Hassli’s ESPY nomination a bright light in a dim Whitecaps’ season 13 Jul 2011 You have to wonder if Eric Hassli’s ridiculous wonder goal, scored a month ago in Seattle, will go down as the defining moment of the Whitecaps’ first season, a moment of magic that gleams from a dim campaign of disappointments.
FC Edmonton to unveil new Dutch midfielder at halftime of Carolina match Wednesday 12 Jul 2011 FC Edmonton will unveil its new Dutch midfielder at halftime of Wednesday’s game against the Carolina RailHawks. The midfielder, who coach Harry Sinkgraven and has been tracking since March, will do his first interview on the FCE TV broadcast with myself and play-by-play man Gareth Hampshire (Broadcast starts at 7:15 p.m. MT at fcedmonton.com) at the conclusion of the first half.
Three weeks after walking out on contract talks in Belgium, Jarju is Whitecaps’ new Designated Player 12 Jul 2011 What’s interesting is that just three weeks ago, Jarju had told Gambia’s Daily Observer that he was ready to sign a contract extension with Mons, and was looking forward to getting an EU passport. “I am keen to extend my stay with the team at least for one more season with the condition that they will help me secure a Belgian passport,” Jaru told the Observer on June 24. “I have spent five years in Belgium which now qualifies me for Belgian citizenship so it makes no sense to move to another country at the moment.”
Montero named MLS Player of the Week; The 11 opts for Hesmer 11 Jul 2011 Seattle Sounders’ striker Fredy Montero finished at the top when the votes were counted, and was named MLS Player of the Week on Monday. It wasn’t a huge surprise. Montero scored twice, one on an audacious free kick, another on a tap-in after a goalmouth scramble as the Sounders came back from two one-goal deficits to win 3-2 against the hated Portland Timbers at JELD-WEN Field.
First XI will produce headaches for MLS spin doctors 11 Jul 2011 With the MLS All-Star Game once again going head-to-head against the qualifying round of the CONCACAF Champions League (Toronto FC will face Real Esteli at the same time the All-Stars will take on Manchester United), two of the players selected in the First XI — Kasey Keller and Brek Shea — will be question marks for the game.
A week away from kickoff, and “great seats” still available for MCFC-Whitecaps friendly 11 Jul 2011 It is Vancouver’s first season in Major League Soccer, and you already have to wonder if the city is suffering from the same friendly fatigue we have seen developing in other North American cities.
Whitecaps of 2011 resembling the Union of 2010 10 Jul 2011 But, in the one-goal loss, like so many of the Whitecaps other losses that season, a silly mistake undoes 90 minutes of work.
TFC doesn’t register a shot in loss to Dynamo 10 Jul 2011 Well, how did Toronto FC respond? Houston Dynamo keeper Tally Hall is one of the best young keepers in the game, but this was maybe the easiest clean sheet of his young career. Hall didn’t have to stop a shot as Houston won 2-0.
Japan’s stunning performance in WWC will have an effect in Canada 10 Jul 2011 But the Japanese upset will send shockwaves through the Canadian Soccer Association as well. Japan has smashed the idea that the European professionalism can’t be matched.
DeRo steals the show in his New York return 10 Jul 2011 Canada’s best-ever MLS player returned to Red Bull Arena Saturday, just a couple of weeks after he was dealt from New York to D.C. United. And he said “did you miss me?” in the most emphatic way possible. He scored the second-half decider, giving DCU the 1-0 win over the star-studded Red Bulls.