Goodson[/b] (Start/NOR) 12/2
Deflected a shot in dangerous situation.
[b]5 Carlos Bocanegra[/b] (Rennes/FRA) 73/12
Served several good balls from left flank, grew in stature defensively.
[b]6 Landon Donovan[/b] (Los Angeles) 122/42
Tepid first half, sharper in the second setting up both goals.
[b]5 Michael Bradley[/b] (Borussia M'Gladbach/GER) 42/7
Also off the pace before halftime, good second half, shot was blocked.
[b]4 Ricardo Clark[/b] (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER) 28/2
Never caught up to Turkish midfield play.
[b]3 Benny Feilhaber [/b](AGF Aarhus/DEN) 32/2
Poor on the ball, not much defensively.
[b]7 Clint Dempsey[/b] (Fulham/ENG) 61/18
Excellent effort and goal as U.S. rallied, got in several tackles as well.
[b]6 Jozy Altidore[/b] (Hull/Eng) 25/9
Sweet move to slip into the box late in first half, finished nice sequence to score.

[b]SUBS:[/b][b]
Rating/Player (Club/Country) GP/G
[/b][b]7 Robbie Findley[/b] (Real Salt Lake) 5/0
Got wide, pierced the channels, tested keeper with cross, superb chip to launch first goal.
[b]5 Oguchi Onyewu [/b](AC Milan/ITA) 53/5
Got in one solid block, not tested very much.
[b]6 Jose Francisco Torres [/b](Pachuca/MEX) 10/0
Nice touches as usual, much more defensive bite than shown before, shot just missed.
[b]6 Steve Cherundolo[/b] (Hannover 96/GER) 59/2
Scrambled balls away, won tackles, cut off Tuncay on possible chance.

[b][size=5]4 Jonathan Bornstein[/size][/b][size=5] (Chivas USA) 31/2
Another weak outing. [i][LOL][/i][/size]

[b]NR Stuart Holden[/b] (Bolton Wanderers/ENG) 13/2
Only nine minutes but played great ball to Bradley to set up Dempsey chance.


[i](Ratings: 1=terrible; 5=average; 10=brilliant.)[/i] [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38270/us-player-ratings.html"]http://www.soccerame...er-ratings.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Rehearsal win is relief

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/40/mike-woitalla/"][size=1]Mike Woitalla[/size][/url][size=1], May 30th, 2010 1:16AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
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[color=#FF0000][USA-TURKEY] [/color]The win over Turkey on Saturday marked the midway point of the USA's World Cup dress rehearsal. But how much do these final friendlies really reveal about the USA's chances at the World Cup?
As it does before each World Cup, the USA plays three exhibition games to mimic the first-round schedule.

Last Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the Czech Republic, the win over Turkey, and next Saturday’s friendly against Australia in South Africa have the USA playing three games in 12 days, as it will in Group C, against England, Slovenia and Algeria.

Against the Turks, a cohesive second-half performance enabled the USA to over come a 1-0 first-half deficit for a 2-1. It also marked its first victory since a 2-1 win over El Salvador in February and upped its 2010 win-loss-tie record to 2-3-0.

Before the 2006 World Cup, at which the USA exited in the first round with two losses and a tie, then-Coach [b]Bruce Arena[/b]’s team lost to Morocco (0-1), beat Venezuela (2-0) and squeaked by Latvia (1-0). The weak competition in these final warm-ups would later be partially blamed for the Americans' poor showing at in Germany.

Before its quarterfinal appearance at the 2002 World Cup, the Americans, also under Arena, beat Uruguay (2-1), thumped Jamaica (5-0) and lost to the Netherlands (0-2). The loss before leaving for South Korea came against the strongest team not to have qualified for the World Cup.

The USA exited the 1998 World Cup with three straight losses. Before leaving for France, the [b]Steve Sampson[/b]-coached team tied Macedonia (0-0), beat Kuwait (2-0) and tied Scotland (0-0).

The USA's worst performance (1998) in the last three World Cups came after its poorest dress rehearsal. Its best, in 2002, followed its most impressive run in the warm-ups.

The friendly results may be meaningless on paper, but the win over Turkey provided a much-needed confidence boost.[/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38274/rehearsal-win-is-relief.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38274/rehearsal-win-is-relief.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Llorente spares Spain's blushes

[/size][b][size=1]May 29th, 2010 7:13PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN][/color] World Cup favorite Spain needed a goal from [b]Fernando Llorente [/b]in the 90th minute to defeat Saudi Arabia, 3-2, in its first warmup.

The surprise of the day was New Zealand's 1-0 win over Serbia.

[color=#FF0000]RESULTS:[/color]
[b]Slovakia 1 Cameroon 1. [/b]Goals: Kopunek 5; Enoh 82.
[b]New Zealand 1 Serbia 0. [/b]Goal: Smeltz 22.
[b]Spain 3 Saudi Arabia 2. [/b]Goals: Villa 31, Xabi Alonso 59, Llorente 90; Hawsawi 17, Al-Sahlawi 74.
[b]Hungary 0 Germany 3. [/b]Goals: Podolski pen. 5, Gomez 69, Cacau 73.[/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38272/llorente-spares-spains-blushes.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38272/llorente-spares-spains-blushes.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]World Cup Warmups

[/size][b][size=1]May 28th, 2010 12:18AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][DATEBOOK] [/color]A busy weekend of World Cup warmups continues Sunday with nine finalists in action. For this weekend's warmup schedule and television viewing information ....

[color=#FF0000]SCHEDULE:[/color][color=#FF0000]
[/color][color=#FF0000]May 30 in Graz, Austria, 8:15 am ET
[/color]England vs. Japan (Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports en Espanol)
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Kufstein, Austria, 9 am ET[/color]
South Korea vs. Belarus
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Thonon-les-Bains, France, 11 am ET[/color]
Ivory Coast vs. Paraguay (ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com)
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Bayreuth, Germany, 11 am ET[/color]
Mexico vs. Gambia (Telemundo)
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Milton Keynes, England, 11 am ET
[/color]Nigeria vs. Colombia
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Rades, 3 pm ET
[/color]Tunisia vs. France (ESPN3.com)
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Santiago, 3:15 pm ET
[/color]Chile vs. Northern Ireland (ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com)
[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Santiago, 7 pm ET
[/color]Chile vs. Israel
--------------------------------------------------
[color=#FF0000]May 31 in Polokwane[/color]
South Africa vs. Guatemala [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38254/world-cup-warmups.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38254/world-cup-warmups.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

Same thing happened in 2006. As far as Adidas goes, IMO the best ball they have is the Finale. However combined with other things I'm hearing about Adidas they might want to be careful or they could let Nike slip in there and be the biggest in soccer.


[quote]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][color=#333333][color=#000000][color=#333333][size=3][color=#000000][color=#333333][size=3][color=#000000]
[b][size=5]Players not happy with World Cup ball[/size][/b]
[/color][/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]
[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]JOHANNESBURG -- Several players are going all out against the new World Cup ball, with more than one comparing it to those bought at a supermarket.[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]And this time it's not only goalkeepers who are complaining. Strikers, defenders and midfielders are also lashing out at the Adidas ball just a few days before the monthlong tournament is to begin in South Africa.[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]The ball is called Jabulani, which means "to celebrate" in isiZulu, but not many are celebrating it so far. It's hard to find a player who is happy with it, and those who don't like it are not saving adjectives to describe their feelings.[/size][/color]

[/color][/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]"It's very weird," Brazil striker Luis Fabiano said Sunday. "All of a sudden it changes trajectory on you. It's like it doesn't want to be kicked. It's incredible, it's like someone is guiding it. You are going to kick it and it moves out of the way. I think it's supernatural, it's very bad. I hope to adapt to it as soon as possible, but it's going to be hard."[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar on Saturday called the ball "terrible" and was the first to compare it to those plastic ones bought on a supermarket. Italy striker Giampaolo Pazzini said the same thing, calling it a "disaster."[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]"It moves so much and makes it difficult to control. You jump up to head a cross and suddenly the ball will move and you miss it," Pazzini said. "It is especially bad for the goalkeepers if it means they concede a goal because they can't judge the trajectory."[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]Adidas traditionally launches new balls for each World Cup and they usually cause controversy because of the changes prompted by the new technology being introduced. Most of the time the ball becomes speedier and goalkeepers are the ones most affected by it. But this time the livelier ball is causing problems to field players, too.[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]"There is no way to hide it," Brazil midfielder Julio Baptista said. "It's bad for the goalkeepers and it's bad for us. It's really bad. The players try to cross it and it goes to the opposite direction they intended it to go."[/size][/color]

[/color][/color][/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][color=#333333]Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas also expressed his anger at the design of the ball after the European champion's 3-2 friendly win over Saudi Arabia on Saturday.[/color][color=#333333][size=3]"It's sad that that such an important competition like the World Cup has such an important element like this ball of appalling condition," he said.[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]Adidas said the technology on the Jabulani is "radically new," and when it launched the ball in December is said that it would sail true because small dots on the surface would help improve reliability in the air. It said the ball would have "an exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions."[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]FIFA and Adidas did not immediately return messages seeking comment Sunday.[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]Adidas has released some promotional materials in which some of its sponsored players praise the ball, including Kaka, Michael Ballack, Petr Cech and Frank Lampard. Ballack called the ball "fantastic."[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]Spain defender Alvaro Arbeloa, who also wears Adidas gear, had a simple answer when asked about the ball: "It's round, like always."[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]"It happens every time, the players always complain about the ball," said former Brazil great Tostao. "It used to be the goalkeepers only, but now we have the others complaining, too. At the greatest competition in the world you would think that the players would like the ball, but that's not the case."[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]Players were already expecting the ball to be affected by the high altitude in Johannesburg and some other host cities. A study by Adidas last year showed the altitude will have an impact of up to 5 percent on the ball's speed, meaning a 20-yard free kick will reach the goal line 5 percent faster than it would at sea level.[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]The ball is made up of 11 colors to represent the players in a starting lineup and the 11 official languages and the 11 communities of the host country.[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]"That's the ball they chose and we have to accept it," Baptista said. "But it's going to be complicated."[/size][/color]

[/font][color=#333333][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The World Cup begins June 11 with South Africa playing Mexico.[/font][/color] [/quote]



[url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5233750/ce/us/ball-design-world-cup-draws-criticism-position-players-goalkeepers?campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines&cc=5901&ver=us"]http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5233750/ce/us/ball-design-world-cup-draws-criticism-position-players-goalkeepers?campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines&cc=5901&ver=us[/url]

[JC]

Didn't get to DVR it..but from the highlights I saw.

Jozy looked super sharp. Had one world class move that almost led to a goal. Dude is looking to break out and find a home in Everton with LD.

Robbie Findley helps this team. He is a less talented Davies. But his speed helps stretch the field so much for Landon and Clint. Wouldn't be surprised to see this pairing on the 12th. The US thrives off this speedy striker. I still want Jozy to be able to not have to be a possession striker though.

Torres needs to be paired with Jr. in the midfield. Holden should come on for Findley and move Demps to striker in crunch time.

Gooch doesn't need to start..

Boca seemed to do good on the outside. Hopefully preventing Bornstein from doing anything but carrying water jugs this month.

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][color=#333333][color=#000000]
[b][size=5]Adidas: Ball feedback had been positive[/size][/b]
[/color][/color][/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][color=#333333]
[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][color=#333333]LONDON -- Adidas has countered criticism that its World Cup ball is difficult to control and a nightmare for goalkeepers, saying it was widely tested and approved long ago.[/color][color=#333333][size=3]Company spokesman Thomas van Schaik said on Monday that he was surprised to hear the criticisms, made by top goalkeepers such as Spain's Iker Casillas and Brazil's Julio Cesar, because the balls had been used for months without any complaints.[/size][/color]

[color=#333333][size=3]Van Schaik said that players heading for the World Cup had been practicing with the "Jabulani" ball since it was launched in December and all the feedback until now had been positive.[/size][/color]

[/font][color=#333333][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Asked why it behaved differently at altitude, where many of the games in South Africa will be played, Van Schaik said that applied to all balls.[/font][/color] [/quote]



[url="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5235679/ce/us/adidas-surprised-timing-complaints-ball?campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines&cc=5901&ver=us"]http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5235679/ce/us/adidas-surprised-timing-complaints-ball?campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines&cc=5901&ver=us[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Imbalance in U.S. squad is disquieting

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/49/ridge-mahoney/"][size=1]Ridge Mahoney[/size][/url][size=1], May 30th, 2010 9:54PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][MY VIEW] [/color]Turkey isn't going to the World Cup, but it gave a USA a good test in the Americans' 2-1 win and a few thoughts to ponder as preparations move along for the 2010 competition.
True professionals show up on game day, and in the final game of three-match tour, Turkey showed why players like [b]Hamit Altintop, Emre Bezozoglu[/b] and [b]Tuncay Sanli[/b] have played in some of the world’s biggest leagues.

The Turkish players run and move with purpose and intent, they tackle like they mean it, they see and create space, and take pride in every touch. They may not all play for big clubs, but they all play in a lot of big games.

To lose the ball is to lose face, to miss a tackle is a disgrace. This happens to players all the time, of course, but while physical errors can be forgiven, mental lapses are not. How good can Turkey be in a competitive environment? It finished third in the 2002 World Cup: it lost only to Brazil twice, in the group stage and again in the semifinals.

Turkey failed to qualify for the 2006 and 2010 tournaments despite that accomplishment in 2002 and a respectable cast of players, and so once again U.S. players and fans can be thankful of Concacaf, a region where the heavies usually reign and challengers fall by the wayside.

Upon taking the U.S. head coaching job back in the fall of 2006,[b] Bob Bradley[/b] stressed the importance of winning the Gold Cup, for it qualifies the winner for the Confederations Cup and gives the USA a rare chance to test itself in a major competition outside of its region. By beating Egypt and Spain and pushing Brazil before losing, 3-2, last summer in South Africa, the Americans gained 100 times more confidence and experience than could possibly be achieved by beating Mexico, again.

Friendlies are always tricky to evaluate and assess.

Last November, the Americans lost to Slovakia, 1-0, and were pasted by Denmark, 3-1. Both of those nations are headed to South Africa. The USA didn’t field its strongest team in those games, but the same can be said of last week’s game against the Czech Republic, a 4-2 defeat at home.

Many of the U.S. players who faltered in those games aren’t going to South Africa; that’s a weeding-out process that frustrates fans who don’t see the total picture, but it must be done. There really isn’t any other way.

The relative weakness of MLS is another factor to consider. Only four MLS players made the 23-man roster, and while many more members of the squad started out in MLS, that imbalance is disquieting.

Only [b]Landon Donovan[/b], the best U.S. player, is a guaranteed starter amongst the MLS contingent.[b]Jonathan Bornstein[/b], a hero in October when his headed stoppage-time equalizer at RFK Stadium tied Costa Rica, 2-2, and pushed the USA to the Hexagonal top spot, is struggling to make his case for playing time.

[b]Herculez Gomez [/b]looks twice the player he was in MLS, and how many midfields would be better with[b] Jose Francisco Torres[/b], not to mention ex-MetroStar [b]Michael Bradley[/b]?

[b]Robbie Findley[/b] didn’t play a great game against the Netherlands in March, but he did perform precisely as Bradley instructed him: try to get behind the defense, get wide, use speed to cause problems and force mistakes.

He didn't play against the Czech Republic, yet in training showed enough to confirm his place. When he came into the Turkey game for the second half, the defenders had to drop deeper to respect that pace, which opened up the midfield for Donovan and Bradley and Torres and [b]Clint Dempsey[/b] to exploit.

He still lost the ball a couple of times on the dribble, yet he also lifted a wonderful chip that triggered the equalizing goal. That’s an example of the breadth of play the international game demands, and isn’t seen nearly often enough by American players in MLS.

Opportunities for players overseas will always be limited, yet as MLS expands, more and more players can get through their growing pains as pros at home.



The conditioning, physical and mental, players undergo in foreign leagues is much more intense, and for the foreseeable future, the players who head overseas and the games played against solid European and South American club and international competition will be the only reliable barometer of where our players stand. [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38279/imbalance-in-us-squad-is-disquieting.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38279/imbalance-in-us-squad-is-disquieting.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Ugly win won't change Capello's mind

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/45/paul-kennedy/"][size=1]Paul Kennedy[/size][/url][size=1], May 31st, 2010 2:04AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][ENGLAND] [/color]England's 2-1 win over Japan Sunday in Graz, Austria, was about as ugly one can get. England fell behind in the seventh minute, missed a penalty kick and only beat Japanese thanks to a pair of own goals in the last 18 minutes. Afterwards, England coach[b]Fabio Capello[/b] said the game confirmed who he'll take to the World Cup and who he'll cut.

Japanese goalie [b]Eiji Kawashima[/b] saved [b]Frank Lampard[/b]'s penalty kick after [b]Marcus Tanaka[/b] had given Japan an early lead, but Tanaka later headed a cross by [b]Joe Cole[/b] into his own net to even the score and another cross, this one by [b]Ashley Cole[b],[/b][/b] was deflected by [b]Yuji Nakazawa[/b] past Kawashima in the 83rd minute.

Capello will name his 23-man squad on Tuesday.

“It was a very interesting game for me because I saw a lot of players that didn’t play before and I learned more,” Capello said. “I wanted to try some some different style [in the first half]. The result was not good. I’ve learned some players can’t play this style.”

But Capello said the game won't change who he'll take to the World Cup.

“I know the value of all players," he said.

The major question remains the fitness of midfielder [b]Gareth Barry[/b], who has been unable to train since early May because of an injured ankle.

[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Graz[/color]
[b]England 2 Japan 1. [/b]Goals: own goals 72, 83, Tanaka 7.
[b]England -- [/b]James (Hart, 46), G.Johnson (Carragher, 46), A.Cole, Ferdinand, Terry, Walcott (Wright-Phillips, 46), Huddlestone (Gerrard, 46), Lampard, Bent (J.Cole, 46), Rooney, Lennon (Heskey, 77).
[b]Japan -- [/b]Kawashima, Nakazawa, Tanaka, Nagatomo, Konno, Endo (Tamada, 86), Hasebe, Yujki, Honda, Okubu (Matsui, 72), Okazaki (Morimoto, 65). [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38285/ugly-win-wont-change-capellos-mind.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38285/ugly-win-wont-change-capellos-mind.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]No place for Henry in starting lineup?

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/45/paul-kennedy/"][size=1]Paul Kennedy[/size][/url][size=1], May 31st, 2010 2:25AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][FRANCE] [/color]With [b]Lassana Diarra[/b] out of the World Cup, French coach[b]Raymond Domenech[/b] has adopted a new 4-3-3 formation for the 2006 World Cup runner-up. The same 10 field players who started earlier in the week against Costa Rica started in Sunday's 1-1 tie at Tunisia, which meant there was no place for star [b]Thierry Henry[/b].

“I had a chat with the coach and the coach told me I wasn’t starting,” Henry said. “But as I’ve said many times, the most important thing is the team. I try and bring something when I come on, I’m at the team’s disposition.”

Henry came on in the second half for [b]Franck Ribery[/b].

[b]William Gallas[/b], whose controversial goal sent France to the World Cup, scored to salvage the barnstorming Bleus a tie.

They are now off the French island of Reunion for their final preparations for the World Cup. France plays China Friday in its final tuneup.

[color=#FF0000]May 30 in Rades[/color]
[b]Tunisia 1 France 1. [/b]Goals: Jomaa 5; Gallas 62.
[b]France --[/b] Lloris, Sagna, Gallas (Squillaci, 64), Abidal (Planus, 46), Evra (Clichy, 64), Gourcuff (Diaby, 64), Toulalan, Malouda, Govou (Cisse, 75), Anelka (Gignac, 64), Ribery (Henry, 46).[/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38288/no-place-for-henry-in-starting-lineup.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38288/no-place-for-henry-in-starting-lineup.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Chivas stars lead Mexico romp

[/size][b][size=1]May 31st, 2010 2:24AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN][/color] In its third match in seven days, Mexico beat Gambia, 5-1, in Bayreuth, Germany. The Tri got two goals apiece from Guadalajara teammates [b]Javier Hernandez[/b] and [b]Adolfo Bautista[/b].

-- In Coach [b]Sven-Goran Eriksson[/b]’s first game in charge, Ivory Coast blew a two-goal lead and had to settle for a 2-2 tie with Paraguay. “We lost organization, we tried to run and finish individually,” Eriksson said. “We have to play better, but we will play better.”

-- Teenager [b]Lukman Haruna[/b], who plays for French club Monaco, scored a second-half goal to salvage a 1-1 for Nigeria against Colombia.

-- South Korea's four-game winning streak ended when it fell to Belarus, 1-0, on midfielder [b]Syarhey Kislyak[/b]’s 53rd-minute goal. [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38287/chivas-stars-lead-mexico-romp.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38287/chivas-stars-lead-mexico-romp.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]A vuvuzela in every room

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/45/paul-kennedy/"][size=1]Paul Kennedy[/size][/url][size=1], June 1st, 2010 12:47AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][USA 23] [/color]The U.S. national team arrived at its World Cup home for at least the next three weeks on Monday following a 17-hour flight from Washington and Johannesburg via Dakar. The security was tight but the welcome warm.

U.S. coach [b]Bob Bradley[/b] was happy to be back in South Africa for the national team's third trip during his tenure as national team coach. The USA played South Africa in a friendly in November 2007 and finished second at the 2009 Confederations Cup.

"We're very fortunate that we have had experience here," Bradley said on the airport tarmac. "The people here in South Africa have always treated us so well, so in that regard, it's a comfortable feeling to be back for the World Cup."

The Americans are staying at the Irene Country Lodge, in the village of Irene between Johannesburg and the capital of Pretoria -- sites of their second and third games.

They were greeted to a short ceremony involving singing and dancing.

The players were offered fruit and beverages at the reception and a vuvuzela — the noisy plastic trumpet South African fans use — was left in each player's room.

The USA is the fifth team to arrive in South Africa.

It meets Australia, the first team to arrive, in a friendly on Saturday at Ruimsig Stadium in Roodepoort (TV: ESPN2, 8:30 a.m. ET). [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38298/a-vuvuzela-in-every-room.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38298/a-vuvuzela-in-every-room.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

To answer the first question...Yes. You looked VERY good against Turkey.

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Jose Francisco Torres rewind

[/size][b][size=1]June 1st, 2010 2:08AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][VIDEO][/color] Have you jumped on the [b]Jose Francisco Torres[/b] bandwagon?Want to catch him in action against Turkey?

Here's every touch from Saturday's game on one highlight video courtesy of 723Football Films. [/quote]



VIDEO available:

[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38302/jose-francisco-torres-rewind.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38302/jose-francisco-torres-rewind.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Jonathan dos Santos one of last cuts

[/size][b][size=1]May 31st, 2010 10:20PM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][MEXICO][/color] [b]Jonathan dos Santos[/b] won't be joining brother[b] Giovani [/b]at the World Cup. The 19-year-old Barcelona midfielder was one of three players dropped to get Mexico's World Cup squad down to 23 players.

Mexico has played three games since heading to Europe. It will play defending champion Italy on Thursday before heading to South Africa, where it will face Bafana Bafana in the opening game June 11.

[color=#FF0000]Mexico Roster:[/color]
[b]Goalkeepers: [/b]Guillermo Ochoa (Club America), Luis Michel (Guadalajara), Oscar Perez (Jaguares).
[b]Defenders: [/b]Rafael Marquez (Barcelona), Ricardo Osorio (VfB Stuttgart), Francisco Javier Rodriguez (PSV), Carlos Salcido (PSV), Hector Moreno (AZ), Paul Aguilar (Pachuca), Efrain Juarez (UNAM), Jonny Magallon (Guadalajara), Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres).
[b]Midfielders: [/b]Andres Guardado (Dep. Coruna), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Israel Castro (UNAM).
[b]Forwards:[/b] Guillermo Franco (West Ham), Carlos Vela (Arsenal), Giovani dos Santos (Galatasaray), Pablo Barrera (UNAM), Adolfo Bautista (Guadalajara), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Veracruz), Alberto Medina (Guadalajara), Javier Hernandez (Guadalajara). [/quote]


[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38291/jonathan-dos-santos-one-of-last-cuts.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38291/jonathan-dos-santos-one-of-last-cuts.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color=#FF0000][color=#000000][size=5]Eto'o-Milla tiff nothing new

[/size][b][size=1]by [/size][url="http://www.socceramerica.com/author/45/paul-kennedy/"][size=1]Paul Kennedy[/size][/url][size=1], June 1st, 2010 12:05AM[/size][/b][/color][/color]
[color=#FF0000]
[/color]
[color=#FF0000][CAMEROON] [/color]There's a reason no African team has won the World Cup. Meddling is commonplace, as evidenced by former Cameroonian star [b]Roger Milla[/b]'s claim that the Indomitable Lions' current star,[b]Samuel Eto'o[/b], has done nothing for the national team.

The exchange between Milla and Eto'o became an affair of state.

The Cameroonian government sent its minister of sport to calm Eto'o, who threatened to pull out of the World Cup.

The Cameroonian soccer federation pleaded for unity.

"Following statements made in the media by some major figures of our soccer disturb the serenity of our national team, the Cameroon soccer federation invites the public to remain united around the athletes of the Indomitable Lions," said Cameroon federation president[b] Iya Mohammed[/b] on Sunday.

It's only the latest episode in a long history of internal problems that have beset Cameroon and involved Milla.

Milla has often worked behind the scenes to get coaches hired or fired, most recently German [b]Otto Pfister[/b]. Nor are Milla's remarks critical of the national team and its players anything new. He blamed the problems during the Pfister era on Eto'o and other veterans[b] Idriss Kameni[/b], [b]Geremi Njitap[/b] and[b]Rigobert Song[/b] -- the so-called 1984 club for their numbers.

Milla became an international celebrity when he scored four goals for Cameroon at the 1990 World Cup, where it reached the quarterfinals, and became the oldest player to score a goal at the World Cup four years later at the age of 42.

Milla said that Eto’o had “brought lots to Barcelona and Inter Milan but never anything to the Cameroon team.”

Eto'o laid into Milla for his comments.

“People should respect me and they must shut up, really shut up, because playing in the World Cup quarterfinals is not the same as winning the World Cup,” he said. “It is always before tournaments that bitter people wake up."

Eto'o added that he didn't need the grief and threatened to sit out the World Cup.

He was finally included in French coach [b]Paul Le Guen[/b]'s squad for the World Cup.

[color=#FF0000]Cameroon Roster:[/color]
[b]Goalkeepers: [/b]Guy Roland Ndy Assembe (Valenciennes), Carlos Kameni (Espanyol), Hamidou Souleymanou (Kayserispor).
[b]Defenders: [/b]Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham), Sebastien Bassong (Tottenham), Gaetan Bong (Valenciennes), Aurelien Chedjou (Lille), Geremi (Ankaragucu), Stephane Mbia (Marseille), Nicolas Nkoulou (Monaco), Rigobert Song (Trabzonspor).
[b]Midfielders: [/b]Achille Emana (Real Betis), Eyong Enoh (Ajax), Jean Makoun (Lyon), Georges Mandjeck (Kaiserslautern), Joel Matip (Schalke 04), Landry Nguemo (Celtic), Alex Song (Arsenal).
[b]Forwards: [/b]Vincent Aboubakar (Coton Sport), Eric Choupo-Moting (Nuremberg), Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan), Mohamadou Idrissou (Freiburg), Achille Webo (Real Mallorca). [/quote]



[url="http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38293/etoo-milla-tiff-nothing-new.html"]http://www.socceramerica.com/article/38293/etoo-milla-tiff-nothing-new.html[/url]

[MAGICTOUCH]

[quote]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][color="#303030"][size="3"]
[b][size="5"]Nothing kills the joy of soccer like a bunch of wailing vuvuzelas[/size][/b]

[color="#666666"][font="inherit"][size="3"][size="1"]May 30, 2010 12:00 AM | By Mondli Makhanya [/size]
[/size][/font][/color][size=2]
[/size][size=2]Mondli Makhanya: In my teenage years we always looked forward to the big teams from Johannesburg coming down to the sovereign kingdom by the coast to play the local teams.[/size]
[/size][/color][/size][/font][/color][/font][/color]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] [/font][/color][/font][/color]
[color="#303030"][font="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]Whenever Orlando Pirates, Moroka Swallows and Kaizer Chiefs (yes, they are all in order of importance) came down to play the likes of AmaZulu, Bush Bucks and African Wanderers, we would pile onto the trains and buses and head for King's Park stadium.[/size][/font][/color][color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]We would sing all the way.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]The music would continue through the game and on the train all the way back to the township.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]And that's the point: there was singing. Lots and lots of it.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Music was as much a trademark of South African football as the tsamaya and the scissor kick.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Right up until the mid-2000s one would hear traditional songs that were the trademark of teams and others that were composed on the spur of the moment.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Some were composed to celebrate specific achievements and landmark events. One such was the Siyoshis' istadium song, which marked Orlando Pirates fans becoming the first to set fire to a stadium back in the mid-1990s in protest against bad refereeing.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]There was lots of singing, too, when we hosted the African Cup of Nations in 1996. Who will forget the strains of Shosholoza and Shebeleza Congo as Bafana sprinted to glory?[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]In two weeks' time, when Bafana Bafana take on Mexico at Soccer City, there will sadly be very little singing in the stands.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]We South Africans, a mighty musical nation if ever there was one, will have replaced hearty renditions with the noise of something called the vuvuzela.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]This instrument, which emits a sound akin to that of a goat on the way to slaughter, is now at the centre of a growing row in international football.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]There is a clamour from coaches, players and broadcasters for Fifa to ban the instrument.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]The argument is that it makes it difficult for coaches to bark instructions to players during play. This, the vuvuzela's critics argue, has a direct negative impact on the game.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]The broadcasters aver that the vuvuzela's intrusive noise interferes with the sound quality of their transmission.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]The onslaught on the vuvuzela was started by Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso, who had to endure it during last year's Confederations Cup.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"That trumpet? It's not nice ... I think Fifa should ban it. It's not really distracting, but it's not a nice sound to hear," he moaned.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]His view was echoed by several other players during the course of the tournament.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Last week, football legend and Thailand coach Bryan Robson blamed the vuvuzela for his team's disjointed performance in their friendly against Bafana Bafana at Peter Mokaba stadium. He warned that it would make life difficult for coaches at the World Cup.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"The coaches at the World Cup are definitely going to have to inform their players beforehand that they will have to communicate effectively with each other on the field," the former England and manchester United midfield dynamo said.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"It's very difficult to get any message to the players from the bench. Coaches are going to have to make that known to their players"[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Word on the street is that several coaches have voiced their disquiet to their national associations, who have in turn conveyed the message to Fifa.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Predictably, South Africans have been very defensive. A lot of noise has been made about the vuvuzela being part of South African tradition and it being the proverbial 12th man in the Bafana squad.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Even Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has been waxing lyrical about its role in the nation's game plan.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]"We have to reinforce that advantage... We want it louder and louder," he was quoted as saying.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Defending the vuvuzela has now become a patriotic must.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]It is as if our nationhood is being challenged by pesky foreigners who want to dictate our behaviour on home soil.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]On this one I beg to be unpatriotic and for permission to side with the enemies of the vuvuzela.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]What the vuvuzela has done to our football is to take away the spontaneity of song. Soccer fans do not compose new songs any more. The tribal chants that you hear at great soccer cathedrals such as White Hart Lane and the Santiago Bernabeu are rarely heard in our soccer grounds these days. Except for the Bloemfontein Celtic support base, the music in South African stadiums has been drowned by the dreadful instrument.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]The vuvuzela issue is likely to be a major off-field controversy during next month's tournament. There will be inflamed passions among its defenders and detractors.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]South Africans will argue, just like our foursome big chief argues in favour of polygamy, that it has been part of our tradition.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]What we as South Africans should be careful about, is to strike a nationalistic pose and accuse the instrument's opponents of a superiority complex.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[color="black"][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"][left]Let us let the vuvuzela go and get that singing spirit back. That is what memories are made of.[/left][/size][/font][/color]

[/font][/color][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size="2"]Not the sound of a goat in distress.[/size][/font] [/quote]



[url="http://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/columnists/article476668.ece/Nothing-kills-the-joy-of-soccer-like-a-bunch-of-wailing-vuvuzelas"]http://www.timeslive...iling-vuvuzelas[/url]