Photo: Paul Rudderow

Union

Reaction to yesterday’s roster announcement has focused largely on Michael Orozco Fiscal’s disappearance from the roster on the Union’s website. When asked for information on the status of Orozco Fiscal (as well as Levi Houapeu, who is also gone from the roster), the club’s press officer told the PSP that questions would be answered by Peter Nowak during a media teleconference today at 2:30pm. We will post information from the teleconference as it becomes available. Feel free to post any questions you might have in the comments section below.

Here’s a roundup of reaction to yesterday’s roster news:

• A tweet from the Union says, “All players currently contracted with the club are listed on our roster page.”
• The Daily News speculates that Orozco Fiscal is gone “Either by the decision to not renew his loan deal with Mexican club San Luis or just realizing an overload on the defensive front.” Overload on the defensive front?
• The Goalkeeper very rightly reports that all of speculation about why Orozco Fiscal is gone “doesn’t mean there’s actual information that can be reported on as fact.”
• The Press of Atlantic City focuses on the local connections of Ryan Richter and JT Noone.
• The Brotherly Game includes an update on the jersey numbers of several Union players in their roster report.

The Union will play Hersonissos today at 9:30am EST.

The Union will have the third pick in today’s Waiver Draft.

Details have been announced for the Union’s US Open Cup play-in match against DC United. The match will take place Wednesday, April 6, at 7:30pm at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, MD. Tickets will go on sale Monday, March 7 “via the D.C. United front office” for $20, $25 at the gate.

Carlos Ruiz says, “Obviously there were rumors about joining other teams, but I never spoke with any other team and was always in talks with Philadelphia Union. I thought it was great to play for a city where they really appreciate our sport.” Flattery will get you everywhere, Carlos!

JP Dellacamera, the voice of the Union, has joined Fox Soccer Channel. He will do FSC’s Friday night games so that he can continue to do Union games, most of which are on Saturdays. Maybe the MLS play-by-play on FSC will begin to suck less now.

Twitter users may want to follow @FakePeterNowak.

Here’s a roundup of new footage on YouTube including a bunch of clips from the match against Ergotelis and the goal Orlando City scored from a free kick two Saturday’s ago.

Independence

Says coach Paul Riley yesterday’s start of spring training, “Last season we were expected to finish seventh as an expansion franchise, and we made it to the title game. We have a target on our backs.”

Local

Glenside-native Tony Donatelli has been waived by the San Jose Earthquakes.

The Temple women’s team will play five exhibition games this spring, including matches against La Salle and Drexel.

The Deptford Soccer Post is collecting used soccer gear as part of U.S. Soccer Foundation’s 2011 Passback Program through June 1.

A soccer clinic was held for 40 children in Chester on Saturday in the memory of Andrew Hicks, who died in a hiking accident last summer.

MLS

Real Salt Lake become the first MLS team to advance to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions league after defeating Columbus Crew 4–1.

The return of the reserve league means “teams feel more free to take chances on new talent.”

The Shin Guardian talks to Alfonso Mondelo, the league’s Director of Player Programs, which makes him the league’s technical director.

Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph will talk with league officials to explain his arrest for trespassing during the club’s preseason training in Florida.

Manchester United will play Seattle and Chicago, as well as the MLS All-Star game, this summer. The trip will include a friendly in Washington DC against Barcelona.

Poor David Beckham. He and the missus got themselves an invite to the upcoming royal wedding between William Windsor and Kate Middleton but the wedding takes place the same weekend LA Galaxy are away to FC Dallas.

The Cosmos bandwagon, including Pele and Eric Cantona, is on an Asian tour.

US

The USWNT begins Algarve Cup play today at 10am against Japan. A tweet from US Soccer says that Independence forward Amy Rodriguez scored the first goal with a shot from 18 yards out, assisted by Independence goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart!

A very interesting piece in Soccer America suggest that U-17 residency program at Brandenton, founded by US soccer in 1999, has run its course.

Elsewhere

The owl kicked by a player in a match in Colombia has died.

CONCACAF is pushing for an additional berth in the 2014 World Cup.

The Egyptian military is under increasing pressure to lift its one month-old suspension of professional soccer matches.

The Brazilian FA and a former referee have been fined $96 million for a match fixing scandal in 2005.

Yesterday’s loss to Chelsea was the 20th anniversary of Ryan Giggs first appearance for Manchester United in 1992 at the age of 17. Regarding the loss, rather predictably, Sir Alex Ferguson blamed the referee.

In more manager antics, Jose Mourinho calls those who do not agree with his view that the La Liga schedule is unfair on Real Madrid and favors Barcelona over other clubs hypocrites.