Union

The Union debuted their new white kit in Tuesday's friendly against...wait a second!

With too many holding midfielders and too little service to the forwards, not much in the way of action up the wings until that new guy at right back came in, and some shaky defending, the Philadelphia Union debuted there new white kit on Tuesday night in a friendly at PPL Park. What’s that? That was the US national team? Oh. (Seriously though, wasn’t watching the USA v Colombia friendly a bit like watching the Union at their worst, with lots of possession consisting of lateral and backward passing with little going forward? Just a little bit? I thought so, anyway.)

Independence

The Independence announced on Tuesday morning that it had made its first offseason move by trading goalkeeper and Canadian international Karina LeBlanc to Chicago Red Stars. In return, the Independence will get Chicago’s first round (third overall) and third round (19th overall) in January’s 2011 WPS Draft.

The Independence will not call PPL Park home until 2012 at the earliest, although a Union-Independence doubleheader or two at PPL  is in the works for 2011. The leading candidate for home stadium to replace West Chester is Widener University.

City Islanders

The Harrisburg City Islanders announced last week that they have joined the new USL PRO League, created from the merger of USL1 and USL2. The league “will debut in 2011 as a national league that features a regional competition model to build natural rivalries.” The league will be classified as second division soccer in the US soccer pyramid. Whether it will co-exist with the NASL is unclear.

Local College Roundup

For the second match in a row, Travis Cantrell scored the lone goal to give No. 23-ranked Penn a victory, this time against Columbia on Friday. Before that game, the women’s team lost to Columbia 2–1.  Now ranked No. 17, the Penn men’s team topped American 1–0 thanks to a goal from Michael Kozak in double overtime. The women’s team hosts Wagner today at 7pm.

Andrew Dodds netted the game winner and registered an assist in Temple's 3-1 win over Saint Joseph's. (Photo courtesy of Temple University)

The men and women’s teams of Temple and Saint Joseph’s met in Atlantic Ten 10 action over the weekend. The Temple men’s team crushed Saint Joseph’s 3–1 on Saturday, avenging the Temple women’s team 2–1 loss to Saint Joseph’s on Friday. Saint Joseph’s Maggie Lupinski, who scored and assisted in the match, was named the Atlantic 10 Women’s Soccer Player of the Week. The men travel to Dayton on Friday while the women host the same on Friday.

In further Atlantic 10 action, La Salle’s Ryan Richter scored both goals—including the game winner with 59 seconds remaining— in the Explorers 2–1 win over Fordham last Friday. For the second straight week, freshman keeper John McCarthy was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the week. Conference play continues against St. Bonaventure this Friday at home. The women’s team, who drew with Fordham last Friday 2–2, will travel to St. Bonaventure this Friday.

Drexel's Ken Tribbett (center) scored twice against Towson while Nate Baker (left) and Nathan Page (right) added a goal apiece in Drexel's win. (Photo courtesy Drexel University)

After topping Mason 4–1 last Wednesday, the Drexel men’s team kept things in high gear with a 4–3 road win at Towson on Sunday. Freshman Ken Tribbett scored twice, including the game winner. Big wins like that result in honors: Tribett was named Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Week, selected for the College Soccer News National Team of the Week and was also selected for the Philadelphia Soccer Six weekly Honor Roll. Nate Baker, who scored two goals and an assist over the two games, was named Soccer Six Player of the Week and CAA Co-Player of the Week. The men face Delaware away on Wednesday evening  and host Georgia State on Saturday. The Drexel women’s team bounced back from a tough 1–0 loss to William and Mary on Friday with a massive 5–1 win over Old Dominion on Sunday. It was the Dragon’s first victory over ODU. The women travel to face James Madison on Friday.

Following their scoreless draw at PPL Park against South Florida, the Villanova men’s team will host Rutgers on Wednesday afternoon. The last time the two teams met the Wildcats stomped the Scarlet Knights 3–0. The women will try to recover from a tough 3–2 loss in which they squandered a 2–0 lead at the half against Cincinnati on Sunday when they travel to West Virginia on Friday.

Local High School Roundup

The Inquirer has roundups for Southeaster Pennsylvania boys and girls soccer, as well as for South Jersey boys and girls.

MLS

Toronto FC will hold a series of town-hall meetings in an attempt to quell a fan revolt over ticket prices.

The Vancouver Whitecaps are finishing their final season before joining MLS by beating fellow expansion side Portland to advance in the division two playoffs, providing an opportunity to assess some MLS-grade players.

Goal.com takes a look at the impact of Designated Players in MLS and finds the results inconclusive.

Somebody thinks Omaha would be perfect for an MLS team.

Jay DeMerit says playing in MLS is now his preferred option: “it seems like the time is right.”

US

Brek Shea's debut? Not the greatest.

Reaction to the Tuesday night’s listless 0–0 draw with Colombia from ESPN, Sports Illustrated, the Washington Post, Soccer by Ives, World Soccer Reader, (and about 300 more sources here). Between the Inquirer and the Daily News there are, bless my eyes, one, two, three articles on the game. Despite attendance being the lowest for a USMNT match since 2006, at least PPL Park came out looking good.

How did Brek Shea and Eric Lichaj do in their US debut? Read this.

The developers of a new NFL stadium in LA are including its use as a World Cup venue in their plans.

Soccer America says Stuart Holden is “looking sharp.”

Just a few days before he was arrested in France for driving at 125 mph, Charlie Davies spoke to ESPN The Magazine: “I’m almost there.”

Elsewhere

"What's with the mask, the flare, the flag, the tattoos, the fence climbing? Well, when I was little, my mother did not give me enough attention. Mama, look at me now! No, really, LOOK AT ME NOW!"

The sale of Liverpool to New England Sports Ventures, owners of the Boston Red Sox, can go through as Gillett and Hicks lose their legal battle. Hopefully that will go someway to counteract the news that the ankle injury that Dirk Kuyt suffered in Tuesday’s Netherlands v Sweden match could see him sidelined until 2011.

UEFA will open a “full and thorough” investigation following the abandonment of the Italy v Serbia match on Tuesday after Serbia “supporters” threw flares on the pitch. The alleged ringleader of the fan violence was arrested after found hiding in the trunk of a bus that was to take Serbia supporters home.

Nestor De La Torre, the head of Mexico national team player selections and the third-highest ranking official in the federation, resigns after refusing to apologize to players threatening to boycott future matches.

Here’s a deep look at the state of soccer in China, where its development has been “blighted by corruption and general apathy” despite “a huge passion” for the game.