Daily news roundups

Kleberson begins training with Union, Casey’s impact, Neumann returns to Reading, soccer walk, more

Photo: Michael Long

Philadelphia Union

Kleberson begins training with the Union today. The club will be hosting a special meet and greet event at the Brazilian steakhouse na’Brasa, located at 680 N. Easton Rd. in Horsham on Wednesday evening, 5pm-7pm.

John Hackworth said after Saturday’s loss at Red Bull Arena of what a healthy Conor Casey brings to the Union, “To have him back, he gives us a different dimension. We struggled holding the ball up all day, so to have him in there is good. He’s able to do that.”

While the focus of the latest Inside Doop is largely on the impact that Conor Casey made in Saturday’s loss to New York and where he fits into the lineup now that he is healthy, as well what the availability of Kleberson and Gabe Farfan could mean, Dave Zeitlin also notes, “[T]he Union once again struggled to create much offensively and garner momentum in the midfield. For the game, the Union got only two shots on target, controlled just 40 percent of the possession and completed 171 fewer passes than the Red Bulls. The club has been getting hammered like this on the stat sheet all season, which is certainly a troubling trend.”

JP Dellacamera is more direct in his analysis of what ails the Union: scoring. “Of the four games played,” writes Dellacamera, “they have scored just five goals with two coming in the road win at Colorado. Scoring three goals total in their other three games has resulted in one win and two losses. Bottom line, if you average a goal per game in MLS, odds are you are going to have a losing season.”

Power Rankings? Why not. At Soccer America, the Union fall two spots to No. 8. At Goal.com, it’s a two-spot drop to No. 11, at ESPN it’s a three-spot drop to No. 11. SBI has the Union at No. 12, while SI drops them one spot to No. 13.

The 135th annual White House Easter Egg Roll took place on Monday and for the second year in a row the Union was at the event. Participating as part of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition’s “Let’s Move” campaign, the Union were represented by Raymon Gaddis, Sheanon Williams, Jim Curtin, Rob Vartughian, and John Hackworth.

The producers of the Sons of Ben documentary have started a fundraising campaign at Indiegogo.

Local

Reading United have announced that Georgetown University standout Steve Neumann will be returning to the PDL club and Union affiliate this season. The native of New Hope has been named team captain by coach Brendan Burke.

The Phillies season began on Monday. In celebration, check out Soccer Out Of Context’s take on what the Phillies jersey might look like if it were soccer-fied.

Online Soccer Academy is organizing its third annual World Juggle-a-thon to support the anti-malaria organization Nothing But Nets ahead of World Malaria Day on April 25. The video below shows OSA founder Jared Montz’ recent soccer walk through Philly along with a few special guests.

Here’s a report on the recent Penn women’s soccer alumni game and banquet.

MLS

In semifinal play in the CONCACAF Champions League tonight at 10pm, Seattle Sounders host Santos Laguna (FSC).

Here’s a breakdown of the CONCACAF Champions League semis.

Jeff Bradley looks back to the last time an MLS team won the CONCACAF championship tournament, way back in 2001.

That Thierry Henry goal is up for Goal of the Week.

The Guardian has five things learned from Week 5.

Here’s a profile on Bitchy the Hawk, the Harris Hawk that keeps Toronto’s BMO Field seagull-free.

US

This article on the US Soccer website looks at the USWNT’s history against Germany ahead of Friday’s friendly (12:15pm: ESPNW.com, ESPN3).

Elsewhere

In today’s UEFA Champions League play at 2:30pm it’s Paris Saint-Germain vs FC Barcelona (FSC, Fox Deportes, Fox Soccer 2Go) and Bayern München vs Juventus (Fox Soccer Plus, Fox Soccer 2Go). At SI, Ben Lyttleton has a preview.

The Guadalajara-Club America had big numbers for Telemundo on Sunday night, being watched by some 2.6 million viewers and was the highest watched show among viewers of any language between the ages of 18-49 in Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco.”

Former Brazil forward and current Brazilian congressman Romario is calling for the resignation of Brazilian football federation president Jose Maria Marin because of his ties to the military dictatorship that ruled the country from 1964-1985.

Reuters reports that the prime minister of Trinidad & Tobago has asked US authorities for information about the reported investigation of corruption in football involving former CONCACAF president and well-known crook Jack Warner, who is currently T&T’s national security minister. Warner says, “I do not think you know of any other politician who for the last three years has been maligned and who has been crucified as I have been.”

 

5 Comments

  1. go romario!

  2. To counteract the hate he’ll get all week let me list two things I like about Hackworth this season:
    – The Parke signing has been fantastic. He has come right in and cleaned up for up perfectly.
    – The willingness to sub out Le Toux has been unexpected and welcome.

  3. Well, hello Neumann.

  4. Great video! Post it on the main page since it deserves to be seen by many & many should donate for this good cause

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