Union

The Inquirer looks at the Union’s playoff hopes. The best quote in the article is from Danny Califf: “We seem to find every single way of shooting ourselves in the foot and give away points in ways that have been unbelievably dumb.” More on the Union’s struggles can be read on the club’s website.

Register your vote now for Sebastien Le Toux’s curler to be named AT&T Goal of the Week!

Independence

The Inquirer looks at the outstanding play of defender Nikki Krzysik.

The Philadelphia Independence travel to face the Washington Freedom tonight at 7:30pm. The last time the clubs met on May 30, Washington won 2–1. Since then they haven’t won a game and the Independence is now firmly in second place, five points above the Boston Breakers.

Local

The Inquirer’s Kate Fagan has an wonderful piece on Chris Campbell Memorial Field, located in the township of Khayelitsha in South Africa. Campbell was a local soccer player who played at Wynnewood’s Friends’ Central School and Franklin and Marshall before his sudden death at the age of 21. The field is funded by memorial donations to Franklin and Marshall’s “Soccer Africa Project.”

MLS

It’s official: The New York Drinks That Make You Jumpy have become the Chelsea of MLS with their signing of Rafael Marquez.

Because they are sure to be an MLS team before you know it, here’s more on the relaunched New York Cosmos, (No, I am not talking about the New York Energy Drinks recent designated player acquisitions.) Fanhouse has a nicely speculative piece on how Beckham can be linked to the new Cosmos. Best reason: “David Beckham’s oldest son is named Brooklyn.”

Seattle and Toronto have advanced to the group stages of the CONCACAF Champions League. LA Galaxy will have to overcome a 4–1 deficit away after they were spanked by USL side Puerto Rico Islanders last week at home. You can see if they can do it tonight on FSC at 8pm.

Clint Mathis will retire from professional soccer after the LA Galaxy friendly against Real Madrid on August 7. Here’s a look at his Top 10 most memorable moments.

US

Soccer Insider talks to Oguchi Oneywu about his recovery from knee injury, his prospects at AC Milan and more.

The 2010 National Soccer Hall of Fame class will be inducted before the USA v Brazil match on August 10 in a private ceremony. Thomas Dooley and Preki Radosavljevic will be recognized for their contributions as players, Bruce Arena for his contributions as a builder.

FIFA will tour stadium facilities in the New York, Washington, Miami, Dallas and Houston areas in September as part of the inspection process of who will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The stadiums were selected based upon the various features, amenities and size of each stadium and to accommodate the inspection team’s tight schedule. So settle down, Philly, settle down. While you’re settling down, why not vote for Philly to be one of the host cities?

Goal.com wonders what style of play the US need to be more successful.

Youth Soccer

The US Youth Soccer Association has accused US Club Soccer of violating USSF rules by enacting “discriminatory” policies that “deny players, coaches, teams, and clubs the right to participate in US Youth Soccer’s and other Federation Organization Member programs.”

Etc.

FIFA says, “Naughty boys!” The Netherlands has been fined £9,080 for playing like a bunch of thugs in the World Cup Final. Spain was fined £6,053. That works out to be approximately $14,500 and $9,650 respectively. This is yet another in a long list of FIFA actions variously referred to by me as “empty” and “facile” when I am otherwise sick of using the words “pathetic” and “ridiculous” in the same sentence as the word “FIFA.”

The Vatican is not pleased with the decision to start some Sunday Serie A matches at 11:30am.

The Premiership has announced new financial regulations in an effort to avert another Portsmouth from happening. Among other things, the new rules require prospective new owners to prove they have sufficient funds to sustain a club for another year.

A new group is reportedly organizing a bid to takeover Liverpool. This one is headed by “Canada-residing former Syria international Yahya Kirdi.”

Indian entrepreneur Ahasan Ali Syed has reportedly launched a £300 million bid to takeover the former Premier League champions Blackburn Rovers.