Union

Vote Mwanga for AT&T Goal of the Week! Even if Le Toux, once again, did most of the hard work.

Sebastien Le Toux is named to Goal.com’s MLS Best XI: Week 20.

The local Philly Redbricker blog has an excellent photo essay about taking SEPTA to PPL Park: “I can safely say that taking the train to a Union game is not only doable, it is recommended.”

We missed it in earlier news roundups, but CSNPhilly.com has a nice profile on JT Noone.

Independence

Lianne Sanderson quits England

Citing personal issues with the national team coach, Lianne Sanderson has retired from playing international soccer for England.

Amy Rodriguez is named WPS Player of the Week. This is the third time she has been so honored this season.

Goal.com chose Tina DiMartino as their Player of the Week.

Local

Four players from Lancaster County represented the Union in the recent 2010 SUM U17 All-Star tournament in Houston.

MLS

A scuffle broke out between a DC United player and a coach at practice on Tuesday. May such disharmony continue when they host the Union on Sunday.

Sports Illustrated thinks MLS is starting to look a bit like the NASL, thanks to the changes in the Designated Player rule and rapid expansion.

Toronto defeated Cruz Azul 2–1 in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League group stage match up. Columbus Crew face Guatemalan side Municipal tonight (8pm on FSC) while Real Salt Lake host Panamanian side Arabe Unido (10pm on FSC).

Wayne Rooney’s younger brother John is now on trial with Portland Timbers.

US

US Soccer has said Bob Bradley has not resigned from his job as coach of the US team. Reports out of England last week suggested that Bradley had resigned from the US job to become the new manager of Aston Villa. Bradley’s contract expires in December.

Two US players, Gale Agbossoumonde of Sporting Braga and Sacha Kljestan of Anderlecht, will have Champions League matches today.

Etc.

Nicolas Anelka’s reaction to the 18 match punishment ban he received from the French Football Federation: He says he was “dying with laughter” and called those running the FFF “clowns.” He then said, “I fart in their general direction. Their mother was a hamster and their father smelled of elderberries.” Or maybe that was just my imagination.

Harry Redknapp blames he artificial turf for Tottenham’s 3–2 loss to Swiss side Young Boys in yesterday’s Champions League playoffs.

The Daily Mail has, gasp, a quality interview with Jamie Carragher in which he discusses Fabio Cappelo (loves him), England’s World Cup performance (not clever enough) and more.