Photo: Paul Rudderow

Union

Power rankings roundup! At MLSsoccer.com, the Union moves into second place and do the same at ESPN, SBI, Goal.com.

Sheanon Williams is named to Goal.com’s Best XI for Week 13. Danny Califf and Keon Daniel get honorable mentions.

Danny Mwanga says of playing in Vancouver, “The opening minutes on the road, in a tough place to play, are so important. The coaching staff has stressed that to us. We feel like we didn’t play well at Portland. We are focused on going to Vancouver, playing well and hopefully coming back with three points. It’s a big match because we play Kansas City a few days after on Wednesday. This match Saturday means a lot.”

He hasn’t played professional soccer for two-and-a-half years but Veljko Paunovic says, “I lived for football, every day, even when I stopped playing. Every day, before I go to sleep, I have to know what’s happening in the whole world…All the time, I was thinking of coming back. I’m going to try to make this a great comeback.”

Carlos Ruiz says of playing for his country, “To try and make history with the national team, it’s something very different than what I get playing in Philadelphia. To play with Philadelphia, it’s nice, it’s good and makes me very happy, but this [moment] means everything to me.”

Keon Daniel says, “I’m a person that’s scored goals in my life before. I’ve scored a lot of goals. It was a bit frustrating to be playing and not scoring…As an attacking player, I’ve got to produce. I’ve got to score goals and I’ve got to get assists. I’m glad I did that [Saturday].”

Salt Lake Tribune reporter Michael C. Lewis tweets that Chris Agorsor is trialing with Real Salt Lake.

The Union Dues previews the Vancouver match and expects the Union “to pick up three more points from some douche named Hassli and his gang.” Also at the Union Dues, the latest YSA podcast.

Local

In US Open Cup news, Harrisburg City Islanders defeat Reading United. Feasterville’s Phoenix SC knocked out of the Cup competition by Rochester Rhinos.

Kensington native and US Soccer legend Len Oliver has been named to the new board of directors for the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

MLS

“The Goal” scored by Eric Hassli had more than 2 million YouTube views in less than three days.

US

Grant Wahl looks at the USMNT’s 1–0 win over Guadeloupe.

USMNT player ratings from SI, MLSsoccer.com and Soccer America.

Jonathan Wilson talks to US goalkeeper coach Milutin Soskic in this fascinating and informative article.

Elsewhere

The five Mexican national team players who were suspended from the Gold Cup after testing positive for a banned substance have passed a second test.

Chuck Blazer has been questioned by the FIFA ethics committee to answer a complaint from eleven Caribbean soccer federations that Blazer made “statements of contempt and slander that served to impugn the integrity, discriminate against and infringe upon the personal rights” of CONCACAF members. The allegations go on to say Blazer “discriminated against…certain members of the CONCACAF through his contemptuous and denigratory words since all the persons who were singled out were of a specific race.” Blazer says, “I have no concerns about this.”

A proposal by FIFA to increase the number of international friendly dates from 12 to 17 per year could cause a war with Europe’s top clubs.

A cloud of ash from a volcano in Chile could delay the start of the Copa America.