Daily news roundups / Featured

Getting ready for Chicago, national team call-ups, more news

Photo: Paul Rudderow

Philadelphia Union

How is the Union faring after being eliminated from playoff contention with Saturday’s loss to Columbus? John Hackworth says, “Our team’s in good spirits. Our character’s been good. We’re working hard, we’re working efficiently and guys are not shying away from any of that. It’s a good group of guys to work with. They come every single day prepared. We continue to improve here and there but we’ve got to keep going.”

The AP previews Wednesday’s road game against Chicago Fire (8:30pm, TCN). Look for our Union vs. Fire quick reference with stats, video highlights and more later this morning.

This post on the Chicago Fire website notes that Peter Nowak will be honored at halftime during Wednesday’s game. You will recall from previous roundups that Nowak, along with other former Fire players including Diego Gutierrez, is participating in the team’s 15 year anniversary celebrations.

Dave Zeitlin lays out five reasons the Union failed to make the playoffs: lack of scoring, too much roster turnover, Peter Nowak, lack of size, inexperience.

Carlos Valdes, Gabriel Gomez, and Keon Daniel have been called up by their national teams for the upcoming international break, Oct. 12-16. Valdes and Gomez will be with Colombia and Panama, respectively, for World Cup qualification while Daniel will be with Trinidad & Tobago for Gold Cup qualification in the CFU Caribbean Cup.

Recently returned from the USMNT U-18 camp in the Netherlands that saw wins over Feyenoord, the Netherlands, and Borussia Dortmund, FC DELCO and Union Academy goalkeeper Zackary Steffen has been called up for the US U-20 team for the Marbella Cup in Spain, Oct. 6-17. The team will face Canada, Scotland and Azerbaijan. It is Steffen’s first call-up for the U-20s. You will recall that Zach Pfeffer was also with the U-18s in Europe.

Power rankings: At Sporting News, the Union drop two spots to No. 15, which is where Soccer America also has them. They come in at No. 14 at Fox Soccer, SI and ESPN.

HTIC wonders what became of Freddy Adu and concludes, “He is inconsistent, that is his main frailty, but he is also talented with a magnificent range of passing and vision.”

Local

Look for our Philly Soccer Six roundup later this morning.

MLS

Goal.com says the standard of officiating needs to rise as the playoffs loom near.

With three assists and a goal against Toronto, Thierry Henry was named Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks, the fifth time this year.

Mexico will play Guyana in a World Cup qualifier on Oct. 12 at Houston Dynamo’s BBVA Compass Stadium.

The New York Times talks to NASL commissioner David Downs, who says the league hopes to have 18 to 20 teams by 2018.

US

US Soccer talks to Bob Gansler, who coached the USMNT at the 1990 World Cup.

Elsewhere

Champions League play returns today. Check out our weekly live soccer listings for times and channels, including Spartak Moscow vs Celtic (12pm, FSC), Cluj vs. Manchester United (2:30pm, FSC), and Nordsjælland vs Chelsea (2:30pm, Fox Soccer Plus).

The Guardian points to the NBA for a possible solution to the problem of diving.

Is Riquelme the last of a dying breed?

 

One Comment

  1. Hey, you guys just got mentioned on the official union page.

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