FIFA to charge Antalya refs; Canada-Belarus expected to go ahead 10 Mar 2011What will Canada do?FIFA has now formally launched disciplinary proceedings against six match officials accused of helping to fix the last two international friendlies held in the Turkish resort of Antalya. According to FIFA’s international calendar, Canada’s men’s team is to play Belarus March 29 in Antalya, which has become a hotspot for training camps and friendlies. Toronto FC opened its 2011 training camp there with three matches against European club-team opposition.
Defensive lapses prove costly: Toronto FC loses to another USL side 10 Mar 2011Toronto FC squandered an early lead and fell 2-1 to the host Charleston Battery in each team's second match in the Carolina Challenge Cup Wednesday evening at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C.
Impact unveils stadium renovation plan 9 Mar 2011The Montreal Impact announced its plan to transform Stade Saputo into an MLS-ready facility.Owner Joey Saputo lifted the curtain on a plan to increase the stadium’s capacity from 13,034 to 20,431. The plan calls for 3,500 seats in a new west grandstand and 1,250 additional seats in the southeast and southwest corners. Another 1,000 seats will be installed in the east grandstand.
MLS needs to step in and stop preseason ugliness 9 Mar 2011On Tuesday night, a preseason game between Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake was abandoned in the second half because of what’s being described as an ugly brawl.
Canadian women show that Sinclair doesn’t always need to score 9 Mar 2011Christine Sinclair, called upon time and time again to score the winning goal — which she did in the Gold Cup and in the Sao Paulo tourney — only scored once in this competition. Her teammates provided the needed secondary scoring.
Calgary United to open PASL tourney against Mexican side 9 Mar 2011Calgary United FC will open the PASL North American Championships Thursday against PPM Sidekicks del Estado de Mexico.The Sidekicks finished in second place in the Mexican arm of the indoor soccer alliance, and are seeded No. 5 our of the six qualifying teams. Calgary is the No. 4 seed. The winner of Thursday’s game in Cincinnati will face the No. 1 seed San Diego Sockers in one semifinal.
Gold Cup: Canada and the U.S. to rumble in Motown 8 Mar 2011Canada couldn’t have asked for a tougher opponent to face in its 2011 Gold Cup opener.But playing the United States in Detroit is a public- and fan-relations bonanza. Canada will face the Americans June 7 at Ford Field, just a skip across the border. This means that fans in Southern Ontario have the chance to see Canada against the best CONCACAF has to offer, just by crossing the Ambassador Bridge from Windsor into the Motor City.
Sinkgraven not surprised by FC Edmonton’s 3-0 loss to FC Dallas 8 Mar 2011FC Edmonton got a taste of MLS competition in its preseason opener Monday in Arizona, dropping a 3-0 decision to the reserve squad of MLS Cup finalists FC Dallas.Homegrown prospect Ruben Luna put FCD ahead just three minutes into the games as the Edmonton side, in only in its second day in Arizona, struggled to adjust to the pace of a team that is nearing the end of its preseason conditioning.
CONCACAF to unveil revised WC qualifying format soon 8 Mar 2011CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said Tuesday that the region should have a revised World Cup qualifying-format proposal to go to FIFA in the next 10 days.
Whitecaps hang on to beat Seattle in entertaining Cascadia finale 7 Mar 2011But, anyone who tuned in to watch the Vancouver Whitecaps hang on to beat the Seattle Sounders 3-2 in the finale of the Cascadia Cup — or any of the 4,000 people who packed what’s normally a training pitch in Tukwila, Wash — got to see about as entertaining a MLS preseason game as you’re ever going to see.
