Soccer By Ives

Who should the USMNT start vs. Panama?

                                                                       Photo by ISIphotos.com

If the U.S. men's national team is going to successfully defend its CONCACAF Gold Cup title, it will do so with a very short-handed squad.

With Charlie Davies, Steve Cherundolo, Clarence Goodson Michael Parkhurst, Benny Feilhaber and Freddy Adu all off to Europe, U.S. head coach Bob Bradley will have to work some magic to put together a starting XI that can knock off a Panama team that has been gaining momentum since a tournament-opening loss to Guadeloupe.

Trying to come up with a starting lineup for the U.S. team shouldn't be that tough considering how few options remain, and with Bradley not planning to call in any of his seven extra roster players for Saturday's match (call-ups for a semifinal and final would be very likely), the U.S. team looks prepared to go with the group it has left.

So what will the starting lineup look like vs. Panama? Here's a likely squad:

Feilhaber nets brace in Aarhus friendly

It must feel good to be Benny Feilhaber right now.

After an impressive performance for the U.S. national team in the Confederations Cup, and after a solid showing as a substitute in a 2-0 Gold Cup victory over Honduras last week, Feilhaber scored twice in his first summer appearance for AGF Aarhus in a friendly on Monday. Feilhaber's brace, along with compatriot Jeremiah White's goal, helped Aarhus defeat second division club Skive IK, 4-2.

Feilhaber and Aarhus begin their season on July 20th against Aalborg.

What do you think of Feilhaber's brace? Is he ready for a big season in Denmark? Do you see him getting called into the Aug. 12 match against Mexico? Should he start?

Share your thoughts below.

Gold Cup: Matchday Nine (Your Running Commentary)

The final day of the CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage takes place today, with Mexico trying to win Group C by knocking off 2-0 Guadeloupe (7pm, Univision).

The scenarios are very intriguing today for 'El Tri', who could win Group C with a win, but who could wind up playing the United States as a third-place team if they lose and Panama wins its game against Nicaragua (5pm, Galavision).

Jamaica will also be watching attentively as a tie in the Panama-Nicaragua game would send the 'Reggae Boyz' to the quarterfinals against the United States.

If you will be watching today's matches please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action.

Johnson scores in Fulham preseason victory

Eddie Johnson came off the bench and scored a goal in Fulham's 3-0 preseason win over Australian A-League champions Melbourne Victory on Saturday.

With the game already 1-0 in favor of the Cottagers, Johnson entered the game as a substitute and doubled the lead, scoring in the 67th minute.

Johnson and Fulham finish up their Australian pre-season matches by playing Perth Glory on Wednesday.

Do you think Johnson is ready to make an impact for Fulham this season? Should he get loaned out again? Do you feel that he should be on the Gold Cup roster?

Share your thoughts below.

Gold Cup Rewind: Canada wins Group A, Jamaica eliminates El Salvador

by GIANFRANCO PANIZO

Group A finished in dramatic fashion on Friday night as Canada and Costa Rica assured themselves of a place in the quarterfinals while Jamaica eliminated El Salvador.

In the first match of the double-header played at FIU Stadium in Miami, Fl., Canada and Costa Rica each scored two goals in a span of 12 minutes in the first half. Andy Herron brilliantly chipped Canadian goalkeeper Greg Sutton in the 22nd minute before Patrice Bernier leveled the score for Canada, scoring from close range just two minutes later.

Canada would take the lead in the 27th minute when midfielder Marcel De Jong hit a long-range shot that took a bounce before finding the back of the net. But Costa Rica leveled the score seven minutes after as Walter Centeno struck a picture-perfect free kick.

Exciting times for Charlie Davies

 

                                         Photo by ISIphotos.com

 

BY DYLAN BUTLER

It's a good time to be Charlie Davies.

After a breakthrough performance at the FIFA Confederations Cup and scoring a goal in the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Grenada, the 23-year-old forward will get to play in front of family and friends from the Boston area for the first time in a U.S. national team kit Saturday as the U.S. looks to lock up Group B against Haiti at Gillette Stadium.

And on Friday, Davies found a new home, agreeing to terms with French Ligue 1 squad Sochaux.

"That's the next step for me and I'm real excited about it," the former Boston College standout from Manchester, N.H. said. "That was my first choice club to go to and I think it's a perfect opportunity to show my football on the world stage."

Gold Cup: Matchday Seven (Your Running Commentary)

The Gold Cup resumes tonight as the final round of group stage play commences from Miami, Fl. In the first game of the night, Costa Rica will look to climb from its third place position as they take on a Canadian team that currently sits in first and has yet to allow a goal.

In the second match of the night, the last-place Jamaicans will look to keep their slim Gold Cup dreams alive as they play an El Salvador side that currently stands in second with three points.

This is GianFranco Panizo and I will be providing some commentary from FIU Stadium throughout both matches in the comments section below. Please feel free to follow along here, and as always, you are welcome to share your thoughts and opinions on the matches in the comments section as well.

Enjoy the games.

Gold Cup: Matchday Four (Your running commentary)

The CONCACAF Gold Cup returns to action tonight and the scene shifts to Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio with Group A matches. Here is the schedule of games:

Jamaica vs. Costa Rica 7p (TeleFutura)

El Salvador vs. Canada 9p (Galavision)

If you will be watching today's matches, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action.

Onyewu's Milan move has U.S. teammates excited

 

                                                                            Photo by ISIphotos.com

BY DYLAN BUTLER

WASHINGTON, D.C. --  As news of Oguchi Onyewu's move to AC Milan on a free transfer reached the U.S. National Team here, Charlie Davies couldn't help but be excited. Yes, he's thrilled for his Confederations Cup teammate, but seeing an American player go to one of the world's biggest clubs he thinks can hopefully break down barriers for others.

"Gooch signing with AC Milan opens a lot of doors for Americans and makes a lot of clubs realize that Americans can play," he said after the U.S. training session Tuesday morning at RFK Stadium. "Hopefully now younger guys coming up can have a dream that they can play at Madrid, they can play at Milan because now Gooch has been able to break the barrier."

After a breakout performance in the Confederations Cup, Davies' stock is on the rise, as well. The Hammarby striker has drawn interest from Ligue 1 sides Rennes, St. Etienne and Sochaux.

"For me it's definitely exciting to hear all these clubs talking about me and wanting me for my services," Davies said. "At the moment, I'm just focusing on the national team and continuing to have success with this team. Hopefully everything will sort itself out soon."

Plenty of fireworks as U.S. thrashes Grenada

                                                       Photo by ISIphotos.com

BY DYLAN BUTLER

SEATTLE -- The United States National Team did something on Saturday night that it failed to do a week ago in South Africa -- protect a two-goal halftime lead.

Of course, there's about 80 places in the FIFA rankings between Brazil, which scored three second-half goals to win the Confederations Cup, and Grenada, which conceded two more goals after halftime in a 4-0 thumping in both team's CONCACAF Gold Cup opening game at Qwest Field.

But the victory was impressive, nonetheless.

"We said at halftime there's a professional way to finish that game," U.S. National Team coach Bob Bradley said. "That involves having discipline, knowing how to respect the opponent, but at the same time making sure that in a good, smart, mature way you know how to finish the game."

U.S. going Fourth with Gold Cup opener

 

Photo by ISIphotos.com

BY DYLAN BUTLER

SEATTLE -- Brad Evans has seen his share of special moments at Qwest Field, but hearing the national anthem on the Fourth of July while wearing the U.S. National Team jersey will no doubt be a highlight of his young career.

"It's going to be pretty emotional, for sure," the Seattle Sounders FC standout said. "You just have to soak it in because it's all going to go by in a snap of a finger. Soak it in the best you can and hopefully put out a good performance and get a good result."

That's just what the U.S. is looking to do against Grenada in its first post-Confederations Cup match tonight (9pm, Fox Soccer Channel). The team's magical run to the Confederations Cup final has raised awareness and piqued interest in the team and sport here. Now the United States is looking to build on that performance.

Gold Cup: Adu's chance to shine

 

by GIANFRANCO PANIZO

Freddy Adu was forced to watch every minute of the U.S. national team's dream run to the final of the Confederations Cup from the bench. That most likely will not be the case for him in the Gold Cup.

Coming off a disappointing season with Monaco, Adu is expected to see significant playing time for the U.S. throughout the CONCACAF tournament and he will also most likely be handed the keys to the team's offense.

This opportunity will be vital for Adu as it will give him a chance to prove his worth consistently, as well as provide him with a way to make a case for his inclusion in the remainder of the Americans' World Cup qualifying campaign.

Zizzo close to loan move to Fortuna Dusseldorf

Sal Zizzo is close to finalizing a loan deal from Hannover 96 to Fortuna Dusseldorf of Germany's Bundesliga II.

The one-year loan deal is in the final steps of negotiations with Zizzo just needing to pass a physical before officially joining the recently promoted club.

Zizzo, who transferred to the Hannover in 2007 following his impressive performance at the U-20 World Cup, played in only five games for Hannover this past season.

What do you think of Zizzo getting loaned out? Think Fortuna Dusseldorf is a good fit? Do you think he should be on the Gold Cup roster?

Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Mid-Day Musings (on MLS roster moves, Gold Cup roster slots and more)

 

As we grind our way from the post-Confederations Cup glow to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, things in the American soccer world have slowed down quite a bit. There was the rash of U.S. Open Cup upsets last night, tonight's much-anticipated Seattle SOunders-Portland Timbers Open Cup match, but not much else going on really.

There are still plenty of topics to address, so here are some notes, thoughts and topics to discuss this Wednesday:

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Wondering why that player is still on your MLS team's roster even though it seemed by all accounts that the player would be cut today, July 1st, when MLS contracts become guaranteed? You probably forgot that MLS teams are allowed to designate two players into a non-guaranteed mode after July 1st. Of course, the players have to agree to make that switch.

So why would a player agree to have that guaranteed protectection removed from their roster? They could be faced with either agreeing to that or being waived immediately. On rare occasions, such as with John Wolyniec last season, players survive that and stay the whole season. In cases such as Khano Smith, who sources tell me is one of the Red Bulls players to agree to that this season, it just means his departure from the team will come later. In Smith's case, it will probably come once Ernst Obster is eligible to join the Red Bulls on July 15th.

Torres looking forward to downtime

Jose Francisco Torres did not see a minute of playing time for the U.S. national team in the Confederations Cup, but that hasn't stopped him from looking forward to a vacation.

In an interview with yanks-abroad.com, the Pachuca midfielder stated that he wants to play in the Gold Cup (which starts July 3) but that his body is in need of rest after a year and a half of activity, which included the FIFA Club World Cup, Pachuca's Clausura season and World Cup qualifiers.

Torres, who has not played since the U.S. team's World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica on June 3, has also recently been linked with a move to Spanish club Deportivo la Coruna, but has stated that he intends to return to Mexico for the fall's Apertura season.

Still think Torres should have played in the Confederations Cup? Wish he was on the Gold Cup squad? Would you like to see him go to Deportivo la Coruna or should he stay with Pachuca?

Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Transfer Ticker: Benzema given the green light, Maicon saga continues and more

by GIANFRANCO PANIZO

Karim Benzema is free to go.

Okay, well not "free", but the Lyon striker has been given the green light to join any of the big clubs reportedly interested in his services.

Lyon coach Claude Puel told the team's website that if Benzema wishes to leave then he will be allowed to do so as long one of the interested clubs meets the transfer fee, reportedly around £34 million ($56.5 million).

Benzema will return to the club team on July 2 and the two parties will discuss his future. As of now, no concrete offers have been made for the French international.

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