Photo: Paul Rudderow

Union

The Miles for MJ Charity Tailgate will take place tomorrow before the Portland game and today is your last chance to purchase tickets. Tickets are only $20 and at least 50 percent of the proceeds raised will go toward neurofibromatosis research.

Marc Narducci correctly writes that the thrill of the Union’s comeback on Wednesday should not distract attention from defensive deficiencies. Danny Califf says in the article, “In recent weeks we have gone backward a little bit and started making individual mistakes on goals, guys being unmarked. Teams are getting easy goals, and as soon as we clean that up and make it difficult for teams to score goals, we will be right back there and be successful again as a unit.” By the way, Marc, the Feilhaber goal wasn’t MacMath’s fault.

What did Peter Nowak think of Freddy Adu’s game? “I was pleased with his movement all game. He had a big goal to get us back in the game. It was a good day for Freddy. As you saw at the end of game, he was cramping. But as I told you guys, he is still not physically there yet. But we will watch him each day and monitor him and get him stronger and make sure he will recover fully before we throw him back out there.”

Freddy Adu says, “I feel like I’m very close with my conditioning. It felt great to play a full 90. It will feel great as I continue to train every day. I love being here. I think we have so much talent here and can accomplish some great things. I want to be part of the success wherever they need me.”

Prost Amerika says Wednesday night’s result “has provided a massive boost to the Portland Timbers ahead of their match against the Union this weekend.” The reason?  If Portland wins, they will be level with the Union on points with the playoff race but ahead of them in the standings because of their win at home over Philadelphia earlier in the season.

Philly Union Talk looks at Wednesday night’s game and asks, “What was that?”

Union Dues recounts a personal take on Wednesday’s game day experience and concludes “The table never lies. We can think whatever we want, but the table is a true reflection of our team and its abilities.”

Want to know how New England’s second half collapse is being reported in their hometown media outlets? One article describes it as a “Greek tragedy.” Another says the Revs “managed to shoot themselves in the foot yet again.” Another says, “defense let Revolution down.” Yet another wonders, “Steve Nichol: dead man walking?” New England Soccer Today, which described the game as an “epic collapse,” has some tough ratings for the players.

In the latest Castrol Index, Carlos Valdes comes in at no. 8. Unfortunately, the links to the full index, as of this writing, go to the July Index, so I can’t tell you where the rest of the Union players rank.

Cast your vote for the top 24 MLS players under the age of 24 on Facebook. On the ballot from the Union are Freddy Adu, Michael Farfan, Gabriel Farfan, Jack McInerney (no. 22 in 2010), Roger Torres (no. 23 in 2010), Sheanon Williams, Amobi Okugo, and Danny Mwanga (no. 5 in 2010).

Speaking of Amobi Okugo, he sang Happy Birthday to a fan at Wednesday’s game.

Union City Blue gives a mixed review for how the Union season has been off the field. One complaint is “the flagrant and persistent violations of the tailgating rules that make for a dangerous situation in Lot A prior to games,” and concludes “I would prefer all tailgating be confined to one lot (Lot C) or at least confined to a specific section of Lot A.” I park/tailgate in Lot A and have done so for two seasons. I’m not sure what is meant by persistent violations of the tailgating rules because I always get there, almost without exception, at least two hours before kickoff and park in the same spot, leaving that spot only to go to the stadium. But confining tailgating to only one lot or a specific area of Lot A? Ridiculous.

Local

Kerith Gabriel has an excellent piece on the excessive pressure parents can put on kids trying to learn the game of soccer. John Hackworth says in the article, “In my opinion, [soccer] parents don’t have a good metric on what’s good and what’s bad for their child’s development…Many times parents look at a performance in terms of the score line to determine what’s good or bad. Soccer is like playing a piano, until you master the skill you can’t even think in terms of playing on stage.”

The Penn and Villanova women’s teams will face off tonight at PPL Park. Penn women’s soccer coach Darren Ambrose is excited for the game.

The Archbishop Wood girls’ soccer team, ranked no. 1 as the season gets underway, is looking for a third straight Catholic League title, a feat never before accomplished.

The Inquirer rounds up Southeastern PA boys and girls results as well as South Jersey boys’ and girls’ results.

MLS

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp says he’s open to David Beckham playing for Spurs, gor’ blimey.

Renovations to Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium are supposed to be finished in three weeks. There’s still much to be done.

Goal.com lists 13 possible destinations for the 20th MLS team.

US

How does Jurgen Klinsmann’s start as head coach of the USMNT compare to those of Bob Bradley, Bruce Arena, Steve Sampson, Bora Milutinovic and Bob Gansler? Not so well, really.

Speaking of Bob Bradley, Mexican club Santos Laguna has passed on hiring him but the Egyptian Federation is reportedly still interested in offering him the job.

St. Louis played a key role in US soccer history. IMS interveiws Dave Lange, author of the new book “Soccer Made in St. Louis.” My copy’s already in the mail.

Longtime LA Times soccer writer Grahame L Jones has retired. He said goodbye with this article on the recent history of soccer in California.

Elsewhere

Grant Wahl says FIFA should come up with something like the NFL Red Zone channel so fans can see highlights from world cup qualifiers as they happen. I’d subscribe.

The Glazers continue to anger Manchester United supporters with their Singapore IPO plan.

Footie on the Telly™

Friday, September 9
AC Milan v Lazio 2:45pm Fox Soccer, Fox Deportes
Duke v Virginia 7pm Fox Soccer
Tecos v Jaguares 9pm Galavision
Los Angeles v Colorado 11pm Fox Soccer, Fox Deportes

Saturday, September 10
Borussia Dortmund v Hertha Berlin 9:30am GolTV
Manchester City v Wigan 10am Fox Deportes, (5pm on Fox Soccer)
Sunderland v Chelsea 10am ESPN2, ESPN Deportes
Arsenal v Swansea City 10am Fox Soccer
Stoke City v Liverpool 10am Fox Soccer Plus
Real Sociedad v Barcelona 12pm ESPN Deportes
Villarreal v Sevilla 12pm GolTV
Coventry v Derby County12pm FSP
Bolton v Manchester United 12:30pm Fox Soccer, Fox Deportes
Real Madrid v Getafe 1:50pm GolTV
Cesena v Napoli 2:30pm Fox Soccer
Wolverhampton v Tottenham 2:30pm FSP
Bayern Munich v Freiburg 3pm on ESPN Deportes
Kansas City v Houston 4pm Telefutura
Valencia v Atletico Madrid 4pm ESPN Deportes
Everton v Aston Villa 4:30pm FSP
Santos v Cruzeiro 5pm GolTV
Queretaro v Pumas 6pm Univision
Cruz Azul v Morelia 6pm ESPN Deportes
Nacional v Santa Fe 7:15pm GolTV
Philadelphia Union v Portland Timbers 7:30pm TCN
Tigres v Pachuca 8pm Telemundo
Santos Laguna v Chivas 8pm Telefutura
Dorados v Irapuato 9:15pm GolTV
Atlas v San Luis 9:30pm Galavision

Sunday, September 11
Juventus v Parma 6:30am FSP
Norwich v West Brom 8:30am FSP
Roma v Cagliari 9am Fox Soccer
Cologne v Nuremberg 9:30am ESPN Deportes
Fulham v Blackburn 11am Fox Soccer, Fox Deportes
Wolfsburg v Schalke 11:30am GolTV
Rayo Vallecano v Zaragoza 12pm ESPN Deportes
Beach World Cup Championship 12:15pm Galavision
Toluca v Tijuana 1pm Telemundo
Puebla v Monterrey 1pm Fox Deportes, Azteca America
Palermo v Inter Milan 2:30pm Fox Soccer, Fox Deportes
Paris Saint Germain v Brest 3pm. FSP
Espanyol v Athletic Bilbao 4pm GolTV
America v Atlante 5pm Univision
Fluminense v Corinthians 6pm GolTV

Monday, September 12
Queens Park Rangers v Newcastle 3pm ESPN Deportes