Soccer By Ives

Friday Kickoff: AEG reportedly in talks to buy Spurs, Zusi signs extension & more

There could soon be even more American influence at a major Premier League club.

According to a report out of England, Los Angeles-based entertainment giant AEG is in talks to take over ownership of Tottenham for £450 million from current owner Joe Lewis.

AEG, which currently owns the Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo (but is looking to sell its share of the Dynamo) has been involved with Tottenham before, as the two organizations teamed in a bid for London's Olympic Stadium back in 2010. 

An AEG takeover at Tottenham would add to the list of Americans who have majority ownership stakes at top-flight English clubs. American ownership is already in place at Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Sunderland. 

Here are a few more stories to get your Friday going:

MLS Preseason: Wondolowski stays hot; Beckerman, Pontius return and more

Photo by Don Feria/ISIphotos.com

Chris Wondolowski made it three goals in three preseason games, as the San Jose Earthquakes played the Houston Dynamo to a 2-2 draw at Oxnard College in California in MLS preseason action on Tuesday.

Wondolowski headed home a cross from Ramiro Corrales to tie things in the 30th minute after new signing Mac Kandji had opened the scoring in the fifth off an assist from second-year forward Will Bruin.

Bruin scored one for himself in the 51st minute, but that was answered by Anthony Ampaipitakwong, who received a pass deep in the Houston box from Khari Stephenson and finished for the final tally of the match.

Here are a few more results from MLS preseason action:

MLS Preseason: Zusi, Saad lift Sporting KC, Gaven shines for Crew and more

Photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com

By CALEB SONNELAND

In a prelude to their season-opening match that is less than a month away, Sporting Kansas City topped D.C. United, 2-1, in Casa Grande, Ariz., Saturday on the strength of goals from Graham Zusi and Soony Saad.

Zusi scored on a 34th-minute free kick, and Saad finished off a feed from newly acquired Jacob Peterson in the 62nd minute to account for the goals for the defending Eastern Conference regular season champions.

United did pull a goal back late through former Kansas City player and current guest player Jose Burciaga Jr., who finished off a Danny Cruz cross and powered home a volley into the roof of the net in the 78th minute.

Highlights from the match and more scores and goalscorers from the weekend's full slate of preseason action are after the jump:

Saturday Ticker: Sporting KC tops San Jose, Henry scores in Arsenal romp and more

Sporting Kansas City's quest to repeat as Eastern Conference regular season champions began today with a 2-1 pre-season victory against the San Jose Earthquakes in the pre-season opener for both clubs.

Kansas City midfielder Konrad Warzycha delivered the game-winning goal, converting a free kick to break a 1-1 deadlock. Chris Wondolowski and Kei Kamara exchanged first half goals in the match, played in Tucson, Arizona.

Warzycha, the son of Columbus Crew head coach Robert Warzycha, was forced to miss most of his rookie season in 2011 due to knee surgery, but has gotten his pre-season off to a flying start with his free kick finish.

Sporting Kansas City will return to pre-season action on Feb. 11th against D.C. United. San Jose takes on the Colorado Rapids on Friday in their next pre-season match.

Here are some other stories from Saturday to get wrap up your day:

Evening Ticker: Pepe apologizes to Messi, SKC signs Peterson and more

By FRANCO PANIZO

Facing media scrutiny and the possibility of disciplinary action, Pepe has issued an apology to Leo Messi.

Well, sort of.

A day after what appeared to be a deliberate step on Messi's hand in Real Madrid's 2-1 loss to Barcelona, Pepe told Real Madrid's website that it was an involuntary act. The Portuguese international, who is no stranger to dirty antics, went on to ask Messi for his forgiveness if the Argentine felt offended. Pepe also said the thought of harming a fellow player never crossed his mind.

Pepe could still be subject to a sanction by his team or the federation prior to next week's return leg against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey.

Here are more stories from Thursday:

MLS Notes: Keel agrees to new deal, United adds Santos and more

photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com 

By FRANCO PANIZO

On the verge of losing one of its top defenders, the New York Red Bulls have locked up another for the foreseeable future.

The Red Bulls signed centerback Stephen Keel to a new contract, the club announced on Wednesday. Keel's extension with New York comes less than a year after he signed with the club, having joined the team after a trial in March 2011. It also comes at a time when the Red Bulls are on the brink of losing Tim Ream.

The 28-year-old Keel enjoyed a solid season last year, playing in 16 games and delivering two assists. He also started in all three of the Red Bulls' postseason matches.

Per league and club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Here are more notes from around the league:

MLS Notes: Portland signs Colombian defender, 'Caps add Knighton and more

The Colombia-to-Portland pipeline is back in action.

The Portland Timbers announced the acquisition of 24-year-old defender Hanyer Mosquera, a 6-foot-1 centerback expected to come in and add a dominating presence along the Portland back line. Mosquera becomes the fourth Colombian on the Timbers, joining Designated Players Diego Chara and Jose Adolfo Valencia and forward Jorge Perlaza. He has played in his native Colombia for the last six years, including spending the last two at top-flight club La Equidad.

"Hanyer is a player we've had our eye on for 18 months," Timbers general manager Gavin Wilkinson said in a release. "He has all the attributes needed to become one of the top defenders in MLS."

With David Horst out for up to the next seven months after hip surgery, the club's centerback corps was thin beyond 2011 starters Futty Danso and Eric Brunner. With first-round SuperDraft pick Andrew Jean-Baptiste and now Mosquera brought into the fold, the Timbers have addressed that need head on.

Here are a couple of more items from around MLS:

MLS Combine Breakdown: Peter Vermes

Rounding up the MLS comings and goings: Eastern Conference

Photo by Kelley L. Cox/ISIphotos.com

With the MLS Eastern Conference as wide open as it was down the stretch last season, a roster tweak in the right direction could be all it takes to separate certain clubs from the pack.  

In the opening month of the offseason, no teams did more to augment their rosters than the Philadelphia Union and Sporting Kansas City, two clubs that felt they had what it took to win the conference crown last season before ultimately losing out to the Houston Dynamo.

With SKC adding Bobby Convey to the fold and Philadelphia tapping into the international market to add talent from Costa Rica and Panama, the two teams figure to be very much in the mix yet again in 2012.

Then there's the expansion Montreal Impact, whose calculated roster construction makes it seem like the club won't be a typical expansion pushover in its inaugural MLS year.  

While those three clubs have been the most active during the offseason, here is a look at the comings and goings in the entire conference to date:

MLS Notes: Bravo dealt to Cruz Azul, Frei training with Liverpool and more

Photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com

Omar Bravo's time in MLS is up.

Sporting Kansas City and top-flight Mexican club Cruz Azul agreed to a deal that will see the Designated Player return to his native country after one season in MLS. No terms of the deal were disclosed.

Bravo scored nine goals in his lone MLS campaign and combined with Kei Kamara, Teal Bunbury and C.J. Sapong to comprise the deepest front line in the league. It is the remaining presence of the latter three players that makes Bravo's loss less of a blow to SKC's attack. Even so, Bravo made a DP-worthy impact during the season and was rewarded with one of two of commissioner Don Garber's picks for the MLS All-Star Game.  

The move frees up an international roster spot and a chunk of the salary cap for SKC, which has already been an active player in the offseason market. The club has already added the likes of Bobby Convey and Paulo Nagamura while retaining Seth Sinovic and Jimmy Nielsen and dealing Davy Arnaud as it tries to improve on last year's season, which ended in the Eastern Conference final.

Here are a few more items from around the league:

Sporting KC acquires Convey

Photo by Don Feria/ISIphotos.com

Sporting Kansas City's week of wheeling and dealing has ended with an exclamation point.

The club acquired Bobby Convey from the San Jose Earthquakes in exchange for an international roster slot. 

Convey, who did not have his contract option picked up by San Jose after this past season, was part of the initial list of players available in the MLS Re-Entry Draft, but that is no longer the case after Sporting KC stepped up to trade for the veteran left winger.

Chivas deals Nagamura to Sporting KC

Photo by David Bernal/ISIphotos.com

Sporting Kansas City's busy week continues.

After dealing Davy Arnaud to Montreal to re-acquire Seth Sinovic and re-signing goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen, Sporting KC added depth to its midfield Tuesday, acquiring Paulo Nagamura from Chivas USA in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft.

It's the second swap between the two clubs in as many weeks, after Sporting KC dealt the rights to winger Ryan Smith to Chivas in exchange for a first- and third-round pick in the 2012 Supplemental Draft. That first-round selection goes back to Chivas as part of the trade, and Sporting KC will retain its natural first-round pick in the draft.

Nagamura has been a capable player in MLS when healthy, but his long-term fitness remains a question. He was limited to 11 apperances in 2011, but if fit, he'll provide a skillful, physical element to SKC's midfield. The move also clears significant cap space for Chivas, who were on the hook for $230,500 for Nagamura's services last season.

Do you think Nagamura will be able to contribute in Kansas City? Do you like the deal?

Share your thoughts below.

Tuesday Kickoff: Drogba turns down deal, Zambrano to coach in Colombia & more

Let the Didier Drobga sweepstakes begin.

Drogba's agent said that the player has rejected a one-year contract extension from Chelsea and is prepared to go wherever he is offered the most money. Drogba's contract with Chelsea expires this summer, when he would be able to leave on a free transfer.

Drogba's name has been floated around in MLS circles for the last year as a potential Designated Player signing, and his agent, Thierno Seydi, singled out the Los Angeles Galaxy as a potential destination (which would be possible if David Beckham does not return) while also adding that clubs in Russia and Qatar are possibilities as well.

Here are a few more stories to get your Tuesday going:

Sporting KC deals Arnaud to Montreal for Sinovic and allocation

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

The Montreal Impact have continued to wheel and deal as Jesse Marsch shapes his roster, with the latest blockbuster coming Monday with Montreal dealing Seth Sinovic and an allocation to Sporting Kansas City for veteran midfielder Davy Arnaud.

The deal is a smart one for Kansas City, which gets back starting left back and hometown product Sinovic, while also parting with Arnaud, a captain who had lost his place in Sporting's central midfield. The allocation money secured in the deal (likely to be in the $75K range) should also help Sporting KC as it searches for roster reinforcements. (For those unfamiliar with MLS allocation money, it is essentially salary cap space, so when a team acquires say $100K in allocation money, that's $100K the team can apply to its salary cap).

Montreal always figured to deal Sinovic after landing three left backs in the MLS expansion draft. By adding Anaud, the Impact bring in a strong leader and locker room presence, but just as importantly, a tenacious central midfield presence who should push the likes of Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Bryan Arguez.

SBI 2011 MLS Rookie of the Year: C.J. Sapong

When he scored a goal in his first professional match, it was clear C.J. Sapong intended on doing big things his rookie year.

The James Madison product didn't come into the league with much fanfare, but once he settled into the Sporting Kansas City starting lineup, and played a key role in the team's turnaround from a 1-6-4 start, it was clear Sapong was a special player.

Sapong finished the season with five goals (six counting his goal in the playoffs) and five assists, both MLS rookie highs, to run away with SBI MLS Rookie of the Year honors.He was the top choice on all seven SBI staff ballots, a dominant showing that repeated itself with Sapong also being named the official MLS Rookie of the Year on Tuesday.

The 2011 MLS rookie field was a solid one, with eight different rookies making their way onto SBI Rookie of the Year ballots. Here were the other rookies to be honored among the best in MLS in 2011:

MLS Eastern Conference Final: Match Day Commentary

 


Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo will be playing for the first place in the 2011 MLS Cup Final today as they square off at LiveStrong Sporting Park in the Eastern Conference Final (5:30pm, Fox Soccer Channel).

Sporting KC comes in as the No. 1 seed and will look to continue their stellar home form against a tough Houston side that has rattled off an eight-match unbeaten streak since dropping a 3-0 decision in their last visit to face Sporting KC.

On one side you have a Sporting KC side with a loaded attack and solid defense. On the other, you have a Houston squad with a stingy defense and an offense that can burn opponents on set pieces.

Here is my Fox Soccer preview on today's East Final, which details the match-ups to watch and the keys to victory for both teams.

SBI will be providing live commentary on today's match so please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action (Commentary is after the jump):