Union

Justin Mapp could be available to face RSL.

Kevin Kinkead has another The PSP expects a 2–1 win for the Union.

Still miffed about Carlos Valdes and Sheanon Williams not making the All-Star ballot? I am, too. Here’s the good news: You can vote for MLS players NOT included on the fan ballot via Twitter between June 17-20. Simply include the player’s Twitter handle (i.e. @carlosvaldes5 or @sheanonwilliams), OR an MLS player’s full name with no space between first and last (i.e. carlosvaldes or sheanonwilliams) AND @MLS along with #MLSAllStar in a Tweet to cast your vote. Together we can do this thing! By the way, Carlos Valdes continues to lead in this poll on who’s been snubbed.

Danny Califf on the getting points on the road two games in a row: “It’s huge, and now we’re believing in ourselves a little bit more [on the road]. We have carried that swagger we have at home, and that confidence has really paid dividends.”

John Hackworth on the recent run of goals: “We have a variety of guys taking shots from distance and that has been the key. It pulls the [opposition’s] defense out. Teams know they have to step out on us now, and it’s not just Sebastien [Le Toux] anymore, it’s Justin and Carlos and Danny [Mwanga].”

Hackworth says the newly energized offense has nothing to do with the absence of Carlos Ruiz: “We said all along the goals were there and were going to come, and that is what you are seeing, and it is not a matter of Carlos not being there.”

Speaking of the Union offense, Hackworth explains why the Union released Chris Agorsor: “It’s not easy to answer this question because it’s not a one-line answer. It’s not something that’s very specific to, ‘Hey, he didn’t do this well enough.’ For Chris, we think he has to put himself, as a young player, in a position where he’s going to get games. As we progressed in the season a little bit, the decision was maybe he wasn’t going to get that here. Those opportunities weren’t going to happen for him.”

Zach Pfeffer, who recently had an appendectomy, was not named to the US roster for the upcoming U-17 World Cup.

Although Juventus will be based in Philadelphia for their summer tour, they won’t be playing the Union. Sheanon Williams said of the Everton and Real Madrid friendlies, “International matches are great to have on the schedule. Everyone’s excited…Who wouldn’t be excited?”

The inaugural Second Friday in North Wales will feature the Union’s Mobile Marketing Tour. The event takes place this evening between 6pm and 9pm at Second and Main streets. No Union players are scheduled to appear.

Independence

The Independence travel to face league leaders WNY Flash on Sunday, the first place team they lost 2–1 to a few weeks back. Midfield wizard Tina DiMartino—described by coach Paul Riley as “the best creative player we have”—says of the Flash, “They are a great team. We let in an easy goal [in the first game]. The second goal was a [penalty kick]. We could have fought a little harder. We let down. We lost sight of what we wanted to do in terms of attacking.” You can watch the game on Sunday at 6pm on FSC.

Local

Reading United’s Matt Hedges has been named to the PDL’s Team of the week. Lasse Sohrweide earned an honorable mention. Reading United will host Long Island Rough Riders tonight at 7:30pm in pink kits in recognition of in honor of cancer awareness, “a tradition that the United have upheld since the passing of former player, coach, and general manager Archie Moylan.”

Reading will face fellow Union affiliate Harrisburg City Islanders in the US Open Cup on Tuesday. Here’s a look at the City Islanders ahead of that match. You can watch the City Islanders away to Rochester this Saturday on FSC at 5:30pm. (The game will be rebroadcast during the week if you miss it watching the Union.)

The Reading United women’s team has opened their season with two victories.

MLS

A sellout crowd was on hand on Thursday night for the opening game at Sporting Kansas City’s new Livestrong Sporting Park. The match against Chicago ended in a controversial o–0 draw after a very unsporting tackle from the Fire’s Bratislav Ristic on Omar Bravo in the box was not called. Earlier in the second half, KC went down to 10 men after their keeper handled the ball outside of the box.

Read this article about how the financially troubled town of Harrison, NJ, the home of Red Bull Arena, is struggling to pay the $39 million in debt it took on to buy and prepare the land on which the stadium is built and is laying off police officers and firefighters. What are the Red Bulls doing to help out? The team, whose owner comes in at no. 208 on Forbes list of billionaires, is refusing to pay a $1.4 million property levy.

US

Soccer America debunks some conspiracy theories currently floating around about the USMNT.

Gold Cup

Mexico defeated Cuba 5–0, one goal for each of the five Mexico players who have been suspended from the tournament after testing positive for a banned substance, Clenbuterol. Mexican soccer officials blame the test results on the players eating contaminated meat. Clenbuterol can be used to speed up and increase muscle mass in animals.

Costa Rica rescued a 1–1 draw against El Salvador. El Salvador is hoping CONCACAF will overturn their 5–0 loss to Mexico last Sunday in view of the doping scandal.

Elsewhere

FIFA has extended the provisional suspension of the former interim president of CONCACAF Lisle Austin to a worldwide ban. Meanwhile, FIFA canceled a meeting with representatives of Puerto Rico’s soccer federation. The president of Surinam’s FA says it received a $40,000 gift in the form of $100 bills in a brown paper envelope on arrival in Trinidad for a meeting with then FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam on May 10. “We went up to a room and were given $40,000 in a brown envelope with the name of Surinam on it,” said Louis Giskus.

Suspended CONCACAF president and noted crook Jack Warner says, “I have not received any summons asking me to speak with them [the investigators] nor do I plan to do so.”

Footy on the Telly™

Friday June 10
Italy v Mexico (Toulon U-21 tournament) 12:30pm GolTV
France v Colombia (Toulon U-21 tournament) 3pm GolTV
Jamaica v Guatemala (Gold Cup) 7pm Telefutura
New York Red Bulls v New England Revolution 8:30pm FSC
Honduras v Grenada (Gold Cup) 9pm Galavision

Saturday June 11
Belarus v Iceland (Euro U-21) 11:50am ESPN Deportes
Norway v Germany (Euro U-19 women) 2:30pm GolTV
Denmark v Switzerland (Euro U-21) 2:30pm ESPN Deportes
Philadelphia v Real Salt Lake 4pm 6abc
Rochester Rhinos v Harrisburg City Islanders 5:30pm FSC
Sao Paulo v Gremio 5:30pm GolTV
Canada v Guadeloupe (Gold Cup) 6pm Galavision
USA v Panama (Gold Cup) 8pm FSC, Telefutura
Portland v Colorado 10:30pm Galavision
Seattle Sounders v Vancouver Whitecaps 10:30pm FSC

Sunday June 12
Switzerland v Iceland (Euro U-21) 11:50am ESPN Deportes
Spain v England (Euro U-21) 2:30pm ESPN Deportes
Nacional v Defensor 3pm GolTV
El Salvador v Cuba (Gold Cup) 6pm Galavision
Western New York Flash v Philadelphia Independence 6pm FSC
Equidad v Nacional 6:30pm GolTV
Mexico v Costa Rica (Gold Cup) 8pm Univision

Monday June 13
Guatemala v Grenada (Gold Cup) 7pm Galavision
Honduras v Jamaica 9pm (Gold Cup) Galavision