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Philadelphia Union

Vote Jack McInerney and Michael Farfan for Goal of the Week! I have, several times, and will continue to do so until the voting closes. You can also vote via text to 22442 by entering G1 for JackMac and G4 for Marfan. There, I just voted again.

Michael Farfan came in second in the polling for MLSsoccer.com’s Player of the Week, losing out to Real Salt Lake’s Álvaro Saborío, whose hat trick against Portland was completed by a penalty kick. Among the 16 reporters who voted, Philly.com’s Jonathan Tannenwald voted for Farfan but JP Dellacamera did not. What’s up with that, JP?

Farfan was named ProSoccerTalk’s Player of the Week.

Michael Farfan and Freddy Adu have been named to the Team of the Week by SI and ProSoccerTalk.

The Union are SBI’s Team of the Week.

The Inside Doop points to three reasons for the Union’s recent turnaround: consistent lineups, Michael Farfan, and the backline.

A tremendous cheer was heard on Sunday when Roger Torres was subbed in for his first minutes since his injury in a reserve game in April. Torres said, “I don’t think I’m quite at 100% yet, but, I’m going to keep working in order to get back to full fitness.” He added, “I’ve been waiting for the chance (to return) for a very long time, now I thank God, the fans, for the support.”

Power rankings, you ask? At Sporting News, the Union climb four spots to No. 14. At SI and Goal.com, they move up two spots to No. 14. At ESPN, they move up one spot to No. 16. WV Hooligan has them at No. 18.

More match reports from Sunday’s win from the Toronto Sun, Sportsnet.ca, and Examiner.com.

The 2012 attendance average at PPL Park continues to outpace the 2011 average.

The Brotherly Game looks at the chances the Union have of making the playoffs.

MLS

Portland Timbers have fired head coach John Spencer. General manager Gavin Wilkinson will coach the team until the end of the season with a replacement coach expected to be signed before the end of the calendar year.

MLSsoccer.com has “five names that could be among the top candidates to take over in Portland.”

The Spencer firing leaves the Sounders’ Sigi Schmid the only original coach left on the four teams that joined the league between 2009-11. Schmid says he appreciates the stability at the Sounders.

The Geoff Cameron to Stoke City deal is close to being concluded.

Starting with the premise that “online voting is a farce,” Soccer America’s Paul Gardner picks apart the just released All-Star First XI, which has an average age of 33, consists of players from only six of the league’s 19 teams, and contains no Latino players. The conclusion? “In short, this All-Star First XI is a tremendous joke.”

The Village Voice has five questions to ask about the proposal to build a soccer stadium in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park for the 20th MLS team.

Women’s Soccer

The Philadelphia Independence’s first draft pick in 2012, Sarah Hagen opted to sign with Bayern Munich before WPS folded. Here’s a look at how she’s been doing.

US

The US Anti-Doping Agency issued Hope Solo a public warning after she tested positive for Canrenone, a diuretic that can be used for weight loss. The USADA found no cause for further sanctions after concluding that the USWNT goalkeeper unknowingly ingested the banned substance. Solo said in a statement, “I took a medication prescribed by my personal doctor for pre-menstrual purposes that I did not know contained a diuretic. Once informed of this fact, I immediately cooperated with USADA and shared with them everything they needed to properly conclude that I made an honest mistake, and that the medication did not enhance my performance in any way.”

The USWNT departs today for England where they will train at the grounds of Middlesbrough FC to prepare for the Olympic tournament.

Goal.com says of Charlie Davies’ step backward to newly promoted Danish club Randers, “If Davies really is desperate to reemerge as a national team option, he’d be wise to consider cultivating a more positive working relationship with Randers than he has with his previous two clubs.”

Brad Guzan appears to be heading back to Aston Villa.

Those Clint Dempsey to Liverpool rumors are heating up.

Elsewhere

The quotes from the John Terry trial are proving to be, shall I say, very interesting.

Leander Schaerlaeckens observes a shift in the soccer status quo as more players leave Europe to sign lucrative deals in China, Brazil, and India.

The New York Times profiles Neymar.

2 Comments

  1. Great analysis in the Brotherly Game. Take note: “While the point total the Union need to reach is attainable, the Union making the playoffs hinges on being one of the best teams in MLS for the final 23 games after being among of the worst in the first 11. This is possible. The Philadelphia Union can qualify for the MLS Cup in 2012. But in order to do so, the Philadelphia Union need to continue being great after being legitimately terrible, and it is not yet reasonable to conclude that this current run of form from the Union is sustainable for the long term after only a five game sample.”
    /
    Would it not be great if it would happen? But reading the article made me realize that Nowak was fired circa 4 games too late…

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