Archive for March 11th, 2011

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Whitecaps ink Wagner and Tan

By
Steven Sandor
– 03/11/2011

Blake Wagner


Long Tan’s days as a trialist are over. Blake Wagner has made the return to MLS from Division-2.

Both players signed with the Vancouver Whitecaps Friday after impressing the brass with their preseason performances.

Wagner’s move isn’t a surprise. The American defender/midfielder spent 2010 with the Whitecaps, playing Division-2 soccer. Before coming to Vancouver, Wagner made 40 appearances with FC Dallas. He had a solid run in the Cascadia Cup; it was his shot that caused havoc in the Portland Timbers back line that led to the own goal in a 1-1 draw last week.
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Toronto FC trades for Chivas USA striker Gordon

By
Steven Sandor
– 03/11/2011

Alan Gordon


Toronto FC has made a deal to try and get some more goals in the lineup.

The Reds sent midfielder Nick LaBrocca, who they acquired in 2010 from the Colorado Rapids, to Chivas USA for American striker Alan Gordon.

Gordon scored 16 goals in 99 games for the Los Angeles Galaxy; he was traded to Chivas midway through last season, and had a goal in eight games.

The salaries are almost a wash. Gordon made just under US$88,000 last season while TFC paid LaBrocca $79,500, according to numbers from the MLS Players’ Union.
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MLS issues mandates to its referees

By
Steven Sandor
– 03/11/2011

If Major League Soccer is true to its word, we can expect to see a rise in the number of cards and penalty kicks awarded in games this season.

Commissioner Don Garber outlined some new points of emphasis for MLS officials in his season kickoff conference call Friday. Garber made it clear that the league was concerned over what it felt was the number of infractions that went unpunished in games last season.

A new headquarters will be set up, where U.S. pro soccer officials can watch MLS games and rate the performances of the referees.

“They will evaluate, grade much of the games,” said Garber.
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Zavarise signs, Winter wins battle of wills with Cann

By
Steven Sandor
– 03/11/2011

Toronto FC has officially announced the signing of Canadian’s national-team midfielder Gianluca Zavarise.

TFC head coach and technical director Aron Winter said he believes that Zavarise, who was most recently with Greek side Iraklis FC, can fit well into the 4-3-3 set-up he champions.

“Gianluca has done well during his time with the team in preseason,” said Winter in a release issued by TFC on Friday. “He is a young player with skill and has a bright future. We feel he will fit well into the system that we want to play.”

Zavarise made his debut for the Canadian senior team last May 29, in a 1-1 draw with Venezuela.

As Zavarise signed the contract, reigning team MVP Adrian Cann made his way to Charleston, S.C. to rejoin the club ahead of its Carolina Challenge Cup finale Saturday against D.C. United. Cann ended his holdout without a new deal in place.
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FC Edmonton trialist Antoniuk gets shot with FC Dallas

By
Steven Sandor
– 03/11/2011

Dan Antoniuk’s trial with FC Edmonton may have gone too well. That’s because he impressed not only his team, but the team it was playing against.

The San Diego Sockers, Antoniuk’s current indoor-soccer club, confirmed Friday that he won’t be returning to Cincinnati for the Professional Arena Soccer League’s North American Championship. Not because Antoniuk is still with FC Edmonton, but because he accepted a one-game trial with FC Dallas.
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PPM Sidekicks pound Calgary United

By
Steven Sandor
– 03/11/2011

Coleman McFarlane

Last season, Calgary United FC was eliminated after the first game of the Professional Arena Soccer League’s North American Championships by giving up four goals to the California Cougars in the dying minutes.

This season, the defending Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League champs didn’t leave anyone in suspense. Oswaldo Medina scored just nine seconds after the match kicked off, and the PPM Sidekicks del Estado de Mexico rolled to a 10-2 win, eliminating Calgary from the Cincinnati tournament with ease.

And, 10-2 is actually a scoreline that flatter Calgary. United keeper Marcel Galaszkiewicz made several outstanding first-quarter saves to keep his team in it early — or else things would have got even more out of hand.
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Antoniuk scores as FC Edmonton ties University of New Mexico

By
Steven Sandor
– 03/11/2011


Dan Antoniuk’s continued his impressive audition for a spot on the FC Edmonton roster.

The striker scored the opening goal Thursday in the new NASL team’s 1-1 draw with the University of New Mexico in a friendly in Arizona. Antoniuk, who played for the Montreal Impact in 2006, is a veteran of Div. 2 soccer in North America, and plays for the indoor San Diego Sockers, the favourites to take the Professional Arena Soccer League tourney title in Cincinnati this weekend.

Antoniuk converted a cross from trialist Will Beauge, the 2008 Canadian College player of the year after a standout season with Algonquin College. He scored 13 times in 11 games that season.
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