Union

A ten day break means time for a number of Union players to get healthy. Mwanga, Coudet and Gonzales are all expected to be fit for Saturday’s match against Chivas USA.

More on our very own Jeremiah White, who regularly follows how the Union are doing from Poland, where he now plays. Happily, he likes what he sees. Poland? Isn’t that where Peter Nowak is from? Do you think…

Did you know that you can have food, beverages and merchandise delivered to your seat at Union games? Me neither. The Union Direct service does just that. There are no deliveries to the supporters section, however: “They don’t stay in their seats. They mingle around.”

Independence

Their future is in their own hands. Goal.com looks at tonight’s Super Semifinal battle between the Boston Breakers and the Philadelphia Independence. You can watch the game live on FSC from 8pm. The winner will face FC Gold Pride in the final on Sunday, on FSC at 6pm.

Here’s a look at the tonight’s game from a Boston perspective.

Local

The Fall 2010 roster for the US Soccer U17 Men’s National Team Residency Program in Brandenton, Florida, has been released. The 40-player roster includes two area players: defender Russell Canouse (NY Red Bulls; Lancaster, Pa.) and the magnificently named midfielder Colton Storm (HMMS Eagle FC; Mechanicsburg, Pa.).

Penn’s Stephen Baker is third in the NCAA in goals with six.

Villanova’s Kevin Garcia scored two goals in the first 18 minutes of the game in the Wildcats 3–0 thumping of Saint Joseph’s on Wednesday. Goalkeeper Chris Bresnahan was named the Philly Soccer Six Player of the Week after posting shutouts over nationally ranked Penn State and Princeton over the weekend.

Widener men’s team defeated Philadelphia Biblical University 1–0 on Monday. Philadelphia Biblical University Women’s team was downed by Lancaster Bible 4–1 on Tuesday.

MLS

The 2011 expansion Vancouver Whitecaps have apparently set their sights on Owen Hargreaves, whom I like to refer to as Gimpy McGlass.

CONCACAF Champions League

The Seattle Sounders blew a 2–0 lead over Monterrey to lose the game 3–2 and the distinction of becoming the first MLS team to beat a Mexican side in Mexico. Seattle is winless after four games in its group. Real Salt Lake beat Arabe Unido 3–2 in Panama to move to the top of their group.

US

Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl, interviewed earlier this week by KYW’s Greg Orlandini and the PSP’s very own Dan Walsh for the KYW’s Philly Soccer Show podcast, has a piece on what could have been between Jürgen Klinsmann and the USMNT.

CONCACAF

What is it about corruption and football federations? CONCACAF president Jack Warner is refusing to pay the bonuses due to the Trinidad & Tobago players who appeared in the 2006 World Cup despite rulings from the international Sport Dispute Resolution Panel and the Port of Spain High Court. At least 13 players are owed around $3M in bonuses and legal expenses. The kicker? Warner, negotiated the bonuses himself. For more on Warner’s long history of scumbagery, follow the links in this story.

Elsewhere

In what has been described as their worst result “since their defeat to Worcester in the FA Cup in 1959,” Liverpool were knocked out of the Carling Cup on Wednesday by League Two side Northampton after the match went to penalty kicks. At Anfield. The good news for Liverpool supporters is that the club’s board has said they will block efforts by Tom Hicks to refinance his debt in an attempt to take control of the club. Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow says “several parties are still looking at buying the club.”

Here’s a goal of a lifetime for a Japan U17 Women’s National Team player against North Korea at the U17 World Cup. The announcers are half the fun.

Photo by Paul Rudderow