Daily news roundups

Quotes, recaps and reaction to Crew draw, Academy news, Hertzog scores, more

Philadelphia Union

The Union earned their first point ever at Columbus Crew Stadium on Saturday. Reading postgame quotes, it is clear that the team are pleased to have gotten a positive result but that they also feel they could have done better if only they had finished more of their chances (a feeling no doubt shared by Dominic Oduro and the rest of the Crew). Still, a point is a point and there were positives to build on.

John Hackworth said,

It was one of those crazy games. I thought we were the much better team in the first half and should have had multiple goals, but we just kept on missing opportunities. Then, in the second half, they [the Columbus Crew] were really good and the tide turned a little bit on us. It was frustrating to give one up and I thought we were going to steal one ourselves. We had a couple really good looks, but it just wasn’t meant to be.

Hackworth admitted some frustration with the result.

Of course we walked a way feeling frustrated a little bit, but at the same time I have to keep it in perspective. [Columbus] are such a good team and they played a really good game in the second half. I thought my team did a good job trying to negate what they’re doing. But, in the end, they got a great goal and we walk out of here with a point.

Brian Carroll said, “A draw is certainly better than nothing. I felt we had a good game plan and executed that for the most part. On a different day, maybe we finish a few more chances and get out of here with our first three points ever. But a point is better than nothing and we just have to build on it.”

Carroll said of the Union’s tactics in the first half,

The guys were just taking positive touches and moving the ball around quickly. We got behind them, not with ease, but we got behind them in very dangerous situations and should have put a couple more away. Credit to the guys [the Columbus Crew defenders] for getting to their positions and making it difficult on us.  We just have to continue that pressure and gain more possession. I’m proud of the effort; we just have to build on it.

Hackworth elaborated, “What we felt we could do against them, we were able to do it. We got in behind them a couple of times and that was key. What was unfortunate was that we did not take advantage of those opportunities because they were all really good looks.”

Carroll said of Jack McInerney’s first half goal, “It was just great combination play. We were ahead on a break with numbers and the finish was calm, cool and collected. Great sequence and we had few more great sequences like that. With time, and as the season goes along, we’ll finish those off a little better.”

Amobi Okugo said of the team’s mindset playing in Columbus after conceding the game-winner late against New York the week before, “We know that on the road we’re going to have to fight. We learned a lot about ourselves with [Thierry] Henry scoring a late goal. So when it got towards the 80th minute, the whole backline lead the team and stood firm. Luckily, we came away with a good result.”

Speaking of conceded goals, here’s Oduro’s take on his equalizer for Columbus: “I was just praying for glory, hitting the ball from that [tough] angle. I was hoping that it would go off somebody, to tuck it in. I’m glad it went in.”

Match reports and recaps from PSP, Philadelphia Union, Delco Times, Press of Atlantic City, Philly Soccer News, Union Dues, Columbus Crew (1), Columbus Crew (2), Columbus Dispatch, Columbus Underground, Massive Report (1), Massive Report (2), MLSsoccer.com, SBI, ProSoccerTalk, Goal.com, The Sports Network, and The AP. Post game quotes here.

Bakary Soumare wasn’t with the Union in Columbus on Saturday but he tweeted that he was in Chicago watching the Fire on Sunday. Union Tally speculates on where Soumare could land.

The Union announced on Friday that it’s academy program has been selected to participate in the the US Soccer Development Academy beginning in the fall of 2013.

You will recall that we linked to news of the hiring of former Dartmouth men’s soccer head coach Jeff Cook as the Academy’s new director of recruiting. Also joining the Academy leadership are Peter Fuller, who coached the New England Revolution reserve team the last two seasons, and Chris Brewer, who has served as an US Soccer Technical Advisor since 2009 and has also worked as an assistant coach for the US U18 Men’s National Team.

Players selected to participate in the academy do so free of charge. Nick Sakiewicz said, “Only the very best young and aspiring players will earn the right to play for the Philadelphia Union Academy based on skill and character not by financial wherewithal. Our free of cost Academy provides a true path for elite, ambitious players to climb to the Union First Team and an opportunity to fulfill their dream of playing in PPL Park.”

More on Jeff Cook’s appointment from Kyle McCarthy at New England Soccer Journal.

Amobi Okugo’s blog at Goal.com is back. In the first entry of the new season, Okugo talks about preparing to play both center back and center mid in the offseason and how nice it is to finally be older than some of the rookies. “Carrying the balls and equipment was taking its toll on me–I guess the veteran rule doesn’t work when you’re still one of the young guns.”

By the way, Freddy Adu has been officially unveiled on the Bahia website (crappy Google translation here).

At ESPN, Josh Dean recounts the former Union player’s current career path and also calls BS on some recent Adu quotes. “Let’s be honest. Tossing aside a few standout performances for various U.S. national teams…Adu has played generally unremarkable soccer at every stop of his world tour.”

Local

Harrisburg City Islanders finished off their preseason on a down note, giving up four first-half goals on the way to falling 5-1 to University of Maryland on Friday night. Former Union man Morgan Langley scored the lone City Islanders goal in a match that featured four Union players: Don Anding, Cristhian Hernandez, Greg Jordan, and Jimmy McLaughlin.

MLS

In Eastern Conference play, first place Montreal had the weekend off. Kansas City moves into second place with a 1-0 win over DC, who are now in ninth place, while Houston drops to third place after losing 2-0 at Portland. Columbus is in fourth place and the Union in fifth place following their 1-1 draw. Toronto are in sixth place after a 2-2 draw with Dallas. New York remain in seventh place with their 3-1 loss to Chicago, who move into eighth place with their first win of the season. New England who had the weekend off, fall to tenth place.

Colorado joins Chicago and Portland in getting their first win of the season, a 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake. Seattle, whose game against Chivas USA was rescheduled because of this weeks’ CONCACAF Champions League semifinals, is now the only winless team in MLS.

Local lad Corey Hertzog scored his first MLS goal, the equalizer in Vancouver’s 1-1 draw with San Jose.

The Guardian has five things learned from the weekend’s games.

At Soccer America, Paul Gardner wants more goals to be scored in MLS. “’I’m suggesting that this year ought to be a revelation year for MLS. It ought to be the year in which the league, unable to claim and to be satisfied with, expansion and stadium-building and marketing triumphs, can now turn its energy and its thinking to the game itself. It can take serious steps to make sure that MLS soccer is an attractive, action-packed, and goal-scoring activity.”

Business of Soccer ranks the strength of MLS markets based upon paid attendance. The Union are 91.5 percent of capacity.

Reading this interview with New York Cosmos executive Eric Stover, it’s easy to get the sense that the team isn’t terribly interested in joining MLS.

US

The US U-17 men’s team opened up group play in the CONCACAF Championship with a 3-0 win over Haiti. Christopher Lema scored two goals for the US.

The USWNT squandered 3-1 lead with less than ten minutes to play to draw 3-3 with Germany on Friday. I wasn’t able to watch the game but I’m told the officiating was a joke. Post game quotes here.

The Gold Cup suddenly got a lot more important after news from CONCACAF on Friday that federation’s representative at the 2017 Confederations Cup will be decided by a playoff between the winners of the 2013 and 2015 edition’s of the North American tournament. Previously, the winner of the tournament held two years before the Confederations Cup represented the region.

Jurgen Klinsmann is open to staying with the USMNT after the 2014 World Cup.

Wondering why Jozy Altidore isn’t scoring goals for the US like he does for AZ? Goal.com’s Alex Labidou offers three reasons.

The AP reports, “Major League Soccer’s Sporting Kansas City and the U.S. Soccer Federation have agreed to a memorandum of understanding to explore building a national training center in Kansas City, Kan.”

Graham Parker has two US Soccer Centennial posts, one at The Guardian and another at Grantland.

Rochester as the home of a new National Soccer Hall of Fame? What, are they high?

Elsewhere

Manchester United vs. Manchester City today at 2:30pm (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3).

Yankee Stadium will host Manchester City vs. Chelsea on May 25 and Spain vs. Ireland on June 11.

Aon, set to be replaced by Chevrolet in the 2014-2015 season as Manchester United, has reportedly signed a deal worth $230 million over eight years for the naming rights of United’s training grounds.

With the death of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, When Saturday Comes looks at her influence on English football.

Some 113 shirts have been donated from clubs around the world as diverse as Barcelona and the Iranian National Team for the #26 Shirt Auction in support of scholarship fund in memory of Rachel Marie D’Avino, who died in the Sandy Hook shooting.

20 Comments

  1. Casey is such a remarkable target forward that he made Cruz look good!

    • The Black Hand says:

      Cruz looked good. Have to give the guy a little more credit.

      • Yeah, Cruz looked great running McInerney over in the box to ruin an impressive scoring chance in the first half. Or the blast 20 feet over the bar from 12 yards out at a bad angle with 2 men in front of a gaping net. One assist after a great play from Casey to spring him does not make for a good performance.

      • Cruz should’ve had two assists — Casey missed a total sitter. Give credit where it’s due.

      • Fair enough, but what about the 2 scoring chances he ruined as Dan mentioned? So at the very least he breaks even.

      • JediLos117 says:

        This is really funny to me.

      • The Black Hand says:

        I was overwhelmed to see positive play and Cruz together for once. I gave him a little overvaluing.

  2. That the Union’s Development Academy will be free is laudable!

  3. Q: Are Columbus actually a good team? I don’t get a chance to watch a lot of MLS.

    • So far, they seem mid-table. But it’s early in the season, and they turned over a lot of their starting lineup.

  4. Can’t say I saw the Union as the better team in either half. But hey — draw on the road is acceptable. Generally, though, I’m tired of watching Cruz and Daniel.

    • The Black Hand says:

      They were two of our better players on Saturday.

      • Eli Pearlman-Storch says:

        Daniel was one of our better players. Cruz was our worst.

      • The Black Hand says:

        I thought that Cruz looked better than his usual. But yes, that is still far from good. I was overvaluing his two positive plays. I wasn’t used to seeing such a thing.

        Daniel, on the other hand, is one of our better players. Far more effective, so far, than anyone else at the top of our midfield. I would love to see he and Kleberson at our middle.

      • Daniel yes. Cruz no. Aside from the assist on the goal and one other run he didn’t contribute positively at all. He shanked a cross early in the game, another time ran right into Jack Mac on a cross, and tries to dribble through defenders entirely too much. He’s shown flashes of being a decent player but he’s not one of the Union’s best 11 players.

      • Daniel was decent against the Crew. But if that’s the high end, it’s not enough. It’s a team game, and I just don’t see very quick decisions from Keon. If this team wants to improve, it happens with changes in the offensive midfield.

    • Both teams took turns being horrible in shifts.

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